The hit TV mockumentary based on Ricky Gervais‘ The Office is getting a reboot! Or as the creators would like to call it a ‘spin-off’. This marks the first update about a possible spin-off since the show ended in 2013.
Origins and Legacy
Originally based on the UK series, “The Office” premiered on NBC in 2005, becoming a cultural phenomenon. With its mockumentary style and memorable characters, it remained a fan favourite throughout its nine-season run, ending in 2013. Its popularity soared when it hit Netflix, prompting discussions of a revival.
Greg Daniels, the creator of the original series, has returned to helm the reboot. Recently, Michael Koman, co-creator of “Nathan for You,” joined the team, hinting at an exciting collaboration.
Details about his role remain undisclosed but considering that “Nathan For you” is another hilarious mockumentary, their team-up certainly got fans hyped!
Awaiting Further Details
While no official cast announcements have been made, discussions are ongoing about who might return. While some original cast members like Steve Carell and John Krasinski have busy schedules, others, including Jenna Fischer and Rainn Wilson, have expressed interest in reprising their roles.
Regarding the plot, two options are being considered. One idea involves setting new episodes during the original series’ timeline, creating “lost episodes” using documentary footage. Alternatively, the reboot could pick up in the present day, allowing for a mix of familiar faces and new characters at Dunder Mifflin.
Promising Universe
Each and every character of the universe has their own fanbase so the new show being set in the same universe is nice for creating a sense of familiarity with the new cast members as some people might not be too open about having a completely new set of faces in their favourite sitcom.
Tying in new characters with old ones is a common method of appealing to already fans of the show and to those who have somehow not watched any episode of ‘The Office’.
However, this comes with its own set of risks involved. As it could mean overly relying on nostalgia which could alienate new viewers so the success of the reboot would ultimately be up to the chemistry of the entire cast and their characters – when Steve Carell left The Office, the show struggled to get back on its feet.
Original Cast’s Ideas
Greg Daniels did share his own idea for a new take on the show,
The notion of maybe something like the way The Mandalorian is a new show in the Star Wars universe, you know what I mean? Something like the notion of this documentary crew doing a documentary about a different subject. That, I think, could be intriguing and creative.
Meanwhile Rainn Wilson, also known as the iconic Dwight Schrute has a few ideas in-store just in-case a new show is in the works, he said,
It would’ve been so much fun to film The Office during the pandemic. If we had pandemic episodes, that would’ve been amazing, The Office writers were so great. They would’ve been able to spin that in some beautiful ways.
While fans are clamoring for a reunion episode, Daniels confirmed that he was thinking of the same thing but it’s just a lot harder to execute.
Daniels thinks that they could maybe opt for a ‘Friends’-style reunion episode where it’s just a documentary of the show itself with questions for the cast, because he thinks there isn’t a lot to say about the characters and the ending already packaged everything quite nicely.
Other Offices
As of now, there are 12 existing versions of Gervais’ ‘The Office’, which means that 12 countries have made their own take on a documentary centered around a normal office.
Countries like Canada, Chile, Israel, Sweden , India, Saudi Arabia, and more have their own versions and their own fanbases and the most recent country to take up the challenge is Australia! and they have an exciting female-led cast.
The show is being produced by Amazon Prime Video with filming set to start later this year. Felicity Howard is set to portray Hannah Howard (essentially the boss like David Brent or Michael Scott), the chief of a packaging company. First episode’s premise is:
In a post-COVID plot twist, Howard gets news from head office that her branch will be shutting down and that staff will have to work from home. She goes into survival mode, making promises she can’t keep and launching outlandish plots in order to keep her ‘work family’ together.
One of the original creators, Ricky Gervais actually welcomes each reboot and expresses his support the Australian remake saying that,
I’m very excited about Australia remaking my little show from the turn of the century. Office politics have changed a bit in 20 years, so can’t wait to see how they navigate a modern-day David Brent.
It has been more than a decade since any news about the US version of The Office and even without the announcement of a reboot the show is still being talked about today. We love ALL things comedy so this news got us pumped! If you’re looking for more hilarious comedy shows and comedians, head on over to Big Belly Comedy Club!
