Photo Flash: Sneak Peek - NBC's THE OFFICE Plays 'Trivia' 1/12

NBC's THE OFFICE will be returning with all new episodes beginning January 12, 2012 at 9:00 pm/et when the Dunder Mifflin office gang plays a game of 'Trivia'.

THE OFFICE is a documentary-style look into the humorous and sometimes poignant foolishness that plagues the world of 9-to-5 in the half-hour comedy based on the award-winning BBC hit. A fly-on-the-wall "docu-reality" parody about modern American office life, the show delves into the lives of the workers at Dunder Mifflin, a paper supply company in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The recent departure of regional manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell, "Date Night," "Get Smart"), after 19 years of service, and the unexpected medical leave of his successor DeAngelo Vickers (Will Ferrell), has left many vying for the coveted position, including a few internal candidates. One startling move that did transpire during the interview process was the hiring of the weirdly charming and manipulative Robert California (James Spader, "Boston Legal") by Dunder Mifflin-Sabre CEO Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates). Robert accepted the regional manager job and quickly realized he was meant for something bigger, convincing Jo to step down and appoint him as the new CEO.

The loyal and often times unmotivated staff include sales rep Jim Halpert (John Krasinski, "Away We Go," "It's Complicated") who shares his working space with Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson, "The Rocker,") the arrogant assistant to the regional manager whose responsibilities have expanded as the new owner of the office building. Pam Beesly Halpert (Jenna Fischer, "Walk Hard," "Blades of Glory") is the former office receptionist now office administrator. Pam's office romance with Jim evolved into marriage followed by the birth of their daughter, Cece, and a second child on the way. Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak, "Inglorious Basterds") is the young, smart, former temp, whose fall from grace as a Dunder Mifflin executive quickly landed him back at the bottom of the food chain in Scranton. Andy Bernard (Ed Helms, "The Hangover") is the preppy salesman and die-hard Cornell alumni whose endless and unique musical talents keep the office entertained. A surprising relationship has also formed between Andy and the ambitious distribution coordinator Darryl Philbin (Craig Robinson, "Hot Tub Time Machine"), who moved from The Warehouse to the main Dunder Mifflin sales offices.

Also starring are Leslie David Baker ("Malcolm in the Middle"), Brian Baumgartner ("Arrested Development"), Kate Flannery ("The Heir Apparent"), Mindy Kaling ("No Strings Attached"), Angela Kinsey ("Furry Vengeance"), Paul Lieberstein (writer, "King of the Hill"), Oscar Nuñez ("The Proposal"), Phyllis Smith ("Bad Teacher"), Creed Bratton (former member of The Grass Roots), Ellie Kemper ("Bridesmaids") and Zach Woods ("The Other Guys").

THE OFFICE is executive-produced by Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels, who developed the series for American audiences, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein, Paul Lieberstein and B.J. Novak.

Since its premiere on NBC in March 2005, "The Office" has established itself as a genuine hit, earning prestigious television honors such as the 2006 Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, 2006 Peabody Award, 2006 & 2008 AFI Honors, Producers Guild Award, Writers Guild Award, SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy, Ace Eddie Award for editing and a Television Critic's Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy.

Get a sneak peek at the all new episode entitled 'Trivia' premiering January 12, 2012 below!

Photo credit: Chris Haston/NBC 

 

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