Fact: People are bummed that “The Office” is leaving Netflix.
NBC Universal announced Tuesday the popular comedy will be available exclusively on its streaming service for five years, effective 2021. The service itself will launch next year.
Netflix confirmed the news in a tweet.
"We're sad that NBC has decided to take The Office back for its own streaming platform," the tweet read. "But members can binge watch the show to their hearts' content ad-free on Netflix until January 2021."
Interestingly, Netflix retweeted other “Office”-related news from January, letting fans know that a series featuring show star Steve Carell is on the horizon.
Landing "The Office" is certainly a win for NBC. As of last December, it was the most watched program on Netflix, according to marketing analytics company Jumpshot.
“The Office” is the number one series on SVOD (streaming video on demand)," NBC said in a press release announcing the show's acquisition. "In 2018, it was streamed for over 52 billion minutes, and in April 2019, it was viewed nearly twice as much as the next most-viewed program on SVOD."
While the show will still be available on a different platform than Netflix, fans were about as crushed as they would be to find out Jim and Pam split. They took to Twitter to express their dismay with a wide range of "Office"-themed memes.
"The Office" ran for nine seasons between 2005-2013 and earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2006. It also propelled several cast members to stardom, including Carell, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling and Ellie Kemper.