It’s been obvious to dedicated fans of The Office that the show’s best years are over, but it’s been a long, aggravating decline to the certain demise of the NBC comedy hit. New rumors concerning cast members indicate the end truly is near.

There has been talk from NBC and Rainn Wilson concerning a spin-off series featuring beet farmer Dwight Schrute running his own farm/bed and breakfast.

“I’ve heard rumors of spin-offs since season three, and nothing ever came of it,” said Jake Henert, sophomore communications studies major. “If it happens, it’ll flop, kind of like Joey after Friends.”

Sophomore geography major Matt Goetsch thinks otherwise.

“I can see it being funny,” he said. “But I don’t think it could ever be The Office.”

According to Entertainment Weekly, a spin-off could ensure a ninth season for the floundering series. But does anyone really need or want that? Henert believes a ninth season will happen, if only to advertise it as being the last season in order to have a finite ending.

In other cast member news, Mindy Kaling, who plays customer service representative Kelly Kapoor, has written and starred in a pilot for a new show that has been picked up by FOX. Kaling’s project is based around an OB/GYN doctor presumably struggling to have it all by being a successful career woman AND maintaining a love/social life (Can she do it? Wacky single professional woman shenanigans are surely to ensue). If FOX picks up her show, Kaling will leave The Office. However, loyalties to The Office do not necessarily correlate to loyalties to the actors moving on with their careers.

“I never liked her. I would not watch her show. I always thought she was annoying,” Goetsch said.

The Office as Americans know it began in 2005 as a remake of a BBC program about office employees of a paper company. Now in its eighth season, many agree the show probably should have ended last spring with the departure of Steve Carell’s iconic character Michael Scott. A mess of guest stars and unfortunate character and plot changes made the bumpy transition to life after Michael, and from season seven to season eight.

While many fans would have preferred an end to the show with arguably the most beloved character’s exit, The Office remained on air and has suffered. Viewership is lower than it has been in years, according to TV Guide data.

“I see [the show] going nowhere. Michael Scott isn’t in it anymore,” Goetsch said. “They should have ended it when he left. It’s not The Office when I watch it now. I think they’re trying too hard to still make it funny.”

Henert believes seasons two through five were the best years of The Office, and the show has been deteriorating since season six.

“If they would have stuck with the original cast and plot, it would have lasted longer,” Henert said.

Goetsch cited the decline in character consistency since Carell left and a failed effort in the recent writing of the show to try to make up for his absence. Despite the hole The Office has dug itself, the franchise will likely have a loyal following to the end.

“I’m still gonna watch it,” said Goetsch. “It’s painful to watch, but I still love it.”