In 2005, an American adaption of a UK cringe-com written by a former Simpsons writer became an unexpected hit on iTunes. So despite middling ratings, the show was given a second season and a second chance.

It went on to become the defining sitcom of a generation, and one of the most streamed series of all time.

Through every early development of online content, The Office was right there, riding the wave of technology and culture trends. And when the Writers Guild of America went on strike in 2007, one of the guild’s biggest battlegrounds was The Internet - and The Office writers were there on the picket lines, fighting for the future they had forged.

CLIPS USED:

The Office is Closed (WGA America)

Greg Daniels - Pt. 1 (The Office Deep Dive)

WGAW President Patric Verrone says writers want fair play (WGA West)

Writers Guild of America Strike Announcement - Nov. 2, 2007. (WGA West)

What We’ve Won in Part Negotiations (WGA West)

THE OFFICE (US)

Pilot (S01 E01)

Boys and Girls (S02 E15)

The Negotiation (S03 E19)

Dinner Party (S04 E13)

THE OFFICE (UK)

Downsize (S01 E01)

MUSIC:

“Feelin Good”, “Bicycle”, “Chill Wave”, “Dirt Rhodes”, “Odyssey”, “Too Cool”,  “Magic Scout - Farm”,  “Hard Boiled”, “Loopster”, “I Knew A Guy”, “Bossa Antigua”, “Twisting”, “Bleeping Demo”, “Protofunk”, “Mining By Moonlight”, “Spy Glass”, “Screen Saver”, “Rollin At 5”, “Thinking Music”, “Wisps of Whorls” & “Crypto” 

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

“Bossy Boots" & "VHS Dreams" by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Anti- Piracy Music - Melchior Rietveldt (which was never officially licensed for those anti-piracy ads)