The Office

NBC’s Fall 2012 Schedule: COMMUNITY Moved to Friday; Watch Clips from the New Shows Including Ryan Murphy’s THE NEW NORMAL

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 13th, 2012 at 12:26 pm

The upfronts are upon us! Yes, it’s that time of year again. All the networks will be unveiling their fall 2012 schedules throughout this week, announcing time slot shifts for seasoned shows and debuts for the pilots that made the cut to full-series.  Today NBC announced their line-up with a pretty disparaging shake-up to the old schedule: Community has been moved from its prime Thursday night slot to Friday (aka where your favorite shows go to die).  The fan-favorite series wasn’t guaranteed a fourth season pick-up, but the TV gods were merciful as the show was recently given a renewal for a 13-episode fourth season.  However, the Friday slot isn’t exactly great news.  The show’s young and vocal fanbase has kept the series alive, but I wonder how many will actually choose to stay in on Friday nights to watch the show live.

There is hope, as previous ratings-challenged yet critically loved series like Friday Night Lights and Fringe managed to squeak by on Friday.  That said, with a short episode order and the new Friday timeslot I’m getting the feeling that NBC doesn’t have much faith in the show’s future post-season four.  I guess we should be thankful that it’s even coming back at all.  Nevertheless, the network has a slew of new series (some promising) that they hope will catch on.  After the jump you’ll find descriptions and clips of all of NBC’s new series, so take a look at plot out your new fall 2012 TV schedule accordingly.

NBC Renews PARENTHOOD; Orders 13-Episode Final Season of 30 ROCK [Updated]

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 10th, 2012 at 2:33 pm

Two on-the-bubble NBC shows have officially been given the order for new seasons.  The critical favorite yet ratings challenged drama Parenthood has been renewed for a 15-episode fourth season (per TV Line).  Showrunner Jason Katims is no stranger to ratings issues despite favorable reviews, as he led the stellar Friday Night Lights through five seasons of “will it be renewed?” drama.  I’m a fan of the ensemble and tone of Parenthood, but Katims will most likely have his hands full next season as his medical pilot County is said to be close to a pick up.  That show will star Jason Ritter, who led the doomed The Event and has been a frequent guest star on Parenthood.

Hit the jump for news regarding renewals for The Office and a final season for 30 Rock, as well as speculation about the fate of Community and Parks and Recreation. [Update: The Office hasn't officially been renewed yet, but with deals almost done for the main cast members a renewal is expected]

NBC’s THE OFFICE to Get a Series Reboot?

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: April 12th, 2012 at 8:16 pm

Since Steve Carell left The Office, the happenings on the show have been anything but business as usual.  Robert California (James Spader) stopped by to run things for a time before leaving the Scranton branch in the capable, albeit self-conscious, hands of Andy Bernard (Ed Helms).  There has been recent talk of Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) leaving to retire to the beet farm bed-and-breakfast in a proposed spin-off.  That’s not to mention the expanding film careers of Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski and Craig Robinson, as well as Wilson and Helms.  As neither the cast members nor the show itself have been officially been confirmed to return, things are a bit up in the air at the moment.  Helms talked a bit about the future of  The Office in this recent interview with Steve.  Hit the jump for more on this possible series reboot.

Ed Helms Talks JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME, THE OFFICE, THE HANGOVER 3, the VACATION Sequel/Remake, and More

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: March 15th, 2012 at 12:56 pm

Opening this weekend, in limited release, is writer/directors Jay and Mark Duplass (Cyrus) Jeff Who Lives at Home.  Starring Jason Segel (The Muppets) and Ed Helms (The Hangover) as two brothers, with Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise) as their mother, Jeff Who Lives at Home follows Jeff (Segel) as he searches for meaning in his life and inadvertently helps his brother, Pat (Helms) discover a truth of his own.  For more on the very funny film, here’s three clips, twenty images, the trailer, and my Toronto Film Festival interview with the Duplass Brothers.

During my recent interview with Ed Helms, we talked about got he got involved in the project, how the movie was mostly shot in order, the way the cast improvised on set, M.Night Shyamalan‘s Signs (which plays a big part in the film), deleted scenes, and more.  In addition, Helms also talked about whether our interview for The Lorax helped with the box office, Ron Swanson, his favorite TV shows, The Hangover 3, and what it’s like to be in the “home stretch” of the series run of The Office.  Hit the jump to watch.

James Spader Is Leaving THE OFFICE

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: February 27th, 2012 at 4:23 pm

Scranton, Pennsylvania and the offices of Dunder-Mifflin are about to get a lot less cool. EW has word that James Spader, who has been playing the perplexing and intimidating Robert California, will be leaving The Office after becoming a series regular for just one season. Spader himself decided to leave the show, and I can’t say that I blame him. This season has been wholly unremarkable despite Spader’s best efforts and mostly entertaining appearances, but the NBC comedy series just doesn’t have the heart or comedy that Steve Carell brought every week. Of course, even in the later seasons with Carell still on board, the show was beginning to lose its flare. More after the jump.

Ed Helms Talks DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX, THE HANGOVER 3, JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME and THE OFFICE

by Christina Radish    Posted: February 23rd, 2012 at 5:35 pm

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax (opening in theaters on March 2^nd), is the beloved children’s story that’s also its author’s favorite work. The 3D-CG animated adaptation is an adventure that follows the journey of idealistic 12-year-old Ted (voiced by Zac Efron) while he searches for a real Truffula Tree for Audrey (voiced by Taylor Swift), in order to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find one, he must learn the story of the Lorax (voiced by Danny DeVito) from the enigmatic and bitter old hermit, known as the Once-ler (voiced by Ed Helms), who let the temptation of greed and success get the better of him.

At the film’s press day, actor Ed Helms spoke to Collider for this exclusive interview about how he pursued being a part of the film, that he was stunned when he was offered the role of the Once-ler, finding the voice for each of the different stages and ages of the character, and how cool it was to get to sing and play guitar on the film’s original songs (he has his on bluegrass trio and has been wanting to record an album of his own, for some time). He also talked about his next feature film, Jeff Who Lives at Home (due out in theaters on March 16^th), which he is clearly very proud of, the current status of The Hangover 3, and how much fun he’s been having as the office manager on the NBC comedy series The Office. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

Ed Helms Talks THE HANGOVER 3, JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME, and THE OFFICE

by Christina Radish    Posted: February 7th, 2012 at 9:41 am

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, the beloved children’s story that’s also its author’s favorite work, opens in theaters on March 2^nd. To promote the film’s release, Collider got to participate in the press junket and sit down with actor Ed Helms, who lends his voice to the iconic role of the Once-ler, the old and bitter hermit whose greed got the better of him.

While we will run what he had to say about the film closer to its release date, we did want to share what he had to say about his next feature film, Jeff Who Lives at Home (due out in theaters on March 16^th), which he is clearly very proud of, the current status of The Hangover 3, and how much fun he’s been having as the office manager on the NBC comedy series The Office. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

Dwight Schrute May Be Retiring to the Beet Farm in THE OFFICE Spinoff

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: January 25th, 2012 at 7:03 pm

It’s good to have a backup plan in case “officer manager at the regional sales office of a paper company” doesn’t work out. Luckily for The Office’s Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), his family owns a beet farm that doubles as a bed and breakfast. There are reports that Wilson may be headed out of The Office as early as midseason 2013 for an NBC spinoff, a family comedy centered around Dwight and life at the Schrute Farms B&B. Pitched by Wilson and Paul Lieberstein (who executive produces, writes and acts as Toby Flenderson on the show), the duo plan to produce alongside The Office’s executive producers Ben Silverman and Howard Klein. Hit the jump for more news on the potential spinoff.

PaleyFest 2012 to Showcase COMMUNITY, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, NEW GIRL, MAD MEN and More

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: January 10th, 2012 at 10:50 am

News keeps pouring out of the Television Critics Association, but now sights can be set on another big event for TV fans with PaleyFest 2012 announcing this year’s panels with some of the biggest shows of the season. Community (which is apparently not cancelled yet) will make an appearance and new shows like American Horror Story and New Girl will debut at the festival alongside fan favorites like Mad Men and Modern Family. For the complete list of shows bring cast and crew to PaleyFest 2012 and details on how to get tickets, hit the jump.

THE OFFICE 10th Anniversary Edition DVD Review

by Rob Wieland    Posted: November 29th, 2011 at 5:49 am

It seems like when influential TV shows are discussed, anything past the 1980’s is left off the list. Things peter out around All in the Family and come to a stop right around Seinfeld. That’s nearly two decades worth of shows left out of the conversation. One of these shows recently released a 10th anniversary edition. The Office may only have two short English seasons and a 2-part Christmas special under it’s belt, but its influence has been felt in modern television for a decade. Our review is after the jump.

THE OFFICE Becomes Reality with Licensed Dunder-Mifflin Paper On Sale

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: November 28th, 2011 at 10:57 am

For those who wish their favorite TV shows existed in real-life, there’s good news today. In a move that’s being dubbed “reverse product placement,” THR reports NBC Universal has entered a licensing agreement with the Staples-owned business Quill.com selling Dunder-Mifflin brand paper, the very same company that’s the focus of the NBC comedy series The Office. The deal will last for two-years, but can be extended if sale targets are met. However, that could prove to be a little difficult since the Dunder-Mifflin branded paper is said to be “priced largely above private-label copy paper.” However, you can be sure that plenty of fans of the series will want the paper packages that will include familiar phrases like “Our motto is, Quabity first” and “Get your Scrant on.” Maybe a huge fan of The Office also owns a business who needs a lot of paper and this will the key to saving our economy? After all, Dunder-Mifflin does have limitless paper, in a paperless world and you can buy it right here. If you need more convincing that their paper is of the highest quality, click here to check out Michael Scott’s Dunder-Mifflin commercial.

Catherine Tate Set to Return to NBC’s THE OFFICE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: October 21st, 2011 at 2:06 pm

Yet another one of the prospective candidates vying to replace Steve Carell in last May’s season finale of The Office is returning for the current season. James Spader reprised his role from the finale and is now a regular on the show, and now British comedian Catherine Tate is coming back as well. Tate was a standout amongst the guest stars who popped up in May’s finale, which included Jim Carrey, Ricky Gervais, and Ray Romano. Tate’s character will be hired by Chairman of the Board Jo Bennett (played by Kathy Bates) as a special projects manager who works directly for the corporate office. Tate came to prominence in England with her sketch comedy show The Catherine Tate Show, and has also appeared on Doctor Who and in the Jack Black-enhanced Gulliver’s Travels. Hit the jump to read the full press release.

THE OFFICE Season 7 DVD Review

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 12th, 2011 at 7:17 am

In the seventh season of The Office, the writers of the long-running NBC comedy series had two big tasks ahead of them. First, the staff had to deal with the impending exit of manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell) which included giving him a worthy exit and finding him a strong replacement, but also proving that the show would be able to survive without the presence of Carell on-screen. Sadly, this season proved to be one of the weakest, and seems to be proof that the series, just like its former star, might be on the way out. However, the seventh season of The Office still contains some truly great episodes, genuinely touching moments, and one marathon of a fantastic performance from Steve Carell (who should’ve won the Emmy over Jim Parsons last month). For more of my impressions of the DVD release of the seventh season of The Office, hit the jump.

Watch a New Sizzle Reel for NBC’s Thursday Comedy Line-Up Including THE OFFICE, PARKS & RECREATION, COMMUNITY, UP ALL NIGHT and More

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: August 29th, 2011 at 2:58 pm

Earlier today, we highlighted an all-new promo featuring John Goodman’s arrival at Greendale Community College on the NBC comedy series Community. Now, NBC has released a highlight reel featuring some pretty decent spots for both new and returning comedies. Along with some more goodness between Goodman and Dean Pelton (Jim Rash), you’ll find some new clips from other returning series like Parks & Recreation and The Office (however I don’t think any of the James Spader footage is new) as well as some promising bits from Whitney starring Whitney Cummings, Up All Night starring Christina Applegate and Will Arnett, and Free Agents with Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn. You can check out the video in its entirety after the jump.

NBC’s Robert Greenblatt Talks About the Future of the Network; Updates on THE OFFICE, PLAYBOY CLUB, THE VOICE and More

by Christina Radish    Posted: August 2nd, 2011 at 10:23 am

Prior to the NBC presentation at the TCA Press Tour, the networks new Chairman of Entertainment, Robert Greenblatt gave a glimpse of what he sees in the future of what is currently the fourth place network. Here are the most interesting points:

• NBC has made development deals with both executive producer/writer/director Greg Daniels (The Office, Parks & Recreation) and Gary Sanchez Productions (the production company of Adam McKay and Will Ferrell).
• Sean Hayes will be stepping back in front of the camera for an NBC comedy in 2012, while a one-hour drama about firefighters is being developed with Dick Wolf (Law & Order).
• The hit singing competition The Voice will return on February 5^th, following the Super Bowl, and the mid-season musical drama Smash, from executive producer Steven Spielberg, will premiere on February 6^th
• Greenblatt was not surprised by the controversy caused by The Playboy Club, as the brand name can be polarizing for people.
• NBC is hoping to under-expect but over-deliver on the upcoming season of The Office, with all of the changes and the addition of James Spader to the cast.
• The Office is important to the network, but they are approaching it with realistic expectations while the writers work to refocus what the show will now be.
• The goal is to expand comedy to more nights than just Thursday, and make multi-camera comedy shows popular again.

Hit the jump for a lot more:

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