The Office season 7 thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick Sun 

With this being Steve Carell's last season, how will they replace Michael Scott as this new season winds down?

I've heard two proposals from the creative team:

1. Promote someone from within the existing cast to be the boss and market it as a true ensemble. Likely Dwight, but maybe Kelly or Darryl though Sabre's minority advancement program.
2. Hire another "name" actor to fill the void. Within this route are two differing proposals:
   1. Hire a dramatic actor like Harvey Keitel to be the straight man against the rest of the cast's insanity.
   2. Hire another comedic actor like Tim Allen.

I think the most interesting suggestion would be 2a, since it would make a fresher show than 1 or 2b.

EDIT: Solid premiere. I laughed more and harder tonight than I did during the majority of the episodes last season.

Rhys Darby is the other semi-big-name (if you watch HBO, that is) being floated about as Carell's potential replacement. I'd make this show regular appointment viewing again in a heartbeat if that happened.

Eventhough it sorta felt like it was from another show, I loved the 'musical number' at the beginning because it seemed like the actors were having alot of fun.

Dwight is on another planet at this point but he still makes me laugh.

And Michael's nephew saying "I love cinema. My two favorite movies are Citizen Kane and Boondock Saints" was absolutely hilarious.

Shit, yes -- the "Boondock Saints" line was priceless. Forgot about that one.

Also:

"Everywhere I look, it's 'Betty White' this, and 'Betty White' that. Finally, a kid who's not talking about Betty White. Of course  I follow him."

Despite what happened to the show last season, I still have something of a fondness for it, but I'd love to see it get a really strong second wind this year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TravisR 

Even though it sorta felt like it was from another show, I loved the 'musical number' at the beginning because it seemed like the actors were having alot of fun.

 

I totally dug the opening too. It was completely ridiculous and had absolutely nothing to do with the show or things going on in the office itself, but I still enjoyed the hell out of it. Plus that song reminds me of "The Bride" slashing up 88 dudes in Kill Bill.
 

I really hated the whole "Gabe-and-Erin" thing. Really hated it.

It added absolutely nothing to the episode, and without any kind of proper setup, any follow up on it throughout the season (because of course there's going to be more emphasis on it as the season progresses) is going to feel really limp.

The opening got me, and little bits here and there in between worked, but man, what a disjointed premiere.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshEH 

I really hated the whole "Gabe-and-Erin" thing. Really hated it.

 

It added absolutely nothing to the episode, and without any kind of proper setup, any follow up on it throughout the season (because of course there's going to be more emphasis on it as the season progresses) is going to feel really limp.

 

The opening got me, and little bits here and there in between worked, but man, what a disjointed premiere.

I agree.  The Gabe, Erin relationship....seriously? Is that the best the writers could come up with?

The whole episode was just kind of  "blah".    I was expecting so much more from the season opener.  I'm sure it will get better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt 

I've heard two proposals from the creative team:

1. Promote someone from within the existing cast to be the boss and market it as a true ensemble. Likely Dwight, but maybe Kelly or Darryl though Sabre's minority advancement program.
2. Hire another "name" actor to fill the void. Within this route are two differing proposals:
   1. Hire a dramatic actor like Harvey Keitel to be the straight man against the rest of the cast's insanity.
   2. Hire another comedic actor like Tim Allen.

 

I think the most interesting suggestion would be 2a, since it would make a fresher show than 1 or 2b.

 

EDIT: Solid premiere. I laughed more and harder tonight than I did during the majority of the episodes last season.

2b.  David Brent gets hired by Dunder Mifflin (Slough, Berkshire Branch) and hires Gareth Keenan to be his Assistant Regional Manager (or Assistant "to the" Regional Manager).  

David is then relocated to take over the Scranton branch to take over once Michael Scott leaves - but you see the transition between the two for the last 4 or so episodes.

David also brings along Gareth to take over Dwight's position as he will be moved into a different position.

David Brent, Michael Scott, Gareth Keenan and Dwight Schrute sharing screen time for 4 episodes and then the new guys taking over next season?  I mean it writes itself at this point.

Paul Lieberstein ("Toby") recently confirmed that the producers have been having a number of conversations with Ricky Gervais about finally appearing this season -- reportedly, it's something that Gervais wants very much to do, supposedly especially since it's going to be Steve Carell's final season.

Would love it if this happens.

Just catching up on shows piling up on my Tivo.

Great Season Seven opening for The Office (Office

Lip Dub). Had to rewatch it several times it was so good.

The first two shows this season are fairly strong.

Last season seemed a little shaky but I am glad

the show is somewhat returning to its roots.  Glad

to get away from the Jim and Pam baby storyline

as I thought it was ruining the show.

The joke concerning Erin and the disposable camera

seemed a little cheap but somehow it almost seemed

to work anyway.

Looking forward to the rest of the season before

Carell leaves it.

I'm trying to thing of another show that has integrated a new main character into the cast midstream as successfully as "The Office" has with Andy Bernard, and I'm not coming up with anything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt 

I'm trying to thing of another show that has integrated a new main character into the cast midstream as successfully as "The Office" has with Andy Bernard, and I'm not coming up with anything.

I agree completely that they've done a great job with Andy, Adam...but the names B.J. Hunnicut, Sherman Potter and Charles Emerson Winchester III quickly come to mind. 

Michael Emerson (playing Ben Linus) was an amazing addition on Lost. That being said, Ed Helms certainly holds his own and was a great addition to The Office.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Frezon 

I agree completely that they've done a great job with Andy, Adam...but the names B.J. Hunnicut, Sherman Potter and Charles Emerson Winchester III quickly come to mind. 

Not to get The Office thread too far off track, but I always felt M*A*S*H really went downhill after Henry Blake, Frank Burns and Trapper were replaced with the above mentioned characters. The show was never as funny as it was the first few years with the original cast IMHO. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshEH 

...this show has long outlived the conceit of being a "documentary." They do the shaky-handheld and zooms all the time, but it makes absolutely no sense that there's supposedly a camera crew following them to a play, and then actually standing there recording people watching it.

I don't have a problem with the documentary apparently having broadened its scope to look at all the aspects of the lives of the people that work in the office (as per last night's episode, even Angela has a camera in her car now) but I guess you have to suspend disbelief that this must be one of the longest shooting documentary in history. Especially when you consider that the subject is not genocide in Rawanda or something with a little more meaning than looking at life of workers in a paper company in suburban Pennsylvania.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TravisR 

I guess you have to suspend disbelief that this must be one of the longest shooting documentary in history. Especially when you consider that the subject is not genocide in Rawanda or something with a little more meaning than looking at life of workers in a paper company in suburban Pennsylvania.

I don't know; when you consider TLC reality series like "Little People, Big World" have nearly 200 episodes in the tank over six years, it's not too big of a stretch that a reality series about Dunder Mifflin could stretch over ~120 episodes so far and a similar number of years. The stretch is that the corporate office would continue to allow production of a series that makes the company look absolutely terrible at times.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt 

The stretch is that the corporate office would continue to allow production of a series that makes the company look absolutely terrible at times.

My assumption has always been that none of the footage has been seen by the public yet. I guess both scenarios are a stretch at this point though because you either have to ask "Why would Dunder Mifflin not have fired probably everyone at Scranton by now?" or "Why would the documentary shoot for 7 years if they haven't used the footage yet?"

The problem is that it becomes a storytelling crutch. For instance, in the season premiere, instead of using good writing to show Andy is upset, he just says it to the camera.

Of course, if, at the end of this season, it's shown that Michael was the one behind the documentary crew staying on for that long (for instance, promising to pay them himself), it becomes a phenomenal joke. Plus, it would be a perfect "out" from the entire faux-doc format.

And a perfect "out" for the series, as far as I'm concerned. I'm still half-expecting NBC to announce in the spring that the show is, in fact, over.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshEH 

 

 

And a perfect "out" for the series, as far as I'm concerned. I'm still half-expecting NBC to announce in the spring that the show is, in fact, over.

At this point, I really think that would be a good idea. The show has moments of brilliance from time to time, but just isn't consistently funny anymore. I find myself watching it out of habit rather than really looking forward to it the way I used to and Carell leaving should be the final nail in the coffin as far as I'm concerned.

The show won't get canceled, unfortunately, if only because doing so would be laying off half of NBC. Seriously, there's like 14 different producer/co-producer/executive producer credits at the top of every show.

Also, the whole Andy/Erin/Gabe thing is beyond stupid. It's like a complete redo of last season. If there's an ongoing romance plot this year, why the hell isn't it Michael's?

But Ed Helms-centric Sweeney Todd episodes are always hilarious, and I thought it was really funny that they had him playing the male ingenue. So, a win this week.

And that whole sequence starting with Andy's iPhone going off in his pocket was one of the most uncomfortably-awkward things they've ever done. "I killed it! Because I am a murderer! Like you, Sweeney Todd! Although my character doesn't know that yet! But he suspects it! All those razors!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshEH 

If there's an ongoing romance plot this year, why the hell isn't it Michael's?

My guess is that Michael's storyline is on ice until Amy Ryan becomes available for filming.

Before I forget to mention it, the rolling wine bottle was greatness, but probably my favorite moment was, "It's like The Hurt Locker!!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshEH 

Before I forget to mention it, the rolling wine bottle was greatness, but probably my favorite moment was, "It's like The Hurt Locker!!"

There's a rundown theater in downtown Albany near a college campus that used to be a real discount compared to the chain multiplexes. The theater smells like mold, the ceiling has water damage, the projection is iffy, but for a light dialog-driven film it was sometimes worth saving a couple bucks. I can't count the number of times I heard beer bottles rolling down the aisle. Every time it seemed to last an eternity, and then the usher bursts in trying to figure out who smuggled booze into the theater.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake Gove 

Enough of the musical numbers already, quit trying to jump on Glee's bandwagon (I despise Glee).

I've enjoyed everyone. In particular, I thought Ed Helms's rendition of "Johanna" was stellar. But the opening bits in the last couple episodes have given the show a nice little boost of energy and are a lot of fun.

May be the worst season to date.  4 episodes in, and I think I laughed once between all of them.

I keep hoping it will get better, but damn 4 episodes of shoddy writing and far too few laughs have me all but giving up on this once fantastic show.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan^H 

May be the worst season to date.  4 episodes in, and I think I laughed once between all of them.

I keep hoping it will get better, but damn 4 episodes of shoddy writing and far too few laughs have me all but giving up on this once fantastic show.

Sadly, I'm right there with you. I used to look forward to this show almost as much as anything else on TV, but now it's almost hard to sit through at times. I thought for sure this past week's episode with all of Michael's exes would be good, but I don't know if I even laughed once. Carell may have waited a season too long to abandon this sinking ship. 

That's another thing -- am I the only one who thinks Carell is trying really hard not to phone it in, but just can't help it? The writing has pretty much gone downhill since Greg Daniels left, despite occasional bumps in quality.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshEH 

That's another thing -- am I the only one who thinks Carell is trying really hard not to phone it in, but just can't help it? The writing has pretty much gone downhill since Greg Daniels left, despite occasional bumps in quality.

 

In my opinion, as soon as Daniels left to do Parks and Recreation it instantly became a better show than The Office. As a result of that, Carell hasn't had much to work with the past couple of seasons and it's a damn shame because in the show's heyday Michael Scott was the funniest character on TV.