As Office stars Rainn Wilson and Paul Lieberstein prep to tackle their spinoff midway through next season, and Mindy Kaling gets swept away by Fox who recently picked up her pilot It’s Messy, Dunder-Mifflin loyals have been readying themselves for more goodbyes. However, Deadline reports that Ed Helms, John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer are staying put and will be appearing on the show next season.
After Steve Carell’s departure last season, the core trio has been integral in keeping things (kind of) on track. It seems the network is also agreeing to accommodate the film schedules of Helms and Krasinski. This has been a rocky season for The Office, but bizarrely enough, the show remains NBC’s highest-rated comedy. Deadline shared that the renewal is more of a “formality” than anything else. Will you hang in for one more season with Scranton’s best, or have the uneven laughs left you ready to resign before the scheduled finale?
In other NBC news, THR says that 30 Rock got the green light for a seventh and final season lasting 13 eps. Ratings have dipped severely for the comedy staple, but star Alec Baldwin isn’t giving up yet. He’ll be returning for a fond farewell despite contrary chatter. Is this a proper send off for the award-winning series? Do you wish The Office would take a hint?
UPDATE: You can add Community to the list of renewals for the network. According to Deadline, the class of Greendale Community College will be heading back to school for another semester. NBC renewed the show for a fourth season and 13 episodes. We’re not sure if creator Dan Harmon and star Chevy Chase will be returning. Their insane feud has taken over the news in recent months, so it’s nice to see something positive for a change.