Netflix’s No. 1 show, “The Office,” is leaving the streaming service in 2021 and will be shown exclusively on NBC’s new streaming platform, NBC announced in a statement.
On Tuesday, June 25, NBC announced in the press release that it will feature “The Office” exclusively on its own streaming service for five years, beginning in 2021. NBCUniversal’s new streaming service is set to launch in 2020.
NBC is removing ‘The Office’ from Netflix in 2021 and putting it on a new streaming service https://t.co/tjcPwt6Rbw
— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 26, 2019
“‘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 in the release. “We can’t wait to welcome the gang from Dunder Mifflin to NBCUniversal’s new streaming service.”
“The Office” was the most-watched show on Netflix in 2018, according to data analytics firm Jumpshot.
Despite ending its nine-season run on the NBC network in 2013, reruns of “The Office” on Netflix made it the No. 1 show for several years, accounting for 52 billion viewing minutes in 2018, according to NBC’s press release.
People familiar with the deal told The Hollywood Reporter that NBCU outbid Netflix for the hit comedy series.
NBCU agreed to pay $100 million a year to have “The Office” stream on its own service, which amounts to $500 million in total for the five-year exclusivity deal, whereas Netflix reportedly paid $100 million for its current multiyear deal to stream “The Office,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“We’re sad that NBC has decided to take The Office back for its own streaming platform—but members can binge the show to their hearts’ content ad-free on Netflix until January 2021,” Netflix wrote on Twitter.
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
First released in 2005, “The Office” follows the everyday lives of manager Michael Scott and the employees at a paper company in Scranton, PA in a “mockumentary” setting, according to IMDb.
“‘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,” Pearlena Igbokwe, President at Universal Television, said in the press release.
Following the announcement that “The Office” was leaving Netflix, several people took to social media to express outrage.
— Mike Giles???????????? (@mikegiles1979) June 26, 2019
— Stop putting kids in cages (@Fretful_Mess) June 26, 2019
While others suggested that with so many streaming services, more people would resort to watching shows and movies illegally.
“The whole POINT of Netflix was to have many shows and movies available in one place. If every network and movie company has their own ‘premium streaming’ service, we’re gonna be right back where we started with rampant piracy,” one person wrote.
The whole POINT of Netflix was to have many shows and movies available in one place. If every network and movie company has their own “premium streaming” service, we’re gonna be right back where we started with rampart piracy.
— Gregory Walsh (@Spindash54) June 25, 2019
Whenever I hear about another streaming platform I think of this. pic.twitter.com/lOtwWkvxaC
— Mike Mazerbeam (@mikemaser) June 25, 2019
