The Office

The Office
Seasons	8
Episodes	163 aired (as of 12/1/11)
Original Airdate	March 24, 2005
Created by	Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant & Greg Daniels

The Office, also known as The Office: An American Workplace is a 30 minute-long sitcom produced by the Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille Productions in association with NBC. It is based on The Office (UK) that was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and was adapted for American audiences by producer Greg Daniels. The pilot first premiered on television on March 24, 2005.

On multiple behind-the-scenes clips, actors and actresses on the show say and seem that they are very close to the show's crew, which as Jenna Fischer (Pam Beesly) adds, is not always common on filming projects.

The show stars Steve Carell as Michael Scott, Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, John Krasinski as Jim Halpert and Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly and focuses on the day-to-day lives of the employees of the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Although a fictional and scripted show, it is shot in documentary format with characters often acknowledging the presence of the cameras and using talking head segments. This format is sometimes called a mockumentary.

Season 1

Main article: Season 1

Steve Carell as Michael Scott

A documentary crew arrives to the Dunder Mifflin Scranton Branch to experience a day of work at a seemingly ordinary paper company. However, this office is anything but ordinary.

Oblivious Regional Manager Michael Scott sees himself as "a friend first, boss second, and entertainer third". Michael is entirely unaware that his co-workers would only seldom agree. Michael's offensive shenanigans and jokes turn them off rather than make them laugh.

Michael fights to keep spirits up despite the looming threat of downsizing and bleak outlook of the branch.

Salesman Jim Halpert doesn't care much for his job. His workdays mainly feature flirting with engaged receptionist Pam Beesly, and pulling pranks on co-worker and Assistant to the Regional Manager Dwight Schrute.

Dwight, the top salesman in the office, worships Michael who is annoyed and yet seemingly pleased by Dwight's habit of sucking up to him. Dwight is best characterized by his humorous obsession with power and authoritarian style in the workplace.

Pam, the receptionist, is engaged to warehouse worker Roy. However she seems to have a greater connection with Jim who has a secret crush on her. Pam and Jim's favorite hobby in the office is to annoy and orchestrate pranks on Dwight.

Season 2

Main article: Season 2

Despite Jim's relationship with Katy starting at the end of the first season, Jim continues to struggle with intense feelings for Pam whose rocky engagement with Roy continues.

Michael purchases a condo, with Dwight's assistance. A few episodes later into the season, Michael spend the night with his recently divorced boss Jan Levinson after securing a major client, Lackawanna County (Scranton's entire county). In the aftermath, Michael is convinced that Jan is officially his girlfriend, which she frequently denies and attempts to keep secret. In the season finale, Michael instead hooks up with Carol Stills, his realtor from earlier in the season, leaving Jan unhappy.

Dwight Schrute and Angela begin a highly secretive relationship after having sex at Jim's BBQ party. Pam becomes convinced that something is going on between the two.

When Pam and Roy set a wedding date, Jim makes a mistake in telling Michael about his feelings for Pam. This results in Michael accidentally revealing it to the entire office. Depressed at the inevitability of Pam getting married, Jim decides to transfer to the Stamford branch at the end of the season. In the season finale, Jim tells Pam that he is in love with her and the two share a passionate kiss.

Season 3

Main article: Season 3

Jim Halpert begins the season in the Stamford branch, having moved there to avoid the pain of his unrequited feelings for Pam, who (unknown to Jim) cancelled her wedding with Roy. When the Stamford branch and Scranton branch merge, the two are brought back together, but things aren't. Jim has a new girlfriend Karen from Stamford, even though he still has strong feelings for Pam. Karen and Pam sometimes clash, but in one occasion, they team-up.

The season's primary dramatic focus is the gradual emergence of a newer, more confident Pam.

Season 4

Main article: Season 4

Jim and Pam are revealed to be happily dating, meanwhile other office relationships are less blissful. Dwight kills Angela's cat Sprinkles which leads to their breakup. Dwight is depressed throughout the season and tries in vain to win her back. Andy (who transferred from Stamford the previous season) begins to woo Angela into a relationship. After he finds her a new cat, he succeeds. Michael's relationship with Jan crashes after a disastrous dinner party but finds new affection for Toby's HR replacement, Holly Flax in the season finale.

The Office before the start of the Fun Run in Fun Run Pts. 1

Following the Season 3 finale, Ryan makes a big jump from Junior Salesman to Vice President of Regional Sales, replacing Jan at corporate and becoming Michael's superior. Ryan creates a new Web site called Dunder Mifflin Infinity to help the company become more competitive and up-to-date. It soon becomes clear that Ryan is in over his head. The Web site is infiltrated by sexual predators and the overall performance of the website is underwhelming. In order to boost the reputation of the Web site he commits fraud and is arrested in the season finale.

Jim is blindsided when Ryan lectures him on his job performance and even hints at the possibility of firing him. The subtle threat comes to nothing when Ryan is arrested.

Andy proposes to Angela in front of the office and she accepts. Jim delays his plan to propose to Pam on the same night. Phyllis walks in on Angela and Dwight having sex in the office to close season 4.

Season 5

Main article: Season 5

Midway through the season premiere, Jim proposes to Pam at a distant gas station. Through the first half of the season, Michael continues to have relationship problems after he breaks up with Holly. After stealing a file from Holly's computer in Nashua, it is revealed that Holly still has feelings for Michael and regrets ending the relationship.

Season 6

Main article: Season 6

Pam reveals to the office she is pregnant in the season premiere. Pam and Jim get married in Niagara Falls. In that episode, it is revealed Michael is dating Helene Beesly, Pam's mother. Pam is exceedingly angry at Michael for dating her mother but is dismayed when Michael breaks up with Helene on her birthday because of her age.

Dunder Mifflin is going bankrupt and will be insolvent by the end of the year and corporate is forced to face an angry crowd of shareholders. It is revealed David Wallace will be fired, among many others at corporate, but the Dunder Mifflin Scranton employees are safe. As of Secret Santa, Dunder Mifflin has been bought out.

Throughout the season, Kelly and Ryan have been having an "on again, off again" relationship. They are seen dancing together in Niagara and in a deleted scene from Secret Santa, Kelly tells Santa (Phyllis) that she wants Ryan for Christmas. A relationship continues to bud between Erin Hannon and Andy Bernard. In Murder, Andy asks out Erin, but, since they are both in character, Andy is unsure if just asked out her character. Though Erin and Andy tell each other it was just part of the game, they both admit in talking heads they though the date was real. When Andy is Erin's Secret Santa, he gives her presents based on the 12 Days of Christmas. However, Erin is only injured by the animals. Yet Andy completes the gift by getting her 12 drummers drumming, which seems to make her very happy. In the episode, "Happy Hour" Andy annouces to the office that he and Erin are dating. Erin later finds out, by Michael, that Andy was engaged to Angela.

Season 7

Main article: Season 7

The seventh season consists of 26 half-hours of material (including advertisement time). The season premiered on September 23, 2010. This season will be the final season for Steve Carell as the lead character Michael Scott, as Carell wants to move on after his contract expires after this season. Beginning with this season, Zach Woods, who portrays Gabe Lewis, was promoted to a series regular. Guest appearances in the season include the return of Melora Hardin as Jan Levinson, Amy Ryan as Holly Flax, David Koechner as Todd Packer, and Kathy Bates as Jo Bennett.

Michael is ordered to attend counseling with Toby after spanking his nephew, whom he'd hired as an assistant, in the office. Erin and Gabe have begun a relationship, much to Andy's chagrin, and he attempts to win her affection back with his performance in a community theater production of Sweeney Todd. After losing an important client to rival salesman Danny Cordray (Timothy Olyphant), who briefly dated Pam, the office attempts to learn his techniques with a sting operation; when that fails, Michael offers him a job.

Awards

The Office has been honored with numerous award nominations. The following is a selected list of awards the show has won. A complete list of awards and nominations can be seen here.

• Emmy Awards - Outstanding Comedy Series - 2006
• Golden Globes - Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical, Steve Carell - 2006
• Peabody Awards - Outstanding Comedy Series - 2007

Other media

• The first five seasons are available on DVD. Season 5/6 is also available on Blu-Ray in 720P high-definition format.
• There are several series of webisodes: "The Accountants", "Kevin's Loan", "The Outburst", and "Subtle Sexuality".
• Fake Public Service Announcements
• Olympics Promos
• 2006 NBC Primetime Preview
• 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
• Creed Thoughts