It's hard to get excited over a sitcom. I have grown weary of the families, the kids, the in-laws, and the neighbors that typically inhabit these universes. Sure, every once in awhile one will slip through the cracks and bring something good to the table, but they are few and far between. I am looking for the comedies that bring something different to the table. Sadly, it is not all that often I find a sitcom that I believe to be a must see. The past few years have brought a few that are worth my time.
The past few years have brought us the likes of Scrubs, Arrested Development, and My Name is Earl. There is one other that has risen through the ranks, a remake of a British series that has already gone on to bring home a Best Comedy Emmy award. If you haven't guessed it by now, the show is The Office. With Arrested Development gone and Scrubs beginning the year in limbo, awaiting a time slot, The Office is the brightest spot on the comedic battlefront.
The original series ran for two seasons, plus a couple of Christmas specials. It was a huge hit in its native land. I watched the first season on DVD, I remember liking it, but it has been awhile and I do not have very good memories of it. Perhaps I should revisit it. Anyway, when it was announced that it was being adapted for American television, there were considerable questions if they would be able to capture the magic of the original. I mainly remember seeing the commercials for it and hoping that it would be funny. The first short season proved to be very good, and this second season proved to be even better.
The Office is habit forming. As I put the disks in, I found that I could not watch just one episode. I had to keep watching to see what they would do next. The creative team and cast have really captured an insider look at the white collar world. I work for a computer software company, and that experience may help in my enjoyment of this series. I watch the interactions, the friendships, the annoyances, and everything in between and I identify with it. I watch guys like Jim (John Krasinski) and Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) and I see my own co-workers.
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