The Office

[Danny]

Wow, I like Andy and I thought this episode was going to end with him rising up like he did and getting his job back with nellie being off the show. What a disappointing result. If she is the manager going forward, im done watching.

The worst two characters on the show in order are her and RObert California who is now a bubbling and spineless idiot.

[Danny]

What really makes this show work over all the season was likeable / interesting characters that you could root for. Nellie and Robert are neither interesting nor likeable.

[OldGiants]

Andy losing his job makes his eventual redemption even more enjoyable. No question the Brit bitch is an awful character, but that makes her fall something to watch for. If Andy had triumphed last night it would have trivialized the buildup.

As long as they have gags like "Penial Softiosis" and Creed commenting in the background, I'm in.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Danny

What really makes this show work over all the season was likeable / interesting characters that you could root for. Nellie and Robert are neither interesting nor likeable.

Well, Robert is gone next season. Nelly might be another matter.

[Danny]

Last night's episode was actually good.

[Draft Dodger]

yeah, but who came up with the Nelly character? that is just brutal to watch

[Mota]

Is this the attempt to fix a screwed up season? Seems like it.

[Swaggs]

I thought the first episode was pretty solid.

The "Plop" and "Dwight Jr." characters seemed like they have potential and the story lines with Jim/Pam and Oscar/Angela seem promising.

Loved Creed's testimonial at the end ("there were Jim and Dwight impersonators").

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

I thought the first episode was pretty solid.

The "Plop" and "Dwight Jr." characters seemed like they have potential and the story lines with Jim/Pam and Oscar/Angela seem promising.

Loved Creed's testimonial at the end ("there were Jim and Dwight impersonators").

"All in the day of a dog food company"

I had high hopes that this could be a great final season because Greg Daniels was coming back. There are some good potential storylines being developed and some funny moments. It's a good start, but I'm hoping for even better.

[Raiders Army]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

"All in the day of a dog food company"

I had high hopes that this could be a great final season because Greg Daniels was coming back. There are some good potential storylines being developed and some funny moments. It's a good start, but I'm hoping for even better.

Great point. The worst part of the episode was when they were tying up the storylines from last season. Other than that, it's an auspicious beginning.

[Passacaglia]

That was horrible -- we only got through 15 minutes.

[Swaggs]

Must have been the pilot for Dwight's spinoff.

Was terrible.

[saldana]

the best part was Packer's license plate

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Must have been the pilot for Dwight's spinoff.

Was terrible.

Even my daughter said "yeah, I can see why that didn't get picked up."

[Passacaglia]

It didn't get picked up? Then why did they air it?

[Swaggs]

I think they must have filmed it for the spin off, the network recognized it was terrible, and then weaved it into the Packer storyline.

Since the show is ending, maybe they decided to use it as an opportunity to have Dwight leave Dunder Mifflin.

[Draft Dodger]

even as the show has declined, I have enjoyed it. but that was one of the most painful 30 minutes of TV that I can remember.

I wasn't aware that the spinoff had been canceled, but thank God someone came to their senses. Holy cow that was as bad as bad can get.

I feel that the Dwight character has really lost his way over the years. Instead of some high-strung oddball with no self-awareness he's turned into some creepy, unfunny Amish bully. Too bad - he used to be extremely entertaining.

[Mota]

Yeah that was a horrible, horrible episode! This show needs to end, and soon.

I can't believe that the original creators returned for this season and gave us this. Talk about having no direction at all. Remember Andy as the lovable loser that the team rallied behind? This season he has been one of the least likeable characters of any show that I can remember.

[Julio Riddols]

The only thing I have even kind of liked about the recent episodes was a few good pranks on Dwight. The whole sound guy getting involved stuff was just stupid, and everything has sort of splintered into this mess. I just wonder what the finale is going to be like. I'm hoping the company finally goes under and they have one last office party before they all end up without jobs. Maybe old cast members show up, some kind of post script is added, and there are a few flashbacks or the good stuff.

[MizzouRah]

The cupcake aftermath was funny.. but the rest was meh...

[Danny]

Most of this season hasn't been great, but last nights episode was fantastic

[Draft Dodger]

disagree with the first part but very much agree with the second. definitely one of the better episodes in a while.

[Danny]

This season has been ok, sod good ones, some not so good ones, didnt like the Jim-Pam sound boom guy stuff

[Logan]

Bump for tonight's series finale. There's an hour long "retrospective" airing before as well.

I like that they chose to advance the story six months for the final episode.

[MizzouRah]

I'm going to miss you..

[Crapshoot]

What Todd said. Last two seasons were not... good, and loyalty is all that has kept me around, but a couple of episodes have still managed to hit, and its easily one of my top 5 TV shows of the past 10 years (Arrested Development, Firefly, The Wire - with others like Community et all closeby).

[GrantDawg]

Goodbye's suck.


That was one of the best series finally's ever in my book.

[samifan24]

I enjoyed tonight's finale despite not watching the show for at least the last three seasons. At its height it was an incredible comedy and paved the way for the now famous mockumentary style we see in so many shows today. I own the first four or five seasons on DVD and just started watching them in order again with my girlfriend. Revisiting those characters again is a lot of fun.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by samifan24

I enjoyed tonight's finale despite not watching the show for at least the last three seasons. At its height it was an incredible comedy and paved the way for the now famous mockumentary style we see in so many shows today. I own the first four or five seasons on DVD and just started watching them in order again with my girlfriend. Revisiting those characters again is a lot of fun.

Pretty much my sentiments exactly.

Fantastic finale. I had a grin across my face the entire time.

[RainMaker]

You can't do a finale much better than that.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by samifan24

I enjoyed tonight's finale despite not watching the show for at least the last three seasons. At its height it was an incredible comedy and paved the way for the now famous mockumentary style we see in so many shows today. I own the first four or five seasons on DVD and just started watching them in order again with my girlfriend. Revisiting those characters again is a lot of fun.

I could not stop beaming like a christmas tree throughout it, especially Michael's one liner. And that painting of the office always killed me.

[chinaski]

Fantastic way to wrap it up, got a little choked up even. Last couple seasons have been a little meh to me, but im really going to miss it.

[MrBug708]

It was a good episode. I thought Erin finding her mom was a little over the top, but her dad being there was dumb.

I will miss it!

[Swaggs]

Really enjoyed the finale, as well. Broad range of emotions. Creed was amazing -- from them finally acknowledging/recognizing who he is/was to his final scene with the cops. I liked the Kevin stuff, too.

The only nicks I would give it is that there was no Jan or Karen (not even a mention, unless I missed it) or Holly (sort of explained, with the children presumably) and that it would have been an A+ if Michael would have come to the after party. It seemed a little disappointing not to have him sitting around, reminiscing with the rest of the crew. I'm sure those were all casting issues, so not a huge issue with it, just would have felt more complete to me.

[PackerFanatic]

I could not have been more pleased. What a way to end an incredible show. It fell flat last season after Michael left in season 7, but they really picked it up and sent it off well this year. Great, great show.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Really enjoyed the finale, as well. Broad range of emotions. Creed was amazing -- from them finally acknowledging/recognizing who he is/was to his final scene with the cops. I liked the Kevin stuff, too.

The only nicks I would give it is that there was no Jan or Karen (not even a mention, unless I missed it) or Holly (sort of explained, with the children presumably) and that it would have been an A+ if Michael would have come to the after party. It seemed a little disappointing not to have him sitting around, reminiscing with the rest of the crew. I'm sure those were all casting issues, so not a huge issue with it, just would have felt more complete to me.

I liked it - he didn't want to overshadow the cast, which made sense, and his two lines of economy were enough - plus Pam's line about Michael finally having a "family plan?" If that didn't make you jump with joy, you're dead on the inside.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

I liked it - he didn't want to overshadow the cast, which made sense, and his two lines of economy were enough - plus Pam's line about Michael finally having a "family plan?" If that didn't make you jump with joy, you're dead on the inside.

Yeah. Plus, I'm pretty sure "Shrute Farms" is an off campus site. They worked hard to try and keep Micheal's return a secret, and I don't think they could have if he actually did anything on set.

[Bako]

I've watched the retrospective and finale twice. I don't think they could have done it any better.

[Solecismic]

I felt the opposite of how I felt about the Seinfeld finale (loved it, though many didn't). Too happy. Not that I don't like the characters, but it seemed more to play off our emotions about these characters, built over nine years, than to advance our own experience watching. It's nice that everyone had an ending. But too much "oh look, it's Erin's long-lost mother" and "oh, look, Michael and Holly have kids" and "oh look, Pam secretly sold the house perfectly on cue and Jim's going to be a big success in Austin" and "oh look, Dwight's really a kind, unselfish leader after all."

I don't think it was necessary. The Creed stuff was funny. The gag with people giving Angela cats as a wedding gift was funny. Otherwise, it was all just a little tediously happy, and a reminder that even a little Steve Carell is pretty good - he is one of those true comedy geniuses.

[chadritt]

Im the weird guy who wasnt bothered by the erins parents thing. Maybe its because, in my experience, that does happen with reality show/documentary participants/people who get famous?

[Daimyo]

Great finale, up there with Six Feet Under for best finale.

I actually thought the whole final season was solid which surprised me because last season was horrible.

[terpkristin]

Based on my Twitter feed and here, I guess I'm one of the only people that didn't like the finale.

Good riddance, that show got sooooo bad.

/tk

[Danny]

The Erin parents thing was corny, but so is Erin, so it fit with the character.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Based on my Twitter feed and here, I guess I'm one of the only people that didn't like the finale.

Good riddance, that show got sooooo bad.

/tk

No, we're with you.

[Danny]

You both know nothing

[MizzouRah]

The Finale was awesome.. I'm really going to miss this show.

[Izulde]

I thought the finale was brilliant in terms of the sense of satisfaction and closure it gave to the experience, which not too many TV series or novels for that matter, manage to successfully pull off. So I loved it.

I agree Season 8 and most of Season 9 (bar the last few episodes) fell short of the standard set up by the earlier seasons, and I absolutely hated Will Ferrell (thankfully that was only a short run), B.J. Novak's Ryan character, and Gabe.

But overall, this was an amazing series that I could see myself watching episodes of again and again, which I didn't think would be the case when I started watching it a couple months ago I think it was, as I had doubts about the whole mockumentary premise.

[Izulde]

So I tried the British version of The Office. Gave up after about 10-15 minutes.

The big difference between Ricky Gervais and Steve Carrell's portrayals is that underneath Carrell's Michael Scott, there's a certain kind of genuine earnestness and sweetness that allows us to feel some degree of sympathy and liking for him, which allows us to see how in the hell all these women can be attracted to him and how he manages to pull off those sales he does.

Gervais's character? Hateful dick through and through, with nothing redeeming about him. At all. Maybe this changes later in the series, but I was so put off by it, I got bored and kept thinking of the US version.

The Pam/Dwight/Jim/Jan characters just felt colorless and lifeless to me at first interaction, though I'm willing to concede I probably didn't watch enough yet to give them a fair shake.

I'll try it again later at some point, but I started watching The League and got immediately hooked on that. As silly, over the top, and in many ways completely unrealistic as it is, I found it pretty damn hilarious.

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by Izulde

So I tried the British version of The Office. Gave up after about 10-15 minutes.

The big difference between Ricky Gervais and Steve Carrell's portrayals is that underneath Carrell's Michael Scott, there's a certain kind of genuine earnestness and sweetness that allows us to feel some degree of sympathy and liking for him, which allows us to see how in the hell all these women can be attracted to him and how he manages to pull off those sales he does.

Gervais's character? Hateful dick through and through, with nothing redeeming about him. At all. Maybe this changes later in the series, but I was so put off by it, I got bored and kept thinking of the US version.

The Pam/Dwight/Jim/Jan characters just felt colorless and lifeless to me at first interaction, though I'm willing to concede I probably didn't watch enough yet to give them a fair shake.

I'll try it again later at some point, but I started watching The League and got immediately hooked on that. As silly, over the top, and in many ways completely unrealistic as it is, I found it pretty damn hilarious.

I feel the exact opposite. British series is heartfelt, caring, funny, unbelievable awkward, and pays off in every possible way. US version is a cartoon.

[panerd]

I don't feel like one has to be good and the other bad. Both versions are two of my favorite tv comedies of all time. I think it is probably easier if you see the UK version first because the US version has hundreds of episodes to start identifying the characters. That said Gervais singing in the group circle, the Christmas specials, and the finale are top notch tears in eyes comedy. (So is the first season of Extras by the way.) I would give it a few more episodes and you will start to enjoy the characters.

EDIT: And Gervais character is incredibly complex and perfectly acted.