NBC’s “The Office”: An American Workplace that became an American pastime.
My love for TV is relatively unmatched. There’s nothing quite as calming to me as turning on a show that I’ve seen fifty times. It gives my brain a much needed break from the day. In my senior year of high school, I realized that Netflix had a streaming feature, with episodes of “The Office” available at my disposal. I’d like to think that I enjoyed streaming TV before everyone else did.
Afternoons spent watching “The Office” and “How I Met Your Mother” became my normal during the week! I kept up the habit until my sophomore year of college, when the series finale of “How I Met Your Mother” aired and I had to stop watching reruns out of spite and disgust.
We’ll get to that later.
From middle school, through high school, all the way to adulthood and marriage, “The Office” has been there for me. In lockdown, I think that everyone who HADN’T binge watched it multiple times a month finally took the plunge.
However, tragedy struck on January 2021, when “The Office” left Netflix and made it’s way to Peacock, NBC’s streaming platform. Now, I love me some NBC (“Community,” “Brooklyn 99,” “Frasier,” “30 Rock,” “Scrubs”… and the list continues), so I PEACOCK PEACOCK.
However, not everyone will take the plunge. As a result, it’s very possible that “The Office” could fade from the zeitgeist in due time. Look at “Seinfeld,” ANOTHER NBC great, that used to be the be-all, end-all, everyone’s watching it sitcom. Sure, some catchphrases are still everyday jargon, but not everyone immediately knows the significance of “IDENTITY THEFT IS NOT A JOKE, JIM.”
I’m here as a time-capsule and a guide to “The Office.” As part of a new mini-series for my “Sitcom Love,” I’m going to give a crash course on my favorite show (or should I say shows), how to familiarize yourself, and what makes it so special.
Without further ado, let’s take a trip… to Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Synopsis: “The Office” is a mockumentary, following the lives of the employees of Dunder Mifflin, a regional paper company. Heralded by the offbeat (and occasionally off-putting) Michael Scott, the staff of Dunder Mifflin leads a life of quiet normality, filled with meetings, quirky coworkers, and all the love that comes with it.
The Good:
A lot of people nowadays like to poke fun at “The Office,” but it truly is funny. It’s a very straight show, with an office about a dozen average people played against a wacky boss (and yes, his very wacky number two, who runs a borderline-Amish beet farm outside the office). Each character is perfectly cast, and I think no one could play the role other than the people who played them (seriously, HOW do you get someone like Creed Bratton without actually getting Creed Bratton).
As the series goes on, you really fall in love with each employee, for different reasons. You can see growth in each character, as they go from background one-liners to full ensemble. Most people tend to think that the series is no good after Michael Scott leaves in the tail end of season seven. While I think the show certainly changes, I don’t necessarily think it’s for the worst.
By the time you finish all nine seasons, you see why so many love “The Office.” It’s like a permanent sense of “graduation goggles,” when you’re close to leaving and you realize you love everyone and don’t want to leave anymore. That’s what’s so great about “The Office.” There’s never really a goodbye. You can just see them all again on Monday.
The Bad:
It goes without saying that certain jokes are dated. People liken Michael Scott (unfavorably) to Donald Trump, for his similar bouts of ignorance of other cultures, races, and even genders. Out of context, some subplots are a bit offensive. A lot of both fans and critics wonder if the show could be remade today. That doesn’t make the show itself racist against, sexist, or outright offensive to specific marginalized groups, but I would say that one should proceed with caution.
The Best:
“The Office” gave birth to some of the best voices in television. Mike Schur went on to create “Parks and Recreation,” “The Good Place,” and “Brooklyn Nine Nine.” Mindy Kaling joined as a writer and became the quirky customer service queen Kelly Kapoor. Lastly, while many like to deride fans of “The Office,” it truly has its own community. It’s spawned two podcasts, books, and brand deals (Brian Baumgartner is now the face of chili)!
Where to Start:
I am one of the many who agree that season one is better after you get a sense of the show after it found its footing. Here are five episodes to get yourself comfortable with the show, it’s rhythm, and it’s humor:
Season 2, Episode 1: The Dundies. The Oscars are all well and good, but you don’t know Brad Pitt, probably! The Dundies is a night of celebration for each employee. Michael Scott gathers the staff annually at a local chain restaurant for a night of drinks, jokes, and awards. This episode is great for introducing you to each main character and their dynamic with Michael Scott.
Season 2, Episode 10: Christmas Party. I find that the “Christmas’ episode of a series has room for laughs, love, and nuance. The first of multiple “Office Christmas” episodes accomplishes all three beautifully. The office Christmas party has a planned game of Secret Santa. However, after Michael gets a gift he doesn’t like, he turns it into a game of White Elephant, throwing off everyone’s Christmas wishes.
Season 3, Episode 14: The Return. This episode gives you a great insight into the relationships of each character! Michael and Jim, Michael and Dwight, Jim and Pam all get their moments where you can see the friendship, trust, and yes love, between them. After an awkward and borderline homophobic day at the office, Oscar Martinez returns from a months-long sabbatical. Michael insists on throwing him a welcome back party, both to celebrate his return and distract from Dwight’s recent departure. It’s an episode with a lot of laughs, heart, and… let’s just say, it packs a punch.
Season 5, Episode 14/15: Stress Relief. I would be remiss if I didn’t include this episode, with three of the most famous scenes of the show. It was the 2009 follow-out after the annual Big Game (am I allowed to say that) and even got an Emmy nomination. It was even considered one of the best episodes, of any series, of the year. Not bad for a day in the life of a paper company! After a chaotic fire drill, Michael attempts to educate the office on how to feel less stressed in the workplace. From teaching CPR to encouraging a company-wide roast (that comes full circle), this episode has cemented itself as gif-worthy in the years to come.
Season 8, Episode 6: Doomsday. The show really leans on its ensemble cast in seasons eight and nine, and I love it. In this episode, the new manager wants to see the branch increase their profits and carve out their many little mistakes. Dwight, seizing the opportunity, creates an “accountability booster” encouraging the office to perform at their best behavior. If they don’t, the new manager receives an email letting him know what each of his employees REALLY think of him. Needless to say, this perfectionism leads to madness.
Once again, you get to see the dynamics of each character play out well. A favorite moment comes about halfway through the episode, involving the two “Kellys” of the Office (an underrated friendship). At the end of the day, no matter what is said or done, the entire office does care about one another, even when the world threatens to cave in around them.
I am no expert on television. I’ve just seen enough of it to appreciate solid writing, good symmetry, and the comfort in the consistency. “The Office” has all of those things, in spades. How many shows can you say that about in your list of favorites? Try on your own. It gets hard.
That’s what she said.