The Office: Season Three
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Movie Reviews of The Office: Season Three
Movie Review: Gains My Respect For Developing Characters Instead Of Relying On Repetition
Summary: 5 Stars
To be brutally honest, the second season of this show (the one preceding this one) will most likely be viewed as the funniest of the bunch, as the show was still incredibly fresh and the writers still had a large bank of ideas from which to draw on. Season Three, while still incredibly funny, didn't have quite the extra "oomph" that the second season had (what with the incredible Jim & Pam romance). That being said, after finishing this third installment of the show, I actually have gained even more respect for the writers and actors, as they didn't fall into the "same old, same old" trap of many comedies and instead kept right on developing the characters we have come to know and love.
The biggest change, of course, is the separation of Jim and Pam. As the third season opens, Jim has taken a position at the Stanford branch of Dunder-Mifflin (away from "beloved" Scranton) to try and escape the awkwardness of the Pam/Roy relationship (which begins to experience trouble of its own). This move, while losing the playfulness of the interactions of those two characters (which I consider to be the backbone of the entire show), actually serves to give the show more credibility, as you will be pulling even more for the couple to be re-united (whether or not that actually happens is for you to find out!).
Another curveball from the previous season is the development of characters from the Stanford branch. While season two essentially takes place almost exclusively inside the Scranton office, this season spends a considerable amount of time following Jim as he meets and interacts with his new co-workers. Again, this may not be what you want to see in the short-term, but it eventually serves to give the show an even stronger base of characters in Andy Bernard and Karen Fillipelli (a potential love-interest for Jim).
However, besides the "loss" of Jim and Pam for the time being, the rest of the show still rolls along with laugh after laugh. Michael Scott shines brighter than ever, Dwight is still hilarious, and the supporting cast does a remarkable job of keeping themselves relevant to the ongoing storylines.
Thus, although this season is a bit weaker than the two previous ones due to the factors described above, I have to give the writers/creators credit for not falling into the trap of repetition and allowing the show to grow stale. Instead, they stretch things in a whole new capacity and, by the end of the season, end up a better show for it going forward.
Movie Review: Season Three: The Rise of Ryan
Summary: 5 Stars
I usually do not post many comments, but wanted to discuss how the character of Ryan is very interesting. At first glance, you almost feel sorry for him being the office temp and the subject of Michael's harrassment, business school on the side, etc. Go back and watch the shows again (focus on Ryan, I know, it's hard to concentrate on any character since the show is busy....); he is not that nice (not giving Jim his desk upon return, asking about former girlfriends,the scathing review of Dunder Miflin management at the business school lecture, etc) and you get the sense that he is biding his time, waiting to get ahead. The last ten seconds of the season three finale show gave the writers a fantastic position to explore next season (not just about how Kelly will handle it). Ryan is cold, and it will be a shock to the Pam and Jim followers of the show. Just another reason to watch this multi-facet show. IMHO, the show will get dark and reveal a different angle of business at Dunder-Mifflin. The relationship between the corporate office and the local Scranton branch may become strained (especially if Michael think he taught Ryan everything to be successful!). I wonder if Ryan will still have the hots for Karen??
The meltdown of Jan could be seen from Jupiter (you just knew her behavior was in decay), the rise of Ryan was not expected!
I love this show since the characters are so enjoyable. You can see certain traits of people in your own environment. I've never had a boss as clueless as Michael Scott, but his twisted loyalty to his troops is undeniable.
Post some comments, I'd love to know what other think. At first I thought this show could not last for two years. Now I'm starting to think five to seven could be realistic. The whole "mock-u-mentory" style allows the audience to almost participate in the conversations, but to really observe. You can also see the reactions of many charatcters at once by looking around the room. They are almost always different and that contrasting style is what really makes this show work.
Just a quick update, I just watched the "what happened over the summer" trailer and it was hilarious! All of snips were great. Ryan is such a punk with that "so-cool" facial hair shadow and Kelly's critique was so much more than a scorned woman wishing her former lover well! What was up with Karen's top........
Movie Review: One of the best shows on right now
Summary: 5 Stars
Despite the fact it received tons of comparisons to the UK version, I always found the US version to be way better done. The show has finally felt like its own show and not just a simple offshoot like the other versions I've seen out there. While it does follow similar plot ideas, it kind of takes them and makes them feel fresh and not just simply "well the Brits did it so we have to do it too".
The start of the show centers on the fallout after Jim's big confession to Pam at the end of season 2. Having rejected him, twice, he has to make a change and moves to the Stamford branch. Of course, that branch closes and brings with it most of the personnel, leaving new office employees Andy and Karen. Meanwhile, Michael's still in the love/hate relationship between himself and his superior Jan while Roy is trying to get Pam back.
I tried to be intentionally small in describing the big events of this season because that's the fun out of it, in seeing how it develops and thankfully it's not handled in that unrealistic way I've seen in other shows (Grey's Anatomy fans, sorry). For example the Jim/Pam storyline has little moments to suggest their care they have still yet not fully say it such as a funny joke that no one else will get. The only one I'm not completely sold on is Andy since, while given many funny scenes or lines, he seems to be more noticeable from the other employees like he was put on the show specifically to be that wacky co-worker.
As for the comedy, there's definately elements of situation comedy where people can relate, there's just outright funny moments or lines and then of course there's that uncomfortable awkwardness that the UK did but at times I felt the British version relied on it too much, as well as their boss, David Brent. Brent was kind of an intentionally annoying and often mean-spirited guy whereas Michael Scott is just so oblivious to it.
I find it to be one of the more funnier shows on TV but also one with an actual sense of heart and characters that were endearing (unlike Tim, Dawn and Brent and a bunch of no-name people from the UK), I find it to be one of the more better-written comedies.
Movie Review: the OFFICE is OFFICESOME!!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Office is this awesome show about some cool, hip, good-looking people--Jim, Pam and Karen--who stick it to less attractive, socially awkward nerds. I LOVE watching this show because I know that Jim (who's superawesome and funny and goodloking like me) is going to mock everyone because HE'S COOLER!!! He even SLAPS DWIGHT IN THE FACE UNPROVOKED at one point and I'm like "oh hells yeah, aweseom!" Cause some people think I'm a jerk for belting on nerds but just look at THE OFFICE: Nerds deserve to be made to feel small. Not being cool IS A CRIME and jim halpert is like JUDGE DREDGE of a little state called PENNSYLVANIA--ever heard of it?
Besides nerds getting their comeuppance, the other great thing about the office is CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP!!! A billion years ago it was uncool to take corporate sponsorships. Take a hike, GRAMPS, time for THE OFFICE to get paid. Corporations like HP and Microsoft and Staples are giant rich SUCCESSFUL corporations. GUess what else is rich and successful? Me!!! So no suprise Microsoft and I both support the Office.
Plus, corporate sponsorship means MORE REALISM!!! In real life people don't say "Let's go to Office Supply Store X"--nope, they say Staples or whatever. Ok, in the real world people might talk crap about Staples or Hooters or CHili's and obviously you can't do that to the people giving your show millions of dollars. But so what? Once you get big enough and powerful enough, IT'S ALL BUT AGAINST THE LAW TO CRITICIZE THEM IN PUBLIC!!! I'd like to be that big and rich some day. Sure the office is unrealistic in some ways like, I dunno, an office of 20 middle-aged people and only one of them (Stanley) is married. Or neither Dwight nor Jim having ever been to a strip club.
But are family dynamics and sexual desire the integral components of reality? Hell no! THE UNCRITICAL USE OF BRAND NAMES is what makes reality so sprite-drinking-inducingly REAL!! Guess what? This second of reality is brought to by Coca-Cola, BENEVOLENT CORPORATE OVERLORD!!
So if you like beating up nerds, REAL REALISM and big corporations, the office is for you and me!
Movie Review: More silly good fun from Scranton, PA
Summary: 5 Stars
I've spent many an hour laughing myself silly while watching Seasons 1, 2, and now... Season 3 of the Office! I absolutely adore Steve Carrell's portrayal of petulant, immature, whiny, disrespectful, completely oblivious "boss" Michael Scott... then only to have him do a complete 180 and show himself to be so endearing, not to mention competent (!) and talented as a salesman and manager.
Highlights of Season 3 (for me):
--The introduction of Stanford employee (and transfer to Scranton) Andy Bernard. I am in love with this guy. You have not seen a person truly experience a meltdown until you have seen Andy punch a hole in the wall because he can't find his cell phone.
--Michael's "welcoming" of the new employees...WOW. All I can say is, it is pretty impressive when you have 6 people (including Jim) transfer to your office, only to have 1 get fired, 2 resign, and 1 sent to anger management training because he punched a hole in the wall (yes, that was Andy).
--Beach Day! Very funny episode. Pam doing a walk across hot coals and then declaring to Jim how she truly feels, Andy helplessly floating away in a sumo wrestling costume because Angela refuses to help him, Dwight choosing "Griffyndor" for his team's name and Jim choosing "Voldemort" just to annoy and frighten Dwight... and of course, there's more.
--Phyllis's wedding (which of course Michael nearly ruins)... awww...
--That insane scene where Roy (Pam's ex-fiance) nearly attacks Jim, only to be stopped by ... Dwight!!
--Pam and Karen vs Angela when they decide to throw separate Christmas parties. Funny, funny stuff.
My recommendation: Buy it! If you liked Seasons 1 and 2, you will most definately like/love Season 3. Now, if only that darn writers' strike would be settled...