The Office - Season 6

I can't say I wasn't mostly pleased with The Office this season, although it's becoming clear that we're closer to the end than the beginning, creatively if nothing else. Steve Carell has said that the next season will probably be his last, and even if the show continues without him I might not. It's not that he's the only character that makes the show work, it's that your star leaving is simply not a good sign for a show's future. I gave a season of Scrubs without Zach Braff starring and got burned. The Office is still funnier than Scrubs was in its last couple years, but I'm not sure that's enough. The show is about Michael Scott and the company he runs. Without him it's just some people selling paper.

Again though, I liked it. There were a couple hour-long episodes devoted to Jim and Pam's wedding and the birth of their child, which not only laid on the sentiment but were among the funniest of the series. They actually found a way to make the relationship between Dwight and Angela entertaining again, and some of the work done by the supporting characters was as strong as ever. I spent most of the time laughing. Not everything was great, though. Andy and Erin are kind of cute together, but the dance around whether they'd start dating seemed like a feeble attempt to emulate the chemistry of Jim and Pam, Michael was possibly too ridiculous at times, and I honestly am not a fan of the whole plot with Dunder Mifflin getting bought out. Though seeing David unemployed was kind of funny. As it seems with all great comedies, half a decade later it's just not as fresh and energetic as in its prime. Still worth checking out every week, though.