James Spader Leaving The Office

James Spader will be leaving The Office at the end of the current Season 8, after just one year on the show as the CEO of Dunder Mifflin Sabre.

Apparently, Spader did not want to return and Office executive producer Paul Lieberstein tells Variety, "James always wanted this to be a one-year arc, and he now leaves us having created one of the most enigmatic and dynamic characters in television. He's been a great friend to me and the show, helping us successfully transition into the post-Michael Scott years, and I'm grateful for that."

- NBC

Variety says it's not clear how he'll be written out of the show. Personally, I'm curious if they'll have Robert simply leave the company or if they'll just say he's stopped flying to Scranton so much – it would be easy to keep him off screen in Florida and allow for occasional guest appearances, if Spader were up for it.

Officially, The Office has not been renewed for Season 9, but announcing Spader is leaving, which both NBC and Lieberstein confirm with Variety, pretty much confirms the show will go on – on the heels of the recent news of a potential spinoff.

[source ign.com]

NBC Developing The Office Spin-Off About Dwight Schrute

NBC is planting the seeds for a spin-off of The Office centered on Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) and the Schrute family beet farm, Deadline reports.

The series, which would tentatively launch in early 2013, would follow Dwight's life outside of Dunder Mifflin at his family's beet farm and bed and breakfast. The beet farm has been featured in several episodes stemming back to Season 2, with The Office and Parks and Recreation executive producer Mike Schur playing the role of Dwight's business partner and oddball cousin Mose.

The potential spin-off will be introduced later this season in an Office episode set at Schrute Farms.

Wilson and his co-star/series executive producer Paul Lieberstein would executive-produce the new show with fellow Office executive producer (and former NBC Entertainment Chief) Ben Silverman, who has been helping develop the spin-off. Greg Daniels, who first adapted The Office for the U.S., is not involved.

News of the potential spin-off comes at a time when the flagship series is still in a transitional period. After longtime star Steve Carell left last April, some viewers (and the character Dwight himself) have not