'The Office' Leaves Netflix, and Fans Can't Believe It's Actually Gone

The Office left Netflix's catalog in the U.S. on Friday, making for an unfortunate start to 2021 as far as some fans were concerned. The sitcom was removed from Netflix at the end of its licensing deal and added to Peacock, the new streaming service from NBCUniversal. Even fans that knew this transition was coming were devastated by the news.

NBCUniversal holds the rights to all nine seasons of The Office, so it's no wonder that the company wanted to pull the fan-favorite show away from Netflix and onto its own streaming service. This move was announced back in the fall of 2019, yet many casual viewers were not expecting it, and were horrified to discover this change to their Netflix queue on Friday morning. The show is beloved for binge-watching and re-watching, and is considered by many a "comfort watch" for falling asleep or winding down.

The strong reaction on social media was partially a joke, as fans quickly understood that it would be easy to switch streaming services and watch The Office without missing a beat. Peacock has a free membership tier, so fans can continue watching the show at no additional charge provided they are okay with seeing a few commercials.

Additionally, fans in Canada reported that The Office is still available there, suggesting that the licensing deal is a bit different up north. Others recommended buying the show either physically or digitally to ensure fans would never lose access to it and reduce their carbon footprint.

Joking or otherwise, the removal of The Office from Netflix seemed like an impossible tragedy to many dramatic Twitter users. Here is a look at how the reactions played out.