2008 Woodie Awards
Bill of Rights
"The Office" is the best show on television
Bill Rhein
Issue date: 3/11/08 Section: Entertainment
With the arduous Writer's Strike of 2008 over, it is time to concentrate once again on America's true pastime - television. Though the strike cut the "The Office" in the middle of its fourth season, it will be returning to the air April 10, according to NBC.com. As the saying goes, one never fully appreciates something until it is gone. As I have not been able to fill the void since the show's departure, I understand this. I have also concluded that due to this shows humor and cultural insight, it reigns supreme.
Unlike any other show, "The Office" is very acceptable on three distinct levels. The first and most basic is its comedy. It is without a doubt one of the funniest shows on television. The antics of Steve Carell's character, Michael Scott, and the workplace shenanigans leave viewers laughing straight though. However, it is not a one trick pony.
It perfectly mixes laugh aloud moments with simple jokes to make viewers smile and chuckle. Those who work behind the camera have been able to adopt moments from Ricky Gervais' BBC show while also being original and creating fresh material. The humor is so acceptable one does not have to work in an office to appreciate it.
The show also works on the level of being an examination of an office worker. It dares to ask what happens when a salesperson puts his colleague's stapler in Jell-o. The background of the characters and the way they interact make the show the perfect microcosm.
The office building is seemingly a character itself as emotions rise and fall. While remaining funny, it examines the interactions of people. The friendships and relationships make the show appealing and give the characters depth. Though he is not a real person, fans of the show could write a long biography on Dwight K. Schrute. Very often, I could compare watching "The Office" to peeking into someone else's life and gaining the insight from his/her struggles and triumphs in the workplace.
The final and deepest level of "The Office" is its cultural insights on diversity. No other show is as intriguing while still containing a thoughtful display of social issues. In several episodes, wisdom overcomes prejudice.
The characters that unknowingly discriminate against and make unfair judgments against minorities have circumstance show that they are fools. For example, when Michael makes a gay bashing joke, the show portrays him as ignorant. This is the same for abuse against women, other races, and blue-collar workers. Those who are wise in diversity show other characters the error of their ways. In this way, the show subtly teaches viewers to be better people.
Because of these levels, "The Office" is the best show on television. It is funny and engaging for almost anyone, but it encourages social change while it entertains.
Unlike any other show, "The Office" is very acceptable on three distinct levels. The first and most basic is its comedy. It is without a doubt one of the funniest shows on television. The antics of Steve Carell's character, Michael Scott, and the workplace shenanigans leave viewers laughing straight though. However, it is not a one trick pony.
It perfectly mixes laugh aloud moments with simple jokes to make viewers smile and chuckle. Those who work behind the camera have been able to adopt moments from Ricky Gervais' BBC show while also being original and creating fresh material. The humor is so acceptable one does not have to work in an office to appreciate it.
The show also works on the level of being an examination of an office worker. It dares to ask what happens when a salesperson puts his colleague's stapler in Jell-o. The background of the characters and the way they interact make the show the perfect microcosm.
The office building is seemingly a character itself as emotions rise and fall. While remaining funny, it examines the interactions of people. The friendships and relationships make the show appealing and give the characters depth. Though he is not a real person, fans of the show could write a long biography on Dwight K. Schrute. Very often, I could compare watching "The Office" to peeking into someone else's life and gaining the insight from his/her struggles and triumphs in the workplace.
The final and deepest level of "The Office" is its cultural insights on diversity. No other show is as intriguing while still containing a thoughtful display of social issues. In several episodes, wisdom overcomes prejudice.
The characters that unknowingly discriminate against and make unfair judgments against minorities have circumstance show that they are fools. For example, when Michael makes a gay bashing joke, the show portrays him as ignorant. This is the same for abuse against women, other races, and blue-collar workers. Those who are wise in diversity show other characters the error of their ways. In this way, the show subtly teaches viewers to be better people.
Because of these levels, "The Office" is the best show on television. It is funny and engaging for almost anyone, but it encourages social change while it entertains.
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