The Office: What They Brought

Well guys, here it is – my last post. I first want to thank you all for reading my blog. If I’m honest, I really didn’t know what to expect going into this… I mean, technically, this is really only a homework assignment. However, I really, really enjoyed writing about my favorite TV show, and so I hope you all enjoyed reading it too… even just a little bit.

So here we go. It would be criminal to not do a post about the World’s Best Boss, Michael Scott. So for the last time…

*spoilers may appear from this point on*

Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell, is arguably the most well-known character among all TV shows.  He drives the plot of The Office for a little over seven seasons before he moves to Colorado and leaves the show. And of course, he makes an appearance on the final episode at Dwight’s wedding.  There are so many places we can start with Michael, so let’s just dive right in.

Michael Scott has many traits and holds many roles.  He is the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton. He is a father. He is a lover. He is the CEO and Founder of the Michael Scott Paper Company. He is a fanatic of a good joke. He thinks he is an amazing salesman – and sometimes he can be.  But most importantly, he is the lead of the show. However, with all of that said, he has many, many downfalls.

To start, Michael tries his best to be the jokester of the office. Sometimes, he succeeds. But other times…a lot of the time, his jokes are not appropriate and/or well-timed. He is most known for his infamous “that’s what she said” zinger, but he also has many up his sleeve. The issue is that often times, he butchers the joke or the punchline, or he simply says a joke when he shouldn’t. This is largely due to the fact that Michael just simply isn’t an intelligent person, so therefore he seems to always dig his own grave. In fact, he constantly is butchering common phrases or trying to do things he simply cannot.

Similarly, Michael is really bad in awkward situations and he is constantly misinterpreting situations. Well, ok, Michael digs his own grave in this regard, too. Michael is just really good at making things awkward, stressful, confusing, or ruining a moment. Because of this, two things happen: number one, it frustrates everyone and causes people to not enjoy his presence. For example, Jim decided to throw a barbecue party without Michael so he doesn’t make everyone super uncomfortable. However, Michael reads Jim’s email, finds the invite, and comes anyway, which causes everyone to be uncomfortable. Shocking, I know. The other thing that comes from Michael’s ability to ruin a moment is Michael constantly embarrassing himself. This is because he is not very good at making good, logical decisions – he normally does the opposite of what everyone else would do. By doing so, he embarrasses himself again and again and again.

Ok, I know what you all are thinking right now – “man, Matt is totally going after Michael right now… Michael doesn’t deserve all this hate.” You’re right, he doesn’t. And he is the best. But he is the best because he just seems to always be doing something wrong. He is extremely funny because of his actions and more importantly, his mistakes. We must remember, though, that Michael is much more than just his mistakes. I would argue he is the most caring person in the office. He would do absolutely anything for his coworkers, the people he often calls his best friends. He loves them so much that he wants to always impress them, and when he fails, he becomes extremely frustrated, leading to some major outbursts. But Michael really just wants to feel loved and appreciated for all of his work, which is really all that everyone wants. This is why we empathize with his character. This is why we suffer with him through his relationship with Jan and get super emotional when he falls for Holly. This is why when he leaves, his coworkers make a touching tribute to him. Which leads me to my interesting fact – Carell didn’t know that the cast had the song prepared, so when they sing it, those are Carell’s real emotions and reactions to leaving, not Michael’s character.

Anyway, the point is that Michael just is always trying to do nice things for his employees and the company. He fights corporate for many things, including a raise for Daryl (and himself); he never forgets a birthday; he stars them in a commercial  and a movie; he tries to be the best boss by having many meetings; he awards them with Dundies; and, he’s there for them during their biggest moments. This is why we love Michael, and this is why he is so important.  Because even when he messes up, makes a fool out of himself, we know he is always doing it with good intentions…because he cares so much about everyone around him.

Yes, he may not have always been the boss that his employees wanted. But he was the boss that both they and American television needed.

So, as I sign off one last time, I just want to thank you again for reading along with me. I hope you all have a bigger appreciation for the show and all of its characters. If you really feel so inclined and have some friends who love the show too, don’t be afraid to pass this along to them…maybe it’ll make them love the show even more as well.

I’ll see you guys around.

-Matt

 

Hey everyone! Welcome to my SECOND TO LAST blog post!! Wow, it really feels like this whole process has flown by… I remember us looking into Dwight like it was yesterday. I hope you all are ready for yet another post!

When I first planned this webpage out as a whole, this week was initially planned solely for Robert California; honestly, this was the week I was most excited for. However, as I progressed throughout posts, I realized that there are so many characters who would not be mentioned that deserved to get their shoutout.  So, while my man Robert California will be looked at, I’ve decided that this post will be for everyone who didn’t have their own week…I hope this is ok with all of you.

With that said, let’s get to it!

*spoilers may appear from this point on*

We start with Stanley the Manly, Stanley Hudson. Played by Leslie David Baker, Stanley is the only African-American in the office until Darryl gets promoted. Because of this, he is often the butt of many Michael Scott zingers. Stanley loves the simple things in life – crossword puzzles, leaving at 5pm (or earlier), and especially Pretzel Day.  He is known for his very dry tone and his uninterested looks at the camera, and this is why his character is so funny. Most of the time, Stanley is quiet and simply completes his crossword puzzles. However, Stanley is known for the occasional outburst, leading to some of the best scenes in the show.  Stanley has the perfect blend as a minor character – in some episodes, like the Sabre trip to Florida or when he is caught cheating, he leads the plot; yet, Stanley also holds many one-liners that are equally as important. Stanley’s unique and dry sense of humor add yet another dimension to the show that could not be replicated through any other character. Plus, the office always asks: does Stanley have a mustache?

Phyllis Vance sits across from Stanley, and her character was created and written specifically for the woman who plays her, Phyllis Smith.  Michael describes her as the cliché old mom of the office, and for the most part, that is accurate. Phyllis is sweet with a sassy side and cares for mostly everyone – she adores Stanley and hates Angela. Phyllis is always looking for an edge over Angela, which pushes the Party Planning Committee’s plot through the first few seasons, especially when she learns of Dwight and Angela’s affair.  Like Stanley, Phyllis is not the highest-selling salesperson in the office. However, she is able to swoon certain customers with her charm and charisma.

Darryl Philbin (Craig Robinson) is the head of the warehouse until his promotion, in which it seems he keeps a similar job, just with an office and nicer work-attire.  Darryl is musically talented, very smart and often has great ideas to improve the workplace.  He takes his job very seriously when it comes to safety in the warehouse.  However, Darryl is one of the laziest in the office; he will begin to make progress up the “corporate ladder,” but then he stops trying and pushing himself.  This is especially seen when he applies and interviews for the Manager job after Michael moves to Colorado with Holly. Darryl also likes to thrown in the occasional prank, preying on Andy and especially Michael.  Darryl’s most prominent quality though is his heart. He loves his daughter and is always trying to make her life better.  Also, he cares about the people he works with and he is very good at giving advice, especially to Andy.

Finally, Robert California. I always find it interesting why people seems to hate his character so much – I enjoy the way James Spader plays him and think the way he interacts with everyone in the office is hilarious. I do recognize, however, that this is largely because James Spader is one of my favorite actors (behind only John Krasinski) and I love his character Raymond Reddington in The Blacklist. Anyway, I do understand that it was always going to be a hard job to follow Michael.

Robert brings a new side of humor that the show hadn’t seen prior. Robert says the most bizarre phrases that often involve deep, intriguing ideas…or…just sex. Robert is comfortable in any situation and it seems he enjoys making everyone else uncomfortable. He is also extremely persuasive and seems to always get what he wants; from getting Jo to give him her job, to getting David Wallace to fund his sex trip to Europe upon his departure. It seems Robert knows everything about everything and is intimidating to everyone. However, Robert’s most important quality is that he is able to see things in other characters that may not have always noticed. This is especially important when the show was beginning to wind down and needed a new direction to go to in order to properly finish. For example, he chooses the underdog Andy as his new manager, as well as pushes people like Kevin and Stanley to have major roles in new ideas for the company. Robert is able to largely carry the plot throughout Season 8 when the show needed a direction, but he more importantly brought out the leadership qualities of Jim, Pam, and Dwight, all who are the main “heads” of the final season.

And just like that, we have one post left! I think everyone knows who it will focus on…

I hope you all have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving Break, and I will see you all in two weeks!

P.S., this deleted scene perfectly exemplifies many of the characters we spoke of in this post 🙂

Well, we’re headed into the home stretch of blogs.  I honestly didn’t think I would enjoy writing these as much as I do.  This week is another that will certainly not disappoint, as these two characters really need no introduction…

*spoilers may appear from this point forward*

Creed Bratton and Meredith Palmer are the oldest two in the office.  They are also the most bizarre.  On top of that, neither of their roles in the office are clear to either their coworkers or the audience.  Creed and Meredith are minor in the show, but they have some of the best one-liners, constantly keeping us on our toes.

Creed Bratton is actually named after himself, Creed Bratton – Creed Bratton plays himself! Well…kind of.  In real life, Bratton was in the band The Grass Roots, where Bratton sang and played the guitar; in fact, Bratton still creates music today and he wrote the song his character sang in the finale of The Office, which I think is super awesome.  The character of Creed is based off of what Bratton thinks his life would have been like if he “fell off the deep end” after his band split.  I found this video which explains many questions involving his character.

Although it seems he never works, Creed is in charge of Quality Assurance for Dunder Mifflin Scranton.  He is known around the office as being a very creepy old guy. No one really knows his past, but he often makes everyone around him uncomfortable.  This is for a few reasons: the first is that he makes it obvious he is involved with drugs, just not obvious how.  The second is that he has an absolutely awful memory. Creed seems to always forget people’s names or simple facts.  For example, one time he tells Jim he wants to set him up with his daughter.  When Jim reminds him that is has been engaged with Pam for months, Creed tells Jim that he thought Jim was gay. This confuses Jim, as well as everyone watching, but it was simply classic Creed. Finally, he is downright weird.  He seems to never have any idea what is going on and always comes up with crazy thoughts.  This is especially seen when he is boss (see “Search Committee”).

However, Creed has his goals straight.  He wants to one day do the perfect cartwheel (which he achieves), go scuba diving, and keep music a constant in his life.  Creed’s creepiness constantly causes we, the audience, to laugh while keeping us on toes – you really don’t know what he’ll do next.  If you need further explanation on Creed, this deleted clip sums him up perfectly.

Meredith Palmer (Kate Flannery) is a single mother and a solitare-extraordinaire who, too, seems to never be working.  Meredith is controversial for her own reasons – to start, she is inappropriate.  She is into sexual activities and the human body which often makes the office uncomfortable, as well as leads her into trouble.  Even though she is a mother, it seems like she has little morals for herself or her son (see “Finale”).  Another reason she makes everyone uncomfortable is that she is an alcoholic.  She always drinks at every Christmas Party, causing the parties to become awkward – or ruined – when she drinks too much.  Yet, Meredith is also one of the most unlucky people in the office.  She gets hit by Michael and his car, rabies, attacked by a bat, and a bad case of lice to name a few.  And also like Creed, she has lots of little lines that go unnoticed but really add a whole new dynamic to the workplace.

And just like that, we only have two more posts left! Thank you all for checking in with “The Office: What They Brought,” and I hope to see you all back again real soon.

What’s up everyone! Thanks for tuning in once again. I know everyone’s schedules are packed with work right now, so I appreciate you all stopping by for a bit.  I must say…I have been looking forward to these last four blog posts for a very long time, because we are now going to be diving into my favorite characters from the show.  So let’s get started, shall we?

This week, we look at the dynamic duo, the male accountants of the Dunder Mifflin Scranton Branch…

*spoilers may appear from this point forward*

Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner) and Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez) are arguably the two most opposite characters on the show.  However we often see the two of them together, as they become best friends.  This is because they both love to poke fun at Angela, who sits across from them.  Let’s begin with Oscar.

Oscar is the “know it all” in the office.  In fact, he is known around the office as “Actually” because he loved to butt in to everyone’s conversations and correct them.  Oscar always has to be right, which causes him to get in to trouble.  For example, when Dwight sets up a device that will get everyone fired for making three mistakes, Oscar claims he doesn’t need to use a calculator.  However, he ends up making a mistake, causing him to be made fun of but also to be yelled at by his coworkers who think they’ll be fired by the end of the day.  Yet for the remainder of the show, his coworkers love to see him fail. This is especially when he is bested by those who shouldn’t be able to best him. Scenes like this are why Oscar is so important to the show – in many episodes, he somehow drives the plot forward.  While Jim and Pam are away, Oscar is the only “sane” one left, causing him to take a larger leadership role than he is comfortable with.  More importantly, though, is his role in Season 9…

Put bluntly, Oscar is known more for being gay.  Almost as soon as he comes out, he is poked fun at, especially by Michael.  This causes Michael to apologize the only way he knows how.   Oscar finds himself in multiple other uncomfortable situations that involve his sexuality. To start, Michael asks Oscar about how a colonoscopy feels in terms of pleasure, causing Oscar to leave.  Then, Michael accuses Oscar of giving him herpes.  In Season 9, Angela dates and marries The Senator, Robert Lipton.  However, Oscar realizes right away that Robert is gay. He then takes matters into his own hands, and eventually, they have an affair.  Angela then finds out, causing lots of tension between the three of them until eventually Robert leaves both of them for another man.  This plot line specifically was vital to The Office because once Michael left, the show had its down moments.  Oscar’s character provided the audience many laughs, moving the plot forward through the final seasons.

With all that said, Oscar will always offer a helping hand. Yes, he at times is very condescending and judgmental, especially when he determines that the people around him are doing something wrong.  However, he puts those around him before himself…he even raises a child with Angela while Angela looks for a new place to live in Season 9.

Then there is Kevin.  Kevin is not only my favorite character (besides Creed), but he too is a food fanatic.  But let’s talk business first.  Kevin is, well, not very good at his job… or any job for that matter.  Michael claims that Kevin applied for the warehouse but he hired him anyway.  Kevin is not meant to count – the only time he is proven to not mess up is when he replaces whatever quantity he is working with with pies (See Season 9 Episode 4, “Work Bus”).  Kevin often makes terrible decisions and ideas, and thus is not taken very seriously by his coworkers.  Yet, Kevin does contribute a good sense of humor, smelly feet, and a massive heart.

Speaking of massive, Kevin has a huge sweet tooth for M&M’s…and pretty much anything else he can eat… but NOT vegetables.  Don’t even try it.  Just like his coworkers love to tease Oscar for being gay, they equally love making fat jokes.  For example, Oscar makes a very creative video of Kevin speaking over a video of Cookie Monster, which everyone agrees is a perfect representation.  Here is where I’ll throw in my interesting factoid: pay attention to Kevin’s voice throughout the show. It changes about halfway through Season 3 from a very quiet tone (which is the one he auditioned with), to one that resembles a baby and/or Cookie Monster.  I cannot figure out exactly why, but there is a very distinct change.

Kevin’s love for food creates many great scenes in The Office. He takes his dieting very seriously.  When Pam is pregnant, Kevin cooks her four to five meals during work since they are on the same “schedule,” and they almost always have a different theme.  Kevin loves food so much that he actually creates a video cookbook for those who want to try some of his delicious meals.  When it comes to meals, Kevin is most famously known for his chili.  Even still, just like Oscar gets himself into trouble with his mouth, Kevin also has a tendency to do the same due to his passion for food. In fact, while everyone tries to find a way out during Dwight’s fire drill, Kevin goes to the vending machine to steal snacks.  Although he does have his priorities in line in his mind, if it was a real fire, he would be in for some serious trouble.

Oscar and Kevin both have a very, very unique trait to them. Without them, The Office would lost a good chunk of its side plots, especially as the show progresses.  That is why so many people love the both of them, and that is why they are so vital to the show.

Thanks for reading! I hope to see you all again for my next post.

Oh! Also, I found this really cool three-video segment on YouTube about the accountants. I had never seen it before but I thought it would be worth sharing.

Hey readers! Welcome back… I hope everyone has had a good week.  For this post, we have another exciting pair of office-workers… both of whom were not a part of the show when it began.  Let’s get into it!

*spoilers may appear from this point forward*

Andy Bernard and Kelly “Erin” Hannon are two of the most unique characters in the office who seem to never run out of energy.  Neither of them possess much logic, but they both have huge, loving hearts and positive spirits…well, for the most part.  This week, let’s start with Erin.

Erin Hannon (Ellie Kemper) joins The Office in Season 5 as Pam’s replacement when Pam leaves for the Michael Scott Paper Company. Well, I should go back. Kevin was Pam’s replacement, but that went very poorly, so Erin was hired.  Her real name is Kelly, but this confused her rather-temporary boss Charles Miner (Idris Elba) since there already was a Kelly. Because of this, she decides to go by Erin, her middle name.  She, too, dates coworkers; first Andy (which we will get to), then Gabe, then Andy again, and then finally Pete in Season 9.

Kelly is not the “sharpest knife in the drawer.” She the most gullible in the office and believes practically everything that people say to her, no matter the topic. She is also extremely naive.  This is likely because Erin bounced around orphanages her entire life, making her behave a bit awkwardly around others. Erin’s history causes her to constantly be hoping for a reunion with her birth parents, which eventually occurs in the finale.  To help cope, Erin sees Michael as her “father figure” – as seen in “Viewing Party” – and she helps Nelly with adopting a child.  Finally, Erin hates confrontation.  She rarely stands up for herself and she is always trying to impress Pam, her receptionist role model.

Then there’s good ole Andy Bernard (Ed Helms). Andy is the only employee who didn’t leave Scranton after they merged with his former branch, Dunder Mifflin Stamford.  Almost immediately, he got on the wrong foot with his new coworkers. As the show progresses, one of the things Andy is known for is frustrating his coworkers.  Andy is also known for his emotions; we see him cry and become very angry throughout the show, causing him to be forced into anger management.  However, Andy is most known for his different expressions and his passion for singing, as seen in the amount of times he referenced his a cappella group at Cornell.

Eventually, Andy becomes the manager of the Scranton Branch.  Here, we see another side of Andy: his inability to make smart and logical decisions.  Yes, Andy humiliates himself numerous times throughout the show. However, when he becomes a manager, it becomes apparent that he simply is not very good at his job.  He lack confidence in himself and he seems to always make mistakes as a boss.  It gets so bad that he decided to leave on his family sailboat for vacation, which ultimately causes him to lose his job once and for all.  Even though Andy causes his own demise on the show, he created lots of laughter for us viewers.

As mentioned before, Erin and Andy date multiple times throughout the show.  This creates a wide range of emotions for the audience.  At first, we root for them – they are both loving people who are just looking for a “good partner.” Then, we (and Andy) become frustrated with Erin as she gets involved with Gabe.  Then, Andy finds Jessica, causing Erin to become jealous.  And for us, we want Andy to be happy after all these seasons, yet we also deep down are still rooting for him and Erin. Then bam, they’re back together.  But wait! Andy leaves Erin in the dust on a sailboat, and just as we became frustrated with Erin, we now turn on Andy.  Finally, we breathe a sigh of relief when Erin kicks Andy to the curb for Pete, and even more so when Andy leaves for the showbiz.  A huge roller coaster of emotions caused solely by the complex love between Andy and Erin.

So yes, Andy and Erin have their (many) moments of stupidity.  However, they are two of the most entertaining characters on the show – we simply do not know what they are going to do, or say, next.

Thanks for reading! Hopefully I’ll see you all back soon… in fact, I’m counting on it!

Hey everyone! Another week, another blog coming atcha.  This week, we look at the dramatic on-again off-again saga of two longtime lovers… a true match made in Heaven… or, well, somewhere like that.

*spoilers may appear from this point forward*

Towards the end of Season 2 – Episode 16, to be exact – Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak) and Kelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling) began a romantic relationship that often caused more problems (and laughs) than true love.  Ryan often only wants Kelly when she is with someone else, and Kelly wants Ryan pretty much always.  But before we dive in to their love story, let’s briefly look at them separately.

Ryan Howard is first hired by Michael as a “temp” – just an intern to do Michael’s doing.  However, everyone soon realizes that Ryan isn’t good at much; he can’t sell paper, and he certainly can’t use the microwave properly.  Ryan, though, attends business school, so Michael thinks quite (creepily) highly of him, which Ryan takes full advantage of. Ryan is also a classic “sweet talker,” which lands him a job at Corporate at the end of Season 3.

Although he is not taken seriously, Ryan becomes rather stern to his former coworkers.  However, as we all know, things come to a crashing end for Ryan at Corporate, as he fired and arrested for committing fraud; eventually, though, he is rehired by Michael…multiple times.

Then there’s Kelly.  Kelly is the one and only Customer Service Representative in the office. She spends the majority of there time at her desk in the annex.  However, this does not stop her from getting involved. Kelly is the non-stop drama queen.  She thrives off of  the world of reality TV, causing her to constantly be concerned with her body and how she looks. More important to Kelly, though, is gossip; she always needs to know what is going in the office – and everyone in it.  Because of this, when Kelly isn’t at her desk, she is in the break room or kitchen listening to everything that goes on around her, sometimes even “stirring the pot.”  This often causes her to go through many, many emotions, as well as annoy everyone else.  However, Kelly is very sweet and really just wants to have a family with children a husband who she loves. Which ultimately leads to their relationship…

I like to throw these little fun facts into my posts, so this is probably a good spot… not only were Novak and Kaling two main writers to the show (with Lieberstein), but they also dated (briefly) in REAL LIFE. Crazy, right? They’re still very, very good friends today, but it makes you wonder…maybe they threw some jabs at each other…? Who knows. Anyway…

Ryan and Kelly never seem to have a good relationship, let alone a perfect one.  Ryan wants what he sees as a “challenge,” and Kelly is simply obsessed, even when she dates Daryl and Robbie.  This causes their relationship to have many, many, ups and downs.  With that said, it always brings entertainment to the show.  This is because compared to theirs, the office has some pretty sound relationships: Jim and Pam, Dwight and Angela, Michael and Holly, and even Andy and Erin (and Erin and Gabe).  But Ryan and Kelly are constantly trying to make each other jealous and “one up” the other, as seen in via the link above.  Without their “love,” the show would not be filled with nearly as much chaos.  But more importantly, without Ryan and Kelly, The Office would simply not be The Office – I mean, who would Michael constantly stare at?

So thank you for tuning in for another week! Hope to see you all back again soon.

You can find more highlights of Ryan and Kelly via these links 🙂

Welcome back readers! Us fellow bloggers took a week off last week, but we’re back in action baby! I hope you are all excited to do some more light reading, cause I’m super stoked to be back! Let’s get to it.

I’m not sure if you all remember, but two weeks ago, I mentioned that this post would relate to the British saying: “Hated, adored, but never ignored.” These two characters are another set of opposites, but not in the sense that you might imagine…

*spoilers may appear from this point forward*

Toby Flenderson and Holly Flax are the two Human Resources Representatives provided by Corporate to the Scranton Branch.  Played by Paul Lieberstein and Amy Ryan, their appearances and impact on the office fluctuate.  However, they both impact Michael’s life (and mood) drastically through the entire series (hence the British saying).  Let’s begin with Toby, shall we?

Toby was not actually meant to have much of a role on The Office. When the show was created, Toby’s role was written to have only a few lines – similar to Creed and Meredith.  In fact, Paul Lieberstein was one of the original writers of The Office. However, during Toby’s first few interactions with his coworkers, the rest of the writing staff loved the way Lieberstein portrayed Toby and the reaction he got from the rest of the cast. Because of this, the writing staff began writing him bigger roles… well, some of the time.  Lieberstein hated acting; he only wanted to write and say a few lines if he absolutely had to.  Therefore, when Lieberstein was the one who wrote most of the episode, he gave himself a small role. But when he wasn’t, or his opinion was outweighed, he had a larger influence on the episode.  For you watchers out there, try and take notice if you see Toby a lot; if you don’t, it is likely Lieberstein wrote the episode!

ANYWAY… it is no secret that Michael absolutely despises Toby, and he himself makes little effort to hide it.  This is apparent when Toby leaves for Costa Rica (and when he comes back).  Toby is constantly being verbally abused by Michael, causing him to be less credible to the rest of the office.  This makes it very difficult for him to have any real say in the office’s daily routine.  For example, when Toby requests to have the air quality checked by professionals, Michael responds by calling him the “real silent killer,” not the air quality. This is also seen any time Toby tries to give a speech about safety, both in and out of the workplace.  Toby is quiet and known for his lack-of facial expressions (see image above); the man always looks like he has given up.

However, Toby an emotional side to him as well.  When Michael spanks his nephew for being an awful assistant, he is forced to go through counseling.  Toby could have made it miserable for both of them, but instead he genuinely tried to become Michael’s friend. Toby colors and plays Go Fish with Michael, even getting him to open up about his childhood and why he constantly desires to be loved. Toby also always strives to make his daughter happy, as well as attempts to befriend the “Scranton Strangler” after he believes the man he helped put in jail is innocent.

With all of this said, Toby constantly provides the viewers with entertainment and laughter… not necessarily because of what he himself did, but rather because of how the others act in response to his presence in the workplace.

Then there is Holly.  Holly first comes into the mix the same episode Toby leaves… as his replacement.  She has the exact opposite effect on Michael – no matter how much he tries to hate her at first sight, he simply cannot do so.  This is because like Michael, Holly is also a total nerd, constantly joking around and having fun.  This leads to Holly and Michael dating, which puts everyone on edge. However, the relationship is cut short (at first), as she is forced to move to Nashua.

But have no fear! They eventually end up back together, both as coworkers and romantically, and they get married in Season 7 (more on this later). They then move to Colorado and have four children.

Holly’s role in Michael’s life drives the plot of many episodes, specifically when they are not together.  For example, Michael and Pam travel to Nashua to “seek closure” for Michael, only to find out that she is in another relationship, which crushed Michael’s spirit for episodes to follow (see “Lecture Circuit Part 1” and “Part 2”).

Then, at a company picnic, the two reunite to host a game show, where they realize they both have feelings for each other, eventhough she is still with AJ (see “Company Picnic”).

Like Toby, Holly tries to have an influence in the office.  However, also like Toby, she is unable to do so because of Michael… only this time, it is because no one can take her seriously since the two are dating.  Holly loves to follow the rules and tries to make sure things are done the right way, yet she still loves to have a good time and joke.

So, yes, we had to get through the boring HR stuff this week. I get it.  However, we must note how influential these characters are to the plot.  They both try to get things done and fail, leading to great scenes.  They also impact Michael’s day-to-day, which therefore too impacts the entire office.

Thank you for tuning in! Next week, we dive into some office drama!

 

 

What’s up everyone! We’re back at it with another blog.  This week, we’re diving into the ladies of the office…

*spoilers may appear from this point forward*

Pam Halpert and Angela Martin, played by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, are definitely the two most significant women in the show.  Not only do they end up marrying Jim and Dwight (who you now know are two very important men), but they also have lots of roles in the show, which often leads to them driving the plot forward.  For these reasons – as well as the fact that Fischer and Kinsey are best friends outside of acting – I thought I should group them together for this post.  Let’s start with Pam…

Pam Beesley Halpert goes from being the receptionist, to a salesman of the Michael Scott Paper Company, to a sales rep back at Dunder Mifflin, to the Office Administrator.  Not only that, she went through two (well, kinda three) engagements, art school in New York, a marriage with Jim, and the birth of two children.  So yes, Pam does a lot for the office.

Pam is the “level-headed” one in the office.  When her coworkers start to have crazy ideas (especially Michael), she normally is the one who brings them back down to Earth (yet occasionally, she’ll play along).  A great example of this is when Michael wants to propose to Holly, but has just one-too-many bad ideas (a scene before this one is more convincing). Many of the others call her the office’s “goodie goodie,” poking fun at her never wanting to cause confrontation and always following the rules…which is why when she finally does, everyone is so shocked (See Episode 8 of Season 9, “The Target”).

Pam is also the one who always tries new ways to keep work from being miserable.  Early in the series, Pam helps Jim create the Office Olympics when Michael is away. And, as Office Administrator, she comes up with many new ideas to get everyone involved…however, to no one’s surprise, some don’t go as planned.

Finally, Pam has the final lines of the series. Honestly, she couldn’t have said them any better.

Then we have Angela.  Although Angela is the other main female character in The Office, her personality is practically the opposite to Pam’s.  Angela is stern, cold, irritable, and conservative; many would put her in the “small but mighty” category.  She is an accountant, obsessed with cats, and the Head of the Party Planning Committee.

Angela often snaps at her coworkers, especially when they do things she does not agree with (which is an extensive list).  She is rarely afraid to tell anyone when they are offending her.  This is especially apparent with both Phyllis, her assistant on the Party Planning Committee, and Pam.  Many times, we see Angela bash Phyllis for her decisions on a party, as well as Pam for “getting with everyone in the office” (I had trouble finding specific scenes, so I’ve included these two videos that have many examples).

Yet, with Angela, she has a very soft center to her hard shell.  Throughout the series, we see her in an on-and-off (and sometimes secret) relationship with Dwight, and the audience can clearly tell that she cares deeply for him.  For example, she gifts Dwight his own bobble head for Valentine’s Day and often tries to help him on his quest for office authority.  However, when she feels she needs to “get back” at him, she resorts to hurting him; this is why she gets engaged to Andy and marries Senator Lipton.  As we all know, though, she has a child with Dwight and they end the series getting married.

Pam and Angela may be very different characters, but they both play huge roles in driving The Office’s plot forward.  Without either of them, the show could not be a show.

Thanks for tuning in! Stop by again next week as we look into two more characters who are, as the British say, “hated, adored, but never ignored.”

What’s up everyone?  Welcome back to my blog!

This week, we dive into half of arguably the most famous couple in TV history…

*spoilers may appear from this point forward*

Jim Halpert, played by John Krasinski, is another one of the main characters from The Office, next to Dwight and Michael.  As mentioned in the last blog, Jim is famous for his constant pranks on Dwight.  However, there is more to Jim’s character than just a jokester who has a crush on the receptionist.

Jim, too, has many roles on the show.  He is a salesman, husband, father, an avid sports-fan, and also… well, for a few episodes, that is… both a co-head of the Party Planning Committee  and co-Manager.  When something needs done (that Dwight doesn’t volunteer for), Jim typically is the person who takes it on.  He is a leader in the office, as well as someone who his coworkers look to for help and a few laughs.

With all that said, it wouldn’t do Jim justice to give no mention of his countless pranks on Dwight.  When we meet Jim in “Pilot,” we almost immediately notice how bored Jim is.  He truly hates his job.  Because of this, Jim pranks Dwight to pass the time.  This turns into a huge theme in many episodes, as Jim finds different ways to push Dwight’s buttons, legitimately to his breaking point.  In fact, as the series progresses, Jim is able to include others, including his wife, Pam.  However, what is most impressive about Jim’s abilities is that he was once able to mess with Dwight even when they weren’t working at the same branch.

Even with the many, many pranks, we see a very deep, caring version of Jim as the series progresses; this, in my opinion, is his best trait.  Many people think he only cares for Pam.  However, this is not the case.  When Dwight is struggling through a break up with Angela, Jim does the best he can to let Dwight know that he’ll be alright.

And then there’s Pam. In Seasons 1 through 3, Jim is in love with Pam, who is (painfully) dating a warehouse worker named Roy.  Although he tries to win her over, he fails at first.  However, this does not deter Jim; the thing about Jim is he not only knows what he wants, but he knows his strengths. He understands how he can make the office run smoother and how he can make Pam happy.  Eventually, Pam sees this too.  This leads to Jim’s heartfelt speech at their wedding, and two of the few scenes that (admittedly) always make me cry.

So yes, Jim can be known for his pranks and the many times he glances at the camera during episodes.  However, there is a much deeper, more sentimental side to him as well; if we do not take a moment to appreciate it, then we will totally miss out on who Jim is as a person.

So thank you for reading! Hope to see you all back again next week.

Oh, and for your convenience, some more of Jim’s best pranks can be found here.

Why, hello there! Welcome to “The Office: What They Brought.”  I’m glad you’ve decided to ride this new wave with me.

For those of you who do not know, The Office was a comedy show that aired on NBC for nine seasons, and currently runs its episodes (“re-runs”) on Comedy Central, as well as occasionally on other channels.  Its storyline was based on a small paper supply branch of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, located in Scranton, PA.

My goal of this blog site is to do a few things: first, give you a basic understanding of the characters’ roles in the show…what they do, how they do it, etc.  Secondly, and more importantly, I want to explain how the show’s characters make the show unique; that is, what about their personality adds a whole new dynamic to The Office that is unlike everyone else.  I don’t want to convince you to watch The Office (although I highly recommend it), or why it is better than Parks and Recreation (although my biased opinion agrees), but rather to simply shed light on aspects of each character that people may not have thought about before.  With that said, I plan on including lots of links to scenes, allowing those of you who haven’t watched the show (and those who have) to get a better idea of what I’m referencing.

For me, it is extremely fun to look at every character and find out more reasons why I love the show so much.  I hope you all find it as entertaining as I do

So, let’s dive in.  When dissecting The Office, there is really no better place to start than with the man who drives the story forward all nine seasons…

OH, that reminds me.  As one of the show’s biggest fans, it is my duty to not ruin it for others.  As a curtesy, for those of you who have not seen the show before, I will always give a fair and clear warning as to when spoilers may begin to appear.  If you wish to not be spoiled, then proceed with caution or log off – I will totally understand your decision 🙂

Now, as I was saying…

*spoilers may appear from this point forward*

Dwight K. Schrute is not only Scranton’s top paper salesman, but he is also a beet farmer, Assistant to the Regional Manager, and a man of many talents. Played by Rainn Wilson, Dwight is arguably the biggest character in the show, especially after Michael Scott leaves in Season 7.

Dwight is known for his love for strategy and drive for power.  He is constantly trying to “one-up” his coworkers in order to prove his authority over them.  A great example of this involves his title, Assistant to the Regional Manager.  When he introduces himself, he leaves out the ‘to the’ in order to seem more “important” to the office.

However, this often backfires, as his coworkers know how to push his buttons and pull pranks on him.  The earliest-of-many pranks was pulled by Jim in “Pilot.”

In addition to this, Dwight “wears many hats.”  He is the owner of a 60 acre beet farm, a volunteer sheriffs deputy, a  black belt in karate, and in his mind, safety officer (him and Angela cannot agree on who owns the title, which leads to arguably the best scene of the entire show).

However, beneath the cold, tactical surface of the salesman, one finds a very compassionate person.  Dwight famously becomes manager of the branch not once but twice.  Numerous times, Dwight proves his loyalty to both Michael – his boss – and his coworkers in times of need.  Anytime a job needs to get done or an errand needs to be run, Dwight always volunteers.  He stands up for not only the law, but also for those closest to him.  One of the best examples of this is found in the episode, “Work Bus.”  The office wants to go to the famous pie stand a few miles, yet the work bus that Dwight makes everyone work on is almost out of gas.  When Jim explains to Dwight that his coworkers (whom he often calls “subordinates”) are like his children, Dwight speeds down the highway, arriving just before the stand closes.

Although Dwight can be very cold and calculated, at his roots, he is a man who loves his job, his farm, his coworkers, Angela (who becomes his wife), and their son, Philip.  As we see in Season 9 specifically, Dwight grows into the manager that everyone has been wanting the entire series.  On top of that, he makes his former enemy, Jim, his Best Man at his wedding, showing his maturity and empathy towards those around him.

So thanks for reading!  I promise that starting with the next, my posts won’t be nearly as long.  See you soon!