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Tag: The Office

  • Actress Jane Lynch brings ‘Swingin’ Little Christmas’ show back to Strathmore – WTOP News

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    On Nov. 29, “A Swingin’ Little Christmas” comes to the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland, a venue the actress holds in high regard.

    Actress Jane Lynch is bringing what she calls a “musical Christmas extravaganza” to the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland.
    (Courtesy Jane Lynch/Strathmore)

    Courtesy Jane Lynch/Strathmore

    Jane Lynch (middle) poses with with Tim Davis (left), Kate Flannery (right) and the band
    At Strathmore, Lynch will be accompanied by Kate Flannery, Tim Davis and The Tony Guerrero Quintet. Flannery is known for her role portraying Meredith Palmer on TV’s “The Office.”
    (Courtesy Jane Lynch/Strathmore)

    Courtesy Jane Lynch/Strathmore

    3 adults with a Christmas tree
    Actress Jane Lynch brings what she calls a “musical Christmas extravaganza” to the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland, on Nov. 29.
    (Courtesy Jane Lynch/Strathmore)

    Courtesy Jane Lynch/Strathmore

    Actress Jane Lynch will be in Montgomery County, Maryland, the last weekend of November for what she calls a “musical Christmas extravaganza.”

    Bringing Christmas cheer is just one of Lynch’s many talents. Her resume is as versatile as it gets: TV, movies, Broadway, live comedy, game show host, voice acting, author and playwright.

    On Nov. 29, “A Swingin’ Little Christmas” comes to the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland, a venue the actress holds in high regard.

    “I think it’s the most gorgeous theater we’ve ever performed in and the nicest people,” Lynch told WTOP this week.

    As for the show, Lynch said it features “Christmas songs that you know and love in a late ’50s, early ’60s style like Frank Sinatra and Andy Williams.”

    Lynch and her friends have been doing some version of this show for 10 years, after recording a Christmas album in 2016, called “Swingin’ Little Christmas.”

    It’s the second year in a row the holiday performance is coming to the Strathmore.

    “Your toes will be tapping, your heart will be full of love, we can’t wait to come back,” Lynch said.

    For more than 35 years, Lynch has been stealing scenes in movies like “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Best in Show” as well as TV shows like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Only Murders in the Building.”

    She’s perhaps best known for her portrayal of cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester on the TV show “Glee” from 2009 to 2015, for which she won several awards, including a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe.

    At Strathmore, Lynch with be accompanied by Kate Flannery, Tim Davis and The Tony Guerrero Quintet.

    Flannery, who played Meredith Palmer in “The Office,” and Lynch go way back.

    “She’s been my friend forever and we’ve been singing together for almost forever,” Lynch said. “Kate Flannery is a live wire.”

    Davis, the vocal arranger on “Glee,” also arranged the vocals for the Christmas show.

    “We sing very tight three-part harmonies,” Lynch said. “Musically, as far as I’m concerned, it’s a delight, it’s really, really wonderful and, of course, there’s jokes and buffooneries that abound.”

    As for the music, Lynch said The Tony Guerrero Quintet “almost sounds like a ‘big band,’ that’s how good the band is.”

    Strathmore is the first of 14 stops on this tour, which culminates Dec. 17 in Santa Monica, California, close to Lynch’s home in Los Angeles.

    “It’s the greatest way to start the holidays, it’s the highlight of my year and I think I can speak for everybody, we look forward to this every year and we’re so glad to be starting at Strathmore,” Lynch told WTOP. “It’s such a great place and the audience was wonderful too.”

    Limited tickets are available on Strathmore’s website. The “Swingin’ Little Christmas” album is available on Amazon and iTunes.

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    Jessica Kronzer

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  • ‘The Office’ Star Oscar Nuñez Shares Lessons From Being a Real Actor at 2 Fake Companies

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    If life imitates art, actor Oscar Nuñez’s best-known role flips the script. Over nine seasons of The Office, he and fellow cast members created comedy gold from a world defined by the highly relatable, humdrum routine of a 9-to-5 job.

    Nuñez is back on the small screen, reprising the role of Oscar Martinez, this time in Toledo, Ohio, where a documentary crew finds the iconic character back in his accounting garb at a struggling newspaper in the debut season of The Paper, the newest offering from Greg Daniels, who adapted a British show and turned The Office into an iconic American workplace satire.

    He’s also reunited with former castmates for AT&T Business in “Wake Up With CrAIg,” a campaign starring Craig Robinson that celebrates the entrepreneurial journey of small business owners. We couldn’t let him walk down memory lane alone — so we joined him last week to hear about it. While an actor is never the role they play, there were hints of Oscar Martinez in our chat: he was slyly funny, a touch sarcastic and thoughtful about the lessons he’s taken from a stint in one of the funniest, weirdest work comedies ever made.

    Ava Levinson: The first season of The Paper was released earlier this month. How did you feel when creator Greg Daniels asked you to return as Oscar?

    Oscar Nuñez: He kind of just said, ‘Hey, I’m thinking of doing a show that, I don’t know, has something to do with newspapers or reporters. Would you be willing to reprise your character and come back?’ This is months and months ago, we’re just having lunch. I’m like, ‘No, I wouldn’t, of course, I wouldn’t mind.’ And then, slowly but surely, it came together. And here we are. He’s one of those people who, because of his track record and his work ethic and blah, blah, blah, he gets things done. And so this goes from a thought to actually finished product. It’s amazing.

    I was skeptical of The Paper, because I didn’t want to go in thinking it was going to be The Office.

    Typical Ava.

    But I watched, and it’s really funny. The cast has such strong chemistry on both shows — what would you say are the biggest differences between the two ensembles?

    It’s not The Office. The Office was a long time ago. I made fast friends with Kate Flannery, and I met Brian [Baumgartner]. I had met Steve [Carell] before and Angela [Kinsey] and I were friends. We were in improv together. On this show, I know Paul Liberstein and I know my ex-boss, Greg Daniels, but everyone else I was meeting for the first time. Greg Daniels doesn’t hire anyone who’s problematic or, you know, a weirdo or whatever. So that part, I knew it was going to be fine to meet these people. It’s just a matter of who you click with and who you’re going to be buddies with and all that. And everyone is great, amazing.

    How has the show launch campaign been?

    I’ve been to Toronto, Austin, New York City, even London doing this rollout. It’s been crazy. We were a little, not concerned, but a little anxious, maybe, about what kind of reaction we were going to get for the show. It’s been positive. We’ve had so much good feedback. I’m very happy with the show. No complaints.

    This is your 10th season in an office role. Does it feel like you’re really working in an office?

    It feels like you’re in an office. You’re wearing the stupid clothes — nothing against office work, I’ve done office work. And there’s that low hum of, like, just menial, you know, clacking of keyboards and people looking at papers and stuff like that. People do it. People work in offices. There’s nothing wrong with that. But, yeah, it’s an easy mind frame to get into, because you’re like, not the worst place to be, not the best, but not the worst. It’s ‘Okay, I’m working,’ you know? ‘Okay, there’s a camera. I don’t want to be shot. Get that away from me.’ That’s basically, that’s what we do.

    Did you take anything from The Office —

    Did I physically take stuff home after?

    No. Did you take any lessons from acting in The Office into your real life?

    That’s bananas. What lessons would I take? I can’t think of any. Be on time, I guess. ‘Did you take anything from this fake movie and bring it home to your real wife and kid?’ That’s your question, Ava. Stand by it.

    I’m standing by it, and I’m still waiting for the answer.

    Ava, have it your way. Fine. The majority of my work, I’ve learned how to live with real people by my acting jobs. I take lessons from all my fake characters, and then I hope I don’t play a murderer, because then I’ll learn how to stalk people. And if I bring them into my real life, Ava, there’s a problem, and I will hold you accountable.

    Would you say you personally have anything in common with any of your acting roles?

    I’m afraid so. On The Proposal, you saw how wonderfully I danced. I’m a good dancer. So they took things from The Proposal, from my dance moves, and I use that in real life, I guess, and vice versa.

    If on-screen Oscar was a startup founder, what kind of business would he run?

    I’ll say it’s like a Tie of the Month Club or Tie of the Week Club. Like, here’s the tie that we’re gonna focus on this week. It’s made by Gucci. It’s made in Italy. Next week, I’ll roll out another tie. Because he wears ties all the time, you see? Tie and sock, let’s tie them together. Tie and Sock of The Week. Here’s a tie, it goes with this sock. Let’s talk about it.

    You’ve had several wins in your career thus far. What is one failure that you learned from?

    I auditioned for an Off Broadway play back in the ’80s. I auditioned for it, and I got to be the stand-in. I don’t know what happened but I kind of took it as an insult, because I’m insane, and instead of being happy about it, I didn’t take the part. I let my ego get the better of me, and, like, a week after, I’m like, What was I thinking? Why did I turn it down? What is wrong with me? So kids, don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.

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    Ava Levinson

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  • What “The Paper” Has to Say About Journalism

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    For this week’s Fault Lines column, Jon Allsop is filling in for Jay Caspian Kang.

    Early on in “The Paper,” a new Peacock mockumentary series that follows the staff of the Truth Teller, a fictional newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, viewers are shown a grainy flashback to the institution’s heyday, in 1971: the newsroom is bustling, and the publisher is boasting about its foreign bureaus and a recent story that got a third of the city council indicted on bribery charges. In the present day, it’s clear that the Truth Teller is in much worse shape. Its staff is tiny, and shares a floor with Softees, a toilet-paper brand—and a more lucrative enterprise—owned by the same parent company, Enervate. Mare Pritti (Chelsea Frei), the compositor who puts the newspaper together, pulls mind-numbing stories from a newswire. (“Elizabeth Olsen Reveals Her Nighttime Skin Routine”; “UV nail lamps cause hand Melanoma but not with these 12 tricks.”) “Enervate sells products made out of paper,” an executive named Ken (played by the excellent British comedian Tim Key) says. “That might be office supplies, that might be janitorial paper—which is toilet tissue, toilet-seat protectors—and local newspapers. And that is in order of quality.”

    Enter Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson), the Truth Teller’s peppy new editor-in-chief. He studied journalism in college but then decided to take safer jobs selling high-end cardboard, for his father’s company, and toilet paper, for Enervate, and is only now stepping into the news business. “When I was a kid, I didn’t wanna be Superman,” Ned says. “I wanted to be Clark Kent, ’cause to me Clark is the real superhero. He’s saving the world, too, by working at a newspaper.” Ned intends to revive the Truth Teller by hiring new people to do original reporting around town and cutting the “garbage clickbait nonsense.” Ken gives him short shrift. “Enervate is Tom Brady,” he says. “Very healthy, very rich. The Truth Teller is a sick mouse hiding behind Tom Brady’s fridge. Now, Tom Brady, he likes mice. But this mouse is fucked.” Ned has to make do with the staff that he already has.

    “The Paper” is set in the same universe as the U.S. version of “The Office,” but, as my colleague Inkoo Kang suggested in her review of the show this week, it might have more in common with “Parks and Recreation,” which also revolves around a cast of eccentrics on a civic mission, in that case within a local parks department, in Indiana. Greg Daniels, who co-created all three shows, has said that the newsroom setting was attractive because newspapers play a vital democratic role but are in increasingly dire straits—zombified by unscrupulous owners who come in and cut the journalism to the bone. “The Paper” shines a light on “people who have been a little bit beaten down,” he told The Wrap. “It just seemed like the mission is so great, and it’s such a thing for the characters to be inspired by somebody who comes in and says, ‘Let’s really do this and do it like it used to be done.’ ” Alex Edelman, a writer on the show who also plays Adam, a dopey accountant, described it more pithily, to the Boston Globe, as “a love letter to local newspapers.”

    Sure enough, the show touches on many of the challenges facing local journalism: corporate consolidation, the rise of individual content creators, the tyranny of the online comments section. In the end, the comedic payoff often comes from the fact that the Truth Teller’s work isn’t very good—a curious bait and switch, if the show truly does aspire to prove the worth of dogged, ethical accountability reporting. This is not to say, though, that “The Paper” fails as “a love letter to local newspapers.” It is one of those, in a surprisingly literal sense.

    I got my first major byline in 2017, in what might be America’s oldest continuously published newspaper, the Hartford Courant. The story, an investigation focussed on people who had won Connecticut’s state lottery with improbable frequency, began as a journalism-school project that I went on to develop with two veteran reporters. It was a heavy lift, which involved parsing unwieldy data sets, scouring court records, and driving around for days knocking on subjects’ doors. It was the sort of ambitious swing that local newspapers ought to take. Some still do. But these days many local papers, like the pre-Ned Truth Teller, are stuffed with wire copy, and, according to data from Northwestern, the U.S. has lost more than a third of its newspapers altogether in the past two decades. In 2020, the Courant closed its physical office; the following year, it was acquired by Alden Global Capital, a financial firm whose name is a byword, in journalism circles, for aggressive cost-cutting.

    In “The Paper,” as in real life, local newsrooms are still capable of punchy work; in one scene, Ned has a video call with the editor of an Enervate paper in Cincinnati, who is coded as intimidatingly competent. But the call is intended to emphasize a contrast with the Truth Teller—Ned takes it while wearing an exfoliating blue face mask as part of a newsroom-wide product-review assignment, a brand of journalism that his Cincinnati counterpart dismisses as “lame.” This is far from the only time that the Truth Teller’s shaky standards are played for laughs. In the second episode, when Ned asks his neophyte staff whether they have any newspaper-writing experience, one replies that he has written some tweets. They then go out on disastrous reporting assignments that result in, variously, an accident, an arrest, and a made-up story about a supposed craze in which people pretend to be dogs.

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    Jon Allsop

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  • ‘The Paper’ creators explain why Oscar was perfect for ‘The Office’ spinoff – National | Globalnews.ca

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    The Office may have ended, but its world is far from over because its spinoff, The Paper, carries on the mockumentary style and humour, introducing new characters on a new mission.

    This time around, the same documentary crew that followed Michael Scott and his employees at Scranton’s Dunder Mifflin is focusing on a Midwest local newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, as it tries to get back on its feet with a team of (untrained) volunteer journalists.

    Global News spoke with The Office director Greg Daniels, who is back at the helm of The Paper, and co-creator Michael Koman about the new series and their decision to bring back Oscar Nuñez , who is reprising his role from the original series.

    “The bones of the show is that it’s a documentary and the documentary crew is the main connective tissue. We obviously have Oscar, which is wonderful, but the crew is looking for another subject for a documentary and they start in the paper company following the absorption of the paper company into a larger conglomerate that’s organized around things that use paper, like toilet paper and local newspapers,” Daniels said.

    Story continues below advertisement

    Daniels said it was an easy decision to bring Nuñez back because he’s a “great actor.”

    “His character didn’t have the same closure that a lot of the other characters did in the finale of The Office. There’s still more adventures for him to go [on] without undoing anything that we had settled,” he added.


    Pictured: (l-r) Duane Shepard Sr. as Barry, Oscar Nunez as Oscar.

    John P. Fleenor/PEACOCK

    Daniels and Koman said that in the beginning of the show, Oscar is “horrified that he’s about to embark on it again.”

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    “He doesn’t really want to participate but the other characters are more innocent and they’re just explaining what they do at The Paper. They start off a little bit dispirited until Domhnall Gleeson shows up,” Daniels revealed.


    Pictured: (l-r) Sabrina Impacciatore as Esmeralda, Oscar Nunez as Oscar, Domhnall Gleeson as Ned, Gbemisola Ikumelo as Adelola.

    Aaron Epstein/PEACOCK

    Trending Now

    The series’ cast features Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young and Tim Key as they try to bring the Midwestern newspaper Toledo Truth-Teller back to life.

    Story continues below advertisement


    Pictured: (l-r) Chelsea Frei as Mare, Ramona Young as Nicole, Melvin Gregg as Detrick, Gbemisola Ikumelo as Adelola, Alex Edelman as Adam, Eric Rahill as Travis, Oscar Nunez as Oscar.

    John P. Fleenor/PEACOCK

    The new series has already been picked up for a second season.

    (Watch the interview in the video, top.)

    —

    ‘The Paper’ premieres Thursday, September 4 at 10 p.m. ET on Showcase in Canada. It streams exclusively on STACKTV.

    —

    Both Global News and Showcase are properties of Corus Entertainment.


    &copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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    Katie Scott

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  • The Paper’s Reviews Lead to Higher Rotten Tomatoes Score Than The Office

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    The reviews for Peacock’s The Paper have quickly drawn attention to Greg Daniels’ latest workplace comedy. Since its premiere, the show has sparked strong reactions from critics. Its debut Rotten Tomatoes score marks a positive start and stands higher than The Office in both its first season and overall average.

    What critics are saying about The Paper in reviews

    The Paper has opened to largely positive reviews. Here are a few critics sharing their thoughts on the Office spin-off:

    The Times (UK)’s Tim Glanfield mentions, “This is a show that exudes confidence and with good reason. It’s a sharp, laugh-out-loud funny workplace comedy that has just the right balance of silly, satire and thoughtful characterisation to ensure it remains in circulation for years to come.”

    Lauren Sarner of the New York Post wrote, “The million dollar question is, does The Paper measure up to the original show?… It’s too soon to tell – especially since The Office also took some time to find its groove. But even though it’s not quite that level, it’s a worthy successor.”

    Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter noted, “Both holding the show together and offering hope that The Paper might eventually go from good to great is the cast which, like The Office, features several overlaps with the writing staff, an asset for efficiently targeting performing strengths.”

    Kristen Baldwin of Entertainment Weekly observed, “The writers can’t seem to decide if Ned is…a Michael Scott or a Jim Halpert. Sometimes, Ned is the level-headed voice of reason… Just as often, though, he’s a gaffe-prone bumbler whose impulsive, foolish actions create more problems than they solve.”

    Meanwhile, a few critics aren’t as impressed as they were with the first show. One such example is from The New Yorker‘s Inkoo Kang, who says, “I found myself distracted from its nostalgia for Watergate-era journalism by my own nostalgia for early two-thousands network sitcoms… By contrast, The Paper’s torpor exemplifies the pacing crisis of the streaming era.”

    How The Paper’s Rotten Tomatoes score compares to The Office

    The Paper Season 1 currently holds an 85% score on Tomatometer based on 54 reviews, and is on its way to being certified fresh. This score is higher than the first season of The Office, which stands at 71%, and also above the U.S. series’ overall average of 81% across all nine seasons.

    For context, The Office scored:

    • Season 1: 71%
    • Season 2: 100%
    • Season 3: 100%
    • Season 4: 83%
    • Season 5: 100%
    • Season 6: 73%
    • Season 7: 83%
    • Season 8: 44%
    • Season 9: 78%

    The numbers show that The Paper launched with a stronger debut season than The Office, though the latter eventually peaked at multiple perfect seasons. With its current critical reception, The Paper is positioned as a standout workplace comedy in its own right.

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    Vritti Johar

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  • Technology and Humanity Fight It Out in Greg Daniels’s ‘Upload’ and ‘The Paper’

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    Greg Daniels is an old-fashioned kind of futurist. The TV writer and veteran showrunner is known for the American version of The Office, as well as Parks and Recreation, King of the Hill, and Space Force—all series about people struggling to keep their footing while being tossed about by changing times. He also just wrapped up another show, Prime Video’s Upload, which is about what it means to be alive when those who can afford it are able to digitally preserve their own consciousness. At the same time, Daniels is launching another comedy: Peacock’s The Paper, about a team of idealistic underdogs trying to revive the decaying fortunes of a legacy newspaper in Toledo, Ohio.

    “I kind of think it’s the same issue, because the tech is what’s killing the newspapers,” Daniels tells Vanity Fair. “If it weren’t for eBay and Google and social media, there would still be much more economic life in the newspapers.” Those conglomerates decimated print advertising. Now journalists are facing another existential crisis: the possibility of being completely replaced by large language models, like ChatGPT, that can generate content on the cheap. “The changes in tech are what’s hollowing out newspapers more than anything else,” Daniels says.

    The Paper, which he co-created with Michael Koman (Nathan for You), forces its characters to double down on their ingenuity. They are out in the wild, battered by economic and social forces far beyond their control—but they are hunting and gathering to survive.

    Sabrina Impacciatore and Domhnall Gleeson propose a plan in The Paper.

    Courtesy of PEACOCK.

    Domhnall Gleeson stars as Ned Sampson, the energized new editor of the Toledo Truth Teller—the neglected and largely forgotten part of a broader paper-product company. The Paper is a direct spin-off from The Office, with actor Oscar Nuñez reprising his role as Oscar Martinez from the Dunder Mifflin days. Chelsea Frei costars as a reporter who’s the only other competent member of the staff, while Sabrina Impacciatore (best known as the Italian hotel manager from The White Lotus season two) is a backstabbing managing editor with little in the way of journalistic scruples.

    Those on the team fight to do right by their community while resisting efforts to further erode the newspaper’s capabilities. Daniels says the show was inspired by countless publications across the country that are clinging to life after seeing their revenue and readership plummet due to mismanagement.

    “Zombie is the term. I’ve heard them called ghost newspapers,” he says. “It’s a thing where a conglomerate or private-equity company or something will buy the newspaper. They’ll fire the reporters. They keep the people selling the ads, and the delivery system. They cut costs to the bone. It looks like a newspaper, but it doesn’t cover…anything.”

    Both Upload and The Paper are in a constant state of gaming out best- and worst-case scenarios. “I think people have an instinct that AI could completely screw us over somehow, and it’s being rushed into. And we’re kind of dancing around that comedically in Upload,” Daniels says. “The Paper is a similar situation, I think, where people are like, Something could be better about journalism.”

    In Upload, changes in tech go a step further—they’re hollowing out our souls. Once its characters are hooked on the state-of-the-art software that simulates existence, they have no choice but to keep paying for it. “The big thing in Upload season four is the company wants to monetize all this AI,” Daniels says.

    It all sounds bleak, but there’s typically a buried optimism in Daniels’s shows as well. Upload and The Paper both follow people trying to move forward into their brave new worlds without losing themselves.

    Image may contain Oscar Nunez AnneMarie Duff Facundo Espinosa Deon Cole Ramona Young Cocoa Brown and Clothing

    The Paper‘s overwhelmed staff: Chelsea Frei, Romona Young, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Eric Rahill and Oscar Nuñez,

    Courtesy of PEACOCK.

    Most interviews take place over Zoom these days, but Daniels agrees to meet in an analog way: face to face. He chooses Esau’s Cafe, a tiny seaside diner in Carpinteria, California, because he likes its blueberry muffins—even though he doesn’t order one.

    In addition to having finished Upload and starting The Paper, he’s also executive-producing Hulu’s new King of the Hill reboot, which picks up 15 years after the long-running animated series ended its run in 2010. Mike Judge returns as the stoic voice of Texas propane enthusiast Hank; Kathy Najimy is still indefatigable Peggy; and Pamela Adlon is the grown-up Bobby, now an Asian-fusion chef. The original series, cocreated by Judge and Daniels, derived much of its humor from its repressed Middle Americans clashing with volatile cultural changes—and that part, at least, hasn’t changed.

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    Anthony Breznican

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  • Peacock’s New The Office Series Adds 4 New Cast Members

    Peacock’s New The Office Series Adds 4 New Cast Members

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    Peacock’s new The Office series has added four new cast members.

    In January 2024, it was announced that Greg Daniels was developing a follow-up series to The Office. The series isn’t described as a reboot or spin-off; rather, it’s a mockumentary show with a brand-new cast that is set within the same universe.

    The series is rumored to be titled The Paper, though this has not been officially confirmed at this time.

    Per Variety, Gbemisola Ikumelo (Black Ops, A League Of Their Own), Alex Edelman (Unfrosted), Tim Key (The End of the F***ing World), and Eric Rahill (Friendship) have all joined the cast as undisclosed characters. Ikumelo, Edelman, and Rahill will additionally serve as writers on the series.

    The series’ cast also includes Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Melvin Gregg, Chelsea Frei, and Ramona Young.

    What else do we know about Peacock’s new The Office series?

    “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.

    Daniels co-create the new series alongside Michael Koman. They also both serve as executive producers along with Ricky Gervais and Stephan Merchant, both of whom created the original British version of The Office. Howard Klein, Ben Silverman, and Banijay Americas also serve as executive producers. It is a production by Universal Television.

    “It’s been more than ten years since the final episode of The Office aired on NBC, and the acclaimed comedy series continues to gain popularity and build new generations of fans on Peacock,” NBCUniversal Entertainment president Lisa Katz previously said in a statement. “In partnership with Universal Television and led by the creative team of Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, this new series set in the universe of Dunder Mifflin introduces a new cast of characters in a fresh setting ripe for comedic storytelling: a daily newspaper.”

    A premiere date for the new Office series has not yet been announced.

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    Brandon Schreur

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  • Steve Carell Says Domhnall Gleeson Reached Out To Him To Ask About ‘The Office’: “He’s Great”

    Steve Carell Says Domhnall Gleeson Reached Out To Him To Ask About ‘The Office’: “He’s Great”

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    Before taking on a role in the new The Office spinoff, Domhnall Gleeson sought advice from Steve Carell.

    While appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the actor who played Michael Scott in the NBC workplace comedy, revealed Gleeson reached out to him.

    “I know Domhnall Gleeson, who I did The Patient with, is going to be one of the leads. I know that for sure,” Carell told the late-night show host. “He’s an excellent actor.”

    He continued, “He actually called me and asked, you know, ‘Should I do this? Did you enjoy it?’” The actor added, “He’s great.”

    Fallon brought up the subject of The Office asking Carell if he knew that a spinoff was in the works.

    “Yeah, and I don’t know if you know this — it’s gonna be all the original cast. I’m in it!” Carell joked.

    Fallon then said, “Don’t get people excited.”

    The Office was a remake of the British show created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Carell played Michael Scott, a regional manager for the Dunder Mifflin paper company. The actor remained in the role through the first seven seasons. Carell returned for the Season 9 series finale episode, reuniting with his former co-stars.

    Peacock recently picked up to series a new comedy set in The Office universe. The untitled Greg Daniels and Michael Koman sitcom stars Gleeson and The White Lotus Season 2 star Sabrina Impacciatore. Production for the new show is set to begin in July.

    The streamer teased the show’s premise, saying, “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.”

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    Armando Tinoco

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  • A New ‘The Office’ Series Is Officially in Development at Peacock

    A New ‘The Office’ Series Is Officially in Development at Peacock

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    Peacock recently announced an exciting new series from The Office TV show developer Greg Daniels, raising questions about whether the iconic show is returning.

    The Office, based on the BBC series of the same name, is a mockumentary following the daily lives of employees of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Largely satirical in nature, the show provides an interesting look into the humorous and sometimes absurd ways employees cope with being stuck in the 9 – 5 office lifestyle. Meanwhile, its short episodes, clever humor, and phenomenal performances made it a particularly addictive and bingeworthy series. The Office ultimately ran for nine seasons and achieved high critical acclaim during its run.

    For many viewers, it’s hard to believe that The Office actually ended over a decade ago. It has remained a highly-streamed series, and its popularity has carried on to younger generations, making it seem as if the show only ended a short time ago. Given The Office‘s enduring legacy, many original fans of the series have been curious about whether the franchise will continue. Over the years, several spinoffs and a reboot have been proposed, but none of them ever went anywhere. However, that changed when Peacock announced it had picked up a new The Office series.

    Is The Office returning?

    The Office itself isn’t coming back, but its universe is. Those hoping for a spinoff focused on characters from The Office may be disappointed as the new series isn’t quite a spinoff nor a reboot. Instead, the series will exist in the same universe as the original series but will focus on a completely new cast of characters and company. Essentially, the documentary crew that followed Dunder Mifflin’s employees’ daily lives decides to find another subject for a documentary. Soon, the crew settles on a “dying historic Midwestern newspaper” that a devoted publisher and volunteers are trying desperately to save.

    The series is co-created by Daniels and Nathan For You producer Michael Koman. Peacock has confirmed that Domhall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore will lead the cast. However, as of now, there’s no indication any of the original The Office stars will be returning for the show. Still, given that the documentary crew is the same, one can expect there to be references to The Office, and the setting makes it possible for potential returns.

    It can’t be denied the setting is quite interesting, as the newspaper industry and the increasing loss of local newspapers certainly could use some commentary and viewing from a satirical lens. Although The Office itself isn’t returning, the new series has the potential to stand on its own with some minor support from its tie-in to the original show.

    (featured image: NBC)

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    Rachel Ulatowski

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  • The Office Spinoff Is Finding People to Stare Directly Into the Camera

    The Office Spinoff Is Finding People to Stare Directly Into the Camera

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    Photo-Illustration: Vulture. Photos: Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images, John Phillips/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA

    Oh my God! Okay, it’s happening. Everybody stay calm! A spinoff of The Office is about to start onboarding new hires. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus) and Domhnall Gleeson (Run) will both star in the upcoming project, which is being produced by Universal Television. We first heard rumors that Dunder Mifflin would be restocking back in September 2023. But Greg Daniels, who is behind the American version of The Office, later clarified to TheWrap that he does not consider this new take to be a reboot. Instead, he likened it to the way that The Mandalorian fits into the Star Wars universe. “Something like the notion of this documentary crew doing a documentary about a different subject. That, I think, could be intriguing and creative,” he said. “But I don’t even know what you would call that.” Sounds like a spinoff to us! Daniels is reportedly working on the show with Nathan for You’s Michael Koman. Further details on who is involved are sparse. If the show is set in the same universe as the beloved NBC workplace comedy, perhaps we can look forward to at least a couple cute cameos from former cast members? Jenna Fischer told People she hasn’t been approached yet. We’re sticking by what we said last year: bring back Creed.

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    Jennifer Zhan

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  • Dakota Johnson says filming on ‘The Office’ was ‘the worst’ and had ‘weird dynamics’

    Dakota Johnson says filming on ‘The Office’ was ‘the worst’ and had ‘weird dynamics’

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    Originally appeared on E! Online

    Dakota Johnson is fifty shades of unimpressed with her cameo on “The Office.”

    Back in 2013, the “Madame Web” actress guest starred on the NBC series finale, playing an accountant named Dakota who replaces Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) at Dunder Mifflin. Though Johnson was a huge fan of the show at the time, she did not enjoy the filming experience one bit.

    “That was honestly the worst time of my life,” she shared during her Feb. 8 appearance on “Late Night With Seth Meyers.” “They were like, ‘Do you want to be in the series finale?’ And I was like, ‘Of course,’ thinking that I’d show up for like half a day. I was there for two weeks. And I’m barely in the f—–g show.”

    Moreover, the 34-year-old felt there were “weird dynamics that had been going on for the last 10 years” on set.

    “Some people didn’t speak to each other,” Dakota continued. “No one wanted to talk to me. No one gave a f—.”

    Comforting Episodes of “The Office“

    Originally starring Steve Carrell, John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer, “The Office” ran for nine seasons from 2005 to 2013. Carell left the series in 2011, but returned in final episode for the wedding of Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Angela (Angela Kinsey).

    Other celebs who made appearances in the finale included Rachael Harris, Joan Cusack, Ed Begley Jr. and—yes—even Seth Meyers himself.

    “Look, it’s the f—–g Office’s fault,” Meyers told Johnson after hearing about her set experience. “It’s not your fault.”

    And the “Fifty Shades of Grey” alum agreed. As Johnson quipped back, “It’s their fault.”

    (E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

    Kristan Gillis has 23 tattoos celebrating her favorite TV show, “The Office.” Watch Gillis show her tattoos to Rainn Wilson at the “The Reunion” in Chicago and see what all 23 look like.

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    Garbielle Chung | E!

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  • Streaming’s Perpetual #1 Comedy Was Finally Dethroned by the Wrong Show | The Mary Sue

    Streaming’s Perpetual #1 Comedy Was Finally Dethroned by the Wrong Show | The Mary Sue

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    The Office has often been the most streamed show of any particular year. That changed this time around, according to the Nielsen report. Suits has seemingly dethroned The Office as the show everyone watched in 2023, and I have thoughts—mainly, why not Parks and Recreation instead?

    Every time someone tells me that they rewatch The Office time and time again but have not seen Parks and Recreation or don’t care to watch it, I have to wonder who hurt them. This time around, the report states that Suits racked up 57.7 billion minutes of viewing time in 2023, which is slightly above the record that The Office previously held. Great for Suits, a show I never finished but that I’m happy people have found it and cannot stop watching it.

    I guess everyone just loves watching Steve Carell as Michael Scott, which I get! But I also think that maybe it’s time to put down “Scott’s Tots” not just for Suits but for Parks and Rec.

    My issue is that every year we are subjected to people watching The Office over and over again, and … sure! That show ran for 9 seasons and was a hit at the time. But there are other shows that I just wish people would give their time to, like the joy that Parks and Recreation brought to so many of us while many refused to watch it.

    Parks and Recreation started in 2009, four years after the U.S. version of The Office took over the comedy scene. For a while, they were both airing back to back on NBC, and you could experience a night of comedy. What ended up happening was a lot of people stopped tuning in, and Parks and Recreation struggled for a while with ratings. I’m here to say: You were all wrong, and Parks and Recreation is the best.

    I’m sure some of you in the world are probably thinking to yourself, “Well, Rachel, aren’t you the girl with a Parks and Rec tattoo and a cat named Ben Wyatt?” The answer is yes, yes I am. But I am also a fan of the rest of The Office/Parks and Rec creator Mike Schur’s work. So the idea that only The Office ever breaks into this conversation is beyond frustrating.

    Look, I get that we all have our favorites. I am someone pleading with you all to watch Parks and Recreation instead.

    Focused on Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and her work in the Pawnee, Indiana Parks Department, the show was filled with a cast of characters that both made Leslie’s job harder and helped to lift her to her best self. Genuinely one of the most inspirational shows out there, it provides a comfort in Leslie Knope that Michael Scott never had.

    They realized that a character like Leslie was going to take over our hearts with her giddy optimism, and they let that shine instead of making it a bad thing. Seeing her grow, find love, lean on her friends, and try to make the world a better place is part of why I love the show so dearly. So all I am asking is that the next time you want to watch a comedy for comfort, maybe give Parks and Rec a try?

    (featured image: NBC)

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    Rachel Leishman

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  • This is not a drill, people: ‘The Office’ reboot reportedly in the works – National | Globalnews.ca

    This is not a drill, people: ‘The Office’ reboot reportedly in the works – National | Globalnews.ca

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    Fire up those George Foreman grills in celebration, folks: It looks like The Office could make its way back to the small screen.

    Industry insiders Matthew Belloni and Jonathan Handle speculated on a possible remake of a remake, writing on news platform Puck that the creator of the U.S. version of The Office is considering bringing the series back.

    Michael and Dwight

    “Greg Daniels is set to do a reboot of The Office, for instance,” they wrote in the paywalled piece, commenting on the future of Hollywood following the tentative conclusion of the writers strike.

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    Daniels — who adapted The Office for American audiences from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s original U.K. version of the show — has not publicly confirmed the rumours, nor has NBC.

    That’s not to say, however, that there hasn’t been discussion about a possible reboot in the past.


    Click to play video: 'Writers Guild and Hollywood studios reach tentative deal to end strike'


    Writers Guild and Hollywood studios reach tentative deal to end strike




    Last year, Daniels told Collider that “it’s hard to tell” whether there would be an appetite for a reboot, considering how die-hard fans feel very protective of the show.

    “(The Office) was such a wonderful and rare experience that obviously you don’t want to just go back to it and kind of possibly disappoint people when, right now, they couldn’t be happier about it.”

    Daniels did, however, say that if there were to be a revival it would likely be “an extension of the universe” and has said the show could feature a mix of new and old characters.

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    Additionally, cast members John Krasinski (Jim Halpert) and Mindy Kaling (Kelly Kapoor) have expressed interest in returning to the series, if the circumstances were right. Jenna Fischer (Pam Beasley), Angela Kinsey (Angela Martin), Creed Bratton (Creed Bratton) and Leslie David Baker (Stanley Hudson) have also said they could be convinced to revive their respective characters.

    The news, however, has fans divided. While some welcome the idea, others are about as excited as they would be to eat a scoop of Kevin’s floor chili.

    Some are stoked about the possibility of a remake, while others have questions — the primary one being, “How dare you?”

    Trending Now

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    The Office was a massive success, winning awards during its original run, capturing millions of viewers each week and always keeping fans satisfied and smiling (that’s what she said).

    Michael Scott GIF that's what she said

    And, thanks to streaming networks, the show continues to remain wildly popular, with the most die-hard fans bragging about endless binge-watching sessions, often restarting the show as soon as they’ve finished all nine seasons.

    As one person noted, the series’ original run — with its simultaneously awkward and hilarious cast — set an incredibly high bar.

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    It’s a wait-and-see game at this point. While the Writers Guild of America has reached a tentative agreement to end the five-month-long screenwriters strike, no deal is yet in the works for striking actors.

    The agreement, announced Sunday, comes just five days before the strike would’ve become the longest in the guild’s history, and the longest Hollywood strike in more than 70 years.


    Click to play video: 'How Calgary is connected to John Krasinski’s ‘Some Good News’'


    How Calgary is connected to John Krasinski’s ‘Some Good News’


    &copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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    Michelle Butterfield

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  • ‘The Office’ Star Says He Will Return Crowdfunded Money for Unmade Spinoff

    ‘The Office’ Star Says He Will Return Crowdfunded Money for Unmade Spinoff

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    Leslie David Baker, perhaps better known as Stanley from the American version of The Office, has had to put his spinoff on hiatus. This proposed project was initially announced back in 2020, when the campaign for an Uncle Stan spun off from The Office went viral. Baker put up a Kickstarter which received a total of $336,450. Fortunately, that was enough to surpass the original goal of $300,000.

    But now three years later, Uncle Stan never materialized, leaving fans and donors wondering what happened to the project, and to their money. This week, Baker posted a statement regarding Uncle Stan social media, and the project’s Kickstarter page.

    “Initial delays were caused because of the Covid lockdowns and pushed us back further than expected,” he explained. “As things started returning to normal and we commenced reward fulfillment and preproduction, the WGA strike was announced causing us to put things on hold again. As you are all aware, SAG is now on strike and we will continue to be on hold indefinitely until an agreement is reached. We stand in solidarity with those in the entertainment industry and will do our part in supporting WGA and SAG during these times.”

    READ MORE: TV Shows That Changed Drastically From Their Original Pilot

    Baker claims that the project will be made but for now, those who backed the show will get their money returned.

    “In light of the current economic situation,” Baker said, “we felt that this was the best course of action. You will receive a message notifying you of your refund as soon as it is issued and you can expect to receive it over the following weeks. We will also be contacting Kickstarter to facilitate expediting this matter. We have remained in constant communication with our backers via direct messaging and rewards have continued to be fulfilled during this time.”

    Baker also noted that “although the total funded amount shown on our Kickstarter campaign page was stated as $336,450.53, that was not the actual final amount we received,” and claimed that the final amount they were given from Kickstarter was “exactly $110,629.81. The funds were never used for any purposes other than reward fulfillment and backer refunds, and have otherwise remained accounted for and untouched in the account.”

    It’s unlikely we’ll have more news about the spinoff any time soon, but according to Baker, it’s still going to happen eventually.

    Comedy Movies That Are Surprisingly Deep

    These movies are good for a laugh — and a whole lot more.

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    Cody Mcintosh

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  • TV Shows That Changed Drastically After Their Pilots

    TV Shows That Changed Drastically After Their Pilots

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    A pilot episode is an opportunity for a show’s creators to give networks a taste of what their TV series has to offer. For that reason, crafting a pilot is a particularly painstaking process. And, since television shows often morph and evolve as they go, it’s hard to nail down exactly what to include in a single episode. Of course, the main characters must be front and center — their dynamic must be introduced, as well as their setting. If the show is a comedy, its distinct brand of humor will ideally be on display, as well.

    Of the many TV pilots made every year, most of them are never seen by the public. That’s why, when a show does get ordered to series, it’s such a big deal. However, it is possible for a studio to see potential in a show while still wanting to change several elements before it hits the air. In fact, some of your favorite TV shows have unaired pilots that are drastically different from what finally made it to your television screen.

    READ MORE: Famous TV Shows That Shared Sets Without Anyone Noticing

    What’s more, even if a pilot does end up airing, it can still have a noticeably different tone from the rest of the show. Pilots are an opportunity for writers to find their footing — you’d be surprised how many popular shows started out on an uneven note. The goal is that the show will run for enough time to eventually fall into its groove. Luckily, these shows did. Here are 10 popular TV series that made drastic changes after their pilot episodes.

    TV Shows That Changed Drastically After Their Pilot Episodes

    These beloved TV shows started their lives as very different pilot episodes.

    TV Series That Shared Sets With Other Shows

    These famous TV shows shared sets and almost no one noticed.

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    Claire Epting

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  • Mindy Kaling Explains Why She’s Not In A Romantic Relationship With Ex BJ Novak

    Mindy Kaling Explains Why She’s Not In A Romantic Relationship With Ex BJ Novak

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    By Rachel McRady‍, ETOnline.com.
    Published:
    Last updated:

    While she may be longtime friends with her ex, BJ Novak, who is the godfather to both of her children, Mindy Kaling has no plans to rekindle her romantic relationship with her former “Office” co-star.

    During an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of “The Drew Barrymore Show”, Kaling responded when host Barrymore point blank asked why she and Novak weren’t together.

    “I was on a date once and BJ Novak sat down and I remember thinking, ‘Oh I wish I was on a date with him. He’s so attractive. Why is he not with Mindy Kaling? I wanna be with Mindy Kaling. Why are they not together?’” Barrymore recalled on the show.

    “Wait, wait, your first reaction was, ‘Wow he’s so attractive?’ He’s gonna be so excited about that,” Kaling joked of her friend and ex.

    “The Office” alum went on to call Novak a “wonderful friend” and highlight his role as godfather to her kids.

    “He loves children and they’re so attached to him. He’s really part of our family,” she shared. “But we’ve known each other for a long, long time and I think anyone who’s been friends with someone for 18, 19 years and at one point dated and now doesn’t, they maybe understand this. You have exes that you wouldn’t necessarily marry now.”

    Kaling and Novak were in an on-off relationship in the early years of filming “The Office”.

    “No one, including us, ever really knew, ‘Is this dating? Is this not dating?’ We were never really dating, we were never really not dating,” Novak told Vulture in 2012. “We didn’t know. No one knew. All you’d know for sure was that you’d always find one of us next to the other, even if we weren’t getting along.”

    Kaling also addressed green and red flags when it comes to dating during her appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show”.

    “I think asking about your ambitions is good,” she said of potential suitors after describing herself as “single.”

    Kaling added, “If men wanna know what you want to do.”

    As for red flags, she noted, “For me, I think this is going to be very divisive, if you don’t like Indian food then I’m probably [waves her red flag].”

    While she might not be interested in a romantic relationship with her friend, Kaling thinks he’s a fantastic godfather. While speaking with ET in August, she said of Novak, “It comes very innately to him, you know, like being with children. So he’s a great godfather.”

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    Divya Goyal

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