Nearly two decades ago, Greg Daniels brought the U.S. version of The Office to NBC, reshaping the landscape of American network comedy. Over nine unforgettable seasons and 200 episodes, this adaptation of Ricky Gervais’ British series introduced iconic characters, endlessly clever pranks, and surprisingly tender moments from Michael Scott and the Dunder Mifflin Scranton crew. Now, excitement is building as Daniels is working on something new related to everyone’s favorite mid-level Scranton paper company — the officially confirmed Office spinoff series. Now, one of the original stars, Mindy Kaling, has some advice for the new cast, and I really hope they take note.
As the buzz around the Office spinoff intensifies, Mindy Kaling has some wise words for the new cast stepping into the iconic show’s universe. During a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s The Morning Mash Up (via People), Kaling, who played Kelly Kapoor and also served as a writer and producer on the original series, shared a key piece of advice for the actors regarding their performances. She said:
Try not to laugh. I ruined so many takes just because I’d be, like, laughing at Rainn Wilson and Steve Carell. I was not professional. In fact, I think I might be laughing on camera. I’m assuming that cast is gonna be as funny as the one we had, and there’s so many great brains behind it, so that would be my thing is just learn not to break on camera.
That’s sage advice from the Velma executive producer and voice actress. Given the series’ blooper reels—many of which I’ve spent countless hours laughing at, almost as much as the regular episodes—it’s clear that maintaining a straight face on the original The Office set was a tough challenge. Yes, the breaks may help the blooper reel, but the stars will want to make sure they’re able to get through takes while acting out scenes. Hopefully, should these quotes reach the stars currently cast and future ones, they’ll keep the notes in mind.
Peacock announced over a week ago that the spinoff had received a series order, with Greg Daniels teaming up with Michael Koman as the showrunner. Leading the cast are Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore, the breakout star as fan-favorite Valentina of The White Lotus season 2, with production set to begin in July, so don’t expect it to land on the fall 2024 TV schedule. The new series will follow the same documentary crew that “immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch” as they embark on a quest for a new subject—a struggling newspaper company in the midwest.
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As a diehard The Office fan, I was initially apprehensive about the upcoming series. However, based on what we know thus far, Greg Daniels is aiming to bring the show back in a fresh way. I don’t know about all of you, but I find the premise incredibly intriguing and look forward to seeing the rest of the cast get filled out.
Mindy Kaling isn’t the only original cast member to share thoughts on the beloved comedy series’ spinoff. CinemaBlend recently interviewed Rainn Wilson and Craig Robinson during their reunion for an AT&T ad. Wilson shared a bittersweet take on the new show, explaining that he feels “sad,” because the series will move from Scranton, Pennsylvania to an entirely new city and region. This shift means it’s unlikely that his character, Dwight Schrute, everyone’s favorite beet enthusiast, will appear. Though, never say never.
Aside from that, though, fanswill have to wait a bit longer to see if Rainn Wilson’s concerns come to pass or if Mindy Kaling’s advice is heeded. In the meantime, die-hard lovers of the show can look forward to the next installment, which will be available to stream with a Peacock subscription. Additionally, said membership will get you access to the latest chapter in this comedic franchise.