I've been watching my season 2 DVDs, and this Office 2008 is a different, different show from the Office 2006.
It truly is. I think they stopped trying to push the 'It's a documentary!' on us, because we got used to it, and they felt like they didn't have to try, anymore - which is always something that contributes to downfalls of shows. Maybe if they felt like the show is struggling again, it could get back to the days of yore (I know it'll never happen.) But you're right, it has changed (evolved?) and who knows if it's for the better or worse, but let's hope there is no actor's strike to mess with Season 5, because when this show is given free reign to go for broke, it can be amazing.
If there is an actor's strike next year I will ACTUALLY CRY. I cannot deal with another hundred years of strike time.
I do think the creative staff of this show is phenomenal, and I know they had a lot more to deal with this season than they did before because of strike and everything -- but they really are capable of so much more. Here's to hoping season 5 is an improvement!
The engagement thing should have never been brought up. I keep thinking about this! Remember how in the first post-strike interviews Jenna (I think? John too, maybe?) was talking about how they didn't expect to do anything else with Jim and Pam because there were only six episodes, but once they got their scripts there was a curveball. The thing is, they didn't need to do anything with Jim and Pam. They could've focused on Dwight/Angela/Andy if this is how they wanted to finish it off. We didn't ask for engagement buildup, we didn't need it. They could've sprinkled a couple of random Jim/Pam moments in there and it would've been FINE, but they did it and the way they chose to do it is just... such a damn cop out. I mean, he had the ring in his hand, Carrie! He paid for that damn carnival, and that moment meant relatively SO LITTLE to Andy. AND ANGELA IS HITTING DWIGHT ON THE SIDE, I just, damn it
( ... )
John said it just a few days ago! He was talking about how they weren't expecting all of these developments in the final six. If they had pulled it off that would be one thing, but nooooooo. They so did not pull it off. Am I even lame for being disappointed with the Dwight/Angela thing? I feel like they've wrecked what I used to love about Angela. I mean, cheating on Andy? Not that she was ever really in love with him or anything, but still! She accepted his proposal! Her uptight nature in regards to her morals was one of her trademark character traits...WHAT HAPPENED? I really hate that she's been reduced to having sex in the office with someone who is not her boyfriend.
I usually get less annoyed as time goes on, but I'm getting more pissed off as the hours pass. This is like Phyllis' Wedding, except we don't have a good ten episodes left to rectify the mess. This felt more like a February sweeps episode and probably would have been fine as such.
Oh, I'm so with you on Dwight/Angela. It threw salt on the very very open Andy-stealing-Jim's-thunder-so-damn-CASUALLY wound because they took something that would have MEANT SOMETHING away and replaced it with something that meant nothing. And YEAH, total character destruction for Angela, what the hell is up with that? It feels like everything in this finale was built up for the shock factor, at the expense of character? Ugh.
This felt more like a February sweeps episode and probably would have been fine as such. SERIOUSLY. Had this happened in February, I might've even liked it? Midseason disappointments are so much more okay, and there was a lot about this episode that did work (Kevin! Kelly!), but the fact that there is NO MORE, and there isn't another chance for three months, I just, god damn it, WHY?
Oh! How insightful. While most of my Office complaints are of the Jim Is A Huge Vagina variety, I really agree about the lack of small moments and different camera styles. I thought this season was dominated by unfunny plots and jokes and there was too much focus on the romances (THERE ARE SO MANY. WHY MUST THERE BE SO MANY???). But I'm a relatively casual fan of the show so I feel less sad and more whatevery about it.
You know, it's funny, but they just... pulled everything off so much BETTER then. Like, Jim was a girl in season two, but he was a charming girl, and they had Michael/Jan and Dwight/Angela on top of Jim/Pam in season 2, but it all just worked better. Possibly because there weren't entire episodes about how Jan was crazy and did horrible things to Michael, seeing Andy and Angela together was pure torture for Dwight, and how Jim and Pam were cute together. DINNER PARTY, I AM LOOKING AT YOU.
oh, hi, this is me being nosy and just noticing your comment, but what did you think of Jim in the last few episodes (the last two in particular)? i know you haven't been his biggest fan and i personally have never been on the 'jim is lame' bandwagon, but i thought he really stepped it up in the last two eps. i'm always curious to hear differing opinions when they come from people who are mature and insightful about them.
Yeah - I thought he was fine. It just seemed like such obvious SEE! SEE! JIM IS EVOLVING! plotting. But what can you really do about that, you have to have him suck it up sometime. I think it was probably a result of having such few episodes to develop him in. Since it seemed like earlier in the season they were starting a slow arc where he would come into his own more? Maybe
( ... )
Though I disagree overall [I would like to take S4 behing the middle school and get it pregnant, TBH], I do agree that the lack of consideration that the show has given the documentary conceit this season is a huge fault. The proposal subplot tonight kind of highlighted that - come on, show, you used to be able to convey an series of emotions without needing an unrealistically honest talking head to pin down every stage.
The proposal subplot tonight kind of highlighted that - come on, show, you used to be able to convey an series of emotions without needing an unrealistically honest talking head to pin down every stage. SERIOUSLY.
Season 4 has some stuff that was really going for it (i.e. EVERYTHING INVOLVING RYAN AND KELLY) but I just felt like the overall execution was so... lackluster. BUT YOU KNOW. Next year.
Haha, remember in Fun Run how Jim and Pam actually tried to hide their relationship from the cameras? Or Boys and Girls, when Pam is all "they don't even make houses like that in Scranton, so I'm never going to---" and it's ACCIDENTAL TRUTH?
I mean, even in S3, when Pam was super open with the cameras because with Jim gone they were pretty much all she had left, she was careful with her words. I was thrown by how plainly she was speaking about expecting the proposal and having it not happen.
That's exactly what I was getting at. It's almost like lately they're using the talking heads as a way to narratively reveal inner monologue, which, just, no. They're not supposed to work that way!
I couldn't agree more, with every word, basically. If anyone ever asks me why I'm barely invested in the show anymore, and why watching it hardly interests me anymore -- I will watch it, but I don't particularly care if I miss it, which makes me sad -- I'll just point them here. S2 was... wonderful. But the funny thing is, as soon as S3 started, I realized that in S2 they'd hit their stride. Somehow, I knew it was all downhill from there; it was just a matter of the speed of the decline.
Oh, and I would happily never see an hour-long episode again. NBC is abusing the format, which is only hurting the show further.
I loved S3. S2 was television as its VERY FINEST and I don't know that anyone could've recreated this, but they did a better job following that than basically any other show could've. I don't know. These writers are still technically brilliant, and there is a delusional part of me that will continue clinging to the hope that they'll pick up the pace again, even though that almost never happens in the TV world.
God, DO NOT get me started on the damn hour longs. It's such a money-grubbing NBC technique. Like, you know the execs who ordered more for s5 don't give a shit about what it does to the show.
I think "love" is too strong a word for my feelings about S3. I liked it very much, but I loved S2. But yeah, I try and read the signs on the wall, considering that TV almost never picks itself up and fixes what's wrong; it's all hindsight. The Office is free to surprise me any time, but I won't exactly be holding my breath.
I hate NBC a lot. The only other network I hate more is FOX.
AHAHA, I don't mind unlocking this if you really actually want.
My role in fandom is to play the deluded, perpetual optimist. I have a really hard time letting go of my characters.
I took so much vindictive pleasure in the fact that all of NBC's new shows for next year look like crap, I'm not going to lie. ENJOY SUCKING, NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY.
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It truly is. I think they stopped trying to push the 'It's a documentary!' on us, because we got used to it, and they felt like they didn't have to try, anymore - which is always something that contributes to downfalls of shows. Maybe if they felt like the show is struggling again, it could get back to the days of yore (I know it'll never happen.) But you're right, it has changed (evolved?) and who knows if it's for the better or worse, but let's hope there is no actor's strike to mess with Season 5, because when this show is given free reign to go for broke, it can be amazing.
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I do think the creative staff of this show is phenomenal, and I know they had a lot more to deal with this season than they did before because of strike and everything -- but they really are capable of so much more. Here's to hoping season 5 is an improvement!
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I keep thinking about this! Remember how in the first post-strike interviews Jenna (I think? John too, maybe?) was talking about how they didn't expect to do anything else with Jim and Pam because there were only six episodes, but once they got their scripts there was a curveball. The thing is, they didn't need to do anything with Jim and Pam. They could've focused on Dwight/Angela/Andy if this is how they wanted to finish it off. We didn't ask for engagement buildup, we didn't need it. They could've sprinkled a couple of random Jim/Pam moments in there and it would've been FINE, but they did it and the way they chose to do it is just... such a damn cop out. I mean, he had the ring in his hand, Carrie! He paid for that damn carnival, and that moment meant relatively SO LITTLE to Andy. AND ANGELA IS HITTING DWIGHT ON THE SIDE, I just, damn it ( ... )
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I usually get less annoyed as time goes on, but I'm getting more pissed off as the hours pass. This is like Phyllis' Wedding, except we don't have a good ten episodes left to rectify the mess. This felt more like a February sweeps episode and probably would have been fine as such.
They just really messed things up this season.
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This felt more like a February sweeps episode and probably would have been fine as such.
SERIOUSLY. Had this happened in February, I might've even liked it? Midseason disappointments are so much more okay, and there was a lot about this episode that did work (Kevin! Kelly!), but the fact that there is NO MORE, and there isn't another chance for three months, I just, god damn it, WHY?
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SERIOUSLY.
Season 4 has some stuff that was really going for it (i.e. EVERYTHING INVOLVING RYAN AND KELLY) but I just felt like the overall execution was so... lackluster. BUT YOU KNOW. Next year.
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I mean, even in S3, when Pam was super open with the cameras because with Jim gone they were pretty much all she had left, she was careful with her words. I was thrown by how plainly she was speaking about expecting the proposal and having it not happen.
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Oh, and I would happily never see an hour-long episode again. NBC is abusing the format, which is only hurting the show further.
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I loved S3. S2 was television as its VERY FINEST and I don't know that anyone could've recreated this, but they did a better job following that than basically any other show could've. I don't know. These writers are still technically brilliant, and there is a delusional part of me that will continue clinging to the hope that they'll pick up the pace again, even though that almost never happens in the TV world.
God, DO NOT get me started on the damn hour longs. It's such a money-grubbing NBC technique. Like, you know the execs who ordered more for s5 don't give a shit about what it does to the show.
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I think "love" is too strong a word for my feelings about S3. I liked it very much, but I loved S2. But yeah, I try and read the signs on the wall, considering that TV almost never picks itself up and fixes what's wrong; it's all hindsight. The Office is free to surprise me any time, but I won't exactly be holding my breath.
I hate NBC a lot. The only other network I hate more is FOX.
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My role in fandom is to play the deluded, perpetual optimist. I have a really hard time letting go of my characters.
I took so much vindictive pleasure in the fact that all of NBC's new shows for next year look like crap, I'm not going to lie. ENJOY SUCKING, NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY.
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