The Office (2005-????)Created by: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant
Developed by: Greg Daniels
Season: Five (2008-2009)
Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance
Number of Episodes: 26
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD
Reams of laughs.
[IMDb]
Comments: Season Five of The Office gave us yet another strong set of episodes. I was ready to give the show four-and-a-half stars, but I really wasn't all that crazy about the Michael Scott Paper Company plot. And Jim and Pam, while still being awesome, tend to lose some of their heat now that they're fully together. Let's delve a little further...
The major plot of the second half of the season was Michael Scott quitting and starting his own company (and Pam, of all people, followed him... which didn't make all that much sense to me). Reading some comments about the episodes, I guess a lot of people really liked the divergence, as it added a new dimension to the show. I didn't really, because everyone and their brother knew that Pam and Michael were going to end up working for Dunder Mifflin again, so what did the whole thing accomplish (other than Pam getting a promotion to sales)? And it also split up Pam and Michael from the core of The Office, which is the main source of humor and entertainment for the show. I will give the writers this, though: the episode where the company is bought out ("Broke") is amazing. It's always great to see Michael succeed, and boy did he kick ass that episode. But in the end what did it all accomplish? Everything pretty went much back to normal after that.
Pam and Jim finally get engaged in the opener of the season. I really love the show for the fact that they don't keep finding ways to keep them apart (thus creating a will-they or won't-they aspect that stretches on forever). They're really like a normal (albeit mostly perfect) couple that everyone envies. The scene where Jim talks to Roy in the bar about the two being engaged was awesome, and I've watched it probably ten times now (even though Roy was never really a bad guy, it's nice to see Jim get his). Also, Jim's reaction to Pam's pregnancy in the finale is one of the great things I've seen on the show. The subtle hint of tears and quiver in his voice was absolute perfection. Beyond those moments though, the story has taken mostly a backseat and has lost some of its original spark. But that's expected, and I wouldn't change anything about how the writers have handled their relationship (other than giving the two more screen time from time to time).
Lastly, I really hated Andy in the third season. He was awful and annoying every time he was on screen. He got better in the fourth season, and was great in the fifth. There's finally a niche carved out for his character, and Andy is finally likable. The duel over Angela with Dwight followed by their eventual friendship was great.
What else can I say? The Office is a terrific show. I don't think I'd ever consider it superior to the original, but I really do love it. It's not perfect by any means, but there's a lot to admire about it. While there's only one David Brent, Steve Carell has created his own separate character from one that started out as a carbon copy of Ricky Gervais. Sure, he's buffoonish at times, but he's become a nice guy that you really want to succeed. Carell's leaving at the end of this season, and the showrunners are actively looking for a new boss. I kind of wish the show would end. I haven't seen Season Six yet (that will be next week, after I get through the third season of Chuck), but where else can the show go? However, NBC doesn't want to let go of one of their few solidly followed shows. Maybe I'll be surprised, and a new boss will revitalize the show. Anyway, The Office is a great show. You should watch it if you haven't already.
The major plot of the second half of the season was Michael Scott quitting and starting his own company (and Pam, of all people, followed him... which didn't make all that much sense to me). Reading some comments about the episodes, I guess a lot of people really liked the divergence, as it added a new dimension to the show. I didn't really, because everyone and their brother knew that Pam and Michael were going to end up working for Dunder Mifflin again, so what did the whole thing accomplish (other than Pam getting a promotion to sales)? And it also split up Pam and Michael from the core of The Office, which is the main source of humor and entertainment for the show. I will give the writers this, though: the episode where the company is bought out ("Broke") is amazing. It's always great to see Michael succeed, and boy did he kick ass that episode. But in the end what did it all accomplish? Everything pretty went much back to normal after that.
Pam and Jim finally get engaged in the opener of the season. I really love the show for the fact that they don't keep finding ways to keep them apart (thus creating a will-they or won't-they aspect that stretches on forever). They're really like a normal (albeit mostly perfect) couple that everyone envies. The scene where Jim talks to Roy in the bar about the two being engaged was awesome, and I've watched it probably ten times now (even though Roy was never really a bad guy, it's nice to see Jim get his). Also, Jim's reaction to Pam's pregnancy in the finale is one of the great things I've seen on the show. The subtle hint of tears and quiver in his voice was absolute perfection. Beyond those moments though, the story has taken mostly a backseat and has lost some of its original spark. But that's expected, and I wouldn't change anything about how the writers have handled their relationship (other than giving the two more screen time from time to time).
Lastly, I really hated Andy in the third season. He was awful and annoying every time he was on screen. He got better in the fourth season, and was great in the fifth. There's finally a niche carved out for his character, and Andy is finally likable. The duel over Angela with Dwight followed by their eventual friendship was great.
What else can I say? The Office is a terrific show. I don't think I'd ever consider it superior to the original, but I really do love it. It's not perfect by any means, but there's a lot to admire about it. While there's only one David Brent, Steve Carell has created his own separate character from one that started out as a carbon copy of Ricky Gervais. Sure, he's buffoonish at times, but he's become a nice guy that you really want to succeed. Carell's leaving at the end of this season, and the showrunners are actively looking for a new boss. I kind of wish the show would end. I haven't seen Season Six yet (that will be next week, after I get through the third season of Chuck), but where else can the show go? However, NBC doesn't want to let go of one of their few solidly followed shows. Maybe I'll be surprised, and a new boss will revitalize the show. Anyway, The Office is a great show. You should watch it if you haven't already.
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