In the event that NBC orders a ninth season of The Office, actor James Spader has announced that he will not be reprising his role as Robert California, CEO of Dunder Mifflin/Sabre. Instead, Spader joins the growing list of actors and creatives opting out of the long-running sitcom to pursue other ventures.
Spader’s role originally consisted of two scenes meant for the end of season 7, in which a replacement for Michael Scott (Steve Carell) was to be named. However, according to The Office executive producer Paul Liberstein, the character of Robert California and Spader’s performance, caught on to the degree that the actor ended up sticking around for season 8. And as the decision to leave the program is entirely Spader’s, apparently, one season was all he had any interest in doing.
In response, Liberstein was quick to point out that the news didn’t come as a surprise to producers of The Office or NBC:
“James always wanted this to be a one-year arc, and he now leaves us having created one of the most enigmatic and dynamic characters in television. He’s been a great friend to me and the show, helping us successfully transition into the post-Michael Scott years, and I’m grateful for that.”
The transition to an Office without Carell has been a bumpy one, and even though Andy Bernard, (played by The Hangover’s Ed Helms) stepped in to take the place of Michael Scott, it hasn’t stopped two main cast members from preparing to move on.
First up was Mindy Kaling (Kelly Kapoor) who, in late January, had a comedy pilot picked up by FOX. The sitcom, which Kaling will also write and produce, is described as being about a young, Bridgette Jones-esque OB/GYN, and will require that she leave The Office in the event that it gets picked up to series.
Secondly, and perhaps more damaging to the future of The Office, would be the potential Dwight Schrute spin-off starring Rainn Wilson, which would center on the oft-mentioned Schrute farm, and the various Schrutes that still live there. The proposed series, which was later confirmed by Wilson, would be a midseason premiere, requiring Wilson to leave the show part-way through season 9.
Finally, with head writer Daniel Chun recently signing a deal with ABC studios, and John Krasinski (Jim Halpert) expressing interest in moving on, this may just be the beginning of the end for The Office.
While fans will surely be heartbroken at the possibility of the show coming to a close sooner rather than later, the departure would serve to open up NBC’s bloated comedy schedule – one that NBC entertainment president Robert Greenblatt bemoaned when announcing the return of Community to the same time slot it had been hastily pulled from just months prior.
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Screen Rant will keep you up to date on all the news regarding The Office as it becomes available.
Source: Deadline
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Blah,
The only reason I started watching the Office was because Spader was on it. He has been mysteriously absent the last few episodes as well, and it is very noticed.
Time to move on from this show. RIP.
A Dwight spin-off? Did NBC learn nothing from “Joey”?
Or maybe they’re taking a not from FRAZIER or any of the other many successful spin-offs.
oh god—-just cancel this show already !!!! please !!!!
I love the office but it’s obviously time to call it quits. I’d rather them cancel it on somewhat of a high note (putting together a nice finale with all of the remaining characters and some old ones) than to let it die a slow painful death.
I was going to say the same thing.
Just let the show end this season. I’ll miss it but it’s been 8 seasons. That’s 6 more than I expected.
I loved how this season began, especially since i loathed the Michael Scott and was thrilled he was gone. But it dwindled fast and got ridiculous. They took the annoying stupidity of Scott and divided it up among the remaining cast. Seriously, i swear every character’s IQ has gone down a few points. And this little subplot about the girl trying to get Jim to have an affair is horrible; this has never been that kind of show. Unless they return to vibe that this season began with, its time to call it quits.
Love the office, but it is losing steam fast. Just let the show go out on a good note and give it a good send-off. And yeah NBC, good move trying to sink Community when you won’t have many decent shows left soon. Whitney and Chelsea aren’t going to save you guys….
The end happened awhile ago….there are still funny moments but it lost what made it great even before Michael Scottl eft the Scranton branch.
For the series finale, however soon that comes, bring back Michael Scott to see everyone off.
the first 10 episodes of season 8 were very funny. I had great laugh with the garden party at schrute farms.
I hate everything about the way that NBC chooses to be
LOL!!! I see what did there.
*you
The show really should have ended when Michael Scott left but this season has not been all that bad and has had its fair share of laughs. Nevertheless, much like the X-files could not have survived without Mulder, the same applies here with Michael Scott. The show had a good run and should just call out next season as its last and go nuts. You know that Steve Carrell is willing to come back to wrap up the show and I am sure Dwight and Kelly would be there at the end of it all too.
End it next season, and do it big, make it epic…I would make Dwight CEO at the end of the season when Robert California leaves and have him derail the company and make his reign as CEO like a dictatorship. Honestly seeing Dwight as CEO would be a total curve ball and would definitely add a new element to the show
Robert California was one of the best characters to ever grace a show with many, many great characters over its run. They can’t possibly top him, so maybe it is time to shut it down.
The Office is officially dead. Steve Carrell leaving was the beginning of the end. now James Spader and next season is Dwight. they’re already relying too heavily on Dwight and Jim’s pranks to carry the show. and the sad thing is, people like oscar and angela and kevin,etc. have nothing after this show. when this show ends, so does their career…
If the cast themselves aren’t even willing to commit to STAY, then it needs to end. Watchers can handle minimal cast replacement and gradual transitions but with 3 cast members leaving AND a lead writer, that’s a very telling sign.
romney’s just as bad a choice as andy bernard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJFvi_GA5U4
I reckon a great way to end it would be for Ricky Gervais to be in two episodes and be such a pain in the butt for the employees. Then Steve Carrel is bought back for the finale, saves DM from Ricky’s bad management and retakes his job (or maybe even CEO of Sabre) and then end the show on that high.
I’ve always liked the office but ever since Ed Helms character started to to be more of a major character the show got progressively worse. He’s just a bad actor in general…