The Office Is Making a Comeback at NBC

Beloved mockumentary-style sitcom The Office just might be making a comeback. According to THR, sources at NBC say the network is looking to bring the show back for another season. One huge caveat: Michael Gary Scott himself, Mr. Steve Carell, will not return, should the show indeed be revived, so NBC is currently on the hunt for a new fearless leader of Dunder Mifflin.

This isn’t the the first word we’ve had of a potential return to The Office. THR reported in August that NBC was considering a revival, with a new cast and creator Greg Daniels attached. At the time, the network and producers said that those rumors were untrue. However, they look far more credible now that NBC is reported to be in talks to bring the show back.

The Office saw a noticeable downturn in quality after Carell’s character left the show in season seven, but ran for nine seasons nevertheless, making stars out of practically its entire cast, including Carell, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Rainn Wilson, Craig Robinson, Mindy Kaling, Ellie Kemper and B.J. Novak, among others. The series was nominated for countless awards, winning five Emmys during its 2005-2013 tenure at NBC and securing its legacy as one of the best sitcoms of all time.

Daniels told THR last November that he felt the series finale “said everything that the show had to say,” going on to add, “But also I think the American show became so much of an ensemble and to not have the whole ensemble there would just feel kind of, I don’t know, less than.” We’d have to agree: Without Carell at its heart, a revival may very well ring hollow.

NBC’s willingness to trot The Office back out comes shortly after their successful revival of Will & Grace, which has already been renewed. The show has received both critical acclaim and awards-season buzz, landing two Golden Globe nominations, including one for Best Television Series, Comedy.

Per TVLine, NBC is targeting the 2018-2019 season for The Office’s return. Let’s just hope it’s Dundie-worthy.

Read Paste’s take on TV’s nostalgia boom here, in which Amy Amatangelo writes, “Promising or not, nostalgic TV is here to stay.”