Set the spinoff in the production offices of the documentary film company that has, in the world of the show, ostensibly been shooting what we've seen of the Scranton crew this whole time. In the fourth season and maybe before there was a lot of interaction with the people 'filming' the characters... it would be a really natural way to tie it into the original without seeming forced, but also still be different enough to become something all its own.

What do you say, NBC? Got a job for me? I went to elementary school with Mindy Kaling...

Been coasting for 15 years doing pet projects for herself and friends on award money from a documentary she made in film school about, I dunno, Mumia Abu-Jamal or some early 90's political reference like that. Mumia seems like a keeper to me, they got a lot mileage out of Michael and Stanley for 4 seasons so Amy Poehler thinking she is down with black culture would probably be funny.

So her talent is totally unknown-- will the documentary they are shooting for actually wind up being any good, could be the sort of overarching plot question of the spinoff? I'm sure the joke about how many hours of footage they've 'shot' for the original Office could be built right into that, it could be Amy Poehler's way of milking whoever's funding the project for more money.

I see her personality-wise as sort of a sub-Julie Taymor self-described 'lioness', thinks she is a creative guru to all around her and a complete artistic genius but actually is an out-to-lunch maniac incapable of getting anything done on her own. But whose talent just might still be there.

Seriously, the fact that they haven't said anything yet about the premise makes me think they've got no ideas. What could work better than this, for a spinoff that practically writes itself? Hit me up NBC!! I need a job anyway.