When it comes to some of the most classic sitcoms out there, The Office most likely sits high on that list. Many people adore this show for many reasons, from the talented The Office cast to its hilarious jokes, to its not-so-great boss, Michael Scott. However, over time, the series has become legendary, and a spinoff is set to premiere very soon – in fact, and it’s on the 2025 TV schedule.
But even if I’m excited for The Paper, there’s something that’s bothering me just a bit that I have to talk about – and it actually involves the history of The Office.
The series was based on the popular U.K. series of the same name, and starred Ricky Gervais.
the series was nearly cancelled after six episodes. When the series premiered on NBC, the ratings dropped after the premiere episode, which is obviously the opposite of what you want to see with a new show.
The only reason that the series really ended up performing well after it was thankfully given another chance from NBC was because not only did lead Steve Carell have a significant uptick in fame after The 40-Year-Old-Virgin, but also because the episodes of the show were released on iTunes, which was rare at the time. It became easier for people to check out the first season that it would have been otherwise in the mid-aughts.
Thankfully, according to Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office (via The New York Post), TV exec Kevin Reilly championed the show, which was a challenge. He said in the book that it was “brutal” since everyone was against it, and he openly said “Odds are I’m going to get fired,” because it was difficult to prove to everyone that this show was worth the time and money at NBC.
The fact that Season 2 is really where the series found its footing is excellent, but it also makes me really concerned because what if the same thing happens for The Paper — where the first season doesn’t really hit as much right away, especially when factoring in the high hopes and expectations of the existing fandom.
Everything these days seems to get cancelled so quickly. Netflix cancels TV shows consistently. Numerous basic cable TV shows have been cancelled. It’s become a pretty big trend that if the numbers aren’t there, then it’s not worth it. Will that happen for The Paper if it isn’t an instant hit?
Will It Be Able To Keep Momentum Going From The Fanbase Of The American Series?
My biggest concern is whether the momentum from The Office’s fanbase will keep the series afloat after its premiere. Obviously, plenty of people will probably stream the spinoff, myself included, but will people actually want to stay for more if the comedy doesn’t hit as hard right away? What if it takes a whole season to find its footing? Or it needs to figure out what it is rather than trying to replicate The Office.
Hopefully these won’t be issues when the series arrives this fall. I know that there have been plenty of franchises where the fanbase has kept them alive – from the Despicable Me movies to the Harry Potter films, including the new TV show, and so much more. But will that be the same for The Paper? Or is this new series going to get jammed up?
Only time will tell. And I suppose I’m here for the ride.