<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> ← Previous Season 7 Next → Season 9 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> List of The Office (U.S. TV series) episodes </Td> </Tr> <P> The eighth season of the American television comedy The Office commenced airing on NBC in the United States on September 22, 2011, and concluded on May 10, 2012, consisting of 24 episodes . The series is an American adaptation of the British comedy series of the same name, and is presented in a mockumentary format, portraying the daily lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictitious Dunder Mifflin Paper Company . The eighth season of The Office aired on Thursdays at 9: 00 p.m. (Eastern) in the United States as part of the "Comedy Night Done Right" television block . This was the first season without Steve Carell as Michael Scott in the lead role and the only one to not feature the character in any capacity . </P> <P> The eighth season largely centers on Andy Bernard's (Ed Helms) ascension to regional manager, as well as the antics of Robert California (James Spader), the new CEO of Sabre, a fictional printer company that owns Dunder Mifflin . Halfway through the season, Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson)--along with Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), Stanley Hudson (Leslie David Baker), Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak), Erin Hannon (Ellie Kemper), and Cathy Simms (Lindsey Broad)--travel to Florida to help set up a Sabre Store, where Nellie Bertram (Catherine Tate) is introduced . Eventually, former CFO of Dunder Mifflin David Wallace (Andy Buckley) buys back the company, firing California . </P>

When did season 8 of the office air