The Office: Season 3 (American)

Many American television shows are based on British sit-coms. Sometimes the formula is able to transcend the trip across the ocean, other times they have a hit and we get a flop. Shows like ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Stepford and Son’ were able to succeed here but then there are series like ‘Fawlty Towers’ had several American incarnations there were almost universally dismal failures. It seems that for such a translation to work the basic premise has to be one that is universal, as true here as it is over seas. One of the most recent success stories is the American version of the Office. It is funny because we can see ourselves in the characters. Most of us have worked in an office at one time or another. This allows us to know these characters, to empathize with their plights. Of course the situations portrayed in this series are exaggerated and played for laughs this doesn’t diminish the universal nature of the stories. Anyone who has ever sat in a cubical or even an office will understand this humor on a visceral level. There is going to be something in your own past that will strike a cord here. We have all had idiotic bosses, watched office romances and jockeyed for a promotion. This series has become one of the cornerstones of the NBC lineup, and with many awards under its belt a series that should be around for many seasons to come. This series goes beyond trying to emulate the British original, it makes the series truly American and that is what makes it work so well. If you aren’t already a fan of this show you should seriously take a look at your television viewing habits. It’s not often that an American sit-com has intelligence, wit and insight but this one does.

Michael Scott (Steve Carell) is the Regional Manager of the Scranton Branch of Dunder-Mifflin, a mid-sized paper products company. He prides himself on his managerial skills but everyone in the office knows that he is actually a buffoon. He is desperate for his co-workers to like him. This has a great affect on the way he deals with his employees. His attempts at humor are more frequently met with groans than laughs. This also makes it almost impossible to resolve any serious problem. His right hand man is Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson). At the start of the series he was Assistant to the Regional Manager but was later promoted to Assistant Regional Manager. Now the removal of two little words may seem insignificant but in this corporate world they are a matter of pride and accomplishment. There is no real change to his work place duties with the title change but Dwight takes it very seriously. He loves to lord over what he considers to be subordinates and is quick to delegate any task he considers beneath him. A constant source of aggravation for Dwight is the man at the desk next to his, Jim Halpert (John Krasinski). Jim what you might call a slacker, although intelligent he is not motivated in the least. Most of time and energy is cooking up diabolical practical jokes on Dwight. The office receptionist is Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer). She is a quiet and unassuming young woman but is often a co-conspirator in Jim’s jokes. At the end of the second season Pam finally gets Jim to accept her engagement to Roy Anderson (David Denman) a dock worker for the office. The marriage plans go awry when Roy is transferred Stamford branch and becomes romantically involved with Karen Filippelli (Rashida Jones) who is a sales representative in the Stamford branch. In this season the fate of the Scranton and Stamford branches are interwoven. The main office has decided to downsize which would result in closing the Scranton branch. These plans are put on hold when the manager of the Stamford branch leaves for a rival company. This results in some personnel changes including the transfer of Stamford Regional Director in Charge of Sales, Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) to Scranton. He is a toady of the first order with his sights are gaining the good graces of Michael. He also has some anger management issues. This doesn’t sit well with Dwight since he considers himself Michael’s favorite.

The basic format of the series is the office is being recorded by a film crew making a documentary. This gives a unique and enjoyable way of telling the stories. It also gives the audience a peak into the thoughts of the workers with the mock interviews. The show is am almost perfect parody of a typical American office. People like Dwight are more concerned with the exact wording of their titles than what they actually do. Office romances blossom, play out and wither. All too real is the looming fear of downsizing. With many American firms cutting costs by laying off workers this may hit too close to home for many in the audience. You also get to witness something in every office, the pecking order. A manager may rule over his little part of the corporate world but he has to constantly please the upper management types who have the divine right afforded to those in the main headquarters. The series is paced well especially when you consider the writers have juggle single episode stories with arcs that progress over the season. The dialogue is scripted but to the credit of the writing staff sounds completely natural.

Television has seen many ensemble casts but this is one of the best since the golden age of the Mary Tyler Moore show. Steve Carell is one of the growing numbers of comic stars to come out of Comedy Central’s faux news program, the Daily Show. He not only is finding success on the television screen but in feature films as well. The reason for this is simple; he is an extremely talented comic actor. He has the timing that most comedians would trade a limb for. Rainn Wilson has a look of a man who will make you laugh or stuff your body in a shallow grave. He stood out in his stint on Six Feet Under, an amazing feat considering the cast that series had. Here he is a person we all have known. Dwight lives for his job and that advisedly affects his ability to interact with his co-workers. Jenna Fischer is the type of young woman that everyone loves to watch. Women can see her as the friend they share secretes with over coffee. Men are attracted to her gentle yet playful demeanor. Fischer is a rare talent with the ability to pull the audience in with her first scene.

Universal releases this DVD season set with the quality we have come to expect from them. The anamorphic 1.78:1 is excellent, far better than most have seen on the tube. The color palette is sometimes pushed to reflect the documentary feel but overall it is well done. The Dolby 5.1 audio is also near reference quality. While the sub woofer is not needed in most cases the channel separation is very good. There are plenty of extras to keep you busy. Selected episodes have a cast and crew commentary that is as humorous as it is informative. Included are some videos from The Office "Make Your Own Promo" Contests where the fans got to show their stuff. Other featurettes include the "Lazy Scranton" video, Kevin Cooks Stuff in the Office and Excerpt from the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. As if that wasn’t enough there is a Dwight Schrute music video and Toby Wraparounds. Joss Whedon, creative force behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly directed an episode and has a little interview about his experience. Add to this a blooper reel and some deleted scenes and you certainly will get a lot of value here. This is a must have series.

Posted 09/04/07