'The Office' Is Getting A Spinoff, And The Premise Is All Too Relevant For The 2020s
“The Office” is officially getting a spinoff — and fans are already mighty polarized.
When producer Greg Daniels adapted the series from its beloved British original in 2005, he helped turn cast members Steve Carell, Mindy Kaling, John Krasinski and Craig Robinson into stars. Daniels’ follow-up is still in its early stages, but fans are already wondering if he can do it again.
The spinoff, announced Wednesday, will reportedly introduce an all-new cast and take viewers far away from their favorite regional manager, Michael Scott, and the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. According to an official log line, however, one key aspect will remain the same.
“The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters,” the synopsis reads, per Variety. (It’s a premise that maybe reflects life in the 2020s a little too well, given all the challenges facing legacy news outlets and digital publications alike.)
The U.S. “Office” chronicled the daily mundanities of life at a struggling paper company in Pennsylvania, as well the interpersonal and romantic relationships that emerged under the leadership of Michael Scott (Carell), the bumbling but (usually) endearing boss.
The show spanned nine seasons and concluded in 2013 with 42 Primetime Emmy nominations and five wins under its belt. Shows like “Parks and Recreation” and “Modern Family” followed in its mockumentary footsteps, which were laid out by the original U.K. version, starring and co-created by Ricky Gervais. (The U.K. show also starred Lucy Davis, Martin Freeman, Mackenzie Crook, Ralph Ineson and scene-stealer Ewen MacIntosh, who died earlier this year.)
Fans of the original BBC series ― which aired from 2001 to 2002, with a handful of special follow-up installments ― were wary when NBC announced its U.S. version. However, the adaptation, as led by Carell, gained a devoted following and proved its longevity, eventually breaking streaming records with 57.1 billion minutes of viewership in 2020.
Some users on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, are nonetheless skeptical about the new, as-yet untitled spinoff.
“Sounds to me like Greg Daniels’ production company had a pitch for a new sitcom set at a newspaper and were told ‘we’ll green light this show if it’s called The Office,’” one person wrote.
Another commented: “Sounds like a 1 season or 2 season cancellation.”
Daniels has reportedly already cast “Star Wars” actor Domhnall Gleeson and “White Lotus” breakout star Sabrina Impacciatore ― both of whom are presumably aware of the risk that all their stuff might be suspended in Jell-O for the rest of their lives.
