LOS ANGELES, Feb 7 (Reuters) – Emmy-winning comedy “The
Office” will pack up its pencils and staplers after eight years
with a one-hour finale on May 16, U.S. broadcaster NBC said on
Thursday.
Producers have promised that the episode will tie up several
loose storylines on the workplace mockumentary, which debuted on
U.S. television in 2005 as an adaptation of the British series
of the same name created by comedian Ricky Gervais.
NBC announced last year that the show, set at the fictional
Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, would
end in 2013.
Audiences began to turn away from “The Office” after Steve
Carell, who played bumbling manager Michael Scott, left in 2011.
Viewership fell to about 4 million last year per episode from a
high of about 8 million in 2008.
The U.S. show has won four Emmy Awards.
The show’s American producers said last year that the
success of “The Office” actors outside of the program played a
role in the decision to wind it down.
Mindy Kaling, who played office magpie Kelly Kapoor, left
last year to develop “The Mindy Project,” her own comedy for
Fox, which is owned by News Corp.
John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer, who play office couple Jim
and Pam, have launched film careers on the back of their
performances on the show.
Office sycophant Dwight Schrute, portrayed by Rainn Wilson,
also sought to create a spin-off show but it was not picked up
for broadcast.
It will be the second big NBC comedy to end its run. “30
Rock” bowed out last week after seven seasons.
NBC is part of Comcast Corp.
