Even though The Office has become a major part of the zeitgeist and one of the best sitcoms of all time, it wasn’t always that way. The series is one of the most notoriously lovable but cringe-worthy shows, and its first season is evidence of just that. After its initial run, NBC debated about whether they should can the oddball comedy. Thankfully, as we know, that didn't happen and the show ultimately ran for nine seasons. However, we can't just thank NBC for choosing to save the show. We need to say thank you to The 40-Year-Old Virgin and an unusual decision by Apple too.
As The Office hits its 20th anniversary of the 2005 premiere, the LA Times jumped into all things Dunder Mifflin. Before mockumentary-styled comedies took off– think Park and Rec, Modern Family and Abbott Elementary (which is currently on the 2025 TV schedule)--there was Greg Daniels’ adaptation of Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais’ OG UK comedy. Its impact on the genre is clear now, and overall, the show is considered legendary.
However, it almost didn't make it past Season 1...
The Office Was On The Verge Of Cancellation After It’s First Season
Even with an excited and talented writing team, trying to find their footing in the adaptation of a beloved British sitcom proved difficult. When the pilot was tested on a sample audience, it garnered mixed reviews. Noticeably, though, there was enough interest from young viewers that the show got an order for five more episodes.
However, after The Office had its public debut on network television, ratings declined after the premiere.
With a so-so, lackluster reception during their 2005 run, many talks around canning it came from NBC. Eventually, and thankfully, the green light came to let the small goofball comedy about a paper company have a sophomore season.
Now, we also know that we have The 40-Year-Old Virgin and iTunes to thank for that decision.
Thanks to Steve Carrell and iTunes, The NBC Series Was Saved
Notably, Steve Carell filmed The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Office around the same time, and both are staples of his career. The NBC comedy premiered first, and then later that summer, the film was in theaters. That movie was a huge success, and it turned the actor into a star. Therefore, The Office now had a recognizable name leading it, which drew more people in.
Along with the summer movie smash success drawing viewers back to Season 2, Apple decided to provide the series on iTunes. And before some of you start wondering why this was a big move, let’s break it down.
Before there were VOD services and the regularity of streaming platforms, DVDs were still the way to binge. However, NBC decided to offer up episodes of its sitcom on iTunes. This move changed the game: within a couple of months, The Office was one of the most popular purchases of 2005 with 100,000 downloads.
Obviously, in the years since was been on NBC, The Office has remained a giant streaming hit (it's currently available for those with a Peacock subscription). This iTunes move foreshadowed that future success, as Jeff Zucker, who ran NBCUniversal at the time said:
I think that told us that there was going to be a new way of delivering these shows. Had ‘The Office’ started out on streaming, it would have been a huge hit right out of the box.
So, with a big star and a new audience, there was good reason to keep The Office open.
With all of that said, I’m so glad there’s more than just the first season of this show. As the sitcom found its legs, we got so many iconic moments and memes and the cast of The Office became stars. So, I think we all need to say a big thanks to Judd Apatow, his 2005 hit and iTunes, because without them, The Office may have closed way too early.
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