Fans of The Office are about to get a closer look at how the beloved workplace comedy became a lasting part of television culture. The new six-part documentary series Fan Level Midnight: Devoted to The Office will explore the show’s difficult beginnings, major creative choices and the connection it built with viewers over the years.
Fan Level Midnight revisits the battles, risks and moments that shaped ‘The Office’
Directed by Shawn Cauthen, Fan Level Midnight: Devoted to The Office will premiere on Peacock on Sept. 7. The series will trace the U.S. version of The Office as it went from a struggling adaptation to one of the most enduring shows of its era.
As covered by Deadline, the documentary will look back at several important moments from the series. These include the fight to keep the show on NBC, the development of Michael Scott, and the creative risks behind episodes such as “Diversity Day,” “Office Olympics” and “Dinner Party.”
It will also explore how Steve Carell’s departure affected the series and why the show continues to connect with audiences. The filmmakers will travel from Dunder Mifflin’s home in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to the California soundstages where the series was filmed.
The fans will also have a major role in the documentary. New interviews will feature people connected to the show, including former NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly, director and executive producer Paul Feig, and cast members Andy Buckley and Leslie David Baker.
The series will also use archival interviews and footage featuring Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, Ed Helms, Jenna Fischer, Greg Daniels, John Krasinski, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith and Will Ferrell, among others.
For Cauthen, the documentary is not only about the people who made The Office. It is also about the viewers who kept the show alive long after it first aired.
“The Office became something much bigger than a television show,” Cauthen said. “People have built friendships around it, found comfort in it during incredibly difficult moments, and continue discovering it for the first time.”
He added that the team wanted to tell the story of both the people behind the series and “the people who never stopped loving it.”
