After many a false scare, it appears The Office, that sitcom you’re actually watching whenever you tell people you’re catching up on, like, Chernobyl, is leaving Netflix. According to Deadline, NBC has secured the right to all nine seasons of the much-binged series, which will stream exclusively on the network’s still unnamed streaming service starting in 2021.
“The Office has become a staple of pop-culture and is a rare gem whose relevance continues to grow at a time when fans have more entertainment choices than ever before,” said Bonnie Hammer, Chairman of NBCUniversal Direct-to-Consumer and Digital Enterprises. “We can’t wait to welcome the gang from Dunder Mifflin to NBCUniversal’s new streaming service.”
It’s the latest example of popular streamers leaving Netflix to return to their original homes. Back in December, much hullabaloo was made when it appeared Friends would be leaving the service, which it won’t be…until the end of 2019, when it’s likely to hop over to the still-untitled WarnerMedia service.
As for Netflix, they opted to respond to this The Office news with some classic passive-aggressive Tweeting. Brands!
We’re sad that NBC has decided to take The Office back for its own streaming platform — but members can binge watch the show to their hearts’ content ad-free on Netflix until January 2021
— Netflix US (@netflix) June 25, 2019
So yeah, you’ve got time, but things are shaping up to get mighty interesting in the streaming world over the next couple of years. (Especially when you throw Disney+ into the mix.) Until then, check out our ranking of the top 50 Office episodes for a little rewatch inspiration.
