‘Office’ Cast Members Find New Shows

With “The Office” turning out its lights this May after nine seasons, NBC’s Thursday night comedy block will never be the same again. However, just because “The Office” is no more, it doesn’t mean some familiar faces won’t pop up on new shows next fall.

It has been announced that “The Office” mainstay’s Craig Robinson, Brian Baumgartner, and Angela Kinsey have all signed on for potential pilots set to air next fall.

Robinson, who play’s Darryl Philbin on the show has signed on for an as of now unnamed show on NBC. The show will star Robinson as a down on his luck musician who is trying to adjust to his new life as a junior high music teacher. “The Office” show runner Greg Daniels is set to produce.

Keeping it in “The Office” family, Baumgartner is set to star in a show for ABC also produced by Daniels. Baumgartner who has spent the last nine seasons as naïve accountant Kevin Malone will star as a mid-level airline executive who is just trying to experience winning again. “Parks and Rec” writer Harris Wittels will create the show.

Finally, Kinsey who is known around “The Office” as uptight accountant Angela Martin will star in a new show on FOX called “Dirty Blondes.” In the show, Kinsey will co-star with Rachel Harris (“The Hangover”). “Dirty Blondes” will follow the two ladies who have been friends for a long time as they grow closer together after each getting divorced. The show will be directed by Ruben Fleischer (“Zombieland”).

In related news, as three new shows move on, one came to an end. Rainn Wilson who plays salesman Dwight Schrute on “The Office” was originally set to star in his own spinoff next fall. However, it was announced that NBC has officially decided to pass on Wilson’s upcoming show “The Farm.” For those who may be curious about what the show may have looked liked, the pilot is still set to air as a standalone episode of “The Office” that is set to air later this year.

Finding a new show after a nine-year run is great, but it far from guarantee’s success. The show “F.R.I.E.N.D.S.” aired for ten years and afterwards, some cast members went on to their own shows finding varying degrees of success. Matthew Perry had a couple of one- season wonders with “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” and “Mr. Sunshine,” before finding success eight years later with this years NBC comedy “Go On.”

Like Wilson and “The Farm,” Matt LeBlanc tried to spin off his popular character Joey into his own show, but “Joey” failed to capture audiences the way “F.R.I.E.N.D.S.” did, and was promptly canceled after just two seasons. So as a forewarning to “The Office” cast, just because they were in a long running show it doesn’t guarantee future success.

Although “The Office” is coming to a close, at least the show will still live on with the actor’s new pilots. Next year fan’s can rest a little easier knowing that no matter what network one chooses to watch, a familiar face will be right around the corner.