The Office - U.S. Edition [Archive]

MadMan

11-02-2007, 08:45 PM

Season 1 was decent at best, so if that's all you've seen then I can see why you were turned off by the show. Season 2 and 3 though are fantastic so you should check those out. Well I've heard Season 2 is fantastic-I've only seen half of it-and I've been meaning to rewatch it in its entireity.

Spinal

11-17-2007, 08:56 PM

So, in the British version of the show, the documentary actually airs and there are ramifications for some of the characters. David Brent becomes a minor celebrity, etc. In the American version, it rarely seems as if the characters are concerned that what they do will eventually be aired on television. So, are we to assume that the documentary style is merely a convention, much like direct audience address in Shakespeare or Restoration comedy? That in the world of The Office (US), there is no literal television program or documentary film?

I am 2/3 of the way through the third season, so if this is addressed later, then never mind.

Milky Joe

11-17-2007, 09:11 PM

Didn't the documentary air only after the British series was "over"? It's always possible they'll go that route with the US version once it has run its course, but that hasn't happened yet. I myself do kind of think of it as just a convention that gives the characters an excuse to interact with the camera.

Ezee E

11-18-2007, 01:30 AM

Spinal

11-18-2007, 03:45 AM

Agreed. It doesn't need to get any "bigger" in that type of sense.

What do you mean by bigger?

Spinal

11-18-2007, 06:29 AM

Oh man ...

Dwight breaking out the pepper spray on Roy.

:lol::lol::lol:

Ivan Drago

11-21-2007, 05:26 AM

What do you mean by bigger?

That's what she said.

Ezee E

11-21-2007, 05:41 AM

That's what she said.
Good work.

Duncan

11-21-2007, 04:55 PM

Aside from everyone reading Michael's diary, I didn't think this week's episode was funny at all.

Kurosawa Fan

11-21-2007, 05:22 PM

Aside from everyone reading Michael's diary, I didn't think this week's episode was funny at all.

Agreed. This season has been a severe disappointment.

Ezee E

11-21-2007, 05:37 PM

Agreed. This season has been a severe disappointment.
My prediction was that once Jim and Pam got together, that the show would be at its peak. THere's no longer a story that really gets people to want to see something happen. Now its just ridiculous antics.

Kurosawa Fan

11-21-2007, 05:42 PM

My prediction was that once Jim and Pam got together, that the show would be at its peak. THere's no longer a story that really gets people to want to see something happen. Now its just ridiculous antics.

But Jim and Pam only got together this season, and it hasn't been good. So your prediction was wrong. It didn't "peak". It peaked in season 2, when they had sexual tension.

Ezee E

11-21-2007, 07:01 PM

But Jim and Pam only got together this season, and it hasn't been good. So your prediction was wrong. It didn't "peak". It peaked in season 2, when they had sexual tension.
I thought the third season was the best thus far. You know that they get together at the end of the finale. Now it's just jumping the shark. However, it manages to still be watchable as long as Dwight is insane, instead of us having to feel bad for him.

The worst thing was that story with the pizza boy. Ugh.

MadMan

11-21-2007, 09:55 PM

I think I'll just catch up Season 4 after it comes out on DVD. I can wait. In the meantime though I should finally watch all of Season 2. That's actually out on DVD at my local Family Video.

Mal

11-21-2007, 10:17 PM

Krasinski needs to get off this sinking ship and get his own show.
*is negative*

Kurosawa Fan

11-22-2007, 03:15 AM

Krasinski needs to get off this sinking ship and get his own show.
*is negative*

I'm actually not a big fan. Not that he's bad, but I don't find anything special about his portrayal of Jim.

Duncan

11-22-2007, 04:11 AM

I'm actually not a big fan. Not that he's bad, but I don't find anything special about his portrayal of Jim.

Word.

MadMan

11-22-2007, 04:18 AM

I'm actually not a big fan. Not that he's bad, but I don't find anything special about his portrayal of Jim.To me he's good as Jim because of the facial expressions and his reactions to the crazy stuff that happens in the office. Plus his likability factor as well, and of course how he screws with Dwight in really funny ways. Although he copied himself when he screwed with Andy (the calculator in the jellow was done in Season 1).

EvilShoe

11-22-2007, 11:56 AM

Hm, while this season hasn't been up to par I did really like the last episode.
I'm glad there was some drama on the show, because the characters sometimes get too cartoonish. (I hope they never show the beat farm again.)

Justin

11-27-2007, 03:43 AM

Wow, I just started watching season 2 not too long ago(about half way through), Pam is easily one of the cutest characters I have ever seen in television. Show is great too.

Spinal

11-28-2007, 08:13 AM

Just finished Season 3 and was somewhat disappointed with the last couple episodes. The plot developments were executed in a manner that was pretty clunky in comparison to the stellar Season 2 finale. I am concerned about the future of this show.

Kurosawa Fan

11-28-2007, 12:20 PM

Milky Joe

11-28-2007, 01:17 PM

you people are a bunch of negative nancies. I've enjoyed the hell out of season 4, even if it hasn't been quite as funny.

Spinal

11-28-2007, 03:19 PM

Don't get me wrong. I'll still watch it. But I suspect that the pleasures will come from individual moments and situations rather than the throughline which seems to have run its course. Pam's 'speech on the beach' felt really strange and unauthentic to me.

MadMan

11-28-2007, 05:28 PM

Season 3's finale was almost equal to Season 2's. The last couple of episodes from Season 3 I recall being pretty funny, and I think Season 3 may have actually been when the show peaked although many argue it was Season 2. I really need to see all of Season 2 though to formally decide. Season 4 cannot be worse than Season 1 though....at least I hope not.

Ezee E

11-28-2007, 06:25 PM

Season 1 has an excuse for not being top-notch.

Sycophant

11-28-2007, 06:44 PM

Season 1 has an excuse for not being top-notch.Which is...?

Spinal

11-28-2007, 09:19 PM

Season 3's finale was almost equal to Season 2's. The last couple of episodes from Season 3 I recall being pretty funny, and I think Season 3 may have actually been when the show peaked although many argue it was Season 2.

My problem with the Season 3 stuff is that it is lazy writing to just have a character suddenly confess everything that is on their mind while others listen quietly. I didn't buy it.

Regarding the first season, Diversity Day and the basketball game are great. Don't remember much about the others, but I thought the quality was just fine.

Milky Joe

11-28-2007, 10:42 PM

Whatever insincerity or laziness exists within Pam's confession (which regardless is still a beautiful moment because Jenna Fischer is just so beautiful, especially in that lighting) is more than made up for by the utter outrageous hilarity of Andy throughout the rest of the ep.

"What Andy? I don't understand what you want me to do!"
"It's pretty simple... LOOK AT WHAT I'M DOING AND GO TELL SOMEBODY IT."

Spinal

11-29-2007, 12:22 AM

I agree that Andy is hilarious. He's become one of my favorite characters.

"Oompa-Loompa Doopity Dawesome/
Now Dwight is gone which is totally awesome." :lol:

Winston*

11-29-2007, 12:25 AM

I gave up somewhere early in the third season, I think. The show's not bad, but I just don't think it's very well written, especially not with regard to two of the lead characters.

Justin

11-29-2007, 02:52 AM

Just finished season 2 today, that was absolutely fantastic. I am pretty upset with myself since I never gave this show a chance until recently.

Justin

01-04-2008, 01:59 AM

I am about halfway through the second disc of season three, and I can already tell it is inferior to season two, still very good though.

MadMan

01-07-2008, 06:22 PM

So is Season 4 any good at all so far? I haven't gotten a chance to see any of it beyond the first episode this year due to working on Thursday nights and being too lazy to watch the episodes they show online.

Milky Joe

05-09-2008, 02:07 AM

I don't know if anyone's been watching, but the strike was apparently a blessing in disguise for The Office, because pretty much all of the episodes since they started up again have been terrific, including tonight's. Next week is the hour long season finale and I look forward to it.

transmogrifier

05-10-2008, 09:13 AM

I'm thinking that there's not much more The Office can do, and it'll be better to finish it sooner rather than later. It seems to be spinning it's wheels - funny, but hardly memorable.

Thirdmango

05-11-2008, 04:00 PM

I really hope they allow the relationship to last, because if they do they have a lot of things they could do with it, but making them break up would put them back at square one. I like where the show has gone to, and I really liked the stuff of Dwight and Angela in the office all alone in the last episode.

Kurosawa Fan

05-12-2008, 02:28 PM

I actually think this season sucks. Pretty hard. Michael changed drastically over the seasons, and at this point he's a bitter, annoying jagoff. I don't laugh at his improper behavior anymore because for the most part it's done out of spite and with a mean spirit. Considering he's the backbone of the show, everything else has gone downhill. Dwight has become far less funny post-Angela, and the rest of the supporters work off Michael, so they've lost a lot as he has. I don't even really look forward to watching new episodes anymore. The only wise thing they've done this season is to just let Jim and Pam exist as a couple and be happy, rather than creating drama in an effort to keep things interesting.

Ezee E

05-12-2008, 04:19 PM

Yeah, agreed. There are a few funny bits, but Michael is just a caricature at this point. Whatever happened to the boss that tries hard but actually had a bit of humanity in him, such as when he was the only one that visited Pam's art show in an earlier season?

Jim and Pam's relationship hasn't really had any drama in my opinion. I wish they would delve more into Jim getting into trouble with B.J. Novak instead of simply ending it with one attempt.

I'll still watch the finale, but after that, it'll need something to keep me interested.

Ezee E

05-16-2008, 11:49 AM

The finale did something that this entire season did not have at all.

Something to look forward to.

In fact, there's more than one plot device to get excited about now.

Glad those writers thought about it. I'm positive next season will at the very least, be better then this one.

Kurosawa Fan

05-16-2008, 02:56 PM

The finale was certainly promising, but it also had two very large drawbacks.

First and foremost, with Michael going back to Jan, he's likely to remain the bitter, mean-spirited Michael we've seen all season. If he ended up with HR newbie, he'd be a happier and funnier Michael. Also, there's now potential for Jim/Pam nonsense drama with her being in NY and him being in PA. Since he wasn't able to propose, it provides a window for some of that relationship garbage that shows use to "keep things interesting". Having commended them for not stooping to that level in my previous post, if they end up going there next season I will be finished with the show. That's a guarantee.

Kurosawa Fan

05-16-2008, 05:26 PM

Gotta say though, the Kevin gag was glorious. It worked so well. His dialogue and facial expressions weren't different from how he normally acts, which made it so much funnier than it would have been with someone else.

Thirdmango

05-16-2008, 06:26 PM

Yeah the Jim Pam turn feels like an homage to Scrubs. Hey, let's give them conflict and then they won't work but we can still make them work in the end four years from now. The very end was priceless, the Kevin thing was awesome as well. Creed was the other part I liked, everything else was meh. I wish that unlike other shows around they'd give the characters something and then let them live with instead of all the things they could do without.

Bosco B Thug

05-16-2008, 07:28 PM

transmogrifier

05-18-2008, 01:29 AM

The finale was kind of flat, but I liked Amy Ryan. Pity I heard she's only a guest star, rather than a regular.

Qrazy

05-19-2008, 12:43 PM

I'm a fan of the show and it's often quite amusing, but I'm not alone in thinking that, objectively, the show is just not very "good," am I? It's so silly and obvious so much of the time. Subtlety has zero role in the writing. For example, does every moment of pathos for Michael have to have him whining about wanting to have a family? Creed and Kelly get the same joke every episode (though I have to say I get the biggest kick from the show out of Kelly). There's only so much "cute and wholesome" I can take from Jim and Pam. Is Tobey really so hung up on Pam he doesn't care he's making faux pas left and right? Etc. And I'm still kind of bitter favorite characters of mine, Andy and Jan, are being turned into such caricatures in order to function obediently as third wheels.

But yes, definitely some juice built in for Season 5 in the finale. Amy Ryan, yeah! Though again, her character's a bit of a cheap ploy...

Yeah I agree... I enjoy it and I watch it but it's not very good... I'm surprised you're a fan of Kelly, I find her to be a constant source of irritation. Creed is gold. Jim and Pam's mugging for the camera with those forced 'smile' awkward looks has pissed me off from day one and continues to do so.

The show has enough new balls in the air to keep it busy for a bit but if it really needed to grow we could spend some more time with the warehouse people... warehouse jobs suck as hard if not harder than pencil pushing jobs.

Maybe they'll bring back Karen for some of that cheap romantic triangle angle.

Bosco B Thug

05-20-2008, 09:49 PM

Jim and Pam's mugging for the camera with those forced 'smile' awkward looks has pissed me off from day one and continues to do so. Word. And so often their interviews never really seem to be trying very hard to actually be funny because of the fact they can just fall back on that, which is irritating.

Qrazy

05-22-2008, 06:18 AM

Word. And so often their interviews never really seem to be trying very hard to actually be funny because of the fact they can just fall back on that, which is irritating.

The only thing I kind of like about a shift in their whole dynamic is how at the beginning of the series they seemed to act towards the camera like... I'm too good to be working with these weirdos... but now they seem to have finally accepted their role in the company whereas they still play some tricks on Dwight etc they don't have a holier than thou attitude going on.

Rowland

05-22-2008, 05:34 PM

I've been watching The Office over the last week, I'm working on the second half of the second season right now... and lord, this show can be really depressing. Oy.

origami_mustache

06-18-2008, 03:15 PM

lemon

06-19-2008, 03:06 AM

I've been watching The Office over the last week, I'm working on the second half of the second season right now... and lord, this show can be really depressing. Oy.

Try watching the UK version if you really want to see depressing. Extras (also by Gervais) is rediculously depressing but still pretty funny in a "make you squirm cause it's so awkward" kind of way.

I've watched episodes here and there on the TBS reruns and it's been sort of hit/miss. The UK Office is my favorite TV show ever but the only real enjoyment I get out of the American version is seeing story lines that were taken from the UK version.

BTW Steve Carrel is awful in this. He is the biggest reason why I never tried to go further than watching reruns on TBS. I don't know whether it's the writing or his over the top performance. Probably a combination of both.

origami_mustache

07-17-2008, 05:15 PM

Aziz Ansari from Human Giant is going to be part of The Office spin-off. I'm guessing HG won't go another season on MTV which saddens me since I think it's easily the funniest sketch show on TV now, but good for him I guess and hopefully the new show will be good.

http://www.variety.com/VR1117987409.html

Amy Poehler now in talks to be part of the spinoff

http://www.filmdrunk.com/post.phtml?pk=2186

I don't even care what the show is about...I'm in.

Spinal

11-06-2008, 03:50 AM

Amy Ryan is the best thing to happen to this show in ages. I'll be bummed if they're really letting her character go.

Milky Joe

11-07-2008, 04:57 AM

I loved absolutely everything about that episode.

EyesWideOpen

11-07-2008, 05:04 AM

Yep, I was really worried since Amy Ryan was gone but this episode was fan-fucking-tastic.

Henry Gale

11-07-2008, 07:17 PM

Very, very good episode. Hope they push Steve Merchant for a Directing Emmy so he can fly out and go to all the parties Ricky always teases him about (plus he deserves it).

D_Davis

11-07-2008, 07:46 PM

SirNewt

11-11-2008, 06:15 AM

I haven't watched last night's episode yet, but last week's was awesome. Dwight was totally awesome in it, I loved how cool he played out his prank. I could tell that his character had been planning the whole thing for quite some time.

It was fantastic to see Dwight dishing it out. No matter how dorky Dwight becomes Andy will always be a bigger douche bag and a great foil. There's actually a couple great Dwight moments in this weeks episode as well.

Kurosawa Fan

11-11-2008, 01:41 PM

Am I the only one who's uncomfortable with the way they're treating this Dwight-Angela-Andy triangle? I know Andy is a twerp and he's supposed to be the butt of jokes and pranks. That's basically his role. But this is going too far for me. It's mean-spirited and pretty ugly. I don't laugh at it at all. The Cornell prank was funny because it didn't involve Angela, but when it does, like last episode and the beet farm, I kind of feel like cringing rather than laughing. Which would be okay if I felt like that was their intention, but they treat everything about it comically and it rubs me the wrong way.

It's actually a trend I've noticed in the overall feel of the show. Things seem more bitter and spiteful than they used to, which I think is why I find the show less funny.

Ezee E

11-11-2008, 02:27 PM

I'll have to watch this one.

After Michael and Amy Ryan's relationship ended, I figured the show would hit a wall again. We'll see if I'm right.

D_Davis

11-11-2008, 04:23 PM

I think what they are doing with the love triangle is interesting. They are turning Dwight, a main character, one who, no matter how socially awkward, should garner some sympathy, into a somewhat villainous role. They are turning the tables on the audience, asking us to root for Andy - I think it's kind of a brave move.

I've actually started to feel sorry for Andy. I feel like Jim did after Dwight quit during the 3rd season. "Congratulations universe, you got me."

And this seasons has been awesome so far - it has totally made up for last season.

Spinal

11-11-2008, 06:19 PM

The major issue with the show for me is the Jim and Pam relationship which has verged on Friends territory for quite some time now.

Kurosawa Fan

11-11-2008, 06:39 PM

The major issue with the show for me is the Jim and Pam relationship which has verged on Friends territory for quite some time now.

Yep. The end of the last episode was ridiculous. I couldn't be more bored with them. I have my fingers crossed that they both move to NY and leave the show. The show would be better without them.

Milky Joe

11-11-2008, 06:41 PM

There is some sick part of me that just loves what Dwight and Angela are doing to Andy. I guess part of it is because I think all three of them are just hysterical, and so I can take it light-heartedly. The look on Angela's face as she listened to Dwight's pledging his services was just hilarious. "Pay him whatever he wants." "Can't argue with that!" Ed Helms may be the funniest person on the show.

And I kind of agree about Jim and Pam, mainly because they kept doing these kind of little nudges towards them breaking up even though it was totally unbelievable that they would. I really like the last episode's stuff with the bluetooth as it was kind of a message to all the people who are for some reason clamoring for them to break up. And I loved the swerve with Pam's art-school friend at the end, because it, you know, made sense. And maybe it was me, but Pam looked more adorable in the last episode than she has since season 3. Something about the way she was filmed.

Spinal

11-11-2008, 06:45 PM

I miss low self-esteem Pam from the first couple of seasons. Now, she's hardly even a character. What exactly is her purpose on the show any more besides to give us a warm fuzzy feeling inside when she has success?

Milky Joe

11-11-2008, 06:54 PM

Were you not paying attention to the last scene? Aside from that, she's there to be Pam and look adorable. Why does she have to have low self-esteem to be a character?

Ezee E

11-11-2008, 08:21 PM

Pam's also become a little hateful in the show. She has no reason to treat Michael Scott the way she does after he's gotten her a job in New York. he's gone out of the way many a times for her. Sure, he's annoying, but she's quite embarassed by anything he does. Kind of like what kids are like in middle school to their parents.

SirNewt

11-11-2008, 09:39 PM

D_Davis

11-11-2008, 10:46 PM

Pam's change is totally logical, and works with the way they've written her. In season 3, when her and Roy get back together, there is an episode where she says that she is done not speaking her mind. At one point, she is at a bar and the bar tender gives her the wrong beer. Rather than just take it, she goes back and demands, in a nice way, her correct order. Throughout this season she was building confidence, and this building of character peaked when she told Roy that she kissed Jim. And then, rather than have her revert back to her own ways, she continued to grow and change until the final episode of that season when she confronted the entire office and let them know how rude and selfish they had been and how disappointed she was that none of them went to her art show. Pam is really the only character to have a positively-growing and changing arc.

I really like the evolution of her character.

Spinal

11-11-2008, 11:06 PM

It may be logical, but it doesn't make her a very compelling character. She has outgrown the show because her story has essentially been told. Now all there is do to is to make the audience feel good about the success of their old friend who they supported in tough times. This is the problem with television shows like this. They are forced to artifically extend a character's presence beyond the point which their tale means anything to us. Jim and Pam have descended into an interminable series of warm, fuzzy moments. It looks like they are attempting to rekindle some friction by using the pull of New York, but is this really an interesting direction? Haven't we been down this path and don't we know how these characters will react? I don't feel like I have anything more to learn about them.

D_Davis

11-11-2008, 11:20 PM

What's wrong with some feel good, warm and fuzzy moments?

I like feeling good.

Makes me happy!

Ezee E

11-11-2008, 11:22 PM

Think the series will end with their marriage?

Or go beyond that even?

Spinal

11-11-2008, 11:25 PM

What's wrong with some feel good, warm and fuzzy moments?

I like feeling good.

Makes me happy!

Well, fine, but call it what it is, which is not the show that we started with. You're basically watching Friends.

D_Davis

11-11-2008, 11:32 PM

I'm not getting the Friends vibe at all.

Ezee E

11-12-2008, 01:22 AM

I'm not getting the Friends vibe at all.
ditto. I can understand it being horrible, but not to that level.

[/elitist?]

D_Davis

11-12-2008, 01:23 AM

ditto. I can understand it being horrible, but not to that level.

[/elitist?]

Snob.

number8

11-12-2008, 02:50 AM

So I'm watching a random episode on TBS. When did they stop trying to make it look like a documentary? This is shot like The Hills or something.

Kurosawa Fan

11-12-2008, 12:56 PM

I liked Friends. Mindless entertainment, but it was fun. Until the last two seasons that is. Go ahead, make fun of me. It's probably deserved.

Wryan

11-12-2008, 07:55 PM

I liked Friends. Mindless entertainment, but it was fun. Until the last two seasons that is. Go ahead, make fun of me. It's probably deserved.

I need to stop reading the front page so fast. I thought this thread was "The Office: Kurosawa Edition."

number8

11-12-2008, 08:10 PM

I need to stop reading the front page so fast. I thought this thread was "The Office: Kurosawa Edition."

http://www.hulu.com/watch/20337/saturday-night-live-snl-digital-short-the-japanese-office

Wryan

11-12-2008, 08:14 PM

http://www.hulu.com/watch/20337/saturday-night-live-snl-digital-short-the-japanese-office

The eternal wave of bowing never gets old.

Milky Joe

11-14-2008, 04:52 AM

Jenna Fischer is almost too beautiful.

transmogrifier

11-14-2008, 08:05 AM

I liked Friends. Mindless entertainment, but it was fun. Until the last two seasons that is. Go ahead, make fun of me. It's probably deserved.

This, except I'd say it was fun until when Monica and Chandler hooked up (I forget which season...five? six?). Then it flatlined.

Kurosawa Fan

11-14-2008, 06:39 PM

This, except I'd say it was fun until when Monica and Chandler hooked up (I forget which season...five? six?). Then it flatlined.

It certainly began it's descent at that time. Chandler turned into a whiny annoyance, which hurt the show considerably.

Spinal

11-14-2008, 11:57 PM

Really good episode this week I thought. Andy and Oscar drunk dialing Angela was hilarious. Also loved Michael's airport phone call.

D_Davis

11-15-2008, 01:14 AM

Great episode.

Kurosawa Fan

11-15-2008, 02:32 PM

Really good episode this week I thought. Andy and Oscar drunk dialing Angela was hilarious. Also loved Michael's airport phone call.

Yep. That was my favorite episode of the season. Oscar at the bar before the phone call was hilarious. "You should call her".... "NO! Don't call her!"

Loved the resolution to Pam and Jim. Now let her go back to being the receptionist and let the drama go.

Spinal

11-15-2008, 04:46 PM

Loved the resolution to Pam and Jim.

It made you feel warm and fuzzy, didn't it? :)

D_Davis

11-15-2008, 04:59 PM

My favorite part was Michael telling off his boss and then hanging up. That was awesome.

Kurosawa Fan

11-15-2008, 06:00 PM

It made you feel warm and fuzzy, didn't it? :)

It made me feel warm and fuzzy because they aren't dragging out more drama. But yes, warm and fuzzy just about sums it up. :P

Milky Joe

11-15-2008, 10:15 PM

I love Kelly and Ryan together.

"Do you want me to do more pushups?"
*Kelly smiles* "Yeah."
"You have to break up with Darryl."

Darryl's strut after is one of the funniest moments of the whole series. This season is just fantastic.

Milky Joe

11-21-2008, 08:47 PM

God I love this show.

Qrazy

11-21-2008, 09:16 PM

Dwight's perfect crime was pretty great.

Spinal

11-22-2008, 01:09 AM

Can't say I was that crazy about this week's episode.

Kurosawa Fan

11-22-2008, 02:22 PM

Can't say I was that crazy about this week's episode.

Agreed. Though I will say I laughed pretty hard at Michael's initial reaction to seeing Toby.

Milky Joe

11-23-2008, 09:16 PM

Ryan: I'm just going on a little trip.
Kelly: Oh, can I come?
Ryan: It's not that kind of trip. I'm going to Thailand with some friends from high school. Well, a high school. And if I don't do it now I'll never get to go, and I'll always resent you for it. You don't want me to resent you, do you?
Kelly: So you're dumping me?
Ryan: Let's be adults about this. Let's have sex one more time. And if you have any extra cash, that'd be amazing.
Kelly: ...okay.

EvilShoe

01-15-2009, 09:09 AM

Stringer Bell will be on the show!

Idris Elba has been cast on "The Office" as a new rival to Dunder Mifflin regional manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell), reports Variety.

Elba will appear in six episodes later this season. He'll play a no-nonsense hire at Dunder Mifflin's corporate office who will throw Michael Scott into turmoil.
I'm intrigued.

Morris Schæffer

01-15-2009, 10:44 AM

So as a fanatic of the BBC version, I should definitely jump on the US version as well? I love Carell and Elba sounds like an awesome addition.

Ezee E

01-15-2009, 01:36 PM

Elba's gonna be great on there. Can't wait.

EvilShoe

01-15-2009, 11:09 PM

So as a fanatic of the BBC version, I should definitely jump on the US version as well? I love Carell and Elba sounds like an awesome addition.I'd check it out.
Different kind of humor though, more broad.

I didn't care for season 1. Season 2 is great. After that it's a bit hit and miss, but still funny enough.

DavidSeven

02-02-2009, 03:44 AM

Worst, dumbest, and most unintentionally depressing episode ever?

Probably.

Ezee E

02-02-2009, 04:14 AM

Worst, dumbest, and most unintentionally depressing episode ever?

Probably.
The first two bits were pretty funny.

MadMan

02-02-2009, 06:07 AM

The after the Super Bowl hour long episode was pretty damn funny. Its also the first episode I've seen new (not being a repeat or watching it on DVD) since Season 4, when I only saw the first episode of that season.

The Jack Black stuff coupled with Andy crying it at was great. I liked the roast well enough, although granted much of that could have been funnier than it actually was. Overall, I thought it was good.

transmogrifier

02-02-2009, 07:57 AM

The Meredith intervention episode is probably my vote for worst episode ever, simply because it wasn't funny for a second, surprising seeing as I usually like the episodes where the plot is turned down and we just have the co-workers bouncing off each other in the same room.

DavidSeven

02-02-2009, 02:47 PM

Ezee E

02-02-2009, 03:02 PM

I'm not too big on mean-spirited humor, and this episode was just venomous. The opening was too absurd and too far beyond the internal logic of the show. The fact that Dwight got away with that and the Lectur episode was patently unbelievable. And what was with the Jack Black movie? That belonged in a completely different TV series -- might have even been a "shark jump." They managed to salvage a little with Michael's finale, but man, this was bad.
The Jack Black movie could've easily been cut, same with the whole Jim/Pam's parent divorce deal.

Then you'd have had a strange, but still hilarious show.

By this point, I don't really see any logic in the show as we've seen plenty else go on.

Milky Joe

02-02-2009, 05:02 PM

MadMan

02-02-2009, 05:30 PM

I'm not too big on mean-spirited humor, and this episode was just venomous. The opening was too absurd and too far beyond the internal logic of the show. The fact that Dwight got away with that and the Lectur episode was patently unbelievable. And what was with the Jack Black movie? That belonged in a completely different TV series -- might have even been a "shark jump." They managed to salvage a little with Michael's finale, but man, this was bad.I didn't really find the episode to be all that mean-spirited or venomous, for that matter. I do agree that Dwight getting away with what he did to the ofifice (I did not see the Lectur episode, as I have not viewed Season 4 or 5 yet) was fairly unrealistic. The Jack Black movie had me in stitches, and was probably funnier than many of the films he has made in his career. Michael's finale was actually cool, and completely out of place.

DavidSeven

02-02-2009, 08:43 PM

:rolleyes:

I'm starting to wish that people would just stop talking about this show on the internet.

:confused:

The one thing a successful show can't give up on is continuity -- that involves plot and also the world its established for itself. For a show that's grounded in a more realistic world, as opposed to 30 Rock, last night's episode stepped all over its own continuity and it did it with some really lame jokes to boot. A failure all the way around.

But hey, if you only watch The Office for "that's what she said" zingers then more power to you.

Sycophant

02-02-2009, 09:34 PM

:rolleyes:

I'm starting to wish that people would just stop talking about this show on the internet.

Pulling an iosven by jumping in on a thread for something I don't watch anymore, but I'm curious about this complaint. What does it mean?

Morris, you should give it a shot because a lot of people like both shows, but I found myself thinking a lot of the things in David's most recent post pretty early on in the series. It's a decidedly different show with a decidedly different pacing and comedic flavor. Personally, I find the American version pretty unlikable.

Milky Joe

02-02-2009, 10:41 PM

Pulling an iosven by jumping in on a thread for something I don't watch anymore, but I'm curious about this complaint. What does it mean?

Fair enough, it was really only understandable by me... it's just whenever I see any kind of discussion of the show on the internet, more often than not it just frustrates me to no end, mainly because people make complaints about things that I just find either completely ridiculous or completely false or both (such as just about everything D7 said about this episode), and they usually end with people saying the show is shit, bad, unfunny, whathaveyou. Personally I love the show, and find criticisms of this nature to just be... well, disheartening. That's just me. I suppose the solution is not that people should stop saying things, but that I should stop reading them.

But hey, if you only watch The Office for "that's what she said" zingers then more power to you.

:rolleyes:x100 I have no idea how you even came to this assumption, nor do I really understand what it implies about the show.

MadMan

02-03-2009, 12:44 AM

I'm now hanging around this thread for the current flame war. I'm just a sucker for Internet drama.

And I can't wait to see more of Season 4, as the opening episode was even funnier the second time around.

Sycophant

02-03-2009, 12:49 AM

Son, this isn't a flame war.

Ezee E

02-03-2009, 02:23 AM

By this point, The Office is borderline cartoon, and that was even before the fire alarm.

Spinal

02-03-2009, 03:19 AM

Yeah, this show ceased to make much sense a long, long time ago. Dwight's character has always been absurd and too antagonistic to be believably employed. I mostly continue to watch it because when it hits, it really, really hits.

Some very good jokes in this one, I thought. The cat. M'lady ... M'Tuna. Meredith flashing Michael. Angela, I didn't see you behind that grain of rice.

Also, enjoyed the twist to the Pam-Jim storyline, syrupy though it was.

MadMan

02-04-2009, 04:52 AM

Son, this isn't a flame war.Argument, blowup, whatever. I never bother to remember the proper titles it seems.

Kurosawa Fan

02-04-2009, 02:31 PM

I actually liked last week's episode, and didn't find it all that mean-spirited. I thought it made amends on all fronts quite nicely by the end. I loved Stanley laughing at his roast. That was really great.

Spinal

02-05-2009, 12:04 AM

My favorite subtle piece of comedy. Kelly dancing to Andy singing "Staying Alive".

Milky Joe

02-05-2009, 01:22 AM

"You were in the parking lot earlier! That's how I know you!"

Creed rulz.

transmogrifier

02-05-2009, 09:27 PM

That episode was very good - in fact they've done a great job pulling it back from that deathlty Meredity rehab episode. I don't get the criticisms at all. Dwight is more over the top, sure, but you can easily ascribe that to the break-up with Angela.

The cat was the best part.

Qrazy

02-06-2009, 02:43 PM

"You were in the parking lot earlier! That's how I know you!"

Creed rulz.

It's true. He does.

Spinal

02-07-2009, 03:42 AM

Great episode. Return of Karen. Hints about another Holly episode. Jim and Dwight on the party planning committee. Andy singing Feist. Good stuff.

Milky Joe

02-07-2009, 03:50 AM

IT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY.

Kurosawa Fan

02-07-2009, 03:54 AM

"The balloons match the carpet."

"Have I ever steered you wrong Jim?"

Spinal

02-07-2009, 04:05 AM

"Perfect boobs. Of course I remember Holly."

Mara

02-13-2009, 12:29 PM

I didn't laugh once last night. Is it just me?

I did wince a few times.

Kurosawa Fan

02-13-2009, 12:39 PM

I didn't laugh once last night. Is it just me?

I did wince a few times.

Nope. Not just you. My wife and I didn't laugh either. To be honest, it's par for the course. The show is really hit or miss, and in the last two seasons (including the current one) it's missing much more often than it's hitting.

Milky Joe

02-14-2009, 02:33 AM

I laughed many times, as always. But it was a particularly painful episode for sure.

Spaceman Spiff

02-14-2009, 04:29 PM

Isn't Stringer Bell supposed to be on this show?

D_Davis

02-15-2009, 01:33 AM

The last two episodes were great.

Finally got caught up today.

MadMan

02-22-2009, 12:02 AM

Thanks to the Super Bowl episode a friend of mine decided to check out the show. He's gotten hooked, and is currently watching the amazingness that is Season 3.

Mara

03-06-2009, 01:24 PM

Sort of a sweet-natured entry last night. I liked it. Pam's "vending machine" moment was probably my favorite...

D_Davis

03-06-2009, 04:19 PM

Sort of a sweet-natured entry last night. I liked it. Pam's "vending machine" moment was probably my favorite...

Yeah - Kevin's remarks about being nervous talking to pretty girls, and Michael's surprisingly insightful closing remarks were both great.

Thirdmango

03-07-2009, 12:07 AM

My favorite part was the very last scene with the blood van. I laughed really hard.

Milky Joe

03-07-2009, 07:36 AM

I like that one of Michael's "events" actually more or less worked out okay for once. Instead of being a complete disaster, it just ended up being kind of sad (aside from Kevin of course).

Milky Joe

03-21-2009, 02:22 AM

Really great episode with Idris Elba last night.

Spinal

03-21-2009, 04:52 AM

"What is a two-way petting zoo?"

:lol:

Lucky

04-10-2009, 02:27 AM

Man, tonight's episode was dull. I really liked the one from last week where Toby comes back, though. The Michael/Toby dynamic has always been one of the funniest aspects of the show for me.

Lucky

04-10-2009, 12:51 PM

There were two things wrong with what I said yesterday. I DVR this show, and I didn't realize there were actually two new episodes last night. I also didn't realize the first of last week's episodes was a rerun.

Ezee E

04-10-2009, 02:10 PM

I wish Idris Elba had more opportunities to be funny instead of a stone cold boss. But oh well, I like where they're taking the show nonetheless.

transmogrifier

04-10-2009, 07:34 PM

The last two episodes have been the funniest for a long, long time, despite Elba's character not having a single funny line or thing to do in four weeks. But he has come in and changed the dynamic, and the writer's seem to have found a little inspiration.

Spinal

04-12-2009, 04:41 AM

John Denver duel. Outstanding.

soitgoes...

04-12-2009, 10:43 PM

John Denver duel. Outstanding.

This is the highlight of this season so far.

Spinal

04-12-2009, 10:48 PM

This is the highlight of this season so far.

In German! :lol:

soitgoes...

04-12-2009, 11:10 PM

In German! :lol:
I was cracking up during that whole bit. "What? Oh my God you heard that I'm so embarrassed. I'm like so rusty."

Amnesiac

05-07-2009, 05:47 AM

I've been rapidly catching up on this season. I just finished "New Boss", Idris Elba's first episode. Pretty great. And touching. And even though Jim could have solved his problem pretty easily by removing the bow-tie and blazer, it was kind of interesting to see him taken down a peg. Well, it actually kind of made me feel bad, as Jim has never been a character I've rooted against... but still, seeing something like this happen to him does make him seem a little bit more real. It allows us to see a different side of him beyond his usual cheeky prankster deportment. Not that he's ever been entirely one-note or anything, but he's definitely never been the guy who has had to struggle to get approval from his superiors.

It looks like the writers may be trying to channel the kind of tension that existed between David Brent and Neil (which actually resulted in some of the best moments of the UK Office). I'm interested in seeing where this goes.

Dead & Messed Up

05-08-2009, 05:08 AM

Great episode tonight. Surprisingly warm, and I didn't object to that. How odd to see Dwight doing something nice and not finish it off with a grim insult.

Andy and Kelly getting together? I would be happy with that.

Amnesiac

05-08-2009, 07:20 AM

I'm all caught up now. Next week is the season finale, right? After marathoning the entirety of the season in such a short amount of time, a week seems like a long wait... Oh, well.

Spinal

05-09-2009, 12:39 AM

Does anybody know why B.J. Novak gets such good billing on this show? For example, appearing in the credits alongside the leads. Good agent?

Kurosawa Fan

05-09-2009, 12:42 AM

Does anybody know why B.J. Novak gets such good billing on this show? For example, appearing in the credits alongside the leads. Good agent?

He's one of the writers.

Spinal

05-09-2009, 12:50 AM

He's one of the writers.

Isn't that true of other cast members?

Spinal

05-09-2009, 01:11 AM

"You can't steal what is legally your property." :lol:

Kurosawa Fan

05-09-2009, 01:39 AM

Isn't that true of other cast members?

Only he and Toby (Paul Lieberstein). Well, IMDB credits Carrell as a writer on two episodes out of the 91 they've done. Plus Novak is a producer. Though so is Lieberstein, but putting Toby in the credits, considering his very sparse involvement in most episodes, would be even sillier than Ryan. I don't necessarily agree with the move, but the credits are from the first season, when Ryan was a major player in every episode. I was just telling my wife that they need to update the credits a few days ago, because most of them look much different now.

Spinal

05-09-2009, 01:42 AM

Only he and Toby (Paul Lieberstein). Well, IMDB credits Carrell as a writer on two episodes out of the 91 they've done. Plus Novak is a producer. Though so is Lieberstein, but putting Toby in the credits, considering his very sparse involvement in most episodes, would be even sillier than Ryan. I don't necessarily agree with the move, but the credits are from the first season, when Ryan was a major player in every episode. I was just telling my wife that they need to update the credits a few days ago, because most of them look much different now.

Mindy Kaling is a writer too, isn't she? Not that she should be in the credits either. But if Novak is a producer, well then, there's my answer.

Kurosawa Fan

05-09-2009, 01:46 AM

Mindy Kaling is a writer too, isn't she? Not that she should be in the credits either. But if Novak is a producer, well then, there's my answer.

Oh, you're right. Forgot about her. But yeah, I'd say it has more to do with his status as producer and his role in the first season than anything else.

Ezee E

05-10-2009, 01:29 AM

Yeah, I think he's one main producers, so he was probably like, "I'm going to be on the main cast," and since he was on every show at the beginning, people went, "Makes sense."

They updated it for one episode when Carell had his own paper company.

EvilShoe

05-15-2009, 10:49 AM

Dr. Venture was in this ep!

"You're an accountant: What does one fiancé plus one lover equal?
...
A whore."

Thirdmango

05-16-2009, 12:19 AM

That dude was Dr. Venture???? Awesome.

Ezee E

05-16-2009, 12:21 AM

Yeah, Idris Elba could really do some good for the show if he hung around.

Amy Ryan is wonderful as her character. Surprised that she can pull it off so well.

Spinal

05-16-2009, 01:01 AM

Ugh, that last episode was laaaaame. So disappointing after a pretty solid season.

Milky Joe

05-16-2009, 01:29 AM

How was it lame? I thought it was great.

Spinal

05-16-2009, 01:40 AM

How was it lame? I thought it was great.

Underusing Amy Ryan. Unresolved volleyball match. Eye rolling feel-good revelation. General lack of funny. Lame.

Ezee E

05-16-2009, 03:32 AM

Eventually there will be conflict between Jim/Pam.

Maybe she got AIDS guys, who knows.

Dead & Messed Up

05-16-2009, 05:35 AM

Underusing Amy Ryan. Unresolved volleyball match. Eye rolling feel-good revelation. General lack of funny. Lame.

I think that under-using was purposeful, so that they would get the viewer used to the idea that Holly's not gonna be a major factor anymore.

Hey, it was unresolved. That's weird. You think they would've caught that.

I liked how the feel-good revelation was implied (heavily, of course), but not spoken out loud.

I cracked up hard at two parts. The Millionaire questions (Ryan's enthusiasm continues to be infectious), and when Dwight said, "Can I finish?...eight...nine...ten.. ."

It's no "Cafe Disco," but it was a pretty good send-off.

Amnesiac

05-16-2009, 05:37 AM

Tell me that wasn't the season finale.

Great reveal at the end, but it was so ridiculously underwhelming after a ridiculously superb season. And the way they left Michael and Holly... when Michael was giving the speech, I kept thinking: 'oh, it's the writers playing with us... because what Michael is describing is sort of exactly what most viewers wouldn't want to sit through... they're playing with us, right? Holly's going to suddenly jump in and kiss Michael soon, right? No? WTF?' Grr. I'll probably get over it but I wanted more from them as it really seemed like one of the most important unresolved story-lines of the season. Okay, I don't even need a cliche, sudden, out-of-nowhere kiss... but something else. Maybe it will sit better with me when I let the sting of my unmet expectations fade. I just really don't want to play the 'wait until the series finale for Holly and Michael to get together' game.

Not great.

Thirdmango

05-16-2009, 09:40 AM

I don't know why some of you want to see some dissension between Pam and Jim, didn't we learn anything from Scrubs?

Spinal

05-16-2009, 07:13 PM

I liked how the feel-good revelation was implied (heavily, of course), but not spoken out loud.

It was such a blatant lift from the series finale of Season 2 of the UK series. Except with a happy tone.

Spinal

05-16-2009, 07:13 PM

I don't know why some of you want to see some dissension between Pam and Jim, didn't we learn anything from Scrubs?

I can safely say that I have never learned anything from Scrubs.

Dead & Messed Up

05-16-2009, 09:09 PM

It was such a blatant lift from the series finale of Season 2 of the UK series. Except with a happy tone.

I didn't even realize the lift until someone pointed it out to me at work, but, even then, I don't think it blatant, probably because (a) the characters were on screen the whole time, and (b) the tone is so different.

I actually thought it somewhat graceful.

D_Davis

05-17-2009, 12:36 AM

I know I'm weird, but I like feeling good, and that final episode made me feel good.

Great ending to a great season.

Spinal

05-17-2009, 12:39 AM

I know I'm weird, but I like feeling good, and that final episode made me feel good.

Great ending to a great season.

Nothing wrong with a happy ending when it isn't cheap sentimentality.

Milky Joe

05-17-2009, 01:27 AM

Nothing wrong with a happy ending when it isn't cheap sentimentality.

...which it wasn't. Like D&MU said, it was graceful, especially how the Michael/Holly thing ended. Holly's last line literally made me shed a tear.

Dead & Messed Up

05-17-2009, 05:10 AM

There were ostensibly graceful elements packaged alongside underwhelming ones. One scene that pulls gracefully on the spectator's heartstrings isn't enough to redeem the entire episode... especially when it's the closer to an entire season.

I didn't really think the episode needed redemption. I'd agree that it was somewhat underwhelming as a season finale, but I thought it was very funny and frequently charming.

I do think last year's capper was better, but that one also had time to breathe (it was an hour long, if I'm remembering right.)

Dead & Messed Up

05-17-2009, 06:22 AM

I think it needed some redemption because it was underwhelming. This is because I went in expecting something on par with last season's finale. Which I think is reasonable. Maybe this one needed to be an hour long as well. Then maybe we would have at least seen the result of the volleyball game (the basic, dry result of which isn't that important but the events/actions that could have happened around that would have probably been cool).

I'd agree with much of this. I especially wish there was more of that awesome tension between Elba and his old crew. All those comments to Jim ("Look who decided to wake up!") were golden.

Also: where the hey was Kelly?

Milky Joe

05-17-2009, 07:44 AM

I definitely agree the episode should have been an hour long. I'm sort of confounded as to why it wasn't. There was no doubt enough stuff shot and I'm sure it's gold.

One of my favorite scenes was Toby's conversation with the other HR rep.

Kurosawa Fan

05-17-2009, 02:20 PM

Underusing Amy Ryan. Unresolved volleyball match. Eye rolling feel-good revelation. General lack of funny. Lame.

I was a bit underwhelmed, but I disagree with the bolded portions. First, Amy Ryan was in half the episode. I don't think she was underused. And I'm glad they didn't have the two of them get together. It would have been silly. She walked in all smiles and holding hands with her new boyfriend, and they're building a house together. One quick meeting with Michael and she throws it all away? Is this a Kate Hudson movie?

As for the lack of funny, I don't strongly disagree, but there were a couple moments that made me laugh out loud. Jim and Dwight hugging, followed by Oscar saying "Easy fellas." Also, Dwight's second stall effort. "Let me finish! Four? Five? Six, maybe?"

But not finishing the game was indeed lame, and that Jim/Pam reveal was predictable and definitely eye-roll worthy. Also, I don't want Jim and Pam tension. We went through nearly two full seasons of that. But I also don't need cutesy shit to happen every other episode. Just let them exist as a couple without so much focus on their day to day activities outside the office.

But boy I can't wait to have a whole season worth of Pam is pregnant moments. Like getting sick, being hormonal, etc. etc. etc.... :|

Ezee E

05-17-2009, 02:54 PM

Next season will end with a baby shower, and Pam will find out she has twins.

Michael will also be the host of this baby shower.

Dead & Messed Up

05-17-2009, 07:41 PM

And going by Michael's description, we'll go through a few seasons of it with Holly and him. That's my main fear. I don't want that kind of prolonged 'when will they get together' story-line. They could take it somewhere and make it work and totally prove me wrong, sure, but at this point I'm not liking the sound of it. I know happy, peaceful romances are boring but I think a Holly/Michael duo could bring a lot of laughs.

I'm sure that part of this is Amy Ryan's inability to fully commit to the show.

Regarding Michael's comments, I took that to mean that Michael isn't going to let this hang over his head. So there won't be that kind of oppressive tension between them as there was for Jim and Pam.

Honestly, though, the series needs to end soon. The baby is not a good omen. Wedding events and births are the last refuge of the dying sitcom.

Kurosawa Fan

05-17-2009, 08:28 PM

Yeah, I don't think there will be any tension because Holly doesn't work in Scranton and Amy Ryan can't devote much time to the series.

Also, I'm with DaMU. The show needs to start thinking about wrapping things up. I read somewhere that Jan is going to make another appearance in the next season. Between that and the pregnancy, there isn't much to look forward to as far as I'm concerned.

Acapelli

05-17-2009, 11:21 PM

i wanna give the show the benefit of the doubt, especially after that really strong run of episodes that ended the season

Amnesiac

05-19-2009, 04:17 AM

I'm sure that part of this is Amy Ryan's inability to fully commit to the show.

Yeah, this crossed my mind before. The writers can't take all the blame, I guess.

So there won't be that kind of oppressive tension between them as there was for Jim and Pam.

But that doesn't mean it won't become this prolonged storyline. It just might be more palatable if there isn't any tedious tension. Perhaps Michael just stops mentioning her all together and there isn't any wistful melancholy whatsoever. Then again, that could be really bad too. It would make their eventual getting together kind of awkward.

Oh, well. We'll see how it goes. Maybe intermittent Holly references, and a back-to-basics Michael with some more Jan drama. Or maybe intermittent Holly guest-spots with obvious tension despite Michael's little epiphany.

MadMan

10-02-2009, 01:41 AM

Unlike last week's episode, which had some funny moments to make up for the other unfunny moments, tonight's was consistently humorous. In fact, they probably could have fleshed this one out into a 45 to hour long episode. But instead they wisely left us wanting more, not less. I'm glad I started watching the show again.

EyesWideOpen

10-02-2009, 03:52 AM

Tonight's episode was one of the worst of the whole series.

MadMan

10-02-2009, 05:45 AM

*Shakes head* When I visit this thread, I feel like I'm watching a different show than most of the people here.

Milky Joe

10-02-2009, 07:29 PM

*Shakes head* When I visit this thread, I feel like I'm watching a different show than most of the people here.

Seriously.

MadMan

10-03-2009, 11:02 PM

Seriously.Hey I'm all for dissenting opinions. But when I constantly stop by and hear "This episode sucked/mediocre, etc." all the time when I'm enjoying those same episodes, it makes me wonder why I bother posting in here. I think I'll just head over to the Dunder Mifflin thread over on RT. Sure they often critize the episodes, but I don't get the same kind of disconnection and puzzlement I encounter in this thread. It makes me wonder why the hell people still watch. Here's a clue: if you don't like the episodes, why are you still staying with the show? Find something else. I'll just keep enjoying it.

EyesWideOpen

10-04-2009, 12:23 AM

By the way I love The Office. It's one of the only 6 or 7 shows I watch every week. I just happened to really dislike the last episode. I've enjoyed the rest of the season so far.

Lucky

10-09-2009, 03:04 AM

This episode should have been A) funnier and/or B) more touching. Five years of watching Jim and Pam and that's it, huh?

Their first kiss was more romantic than their wedding.

Lucky

10-09-2009, 03:06 AM

I will say that Michael's "cover-up" at the rehearsal dinner was hilarious.

Milky Joe

10-09-2009, 05:26 AM

Had its moments, but pretty rough episode this time. A disappointment. That whole dance-number thing was outright bad.

Dead & Messed Up

10-12-2009, 04:27 AM

It's weird how some subplots were straight-up dropped (Mi-ma's disapproval, Dwight and Isabelle), and others never really achieved takeoff velocity (Andy's balls), but it was ultimately satisfying to me thanks to the intercut wedding at the falls, and the smaller moments of kindness between characters, as when Jim cuts his tie and Dwight loses the turtle.

MadMan

10-12-2009, 07:57 AM

By the way I love The Office. It's one of the only 6 or 7 shows I watch every week. I just happened to really dislike the last episode. I've enjoyed the rest of the season so far.Fair enough, I suppose.

While at times the Office wedding episode dragged, overall it was fairly funny. I think the last part of the episode was quite touching, but really I'm glad that in the end the wedding aspect (which would have been rather cliche) was less focused upon. And instead that they more showed Pam and Jim together on the barge, which seemed much more touching and even kind of romantic. Now I'm left to wonder what else the show will do this season, considering that something like a wedding is usually the focus of a season finale, not an episode early on in the season.

Mara

10-30-2009, 12:01 PM

Thank you, Office, for putting me in a position where I have to explain "My Dick in a Box" to my parents. That always evolves into my favorite conversation, "Why Do You Know These Things?"

Spinal

11-23-2009, 05:43 PM

The Office Ends as Documentary Crew Gets All the Footage it Needs (http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/the_office_ends_as)

"We would have finished much earlier if one employee or another didn't insist on being interviewed every three minutes. And I have no idea why we were invited to Jim and Pam's wedding. All of that stuff is totally unusable."

number8

11-23-2009, 09:53 PM

Grrr.

Mara

01-22-2010, 05:30 PM

A clip show? Seriously?

Kiss of death, kiddos.

Kurosawa Fan

01-22-2010, 07:59 PM

I finally stopped watching in December. The show just isn't good anymore.

Ezee E

01-22-2010, 08:17 PM

A clip show? Seriously?

Kiss of death, kiddos.
I haven't even seen an episode this season. I'd like to at least see the wedding episode, but people don't talk much about the show anymore.

Mara

01-22-2010, 08:21 PM

I haven't even seen an episode this season. I'd like to at least see the wedding episode, but people don't talk much about the show anymore.

The wedding episodes had some great moments. But I feel like I watch it out of obligation now. My parents still love the show, and it's kind of something we do together.

Kurosawa Fan

01-22-2010, 08:44 PM

The wedding episodes had some great moments. But I feel like I watch it out of obligation now. My parents still love the show, and it's kind of something we do together.

This is the conclusion my wife and I came to this year. We weren't really enjoying it enough to justify watching it anymore, it was more just out of obligation and habit. I put my foot down and deleted the series from our DVR. We don't miss it at all.

EyesWideOpen

01-23-2010, 12:17 AM

This is the conclusion my wife and I came to this year. We weren't really enjoying it enough to justify watching it anymore, it was more just out of obligation and habit. I put my foot down and deleted the series from our DVR. We don't miss it at all.

Me and my wife did the same thing. We had been on a continuing downward spiral of quality this season and the episode with Michael and the kids he promised to pay their college tuition if they graduated was the last straw.

Mara

01-23-2010, 12:31 AM

the episode with Michael and the kids he promised to pay their college tuition if they graduated was the last straw.

I had forgotten. And now there is pain again.

Acapelli

01-23-2010, 01:48 AM

A clip show? Seriously?

Kiss of death, kiddos.
i really don't think so.

how many sitcoms nowadays run long enough to even have clip shows?

Dead & Messed Up

01-23-2010, 03:34 AM

I finally stopped watching in December. The show just isn't good anymore.

I think I stopped watching exactly the same time. I still watch Community and Parks, though.

D_Davis

01-23-2010, 03:41 AM

I'm loving this season. My favorite since 3.

Milky Joe

01-23-2010, 10:13 PM

Actually think this is the worst season yet.

EvilShoe

01-23-2010, 10:16 PM

Actually think this is the worst season yet.
I remember hating the first season more, but this is a close second.

Very disappointed, since I rather liked season 5. Seems like this year all the laughs have to come from Parks and Recreation.

MadMan

01-25-2010, 08:26 PM

This season is good, but I can't properly judge all of it until I finally watch Seasons 4 and 5.

Mysterious Dude

01-26-2010, 02:07 PM

Qrazy

01-26-2010, 03:18 PM

I haven't watched the show much this year, but I get the impression that it stopped changing after Pam and Jim got married. Things used to change in the show. For example, Toby left and was replaced by Holly. But now Holly's gone and Toby is back! Other characters who left (Oscar and Ryan) have returned also.

So it's now like Wagon Train. Always moving but never getting anywhere.

Indeed. Things change and then they reset the show. Still it's kind of enjoyable... for instance when Michael starts his own company or now Dunder Mifflin is being sold.

MadMan

02-05-2010, 03:57 AM

Okay, tonight's episode signals that the show may be finally dead in the water. There were only mere moments of funny, and I worry that the show will end with nothing humorous left to be enjoyed. They need to cut the show short, soon.

D_Davis

03-20-2010, 04:26 AM

OK - you guys are right. I've been catching up with this season, and basically everything post wedding had been terrible. It just keeps getting worse. I really liked the stuff pre-marriage, but this whole Sabre thing is totally retarded. There is no consistency with the characters, and many of them have simply devolved into shallow characterizations of themselves.

Bums me out.

Adam

03-20-2010, 07:13 AM

Ya, the Kathy Bates run was incredibly lame, even by latter day US Office standards. This last episode was pretty solid though, I thought, and the hour long baby episode was a completely hilarious throwback to the show's better seasons

Thirdmango

03-20-2010, 01:24 PM

The hour long baby episode had an amazing moment but overall was too long cause it was an hour. This weeks episode was pretty good. I like doing this show week to week cause I don't get burned out as fast.

kopello

03-22-2010, 03:53 AM

Yea I've found everything to do with Sabre just flat-out boring. Also I can't believe they hooked up Dwight and Angela in the baby episode, seriously?

MadMan

09-27-2010, 07:27 PM

Does anyone here still watch the show? Last week's season opener was merely good, and represented that the show could use some new blood, or that maybe it needs to end. I'm sad about Steve Carrell leaving, but perhaps having someone else replace him will lead to something better, although I doubt it. The beginning with the whole "Office jamming along to a song" bit was funny, although it reminded me of that one video of an actual office lip syncing to Harvey Danger's Pole Sitter (I think that's the song).

The ending bit with Michael considering quitting is most likely signifying his eventual quitting/getting fired/whatever that's going to happen to the character, probably at the end of the season. I wondered if they were going to further address what happened at the end of last season, but the only thing they mentioned that occured in the season finale was Dwight still owning the building. Lame.

PS: Kathy Bates is still funny on this show. I like that they don't overuse her character.

Thirdmango

09-27-2010, 08:25 PM

The beginning with the whole "Office jamming along to a song" bit was funny, although it reminded me of that one video of an actual office lip syncing to Harvey Danger's Pole Sitter (I think that's the song).

It was supposed to remind you of that since it was a direct parody of it.

kopello

09-28-2010, 12:33 AM

I watched about half of it but had to turn it off, felt like I waste of time (surprise). It's to the point now where every episode feels the same, Michael's little quirks aren't funny anymore, Jim and Pam are boring, and Dwight is just an asshole.

I wonder how many "the company is going under!" episodes we'll have this season.

transmogrifier

09-28-2010, 09:35 AM

I still watch, mainly because of all the sitcoms on TV, it has the greatest amount of out-of-nowhere jokes that aren't part of the main plot, or telgraphed in any way. The plots are kind of beside the point these days.

Example: in the S6 epsiode where Pam hits Michael, the crew are waiting in the parking lot for it to happen, and Michael sees Kelly eating:

Michael: "Did you bring popcorn?"
Kelly: "It has almost no calories"

The last line is almost lost in the kerfuffle of the rest of the scene, but it is stuff like that that makes The Office an enjoyable way to spend 21 minutes.

MadMan

09-29-2010, 04:11 AM

It was supposed to remind you of that since it was a direct parody of it.I know. I just didn't feel like stating the obvious.

I'll still defend the show as being funny, but the great two year punch that was Seasons 2 and 3 feel as if they happened ages ago, instead of merely a couple years back.

Mara

09-30-2010, 05:49 PM

It's unfortunate that Erin, who is a funny, understated character, has only been on the show during its worst seasons.

Broke down and watched the season opener. Better than I would have expected-- Michael flailing on that kid was a genuine laugh.

MadMan

10-01-2010, 09:28 PM

I actually thought that last night's episode was rather consistently funny, which is something that the opener really wasn't. The whole Pretty Woman gag was great, and Toby-Michael lived up to the billing-I really loved Michael saying that he wanted to smash Toby's face in. Gabe though at this point is utterly pointless, as he's spineless and not at all humorous. But Erin is a great addition to the cast. Her bit about not understanding disposeable cameras was adorable and laugh inducing.

Mara

10-08-2010, 07:34 PM

Oh, for the love of Pete. This was awful.

^^^
The above should not suggest that I've stopped loving Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Because I still love that musical. And Andy had some chops as Antony.

D_Davis

10-08-2010, 07:50 PM

So I'm rewatching S6, and I still think it's really good up until the Sabre shit, although there are many inconsistencies with the characters. Why does Ryan all the sudden start to dress like he's in Weezer? I think the first half of S6 is pretty funny.

MadMan

10-08-2010, 08:26 PM

Davis Ryan at this point feels rather pointless. Sometimes he does funny things, but I think that BJ Novak spends more of his time writing for the show (last time I checked he did) than actually acting in it.

Last night's episode was merely solid/good. Still I loved the part where Michaels smuggles in a bottle of wine, only to have everyone near him take a swing of it as well. Andy at this point is more likable/funnier than Dwight, who really faded into the background in this episode. I'm also reminded that I still haven't viewed the Tim Burton Sweeney Todd yet-and I'm in no rush to do so.

Mara

10-09-2010, 12:06 PM

I'm also reminded that I still haven't viewed the Tim Burton Sweeney Todd yet-and I'm in no rush to do so.

It's just not a great production. They cut the numbers way down and the two lead singers aren't actually great singers. Plus, they're young and attractive. It's just strange.

MadMan

10-10-2010, 08:30 AM

Well since I live in Iowa, I'll never get to see the stage version. And once again, I'm not a big fan of musicals so I don't really care.

D_Davis

10-11-2010, 02:15 AM

Started watching the newest season today....pretty good so far.

MadMan

10-20-2010, 08:42 AM

The first half of last week's episode wasn't funny at all. But then Andy's whole STD presentation kicked in, and Michael started visiting all of his ex's, and the episode got really funny fast. I'm hoping for a more consistently humorous episode this week.

Spinal

11-19-2010, 06:44 PM

Ellie Kemper has me back on this show again. Damn you, Ellie!

Adam

11-21-2010, 07:47 AM

Ellie Kemper has me back on this show again. Damn you, Ellie!

Eh, really? Has her moments, but she's pretty much this show's version of a slightly more useless Kenneth from 30 Rock

Spinal

11-21-2010, 07:48 AM

Eh, really? Has her moments, but she's pretty much this show's version of a slightly more useless Kenneth from 30 Rock

You are so wrong.

Qrazy

11-21-2010, 09:09 PM

Eh, really? Has her moments, but she's pretty much this show's version of a slightly more useless Kenneth from 30 Rock

And? Kenneth is one of the better things about 30 Rock.

Spinal

11-21-2010, 09:19 PM

Erin is a MUCH better character than Kenneth. Kenneth is so broad that he is hard to accept as an actual human. Erin is a masterpiece of subtlety and an extraordinary example of an actor breathing new life into a show that has hit so many comic dead ends.

Kurosawa Fan

11-21-2010, 09:52 PM

And? Kenneth is one of the better things about 30 Rock.

This is crazy talk. He is the single most annoying part of the show at this point. Yes, even more annoying than Judah Friedlander.

Qrazy

11-22-2010, 01:57 AM

This is crazy talk. He is the single most annoying part of the show at this point. Yes, even more annoying than Judah Friedlander.

The entire show is, was and will always be annoying. At least he wears his obnoxiousness on his sleeve.

MadMan

11-22-2010, 08:57 PM

Well in the end I prefer Erin over Kenneth because she's a cute chick. But also because yes from what I've seen she's a funnier character than Kenneth.

This season has been merely solid. I'm only tunning in now out of habbit, as the show's great days have passed it by. I wonder who should take over for Steve Carrell when he leaves, but I wouldn't mind seeing the show finally end.

Ezee E

04-15-2011, 06:24 AM

Watched the new episode today. Can't help but think of how good Harvey Keitel would've been in that spot, but Ferrell is good here too. A very good episode by the way. I might watch the rest of it and see how Carell leaves.

MadMan

04-15-2011, 07:16 AM

This season actually surprised me by how good its really been. While I'm not sure if I can call it great, its been really quite good, and many episodes have been hilarious. Ferrell and Carrell had amazing chemistry tonight, Daryl was funny as always, and at this point Andy>>>>Dwight by a large margin. In fact, at this point I agree with whoever said that Andy was really Dwight's replacement, and that Dwight was no longer necessary. Too bad, considering that Rahin Wilson is actually a really good actor, and its not his fault that the writers no longer know what to do with Dwight.

Oh and Erin is really underrated as far as the rest of the cast goes. I loved her bit tonight with the phones, and she's really funny on a consistent basis. I'm skeptical that Ferrell is taking over for Carrell, but if he does that would be great for the show. Would probably breath new life into The Office, although Jim and Pam have been largely rendered boring at this point, too. Tonight made that clear as well.