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The Office (US)

The Office is an American mockumentary sitcom that follows employees at the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Office is an American mockumentary sitcom that follows employees at the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. The series was developed for NBC by Greg Daniels, based on the British series of the same name. It aired from March 24, 2005, to May 16, 2013, spanning nine seasons and 201 episodes.

Premise

The series portrays the everyday work lives and interpersonal conflicts of office employees at Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch. Its documentary style and awkward humour became defining features of the show.

Production and adaptation

The Office was adapted from the British series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Greg Daniels developed the American version for NBC, translating the format into a longer-running workplace sitcom.

Broadcast history

The series premiered on March 24, 2005, and concluded on May 16, 2013. It ran for nine seasons and 201 episodes on NBC.

Reception and legacy

Although early ratings were modest, the show later became widely popular and influential, especially through streaming and reruns. It is now regarded as one of the best-known American workplace comedies.

Key facts

  • The series is an American adaptation of the BBC comedy series The Office.
  • It uses a mockumentary format that presents the workplace as if filmed by a documentary crew.
  • The main setting is the Scranton branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.
  • It aired on NBC for nine seasons and 201 episodes.
  • Greg Daniels adapted the series for American television.
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Canadian context

The series aired widely in Canada through television distribution and later became popular with Canadian audiences through streaming and reruns, contributing to its broad North American cultural recognition.[12]

Frequently asked questions

What is The Office (US)?
It is an American mockumentary sitcom about employees at the Scranton branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.
Who created the US version of The Office?
Greg Daniels developed the American adaptation for NBC, based on the British series by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.
When did The Office (US) air?
It aired from March 24, 2005, to May 16, 2013.
How many seasons and episodes does it have?
The series has nine seasons and 201 episodes.
Where is The Office (US) set?
It is set at the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of Dunder Mifflin, a fictional paper company.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Office_(American_TV_series)
    Supports: Series format, adaptation, creator, setting, original run, seasons, and episode count
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Office-American-television-program
    Supports: Premise, NBC run, and later streaming-era popularity
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Office_(American_TV_series)_episodes
    Supports: Broadcast dates and overall episode count
  4. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Office_(British_TV_series)
    Supports: British original series, creators, and international adaptations