Cult TV Juggernaut ‘The Office’ is Returning – As a Podcast
Get ready for plenty of 'The Office' trivia.. | Source: AP Photo/Laura Rauch
“The Office” will not die. After debuting in the UK in 2001, it adapted to the US for 9 glorious seasons, then resurrected itself on Netflix, and now it’s evolving in the most millennial way possible. It’s becoming a podcast.
Pam & Angela, played by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, will host the new podcast “Office Ladies.” The two actresses, best friends in real life, will discuss episodes from the show and provide behind-the-scenes commentary.
Fischer said in a statement ,
“As we close in on the 15th anniversary of the show, it seemed like a great time to share our stories and behind-the-scenes trivia with fans. Besides talking about ‘The Office,’ you can also hear us chat a little about our lives, our Target runs together, our friendship through the years.”
While “The Office” does have a huge fanbase, it begs the question: will people still care?
The Rise of Podcasts about TV Shows
“Office Ladies” will be far from the first podcast centered around a TV show. “The Talking Dead” has found success recapping episodes of “The Walking Dead.” “Grey’s Anatomy” has at least five podcasts bearing its name. Heck, there’s a company entirely devoted to producing podcasts that recap episodes of shows.
There is clearly interest in the genre but most of those podcasts center around active shows. It’s hard to imagine anyone clamoring for a podcast about “Burn Notice,” another popular show that ended in 2013.
The Office Cannot Be Stopped
“The Office,” however, is in another stratosphere. In fact, the Chicago Tribune said in June that the Office is the most popular show on Netflix. According to NBC , it was streamed over 52 billion times in 2018. The streaming giant may have nudged the numbers by urging fans to get their fix before the show moves to NBC’s streaming platform.
Still, it appears as though Pam & the crew have staying power. Or at least enough power to stay relevant until it morphs into another form. The Office VR, perhaps?
“Office Ladies” will premier on October 16th on Stitcher’s comedy network, Earwolf. The show will be available on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
