There are several shows that have tried to replaceThe Officesince it ended in 2013, but Netflix has arguably come the closest to doing so - even if it wasn’t nearly as successful. Although it didn’t invent the mockumentary style of sitcom-making,The Officecertainly played a huge role in popularizing the subgenre. So, successors likeModern FamilyandParks and Recreationperhaps wouldn’t have existed withoutThe Office’s success. That being said, the show’s most direct descendant to date strayed from this approach, but retained Steve Carell.
Certain members ofThe Office’s casthave gone on to further success since the show’s finale. As the show’s biggest name, Carell is one of the biggest examples ofThe Officestars to have done this, probably followed by John Krasinski.The Office’s two highest-rated episodesare about Carell’s final regular appearance as Michael Scott and his return years later for the show’s last effort. So, if there were any arguments about how important he was toThe Office’s success, that should settle the debate. Even in 2025,Carell still hasn’t toppedThe Officeas his best TV show.
Space Force Reunited Greg Daniels And Steve Carell (But Wasn’t As Funny As The Office)
Netflix’s attempt to replace The Office wasn’t as laden with laughs
Space Forceran for two seasons between 2020 and 2022, and it was the first project to bringThe Office’s showrunner and its biggest star back together. Greg Daniels was in charge throughoutall nine seasons ofThe Office, and was a big part of why it was so successful. Of course, Carell’s contributions to the sitcom can’t be underestimated either, as proven by how much the show suffered when he left near the end of season 7. So,there were many who expectedSpace Forceto be a massive hitbecause of the two men being collaborators once more.
Steve Carell played General Mark R. Naird inSpace Force.
Space Forceseason 1 was generally quite well-received, but it failed to hit the same comedic heights as the previous time Carell and Daniels had worked together. It was still a workplace comedy, but nothing likeThe Officedue to its militaristic setting. Carell was no longer playing the lovable idiot, but rather a husband and father trying to be the best family man he could be under difficult circumstances. It definitely had its moments, as proven by Netflix’s decision to greenlightSpace Forceseason 2. Sadly,the attempt to recaptureThe Office’s magic failed, and season 3 never happened.
Carell was joined by other big Hollywood stars
WhereasThe Office’s cast initially consisted primarily of relative unknowns,Space Forcewent the opposite direction while sourcing its cast. The Netflix show sought out huge names from the sitcom world while also snagging a few big stars from Hollywood at large.Perhaps the most notable was the presence ofFriends' Lisa Kudrow, who played Mark’s incarcerated wife, Maggie Naird. John Malkovich also starred as Dr. Adrian Mallory, and Ben Schwartz played F. Tony Scarapiducci Tony Scarapudduci, essentially offering a toned-down version of his performance as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein fromParks and Rec.
Space Forcelacked characters as compelling asThe Office, and it was very easy to tell in a matter of minutes that theSpace Forcecast lacked the same level of chemistry as Carell’s other ensemble.
Despite its stacked call sheet,Space Forcelacked characters as compelling asThe Office, and it was very easy to tell in a matter of minutes that theSpace Forcecast lacked the same level of chemistry as Carell’s other ensemble. They weren’t boring, and the performances were very good, but this element of the show was always going to be closely compared toThe Office. This was perhaps an unfair benchmark forSpace Forceto reach so quickly, asThe Officebuilt up its characters over many seasons into the beloved figuresthey became. Still, that’s what happened.
Space Force’s Budget And Critical Reception Likely Played A Role In The Show’s Cancelation
Carell was taking a hefty wage for his performances as General Naird
Space Forceseason 1 performed just well enough for Netflix to order another run, but it didn’t sufficiently improve on the second time out to warrant a season 3. People were watching it, it’s just thatcritical reception wasn’t where Netflix wanted it to be. Plus, the show was not cheap to make. According toThe Hollywood Reporter, Steve Carell’s salary on its own amounted to a staggering $1 million per episode. For a price tag like that, plus other big expenses, it’s not surprising that Netflix wanted more fromSpace Forcethan lukewarm reviews.
Certain efforts were taken to try and makeSpace Forceseason 2 work better. Firstly, production was moved from Los Angeles to Vancouver, and Daniels wasn’t the only showrunner on the show’s second run.The hope was thatSpace Forcewould grow and change asThe Officedid, but nothing Netflix tried managed to instill the desired transformation. Even now,Space Forceonly boasts a 59% score onRotten Tomatoes, with a more favorable audience rating of 77%. So, with the show not justifying its high price tag or garnering enough positive reviews, it was axed.
Space Force’s Failure Is A Reminder That Replicating The Office’s Success Is Not Easy
The Office was so successful for reasons beyond Carell & Daniels' efforts
The level ofThe Office’s success is what many studios fantasize about. It’s an example of capturing lightning in a bottle where all the various elements came together in the right place and at the right time. Even the guest stars made memorable contributions to the show, which, while not uncommon, is not an easy thing to achieve. There were a lot of moving parts and key personnel both in front of and behind the camera, andSteve Carell and Greg Daniels were only part of the formula that madeThe Officewhat it was.
I actually likedSpace Force, but it was obvious from the beginning it would never reach the same heights asThe Office.
Therefore,Space Forceonly had a very small percentage of what it neededto even attempt to replicateThe Office’s triumphs. The replacement stars and other personnel didn’t gel nearly as well with the show’s creator and leading man, despite Netflix’s hopes that Daniels could do it again if he had Carell by his side. I actually likedSpace Force, but it was obvious from the beginning it would never reach the same heights asThe Office.
The Office’s upcoming spinoffshow could be the replacement fans were hopingSpace Forcewould be. Although the new project, which also involves Greg Daniels, seems to be prioritizing new stars rather than returning faces, it’s the only show to officially be set in the same canon since the US version’s finale, despite the many international adaptations. Still, as it’s unlikely to include Carell, especially as a series regular, it remains to be seen just how close to the originalThe Office’s next chapter can be.
The Office
Cast
This mockumentary comedy series observes the mundane and humorous daily lives of employees at the Scranton branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. It offers insights into office dynamics, personalities, and the eccentric behavior of both management and staff, depicting an ordinary workplace with extraordinary characters.
