"The Office" will be shuttered after its upcoming ninth season.
Executive producer Greg Daniels made the announcement during a conference call on Tuesday. The series, NBC's highest-rated scripted show, anchors its Thursday night comedy lineup.
"I assume that the ending will be an emotional process for everyone," Daniels told TheWrap. "But they might also end up crying over lost advertising."
Also read: Mindy Kaling Will Return to 'The Office' for Premiere
The Thursday night lineup is undergoing major changes: "30 Rock," another critically acclaimed NBC comedy, is ending after its upcoming seventh and final season. The ratings-challenged "Community," a critical darling, is moving to Fridays to see if it can score an audience there.
"The Office," based on the British Ricky Gervais-Stephen Merchant series of the same name, weathered the exit of star Steve Carell at the end of its seventh season. But ratings were down in season eight, and some critics felt that the show was losing its spark. James Spader joined the cast for the season, but left. Mindy Kaling, one of the show's ensemble cast, will appear in a couple of episodes this season, but now has her own new show, "The Mindy Project," on Fox.
Also read: James Spader Taking Leave From 'The Office'
This season could signal the end of the glory days for NBC's smart, critically acclaimed Thursday shows, characterized by critical acclaim, frequently absurdist humor, and casts plucked partly from "Saturday Night Live" or improv stages. Shows like "Parks and Recreation," "Community" and Emmy-magnet "30 Rock" have critical love and devoted fan bases, but don't earn big ratings.
NBC has said that this season, it hopes to score with broader comedies like "Animal Kingdom," which prominently features a monkey, and "Guys With Kids," which showcases cute babies galore.
