The Office is the show that just keeps on kicking: having outlasted the interest of the early Pam/Jim doe-eyed crush, it's now approaching its ninth season on the air as the anchor of NBC's Thursday-night comedy block. Like many of the rest of the shows on NBC, though, it's been suffering a bit in the ratings this season, with the February 16th episode registering the fewest number of viewers in the show's history, according to Wikipedia. It's tough to weather the departure of Steve Carell, obviously, but it looks now like they'll have to pull off a similar trick two years in a row, as James Spader, who's taken over the role of celebrity boss on the show, has decided to opt out of appearing in Season 9 of the show.
I've always considered Spader more of a film actor than a television actor, despite his lengthy run on Boston Legal, so it's no surprise that he might want to head back to greener pastures after a year of television. He might not be the only one leaving, though, as Mindy Kaling has a pilot that might get picked up on FOX, according to THR; if it does she'll probably bow out of the proceedings as well. And then there's the whole Dwight Schrute spinoff rumor that was bruited a few weeks ago.
Most shows don't even approach nine seasons, of course, which makes The Office's longevity fairly praiseworthy. It can't be that expensive of a show to produce outside of cast salaries and royalties to Ricky Gervais, either, so it wouldn't be hard to imagine NBC doing some kind of soft reboot at some point with younger actors mixed in with the old regulars. It'd be difficult to watch the show become some kind of zombified, shuffling version of what it used to be, but it wouldn't entirely be unexpected.
Anyone actually still watch The Office? Is it doing well? I know most of the writers have stuck around through thick and thin, but I confess to having not watched it much over the past few years for some reason. I think eventually the format became a bit too familiar; even something as simple as a shift to a new set might've helped me stick with it.
Its still watchable but it isn't something I would feel bad about if I missed an episode.
At least Spader can recognize a sinking ship.
Quit watching after the show started being written by middle-aged ladies in cat sweaters.
Nope, quit at the beginning of 6, should've left after 4
I'm still enjoying it and it still has its' moments. Barring a miracle it is past its' peak but it is consistently a pleasant half hour every week.
I watched the episode that had Josh Groban in it and thought it was waste of his talent.
I watched about four episodes of the new season and was done. Carell's leaving should have been the end.
I stopped watching a little after pam and jims wedding. It just got to much of the same nonsense everyweek. The first few seasons were still fantastic though.
I really stopped after last season. I decided this year that Thursday nights is video game night for me while the wife is watching Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice and the kids are asleep.
I am still watching - its still funny. They should probably wrap it up though.
Sadly The Office will go down in history as another that jumped the shark. Even with Steve Carell on the show, it was still past its' prime by a few seasons (or at least it was to me).
The office should be over by the ninth season anyway.
It's still funny but more and more seems to be jumping the shark. For instance they keep introducing new supposed long-standing habits, traits and traditions for characters or the group as a whole, things that force viewers to ignore why they have never even alluded to in all this years.
30 Rock is falling into the same trap, albeit in a slightly more self-aware way.
The last 2 seasons were completely un-necessary, but this one was actually good. They did what they needed to do with Spader, which was to just make a character completely unrelated to and different from Michael Scott.
This was a fine denouement, now... END IT!
Oh I don't know. I never dared get into The Office because every time I saw his face, I wanted to hurl my remote into my TV. Several youtube clips over the years haven't helped either. He's the reason I refused to go see Despicable Me. Or anything else with him in it, for that matter.
He was the best thing about this season. Such an interesting, out of place character.
I think they should of ended with steve carol leaving but I'm still really enjoying the show
Stopped watching during Season 5. Should have ended a long time ago.
Its like the scrubs of this generation!