The Office received moderately positive reviews from critics (except for thepilot episode which received mixed reviews) during its relativelyshort first season of 6 episodes, a British television standard, but the following seasons, particularly Carell's performance, received significant acclaim from television critics as the show's characters, content, structure, and tone diverged considerably from the original British series. These seasons were included on several critics' year-end top TV series lists, winning several awards including aPeabody Award in 2006, twoScreen Actors Guild Awards, aGolden Globe Award for Carell'sperformance, and fivePrimetime Emmy Awards, including one forOutstanding Comedy Series, in 2006. The eighth season was criticized for declining quality, with Carell's departure in season seven seen as a contributing factor. However, the ninth and final season ended the series with a generally positive response. Theseries finale, which originally aired on May 16, 2013, was viewed by an estimated 5.7 million viewers and garnered critical acclaim.[2] In 2016,Rolling Stone namedThe Office one of the 100greatest television shows of all time.[3]
Greg Daniels adaptedthe BritishOffice series for American television and served as theshowrunner for the first four seasons. He then left the position when he co-created the comedy seriesParks and Recreation with fellowOffice writerMichael Schur and divided his time between both series.[4]Paul Lieberstein andJennifer Celotta were named the showrunners for the fifth season.[5] Celotta left the series after the sixth season and Lieberstein stayed on as showrunner for the following two seasons. He left the showrunner spot after the eighth season for the potential Dwight Schrute spin-off,The Farm, which was eventually passed on by NBC.[6][7] Daniels returned to the showrunner position for the ninth and final season.[8] Other executive producers include cast membersB. J. Novak andMindy Kaling.[9][10] Kaling, Novak, Daniels, Lieberstein and Schur made up the original team of writers.[11] Kaling, Novak, and Lieberstein also served multiple roles on the series, as they played regular characters on the show, as well as wrote, directed, and produced numerous episodes.[12] Credited with twenty-four episodes, Kaling is the most prolific writer among the staff.[12]Ricky Gervais andStephen Merchant, who created the original British series, are credited as executive producers and wrote bothpilot and the third-season episode "The Convict".[13] Merchant later directed the episode "Customer Survey", while Gervais appeared briefly in the episodes "The Seminar" and "Search Committee", reprising his role asDavid Brent from the British series.[14][15]
Before the second episode airing, the writers spent time conducting research in offices.[20] This process was used for Daniels' other seriesKing of the Hill andParks and Recreation.[20] Thepilot is a direct adaptation of the first episode of the original British series.[21] Daniels chose to go this route because "completely starting from scratch would be a very risky thing to do" owing to the show being an adaptation.[21] He had briefly considered using the idea for "The Dundies" as the pilot episode.[22] After the writers knew who the cast was, they were allowed to write for the actors, which allowed the show to be more original for the following episode, "Diversity Day".[21] Following the mixed reaction toward the first season, the writers attempted to make the series more "optimistic" and to makeMichael Scott more likable.[23] They also established the supporting characters of the series more, giving them relatable personalities. They also made the lights in the office brighter, which allowed the series to differentiate itself from the British series.[23]
A common issue with the scripts, according to Novak, is that they tended to run too long for the regular 22-minute time slot, leading to several cuts.[24] For example, the script for the episode "Search Committee" was initially 75 pages, which was 10 pages too long.[24] A complete script was written for each episode; however, actors were given opportunities to improvise during filming. Fischer said, "Our shows are 100 percent scripted. They put everything down on paper. But we get to play around a little bit, too. Steve and Rainn are brilliant improvisers.".[25] Theseimprovisations led to a large number of deleted scenes with almost every episode ofThe Office, all of which are considered part of the series'canon and storyline by Daniels.[26] Deleted scenes have sometimes been restored in repeats to make episodes longer or draw back people who have seen the episode before to see thebonus footage. In an experiment, a deleted scene from "The Return" was made available overNBC.com andiTunes, explaining the absence of a character over the next several episodes.[26] Daniels hoped thatword of mouth among fans would spread the information, but he eventually considered the experiment a failure.[26]
According toJenna Fischer, the series used an unusual casting process that did not involve a script. For example, the producers asked the actors several questions and they responded as the characters they were auditioning for.[27] NBC programmerKevin Reilly originally suggestedPaul Giamatti to producerBen Silverman for the role of Michael Scott, but the actor declined.Martin Short,Hank Azaria, andBob Odenkirk were reported to be interested in the part.[28] Silverman offered the role toRicky Gervais, who playedDavid Brent in the British series, but he declined as he felt it would not make sense and did not want to move to the United States.[29]
In January 2004,Variety reported thatSteve Carell, of theComedy Central programThe Daily Show with Jon Stewart, was in talks to play the role. At the time, he was already committed to another NBC midseason replacement comedy,Come to Papa,[30] but the series was quickly canceled, allowing his full commitment toThe Office. Carell later said that he had only seen about half of the original pilot episode of the British series before he auditioned. He did not continue watching for fear that he would start copying Gervais' characterizations.[31] Other people who were considered or auditioned for the role includedBen Falcone,Alan Tudyk,Jim Zulevic, andPaul F. Tompkins.Rainn Wilson was cast as power-hungrysycophantDwight Schrute, and he watched every episode of the British series before he auditioned.[32] Wilson had originally auditioned for Michael, a performance that he described as a "terrible Ricky Gervais impersonation"; however, the casting directors liked his audition as Dwight much more and hired him.Seth Rogen,Matt Besser,Patton Oswalt, andJudah Friedlander also auditioned for the role.[32] Carell was later joined by his wifeNancy Carell when she was cast to play Carol Stills, a love interest of Michael Scott. When asked what it was like working with her husband, Carell said she was intimidated at first as she had retired from acting years prior, but that they had fun together.[33]
John Krasinski andJenna Fischer were cast in their respective roles as Jim and Pam, the main love interests. Krasinski attended school withB. J. Novak, where the two were best friends.[34][35] Before Krasinski landed the role, he considered quitting acting. He discussed onThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert that he moved to New York City and gave himself two to three years for his acting career to succeed or he would quit. He did not enjoy waiting tables and struggling to find roles, but his mom told him to wait it out until the end of the year. He booked his role inThe Office just three weeks later.[36]
Fischer prepared for her audition by looking as boring as possible, creating the original Pam hairstyle.[37] In an interview onNPR'sFresh Air, she recalled the last stages of the audition process for Pam and Jim, where the producers paired up the potential Pams and Jims (four of each) to gauge their chemistry. When Fischer finished her scene with Krasinski, he told her that she was his favorite Pam, to which she reciprocated that he was her favorite Jim.[27]Adam Scott andJohn Cho both auditioned for the role of Jim, andKathryn Hahn also auditioned for the role of Pam.[38]
Baumgartner originally auditioned for Stanley, but was eventually cast as Kevin.[42]Ken Kwapis, the director of the pilot episode, liked the wayPhyllis Smith, a casting associate, read with other actors auditioning so much that he cast her asPhyllis.[43] At the beginning of the third season,Ed Helms andRashida Jones joined the cast as members of Dunder Mifflin Stamford. Jones later left the cast, becoming a regular onParks and Recreation in February 2007, and NBC announced that Helms was being promoted to a series regular.[44]
Four of the show's writers have also appeared in the show. B. J. Novak was cast as the reluctant tempRyan Howard after Daniels saw hisstand-up act.Paul Lieberstein was cast ashuman resources directorToby Flenderson on Novak's suggestion after his cold readings of scripts.[39] Greg Daniels was originally unsure where to useMindy Kaling on-screen until the opportunity came in the script for the second episode, "Diversity Day", where Michael needed to be slapped by a minority. "Since [that slap], I've been on the show" (asKelly Kapoor), Kaling said.[43]Michael Schur has also made several guest appearances as Dwight's cousinMose, and consulting producerLarry Wilmore has playeddiversity trainerMr. Brown.
Plans were made forMackenzie Crook,Martin Freeman, andLucy Davis, from the British series, to appear in the third season,[45][46] but scheduling conflicts prevented them;[47] however, Ricky Gervais made two appearances in the show's seventh season as David Brent.[48]
The Office was filmed with asingle-camera setup incinéma vérité style to create the look of an actual documentary, with no studio audience or laugh track, allowing its "deadpan" and "absurd" humor to fully come across.[49] The show's primary premise is that a camera crew is filmingDunder Mifflin and its employees, seemingly around the clock.[49] The presence of the camera is acknowledged by the characters, especially Michael Scott, who enthusiastically participates in the filming.[50] The characters, especially Jim and Pam, also look towards the camera when Michael creates an awkward situation.[27] The show's main action is supplemented with talking-head interviews or "confessionals" where characters speak one-on-one with the camera.[27] ActorJohn Krasinski shot the footage of Scranton for the opening credits when he found out he was cast as Jim. He visited Scranton for research and interviewed employees at actual paper companies.[51]
To create the show's documentary style, the producers hired cinematographerRandall Einhorn, known for directing episodes ofSurvivor, who gave the show its "rough and jumpy" feel.[50] This was facilitated by the main set's open floor plan, purposely designed by showrunner Daniels, production designer Donald Lee Harris (Matt Flynn became production designer later), and pilot directorKen Kwapis to allow camera operators to catch characters "unaware".[52] Unlike most sets, the office layout was built with immovable walls to emphasize its airless, claustrophobic atmosphere—"trapping" the documentary film crew with the characters.
ProducerMichael Schur said that the series would strictly follow the documentary format.[53] The producers and directors had long discussions on how scenes could work in the documentary format.[53] For example, in the fourth-season episode "Did I Stutter?", a scene featured Michael going through a long process to go to the bathroom without passing Stanley. The producers debated whether it was possible, and Einhorn walked through the scene to see if a camera operator could get everywhere to shoot the whole scene.[53] Later seasons relaxed the format, with the camera crew often going where actual documentary crews would not. This also changed the series' writing and comedy styles,[54] an inconsistency criticized by some reviewers and fans.[54][55]
The first season of the show was filmed in a real office space inCulver City, California. The remaining seasons were filmed at Chandler Valley Center Studios in theSan Fernando Valley.[56]
When it came to choosing the theme music forThe Office, producer Greg Daniels had several tracks he was thinking of using:[57] existing songs including "Better Things" byThe Kinks, "Float On" byModest Mouse, and "Mr. Blue Sky" byElectric Light Orchestra,[58] and several original pieces artists contributed to the producers via acattle call.[59] Daniels decided that the cast would vote on what song to use and gave them four of the choices.[57] Most of them wanted "Mr. Blue Sky", but that option turned out to be invalid as it was already used in the drama seriesLAX (2004–2005).[58] Thus, the final choice was an original track written byJay Ferguson and performed by The Scrantones.[60]
The theme is played over the title sequence, which features scenes of Scranton, various tasks around the office, and the main cast members. Some episodes of the series use a shortened version of the theme song. Starting with the fourth season, the theme song is played over theclosing credits, which previously rolled in silence. Ferguson described his theme as "against type; it has this vulnerability, this yearning to it that soon explodes into this overdone optimism which then gets crushed - which is pretty much what the show is about."[59]
Many of its characters are based on characters in the original British series. While these characters generally have the same attitudes and perceptions as their British counterparts, the roles were modified to fit the American show. The show is known for its relatively large cast, and many of its actors and actresses are known particularly for theirimprovisational work.
Steve Carell stars asMichael Scott, regional manager of theDunder Mifflin Scranton Branch. Loosely based onDavid Brent, Gervais' character in the British series, Scott is a well-intentioned man whose oblivious attempts at humor often offend and annoy his peers and employees, and sometimes draw reprimands from his superiors.Rainn Wilson portraysDwight Schrute, based onGareth Keenan, who is a salesman and the Assistant to the Regional Manager, an imaginary title created by Michael.[63]
John Krasinski portraysJim Halpert, a salesman and, in later seasons, assistant manager or co-manager who is known for his wittiness and his practical jokes on Dwight. Halpert is based uponTim Canterbury and, at the start of the series, is known to have feelings for receptionistPam Beesly, who is engaged to warehouse worker Roy.[64] Pam, played byJenna Fischer, is based onDawn Tinsley. She is shy but often collaborates with Jim in his pranks on Dwight.[65]
B. J. Novak portraysRyan Howard, who for the first two seasons is atemporary worker but is promoted to a sales representative in thethird season. He later ascends to be the company's youngest vice president, North East Region, and director of new media until his innovations are exposed as corporate fraud and he is fired. He then gets a job in a bowling alley and later briefly works for the Michael Scott Paper Company. After this and a stint in rehab, he again eventually ends up as a temporary worker at the Scranton branch.[66]
The accounting department includesAngela Martin (Angela Kinsey), an uptight and ultra-religious woman who likes to keep things orderly and make sure situations remain as businesslike as possible;Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner), a lovable but dim-witted man who revels in juvenile humor and frequently indulges in gambling; andOscar Martinez (Oscar Nuñez), who is intelligent and cultured, but often patronizing, and whosehomosexuality and Hispanic heritage made him a frequent target of Michael's unintentional off-color comments.
Rounding out the office are the laconic salesmanStanley Hudson (Leslie David Baker), who cannot stand Michael's constant references to hisBlack American heritage (he also does not like to take part in time-wasting meetings and often solves crossword puzzles or sleeps during them); the matronly saleswomanPhyllis Lapin (Phyllis Smith), who dates and then marries Bob Vance (Robert R. Shafer) from Vance Refrigeration, a company whose office is across the hall from Dunder Mifflin; eccentric quality assurance representativeCreed Bratton (Creed Bratton), who has a mysterious criminal history;Andy Bernard (Ed Helms), a salesman from theStamford, Connecticut branch of Dunder Mifflin introduced in season three who transfers to the Scranton branch after the two offices merge;Karen Filippelli (Rashida Jones) a short term love interest for Jim also from Stamford; the shallow and talkative customer service representativeKelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling); the promiscuousalcoholic supply relations representativeMeredith Palmer (Kate Flannery);human resources representativeToby Flenderson (Paul Lieberstein), who is loathed, and often the target of abuse, by Michael; warehouse foremanDarryl Philbin (Craig Robinson); warehouse dock worker and Pam's fiancéRoy Anderson (David Denman), who is fired in the third season for attacking Jim; and the vice president for regional sales for Dunder MifflinJan Levinson (Melora Hardin), who later becomes Michael's rather toxic love interest.
Toward the end of season five, the bubbly and naiveErin Hannon (Ellie Kemper) is introduced as Pam's replacement at the reception and develops a unique bond with Michael when he becomes almost a father figure in her life. A story arc at the end of season four hasHolly Flax (Amy Ryan) transferred to the office as Toby's replacement. She becomes a love interest for Michael, as they share very similar personality traits.Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates) is the CEO of Sabre, a company that takes over Dunder Mifflin.Gabe Lewis (Zach Woods), introduced in the middle of season six, is a Sabre employee assigned to the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch as the regional director of sales. In season seven, Bennett's friendNellie Bertram (Catherine Tate) is interviewed to replace Scott and later serves as a replacement regional manager for Bernard in season eight afterRobert California (James Spader) has become the new CEO of Sabre. In season nine,Clark Green (Clark Duke) andPete Miller (Jake Lacy) join as new customer service representatives who attempt to catch up on the ignored customer service complaints that Kelly has neglected while working at Dunder Mifflin. Clark is later moved to sales.
Carell was reportedly paid $175,000 per episode starting in the third season.[69] Krasinski and Fischer were paid around $20,000 at the beginning of the series,[69] and around $100,000 per episode by the fourth season.[69]
A typical episode for a half-hour time slot runs20+1⁄2 minutes.[70] The final episode of season two introduced the first of what would be several "super-sized" episodes that had an approximately 28-minute running time for a 40-minute time slot.[71] Season three introduced the first of occasional hour-long episodes (approximately 42-minute running time, also suitable for being shown as two separate normal episodes in reruns).[72]
The first season consists of six episodes; the shortest season of the series.
The series starts by introducingDunder Mifflin's employees via a tour given by branch managerMichael Scott for both a documentary camera crew and first-day tempRyan Howard.[82] SalesmanJim Halpert has a crush on receptionistPam Beesly, who helps him play pranks on co-workerDwight Schrute, even though she is engaged to Roy Anderson, who works in the company's downstairs warehouse. Rumors spread throughout the office that Dunder Mifflin's corporate headquarters is planning to downsize an entire branch, leading to general anxiety. Still, Michael chooses to deny or downplay the realities of the situation to maintain employee morale.
The second season is the series' first 22-episode season and has its first 28-minute "super-sized" episode.
Many workers seen in the background of the first season are developed into secondary characters and romantic relationships begin to develop between some of them. Michael makes out with and then spends the night with his boss,Jan Levinson, but does not have sex with her.[83] Dwight and Angela become romantically involved,[84] but keep their relationship a secret.Kelly Kapoor develops a crush on Ryan, and they start dating off and on. When Roy finally agrees to set a date for his wedding to Pam,[85] at a company booze cruise, Jim grows depressed and considers transferring to theStamford, Connecticut, branch, but tells Pam in theseason finale that he is in love with her. Even though Pam insists she is with Roy, the two kiss, and Jim transfers to the Stamford branch soon after.[86] The general threat of downsizing continues throughout the season as well.
The third season consists of 17 half-hour episodes, four 40-minute "super-sized" episodes, and two one-hour episodes. The total number of episodes is 25.
The season starts with a brief flashback to (and additional footage from) the last episode of season two, "Casino Night", when Jim kissed Pam and confessed his feelings for her. Jim briefly transfers to Dunder Mifflin's Stamford branch after Pam confirms her commitment to Roy. Corporate is later forced to merge the Stamford branch with the Scranton branch.[87] Michael takes this merger very seriously. Transferred to the Scranton branch are saleswomanKaren Filippelli, whom Jim has begun dating, and the anger-prone preppy salesmanAndy Bernard, along with other Stamford employees who all eventually quit within the first few episodes of being there. Pam is newly single after calling off her engagement to Roy, and Jim's unresolved feelings for her and his new relationship with Karen lead to shifting tensions between the three. Meanwhile, Michael and Jan's relationship escalates, which causes them to behave erratically on the job. On the other hand, Dwight and Angela continue their steamy secret relationship. Inthe season's finale, Jim, Karen, and Michael interview for a corporate position that turns out to be Jan's, who is fired for poor performance. Jim is offered the job but rejects it off-screen,[88] opting instead to remain in Scranton without Karen and asking Pam out on a date, which she joyfully accepts. In the final scene, we learn Ryan has been awarded Jan's job.[89]
NBC ordered a fourth full season of thirty half-hour episodes but ended with only 19 due to a halt in production caused by the2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike.[90][91] The season consists of nine half-hour and five hour-long episodes for a total of 19 episodes of material created.
Karen has left the Scranton branch after her breakup with Jim and becomes the regional manager at theUtica branch.[92][93] A self-employed Jan moves herself and her candle business into Michael's condo, until the dissolution of their relationship midway through the season during an intimate dinner party including Pam, Jim, Andy, Angela and Dwight. This episode showcases what has become a very toxic and unhealthy relationship between Michael and Jan. After Dwight's crude (though well-intentioned) method ofeuthanasia of Angela's ailing cat without her permission,[94] she leaves him for Andy, leading Dwight into depression. Ryan, in his new corporate life in New York City, attempts to modernize Dunder Mifflin with a new website for online sales; he also learns that his boss,David Wallace, favors Jim, and thus Ryan attempts to sabotage Jim's career. Ryan is soon arrested and fired for misleading the shareholders and committing fraud related to the website's sales numbers. Toby announces he is moving toCosta Rica and is replaced byHolly Flax, who quickly shows a liking for Michael. Pam decides to follow her artistic interests and is accepted to attend a three-month graphic design course at thePratt Institute in New York City. In the season finale, Jim almost proposes to Pam but is interrupted by Andy proposing to Angela, who reluctantly agrees. Phyllis then catches Dwight and Angela having sex in the office.[95]
The fifth season consists of 28 half-hours of material, divided into 24 half-hour episodes and two hour-long episodes, one of which aired afterSuper Bowl XLIII.[96]
Jim proposes to Pam at a gas station halfway between Scranton and New York City, where they meet for a visit. Pam ultimately returns from New York to Scranton, where Jim has bought his parents' house for the two of them. Having avoided jail and only been sentenced to community service, Ryan bleaches his hair and starts working at a bowling alley. Michael initiates a romance with Holly until she is transferred to theNashua, New Hampshire, branch, Toby returns to Scranton to replace Holly, and their relationship ends. When Andy is made aware of Dwight and Angela's continued affair, both men leave her.[97] Newly hired Vice PresidentCharles Miner implements a rigid managerial style over the branch that causes Michael to resign in protest.[98] Michael opens the Michael Scott Paper Company in the same office building, enticing Pam and Ryan to join as salespeople, and though his business model is ultimately unsustainable, Dunder Mifflin's profits are immediately threatened.[99] In abuyout of the Michael Scott Paper Company, the three are rehired with Pam promoted to sales and Ryan returning as a temp. During the chaos a new receptionist,Erin, is hired to fill the vacancy originally left by Pam. The season ends with a scene that subtly alludes to Pam's (unplanned) pregnancy.
The sixth season consists of 26 half-hours of material, divided into 22 half-hour episodes and two hour-long episodes.
Jim and Pam marry and have a baby named Cecelia Marie Halpert.[100] Meanwhile, Andy and Erin develop an interest in each other, but find their inherent awkwardness inhibits his attempts to ask her out on a date during a murder-mystery game meant to distract the members of the office. Jim is promoted as co-manager. Rumors of bankruptcy begin to surround Dunder Mifflin, and by Christmas, Wallace announces to the branch that Dunder Mifflin has accepted a buyout from Sabre Corporation, a printer company. While Wallace and other executives are let go, the Scranton office survives due to its relative success within the company. Michael Scott is now the highest-level employee at Dunder Mifflin. In theseason finale, Dwight buys the office park. Michael agrees to make an announcement to the press regarding a case of faulty printers. When Jo Bennett, Sabre CEO, asks how she can repay him, Michael responds that she could bring Holly back to the Scranton branch.[101]
The seventh season consists of 26 half-hours of material, divided into 21 half-hour episodes, one "super-sized" episode, and two hour-long episodes.[102]
This was the final season forSteve Carell, who plays Michael Scott. NBC did not renew Carell's contract.[103] Beginning with this season,Zach Woods, who portraysGabe Lewis, was promoted to a series regular.[104] Erin and Gabe have begun a relationship, much to Andy's chagrin, and Andy attempts to win Erin's affection back. Holly, Michael's former girlfriend, returns to Scranton to fill in for Toby, who is on jury duty for the "Scranton Strangler" trial. Michael and Holly eventually restart their relationship. After the two get engaged, Michael reveals he will be leaving Scranton to move to Colorado with Holly to support her elderly parents. Jim and Pam adjust to parenthood, while Angela starts dating state senatorRobert Lipton and gets engaged off-screen in the season finale. After Michael's replacement Deangelo (Will Ferrell) is seriously injured on the job, Jo creates a search committee to interview candidates and choose a new manager for the office. In the meantime, Dwight Schrute, and later Creed Bratton, take over as acting manager.
James Spader joins the cast as Robert California, the new CEO of Dunder Mifflin/Sabre.[105] Andy is then promoted to regional manager and works hard to make a good impression on Robert, asking Dwight to be his number two.[106] Pam and Jim are expecting their second child, Phillip, at the start of the season, to coincide with Fischer's real-life pregnancy.[107] Angela is also pregnant with her first son, also named Philip, with State Senator Robert Lipton (although it is implied that Dwight is the child's biological father). Darryl starts falling for the new warehouse foreman, Val.[108] Dwight is tasked with traveling toTallahassee, Florida, to assist Sabre special projects managerNellie Bertram (Catherine Tate) in launching a chain of retail stores, along with Jim, Ryan, Stanley, Erin, and new office tempCathy Simms. Cathy is also revealed to have ulterior motives for the trip, as she intends to seduce Jim. Still, she fails.[109] Robert later kills the retail store project, and Erin decides to stay in Florida as an elderly woman's live-in helper. Andy goes to Florida to win back Erin, allowing Nellie to claim the manager position as her own. Robert tells Andy that he has been demoted back to a salesman, but Andy refuses to accept the news, which causes him to be fired. Andy becomes motivated to begin a Dunder Mifflin comeback and joins with former CFO David Wallace, now a millionaire, to repurchase Dunder Mifflin from Sabre, putting Sabre completely out of business and giving Andy the manager position once again.
Andy, recently returning from Outward Bound manager training, reverts to his arrogant earlier season personality, abandoning both Erin and the office to travel around the Caribbean with his brother in their sailboat after his parents' relationship's demise. In his absence, Erin strikes up a romance with new customer service rep Pete, who, along with another new customer service rep Clark, replaces Kelly, leaving for Ohio with her new husband. (Ryan also moves to Ohio for "unrelated reasons.") Meanwhile, Jim receives an exciting opportunity from an old college friend who offers him a job at Athlead, a Philadelphia sports marketing company. Darryl also jumps on board, but the distance and dedication to Athlead hurts Jim's relationship with Pam. Angela must deal with her husband's infidelity with Oscar. She also deals with her lingering attraction to Dwight, who inherits his family's beet farm. Dwight receives more good news when David Wallace handpicks him to be the new manager after Andy quits to pursue an acting career, which quickly ends when he embarrasses himself at anAmerican Idol-likea cappella singing competition that turns into a viral web sensation. Dwight later makes Jim his assistant to the regional manager, and the two officially end their grudge.
After Jim reconciles with Pam, choosing to stay in Scranton over Philadelphia, Dwight professes his love for Angela and finally marries her. In the series finale, which takes place one year after the release of the documentary that was shot during the entire series, the employees reunite for Dwight and Angela's wedding, for which Michael returns to serve as the best man (with help from Jim who was the person Dwight first asked to be best man). Kelly and Ryan run away together, Nellie now lives in Poland and "adopts" Ryan's abandoned baby, Erin meets her birth parents, Andy gets a job atCornell, Stanley retires to Florida, Kevin and Toby are both fired—the former buying a bar, the latter moving to New York City to become an author, and Oscar runs for theState Senate. Jim and Pam, at her persuasion, move to Austin, Texas to open a new branch of Athleap (previously Athlead) with Darryl (Dwight "fires" them to give them both severance packages), and Creed is arrested for his many crimes.
The Pennsylvania Paper & Supply Company tower, shown during the opening credits
The Office has had product placement deals withStaples[110] and Olympicbalers,[111] as well as mentioning in dialogue or displaying clear logos for products such asSandals Resorts,HP,Apple, andGateway computers, andActivision'sCall of Duty video game series. In certain versions of "The Merger",Kevin Malone uses a Staples-branded shredding machine to shred a Staples-brandedCD-R and many other nonpaper items, including a salad.[110]Cisco Systems, a supplier of networking and telephone equipment, paid for product placement, which can be seen on close-up shots of the Cisco IP telephones. Some products have additional branding labels attached; this can be clearly seen with the HP photo printer on Toby's desk in season 6, and less noticeably with the Cisco phones.[112] In "The Secret" Michael takes Jim toHooters[113] to discuss Jim's feelings for Pam.
Many products featured are not part of product placement agreements but rather inserted by writers as products the characters would use to create realism under the guise of a documentary.Chili's restaurants were used for filming in "The Dundies" and "The Client", as the writers believed they were realistic choices for a company party and business lunch.[114][115][116] Though not an explicit product placement, the producers of the show had to allow Chili's to have final approval of the script before filming, causing a scene of "The Dundies" to be hastily rewritten when the chain objected to the original version.[115]Wegmans, a supermarket chain based out ofRochester, New York has had a working relationship with the show since the fall of 2007. Wegmans cereal, popcorn and cans of Wegmans soda have discreetly popped up in many episodes since then.[117]Apple Inc. received over four minutes of publicity for theiPod when it was used as a much-desired gift in "Christmas Party", though the company did not pay for the placement.[118] The travel websiteTripAdvisor was featured during Season 4 when after a visit to Dwight's "agritourism" bed and breakfast, Schrute Farms, Jim and Pam post an online review about their stay. The show reportedly approached the travel review website about using their name on the show and TripAdvisor set up a review page for the fictional B&B, which itself received hundreds of reviews.[119] The appearance ofSecond Life in the episode "Local Ad" was rated eighth in the top ten most effective product placements of 2007.[120]
Before the show aired, Ricky Gervais acknowledged that there were feelings of hesitation from certain viewers.[121] The first season ofThe Office was met with a mixed response from critics with some of them comparing it to the short-lived NBC seriesCoupling, which was also based on aBritish version.[122][123] TheNew York Daily News called it "so diluted there's little left but muddy water," andUSA Today called it a "passable imitation of a miles-better BBC original."[124] AGuardian Unlimited review panned its lack of originality, stating that Steve Carell "just seems to be trying too hard.... Maybe in later episodes, when it deviates from Gervais and Merchant's script, he'll come into his own. But right now he's a pale imitation."[125]Tom Shales ofThe Washington Post said it was "not the mishmash that [the Americanized version ofCoupling] turned out to be, but again the quality of the original show causes the remake to look dim, like when the copying machine is just about to give out."[123]
"The Office has one of the best casts on television.... It also has created several compelling characters and touching relationships, all of which is fairly remarkable for a half-hour comedy."
The second season was better received.James Poniewozik ofTime remarked, "Producer Greg Daniels created not a copy but an interpretation that sends up distinctly American work conventions ... with a tone that's more satiric and less mordant... The new boss is different from the old boss, and that's fine by me."[127] He named it the second-best TV show of 2006 afterBattlestar Galactica.[127]Entertainment Weekly writerMark Harris echoed these sentiments a week later, stating, "Thanks to the fearless Steve Carell, an ever-stronger supporting cast, and scripts that spew American corporate absurdist vernacular with perfect pitch, this undervalued remake does the near-impossible—it honors Ricky Gervais' original and works on its own terms."[128]The A.V. Club reviewer Nathan Rabin expressed its views on the show's progression: "After a rocky start,The Office improved immeasurably, instantly becoming one of TV's funniest, sharpest shows. The casting of Steve Carell in the Gervais role proved to be a masterstroke. The AmericanOffice is that rarest of anomalies: a remake of a classic show that both does right by its source and carves out its own strong identity."[129]
The series has been included on several top TV series lists. The show placed #61 onEntertainment Weekly's "New TV Classics" list.[130]Time'sJames Poniewozik named it the second-best TV series of 2006,[127] and the sixth-best returning series of 2007, out of ten TV series.[131] He also included it on his "The 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME" list.[132] The show was also named the best show of 2006 byBuddyTV.[133] whilePaste named it the sixth-best sitcom of 2010.[134] In 2013 theWriters Guild of America placed it at No. 66 on their list of101 Best Written TV Series.[135] In 2019, the series was ranked 32nd onThe Guardian's list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century.[136]
The show has some superficial similarities to the comic stripDilbert, which also features employees coping with an inept superior. John Spector, CEO of The Conference Board, says that they both show the impact a leader can have, for good or bad. Dilbert creatorScott Adams also touts the similarities: "The lesson fromThe Office and fromDilbert is that people are often dysfunctional, and no amount of training can fix it."[137] Alabor-affiliated group,American Rights at Work (ARAW), praised the second-season episode "Boys and Girls" for what it considered an unusually frank depiction ofunion busting on American television.[138]Metacritic, a review aggregation website, graded only the first, third, sixth, and final seasons; however, it denoted that all four of them received "generally favorable reviews" from critics, awarding a 61, 85, 78, and 64 score—out of 100—to each of them, respectively.[139][140][141][142] It later named it the thirteenth most mentioned series on "Best of Decade" top-ten lists.[143]
"The Office now is a pale, listless shadow of what it used to be."
The last few seasons were criticized for a dip in quality. The sixth season received criticisms for a lack of stakes for the characters, particularly Jim and Pam.[145][146][147][148]The Office co-creatorRicky Gervais wrote in his blog, referring to "Search Committee," particularlyWarren Buffett's guest appearance, "If you're going to jump a shark, jump a big one," and compared the episode to theChris Martin episode of Gervais' other series,Extras (although he later said on his website, "I fucking didn't [dissThe Office], that's for sure").[149] Some critics said the series should have ended after the departure of Steve Carell.[150][151] In anIAmA interview onReddit, Rainn Wilson felt that the eighth season possessed some mistakes "creatively," such as the chemistry between Spader and Helms, which he called "a bit dark" and argued that the show should have gone for a "brighter and more energized" relationship.[152] Despite this, there are later-series episodes that have received critical acclaim, including "Niagara",[153] "Garage Sale",[154] "Goodbye, Michael",[155] "Dwight Christmas",[156] "A.A.R.M.",[157] and "Finale".[158]
"The Office quickly distinguishes itself from its source material within the first few episodes, proving not all Hollywood remakes of overseas hits are destined to end in failure. (That's what she said.)"
2
100% (14 reviews)
8.4/10
"The Office undergoes a steep improvement in its sophomore season, course correcting the series' bitter dynamics with a dose of warmth that makes the sour jokes all the sweeter."
3
100% (13 reviews)
8.4/10
"The Office hits its full stride in a raucous and romantic third season that gives the series' deep ensemble a generous raise in character development."
4
83% (12 reviews)
7.7/10
"Dunder Mifflin makes some awkward choices while adjusting to a world without Jim and Pam's will-they-won't-they sparks, butThe Office remains a winning ode to workplace drudgery."
5
100% (16 reviews)
8.3/10
"The Office continues to power on like a trusty Xerox machine in a fifth season that has perfected the series' formula for balancing misery with sweetness."
6
73% (15 reviews)
7.3/10
"The Office maintains its quality while highlighting major life changes and mundane happenings among the ensemble cast – and continuing to set a new standard for the workplace sitcom genre."
7
83% (24 reviews)
7.8/10
"While it struggles to answer how Dunder Mifflin will continue to thrive without Steve Carell's terrific performance,The Office sends off his Michael Scott in heartfelt fashion."
8
44% (25 reviews)
6.3/10
"The Office spends its eighth season in the midst of an identity crisis as characters leave and reappear, but at least Robert California is gone."
9
79% (43 reviews)
7.2/10
"The Office's final season returns the series to fine form, balancing the funny with the heartfelt and reminding viewers what made the show great."
Premiering on Thursday, March 24, 2005, with a "preview" episode, after an episode ofThe Apprentice on NBC,The Office brought in 11.2 million viewers in the U.S., winning its time slot.[124] When NBC moved the series to its intended Tuesday night slot for its official series premiere, it lost nearly half its audience with only 5.9 million viewers.[166] The program averaged 5.4 million viewers, ranking it #102 for the 2004–05 U.S. television season.[167] "Hot Girl," the first season'sfinale, rated a 2.2 with a 10audience measurement share. Episodes were also rerun onCNBC on April 1 and April 24, 2005.[168][169]
As the second season started, the success of Carell's hit summer movieThe 40-Year-Old Virgin and online sales of episodes atiTunes helped the show.[170] The increase in viewership led NBC to move the series to the "Must See TV" Thursday night in January 2006, where ratings continued to grow. By the 2005–06 season, it placed #67 (tied with20/20). It averaged 8 million viewers with a 4.0/10 rating/share among viewers ages 18–49, and was up 80% in viewers from the year before and up 60% in viewers ages 18–49.[171] The series ranked as NBC's highest rated scripted series during its run.[172] The highest rated episode of the series was "Stress Relief," which was watched by 22.9 million viewers. This episode was aired right afterSuper Bowl XLIII.[173] While later seasons dropped in the ratings, the show was still one of NBC's highest rated shows, and in October 2011 it was reported that it cost $178,840 per 30-second commercial, the most for any NBC scripted series.[174] The series was also the most streamed of 2020, with 57 billion minutes watched in the United States.[175]
The city of Scranton, long known mainly for its industrial past as acoal mining andrail center,[200] has embraced, and ultimately has been redefined by the show. "We're really hip now," said the mayor's assistant.[201] The Dunder Mifflin logo is on a lamppost banner in front ofScranton City Hall, as well as the pedestrian bridge toThe Mall at Steamtown. ThePennsylvania Paper & Supply Company, whose tower is shown in the opening credits, plans to add it to the tower as well.[202] Newspapers in otherNortheastern cities have published travel guides to Scranton locations for tourists interested in visiting places mentioned in the show.[200][202][203] Scranton has become identified with the show outside the United States as well. In a 2008St. Patrick's Day speech in its suburb ofDickson City, formerTaoiseach (the Irish Head of Government)Bertie Ahern identified the city as the home of Dunder Mifflin.[204]
The inauguralThe Office convention was held downtown in October 2007. Landmarks, some of which have been settings for the show, that served as venues include theUniversity of Scranton, theRadisson Lackawanna Station Hotel and theMall at Steamtown. Cast appearances were made by B. J. Novak, Ed Helms, Oscar Nunez, Angela Kinsey, Brian Baumgartner, Leslie David Baker, Mindy Kaling, Craig Robinson, Melora Hardin, Phyllis Smith, Creed Bratton, Kate Flannery, Bobby Ray Shafer, and Andy Buckley. Besides Novak and Kaling, writer appearances were made by Greg Daniels, Michael Schur, Jennifer Celotta, Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky, Justin Spitzer, Anthony Ferrell, Ryan Koh, Lester Lewis, and Jason Kessler. Not present were writer-actor Paul Lieberstein (who was originally going to make an appearance), Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, and Jenna Fischer.[205]
Dunder Mifflin banner in front of Scranton City Hall
Atrium of theMall at Steamtown during the inauguralThe Office convention
Dunder Mifflin Logo added to the Penn Paper Building in Scranton
On an episode ofThe Daily Show,Republican presidential candidateJohn McCain, reportedly a devoted fan of the show, jokingly toldJon Stewart he might take Dwight Schrute as his running mate.[206] Rainn Wilson later accepted on Dwight Schrute's behalf while onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno. After the airing of "Garage Sale," where the character of Michael Scott decides to move to Colorado, Colorado governorJohn Hickenlooper issued a press release appointing Scott to the position of director of paper distribution in the Department of Natural Resources.[207]
The show is often paid tribute by the bandRelient K. FrontmanMatt Thiessen is a fan ofThe Office, and duringconcerts will often perform a self-described "love song" about the series, titled "The Ballad of Dunder Mifflin," followed by him and the band playing the show's opening theme.[208]
A parody musical, titledThe Office! A Musical Parody, written by Bob McSmith, Tobly McSmith, and Assaf Gleizner, began performances atThe Jerry Orbach Theatre on September 24, 2018, with an official opening on October 3, 2018.[209] The show temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and resumed performances on April 9, 2021, becoming the first New York City stage musical to reopen following the pandemic.[210] Cast membersJenna Fischer andAngela Kinsey attended a performance in May 2022.[211]
Multiple scenes fromThe Office have served as the basis forInternet memes.[212] Examples include a meme based on Michael exclaiming "No, god! No, God, please, no! No! No! Noooo!" upon seeing Toby in the season 5 episode "Frame Toby"[213][214] and a meme called "They're the Same Picture" based on a quote by Pam in the season 7 finale "Search Committee".[215][216][212]
NBC webcast the "Diversity Day" episode on March 16, 2005, onMySpace to promote the show's then-upcoming premiere, days before the TV broadcasts began. This was NBC's first-ever online debut of a complete episode of a network series, and also included a trimmed-downwebisode version of the episode for on-demand viewing on MySpace the following day.[217] Episodes fromThe Office were among the first shows available for download from theiTunes Store and for free streaming on NBC.com beginning in December 2005. In 2006, teninternet-exclusive webisodes featuring some of the characters onThe Office aired on NBC.com. "Producer's Cuts" (containing approximately ten additional minutes of material) of the episodes "Branch Closing" and "The Return" were also made available on NBC.com.The Office also became available for download from Amazon.com'sUnbox video downloads in 2006. Sales of newThe Office episodes on iTunes ceased in 2007 due to a dispute between NBC and Apple ostensibly overpricing.[218] As of September 9, 2008,The Office was put back on the iTunes Store and can be bought in HD and SD format. It is also available through all other major digital distribution sales platforms.
Netflix also offered the show for online viewing by subscribers, in addition to traditional DVD rental.[219] The series would become one of the most streamed shows on Netflix, with its availability on a streamer leading to the show's sustained popularity.[220][221][222]The Office left Netflix in the United States on December 31, 2020, as NBCUniversal acquired the rights to the show for its streaming servicePeacock, which joined the following day. Exclusive to Peacock are extended episodes which include deleted scenes and additional footage.[223][224][225] The first five seasons previously stream for free but now are premium only, and seasons 6–9 are available to stream on its premium tier.[226][227][228]
When the show was in production, it was noted for its large amount of delayed viewing. Of the 12.4 million total viewings of "Fun Run," the fourth season's premiere, 2.7 million, or 22%, were on a computer via online streaming. "The Office," saidThe New York Times, "is on the leading edge of a sharp shift in entertainment viewing that was thought to be years away: watching television episodes on a computer screen is now a common activity for millions of consumers." It was particularly popular with online viewers, an NBC researcher said, because as an episode-driven sitcom without special effects it was easy to watch on smaller monitors such as those found onlaptops andiPods.[229] Between the online viewings and those who usedigital video recorders, 25–50% of the show's viewerswatched it after its scheduled airtime.[230]
The show's Internet success became an issue in the2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. Daniels and many of the cast members who double as writers posted a video toYouTube shortly after the strike began, pointing out how little if any, they received inresiduals from online and DVD viewing. "You're watching this on the Internet, a thing that pays us zero dollars," Schur said. "We're supposed to get 11 cents for every two trillion downloads." The writers were particularly upset that they weren't compensated for theDaytime Emmy Award-winning summer webisodes "The Accountants", which NBC considered promotional material despite the embeddedcommercials.[231]
Aside fromNBC,The Office has gone into syndication in the United States. It previously ran on local broadcast stations in off-network syndication andTBS. On December 13, 2017,Comedy Central announced that they had acquired all nine seasons of the show from NBCUniversal in a non-exclusive deal, and some episodes are available to stream on Comedy Central's official website andmobile app on a rotating basis. Reruns ofThe Office began airing on Comedy Central on January 15, 2018.[232] The deal between Viacom (who owns Comedy Central) and NBCUniversal (for rights for airing reruns ofThe Office) was extended throughout 2021. The series will then air in a non-exclusive window onParamount Media Networks and its sisterFave TV through 2025.[233] The series aired onCozi TV from January 1, 2019, to October 3, 2021.[234] It also aired onNick at Nite starting January 1, 2019, and later onParamount Network, although Nick at Nite no longer airs the program as of May 5, 2019. The show then began airing onFreeform on January 1, 2022.[235] In the United Kingdom, the show was named in listings magazines (but not onscreen) asThe Office: An American Workplace when it originally aired there onBBC Three[236] before moving toITV2.[237] In Australia, all 9 seasons aired on10 Shake.[238]
The show's success has resulted in expansion outside of television. Characters have appeared in promotional materials for NBC, and a licensed video game—The Office—was released on November 28, 2007, byMumboJumbo from the development company Reveille.[239][240] In 2008 two games were introduced via Pressman Toy Corp:The Office Trivia Board Game andThe Office DVD Board Game.[241] In 2009,The OfficeClue was released, andThe OfficeMonopoly was released in 2010. Other merchandise, from T-shirts and abobblehead doll of Dwight Schrute[242] to more office-specific items such as Dunder Mifflin copy paper[243] and parodies of theSuccessories motivational poster series featuring the cast[244] are available. Dunder Mifflin had two websites,[245] and the cast members maintained blogs both as themselves and in character.
In April 2024, cast members Rainn Wilson, Craig Robinson, Jenna Fischer, Kate Flannery, Brian Baumgartner, and Creed Bratton appeared in anAT&T commercial for the company's AT&T Business Next Level Network.[246]
Several members of the cast maintained blogs onMySpace, including Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, and Brian Baumgartner, who posted regularly during the season.[247]Rainn Wilson wrote in character as Dwight for the "Schrute Space" blog on NBC.com, which was updated periodically; however, he stopped writing the blog himself.[248] It is unknown whetherCreed Bratton authors "Creed Thoughts," the blog attributed tohis character.[249]
On September 11, 2019,Jenna Fischer andAngela Kinsey announced their podcast calledOffice Ladies which premiered on October 16, 2019, onEarwolf. The podcast features Fischer and Kinsey watching episodes ofThe Office and offering behind-the-scenes details and answering fan questions.[250] The theme song for the podcast, "Rubber Tree" is performed byCreed Bratton.[251]
In February 2021,Brian Baumgartner started a podcast calledThe Office Deep Dive with Brian Baumgartner in which he sits down with other actors, writers, and others who worked on the show and share behind-the-scenes stories about the show. The podcast introduction song, "Bubble and Squeek" is performed byCreed Bratton.[252]
Deleted scenes from all episodes, five commentary tracks by cast and crew on select episodes.
2
September 12, 2006
January 28, 2008
April 4, 2007
22
4
Deleted scenes from every episode, ten commentary tracks by cast and crew on select episodes,The Accountants webisodes,Faces of Scranton video, blooper reel, 17 fakepublic service announcements,Olympics promos and "Steve on Steve" promos.
3
September 4, 2007
July 21, 2008
August 20, 2008 (Part 1) April 22, 2009 (Part 2)
25
4
Deleted scenes, eight commentary tracks by cast and crew on select episodes,[253] "Kevin Cooks Stuff in The Office", 2006 NBC Primetime Preview, Toby wraparound promos, Dwight Schrute music video,Joss Whedon interview, blooper reel,Lazy Scranton video, and a 58th Annual Emmy Awards excerpt. A special edition forTarget called the "Nifty Gifty" set also contains footage from the Museum of TV festival and script facsimile.
4
September 2, 2008
June 14, 2010
September 2, 2009 (Part 1) December 2, 2009 (Part 2)
19
4
Deleted scenes, outtakes,Second Life footage,The Office Convention invitation,The Office Convention: Writer's Block Panel, "Goodbye, Toby" music video, four commentary tracks by cast and crew on select episodes.[254]
5
September 8, 2009
February 7, 2011
September 29, 2010 (Part 1) March 2, 2011 (Part 2)
28
5
Deleted scenes, outtakes, ten commentaries by the cast and crew, "The Academy of Art and Sciences presents, 'The Office,' Summer Olympic promos, Super Bowl promos,Kevin's Loan webisodes, andThe Outburst webisodes.[255]
6
September 7, 2010
January 30, 2012
August 4, 2011 (Part 1) November 9, 2011 (Part 2)
26
5
Deleted scenes, outtakes, gag reel, cast and crew commentaries, two extended episodes, minisodeThe Podcast, "Welcome to Sabre" corporate welcome video, promos.[256]
Overtime
November 16, 2010
N/A
N/A
N/A
1
The Accountants,Kevin's Loan,The Outburst,Blackmail,Subtle Sexuality andThe Mentor webisodes,The Podcast minisode, The Office Convention: Cast Q&A, Paley: Inside The Writer's Room,Subtle Sexuality commentary with Mindy Kaling, B. J. Novak, and Ellie Kemper,Blackmail video commentary with Creed Bratton,Subtle Sexuality music video, Dwight Schrute music video,Lazy Scranton video, Michael Scott's Dunder Mifflin ad and fake PSAs.[257]
7
September 6, 2011
September 3, 2012
August 22, 2012 (Part 1) November 7, 2012 (Part 2)
26
5
Deleted scenes, blooper reel, "The Third Floor" webisodes, cast and crew commentaries on five episodes, producer's extended cuts of "Training Day" and "Search Committee," Threat Level Midnight: The Movie (A Michael Scott Joint)
8
September 4, 2012
April 7, 2014
February 13, 2013 (Part 1) August 8, 2013 (Part 2)
24
5
Deleted scenes, blooper reel, "The Girl Next Door" webisodes, producer's extended cuts of "Angry Andy" and "Fundraiser"
Aspin-off to the series was proposed in 2008,[260] with apilot episode expected to debut as theSuper Bowl lead-out program in 2009. The idea created by the writers was that a copy machine breaks inThe Office and then it is recalled, fixed, and shipped toPawnee, Indiana, the setting ofParks and Recreation. However,The Office's creative team instead decided to developParks and Recreation as a separate series.[261][262] Also, actress Rashida Jones was to portray a different character in both, causing a problem for the potential spin-off.[263]
Another spin-off starring Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute running a bed-and-breakfast and beet farm, titledThe Farm, was proposed in early 2012.[6][264] In October 2012, however, NBC decided not to go forward with the series.[265] Abackdoor pilot episode was produced, and although the show was not picked up, it was modified and aired during the ninth season as "The Farm".[264][266]
In September 2019, with the announcement ofNBCUniversal's streaming servicePeacock,Bonnie Hammer, Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer and Digital Enterprises atNBCU stated that it is her "hope and goal that we do anOffice reboot".[267] In March 2020, former showrunnerGreg Daniels expressed doubts at a reboot being possible, and later that year, former NBC president of original content Bill McGoldrick stated that "a reboot has not come up specifically for Peacock".[268][269]A reboot of the series was revealed to be in development in September 2023, with Greg Daniels returning as a showrunner.[270] In November 2023, Daniels clarified that he had no interest in rebooting the series by redoing "that same show with a different cast", instead preferring to have a spinoff series focusing on a different subject in the same world.[271]
In July 2020,Leslie David Baker launched aKickstarter campaign to fund the production of apilot forUncle Stan, a proposed spin-off focusing on a now-engagedStanley Hudson as "After several years of enjoying a relatively uneventful retirement lifestyle, Uncle Stan receives an urgent call for help from his favorite nephew, Lucky: a recent widower with two small children and a motorcycle repair/flower shop in Los Angeles. Soon Uncle Stan finds himself dishing out all the support and guidance he has to offer in his new California home."[272] As a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic, plans for the spinoff were put "on hold" and later cancelled, with Leslie David Baker announcing that backers would be refunded.[273]
In January 2024, it was announced that Greg Daniels was setting up a development room for a possible expansion ofThe Office to explore ideas for a follow-up series.[274] The follow-up, to be available for streaming on Peacock, will center around the documentary crew from the original series finding a new subject in a dying Midwestern historic newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters. The follow-up has Daniels,Michael Koman,Howard Klein,Ben Silverman, Banijay Americas and the creatives behind the original British series (Ricky Gervais andStephen Merchant) on board as its executive producers.[275]Steve Carell, who portrayedMichael Scott, confirmed that he will not be making an appearance in the new show.[276]
^abc"Greg Daniels talks about The Office deleted scenes".OfficeTally. February 25, 2007.Archived from the original on September 29, 2012. RetrievedFebruary 25, 2011.For the writers, in our minds, those scenes have happened. We wrote them, we shot them, and at the last minute, I cut them in the editing room, but we're relying on them anyway for the show's mythology.
^Krasinski, John (Actor). John was also a high school buddy ofB. J. Novak and thus scored an audition leading to the role of Jim Halpert. 2005. "Pilot" [Commentary track],The Office Season One [DVD], Los Angeles, CA:Universal
^abChun, Wing."The B. J. Novak Interview". Televisionwithoutpity.com. pp. 4–5. Archived fromthe original on October 11, 2007. RetrievedAugust 23, 2008.[Daniels] hired people who he knew were improv people who could bring their own ideas to the role
^Jones, Del (September 26, 2007)."TakingOffice lessons from the world's greatest (inept) boss".USA Today.Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. RetrievedMay 8, 2008.Jon Spector, CEO of The Conference Board, an organization that tries to improve business effectiveness, likensThe Office to the 18-year-old comic stripDilbert that appears in 2,000 newspapers in 65 countries. BothThe Office andDilbert show how leaders have enormous impact for good—and how they can 'screw things up,' Spector says ... 'Michael puts himself in a position of responsibility, where most people feel uncomfortably vulnerable,' says Noah Rowles, CEO of Los Angeles software company Iolo Technologies. 'He takes ownership of his flock. The lesson learned is that people would much rather follow someone who is passionate and dedicated than someone who may be perfect on paper but otherwise uncommitted to achieving success as a group.'
^Ryan, Maureen (February 23, 2006)."Office promotions pay off in a big way".Chicago Tribune.Archived from the original on November 7, 2016. RetrievedMarch 20, 2008."Because of the relationship we have with [the feature-film division of NBC Universal], within the company we knew that Steve had been identified as a big star and we'd be crazy to let him go," said Angela Bromstad, president of NBC Universal Television Studio, the production company behindThe Office. Hence the second-season pickup of the show.'
^abSagers, Aaron (October 24, 2007)."Pennsylvania city relishes attention from hit TV series".The Morning Call.Archived from the original on February 3, 2009. RetrievedFebruary 8, 2022.The tower looks exactly the same as it does on TV, although company President Douglas Fink says there are plans to add a Dunder Mifflin logo to one of the tower's black circular insets ... Fink adds that the attention from the show has led to a greater awareness of his business.
^Stelter, Brian (May 12, 2008)."McCain's TV Preferences Emerge:Office Farce, Not Soap".The New York Times.Archived from the original on April 17, 2009. RetrievedMay 12, 2008.Mr. McCain seemed to set himself up again last Wednesday when, in an appearance onThe Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he jokingly proposed Dwight Schrute, a sycophantic character on the NBC sitcomThe Office, as his running mate... But Mr. McCain's fondness forThe Office seems sincere. The next day he seemed slightly star-struck upon meeting B. J. Novak, a writer, and actor on the show, at a gala sponsored by Time magazine. Mr. McCain started rattling off the details of 'Dinner Party,' a recent episode that he apparently enjoyed and remembered.
^Armitage, Helen (September 29, 2021)."The Office's Hilarious "It's Happening!" Reaction Meme Explained".Screen Rant. RetrievedNovember 10, 2024.The subplot in the season 7 episode 'Search Committee' that saw Pam Halpert (née Beesly) distract Creed Bratton by asking him to find the difference between two identical pictures birthed the brilliant 'They're The Same Picture' meme....
^Stelter, Brian (May 12, 2008)."In the Age of TiVo and Web Video, What Is Prime Time?".The New York Times.Archived from the original on December 10, 2008. RetrievedMay 12, 2008.Many of the top-rated broadcast shows now have 20 percent to 25 percent ratings gains when DVR viewing is calculated. In urban areas, the gains are even greater. In Los Angeles, fully half the 18- to 49-year-old viewership for some shows, includingThe Office and another NBC sitcom,30 Rock, happens on a time-shifted basis.
Fernández, Luis J. Tosina. "Michael Scott’s anti-proverbs and pseudo-proverbs as a source of humour in The Office."The European Journal of Humour Research 11, no. 1 (2023): 67–78.
Griffin, Jeffrey. "The Americanization ofThe Office: A Comparison of the Offbeat NBC Sitcom and its British Predecessor.”Journal of Popular Film and Television 35 (2008): 154–16.
Schwind, Kai Hanno. "Chilled-out Entertainers: Multi-layered Sitcom Performances in the British and American Version ofThe Office."Comedy Studies 5.1 (2014): 20–32.
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