"The Office" Revival Eyed at NBC for 2018-19 Season
by Michael Ausiello
Dec. 18, 2017


NBC is getting ready to put pen to paper on a revival of "The Office". Sources confirm to TVLine exclusively that the Peacock network is eyeing a continuation of the beloved workplace comedy for the 2018-2019 season.

The revival would once again be set at Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton, PA., branch, and feature a mix of new and old cast members. Steve Carell, who starred as the branch’s regional manager, Michael Scott, for seven of the comedy’s nine seasons, will not be involved in the new series. The search for a new RM/boss is said to be already underway.

NBC declined to comment on or confirm any details of this story.

http://tvline.com/2017/12/18/the-office-revival-nbc-2018-new-cast/

Why a reboot of The Office is a bad idea: “We've yet to reach a sufficient period of absence to allow the heart to grow fonder” (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/fien-print/office-revival-would-it-be-a-good-idea-1069321)

It’s only been four years since The Office signed off, as Daniel Fienberg notes. And what made The Office so special, he says, was that it “had an amazing ensemble cast, and they've mostly gone on to be amazing elsewhere. That's the reward for being part of an amazing ensemble, not being pulled back to where you started by a (lucrative) tractor beam.” This isn’t like the Will & Grace reboot, which was a response to Trump’s America. “Even in its prime,” Fienberg adds, “The Office was never as big a hit as Will & Grace, and it definitely left the air seemingly with very little remaining juice after two seasons without original American star Steve Carell. It had a really great finale that brought Carell's Michael Scott back one last time and also gave basically every character an emotional and satisfying resting spot. It was completely on its own terms. It left no meaningful questions (unless you need Scranton Strangler resolution). And it was only four years ago.”

ALSO:

Did 30 Rock predict The Office reboot in 2011? (https://hellogiggles.com/reviews-coverage/tv-shows/office-reboot-30-rock-predicted/)
Fans are divided on whether The Office should be brought back (https://decider.com/2017/12/19/nbc-may-revive-the-office/)
Here are five shows NBC should revive before The Office (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/12/the-office-revival-nbc)

I don’t know how I feel about this news. I love The Office, though I can’t deny it went on a couple years too long. I was satisfied with the ending they gave the series. Before it was announced they were ending it, NBC had discussed keeping the show on the air but with some new cast members replacing the old, as if it were a series like ER, where they can have a revolving door cast. I didn’t feel that would work because comedy is much different than drama. And you have to have perfect chemistry for comedy to really gel. So I was glad when they said they were ending the show instead. With this news, if they do bring it back, I’ll think of it as like “The Next Generation” or “The New Class.” In other words, I won’t think of it as season 10 and beyond, but rather season 1 of a new series. But I still think it’s best they just leave it alone. They could do a reunion movie down the line with the original cast (Steve Carell as Michael Scott is a must, however), but all new episodes with a new cast (mixed with some of the old), I just don’t feel is a very good idea. Having said that… I’ll still watch. That’s just how I am.

Before it was announced they were ending it, NBC had discussed keeping the show on the air but with some new cast members replacing the old, as if it were a series like ER, where they can have a revolving door cast.


Was this the Rainn Wilson "Farm" spin-off that never happened or another project?

Was this the Rainn Wilson "Farm" spin-off that never happened or another project?

No. It was them wanting to keep The Office but figured they wouldn't be able to keep the cast intact, so they just sort of considered doing the show with some more cast changes. But before any of that came to fruition, it was decided to end the show instead. I think "The Farm" pilot was being produced around that time. So maybe they knew they wouldn't have Rainn and maybe a few other cast members for a tenth season, which is why they were looking at their options for the future.

I'm not sure where I read this at. Heck maybe it was here on this very message board. I'll look it up.

Was this the Rainn Wilson "Farm" spin-off that never happened or another project?

Okay here's the thread I was thinking of. Now that I re-read it, I don't know if they meant a new series or not. At the time, I assumed it would just be a new season of the original show, which is my my response mentioned Scrubs, which did the same thing... and failed.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=298132

What are the chances that each Office alum will return for a revival? (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/office-reboot-who-could-return-nbcs-potential-revival-1069739)
John Krasinski appears “highly unlikely," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Rainn Wilson is “50-50.” Jenna Fischer is “60-40.” And Oscar Nunez is “a lock.”

Jenna Fischer hasn’t heard anything about The Office revival, but she'd love to reprise her Pam role (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/jenna-fischer-hasnt-heard-an-office-revival-but-would-do-it-a-second-1073042?)
"I think that’s for networks to figure out if I were to be asked," Fischer said at the TV press tour, while promoting her new ABC comedy Splitting Up Together. "I haven't been approached about it and don't know anything about it. … But I love Pam!"

John Krasinski: I'd love to join The Office reboot, but I haven't been contacted (http://www.etonline.com/john-krasinski-says-hes-totally-in-for-an-office-reboot-96233)
"Oh my god, are you kidding? I would love to get that gang back together," he said when asked about the potential revival on Ellen.

The problem is that most of the characters in the end have moved on with their lives.

Jim and Pam moved away from Scranton for Jim to start a new career. I think Darryl was also part of that, so he is gone. So sort of hard to get those characters back, explain away that Jim's big business fell by the wayside and now he is back working for a job he hated. But then there are the other characters too....

Oscar ran for State Senator. Kevin got fired and owns a successful bar. Andy was fired and moved on to working for Cornell University (in New York State) doing something. Stanley is retired. Creed is on the run from the cops. Toby moved to New York City to be a writer. Ryan and Kelly ran off together to parts unknown. Nellie went back to the UK with the baby abandoned by Ryan.

Pretty much leaves only Phyllis and Meredith left (and Dwight and Angela since Dwight became the manager and Angela is his wife). Would Rainn Wilson want to be Dwight Schrute again? I would think he would want to do other things.

The Office was widely watched, but it was also somewhat a cult series and it won't make much sense to us if all the actors came back doing the same jobs and nothing changed and we are supposed to suspend or ignore the canon of the show. I would love for the show to come back with some of the actors, but dunno how it would work.

The problem is that most of the characters in the end have moved on with their lives.

Jim and Pam moved away from Scranton for Jim to start a new career. I think Darryl was also part of that, so he is gone. So sort of hard to get those characters back, explain away that Jim's big business fell by the wayside and now he is back working for a job he hated. But then there are the other characters too....

Oscar ran for State Senator. Kevin got fired and owns a successful bar. Andy was fired and moved on to working for Cornell University (in New York State) doing something. Stanley is retired. Creed is on the run from the cops. Toby moved to New York City to be a writer. Ryan and Kelly ran off together to parts unknown. Nellie went back to the UK with the baby abandoned by Ryan.

Pretty much leaves only Phyllis and Meredith left (and Dwight and Angela since Dwight became the manager and Angela is his wife). Would Rainn Wilson want to be Dwight Schrute again? I would think he would want to do other things.

The Office was widely watched, but it was also somewhat a cult series and it won't make much sense to us if all the actors came back doing the same jobs and nothing changed and we are supposed to suspend or ignore the canon of the show. I would love for the show to come back with some of the actors, but dunno how it would work.

Yeah, I agree with you. The only way they could explain any of the characters returning would be that they miss the cameras and fame (they found after their documentary aired on television) and returned because they wanted to be on TV again. But even as I type that, it doesn't feel genuine to most of the characters.

The Office was a great show mainly because of those specific characters. By the end of the nine years, the main guy was gone along with a few others. It simply wasn't as good. So I don't see how having more cast changes and risk damaging the finale just to make another season or two will be a good idea. Now a reunion special would be a good idea if they get everyone back, but that's kind of what the finale was anyways. So it would almost be like a repeat of that, just made some years later.

I don't know that it would work, especially without Steve Carrel and John Krasinski. At least it wouldn't have the same appeal to me.