<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> External links </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Website </Td> </Tr> <P> The Office is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from March 24, 2005, to May 16, 2013, lasting nine seasons . It is an adaptation of the original BBC series of the same name and was adapted for American television by Greg Daniels, a veteran writer for Saturday Night Live, King of the Hill, and The Simpsons . It was co-produced by Daniels's Deedle - Dee Productions, and Reveille Productions (later Shine America), in association with Universal Television . The original executive producers were Greg Daniels, Howard Klein, Ben Silverman, Ricky Gervais, and Stephen Merchant, with numerous others being promoted in later seasons . </P> <P> The series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company . To simulate the look of an actual documentary, it was filmed in a single - camera setup, without a studio audience or a laugh track . The series debuted on NBC as a midseason replacement and aired 201 episodes over the course of its run . The Office initially featured Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, and B.J. Novak as the main cast; the series experienced numerous changes to its ensemble cast during its run . </P>

When did the american version of the office first air