Deadline is reporting that Ed Helms, John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer will all be returning to NBC’s The Office for season nine. Speaking for all fans of the show, I think I can safely say that this is most definitely a relief.
As it stands, these three are really the heart of the show and without them, I don’t think season nine could be a reality. Star Steve Carell departed last season and the show will lose Rainn Wilson and Mindy Kaling next year, all three of those departures are huge blows for NBC’s highest-rated comedy. The network has also lost showrunner Paul Lieberstein, who is leaving to work on the spinoff he co-created with Wilson.
Truthfully, once the show lost Carell things started to go downhill. With the loss of Wilson and Kaling next year, things will slide even further. Sure, I’m happy (and surprised) that Helms, Krasinski and Fischer signed on for season nine but I can’t see the show having too many years left in it. Things are coming to an end and as much as I love The Office, perhaps it’s for the best that it goes off air after the ninth season.