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The Office - Season Three

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By the end of Season 3 of The Office (US), we get the sense that the series has finally established its independence from its European ancestry. Throughout Season 3, the BBC series continues to serve as a very basic template for... See more » By the end of Season 3 of The Office (US), we get the sense that the series has finally established its independence from its European ancestry. Throughout Season 3, the BBC series continues to serve as a very basic template for the NBC series: the awkward merger, the upper management restructuring, the romantic role reversal (boy-chases-girl becomes boy-gets-new-girl/original-girl-now-chases-boy). The one major plot development from the UK original that has yet to be explored is the regional manager's slow, painful march toward termination as he clashes with a new corporate supervisor. Could Season 3's final scene been an ominous sign that a similar fate is in store for Michael Scott down the road? The popularity of this series, and the apparent commitment of all involved to keep it going for at least a couple more seasons suggests this doom will be postponed, at least for a while. In the meantime, much cheerier things seem to be on the horizon. And, it is on this issue that The US version of The Office is finally transcending its English heritage. Are we actually going to witness the development of a (presumably) healthy, happy relationship between two people who belong together, free from any melodramatic roadblocks? To follow such a path would represent not only a significant departure from the British series (which actually ended when the two romantic leads finally got together, after a similar last second change of heart based on a parting "gift"), but it would also be a risky move for a TV comedy of any kind. People think they want to see romance on TV, but they don't. What they want is romantic tension. Remove the tension, and it's just a couple of people hugging, kissing, shopping, sometimes arguing over mostly trivial things, and occasionally going out to dinner. Those are real relationships, right? Maybe we'll have some "Meet The Halperts" style wackiness to keep things interesting, featuring guest director Ben Stiller. Sarcasm aside, if there is any show in the history of TV comedy with the talent and insight to delve headfirst into a realistic relationship - avoiding predictable TV contrivances in favor of delighting in the subtle nuances of ordinary human interactions - it will be this group of writers and performers. Even the other office relationships on the show, which are all deeply insane, provide charming and hilarious little character moments that defy expectations and manage to surprise (e.g. Kelly infantilizing Ryan by feeding him French fries on a double-date and insisting that he does, in fact, love ketchup). This sort of thing is, of course, one of the two main aspects of The Office that make it so endearing. The other is, obviously, cringe-inducing embarrassment. When I think and talk about The Office, I find that I'm usually most impressed with the subtle aspects of Jim and Pam (whose evolution throughout Season 3 was nothing short of inspiring). But, Michael and Dwight are really the anchors of the show, and the reason most people watch in the first place. If "The Office" was a rock song, I think that Michael and Dwight would be the rhythm section, and Pam and Jim would be the vocals and lead guitar. Yeah, it's a silly analogy, and oversimplified. But, my point is that Jim and Pam provide those rare, soaring moments that really stand out, but that Michael and Dwight keep the show grounded, ironically enough, with their madness. It's their indulgences and whims that keep the show's pace, and advance the plot on an episode-by-episode basis. I've read other reviewers point out that, if this were a traditional sit-com, the "normal" characters of Jim and Pam would be the focus, and the "oddball" characters of Michael and Dwight would be the ones that pop in for the occasional zaniness (think Laverne, Shirley, Lenny & Squiggy). I think that this perspective shift from traditional sitcom formulas, coupled with the dry, documentary-style presentation, is the key to the success of "The Office". Another impressive aspect of the US version of the show is the fleshing out of the secondary characters, See less »

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dvd, entertainment, the office, the office season 3, the office season three

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Comments (3)

From the list : saharaemily's Wish List by saharaemily

From the list : Gift Ideas by lbukiet

I have season one, so two and/or three would be great.

From the list : christy_lynn84's Wish List by christy_lynn84

I didn't even know this was out yet!

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