The Office Season 9

The Office will be entering its 9th season on NBC and some more familiar faces may be gone. Steve Carell left after season 7 and some more changes are in place for the long running sitcom. Mindy Kaling, who plays Kelly Kapoor and has been a writer and director on the show since the beginning, has left to star in her own promising sitcom on FOX, The Mindy Project. Why didn't NBC pick that up? Paul Lieberstein, who plays Toby, is also leaving as executive producer. He may still be playing Toby though.

Now its been announced that BJ Novak will be leaving as a full time member of the show. He'll still apparently make some appearances on it though. It does make sense there would be less of Ryan without on-again off-again love interest Kelly. I wonder if they'll make any note in the season premiere of their absence?

Season 8 episodes were hit or miss, and it was the weakest season of the bunch. Towards the end it did improve though, and the addition of Catherine Tate full time in season 9 should help. She developed a stronger character during the final few episodes. The show also looks to be returning to more episodes inside the Dunder Mifflin office. They were taken out of it too often in season 8. I do see the show ending in the near future, but I have doubts it will be with the 9th season. It definitely has the staying power to make it to a 10th season.