The Office - TV Fanatic

The Office Review: He's A Man On A Mission

d4cella@gmail.com (Dan Forcella) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:40:40 EST

Like most of The Office's eighth season, "Special Project" wasn't all that hilarious. Unlike most of The Office's eighth season, though, it showed some purpose, which kept things interesting.

Said purpose begins and ends with the titular project and what it did to focus Dwight Kurt Schrute. The beet farmer has been funny all year long, but it wasn't until he took the reins of this project, and got his team into the conference room, that things really started to fall into place.

It was just fun. It was fun watching Dwight finally managing. And not only managing, but managing a team that took him seriously as their leader. Even Jim, who didn't fail to mess with Dwight about showering together in Florida earlier in the episode, couldn't help but jump on board the Dwight train once the former Assistant to the Regional Manager started appreciating his team's ideas.

So now the group will be split, with Dwight and his minions enjoying the fun and the sun of Florida, while the rest of the crew stays in chilly Scranton, Pennsylvania. Seriously, though, with Dwight, Jim, Stanley, Erin and Ryan away from the office, I can foresee a problem.

How are the scenes not dealing with the special project going to be any good at all? Is Kevin going to have to steal the show week in and week out to make it watchable?

The future can wait. For now, there was just a lot to enjoy about "Special Project." Like I said earlier, none of it was really laugh-out-loud funny, but most of it made you smile.

Between all of Nate's reactions to Darryl's gift, Jim and Pam suffering through the text message response to Robert California, Stanley's white jacket, pink shirt and fedora, and Dwight's original plan to scare off his team by screaming like a drill sergeant, releasing mosquitoes into the conference room, and showing Erin a picture of an old man, The Office was a lot more charming overall in comparison to the past few weeks.

What did you think of the half hour? Is it a good idea to split up the group? Who would you want on your team in Florida? And is Pam's replacement going to succeed at replacing Pam again... this time as Jim's lover?

Before sounding off in the comments, check out some of the best lines from the episode below, and then head to our The Office q uotes page for all the best quotes from the show.

Nate: Oh Darryl. I'm glad to be in your life too. Your card is more beautiful than the gloves. | permalink

Dwight: Have you ever tried to use a chain with three weak links? I have, and now I no longer own an arctic wolf. | permalink

Kevin: I do deserve a vacation. Sometimes Batman's gotta take off his cape. | permalink

Jim (to Dwight): Do you shower at night? Or do you shower in the morning? 'Cause I wanna shower when you're showering...save some water. | permalink

The Office Romance Scoop: Paging Sendhil Ramamurthy!

matt@tvfanatic.com (TV Fanatic Staff) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:37:27 EST

Might Sendhil Ramamurthy sweep Kelly Kapoor off her hilarious feet, and out of The Office?

TV Guide Magazine reports that the former Heroes star and current key player on Covert Affairs has landed a guest role on the long-running NBC sitcom as a doctor who gets very cozy with Mindy Kaling's Kelly.

“[Ryan and Kelly] go through a heart-wrenching break-up,” B.J. Novak previews. “[They] end up becoming bitter enemies in the office when she falls in love with an Indian doctor. He’s very handsome and a much, much better match for Kelly than Ryan is.”

Ramamurthy will only appear in one episode, but perhaps Kelly's new romance will be the driving force behind a decision to leave Dundler Mifflin, as Kaling will anchor an upcoming comedy pilot on Fox.

The Office Review: Call Of Fatherly Duty

d4cella@gmail.com (Dan Forcella) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:07:30 EST

The eighth season of The Office has had a difficult time telling funny stories. The humoursly awkward moments we used to get from Steve Carrell have turned into boring awkward moments with Ed Helms.

Thankfully, the show has survived on a few hilarious characters - notably Kevin and Dwight - garnering laughs simply based on their hilarious personalities.

That was no different in "Jury Duty," as Kevin was on fire with his disturbing accounting family tree, calling the baby fat and "Little Kevin," and buying the kid Call of Duty.

While Kevin rarely has much more than a few lines of dialogue per episode, Dwight continues to be a leading player... until he possibly spins off his own series next year.

The beet farmer was in rare form once again this week, both in how he dealt with Jim's unexcused absence from work and the news that Angela's baby was conceived one month before her wedding with the Senator.

In both instances Dwight was insanely happy. First with Jim, he couldn't wait to take his rival down, reading him the Dwight's Rights, bringing in Ernesto from the food truck, and packing up his things as he prepared for Andy to fire him. It was a cruel happiness.

Then upon, hearing the news about Angela's baby, he showed utter joy in the fact that he had a child. I've never seen someone take to being a father as quickly as Mr. Schrute. Let's just hope, for the sake of Dwight's paternal happiness, that nobody ever did teach Mose sex.

Dwight's joy was fun to watch, and it was certainly more entertaining than Jim's pain. Honestly, I don't know who was in more pain throughout the episode: Jim for having to endure all the lies he told, the burden he put on his co-workers, and the crying babies - or us for having to watch all of it.

Stanley being upset that he had to watch "damn Rizzoli and damn Isles," on the other hand, was hilarious. There were a few other one-offs that made up for the less than funny time we spent with Jim and Andy this week, most notably Randy's awful translation skills, Gabe's love of maternity wards and Oscar not knowing which thread to follow in the baby scandal.

With the recent news of Rainn Wilson taking Dwight away from The Office for a spinoff, we have to begin to analyze how that will happen. Becoming a father is as good of a reason as any for a major life change. Will this help him move on from Dunder Mifflin? Only time will tell.

There were definitely some ups and some downs in "Jury Duty." What did you think of the episode? What was the funniest moment? And what was the better baby gift: Preemie Pajamas? Or Call of Duty?

Check out our favorite lines of the night below, and don't forget to hit up our The Office quotes page for all the best one-liners.

Erin: Angela had the baby?
Kevin: Is it black? Because that would be hilarious. | permalink

Oscar: Please don't say anything offensive.
Kevin: Got that bimbo?
Erin: Got it bimbo. | permalink

Dwight: You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to beg for mercy. You have the right to request judgment by combat. Dwight's rights. | permalink

Dwight: He remembers Toby, the most forgettable man in the known world. | permalink

Dwight: That baby is a Schrute, and unless somebody taught Mose sex, that baby is mine. | permalink

Mindy Kaling to Exit The Office for New Sitcom?

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:31:24 EST

It seems very likely that Mindy Kaling will exit The Office after this season - but, no, she will not be taking a job at Schrute Farms.

Instead, the actress has landed a pilot deal with Fox for a sitcom she will co-produce along with Howard Klein, an executive producer on The Office. If it gets picked up - and, really, why would a pilot featuring this hilarious young star not get picked up?!? - Kaling will depart Dundler Mifflin.

On the show, Kaling will portray an OB/GYN looking for the answers to various life questions. Think Bridget Jones with a stethoscope.

The Office Round Table: A Dwight Schrute Spinoff?!?

matt@tvfanatic.com (TV Fanatic Staff) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:06:03 EST

It seems all but confirmed at this point: Rainn Wilson will likely anchor an Office spinoff in 2013 that centers around his character, Dwight Schrute, and other family members behind Schrute Farms.

A brilliant idea destined to last for several more seasons, akin to Frasier? Or an abysmal idea that makes Joey look like Emmy bait? TV Fanatic staff members Matt Richenthal, Dan Forcella and Steve Marsi are here to debate this question, along with others related to the aging NBC sitcom...

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A spinoff for Dwight: A Frasier-like good idea or a Joey-like awful idea?
Matt: It's far closer to Joey and here's why: Dwight Schrute is pretty much a cartoon. The guy is hilarious, don't get me wrong, but he's not exactly a layered, realistic individual. He's a mostly one-note character and, while The Office has gotten incredible mileage out of that note, it's very hard to imagine an entire show built around his strange interest and unusual mannerisms.

Dan: I don't think it's all that good of an idea, mostly because we have seen eight seasons of Dwight as a main character. Spinoff's work best when taking a character who has had little to do on one show, and giving them more to do on their own. On the other hand, he is one of the only people still getting consistent laughs on The Office, so making him the focal point of a new series can't be that bad of an idea.

Steve: Let me state right off the bat that I am an unabashed Dwight fan. He made the show for me while it found its footing in the first 2-3 seasons. I almost bought a Schrute Farms t-shirt at the NBC Universal gift shop (I settled on Mouse Rat). The guy rules. That said, I agree with Dan and Matt, for his phrasing of this question. Frasier was well enough known on Cheers that fans liked and would care about him after he left Boston, but he was far from a main character. As such, his life story had plenty of room to grow comedically, and did it ever.

For seven-plus seasons of The Office, Dwight has been close to the main character ... assistant TO the main character if you will. Already, The Office is losing traction after an incredible run, and all the little things that make Dwight so funny would, by necessity, become overexposed and tiresome in a Dwight-centered sitcom.

Come up with a name for the spinoff.
Matt: You Dwight Up My Life? Schrute of the Loom? Dwight Supremacy? Really, the pun-worthy titles are the only reason to go forward with this.

Dan: Bears, Beats, Battlestar Galactica.

Steve: Depends on the plot. If the focal point is Schrute Farms, call it The Beet Goes On. If Dwight and Mose are building homes in the Amish country... Schrutes and Ladders.

Which character would you most want to see in a spinoff?
Matt: Kevin. Sick of all the mockery at work, he quits to focus full-time on Scrantonicity, eventually getting a big break when a record executive mistakes him for a mentally-challenged drummer and gives the band a sympathy contract.

Dan: You never said current character, so the spinoff to see would have to be Michael and Holly in Colorado. I imagine those two are having the times of their lives out there, doing improv, using robot voices and PDAing all over the place!

Steve: Andy. There needs to be a home for Ed Helms' musical talents and Cornell name-dropping. Plus, it's not like he's tied to that area or company like some of the Scranton lifers. How great would it be if he fell out of favor at the paper company and answered an online ad for a political campaign assistant ... in Pawnee, Indiana?

Give this season of The Office a grade.
Matt: I'm going all the way down to a D. Robert California has been a complete whiff and Andy is mostly a less funny version of Michael Scott, desperate for his underlings' love, yet in a more pathetic, less occasionally racist way. Only Jim's pranks, Ryan's attachment to his phone and Kevin's Kevinness (Kevinocity?) keep me going.

Dan: The season continues to have its issues, while hitting a few great jokes every week. I'll give it a B- overall.

Steve: Try as it may, the comic cohesiveness Dunder-Mifflin gang has come unglued slightly in Carell's absence, and simply from lasting longer than 95 percent of shows could dream of. It gets a C+ by Office standards, but given the loftiness of those very standards, remains quite watchable.

Your turn, readers. Would you watch a Dwight Schrute spinoff?

The Office to Spinoff Dwight, Schrute Farms?

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:08:33 EST

To many, The Office has grown quite stale on season eight. But NBC has reportedly come up with a way to freshen up the series:

Remove Dwight and give him his own sitcom.

That's the rumored plan for 2013, according to Deadline. Conceived by Rainn Wilson and Paul Lieberstein, the spinoff would feature Dwight leaving Dundler Mifflin and going to work full-time at Schrute Farms.

"At its base, it will be about a family farm struggling to survive and a family trying to stay together," a source says, adding that the new show would feature a number of Dwight's relatives.

The Office, intentionally or not, has actually been dropping hints about Dwight leaving for awhile now. He was unhappy that Andy took over for Michael as branch manager and just two episodes he flew to Florida to apply for a new job.

When it comes to sitcom spinoffs, there are one-word pros (Frasier) and cons (Joey). What do you think of this idea? Would you watch a Schrute-based new series?

The Office Review: Nobody Calls Me Chicken Fight

d4cella@gmail.com (Dan Forcella) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:44:16 EST

There were bits and pieces of each story that worked in "Pool Party," but neither Robert's stroll through parties never had, nor Erin's endeavor to make Andy jealous, came together to make completely funny or interesting tales.

What we were left with was yet another decent episode of The Office in which there were a number on things to laugh at... in which one couldn't help but feel it lacked th humor and creativity of what the series used to be.

The one piece to the puzzle that worked really well was Dwight and Erin completely getting after it in their attempt to make Andy jealous. The receptionist going 110% in the final game of chicken, squeezing Dwight's neck until he became unconscious and in danger of drowning, might have been what the writers thought would be the icing on the cake.

Instead, it served as a letdown, an unfunny ending to an otherwise hilarious pairing I never would have imagined. When Dwight puts his mind to something that is outside his normal range of actions, it's usually comical. In this case, him flirting with Erin - whether it be sexy eating, telling Andy he's gonna go crazy on her with sex, or saying to Erin "I could just bang you right now" in hopes of Andy hearing him - was easily the best part of the episode.

The problem with this part of the pool party was the man those two were attempting to make jealous. Nothing about Andy worrying over, and searching for, his lost engagement ring was funny. It was just boring. Oh, and sad. It was also sad.

Thankfully, Kevin chimed in with a couple of good moments, like wasting no time to jump at the opportunity to be the chicken fight partner of Pam's replacement, or telling Val that wondering Daryl can't swim is racist.

In the rest of the giant house, I was banging my head against a wall. Wait no! That was just what I was doing while watching the story going on in the rest of the house.

I thought maybe Robert California had turned a corner. At Dunder Mifflin, when he was telling everyone about his issue with this giant house, he got dark. It was a mean darkness that Robert portrayed when he got up close and personal with Jim for laughing at the boss's misery. This could have worked. If Robert wasn't going to be as crazy as he was when we first met him, maybe he could be awkwardly mean.

But that turned into self-pity as he took a number of employees on his tour of the mansion. This wasn't a funny self-pity, but a boring one. It didn't help that Jim reverted back to that guy that wanted to have no fun what-so-ever. There seems to be a direct correlation between the fun Jim has on the show, and the amount of fun the audience has while watching.

What might have been an attempt at humor in Jim valiantly trying to leave the party, turned out to be more and more frustrating each time Jim didn't just leave or shut up to the camera about wanting to leave. Get the heck out of there, enjoy the wine like Oscar, or aggressively fight for Robert's affection like Ryan and Gabe.

That was the lone bright spot from this side of the party: Ryan and Gabe and their need to fit in with their boss. Just like in "Garden Party," when they kept on toasting and re-toasting Robert, the efforts that these two will go to in order to be Robert's equal, is fascinating. But like Dwight losing consciousness, this story also ended strangely and with no laughs. Nobody wanted to see those three strip down and go for a swim.

So while some of "Pool Party" worked really well, The Office's continued inability to figure out what to do with Andy Bernard and Robert California, and the inconsistency of Jim Halpert's happiness, hurt the overall satisfaction of the episode.

What did you all think? What was your favorite moment from "Pool Party?" Did either story line work for you this week? And most importantly, which Dunder Mifflin employee would you want on your team for a chicken fight?

Don't forget to check out all the best lines in our The Office quotes page and sound off in the comments!

The Office Review: What Is SEE-attle?

d4cella@gmail.com (Dan Forcella) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:20:26 EST

Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. In The Office's first episode of 2012, the titular storyline of the gang playing "Trivia" in Philadelphia worked really well, but the forced trio in Florida definitely did not.

That's not to say that there was nothing to laugh at, as Dwight stormed Sabre headquarters to get a managerial position with Dunder Mifflin's parent company. Mr. Schrute's jumping fist pump as he walked the hall to Robert's office was among the best moments.

Gabe comparing himself to a toilet was also one of the more clever lines of the night, but the entire situation just felt forced. We've seen Dwight act like this before... and then he always just returns to being a great salesman.

I'm not one to complain about lack of growth in a sitcom character, but if the repetitive nature of said character's actions reduces the hilarity of our beloved Dwight Schrute, it's not a good thing. Combine that tiresome activity with an individual who has yet to find his footing in Robert California, and we were left with a "B" story that didn't quite work.

Up north, conversely, the others heading to Philly in order to win a grand at Oscar's trivia night was quite fun. Although a bit predictable, it was also extremely poetic that everyone but Kevin knew their rightful place on Team A, B or C, and the big lug was the one that ended up helping the latter win the entire competition.

Who knew that weighing in at 300 pounds would be the deciding factor in the trivia championship?

Splitting the group into teams made for some great dynamics between characters we don't always get to see interact with each other. Personally, I loved the hodgepodge of Stanley, Phyllis Creed and Pam's Replacement on Team 2.

My favorite answer of the night was definitely the C squad going with SEE-attle for the Ray Charles question. Get it? Because he's blind.

Before the majority made their way to trivia, and Dwight headed south to Florida, there was the cold open. It was a quick scene that went without a laugh for a very long time - especially Andy Bernard's horrendously unfunny raccoon miming - but when Kevin took that first bite into his chocolate bar, and let out a big "oh yeah" I absolutely lost it. Way to go, Kev. You do your thing.

I was pretty split right down the middle on "Trivia." Was this a nice start to 2012 for you? Or were you disappointed? Which was your favorite team at trivia? Maybe the Queerenstein Bears?

Don't forget to check out all the best lines at our The Office Quotes page.

The Office Midseason Report Card: B-

d4cella@gmail.com (Dan Forcella) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:29:56 EST

With so many shows either on hiatus or having just wrapped up their most recent seasons, TV Fanatic is taking a look back... along with a slight look forward.

We've already handed out grades to 2 Broke Girls, Supernatural and Covert Affairs, among other shows. Now, critic Dan Forcella takes us through the highs and lows of the first half of the first season of The Office without Steve Carell...

Dwight and Jim were responsible for a lot of the laughs on The Office this fall, especially in "Garden Party."

Funniest Line: There are plenty of worthy nominations, but for me it's a tie between Nate's "You had me at clookies" and Dwight's "I'm gonna make you the buffest dude Val Kilmer has ever seen." What was your favorite quote of the first half of the season?

Best Prank: It has to be Jim writing a book entitled The Ultimate Guide to Throwing a Garden Party for the sole purpose of Dwight buying the lone copy and following the book's crazy orders to the "t." It made for one heck of an episode, which brings us to...

Best Episode: "Garden Party" Dwight following along with all of James Trickington's chapters gave the episode brilliant focus, as well as a ton of laughs. The half hour also gave us Mose's valet stunt, Andy's family acting like jerks, and everyone else sucking up to Robert through multiple toasts.

Worst Episode: "Gettysburg" Like most of the problems with this season, this episode suffered from too much Andy Bernard. His trip to Gettysburg was good for only a few laughs, mostly coming from Gabe's Abraham Lincoln show, and back at the office, Robert continued to be a shell of the crazy character we met at the end of last season.

Worst Character: Andy Bernard. It's only half the character's fault. The other half goes to the decision of making Ed Helms the leading man on this show. That choice has turned a once funny and lovable nicknaming Cornell bro into an annoying and overdone singing homeless man's Michael Scott.

Best Character: Dwight Schrute. Thanks to a number of episodes focusing on the reinvigorated rivalry between Jim and Dwight, Mr. Schrute has gained steam over the course of this season, and been the source of much laughter. Whether it was the Val Kilmer bit referenced above, or his "It'll all be goat" line during "Garden Party," Rainn Wilson has been great this fall.

Most Interesting Development: Like Toby did at one point a couple seasons ago, Gabe has gone from a character I couldn't stand last year, do one I enjoy more often than not in late 2011. His Lincoln bit, the way he joined Dwight's gym without a hesitation, and his "Hey Andy, how about you don't steal my business strategies, and I won't dress like life is just one long brunch" have me enjoying Gabe so far.

Biggest Surprise: Stanley's "shove it up your butt" line. The man has had a few moments here and there, but nothing like this in the past. I did a spit take the first time I heard him utter these words.

Most Underutilized Character: Ryan Howard needs a billion minutes of more air time, like now. His deuchy attitude never gets old, so until it does, let's allow B.J. Novak to fill up our screen as much as possible.

Overall Grade: We're at about a B- thus far. There have still been a ton of funny moments over the course of these first 10 episodes, but The Office is still a shell of what it used to be. Less focus on Andy Bernard, continuing to highlight the Jim/Dwight dynamic, and more screen time for Ryan Howard will raise the grade this spring.

The Office Review: Self-Prankervation

d4cella@gmail.com (Dan Forcella) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:07:38 EST

The Office has knocked Christmas episodes out of the park in the past, so a high bar was set for "Christmas Wishes. It didn't live up to the original "Christmas Party" or last season's "Classy Christmas," but it was certainly one of the funnier outings of season eight.

There were a lot of things that make up a good Office episode at play here. Jim and Dwight were in a pranking zone, there was a whole lot of Erin Hannon, Andy Bernard wasn't ridiculously annoying, and of course, there was an amazing montage/air band rock out set to TSO's "Carol of the Bells."

Dunder Mifflin has done holiday music well in the past - Angela's "Little Drummer Boy" comes to mind - but nothing like this. Between Kevin and Jim receiving a cookie jar and a vasectomy pamphlet as gifts, Erin pounding shots with Phyllis, and Creed, Nate and Gabe joining Dwight on air guitar, air keyboard, and air bass, respectively, it hit on all levels. Great montage.

Not only were Jim and Dwight back to doing what they do best, pranking, but it wasn't the same old song and dance. No, no, Jim and Dwight were pranking themselves, which made it that much funnier. Whether it was Jim reading his credit card info aloud - leading to Dwight buying $200 flowers for Pam - Dwight putting a porcupine into his own drawer - leading to him calling the animal by name - or Jim drawing devil horns and a beard on a picture of CeCe but then backing down so Dwight wouldn't get fired... these two were on fire.

Then there was Ellie Kemper yet again lighting up the screen, this time by being jealous and drunk. One of the characteristics that makes Erin such a funny character is how serious she takes things, and how important she thinks everything is. That trait was definitely exemplified when she was amazed that Jessica was an assistant cross country coach at Bryn Mawr.

She also gave us a fantastic Stanley impression and that entire awkward moment when she forced Andy and Jess to kiss in front of her.

Sure, there were a few misses. They still don't hit nearly as often as they used to on the emotional moments. Andy and Erin are not Jim and Pam, nor are they Michael and Holly. It just isn't the same, and when Andy drove off in the car after checking up on Erin and Robert, I really couldn't have cared less.

Then again, "Christmas Wishes" also gave us Creed trying to cozy up with Andy's Gam Gam, Angela comparing porcupines to dogs because neither have souls, and Kevin consoling Erin after her blow up with Andy only to ask about the oatmeal situation, so there was much more good than bad as The Office heads into the winter break.

We'll leave you with some of our favorite quotes from the evening, and don't forget to hit up our The Office quotes page for all the best one-liners.

What did all you TV Fanatics think of the episode?

Dwight: I am always acting in self-defense...occasionally preemptive self-defense. | permalink

Nate: You had me at clookies. I can't wait to find out what they are. | permalink

Darryl: I meant dressed up compared to normal. You usually dress like a ghostbuster. | permalink

Erin: I'm gonna go do another reverse spit. That's how the cool kids say, get a drink. | permalink