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My friend Andrew asks a pertinent question about The Office, you guys:
“Is the conceit of the program still that they’re being filmed for a documentary? Does that even make sense anymore?”
That is a good question, and I think the answer, as painful as this is going to be to a bunch of you, is no.
The concept for the US version of the show has always been a little lacking. In England, prior to the original Office, there were a handful of actual BBC documentaries (Hotel, Airport) about people in their workplace. Slice of life stuff. Which sets up the humor and reality of The Office beautifully. We didn’t have that here, so already the depth of the joke is self-contained in the show. Yes, we recognize the documentarian (or mockumentarian, which I think is offered as an MFA at Tisch now) tropes, but it doesn’t have the rooted cultural cachet.
Moreover, by ending the original series after 12 episodes (plus two follow-up specials), it was totally plausible that these people had their lives invaded by a documentary crew for a year, and then went about their average, well-intentioned lives. Here, that’s not the case. The documentary crew just won’t leave? Who’s paying for this? Who’s watching this? And why wouldn’t the real Michael Scott, or the real Jim and Pam, decide that they no longer wanted to willingly play a part in this excruciating expose of the painful minutae of their lives? In the specials that aired after the original series, David Brent talked about what life was like after being made a fool on national television. But we’re expected to believe that three years in, no one mocks Michael Scott openly on the street? The shame of their broadcast romantic exploits hasn’t forced Jan into an alcoholic shame spiral?
I don’t know how to fix this, The Office. I’m just nervous that you’re going to take something wonderful and drive it’s face into the dirt.
Still funny though.
Steve Carell is so funny, I’m surprised no one’s ever heard of him.
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It’s an interesting question, but I think the “it’s for a documentary” conceit of the show was never meant to be a major factor. It’s basically a throwaway stylistic device to set up the humor.
Also, as a copy editor, I have to note that “cache” in the third paragraph should be “cachet.”
I forget about the documentary thing all the time. I only remembered last night when Michael made everyone but Stanley leave and the film crew had to find a covert spot to film them from. Whatever though — I don’t really care about the continuity of it. I like the documentary style and the fact that it means they have no laugh track.
The first 2-3 seasons were for a potential documentary and now Ryan is making them vlog for Dunder Mifflin Infinity 2.0. That’s gotta be it.
Not to mention a documentary crew wouldn’t be invited for things like Pam and Jim’s trip to Dwight’s beet farm.
This clip was the funniest part of the episode, I think. I was cracking up.
I hadn’t ever thought of the possible conflict here until the recent dinner party episode. I think that was the first episode that the “crew” was invited in somewhere private.
What if the crew has told them all that the show won’t air for a few years until they get it all ready. Normally shows shoot ahead of time, although not this many years worth. But, who knows. Meanwhile, this show would be airing in Japan and be the number one comedy. If Michael goes to Japan he’ll be treated like a celebrity and sign autographs and get laughed at (which he’ll like) and come back and say how NICE the Japanese people are. I believe this could lead to a fun theme party with Hell-o Kitty napkins.
I love Hell-o Kitty.
Why does this show insist on making Steve Carrell look bad?
thankyou gabe for pointing out what i have been complaining about since this show started.. i like this show.. i like the actors.. but it will always pale in construction and execution to the original series..
The only thing that makes less sense than a 6 year fictional documentary that acts like its real is complaining about it as if it were real. Gabe is actually proud enough of this nit-picking nerdery to reference it twice in one day? “Yikes.”
Actually I have always thought that one of the strengths of The Office was that the reason why anyone would want to make a documentary or even who they were is completely ambiguous. It means they can go and do things without having to explain why or how they are being filmed. Explaining that stuff wouldn’t be funny. Not explaining it is.
Sorry Steve Carrell fans…but I have NEVER found him funny. In fact, I might even hate him.
I think that Hoop Dreams took something like six years to film, and one could assume that all the “footage” shown in the show would not be used in the “final cut” of the “documentary”, and yes, I’m a “nerd”.