The Office - Season 7

I have written so many words about The Office for Player Affinity that I'm not sure how many I have left. But I'll give this season summary a shot anyway. This was a big year for the show, as they said goodbye to Steve Carell, the guy that everybody knows and player of the main character. We don't know yet whether the series will survive long without him, but in any case they did a good job of further establishing the entertaining dynamic the entire cast shares while allowing Michael to leave with a classy and emotionally fulfilling storyline. It's a goodbye that the actor deserves more than the character, as even in the end they never totally sold the transformation of Michael from horrible, misguided boss to a silly yet beloved authority figure. I mean, he's always been more sympathetic than his British counterpart (who actually showed up a couple times this year, proving that the two shows exist in the same universe and that there's a lot of documentary makers interested in paper), but he was still too much of a screw-up to totally earn some of that stuff. I didn't mind though, because it was sweet and well handled.

Steve Carell's departure kind of dominated the show during this time, because while plenty of other things happened this year, that's where most of the attention and discussion was. Jim and Pam were kind of stagnant, but I enjoyed the development of Kevin, Darryl, and Andy among others. Some episodes were a lot of fun, others a bit less so, and that's sort of how it goes with most sitcoms. I do think this season was a bit better than the last couple, both in terms of just being entertaining and in developing story stuff, though most of that was devoted to Michael. The whole ensemble is just really solid now, a bit familiar for the most part but still really likable. I don't find myself really invested in anything that's going on with most of them beyond a general feeling of goodwill towards them, but the cast is big and varied enough that I think they could just coast with that for a lot longer than say, Scrubs did. Personally, I think Andy is the best choice to take over Dunder Mifflin - like Michael, I think he'd have the right mix of goofiness and competence (though maybe in different places) to keep the company from burning to the ground while still bringing a solid amount of chaos to the show. It could be an interesting dichotomy - Michael was a good salesman but a bad manager of people; Andy is bad at sales but might have the empathy to keep a diverse group like this from killing each other. Anyway, we'll see what happens this Fall.

Also, here are my recaps for all of the episodes this year:
Ultimatum
The Seminar
The Search
PDA
Threat Level Midnight
Todd Packer
Garage Sale
Training Day
Michael's Last Dundies
Goodbye, Michael
The Inner Circle
Dwight K. Schrute, (Acting) Manager
Search Committee

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.

Characters of the Decade: Part 2

The first list was pretty heavy on animation, but this one mixes up the media a bit more and also features humans who aren't white males.

J. Jonah Jameson
J.K. Simmons - Spider-Man series


"Meat! I'll send you a nice box of Christmas meat. It's the best I can do, get out of here."

Honestly, this was the most exciting thing to see be brought to life in the first Spider-Man movie. Has there been a better comic relief character in the last decade of action movies? I can't think of one. Simmons has a unique asshole charisma that he can make work for seemingly any character, and this was the first time a lot of the world got to see it. While I don't think they quite nailed Peter Parker's personality, the personification of his most consistent detractor went off without a hitch.

Omar Little
Michael K. Williams - The Wire


"I got the shotgun. You got the briefcase. It's all in the game though, right?"

I could name wonderful characters from this show all day if I wanted. Omar isn't necessarily my favorite, but he certainly tends to stick out more than the others. In the world where everyone seems to have an affiliation, he's pretty much out there on his own besides a revolving door of accomplices, playing the dangerous game of robbing criminals. A sort of perverse modern day Robin Hood who keeps it all for himself. While the majority of the show's cast is great because it seems so real, Marlo is great because he's a legend in his own time. Nothing quite clears the streets of Baltimore like hearing the call "Omar comin'!"

Yorick Brown
Y: The Last Man


"In the words of Thomas Jefferson... that's bullshit."

Being the last man on Earth is a large weight to carry, and luckily Yorick's up to the task. It's definitely an unusual situation for a person to be in, and he manages with the right combination of heroism and hopelessness to make him a definite protagonist but still very vulnerable and in need of the health. He makes his share of mistakes, but through the whole story he never loses his sense of humor or humanity. And while I wasn't a big fan of the epilogue, the conclusion of his personal journey was pretty perfect.

Captain Malcolm Reynolds
Nathan Fillion - Firefly franchise


"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

Another case where I could almost name anyone in the cast and justify putting them here, but as the leader of the crew Mal always stuck out. A true outlaw smuggler with a heart of gold in the tradition of Han Solo, Mal is perhaps an even better version. He does what it takes to get by, with lethal force if necessary, but in the end has what's ultimately good always on his mind. He's a bit inconsistent, sticking with his principles in some cases but running if it makes sense in others. But that's part of what makes him likable. He's unpredictable, funny, and a pleasure to watch command a ship.

Brock Samson
Patrick Warburton - The Venture Bros.


"Hank, seriously. When I get my license back I'm allowed to kill you."

It speaks to the show's quality that the recent half season was still totally great even with Brock being elsewhere for most of the episodes, but he's definitely the most fun character to see do his thing. He's the ultimate death machine, a badass with an actual license to kill and unending willingness to use it. But even when he's not on a rampage he's a lot of fun. His familial relationship with his unorthodox family, unexpected extracurricular interests, and uncommon understanding of the insane cartoon world he lives in are all big parts to the character and how he stays interesting beyond going on murder sprees.

Caleb
Nathan Fillion - Buffy the Vampire Slayer


"What can I say? I work in mysterious ways. Also some fairly straightforward ones."

And here's Fillion again already, fresh off Firefly's cancellation. I could watch him in almost anything, with his unending supply of sarcastic nice guy charisma. But this is the only time I've seen him play a true villain, and damn if he isn't good at that too. Caleb doesn't have a ton of screen time, but he's probably my favorite bad guy in a series that prided itself on strong antagonists. With a single push of a finger (well, thumb) he secured his place in infamy, and there's just something about his religious background, rampant misogyny and disarming accent that make him a lot more terrifying than any vampire or demon Joss Whedon could conjure.

George Oscar Bluth
Will Arnett - Arrested Development


"No, Michael, that's not my trick. It's my illusion!"

Arrested Development is basically the definition of a great ensemble comedy cast, but GOB was basically in a league of his own. I'm sort of getting the feeling at this point that this is the only character Arnett actually plays, but damn if it isn't an entertaining one, and it works all the better here with his unusual interests, perspective, and motives. The show was absolutely littered with transcendent moments, and GOB had more than his fair share.

Oh Dae-su
Choi Min-sik - Oldboy


"Anyone here with an AB blood type, raise your hand."

If you watch this movie again, Oh Dae-su isn't even recognizable in the first scene as some drunk at a police station. 15 years alone in a room will change anybody, but Min-sik totally sold hit in his complete transformation into who he'll be for the rest of the movie. The thing that drew me to finally seeing it was a particular action scene, but that's not really what the character's about. It's about what unbelievable circumstances can do to a man, but how at his core there's still the same guy who can still be hurt, no matter how hard his exterior's gotten. And while his final decision is somewhat mortifying, in a way I can't blame him.

Colonel Saul Tigh
Michael Hogan - Battlestar Galactica


"So take your piety and your moralizing and your high minded principles and stick them some place safe... I've got a war to fight."

Tigh is an interesting case, as a pretty good character who didn't become great until circumstances forced him to. He was always an entertaining cranky old guy with a strong sense of duty and a bit of a drinking problem, but when he's thrust into the position of leading a resistance movement by any means necessary, he really starts to shine. Ugliness is what makes pretty much any of the Battlestar characters interesting, and his decisions under stress are as hideous as they come. Of course he changes quite a bit in another way later, and it just adds to his depth as he just tries to come to grips with it all. Most of the show's cast is sort of hard to like, but Tigh was actually easy in a strange sort of way.

Illyria
Amy Acker - Angel


"I wish to do more violence."

Illyria's here half because of the character, and half because it was so mind blowing to see cute, neurotic Acker transform into the embodiment of pure, sentient power. It's really a surprising amount of range, and she pulls it off without a hitch. It's definitely a good character too, one of the few in the whole setting to subvert the normal expectations for the appearance of what's basically a newly awakened, vengeful god. One of the greatest shames in the show's cancellation is not seeing more of her. I guess I could read the comics, but it won't be the same without Acker's performance.

Al Swearengen
Ian McShane - Deadwood


"I wouldn't trust a man who wouldn't try to steal a little."

If you look up "tour de force" in the dictionary, you'll see a definition that accurately describes what Ian McShane did for three years on Deadwood. The show was more theatrical than cinematic in the stateliness and brilliance of its dialogue, and nobody presented it as well as he did. I think I would watch a show that was just him giving speeches to an empty room. That wasn't all there was to the character either, as he was equal parts hilarious and terrifying as he fought for control of the town he helped build. Absolute dynamite the entire time.

Brick Tamland
Steve Carell - Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy


"Yeah, there were horses, and a man on fire, and I killed a guy with a trident."

One of the few supporting appearances in a comedy that basically stole the whole film and launched a career. Carell was funny on The Daily Show and The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Office certainly helped, but I think Anchorman is when people everywhere thought to themselves, "Man, this guy's funny." Honestly, of all the movie's funny bits, Bricks are pretty base and low brow, but still humorous and important to the continuing development of what's considered funny in mass popular culture.

Continued tomorrow.

The Office - Season 5

The Office's latest and longest season was pretty consistently good throughout, though it felt like it was funnier later on when less time was spent dwelling on relationship woes and more time just trying to be funny. Jim and Pam are more or less set by this point, so now a lot of the weight for that stuff is on Michael's shoulders as he continues to have crummy luck. There was a resolution to the Dwight-Andy-Angela arc that was both satisfying and pretty funny, finally putting that to bed too, and the continued rivalry yet growing respect between the two men is interesting. I don't know what the long term plan is for the show, but there is a sixth season coming and I'm looking forward to the continuing escapades of Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch in this troubling economy.

There were are a couple really good guest stints by The Wire alums Amy Ryan and Idris Elba, the former of which exponentially increases the cringe-worthiness of Michael thinking he's funny and the latter providing an actual obstacle to Jim for the first time in his career. The storyline where tension with corporate causes Michael to start his own company was pretty fun, and provided one of the best episodes as he and Dwight engaged in some corporate cloak and dagger. Dwight really had some great moments this season, like the time he started a fire in an attempt to test his coworkers' survival skills and the rare moments where he and Jim have a common goal. The show's really too wacky to be believable at this point, but I've always watched it for its more outlandish moments, and it continues to be one of the better comedies on television.

Get Smart

Get Smart wasn't great, but it was enjoyable enough that I don't feel my New Years Eve was completely wasted. I like Steve Carell a lot, and he stars among a great cast of all kinds of people, from recognizable comedic faces to great classical actors. Unfortunately, most of them aren't used to their full potential. There are just too many jokes that fall flat for it to be a good comedy. At times, it really seems more like a spy movie with some goofy jokes than a comedy movie about spies, which I feel is more how it was advertised. I've never seen Mel Brooks' original series, so I have no idea how well it compares or how true it is to the show's spirit, so I'm not sure what exactly it was supposed to be, but judging by the reactions of others it's not really waht it should have been.

I actually sort of feel like it does the spy thing better than the humor thing, maybe understandable considering Peter Segal's record of directing mediocre comedies. But there are some fairly interesting missions and the climax is genuinely pretty exciting. Anne Hathaway is hot enough to be a real Bond girl, and matches up against Carell pretty well, although the romance seemed forced to me. Alan Arkin reunites with Carell after his questionable Oscar-winning performance in Little Miss Sunshine and plays an interesting take on the veteran chief character, and Dwayne Johnson should really be in more movies. There's really not much more to say about the movie - it was mostly okay with a few moments that were pretty great. Definitely less than I hoped for after the teaser trailer.

The Office - Season 4

Season four began with a slight shift in the series' dynamic. Jim and Pam, previously held apart by circumstances and other relationships, got together, and managed to make it through the whole season without anything terrible happening, although things don't always go perfectly. They're both funny, highly likable people who get along very well, so it's nice to have a facet of the show that doesn't make you cringe. There's plenty enough of that coming from Carell, who's still great as Michael even when you almost want to look away from the more brutally embarrassing things he does. There's an argument that his hellish relationship with Jan has gone from funny in a painful way to completely unbelievably awkward, but I still found all their interactions to be more entertaining than anything else.

The show stretched more in the season with more episodes than ever before outside the office itself. That's really where the show shines the most, but you do need some variety. There's some fun to be had running marathons, having the worst dinner party ever, and especially a night spent at the bed & breakfast on Dwight's family farm. While I still think Gareth from the BBC original was great, Dwight's become one of the best supporting characters in any sitcom I've seen. Every scene he's in is great. There are some plot developments with Ryan in his new job in New York, and Andy's increased role screwing up everything for everyone else. The season finale was hilarious throughout, but a big downer in a few ways. It did end on a good enough note though that I'm already waiting for the next batch of episodes.

The Office Vs. The Office

The Office is currently a mockumentary comedy on NBC, but almost everyone knows it's based on a British show of the same title. They have the same premise, a small branch of a modestly sized paper company is run by an idiot who tries too hard to be friends with his employees. They have similar plotlines, including nearly identical pilot episodes and the constant threat of the branch being shut down, which doesn't matter much to the boss if it means a promotion. All of the main characters and some of the minor ones in the US version are basically the same as or variations of ones from the UK. That's about where they end. Their senses of humor are similar, but perceptibly different. The UK version ended quickly, after only two short seasons and a special. The US show is still chugging along, with over fifty episodes in the bank and a whopping order of thirty more for the fourth season, which will start filming next month. This huge disparity in length affords the US one more freedom for exploring different ideas, obviously, but that doesn't mean they still can't be compared. The hip, elitist viewpoint is that the UK version is superior, but I'm not so sure about that.

The UK show is drier than the US one, which tends to get goofier. Both are famous for their humor that can cause cringing as much as laughter. Not because it's bad, but just what's happening is so painfully embarrassing for these believable people that it can get hard to watch. The narcissistic boss is always trying to force all eyes upon him, as he tries to take authority where none belongs to him. Characters confess their love and get rejected. Well, that's not actually humor, it's just part of the show that adds to the realism. Not all romance works out as wonderfully as we'd hope, and there are obstacles to overcome. As said before, the shows pretend to be actual footage from a real company, and a lot of the jokes come from the interviews where characters' strange mannerisms and beliefs become exposed, and they're quite often the best parts of an episode.

Since the shows have recurring plot threads but focus mostly on character-based humor, the bulk of the comparison has to be made there. A lot of the comparisons will favor the US version, since it has had more time to develop characters and humor. It might not be quite fair, but really, which show has a better chance of satisfying you, a 12 episode one or one of at least 80?

The Regional Manager: David Brent Vs. Michael Scott

Ricky Gervais' Brent is hailed by many as one of the funniest sitcom characters ever, which I can buy if I don't totally agree with it. I would say he causes more laughs than Steve Carell, to be sure. Both of them tell a lot of jokes that are intentionally (by the makers, not the character) unfunny, and can be annoying at times. But Brent is more often (intentionally) unintentionally funny, just by his sometimes sickening bragging and arrogance that whizzes past the border of self-delusion. It is often, again, more painful than hilarious (The scene where he tries to upstage his rival boss' dancing with some moves of his own is a perfect example), though he still has plenty of great lines that make you kind of hate him and love his humor at the same time. But although he is funnier than Michael, I'd have to say I like David less. He's funny, but he's still an arrogant jerk. Scott is less arrogant and more of just an idiot. He is frequently in similar situations of being an attention freak, but it just seems more benevolent to me. He does unbelievably stupid things, but they're always out of a misguided attempt at doing the right thing. Also, the show bothers to give him some redeeming and sympathetic moments, and he's actually good at his job. He tries too hard with his employees and avoids paperwork, but he's a brilliant salesman. He's probably not right for upper management, but he has some good characteristics.

The Salesman/Good Guy: Tim Canterbury Vs. Jim Halpert

This one's kinda hard. Neither is too attractive or too ugly. They're likable, funny guys. They're probably a little too mean to their respective prank victims, but it's understandable. I think I'm gonna have to with Jim, because some of his actions are more defensible and he's done a lot of really funny things to mess with Dwight.

The Receptionist/Love Interest: Dawn Tinsley Vs. Pam Beesley

Both Dawn and Tim were actors I already recognized from some funny movies, so that was interesting. They're pretty similar (obviously), and have some personal problems, but I think Pam deals with them better. Do you see a pattern here? Dawn seems to constantly be crying, while Pam is a little reserved but still can have some great ideas and triumphant moments. This is shallow, but she's also more attractive. Things were finally starting to happen the way they should at the end of the third season, so I'm looking forward to what happens.

The Boss' Assistant: Gareth Keenan Vs. Dwight Schrute

Gareth was played by another actor I recognized. They're both pretty funny, with their backgrounds providing them with a unique perspective of their work. I like how they're both the only ones devoted to their boss, yet the boss does not return the affection, finding them annoying. Dwight has a lot of great moments, but I have to go with Gareth. His skewed view of women and incongruous military background provide many hilarious scenes that cannot be ignored. He's definitely my favorite character from the UK show. His spiel about poisonous frogs is one of the best television monologues ever.

Intern/Temp: Ricky Howard Vs. Ryan Howard

Ricky's part is pretty limited, but while he's around he manages to be a likable, funny guy. Ryan is never that funny, and he's always put off by what's happening around him. His reactions and a lot of what happens to him is humorous, but as a character he doesn't do much. Also, he comes off as a jerk a bit too often. Ricky doesn't do much but he's not bad.

Warehouse Worker/Receptionist's Fiancé: Lee Vs. Roy

Neither is developed that much or that interesting. Their purpose is to be an obstacle in the good guy's path. From the time that's spent on them, Lee comes off as more of a complete jerk, while Roy definitely has bad tendencies but also has visible good parts to him. I'll take Roy.

Boss' Old Work Buddy: Chris Finch Vs. Todd Packer

I like David Koechner, but he comes off as too much of an ass as Packer. Finch is an ass too, but he is still visibly annoyed by David's personality, so he wins major points for that. Chris.

Fat Accountant: Keith Vs. Kevin

Kevin has a lot of good scenes, but I just don't like the way his face moves. His character's a little too juvenile to really be that interesting, too. Keith's role is very limited, but he does a lot with what he has to work with. They both have the tendency to say and ask a lot of embarrassing things without any trepidation, but Keith's nonchalant attitude is just funnier.

Corporate Supervisor: Jennifer Taylor-Clarke Vs. Jan Levinson

This isn't really a contest. Jennifer just serves the plot, Jan is actually a character. Her relationship with Michael is a confused and interesting one, and her continual breakdown throughout the third season is noteworthy.

That's about it for notable equivalent characters. There are other similar events, but they aren't that important. The US version has several other characters added in to flesh out the cast, and it seems like a richer world. It might not be as clinically funny as the UK version, but I still like it more. It's a warmer, more likable show, and I look forward to it's return.