The Office: Season Two
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Movie Reviews of The Office: Season Two
Movie Review: And the Dundie for top DVD...
Summary: 5 Stars
For anyone who has sat in an office 40 hours a week, working for an incompetent boss in an atmosphere that seems to suck the life out of everyone and everything, The Office is for you.
And then again, even if you are one of the lucky people who doesn't have to deal with any of the above, you will still probably laugh like crazy at a phenomenal season of comedic television.
Based on the British series of the same name, the American version of The Office truly made a name for itself in this second season. The stories and the characters branched from the British version (which I have never seen, but I here is fantastic) and the show took on a life of its own.
The root of the success can surely be traced to the fantastic job done by Steve Carell. Playing Dunder-Mifflin regional manager Michael Scott, Carell is a pure genius. Michael's seemingly complete lack of common sense comes through again and again as he deals with his group of paper company employees. And while Michael is clueless at times, in this season it becomes quite obvious that he was (and still is) a good salesman and is truly just a lonely guy looking to make friends and fit in somewhere in the world. In season two Michael "accidently" explores a relationship with his boss, Jan Levinson (recurring star Melora Hardin), purchases a condo and actually begins dating his realtor Carol, played by Carell's real life wife, Nancy Walls. He is also faced with the task of firing someone, tries to get everyone's spirits up at the Dunder Mifflin Awards (The Dundies) and on a motivational booze cruise.
While Carell carries the cast, it is the supporting cast of characters that make the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin what it is. Rainn Wilson is a delight as Michael's loyal lieutenant Dwight Shrute. He has complete faith in Michael and does whatever crazy task his boss asks him to do. Dwight is particularly hilarious in an episode where he dons his volunteer sheriff uniform and tries to figure out who left half a joint in the parking lot. His secret relationship with uptight accountant Angela (recurring star Angela Kinsey) is also quite funny to watch.
BJ Novak, who is also one of the writers on the show, is a temp in the office and often finds himself assigned to do personal errands for Michael. As Ryan Howard, it almost seems like Novak knows the suffering atmosphere that an office provides and he does a good job of portraying that. His "relationship" with co-worker Kelly (recurring star and writer Mindy Kaling) is also a laugh, as she seems stuck to him and he can't get out of the relationship no matter how much he may want to.
But, stealing the show in season two were Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) and Pam Beesley (Jenna Fisher). Jim is a salesman and Pam is the receptionist. They have a very close friendship and often team up to screw with Dwight. One of my favorites was when they convinced him that it was Friday when it was actually Thursday and he didn't show up on Friday morning. Jim and Pam's chemistry is obvious and viewers know through the interviews with Jim that he has feelings for Pam. Of course he can't act on them because she is engaged to warehouse worker Roy (recurring star David Denman) and they are set to be married. The will they or won't they vibe carried through the whole season and though I won't spoil the season finale, the final scene made for a great cliffhanger over the summer, one that is still being worked out as season three has gotten under way.
Filling out the Dunder Mifflin office are a number of recurring stars: Leslie David Baker (the no-nonsense Stanley), Brian Baumgartner (accountant and wanna-be rock star Kevin), Oscar Nunez (in the closet accountant Oscar), Creed Bratton (the kleptomaniac salesman Creed), Paul Lieberstein (Human Resource's Toby, often the brunt of abuse from Michael), Phyllis Smith (quiet saleswoman Phyllis) and Kate Flannery (the office drunk, Meredith). David Koechner does a funny turn as a salesman, and Hardin does a great job as Jan. She really gets the chance to shine in a number of episodes during this season.
And while the 22 great episodes would be reason enough to buy this set, there is much more to it than that. There are a number of great commentaries from cast members and crew. There are a number of deleted scenes for every single episode, as well as a nice gag reel. There are Olympic Promos featuring the staff and also the fake PSA's that the actors did for NBC. There is also a 10-webisode series called The Accountants, featuring Angela, Oscar and Kevin. Steve Carell does an interview with himself promoting the movie 40-Year-Old Virgin as well.
All told, this is a great show, with great extras and a well-done set. Additionally, it makes you feel like maybe your job really isn't all that bad.
Movie Review: The legendary second season
Summary: 5 Stars
22 episodes
SPECIAL FEATURES
1. Deleted scenes
2. Faces of Scranton
3. Webisodes from [...]: The Accountants
4. Blooper Reel
5. Fake PSA's
6. Olympics Promo
7. Steve on Steve
8. 10 episode commentaries
Total Viewing Time: 1247 minutes
When I first got into The Office, I started with season two. I knew season one only had six episodes and I wanted something to really dig into. Since season two had 22 episodes and has been regarded as the best season of the show I started with this season.
The way The Office works is simple - it's hilarious because of awkward moments, long pauses, great facial expressions, terrific writing and of course, Michael Scott. I could go on and on about why The Office has become one of my favorite TV shows over the last few months (I started extremely late catching on with all the hype) but enough people have already done that. But all I will say is that the show never gets old and all the characters are extremely strong in their roles. Dwight is an obvious fan favorite, and the love wraparound between Jim and Pam is impressively well done through the season. But a personal favorite character for me is the always bizarre - and in a world of his own - Creed Bratton. He's hilarious with the simplest of dialogue, and that's how all characters work here: the writers play to their strength and what a individual says actually comes across as what they would say.
There are no lackluster episodes, and many great ones. I personally rated six episodes over "9.0" and a whopping 11 episodes between "8.0 - 8.9" which obviously goes to show how much I personally enjoyed the season.
The four disc DVD set comes with a slip over case that unveils a fold out package. The disc are placed on top of each other (2 per page), which is a set up that I strongly disagree with. To get to disc 2 you have to take out disc 1 first. This could cause problems with disc falling out and getting scratched more easily. If you're careful with your sets, this shouldn't be a huge problem, but it's still a minor annoyance. The fold out also gives you episode descriptions and what episodes are on which disc.
The Office season two excels with the special features. 10 full length commentaries with cast and crew - and each commentary has about seven people involved which makes it a fun listen. They do offer some interesting tidbits and the episodes fly by as they blabber on and on. The commentaries never drag, and people do good jobs of not talking while others are talking. However, Steve Carell is absent - but John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson do a lot of commentaries to make up for the loss.
There are a staggering amount of deleted scenes - over two hours of footage! And where most deleted scenes on films and TV shows are pointless and boring, The Office has great deleted scenes. Some I was stunned to see didn't make the cut (mainly for running time) and many felt like a shorter additional episode. Fantastic and must be watched.
The webisodes are decent as they focus on the accountants of Dunder Mifflin dealing with three thousand dollars missing from an account. And the blooper reel is hysterical. Again, as the commentaries do - they really show how great everyone gets along and how much fun they have. There was rarely a time that I myself wasn't laughing out loud with the bloopers as characters couldn't keep it together. I personally would've been cut after a few days because I never would be able to make it through a scene.
The rest of the special features (listed above) are pretty short and nothing special. The most questionable is the "Steve on Steve" which features a preview for The 40-Year Old Virgin... it just seemed a tad odd and out of place for The Office, and especially years later after that film came out, but it's nothing that ruins anything.
If you know someone who wants to get into The Office, I would say to start with season two and later on go back to season one later. Season two is still (after five seasons) my favorite season and the best DVD box-set for the show. And with over 1200 minutes of running time, you certainly get your money's worth. And the episodes I've found to watch repeated viewings without it losing any of its hilariousness.
A classic season and a phenomenal box set. If you're a fan of The Office, you'll love this set. And if you're a fan of comedy and are debating on starting getting into this show, season two will suck you in and make you a fan almost instantly.
9.4 THE SHOW ITSELF
8.9 VISUALS
8.5 SOUND
8.1 PACKAGING
9.6 EXTRAS
9.8/10 FINAL VERDICT
Movie Review: Otherwise it's just malfeasance for malfeasance's sake.
Summary: 5 Stars
Typically whenever I see an American remake of anything that British hands have touched, I cringe. I don't just cringe, I yell, followed by a yelp, and then I begin to spasm. It isn't a pretty sight, so after viewing the BBC masterpiece "The Office" with David Brent helming the office that anyone that has ever worked for the corporate world has endured time and time again, I was extremely nervous about this American version that was going to invade our weekly lineup. Could any cast successfully do what Gervais so originally did? Would/Could it translate to non-intelligent American viewers? My thought was no, but thankfully Gervais stuck with it, brought aboard the amazingly gifted Carell to lead this eerily real office into the American living room. Within the first several episodes of the sporadic first season, I was hooked, but it was this second season that transformed me into a true fan.
Michael Scott, a name now synonymous with images of any office boss, is the head of Dunder Mifflin's Scranton office, whose passion is for humor and friendship, not necessarily the best interest of the office. What makes Scott the quintessential boss is that he is decent at his job, but is only there due to the elusive "grandfather" clause, demonstrated in any corporate environment when the least qualified gets the job due mainly in part to his dedication to the company - not necessarily their quality of workmanship. Scott is not the smartest in the office, and the hijinks ensue due to the fact that those coworkers around him are not afraid to exploit the opportunity at any given moment. In fact, what makes this show work is not just Carell's character, but those surrounding him on a daily basis. The one weakness that the BBC "Office" had trouble with is exactly what makes this program stand out. The BBC version focused directly on Brent, and not quite taking him out of his office element or allowing us to see what laid behind those unreinforced walls. In the series by NBC, we have such a humanistic view of the office. There are those that we care about, there are those that we laugh at, there are those we feel sympathy towards, and there are those that we just simply relate to. It was the drama of the office this second season that transformed me into a fan. The relationship between Dwight and Jim, thus the relationship between Jim and Pam, as well as the spawning diabolical relationship between the Temp and Kelly (of which I am constantly laughing).
I don't want to go so far as to say that I am a "fanboy" of this series, honestly, I still like the BBC the best, but this American version continues to make me laugh after several viewings. The characters are so strong, detailed, and each individually their own person. That is odd to hear, but I believe one could create a whole series around each character and still have a great program. Obviously, Dwight Schrute has become a stand out character, but it is because of the genuinely strong writing style, the Christopher Guest style of mockumentary, and the "edge-of-your-couch" nervousness that each episode brings that each character is allowed to shine. I like the layout of the series as well. There are genuine heart-felt moments being uprooted between Scott and his "ladies", Jim and Pam, as well as the inner office connection between Schrute and (insert your guess here). As audience members, we get more from this series than we did with the short-lived three season BBC version. I know these characters better, I laugh at the absurdities mainly because I have experienced the same in Corporate America. I laugh because it's true.
Personal favorite episodes from the season:
"Bring your Daughter to Work Day"
"Casino Night"
"Boys and Girls"
"Drug Testing"
"The Injury" (can I look at a George Foreman the same?)
Overall, I have to suggest this series to everyone out there. I am not going to drool over the box because with each season the creators of this show walk a fine line. They could utterly destroy the foundation by elongating the series too much or by forgetting the BBC roots OR even get caught up in the hype surrounding the characters - but for now, I am happy. Gervais hasn't sold out in my eyes, he has brought a crisp, original, intelligent new program for the American audiences, and it surprises me that we have grasped it openly. Now, if we could only get more people to watch and enjoy "Curb your Enthusiasm", the war would be ours!
Grade: ***** out of *****
Movie Review: Second season pure comedic genius
Summary: 5 Stars
When "The Office" first appeared on NBC the show used many of the basic plots for the brief first season. In comparison to the British inspiration these shows were good but it's clear that the series hadn't found its own voice yet. That can't be said of the glorious, hilarious second season which actually surpasses its inspiration. Steve Carell can sell things with such sincerity and plays the role of Michael so perfectly straight that his deadpan approach fits the series like a glove.
An excellent transfer from Universal "The Office" looks marvelous in this transfer. The show is shot in HD video so there aren't any analog problems that crop up. Audio sounds terrific as well the box says it's 5.1 but it sounded like a 5.0 mix to me although the surround speakers are used well for ambient sound keep in mind this is a dialogue driven show like most sitcoms.
We have bloopers, parodies of the "The More You Know" commercial spots that NBC periodically runs on topics such as not eating black jellybeans, meteors, using the word smell in everyday conversation, taping sex (and forgetting to erase it). "Steve on Steve" faces himself in interview for both "The Office" and "The 40 Year Old Virgin". It's pretty clever. The "Olympic Promos" are pretty funny as well. We also get on 10 episodes featuring a variety of cast and crew. I only had time to listen to a couple of them and both were amusing at the very least. The two I had time to listen to for this review were "Drug Testing" and "Casino Night" two of my favorites from this season (they also happen to be the last two episodes of the season as well). Unfortunately Steve Carell doesn't appear on either one of these commentary tracks (as producer/writer Greg Daniels jokingly notes on "Casino Night" which Carell wrote, "he's too busy working on his movie career". In fact he doesn't appear on any of the tracks as he was in the midst of shooting a film.
Disc three features "The Faces of Scranton" the short film that Michael made for one episode. It's amusing. Back on disc four we have the webisodes are pretty amusing as well but they lack a play all feature so you have to go back to the special features menu to play them individually. It's odd that this was forgotten but a minor annoyance. There are also two hours of deleted scenes throughout the set. Interestingly a couple of cast members write as well as appear in the series which probably accounts for the fact that it found its own creative and comedic voice surpassing the original British series during its second season. The deleted scenes usually follow each episode and can be played individually.
A dry, hilarious sitcom about the misadventures in the workplace, "The Office" came into its own during its second season departing from the British inspiration. The show managed to find its own voice and tone with the appealing writing of Daniels, Carell and cast member B. J. Novak among others. The extras are terrific and, with the exception of some minor issues such as the deleted scenes not being presented in enhanced 16X9 mode (which means they're letterboxed for those who have widescreen TVs) and the lack of a "play all" feature for the webisodes this is a pretty terrific set. The first season only consisted of six episodes so fans of the show will be in heaven with this set. Every one of the episodes from the "The Dundies" to the faux award show to the episode on "Sexual Harassment" to "Casino Night" there are no misfires during season two. This is a gem of a set well worth picking up for fans of the show. I would suggest renting though for those folks who haven't watched the show to see if the dry humor of the series will appeal to you.
Movie Review: "If You Like Her So Much, Don't Give Up"
Summary: 5 Stars
As a fan of the original series, I had a certain level of skepticism when I heard they were remaking the hit series domestically in the USA. I mean, how were they going to recreate characters such as David Brent, Gareth, Keith, & the workplace of Wernham-Hogg....in Scranton, Pa.?! Well, Greg Daniels & his crew step up to the plate in the 2nd season of this Emmy winning show. The first season of the Office had ho-hum ratings & a bleek future-since then, The USA team have done a tremendous job in growing it's US fanbase, continuing to develop it's characters, & making me a firm believer in the show.
IMHO, the development of the office love triangle has taken on a new life-maybe due to the number of episodes for the development of the characters? But this would be selling the actors that play Jim, Pam, & Roy(he's more likeable than his UK counterpart) short, in addition to the terrific writers: the UK series' fans are already familiar with this story arc, but after watching the 2nd season, we really began to feel for Jim-moreso than Tim from the UK-the quintessential good guys in the office. One can't help but root for Jim & his broken heart, as he deals with being a "friend" when he wants so much more. Why so? Credit John Krasinski/Jenna Fischer & their tremendous chemistry together. This show relies on the small details & nuisances, which is an area these two excel in. Watch as Jim stares at Pam & Roy holding each other, or when Pam tries to tell Jim words that she doesn't have the courage to say(at the Dundee's).
I think my favorite supporting charcters this season were Stanley(sales), Darrell(warehouse), Jan(Michael's boss), & Toby(HR)-Michael's absolute hatred for Toby just cracks me up. And how could I not mention Bob Vance, of Vance Refrigeration?
And of course, we have to recognize Michael Scott coming into his own-his character was somewhat uninteresting in it's initial stages. With David Brent still fresh in our minds/hearts, this was perhaps the most difficult obstacle for the US version of The Office: how were they going to replace the ultimate, pathetic legend? Well, they did it by developing his character: while he is inspired by the concept of David Brent, the writers have done a credible job in letting Michael Scott be...well, Michael Scott. He is a buffoon of the highest calibur, but we also learn that 1)-he is actually pretty good with kids(Toby's daughter) 2)-he is willing to stick his neck out for Jan(although he is usually the main culprit for her problems) 3)-he is actually competent as a salesman-perhaps even gifted? He gets an important account in one episode, totally impressing Jan.
I'm sure the most memorable moment for many viewers was in the casino night episode involving Jim & Pam- but the scene that sticks out the most was when Michael tells Jim (during the booze cruise) to not give up on Pam.
"Don't ever, ever give up."
The scene is remarkable b/c he is the one person capable of giving what Jim needs: hope. How such powerful words come out of a man this idiotic is an absolute mystery.
I highly recommend the series & the dvd set-upgrades over the first season dvd set in it's presentation. It's got some nice features, & it's worth it to see many of the deleted scenes that unfortunately had to be omitted for airing. For the skeptics out there, give the workers at Dundler Mifflin a chance.