The Office (US) - General Discussion

[BlancheDevoreaux]

I'm currently rewatching the series and have made it to the baby being born in season 6. I have to say, I think Erin was a horrible addition. I don't find her funny in the least abs think she is too stupid to function. Yes, Michael and Andy showed themselves to be stupid often, but they also showed some intelligence from time to time. Erin is just a complete moron and it isn't amusing at all. 

[LucyEth]

On 5/21/2018 at 8:09 PM, BlancheDevoreaux said:

I'm currently rewatching the series and have made it to the baby being born in season 6. I have to say, I think Erin was a horrible addition. I don't find her funny in the least abs think she is too stupid to function. Yes, Michael and Andy showed themselves to be stupid often, but they also showed some intelligence from time to time. Erin is just a complete moron and it isn't amusing at all. 

I totally agree with your take on Erin, she was my least favorite character, terrible addition IMO.

[Kerri Okie]

On 5/21/2018 at 5:09 PM, BlancheDevoreaux said:

I'm currently rewatching the series and have made it to the baby being born in season 6. I have to say, I think Erin was a horrible addition. I don't find her funny in the least abs think she is too stupid to function. Yes, Michael and Andy showed themselves to be stupid often, but they also showed some intelligence from time to time. Erin is just a complete moron and it isn't amusing at all. 

Funny, we're rewatching too and just got to that episode last night.  I had moments of liking Erin, and really wanted to root for her and Andy, but they were just too weird.  You know it's bad when even Michael calls her a rube.

Edited June 8, 2018 by Kerri Okie

[StaceyNotStacie]

I didn’t mind Erin, but I didn’t like her with Andy or Gabe. I thought she and Pete were cute together. I just wish they showed her more with a brain. There were times where she came off as ditzy or a complete idiot. 

I always wondered if this was a local PBS show or national programming. If it was aired nationally, I wish we could have had a camera crew in the office where Michael worked post Dunder Mifflin. He was always over the top and somewhat inappropriate, but I wonder what his new coworkers thought of him after seeing his hijinks on camera (I assumed he calmed down after marrying Holly and having kids since he was happier). 

[Kip Hackman]

I thought Erin was one of the few good things about the last couple of seasons. Especially Season 8.

She was written pretty inconsistently, though, depending on who was writing that week's script. Some of the writers portrayed her as brain dead.

[BoogieBurns]

20 hours ago, Kip Hackman said:

I thought Erin was one of the few good things about the last couple of seasons. Especially Season 8.

She was written pretty inconsistently, though, depending on who was writing that week's script. Some of the writers portrayed her as brain dead.

Especially since that final episode of season 8, she uses the word "Calibrate" correctly, repeatedly. Same girl who said "Is JLP a word? Like, I jlp you." 

But I did like the character!

[CoachWristletJen]

I just have a question about the Garden Party Episode where Andy's asshole parents show up. Made me wonder if there was ever another episode where they got their comeuppance so to speak.  Thanks!

Edited August 18, 2018 by CoachWristletJen

[Roaster]

I think that's the last time we see his parents, but in a later episode we learn they have split, and the family has lost its money.  Andy takes over the family finances and amazes everyone with his competence.  He liquidates much of their property but can't bring himself to sell the yacht, which he takes for a trip.

[charmed1]

I’m also rewatching the series and boy, I can’t stand Jim and Pam. Wasn’t crazy about them the first go-round, but maybe because I was Jim’s age, I found some of the things he did funny. Now I find both characters insufferable. I wish the episode where Jim got bad reviews wasn’t based in a silly plot of Kelly being vindictive, because I thought the phony review was spot on. I quit this show when they made Idris’ character out to be some weak chump who was out to best Jim.

[cpcathy]

They are really insufferable after they get married. They condescend to everyone and act like they are too good for certain things. 

[rejnel]

I was just listening to an episode of the podcast Hidden Brain about "Bullshit Jobs." An anthropologist has written a whole book about jobs, mostly mid-level office jobs, that entail little to no responsibility. Jobs that could be eliminated without anybody really noticing. Even before the podcast sampled the Office theme song and a few choice Michael Scott moments, my mind of course jumped to the show. 

Two questions: who were the most useless employees at the Scranton branch, and whose jobs were most mysterious?

[Roaster]

2 hours ago, rejnel said:

whose jobs were most mysterious?

Creed.  - Quality Assurance?  Would this be done at a regional branch?

Ryan in the later seasons.  In the beginning he was a "business analyst" I guess - a job where you attempt to make things more efficient, produce metrics, etc.  I don't know if he was doing that in later seasons.

Pam after she became "office administrator".  I doubt an office of this size would have a full-time office administrator.  That job would be split among the branch manager, receptionist (receptionist is not a full-time job), and maybe Ryan.

[Lady Lurksalot]

On 16/09/2018 at 4:26 PM, rejnel said:

and whose jobs were most mysterious?

I'm binge watching a second time, and just got past the episode where Creed's job is mentioned as Quality Assurance, but I can't ever remember what Meredith's title or division was. 

[Claire85]

I think Meredith was supplier relations. It becomes an issue when Holly has the ethics training and it comes out Meredith is sleeping with one of their vendors for a better deal. 

[Lady Lurksalot]

Ah! Right! Thank you Claire85! 

As for the most useless, I'd say Kelly, just because I found her brand of ditzyness to be just flat out irritating. I thought Erin to be more amusing and endearing than annoying, even though their positions were vastly different. 

Edited October 14, 2018 by Lady Lurksalot
Forgot a word

[lovinbob]

I am watching "Business School" and I am just so sad for Michael. When Ryan introduces him and he walks down the aisle with his tiny boombox playing "Pomp and Circumstance."

[Mystery]

I don't have cable, but the over-the-air station Cozi TV is having an Office marathon today (I think they're starting to rerun the episodes, and today is its launch). Office Olympics is still an all-time great episode for me. 

[VCRTracking]

[KariLois]

On 7/14/2014 at 9:03 PM, Kalliste said:

The one thing I didn't like about the finale was the unveiling of the office mural which had 'everyone' in it.. except it was in the warehouse and had none of the warehouse guys... I always thought it was weird there was a such a divide between the office and the warehouse.

 

 

On 7/14/2014 at 9:03 PM, Kalliste said:

Was it ever explained why Michael hated Toby so much? I was hoping there would be something about it but I never remember finding out.

 

@tribeca the Pam/Jim story (in the beginning, pre marriage and kids) reminds me of me and my partner, a lot. Like the first season sometimes made me cringe because it was quite similar to how we ended up together.. except my 'roy' wasn't working with us at least.

 

I did love how Jim remembered everything, how he kept the letter and was very sentimental about everything.

I don’t think there was ever a real reason why Michael hates Toby.  I recently read Mindy Kaling’s book and she thinks HR people are terrifying because they tell you about your health insurance and how they will cover all the ways you can die.  So she thought it would be funny for Michael to hate HR people.

[EllenB]

Where I worked, we had a completely loathsome HR person who did everything he could to sabotage employees while he sucked up to the executive director.  We'd have given anything for a nice wishy-washy Toby.

[wknt3]

On 1/6/2019 at 4:32 PM, KariLois said:

I don’t think there was ever a real reason why Michael hates Toby.  I recently read Mindy Kaling’s book and she thinks HR people are terrifying because they tell you about your health insurance and how they will cover all the ways you can die.  So she thought it would be funny for Michael to hate HR people.

I think the reason in universe was pretty clear - Toby was the person telling Michael no, and that even though he was the boss he still had to follow rules and processes and couldn't do whatever he wanted. The closest they ever came to stating it outright on screen though that I can recall didn't come from Michael, but from Andy when he became manager and told us that he never understood why Micheal hated Toby, but now he does when Toby tells him he can't fire Nellie for no reason.

[VCRTracking]

[Ms Blue Jay]

There was a cute tweet that said that everybody is 2 characters of The Office.

I always pick Andy as mine.  If I had to pick a second, then Toby. If I had to pick a third, then Ryan.  Early seasons Ryan is soooooo relatable.  He was like the Millennial of the show.  (Oh my god.  BJ Novak's actual age is Gen X!  That's too funny.)

I love Erin.  I can't relate to her at all, but boy I love her.  I love Ellie Kemper.

Edited March 30, 2019 by Ms Blue Jay

[Was-MArsenault]

I need some help identifying this.

Does anyone know what episode and season it is from, and is there a video of this online? Thank you!

Edited April 9, 2019 by MikaelaArsenault

[dargosmydaddy]

1 hour ago, MikaelaArsenault said:

Does anyone know what episode and season it is from

Maybe season 8, episode 7 ("Pam's Replacement")?

[Was-MArsenault]

14 hours ago, dargosmydaddy said:

Maybe season 8, episode 7 ("Pam's Replacement")?

That's the one!

[tribeca]

On 3/29/2019 at 11:41 PM, Ms Blue Jay said:

There was a cute tweet that said that everybody is 2 characters of The Office.

I always pick Andy as mine.  If I had to pick a second, then Toby. If I had to pick a third, then Ryan.  Early seasons Ryan is soooooo relatable.  He was like the Millennial of the show.  (Oh my god.  BJ Novak's actual age is Gen X!  That's too funny.)

I love Erin.  I can't relate to her at all, but boy I love her.  I love Ellie Kemper.

I wish I was Pam but I have a feeling I am more Angela 

[VCRTracking]

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Jake Lacy (new Jim/Pete) is guest starring on Fosse/Verdon as Gwen Verdon's actor boyfriend Ron.

He's also going to be one of the leads on the new version of High Fidelity.

[AZChristian]

We just finished bingeing the whole 9 seasons (for the first time).  It's the best series finale I can ever remember seeing.

[VCRTracking]

[StaceyNotStacie]

Seeing Jenna in those glasses makes me think of the episode where Pam wore her glasses to the office (I think it was the Did I Stutter episode). As someone who occasionally wears glasses, I hated the way Michael and the others acted when they saw her wearing glasses. 

[Kip Hackman]

On 5/18/2019 at 11:33 PM, AZChristian said:

We just finished bingeing the whole 9 seasons (for the first time). 

God bless.

I've attempted this a couple of times, and never make it through Season 8.

[AZChristian]

4 minutes ago, Kip Hackman said:

God bless.

I've attempted this a couple of times, and never make it through Season 8.

I thought the whole James Spader "era" was the low part of the show.  As hubby and I have worked together in the past, we related closely to the "Jim and Pam" arc, and stuck with it.

Did you watch the British version?  Ricky Gervais played the useless manager with a little bit of meanness that we didn't feel in Steve Carell's portrayal.  "Michael" was just unaware of what a buffoon he was.  We've worked for that type.  LOL.

[wknt3]

14 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Did you watch the British version?  Ricky Gervais played the useless manager with a little bit of meanness that we didn't feel in Steve Carell's portrayal.  "Michael" was just unaware of what a buffoon he was.

I think there was quite a bit of that meanness in Season 1 Michael Scott, but he was retooled and softened in Season 2 and even more in later seasons as they realized the differences between the two shows, the two countries' TV industries, and most importantly perhaps, the two stars since Steve Carrell is simply not the smug prick Ricky Gervais is.

Edited May 25, 2019 by wknt3

[tribeca]

On 4/10/2019 at 11:16 AM, tribeca said:

I wish I was Pam but I have a feeling I am more Angela 

Angela’s awesome 

[BlancheDevoreaux]

On 3/15/2016 at 2:54 PM, amensisterfriend said:

1) If you could pick just 3-5 favorite major characters, they would be...
Angela, Dwight, Jim, Stanley

2) If you could pick just 3-5 minor characters, they would be...
Jan, Creed, Darryl, Toby

3) Your three or so favorite romantic relationships?
Angela and Dwight, Kelly and Ryan, Phyllis and Bob Vance

4) Your three or so favorite platonic relationships?

Dwight and Pam, Dwight and Jim, Angela and Oscar

5) Your least favorite characters/relationships?
Holly, Holly and Michael, any manager post-Michael but especially D'Angelo

6) Your 2-3 favorite seasons?
3 and 4

7) Your least favorite season(s)?
7 and 8

😎 If you could keep just 10-15 episodes to watch for the rest of your life, they would be...
Dinner Party, Fun Run, Goodbye Michael, Finale, AARM, Goodbye Toby, Office Olympics, Women's Appreciation, Ben Franklin, The Duel, The Dundies

9) The five or so episodes you like least are...
Any of them with Will Ferrell, Koi Pond, Weightloss

10) If you had to work at Dunder Mifflin, the job you'd most want is ...
Customer Service or Supplier Relations. Quality Control seemed to be a cake walk, too, though.

11) If you could/had to date any of the main characters in real life, you'd pick... (and we can pretend age is not an issue here!)
Dwight. I could completely live in a beet farm and run the bed and breakfast. Plus, he would protect me from bears. In all seriousness, probably Jim.

12) The Office decides to do something super experimental. Would you rather see a murder mystery, musical or sci-fi-ish 'alternative universe' episode?

Musical or Murder Mystery

Answers in bold.

[VCRTracking]

On 5/24/2019 at 12:09 PM, AZChristian said:

I thought the whole James Spader "era" was the low part of the show.  As hubby and I have worked together in the past, we related closely to the "Jim and Pam" arc, and stuck with it.

Spader talking about it in 2013:

Quote

“I had a ball doing that one episode… and two things happened,” Spader said. “I was offered Lincoln – a film everybody was doing [long pause] for very little money, and yet the commitment was going to be eight months in advance. And I had just finished doing a play in New York and need to make some money” — a job “that actually paid my bills, and lo and behold they aired [The Office seven-season] finale and people responded to the finale, and [the producers] called and said ‘we’d love to have you back in any capacity you’re willing’,” Spader told the dumb-struck, Office-idolizing crowd.  Spader said he agreed to return, “As long as you let me out in the fall, for this film…And that, probably more than anything, dictated the trajectory of the character on the show…So in a sense I never felt like I was more than a visitor there. I was fine with that.”

I think the producers were hoping after Michael Scott left to have a character come on like Jimmy James, the eccentric rich boss Stephen Root played on Newsradio. They were hoping Kathy Bates would do it but she got her own show Harry's Law so they went to Spader instead. They even got Maura Tieney from Newsradio to play his ex-wife. Then when Spader went to film Lincoln, that's when they did the whole arc of episodes with some of the characters going to Tallahassee. When they returned and Spader was going to leave at the end of the season, Robert California went from being a weird but benevolent to creepy and insane con man.

[wknt3]

On 6/9/2019 at 1:04 PM, VCRTracking said:

I think the producers were hoping after Michael Scott left to have a character come on like Jimmy James, the eccentric rich boss Stephen Root played on Newsradio. They were hoping Kathy Bates would do it but she got her own show Harry's Law so they went to Spader instead. They even got Maura Tieney from Newsradio to play his ex-wife. Then when Spader went to film Lincoln, that's when they did the whole arc of episodes with some of the characters going to Tallahassee. When they returned and Spader was going to leave at the end of the season, Robert California went from being a weird but benevolent to creepy and insane con man.

I think weird but benevolent applies to a lot of characters from the office, including most of the management, but not Robert California. There was always a dark edge there  as well as a certain creepiness which is one of the reasons I think he never really felt like he belonged on the show. He is basically Creed, but with more ambition and less brain damage and Creed being in charge makes for a good subplot, but not a good long term stroryline. I think you're right about what the producers were going for, but I don't think that's what they actually gave us. The character was consistent from beginning to end, it's just he was better at hiding his creepiness and instability behind his charisma at the beginning before everything fell apart.

[wknt3]

The Office's Stanley Cup rivalry gets a twist for Game 7

[dargosmydaddy]

Angela Kinsey is on tonight's "To Tell the Truth."

[Wordsworth]

On 2/16/2019 at 7:13 AM, wknt3 said:

I think the reason in universe was pretty clear - Toby was the person telling Michael no, and that even though he was the boss he still had to follow rules and processes and couldn't do whatever he wanted. The closest they ever came to stating it outright on screen though that I can recall didn't come from Michael, but from Andy when he became manager and told us that he never understood why Micheal hated Toby, but now he does when Toby tells him he can't fire Nellie for no reason.

That's exactly right.  Toby's job was to protect the employees and, by extension, the company.  That means that he's supposed to intervene in situations that could result in lawsuits against the company.  But Toby, while well-versed in HR duties, does not have the ability to stand up to Michael.  It's quite likely that he doesn't get the support from Corporate that he needs.  Michael wants to say whatever he wants, whenever he wants, to whomever he wants, regardless of how inappropriate it is.  Corporate clearly tolerates this as I find it hard to believe that no one has ever complained to them about Michael (or Todd Packer).  We even get a scene in Season 3's "The Job" where even David Wallace complains about Corporate's HR guy, Kendall.  This is the same Kendall who, in season 5's "Business Ethics" doesn't think Meredith's sleeping with a supplier for Outback gift cards is a big deal...because it benefits the company.

The fish rots from the head down.  Corporate tolerates Michael and doesn't back up Toby,  Michael resents Toby trying to tell him what to do, but knows he won't generally be held accountable for his actions.  This means the Scranton employees work in a hostile environment rampant with sexism, racism and a boss who invades their privacy and abuses his power.

[Claire85]

I’m watching “Stress Relief Part 2” right now, with the roast of Michael. Andy singing the line “Stanley tried to die just to get away” still cracks me up. 

[HyeChaps]

https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/jenna-fischer-and-angela-kinsey-office-ladies-podcast-46609258?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=post&utm_campaign=frontdoor&fbclid=IwAR0506EFISwG7Ul2CMjXMY1tCK_mlpVedGq3BRlqRwfBJBrdHRVN4VtSkEY

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Kate Flannery is competing on this season of Dancing with the Stars!

Edited September 17, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[AZChristian]

We missed the beginning of the show last night, so I was so glad to watch this link.  We're having a week from hell at our house, so I really appreciated the chance to start the morning with a smile.

I wish her well!!!  I thought she was adorable, and a lot better than some of those who came later.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

7 hours ago, AZChristian said:

We missed the beginning of the show last night, so I was so glad to watch this link.  We're having a week from hell at our house, so I really appreciated the chance to start the morning with a smile.

I wish her well!!!  I thought she was adorable, and a lot better than some of those who came later.

I admit that I assumed she would not be very good so I was pleasantly surprised at how well she danced. Usually the contestants over 30 tend to be the clumsy/uncoordinated ones who are eliminated in the first few episodes, but Kate was definitely better than some of the other contestants. I hope she has enough fans from The Office voting for her so she can outlast the obvious clunkers like Lamar Odom. Kate did mention that she took dance in college. I want to hear more about that!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Kate did the foxtrot this week!

Edited September 24, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[dargosmydaddy]

Kate Flannery also made a brief appearance in last night's episode of A Very Brady Renovation, or whatever it's called. (Apparently she's friends with Eve Plumb.)

And Craig Robinson has been on the past two episodes of To Tell the Truth.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

16 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Kate did the foxtrot this week!

It's nice to see how much she is enjoying it.