‘The Office’ Spinoff: Stephen Merchant on Why a Jim-Pam Romance Might Not Work

The Office universe is expanding at Peacock as the streamer gears up for the highly-anticipated untitled spinoff from creator Greg Daniels and starring Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore.

Helping to bring the series to screens is the original Office co-creator and executive producer, Stephen Merchant, who is being billed as an executive producer for the latest outing in the Office world. But don’t expect Merchant to be too hands-on in the process.

“One of the things which I realized when Greg adapted the British version was that we shouldn’t get too involved because however much we know and love America, we don’t know it as intimately as an American person and the mechanics of office life in America and all those nuances,” Merchant notes of himself and Ricky Gervais, who created the British iteration in 2001.

(Credit: Prime Video)

“And so we wisely, I think, took a step back and gave Greg as much help as we could but sort of let him run with it. And so that’s very much what my approach is on this series as well,” Merchant tells TV Insider. As Daniels follows his own path, Merchant adds, “We’re definitely here if he wants to run anything past us.”

Still, The Outlaws writer, star, and executive producer is eager to see what the next chapter for The Office Universe looks like. “I’m looking forward to it as much as a fan as I am as an EP, really, and just seeing what he comes up with.”

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As previously reported, the untitled spinoff will see the documentary crew following a new subject when they discover a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters. Gleeson and Impacciatore will star in yet-to-be-announced roles.

“What’s intriguing to me is how office life has changed since we did our version,” Merchant notes. “And will Greg be forced to have the characters talking on Zoom? And the Jim and Pam story, would he be able to ask out the receptionist anymore or is there a power dynamic thing? Would he have to ask HR if he’s allowed? It feels like there’s a whole series of shifts in culture that have happened since.”

Only time will tell for certain. But we’ve got high hopes for the upcoming series which is set to begin filming in July 2024. Stay tuned for more updates as it takes shape at Peacock, and let us know what you’re looking forward to in the comments section, below.