The Office Might Be Leaving Netflix for NBC's Own Streaming Service

Just days after Netflix announced that a new show from the creators of The Office is coming to the streaming network, fans have to face the fact that the beloved workplace comedy may actually be leaving the company's catalog in the foreseeable future.

On January 14, NBCUniversal announced that it plans to launch its own streaming service in 2020, which would be free to users who already have cable subscriptions through companies such as Comcast and Sky.

NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke discussed the network's plans for the service with The Wall Street Journal, and stated the company may consider moving The Office from Netflix to the new streaming service after their licensing agreement expires in 2021.

According to Business Insider, The Office is the most popular show on Netflix. And if The Office is in danger, Parks and Recreation—another NBC workplace comedy, which is the third most popular show on Netflix—could be as well.

This isn't the first scare that sitcom fans have had over the past few months. Last month, a note reading "Available until January 1" appeared on the details tab of Friends, a series owned by Warner Bros. After fans began expressing their outrage via social media, Netflix announced that the show would be staying on the service throughout 2019 (and they reportedly shelled out around $100 million to keep the sitcom in place).

Netflix and AT&T, which bought Time Warner in 2018, are currently finalizing a deal that would allow Netflix to keep Friends as well as allow AT&T to feature the series on its new streaming platform, which is expected to launch sometime this year.

A similar deal could be struck for The Office, Parks and Recreation, and other NBC TV series that fall on Netflix's top 50 list. Otherwise, Netflix could have a lot of subscribers jumping ship.