The Office

[magazinewhore]

THis show is great. I have only seen one UK episode, so maybe it pales but I really enjoy it. Plus Jim is really cute.

If NBC were smart, they would buy Arrested Development and put those two shows on Thursday evenings. Now that would be "must see TV."

[anne]

A friend of mine, who doesn't even watch this show, made the observation recently that everywhere she turns these days, people are quoting lines from the show. At several holiday gift exchanges she attended, people kept saying "Who brought the IPOD?" Then last week at her office, everyone was quoting the lines about the boat sinking. It's been quite some time (probably since Seinfeld) since a show caught on to that level of being quoted everywhere. I think it would be great of it could reach Seinfeld level hype.

[jennipoo]

No love for last night's episode??

Michael messing up his hair like Jim's was comedy gold. It conveyed just how pathetic Michael's character is and how desperate he is for anyone's friendship (besides Dwight's) without saying one single word.

[anne]

I've come to realize that every week when I watch this show, I'm starting to fear raving about it at work. There is SO much of it that I (as I'm sure many people do) laugh hysterically at because it is so much like my own office. I'm scared that I'm going to let on to that at work and end up offending everyone.

[marywebgirl]

We actually had a pretty extensive discussion about the Yankee Swap episode during our own Yankee ornament swap. Quite meta (reverse meta?).

[Deleted]

anne said:

I've come to realize that every week when I watch this show, I'm starting to fear raving about it at work. There is SO much of it that I (as I'm sure many people do) laugh hysterically at because it is so much like my own office. I'm scared that I'm going to let on to that at work and end up offending everyone.

It's horrible when you're talking about TV to one of your bosses and you mention it. It's like "OH, I don't want them to think I find it funny because of them but really that's one of the reasons I do find it funny."

But I believe the guy who wrote Dilbert explained it best when he talked about the success of his strip. He said something like "Everyone finds it funny and everyone identifies with it because practically everyone has a boss. Even CEOs have boards that they answer to. Everyone has someone in charge."

[Shanmac]

If NBC were smart, they would buy Arrested Development and put those two shows on Thursday evenings. Now that would be "must see TV."

That? Would be genius scheduling. NBC could rule the woooorld!

I don't know why, but Pam (just like Dawn on the UK series) really irritates me. Both of them have these a-hole fiancees but want the nice, cute boy pining away for them. It's a tug-at-the-heartstrings storyline, I'll admit, but in real life, it pisses me off when I see some girl leading a really nice guy on with no intention of giving him a chance. I guess because there are so many jerks out there (and I think I've dated them all) that I really appreciate the nice guys. Although it did break my heart to see Roy just crush her dreams of doing that design internship when Jim was all supportive. Sniff.

Michael burning his foot on the George Foreman made my day. That is all.

[mrpancake]

I freaking love The Office. It's one of the funniest shows I've seen in forever, and I can't get enough. I'll go for the wildly unpopular opinion and say I prefer it to the British version. I saw a bunch of episodes of the British version, and they just weren't that funny to me. I love all the characters and they just all play it so well. I watched all the episodes in like, a day.

[sleepy]

mrpancake said:

I'll go for the wildly unpopular opinion and say I prefer it to the British version. I saw a bunch of episodes of the British version, and they just weren't that funny to me.

I'll be one of those annoying people who argues that the British version is funnier. The boss is, of course, despicable, but you still like him. I just don't like Steve Carrell, and he seems like he's just copying Ricky Gervais. And Gareth is ten kinds of hilarity. I usually watch the U.S. version, but I don't find it to be nearly as good.

Oh well, different strokes for different folks, and all that.

[mrpancake]

I'm actually planning on watching the British series in its entirety this Spring Break. When I watched the 5 or 6 episodes I did, I was sort of half paying attention, which may have clouded my judgement. Plus, I'll have nothing better to do anyhow! I'll give it one more shot before I make any definitive judgements. I was surprised I didn't like it because I normally really like "British humor" so I thought it may have been the circumstances in which I viewed it.