Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, I’m concluding my coverage of The Office (2005-2013, NBC), which is currently available on DVD/Blu-ray and Peacock. Please note that for these posts, I watched and considered the regular version of the show that presently appears on cable and online — with 204 half-hour episodes total.
The Office stars RAINN WILSON as Dwight K. Schrute, JOHN KRASINSKI as Jim Halpert, JENNA FISCHER as Pam Beesly, and ED HELMS as Andy Bernard. See more here.
Original showrunner Greg Daniels returned to The Office for its ninth season and soon confirmed that it would be the series’ last, giving himself plenty of time to build to an ending. The result is a year that restores the high-concept mockumentary aspect of the premise by making a PBS documentary a formal part of the storytelling, acknowledging the production and setting up an eventual TV debut. But Nine, like its predecessor, still can’t avoid struggling to satisfyingly deliver funny stories that work well for the characters and/or capably use the low-concept workplace. So, it’s a mixed bag, for there is stuff to like; highlighting the “documentary” explicitly means this core part of the situation that was once so elementally reiterated by the show’s sense of humor is back in the fore. And I’m thrilled — it’s the perfect way to provide closure, sanctioning series-reverent nostalgia within the very bounds of its premise. Unfortunately, Nine can only deploy this conceit for drama, as it’s been unable to consistently reignite the cringe comedy that officially went out the door with Michael… but really had become difficult to maintain even before he left, as the staff grew too much like family to still be made uncomfortable by any inappropriate or unprofessional antics. This particular season also has a lot of big narrative things to accomplish — like playing with the Angela/Oscar/congressman triangle before setting up Dwight/Angela’s reunion — so its storytelling gets even more serious and soapy, crowding out those laughs (and the workplace itself) with overwrought rom-com sentiment, a lot of it unearned. That’s most obvious in the arc for Jim and Pam, as Jim takes a part-time job out of town and strains their marriage. It’s another unideal storyline because it removes a key regular from this primary setting, while their whole forced distance is another tired rom-com cliché that the series has already used, which makes it feel especially contrived and not well-motivated here in Nine. Now, I personally appreciate this impulse to resurrect Jim/Pam as a main focus — it honors the show’s history, reminding us of something that made it so great: we rooted for and cared about these characters, who seemed extra relatable because of the mockumentary framing and their initial naturalism as “real people” being filmed.
Also, it’s fascinating to have conflict injected via one of the crew members, who breaks the fourth wall to comfort Pam, suggesting a growing affection. What a play to the premise! However, the year, in responding to fan backlash, pulls its punches before a triangle develops, sparing us from more drawn-out soapy fare that’s not well-motivated… but thereby rendering it another half-measure that proves my macro point: the mockumentary part of the situation becomes high-concept drama here yet still can’t deliver much that’s great inside the low-concept office, especially with either character or comedy. Speaking of character, I respect Daniels’ use of Andy here — Nine tries to get back to more specifics and un-dilute him (hammering home his love of singing, for instance) — and with Ed Helms requiring an extended hiatus, his presence is deemphasized overall, which allots more time to other, better regulars, like Dwight. In fact, Dwight is the one core element of the series’ low-concept that, though much-broadened by now, can still provide sitcommery when asked. Yes, the failed Schrute Farms pilot is a mess, but in the context of this workplace sitcom, his affable ridiculousness is well-placed, reiterating how much the show would have been better off choosing the path of least resistance and letting him succeed Michael…. But I digress. The rest of the character work this season, is, again, a mixed bag. I don’t mind the winking self-awareness of having a mini-Dwight and mini-Jim effectively replace Kelly and Ryan (see: The Mindy Project), but the year wants to make do with Nellie without ever pinpointing who she is, and the ramping crusade for Big Event closure keeps everyone from ever being as funny as they once were. I suppose I shouldn’t be disappointed now — this is the culmination of a series-long trend, as The Office slowly grew so earnestly sentimental about itself and its characters, taking colleagues and turning them into friends/family, that regardless of how Nine opts to reinforce its premised sexy high-concept mockumentary lens, it’s got the bones of any ol’ long-running ensemble network comedy at the end of the day. And that’s what Nine ultimately confirms — The Office picked up the mantle from Cheers, from Friends, and for a while, managed the same kind of greatness. Despite the decline, it’s been my pleasure to honor it these last few months as the 21st century classic it is.
01) Episode 185: “The Target” (Aired: 11/29/12)
Angela seeks Dwight’s help in getting revenge on Oscar.
Written by Graham Wagner | Directed by Brent Forrester
I’m not crazy about the arc where Angela learns that the husband she basically cheated on has been carrying on an affair with Oscar — I think it’s supposed to be amusing that Oscar and Angela, who haven’t always gotten along, are bonded in this sordid tale, but it’s mostly plot-heavy out-of-office soap opera shlock that isn’t funny beyond the logline itself. However, this is nevertheless the best episode in that arc, because it pairs Angela with Dwight as she seeks his help in enacting her revenge. That’s a comical and consistent use of both characters — they’re two of the season’s strongest figures when it comes to delivering comedy that’s still attached to their established depictions. Oh, and the final scene with Dwight/Angela and Toby may be the funniest of the entire year, worthy of elevating this otherwise so-so half hour onto my list.
02) Episode 186: “Dwight Christmas” (Aired: 12/06/12)
The office agrees to let Dwight throw a traditional Schrute style Christmas party.
Written by Robert Padnick | Directed by Charles McDougall
Season Nine’s entry into this series’ esteemed Christmas catalogue is actually one of this year’s best, largely because it derives the bulk of its humor from the specific absurdity of Dwight, who is allowed to bring a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas to the office — as the Schrute family celebrates it — and this is a chance for the show to have fun with big, broad comedy that’s maybe beyond the scope of its previously established brand of low-concept realism, but at least is directly attached to what we know of Dwight, whose unique characterization, I repeat, is one of the few things I can genuinely appreciate this year as a reminder of what made The Office a special, individualized sitcom in the first place. In fact, if this feels closer to the Golden Age than other outings here, that’s no coincidence — its basic idea was first planned for the fourth season’s Christmas show, which got scrapped due to the 2007-2008 WGA strike.
03) Episode 188: “Suit Warehouse” (Aired: 01/17/13)
Darryl goes to Philadelphia to interview at Jim’s company.
Written by Dan Greaney | Directed by Matt Sohn
Although the subplot in the office with the new espresso machine is a bit too much of a traditional workplace sitcom story to feel worthy of The Office and its own individualized particulars, there are enough laudable elements in this episode’s other primary stories to earn it a spot on my list. Specifically, the scene where Darryl interviews with Jim and the bosses in Philadelphia boasts an appropriately uncomfortable — and surprising — beat that gives us a rare taste of the series-defining cringe that we’ve really been missing as of late. Also, Dwight’s efforts to make a sales call alongside Clark (Clark Duke) — the guy whom everyone in the office refers to as “mini-Dwight” — while pretending they are father and son, also has some amusingly awkward moments that compensate for its own somewhat contrived logline.
04) Episode 189: “Customer Loyalty” (Aired: 01/24/13)
Pam is frustrated by Jim’s absence while Dwight tries to keep Darryl from leaving.
Written by Jonathan Green & Gabe Miller | Directed by Kelly Cantley
What’s most notable about this installment is that it ends with a formal breaking of the fourth wall, as Brian the sound guy (Chris Diamantopoulos) talks directly to Pam and comforts her following a fight she has over the phone with Jim — it’s a shocking moment that communicates profound relationship drama in furtherance of the year’s overly soapy storytelling, launching an arc that gets nevertheless aborted before a climax. But it’s also the boldest intrusion yet of the mockumentary form into the characters’ low-concept world, and it’s such a striking narrative choice that so typifies what makes this season special, for better and for worse, that the offering stands out as a key ambassador for the year. Additionally, I must note that I enjoy the scenes here that pair Dwight with Darryl — they have a fun, underutilized chemistry ripe for laughs.
05) Episode 190: “Junior Salesman” (Aired: 01/31/13)
Dwight interviews candidates for Jim’s part-time replacement.
Written by Carrie Kemper | Directed by David Rogers
One of the funniest from this more serious final season, this half hour finds Dwight attempting to interview replacement candidates for Jim, who’s now working part-time in Philadelphia. There’s lots of yuks from the various friends and relatives he brings in — not unlike the parade of loonies we saw when Michael left, only on a less starry scale — but this is really just a winner because it’s a Dwight-heavy excursion, and the one that most proves the natural possibilities of having him succeed Michael as the boss of the Scranton branch. His well-defined strangeness can still be uncomfortable in the workplace, and he’s a genuine symbol of what The Office once promised to be. Also, this story is mostly confined to the office — which used to be common, but is now, unfortunately, a rarity — and it’s without the broadness in scope and character that can be corruptive, even for Dwight himself, elsewhere in Nine. Here, he’s more believable — and actually has something of an arc, rendering this a fine showing for his character.
06) Episode 194: “Moving On (II)” (Aired: 02/14/13)
Andy tries to make Erin and Pete uncomfortable by hiring their exes.
Written by Graham Wagner | Directed by Jon Favreau
There are four two-parters in Season Nine — all of which debuted in single extended broadcasts — and they each offer big, interesting things for the characters that are impossible to overlook, even if they aren’t perfect. However, I’m only featuring one half of each on this list — with the noted asterisk that I’m sort of cheating and really getting to spotlight all four two-parters in full. Part II of this entry makes the cut not only because of its funny scenes where Pam interviews for a job in Philadelphia with a boss who is a carbon copy of Michael Scott — and memorably played by Bob Odenkirk, the actor Steve Carell beat out for the role in 2004 — as that’s a specific signal to the show’s history and its most important comic figure, registering an affable wink in this final season. But also because I appreciate the subplot of Andy returning and attempting to make Erin and Pete (Jake Lacy) uncomfortable — there’s some cringe stuff there, and a reset back to a more antagonistic understanding of his character, which I don’t mind; it feels a bit more distinct, especially when it’s got some emotional sense via continuity.
07) Episode 196: “Promos” (Aired: 04/04/13)
The staff is nervous after seeing the first promos for their forthcoming documentary series.
Written by Tim McAuliffe | Directed by Jennifer Celotta
The mockumentary officially becomes part of the characters’ documented reality here, as the first promos for their soon-to-air PBS limited series are released and they all react to seeing themselves for the first time, finally realizing the amount of access to their personal lives they’ve given to these cameras. That’s a wonderful, nail-on-the-head example of conflict that only this high-concept premise can allow, speaking to the show’s unique opportunities, and there’s indeed motivated tension as a result of this intrusion, which, like cringe comedy, emphasizes the difference between our awareness and theirs. No, not everything works great (the Ryan Howard subplot feels both gimmicky and derivative of things we’ve seen before), but this is the kind of show that only The Office can do, and by Season Nine, that counts for a lot.
08) Episode 199: “Livin’ The Dream (I)” (Aired: 05/02/13)
Andy decides to quit his job to pursue a career in entertainment.
Written by Niki Schwartz-Wright | Directed by Jeffrey Blitz
Again, I’m only highlighting the first half of this two-parter — mostly because I’d say it’s a bit funnier, and less concerned with some of the more serious narrative beats that must be hit as the show increasingly ramps up to its conclusion — but I really do enjoy both, for this is a hilarious hour with decent traces of cringe, thanks to Andy, who quits his job so he can pursue stardom full-time. The entire office thinks he’s delusional for this ambition, and that discrepancy in his self-awareness makes for laughs that are, at last, specific to his character compared to everyone else. As for Part II, it’s also fun to see Dwight finally get the position that should have been his two years ago — a shift in ensemble dynamics that also keeps his strong character at the fore. A triumphant selection — on the road to closure for these characters.
09) Episode 202: “A.A.R.M. (II)” (Aired: 05/09/13)
The crew helps Jim show his love for Pam, while the office plans a farewell for Darryl.
Written by Brent Forrester | Directed by David Rogers
Truthfully, there are a lot of interesting offerings in the final season of The Office but nothing that’s on par with the MVEs or MVE contenders from the first, say, six years. So, in picking something to be this list’s Most Valuable Episode, my guiding criteria was finding which half hour I could pick to both represent the season as an accurate but favorable ambassador… and which one I would remember the most (favorably) well after this coverage concludes. Accordingly, I needed a sample that was worthwhile for both the low-concept and high-concept parts of the premise — guaranteeing valid, Nine-specific situation exploration. On the low-concept end, this ensemble show, which is primarily set within the office itself (again, that’s a rarity this year!), closes with a dance party on behalf of Darryl — a warm callback to so many silly, bonding moments that have accelerated the staff’s growing closeness. I don’t love it, but it feels like an appropriate, closure-giving idea. On the high-concept end, Jim appeals to the people behind the camera to produce a montage of clips featuring himself and Pam that he can present to her on the eve of the PBS show’s premiere — yielding the kind of series-honoring, emotionally-laden nostalgia, that, certainly, is not as funny as I would like, but really has legitimate sanction within the situation because of the mockumentary format. In other words, there’s a viable narrative excuse to show a sappy clip package here — and that’s an excuse unique to The Office that freshly displays a major part of its identity, and since it’s connected so well to the show’s central romantic relationship, it’s a use of premise and character that I would call smart. Naturally, there are absolutely funnier options above — and even better character options (for Dwight, especially) — but that Jim/Pam montage defines this final season for me, memorably reflecting what makes this year, and this series, singularly special.
10) Episode 204: “Finale (II)” (Aired: 05/16/13)
Dwight and Angela get married, and Pam reveals her mural.
Written by Greg Daniels | Directed by Ken Kwapis
I have mixed feelings about The Office’s finale because, frankly, I think it’s so self-indulgently emotional that, to me, it fails its implicit obligation as a situation comedy, even one that by now is known for its sentimentality. And unlike other somewhat dramatic half-hour samples above, everything for these characters has already been accomplished, so this becomes a too-knowing outsider’s perspective on the series rather than a genuine exploration. In fact, the situation basically ends several times before the show does. The mockumentary concludes when the documentary first airs, the characters’ relationship drama finds closure when Dwight and Angela get married (and former regulars Michael, Ryan, and Kelly return for cameos), and there’s a thematic period put in place when Pam unveils her mural of the entire staff. And in between, there’s also a panel about the documentary — one year later — that feels like it could also be the centerpiece for final reflection. It’s a lot. But why I feature Part II — the very end — is first, so I can expand on the finale in general, and second, because it’s important to point out that Part I deals with the high-concept mockumentary stuff, and Part II sees The Office making a self-summary rooted in its low-concept DNA: beauty in the ordinary things — that is, the simple workplace and its “ordinary” characters, whose ordinariness, of course, was reinforced by the mockumentary implication but otherwise a familiar attribute of the kind of low-concept job and/or relationship sitcoms for which NBC is known. This finale is therefore a reminder of how traditional The Office has always been underneath its sexy framing, and it’s quite fascinating to see it proclaim its love of simplicity, despite embracing more comedic and dramatic extremes as it’s progressed — a display of its imperfections, but, with sincere emotionality, its successes as well. And, ultimately, there’s also the correctness of its thesis, with which I cannot argue.
Other notable episodes that merit mention include: “The Boat,” which uses unique elements of Andy’s past to usher in Ed Helms’ hiatus and has a Dwight prank subplot that earns easy but welcome hahas, “The Whale,” which sees the return of Jan and features a great scene of the office ladies trying to teach Dwight how to be less discomforting around women, and “Vandalism,” where Dwight and Pam are paired together for some laughs and Brian again steps into the action to defend Pam — escalating the Jim/Pam tension. I’ll also take this space to cite: “Work Bus,” a silly story that’s visually memorable more than anything else, “Here Comes Treble,” which I only cite because it restores Andy’s a capella ambitions as a major part of his characterization, and “Paper Airplane,” which is one of the outings this year that guest stars Roseanne Barr as Andy’s new agent. Of course, the other halves of all four two-parters mentioned above were naturally considered for my list and are worth your consideration as well.
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Nine of The Office goes to…
“A.A.R.M. (II)”
Come back next week for more sitcom fun! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!