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This is the big problem with binge-watching, according to 'Office' star Rainn Wilson

Dwight has a bone to pick

This is the big problem with binge-watching, according to 'Office' star Rainn Wilson
17 January 2018

The US Office is one of the most bingeable shows of all time, which is why its removal from Netflix back in 2015 was akin to a hate crime (“Well I hated it a lot, OK”).

Fans of the show view it like a favourite blanket or a childhood cuddly toy - something you can always come back to and be comforted by its familiar scent. In this case, the scent of a cheese pitta left unattended in a toaster.

But while a lot of fans take pride in having seen every episode multiple times, and being able to quote famous passages verbatim at the drop of the hat, Rainn Wilson - the man we know and love as Dwight Schrute - isn’t so impressed.

In an interview with CinemaBlend, Wilson spoke about streaming, and how he feels the availability of shows like The Office at the touch of a button is actually a bad thing for society.

“People come up to me all the time and say ‘I’ve seen every single episode eight times’. And though it’s flattering, there is something negative to be said about streaming,” he said.

“Because, guys get a life. If you watch 200 episodes eight times, that’s like months of your life you’ll never get back. So I appreciate the fans, but the streaming can be a little intense.”

Well Rainn, I hate to break it to you, but if I hadn’t spent months of my life watching your show, I would just have spent it watching another one instead. Clearly you’ve never been so hungover on a Sunday that leaving the sofa feels like an SAS mission, and at times like that, only 20-minute episodes of funny television can keep be from the cool embrace of death.

Just four weeks ago we heard the news that we may be getting even more episodes of The Office to binge on, after it leaked that NBC had plans to reboot the series with a mixture of new and old cast members.

Jenna Fischer (Pam) has already publicly supported the idea, however Wilson - whose character ends the original run as manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton - is yet to be approached about the idea of making the comeback reality.

He told CinemaBlend: “It was all over the internet, and it was all over Twitter and stuff like that. And NBC even released a statement about it. But I don’t even know if any contacts have been made, or offers, or anything like that. 

“Our showrunner Greg Daniels is busy on another show, Jenna’s on another show, John’s on another show. Everyone on The Office is working. Steve is a gigantic movie star.”

Whether a return is even a good idea is another matter entirely, but I at least would love to know what’s going on with Creed.

(Images: NBC)