New Streaming Service Will Be the Exclusive Streaming Home for One of the Most Beloved and Popular Series in History
New York, NY — June 25, 2019 – NBCUniversal announced today that it has secured the exclusive domestic streaming rights to “The Office.” All nine seasons of this beloved NBC sitcom will be available on the company’s soon-to-be-launched streaming service for five years, beginning 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.”
“The Office” is the number one series on SVOD. In 2018, it was streamed for over 52 billion minutes, and in April 2019, it was viewed nearly twice as much as the next most-viewed program on SVOD.
“’The Office’ is one of our most prized series, and we are thrilled it has found an exciting new home where generation after generation will continue to discover and rediscover Michael Scott’s most cringe-worthy moments, Jim and Pam’s will-they-or-won’t-they, and the incredible quirky ensemble that makes each episode a masterclass in comedy,” said Pearlena Igbokwe, President, Universal Television.
Produced by Universal Television in association with Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille Productions, “The Office” takes a hilarious documentary-style look at the humorous, and sometimes poignant, foolishness that plagues the 9-to-5 world. Based on the award-winning BBC hit, “The Office” is a fly-on-the-wall “docu-reality” parody of modern American office life that delves into the lives of the workers at Dunder Mifflin, a paper supply company in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The show, which premiered on NBC in 2005, created indelible characters like Michael Scott, Dwight Schrute and Pam & Jim, and launched the careers of some of comedy’s most celebrated actors, writers and producers, including Steve Carrell, Ed Helms, John Krasinski, Mindy Kaling, Ellie Kemper, B.J. Novak, Craig Robinson, and Mike Schur.
“The Office” is executive-produced by Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels – who developed the series for American audiences – Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein, Paul Lieberstein, Brent Forrester and Dan Sterling.
In addition to being NBC’s highest-rated scripted series for multiple seasons during its run, “The Office” was named one of the best shows on TV by dozens of media outlets, including TIME Magazine, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and The Atlantic, while also being a consistent awards contender with 180 nominations and more than 40 wins. Among its prestigious honors are the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, the Peabody Award, AFI Honors, the Producers Guild Award, the Writers Guild Award, the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy, and a Television Critic’s Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy.
NBCUniversal’s ad-supported streaming service is set to launch in 2020. It will feature some of the world’s most popular television and film franchises, including homegrown original programming, as well as content from outside partners.
Press Contacts
Hilary Smith, NBCUniversal (212-664-2617)
Lauren Skowronski, NBCUniversal (212-664-2432)
Curt King, Universal Television (818-777-3655)