Brits watching the U.S. version of ‘The Office’ still don’t know if Scranton is a real place, study shows
A new report about 'The Office' reveals that thousands of people in the United Kingdom watching the American version of the show question if Scranton is a real place or not.
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“You miss 100% of the Google searches you don’t try.” —Wayne Gretzky —Michael Scott —United Kingdom residents watching ‘The Office’ and asking about Scranton
A new report in honor of the upcoming 10th anniversary of The Office’s finale reveals that thousands of viewers from the United Kingdom continue to wonder if Scranton is a real place.
The original, United Kingdom-based The Office debuted in 2001; the mockumentary followed employees at a fictional paper company, led by Ricky Gervais, and captured hearts for two seasons. It inspired 10 remakes around the world, including the American version, which premiered in 2005 and is the longest-running and most successful remake.
According to TonerGiant — a real-life British ink and toner supplier — both the U.K. and the American versions are popular among British viewers. But, Google Search data reveals, the American version has sparked some questions, including ones about the city where the fictional American paper company, Dunder Mifflin, is based.
Every month, an average of 400 people in the United Kingdom google: “Is Scranton a real place?” — amounting to nearly 5,000 people each year.
Scranton is, in fact, a real city in northeast Pennsylvania. It’s known for its robust railroad history and for being the literal birthplace of President Joe Biden, though he left for Delaware at age 10.
» READ MORE: Joe Biden's deep Scranton roots
“It shows that, perhaps, some of Brits’ geographical knowledge is not up to scratch,” TonerGiant spokesperson Stuart Deavall said of the report’s findings. “[But] it certainly highlights how The Office has put Scranton on the map for many across the pond.”
But before you go mocking a Brit in your life, it appears The Office may have also sparked some light Googling from inside the house, too. TonerGiant’s report also uncovered that an average of 110 people a month in the United States also search to see if Scranton is a real place.
Welp.