“The Office” Is Leaving Netflix And We’re All Screaming NO GOD PLEASE NOOOO
It seems like every few months a new rumor swirls around the internet that Netflix will be removing all nine seasons of The Office. Usually, everyone freaks out and Netflix has to put out a statement saying that no, they are not removing their top streaming show from their platform.
Sadly, the day has come where it's no longer a rumor. Netflix has confirmed that The Office will be leaving their streaming service in 2021, and needless to say, we're as devastated as when Kevin spilled his chili.
The Office Is Officially Leaving, Despite Being One Of Netflix's Top Shows
We probably don't need to explain just how popular The Office is, but it's been proven to be the most watched show on any streaming service. Netflix has held the rights to the show since 2007 and has racked up the views ever since.
More than 52 billion minutes of The Office was watched by viewers in 2018 alone. That means 3% of American Netflix users went all day long binge-watching the show, and that's really hard. It's obvious that tons of viewers were left smiling and satisfied. (...That's what she said).
Don't Blame Toby For This One
The statement from Netflix comes on the heels of NBC announcing its own streaming service, NBCUniversal. NBC secured the rights to stream the show beginning in 2021 after their original deal with Netflix has expired. If you want to keep watching in 2021, NBCUniversal will reportedly cost $10 a month.
In NBC's statement, they said: "The Office is one of our most prized series, and we are thrilled it has found an exciting new home." Netflix isn't too happy about it and even threw a little shade in its announcement, reminding members that their streaming service is ad-free.
This Move Is Part Of The Oncoming "Streaming Wars"
The move by NBC to take back The Office for its own streaming service doesn't exactly come as a shock. In the last few years, multiple networks have announced that they're removing their content from Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon to build their own platforms.
One of the most notable moves came from Disney, who will be launching Disney+ as the only place to watch Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content.
Netflix Has Tried Their Best To Keep The Big Ticket Shows
Netflix has been working for years to prepare for the "streaming wars." The original Netflix business model was built on licensing deals with other networks, but as we've seen in recent years, Netflix has increased the amount of original programming.
Still, Netflix understands that network shows can bring a big chunk of their audience. In 2018, the beloved sitcom Friends was supposed to leave Netflix, but after much protest online, Netflix paid WarnerMedia a reported $80 million for the right to keep streaming the show.
On The Bright Side, Netflix Is Giving Us A New Steve Carrell Series
To lessen the blow of The Office leaving Netflix, the streaming service did announce that it snagged a new show called Space Force that stars Steve Carrell. Space Force is also being directed by Greg Daniels, who just so happened to be the one who originally adapted The Office for the U.S.
It's unclear if Steve Carrell will give us the same cringe-worthy moments and "that's what she said" jokes as Michael Scott, but at least it's something to look forward to.
