Movies & Entertainment

Official New ‘The Office’ (US) Xmas Special Not Part of Show’s Storyline

The Office US remains one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. A reimagining of the British series created by and starring Ricky Gervais, the American version chronicles the daily lives of employees at Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch in a mockumentary format.

However, its success wasn’t immediate. Season 1 faced criticism for mirroring the UK series too closely, but a tonal shift in later seasons allowed it to carve out its own identity.

Dwight (Rainn Wilson) celebrating Christmas in 'The Office'
Credit: NBCUniversal

Now, a new spinoff titled The Paper is in development, set in the world of The Office US and starring Domhnall Gleeson (About Time) and Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus). While none of the original cast members are expected to return, fans of the franchise will still get another chance to revisit the world of Dunder Mifflin in a new story.

Recently, Michael Scott and his employees made an unexpected comeback in “The Night Before Christmas at Dunder Mifflin”, a holiday-themed storybook co-written by Brian Baumgartner (Kevin Malone) and producer Ben Silverman, who also made a brief appearance in the series as Jim’s Athlead co-worker, Isaac.

Pam smiling in 'The Office'
Credit: NBCUniversal

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The book features illustrations by Maël Gourmelen and offers a festive retelling of Clement Clarke Moore’s classic poem, incorporating all the original characters, as well as non-originals, Andy Bernard (Ed Helms), Erin Hannon (Ellie Kemper), and Gabe Lewis (Zach Woods).

The official synopsis describes it as “A new Christmas classic for The Office fans of all ages: Spend ‘The Night Before Christmas’ at Dunder Mifflin in this hilarious and timeless original retelling of the beloved poem. Featuring a visit from Michael Scott as Santa and narrated by Kevin Malone.”

Naturally, Dwight Schrute plays the role of an impish elf.

Dwight (Rainn Wilson) celebrating Christmas in 'The Office'
Credit: NBCUniversal

Related: ‘The Office’ (US) Delivers Holiday Cheer With a Festive Christmas Return

But while it may be tempting to speculate on how this new holiday special fits into the show’s timeline, it appears to exist outside of established continuity. The Office US featured seven Christmas episodes throughout its nine-season run, beginning with “Christmas Party” in Season 2 and concluding with “Dwight Christmas” in Season 9.

Notably, Seasons 1 and 4 did not include Christmas episodes—Season 1’s omission was due to its abbreviated six-episode run, while Season 4 reportedly missed out due to the 2007-2008 Writers Guild strike.

Pam and Jim in the conference room in 'The Office'
Credit: NBCUniversal

For those wondering if “The Night Before Christmas at Dunder Mifflin” could serve as the missing Christmas episode from Season 4, sadly, the timeline doesn’t quite add up.

The inclusion of Erin and Gabe suggests it takes place much later in the series, as Erin didn’t debut until Season 5 and Gabe didn’t join the cast until Season 6. Despite this, the holiday special offers a nostalgic and entertaining return to the world of The Office, making it a must-read for longtime fans.

For those looking to revisit The Office US, the series is available on multiple streaming platforms, including Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video, while The Office: Superfan Episodes Season 7 can be found on Peacock. Additionally, The Office Australia is currently streaming on Prime Video, and The Paper is set to premiere on Peacock in 2025.

With new expansions of The Office universe on the horizon, it’s clear that Dunder Mifflin’s legacy is far from over.

Have you read “The Night Before Christmas at Dunder Mifflin”? Let us know in the comments!

Daniel

Dan is a huge fan of Star Wars, Disney, Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters, TMNT and Harry Potter, and has written for numerous film-focused and Disney-related sites, including Epicstream, Theme Park Tourist and Homey Hawaii. He has also recently completed his first children's novel, which he hopes to get published within the next year.

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