It's a new rite of the end of summer – just before the new television season starts, a plethora of boxed sets from the last television season are released to DVD. One of the funniest of those series arrives on DVD today, The Office: Season Four. Despite having a shortened season due to the writers' strike, the series still managed 14 new episodes, several of which are a full hour in length.
The season picks up a few short months after the end of the third one. Karen Filippelli (Rashida Jones) has left Dunder-Mifflin's Scranton office, and Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) may or may not be dating. Ryan (B.J. Novak) has also left Scranton, going to corporate, and is now Michael's (Steve Carell) boss. Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) is still looking for love and Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) is… still Dwight Schrute. Things change as the season progresses, but I don't want to spoil any of the twists, turns, or high jinx.
Ever-present during the show's fourth is the same brand of awkward humor that has made The Office one of the most consistently funny shows on television during its run. Leading that awkward charge is Carell, whose Michael Scott seems to always manage to say just the wrong thing at the wrong time. There are moments when Scott performs far above the expectations of those around him, moments when he shows himself to be far more wise than anyone might suspect, but they only seem to serve to make his failings that much greater.
Inspiring the awkwardness in others are, again, Jim and Pam. They are the two sane people living in an insane world. They are certainly the most well-rounded and most resemble people in the real world. During this season one of their key jobs remains, as it has been, to look the camera (and the audience) square in the eye and acknowledge the lunacy surrounding them. While they certainly inspire some of the foolishness with their practical jokes, this season they also prove once and for all that they truly care for, and do not wish ill upon, their coworkers, even Dwight.
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