The Office still holds as one of the best sitcoms in TV history, and yet it was almost cancelled after just one season before being saved. The show continues to be a major presence, finding an increasingly large audience thanks to streaming services like Netflix, so it's interesting that it's nine-season run was almost much, much shorter.
The Office was based on the popular British series of the same name which starred Ricky Gervais in the lead. NBC took elements of the U.K. version but made efforts to adapt the series to make it more suitable for American viewers. Greg Daniels developed the adaptation and served as the showrunner for the debut season. The Office followed the everyday lives of those working at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, including the regional manager Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell.
The first episode of The Office premiered in March 2005 to mixed reviews. Viewers were adept at comparing it to the original version of the series which didn't initially help. The first season only consisted of six episodes to act as a test-run for the series. Reviews throughout the debut season remained mix but ratings steadily declined, which didn't give the cast and crew much hope about The Office's future. One of the writers, Michael Schur (who also played Mose in the series), admitted in an interview (via Vox) that nobody like the first season and everyone expected it would get axed. Schur also shared multiple reasons explaining how The Office was saved.
How The Office Survived Cancellation After Season 1
Season 1 of The Office was widely known as the sitcom's weakest season. The series was still trying to find its footing and the characters were in the middle of developing some type of chemistry. All signs pointed to a cancellation but Kevin Reilly, the head of NBC at the time, was extremely passionate about The Office according to Schur. Reilly reportedly went to his bosses and begged for another season. The network gave into the request and greenlit The Office for a second season which lasted 22 episodes.
The Office season 2 grew by 60 percent in viewership numbers compared to the previous season. Schur credited that intense increase to Carell's celebrity status. Prior to the season 2 premiere, Carell starred in the summer comedy film, The 40-Year-Old Virgin. The movie was a huge hit and NBC loved the idea of having a comedy star under a contract, which was another reason they gave the go-ahead for another season. Carell's involvement also positively affected the viewership numbers.
Schur additionally shared that Daniels used inspiration from Carell's movie character and injected some of that personality into Michael Scott. This gave the manager a little more sympathy when it came to his behavior. Much of the team was initially against the idea but the plan went on to improve the series. In fact, season 2 of The Office is revered as the best in the series. The season truly turned the series around and paved the way for its fantastic near-decade-long run.