'The Office' is leaving Netflix in 2021, heading to NBC streaming service

Bryan Alexander
Updated

We'd been warned this could happen. But we blocked out the idea that "The Office" would one day leave the land of perpetual repeat-viewing that is Netflix.

But the grim warning was true. The end is nigh for "The Office" on Netflix. Or, as nigh as January 2021.

NBC announced Tuesday that it will feature "The Office" exclusively on its streaming service for five years, beginning in 2021. The streaming service will launch in 2020. The move will make Netflix feel like the poor office worker whose swipe card isn't working on the front door in the middle of winter.

Meanwhile NBC was crowing about getting the number one steaming video, that was streamed for over 52 billion minutes in 2018.

“ 'The Office' has become a staple of pop culture and is a rare gem whose relevance continues to grow at a time when fans have more entertainment choices than ever before,” said Bonnie Hammer, chairman of NBCUniversal’s direct-to-consumer and digital enterprises, in a statement to USA TODAY. “We can’t wait to welcome the gang from Dunder Mifflin to NBCUniversal’s new streaming service.”

Even with the specter of losing nine hilarious seasons of Steve Carell's Michael Scott, Jenna Fischer's Pam Beesley and Rainn Wilson's Dwight Schrute, Netflix kept the chin up.

"We're sad that NBC has decided to take The Office back for its own streaming platform," Netflix US tweeted Tuesday, making it clear exactly whose fault this all is. "But members can binge watch the show to their hearts' content ad-free on Netflix until January 2021."

We had been warned: 'The Office' could leave Netflix!

Whomever was handling the Netflix US Twitter site was on a roll, tweeting out news about another Steve Carell project coming soon (with "The Office" producer Greg Daniels) about the people tasked with creating the new government military branch, "Space Force." Coming soon to Netflix.

"Just leaving this here for totally no reason," the tweet read.

While not a surprise, the Twitter reaction to the news was predictably grim.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'The Office' is leaving Netflix in 2021, heading to NBC streaming service