When looking to fill the nine o’clock television slot on Thursday night than look no further than “The Office”. “The Office” follows the lives of daily office workers at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and their incompetent boss Michael Scott. Each episode encompasses different scenarios that occur in most offices each day, for example: Diversity Day, going on cold calls, attending company picnics, and much more.
Part of what makes “The Office” so great is the variety of characters. It has 13 different characters who work in the Scranton branch office each day and they all have different personalities. Michael Scott is the boss and is unqualified for the job and tries to make friends with everyone rather than making the tough decisions.
Steve Carell is the perfect choice to play Michael Scott. Carell has the power to take suspense out of scenes by making jokes that are properly timed or by doing something outrageous. This is exactly the role of Michael in “The Office”. Anytime Dunder Mifflin is going through a tough time or anytime one of his coworkers is having a bad day he will be right there ready to add his classic “that’s what she said” joke. However, not all Carrel’s success acting as Michael can be given to him, the writers also sell the character. The writers create jokes that are perfectly timed to take away from stressful situations leaving the audience hysterically laughing or shaking their head.
Along with Michael is his side kick salesmen Dwight Schrute. Dwight is that awkward coworker based on his appearance and the things he says. He is played by Raiin Wilson who is perfect for the role. Wilson’s body frame is awkward by itself especially his face because he has a small nose, and a huge widow’s peak. Raiin is also portrayed as awkward because of the writers. The writers do a great job of creating the most awkward character based on the interests they create for him. For example he is a paper salesman and beet farmer. The writers also create lines for him that has the audience asking, what is wrong with this guy?
Along with Dwight is fellow salesman Jim Hulpert. Jim views being a salesmen at Dunder Mifflin as just a job and doesn’t take the job very seriously. He spends more time figuring out ways to mess with Dwight than on his actual sales. Jim, played by John Kransinski, is also a good fit for the part of Jim. In real life, Kransinski is a happy go lucky guy who also has a big grin on his face. The writers also deserve credit for making John a perfect fit. They come up with the best pranks to portray Jim’s silliness; they include a prank in almost every episode to reinforce Jim’s silliness.
There are many more characters as well who have their own personality, like Angela the hard core Christian, Andy the singing Cornell graduate, and Meredith the alcoholic who is attracted to most people in the office.
“The Office” is meant to be a reality show that encompasses work situations that most Americans encounter each day. The actors make everyone watching believe they are in fact living out their daily lives in an office in which they work. In the Jim and Pam’s wedding nobody thinks it’s two actors having a fake wedding for a television show. Everybody is thinking two co-workers who have known each other for more than five years are finally over coming all their past obstacles and are finally getting married. Everyone believes this is Michael’s actual life and feelings when Michael proclaims his love for Holly when he proposes to her at her desk the very place where he first met Holly.
When looking to fill the nine o’clock television slot on Thursday night with a comedy that makes you feel the emotions of the actors than look no further than “The Office”.
