When I watch a TV show, whether during its initial run, or marathoning it on Netflix, I always am on the lookout for the "Lincoln Squirrel" moment*. In other words, the point where a show goes from good or very good, to one of my all time favorites. Some of my favorite shows never had this moment, others that moment has become obscured by time, due to me seeing individual episodes long before I watched them in order. For The Office, that moment is as clear as if it just happened. In fact, I remember it so vividly I could justify calling these moments the "Jan and Michael Take a Meeting at Chili's", except for that being too clunky to use.
Unlike many of my favorite shows, I came to The Office early on in its run. My friend had DVR'd the first season of the show, and we had watched them. I was underwhelmed by the pilot, a mostly shot for shot remake of the U.K. edition's pilot. However "Diversity Day", the second episode was a major improvement, and the rest of the season was funny, at least funny enough to keep me interested for a second season.
The second season started off well, with some great episodes like "The Dundies" and "Office Olympics". Clearly the show had hit another level, as it was funnier while also improving the Jim & Pam relationship. The biggest jump in quality was the character of Michael Scott, who was no longer a pale imitation of David Brent.
As much as it had improved, I still wasn't expecting what happened in the "The Client". Yeah, I expected Jan to get angry with Michael's inability to follow her game plan with this important potential client (played by Tim Meadows), and there was plenty of the awkward comedy to be found in her mortification and frustration at what he was doing. Watching the episode again a while back I realized how clearly it was being set up what eventually happened, but that first time through it looked like the usual Michael Scott dumbassery.
And then it happened. Suddenly Michael Scott made that turn, and you realized that he knew what the hell he was doing as a salesman, and how to get close the deal with this very important customer. The show had defied expectations and added depth to Michael Scott without it feeling cheap or undeserved. From then on, I knew that the American version of The Office was a noteworthy companion to its British counterpart. I was hooked for the rest of that season, and for seven more after that.
I could go on about why The Office was such an important show, or how it reflected life so well in the cubicle jungle (even if it got way too cartoonish at times, especially after season five), but far better writers have already done that. Instead I'll just add my own thoughts on what it meant to me. As of this writing in the wee hours of Saturday morning, I've still yet to see the final episode, so I don't have any thoughts to share about the wrap up of the show. Perhaps I'll share them later. From here on out there won't be any rhyme or reason to the paragraphs, just a bunch of disjointed thoughts about this show that I will miss.
The Michael Scott Paper Company arc is season five was eerily similar to a situation I was going through at the time in my own life. No, I hadn't had my "One True Love" shuffled off to Nashua, NH. Also, my situation was closer to Pam (jumping on board with Michael's company because she feared being trapped in a stagnant situation that was not stimulating) than Michael's (a feeling of disrespect by the company he had been so loyal to for so many years). Unfortunately, my situation ended up being closer to Ryan's before he joined the Michael Scott Paper Co. than what happened on the show, but still that arc holds a special significance to me.
Somehow I enjoyed the sentimental Jim and Pam stuff such as "Casino Night" or "The Job" and the awkward humor best exemplified by "Dinner Party". From reading on the Internet, I gather that these tend to be fairly mutually exclusive groups. Also, the people in the latter group are also more likely to think the U.K. version is far superior. While I certainly enjoyed the U.K. version, I prefer the American version, in part because it is closer to my tastes, and in part Michael Scott is a far better character than David Brent. Keep in mind I saw the U.K. version in its entirety several years after the American version had become a favorite show of mine.
Even in the show's weakest years, it still had some great moments, and some of the characters still rose above the problems. The back half of season eight, my least favorite run of the show, still had Florida Stanley. Ellie Kemper as Erin was one of the best things about the later seasons of the show. She brought a great mixture of joy and sadness to a character that could have been an absolute train wreck.
Right from his debut, Creed was funny. He only got better as time went on, and was always good for a laugh, even during the dire Deangelo episodes following Steve Carell's departure. Stanley, Toby, and Meridith were also fairly consistent season to season, with occasions where they'd rise up and steal episodes.
I've wrote about it before, but I can't help but smile every time I think about the end of "The Job". There, I said it, even if it means I have to turn in my "Cynical and Ironic Humor Appreciation" badge at the security desk.
I like Ed Helms, and Andy had his moments during seasons 3,4, and 5, but he sure became annoying after that. Far too often Kevin became too much of an "Idiot Food Monster" and the show suffered for that. Ryan was a useless character after the MSPC arc, but I enjoyed his time as the overwhelmed corporate manager in season four. I have to imagine that is what it kind of feels like to be an executive at NBC.
Catherine Tate could have had a great role on the show. Perhaps she should have been the manager instead of Ed Helms. But far too often they wrote her character like a female David Brent, and it just didn't work. Ditto with trying to turn Andy into a softer Michael Scott.
Michael Scott's seemingly irrational hatred of Toby was one of my favorite aspects of the show. I'm pretty certain most people have that kind of reaction to the annoyance that is corporate HR, at least to a certain extent. Even if we have better relationships with the HR people than Michael had with Toby. On the other hand, perhaps it was just Toby. After all, his replacement was Holly...
Michael Schur is the primary guy behind Parks and Recreation, quite possibly my favorite show of all time. He wrote for The Office during its first four seasons, including some of the best episodes of the show's run. He was a writer on Saturday Night Live during one of my favorite periods of the show, and he was one of the creators of the late, great Fire Joe Morgan. Yet it is his portrayal of Mose Schrute is the first thing I think of when I see his name.
Michael never got to use that baler, so I suppose Darryl can consider that a success.
Here is where I mention Oscar. Phyllis, and Kelly. I don't really have any specific recollections to share, just that the show was richer for having them.
Gabe was both creepy and goofy looking, and occasionally funny. Robert California was a much better character in theory, at least after his hilarious appearance in the season seven finale, than he was in practice. It's OK, James Spader, you were the best part of Lincoln. Plop and little fat Dwight, Jr, I barely knew you. Cathy, you were the most superfluous character in a show that had a guy work in a closet and spoke one or two lines a week. I had to look your name up you were so unimportant.
The mental unraveling of Jan was a thing to behold. It was amazing how she went from this generic professional in the first season to the absolute train wreck of "Dinner Party".
Can't wait for season 17 of Parks and Recreation, when Ann meets her cousin Karen in Utica during Leslie's Presidential campaign.
"Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica."
Angela was far too awful to Andy during their engagement, even if he retroactively deserved it for being such an ass to Erin. Also, that baby poster was freaking terrible. You were one of the bright spots of season nine, and cats are never not funny.
Favorite Episode: (tie) "Dinner Party" and "The Job"
Favorite Season: Season 3
Favorite Story Arc: Michael Scott Paper Company
Least Favorite Episode: The clip show a few seasons back
Least Favorite Season: Season 8
*I'm aware this sounds borderline insane. To explain this would completely derail my heartfelt appreciation of The Office. The short answer is a reference to that moment when I felt The Simpsons stepped over that threshold. Google "Lincoln squirrel Simpsons" and you'll see what I mean.
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