The Office (US TV series)
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The Office (alternate title: The Office: An American Workplace) is a television comedy about the day-to-day lives of office employees of the fictitious Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Although fictional and scripted, the show takes the form of a documentary, with the presence of the camera often acknowledged and interviews of the characters edited into every episode.
There are two common elements to the various plots for each episode. The ineptitude of boss Michael Scott and his comedic attempts to get respect or laughs from his employees is one of the recurring plots. The second is the relationship between sales representative Jim Halpert and receptionist Pam Beesly, and their respective crushes on each other, conflicting with Pam's three-year engagement to Roy, who works in Dunder Mifflin's warehouse.
Based on the British series of the same name, it was developed for American audiences by producer Greg Daniels, whose previous credits include Saturday Night Live, King of the Hill and The Simpsons. Original series creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have production credits on the show, but they are not otherwise involved on a regular basis, although the producers do send various scripts to the pair for suggestions and critiques. Gervais and Merchant will be writing an episode for the show's upcoming third season.Press Association, Ltd. ["Gervais to write US office episode"], Scotsman.com News February 6, 2006.
It is co-produced by Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille Productions, in association with NBC Universal Television Studio. The show is currently broadcast by NBC in the United States, Global TV in Canada, BBC Three in the United Kingdom, and Channel Ten in Australia.
Creation
After the original British series won two Golden Globes, a U.S. version of The Office was commissioned by NBC. Though it retains the same title and premise, the U.S. version of the show has a new cast and crew and changes the locale to Scranton, Pennsylvania. NBC has described it as a faster-paced version of the original; Gervais jokingly said before the premiere that it would probably have actors with better teeth.To write the series, producers hired screenwriters Michael Schur, Larry Wilmore, Gene Stupnitsky, Lee Eisenberg, and Jennifer Celotta. Along with these writers, three others were hired to be central writers and performers (see Casting). Paul Feig, of Freaks and Geeks fame, directed some of the episodes and Ken Kwapis, who established his ability with the genre in The Larry Sanders Show and Malcolm in the Middle, directed the pilot and has produced/directed several episodes.
Casting
All the original characters have been renamed and re-cast with American actors.
In January 2004, Variety reported Steve Carell was in talks to play the lead Michael Scott. At the time, Carell was already committed to an NBC midseason replacement comedy, Come to PapaSusman, Gary. ["Daily Show's Carell may star in Office remake"]. Entertainment Weekly, January 29, 2004, but the series was quickly cancelled, leaving him fully committed to The Office. Carell later stated he had only seen about half of the original pilot episode of the British series before he auditioned. He didn't continue watching for fear that he would start copying Gervais' characterizations.Carell, Steve (Actor). 2005. "Pilot" [Commentary track], The Office Season One (US/NBC Version) [DVD], Los Angeles, CA: Universal. Rainn Wilson, who was cast as the power-hungry sycophant, Dwight Schrute, had watched every episode of the series before he auditioned.Wilson, Rainn (Actor). 2005. "Pilot" [Commentary track], The Office Season One (US/NBC Version) [DVD], Los Angeles, CA: Universal.
John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer were virtually unknowns before being cast in their respective roles as Jim and Pam, the central love interests. Krasinski recalls insulting Daniels while waiting to audition for the series, stating he "hoped they don't screw this up" like so many other British adaptations had before (Coupling, Men Behaving Badly), not realizing Daniels was the developer of the current series until Daniels told him.Krasinski, John (Actor). 2005. "Pilot" [Commentary track], The Office Season One (US/NBC Version) [DVD], Los Angeles, CA: Universal Fischer prepared for her audition by looking as boring as possible, creating the current Pam hairstyle at her first audition for the show.Fischer, Jenna (February 9, 2006). ["The Office Presents: "Valentine's Day""] TVGuide.com
The supporting cast has been filled with actors known for their improv work (Angela Kinsey, Kate Flannery, Oscar Nunez, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Melora Hardin, and David Denman). Writer/performer B.J. Novak stated, "[Daniels] hired people who he knew were improv people who could bring their own ideas to the role."Chun, Wing. March 2, 2006. ["The B.J. Novak Interview"], Page 4-5. Televisionwithoutpity.com Some minor players came to be as a result of interesting casting choices. Angela Kinsey originally auditioned for the role of Pam Beesly. After her auditions, the producers thought she was "too feisty" for the character, but they later called her back for the part of Angela Martin, which she won.Murphy, Joel. ["One on one with... Angela Kinsey"] Hobotrashcan.com Retrieved March 2, 2006. Phyllis Smith, who plays Phyllis Lapin on the show, was working as a casting associate on the show when the pilot's director, Ken Kwapis, had her read the scripts with the actors. He took such a liking to how she read that he had her join the cast.Wolk, Josh. "The Drudge Report: A Visit With 7 More 'Office' Mates." Entertainment Weekly February 24, 2006: 24-25.
Three of the show's writers were also cast as performers: B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, and Paul Lieberstein. Novak was seen by Daniels doing stand-up comedy and was cast as reluctant temp Ryan Howard and Lieberstein was cast as HR Director Toby by Novak's suggestion after his cold readings of scripts. Greg Daniels originally wasn't sure where to use Kaling, who is an Indian-American, on screen in the series until the point came in the second episode's script where Michael needed to be slapped by a minority. "Since then, I've been on the show" (as the chatty Kelly Kapoor), Kaling stated in a February 2006 interview. Steve Carell has also written one episode.
Characters
Michael Scott, the head of the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, feels he is the life of the office; his employees feel otherwise. Sales representative Jim Halpert has a crush on close office friend and pretty receptionist Pam Beesly. Unfortunately for Jim, she is engaged (and has been for the past three years) to warehouse employee Roy Anderson, a simple, protective blue-collar worker who doesn't bond with Pam the way Jim does.
Another employee in the office is Dwight Schrute, who works hard to make the best impression and make the other employees look bad in the process. There is an ongoing rivalry between Jim and Dwight, (shown by the practical jokes Jim constantly plays on Dwight, including embedding Dwight's office supplies in Jello) whose differing personalities often cause them to be at odds with each other. The final lead character is Ryan Howard, a temp who has little desire to stay with the office any longer than he needs, but fears he will end up doing just that.
The accounting department features the uptight Angela Martin, who wishes to keep things orderly and make sure situations remain as serious as possible; Kevin Malone, a slow-witted, overweight man who revels in juvenile humor; and Oscar, whose timidity and Hispanic heritage make him a favorite target for Michael's off-hand comments. Rounding out the office are the stern salesman Stanley Hudson, who barely stands for Michael's constant references to his African-American heritage; the free-flowing Creed (played by musician Creed Bratton, formerly of The Grass Roots); the innocent and timid Phyllis Lapin; the bubbly and talkative Kelly Kapoor; and the depressed alcoholic single mother Meredith Palmer.
Other characters outside the office include Michael's corporate boss Jan Levinson, and Roy's cynical co-workers in the warehouse, Darryl, Madge, and Lonny.
Season synopses
First season
The first episode of the U.S. series contained many scenes taken from the first episode of the British series almost word for word, with names and cultural references changed and a few small extra scenes. Ryan the temp was hired by Dunder Mifflin in this episode, but everyone else in the office had been working there for quite some time.
Since the series was a mid-season replacement, only six episodes were filmed for the first season, so few new elements were established. Besides the continuing love story, the main plot of this season was that corporate wanted to downsize and they told Michael that the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin was facing a possible closure. Although he avoided the subject, word about the downsizing quickly spread around the office.
In the final episode of the season, Jim began dating Katy, a saleswoman who visited the office, to Pam's subtle concern.
Second season
This was the first full season for the show. First season plots continued and new plots emerged.At an office awards show held at a local Chili's restaurant, Pam gets drunk and kisses Jim on the lips. Although it goes no further than that, Jim ends the night with a smile on his face. He flirts with her at an office outing to a karate dojo, but Pam shouts at Jim to stop when she sees Meredith noticing it, making their office friendship briefly awkward. Jim makes his personal Christmas gift to Pam less personal before she receives it by removing the card (it was heavily implied, but never mentioned, that Jim declared his true feelings for Pam on the card). A big turning point in the season occurred on the office "booze cruise", when Jim fully intended to reveal his feelings to Pam. Unfortunately, before he can do that, Roy announces to everyone including Pam that he wants to marry her on June 10th, which she celebrates. Jim is crushed and breaks up with Katy the same night. He also reveals his feelings for Pam to a similarly crushed (but for different reasons) Michael, who tells him to continue his pursuits. Unfortunately, Michael spills Jim's secret to the employees. Jim acknowledges the rumors to Pam, but tells her his feelings ended long ago. Michael hints differently when Pam approaches him about it, leaving her unsure of the status of their relationship. Meanwhile, Jan finds that Pam has a talent in artistry and lets her know about a graphic arts internship with the company in New York City, and while she is encouraged to pursue the venture by Jim, Roy quashes the idea for Pam. Jim plans a vacation to Australia, which overlaps with Pam's wedding, much to her disappointment. After Jim unintentionally upsets Pam and laments how he spends his days at the office, he applies for an open sales position at Dunder Mifflin Stamford, unbeknownst to his Scranton co-workers. The season culminates with Jim telling Pam he is in love with her. The two kiss, ending the episode and the second season.
Michael also develops love interests of his own in the second season. He purchases a condo and meets real estate agent Carole Stills. After Michael and Jan close a deal with a new client at a Chili's, Michael and a recently-divorced Jan share a kiss in the parking lot, igniting Michael's interest. Michael attends a company meeting in New York regarding downsizing and another branch surprisingly gives a worse presentation than him. Jan again kisses Michael as he leaves and it's again caught on camera, much to her embarrassment. A video of his childhood television appearance causes Michael to regret being a childless bachelor. At his self-planned ice rink birthday party, Michael runs into Carol, his real estate agent and entertains her children. In the season finale, Michael gets involved in a "love triangle" with Jan, his boss, and Carol, his realtor, but Jan retreats.
Besides those, two more office relationships begin this season. When Jim holds an office party, a new relationship between Dwight and Angela is revealed, though their coworkers save Pam remain unaware of the latter. Kelly develops a crush on Ryan and pursues him as he regrets ever "hooking up" with her the day before Valentine's Day. The Dwight-Angela relationship slowly evolves throughout the season. Kelly and Ryan begin an undefined relationship, with Ryan wanting something very casual and Kelly wanting something much more long term — leaving both parties unsatisfied.
Other minor plot points of the season include: Michael's best friend Todd Packer (previously only heard in phone calls) makes his first appearance in the office; the staff is introduced to Phyllis' boyfriend Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration at the Christmas party; it is revealed that Oscar is a closeted gay man (but no one in the office is aware); Dwight retires his volunteer Sheriff Deputy duties following shameful acts, but Michael makes him Honorary Security Advisor for the branch to make up for it.
Episodes
| Season | No. of episodes | First Airdate | Last Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 6 | March 24, 2005 | April 26, 2005 |
| Season 2 | 22 | September 20, 2005 | May 11, 2006 |
| Season 3 | 25 | September 21, 2006 | TBA |
Improvisation
Differing from many other mockumentaries, much of The Office is scripted. In a March 2006 interview, B.J. Novak stated, "We do script it to sound very natural, because we are writing a fake documentary, but the actors are very talented ... Steve (Carell) and Rainn (Wilson) add a lot in improvisation, and usually the last few takes of a talking head will be, at that point, fully improvised." Novak continued, "maybe twenty percent of the stuff we shoot is at least partially improvised ... and then it's ten percent of the finished show."Chun, Wing. March 2, 2006. ["The B.J. Novak Interview"], Page 7. Televisionwithoutpity.com.Jenna Fischer has stated, "Our shows are one hundred percent scripted. They put everything down on paper. Our glances to camera, our hesitations... everything. It is the actor's job to make it seem fresh and natural. But we get to play around a little bit, too. Steve and Rainn are brilliant improvisers."Fischer, Jenna. February 16, 2006. ["The Office: Your Questions Answered!"], MySpace.com..
Response
Before the show aired, Gervais acknowledged that there were feelings of hesitation from certain viewers. "I think people are always gonna be wary of a remake — it's a tradition," he stated in a March 2005 interview, "But this remake is aimed at the 249 million Americans who didn't see the original TV show. There's not gonna be many Texas farmhands going, 'Eccch, not another version. I can't believe it.'"Wolk, Josh. ["The Office bosses on bringing the Brit hit to NBC"], Entertainment Weekly March 14, 2005.Writer/performer B.J. Novak recalled almost a year after the show premiered, "There was this very rough period at the beginning, where not only did mainstream viewers have no interest in us, but the type of people that should have and ultimately did come to our defense hated us even more, because we were remaking the British Office."Chun, Wing. March 2, 2006. ["The B.J. Novak Interview"], Page 3. Televisionwithoutpity.com
Critical reviews
Prior to its first airing, the New York Daily News called it "so diluted there's little left but muddy water", and USA Today called it a "passable imitation of a miles-better BBC original".Timms, Dominic. [US version of The Office scores ratings victory] Guardian Unlimited March 29, 2005 A Guardian Unlimited review panned its unoriginality, stating, "(Steve Carell) just seems to be trying too hard ... Maybe in later episodes when it deviates from Gervais and Merchant's script, he'll come into his own. But right now he's a pale imitation."Wollaston, Sam. ["You just can't get the staff"] Guardian Unlimited 15 June 2005.Fortunately for Carell and the series, reviews became more positive as the second season progressed. Come December, Time Magazine remarked, "Producer Greg Daniels created not a copy but an interpretation that sends up distinctly American work conventions ... with a tone that's more satiric and less mordant. ... The new boss is different from the old boss, and that's fine by me."Poniewozik, James. ["Best of 2005: Television"] Time Magazine, December 16, 2005 Entertainment Weekly resonated these sentiments a week later, stating, "Thanks to the fearless Steve Carell, an ever-stronger supporting cast, and scripts that spew American corporate absurdist vernacular with perfect pitch, this undervalued remake does the near impossible — it honors Ricky Gervais' original and works on its own terms."Harris, Bob. ["2005's 10 Best Shows"] Entertainment Weekly, December 22, 2005
Months later, The Onion expressed its views on the show's progression: "After a rocky start, The Office improved immeasurably, instantly becoming one of TV's funniest, sharpest shows. The casting of Steve Carell in the Gervais role proved to be a masterstroke. The American Office is that rarest of anomalies: a remake of a classic show that both does right by its source and carves out its own strong identity."Rabin, Nathan. ["Inventory: Eight Sure-Fire Fiascoes That Unexpectedly Succeeded"], The Onion A.V. Club, March 29, 2006
Ratings
Airing on Tuesday nights, the first episode caught the curiosity of 11.2 million viewers in the US, winning its time slot.. Unfortunately, by the second episode, it lost nearly half its audience with only 5.9 million viewers.Deans, Jason. [US remake of The Office loses half its audience] Guardian Unlimited March 31, 2005 The viewership averaged around that amount for the rest of the first season.As the second season started, the show slowly started gaining a cult following. Growing viewership seemed promising enough to NBC that they moved the series, along with its pre-show comedy My Name Is Earl, to the coveted "Must See TV" Thursday night slot at the start of 2006. Here, the ratings continued to grow. By the 2005-2006 season it placed 67th (tied with 20/20). It had an average of 8 million viewers with a 4.0/10 rating. It also was up 40% in viewers from the year before and up an amazing 60% in viewers ages 18-49.The Hollywood Reporter, [2005-06 primetime wrap], hollywoodreporter.com
The series was cancelled in Australia after only three episodes, but it returned to a Sunday night timeslot on Ten in early 2006.Australian Associated Press. ["US office remake axed"] June 28, 2005, Sydney Morning Herald
Cast blogs
Many members of the cast keep online blogs on TV Guide.com and MySpace, where they have posted updates (sometimes as often as every week) on behind the scenes happenings and post on-set photographs of the show. Part of the reason for their prolific blogging is that the actors must sit in front of their computers during long taping sessions. The computers are functional, internet-connected computers, so the actors are able to browse the internet, play games, and blog. [link]Jenna Fischer is the most active blogger of the cast. During the season, she posted a weekly blog at [MySpace] as well as every Thursday during the second half of the show's 2005-06 season on [TVGuide.com], (although she noted in her final TV Guide blog on May 11, 2006 that she would not continue writing for the site during the summer). She took over the TV Guide blogging duties from B.J. Novak, who wrote for the site until December 2005; he also [has a MySpace page]. Rainn Wilson also writes a blog in character called "Schrute Space" on NBC.com, which is updated periodically.Interview: Rainn Wilson (March 14, 2006). The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC.
[Angela Kinsey], [Paul Lieberstein], [David Denman], [Craig Robinson], [Brian Baumgartner], [Kate Flannery], [Karly Rothenberg] and [Creed Bratton] also maintain MySpace pages, and some occasionally blog in character.
Awards and nominations
Steve Carell won a Golden Globe in 2006 for his portrayal of Michael Scott (in the category "Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy"). Creator Ricky Gervais had received the same award for his performance in the original version in 2004.The series was nominated for three Writers Guild of America Awards for Television in 2005, including "Best Comedy Series", "Best New Series", and "Best Episodic Comedy" ("Diversity Day"). It was also nominated for three Television Critics Association Awards in 2006 for "Program of the Year", "Comedy Series," "Individual Achievement in Comedy" for Carell.Reuters/Hollywood Reporter. May 31, 2006. [Television Critics laud "Office," "24"], HollywoodReporter.com
It is nominated for five Emmy Awards in 2006, including: "Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series" (Steve Carell), "Outstanding Comedy Series", " Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Comedy Series" (Dean Holland, "Booze Cruise" and David Rogers, "Christmas Party"), and "Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series" (Michael Schur for "Christmas Party") [link]
Online and DVD releases
Online
Episodes from The Office were among the first television shows available for download from the iTunes Music Store beginning in December 2005. The episodes have proven to be among the most downloaded of the NBC shows thus offered, consistently making the top ten downloads each week and often making the number one slot.Whitney, Daisy. ["NBC: iPod Boosts Prime Time"] TVWeek.com January 16, 2006. There are also exclusive webisodes on the NBC Office website which started July 13th. It is still unknown if the webisodes will be available for download on iTunes.DVD
The first season DVD set (ASIN: B0009VBTP0) was released on August 16, 2005. Besides the six original episodes presented in their original 16:9 widescreen ratio, extras on the DVD set included deleted scenes from all the episodes and commentary by cast and directors/producers for "Pilot" (dual tracks), "Diversity Day", "The Alliance", and "Basketball". The runtime of the set is 135 minutes.The second season DVD set will be released on September 12, 2006.[link][link] The producers are compiling extra material and commentary. Among the extras they plan to include is home video footage that Jenna Fischer shot of the cast on set.Fischer, Jenna. June 1, 2006. [Office Marathon Tonight!], MySpace.com Angela Kinsey reported in her blog that the DVD set will have hours of never-before-seen deleted scenes, the webisodes, the PSAs, the Olympic promos, and the commentaries on a four-disc set. Kinsey, Angela. June 15, 2006. [Season 2 DVD scoop!], MySpace.com The menus for the set were released also. [link]
Trivia
- The name of the firm "Dunder Mifflin" may allude to the relationship between the Pennsylvania Paper & Supply Company's tower, shown during the opening theme, and its location in downtown Scranton near the northeast end of Mifflin Avenue.
- The shots of Scranton in the opening credits were filmed by star John Krasinski and two of his friends before production began on the series. They shot the footage from their Jeep with the camera outside the sunroof.Owen, Rob. ["TV Preview: Working for laughs at 'The Office'"], Pittsburgh Post-Gazette March 1, 2006.
- The first season was filmed in an actual office space. For the second season, a sound stage was built to replicate the first season's environment. The show is now filmed inside Chandler Studios in Van Nuys, in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley.Caranicas, Peter. ["Another Day at The Office]," Videography, February 2006: 20-24.
- A Union Jack on Michael's desk and Dunder Mifflin's address at 1725 Slough Avenue, (as seen in "The Alliance") both reference the original Office, set in Slough, Berkshire, England.
- Dwight has on his office cabinet a bumper sticker promoting [Froggy-101], a country-western radio station in Scranton, and on his desk are bobble-head dolls from the [Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons] baseball team. These are two of many visible/audible references to real-life elements of the geography and culture of greater Scranton. Others include Lackawanna County, Poor Richard's Pub, Farley's, Connell Park, Carbondale, Dickson City, Lake Wallenpaupack, The Mall at Steamtown, radio station Rock 107, the Montage Mountain Performing Arts Center, Bishop O'Hara High School, and the [Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins] hockey team. Noteworthy departures from this accuracy are occasional mentions of and visits to Chili's and Hooters restaurant, neither of which have franchises in the immediate area. However, that would be a long lunch hour because the nearest Chili's is about a half-hour away located by the Wyoming Valley Mall. The Hooter's is located near Allentown.
- For the third season, Steve Carell will be earning $175,000 per episode, which is double his current salary for the previous two seasons. Carell will also be allowed flex time during filming to be able to work on his upcoming films in 2006. [link]
- The composer of the show's theme is Jay Ferguson.
See also
- List of The Office (US) episodes
- Characters from The Office (US)
- List of songs featured on The Office (US TV series)
- Comparing versions of the show
- The Office (UK)
- Le Bureau
References
External links
- [The official site of The Office at NBC.com]
- [The Office store] at NBCUniversalStore.com
- [The Office at TV.com] — Includes an episode guide.
- [The Office Quotes.com] — Quotes from The Office (US), listed by episode.
- [Northern Attack] — A detailed Office blog and forum.
Official Cast Blogs
- [Dwight Schrute] at NBC.com
- [Jenna Fischer] at TVGuide.com
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