Review: ‘The Office’ Returns From Its Vacation

Smallscreen Reviews

By Daniel Nasserian Oct 2, 2007, 2:15 GMT

‘The Office’ returned to NBC last Thursday night with a special one-hour episode. 9.7 million people tuned in to the season four premiere, matching the series’ all time high in ratings amongst adults 18 to 49. 06/10/2007 - Steve Carell - Evan Almighty World Premiere - Gibson Amphitheatra and City Walk Cinemas - Universal City, CA © Chris Hatcher / Photorazzi

06/10/2007 - Steve Carell - Evan Almighty World Premiere - Gibson Amphitheatra and City Walk Cinemas - Universal City, CA © Chris Hatcher / PhotorazziThe program hasn’t made any significant changes as far as writing style and storyline, which is good for those who belong to the cult following that the show has accumulated over the years. Steve Carell returns to the role of Michael Scott, the boss you can’t help but feel sorry for and despise at the same time. The show opens with a bang (quite literally) when he hits Meredith (Kate Flannery), a fellow employee, with his car. She is then sent to the hospital for treatment where she finds out that she had been exposed to rabies as the result of a recent animal bite. Michael Scott takes the initiative to have a marathon in order to raise money hoping that they can, one day, find the cure for rabies…an already curable disease. One of the major changes we see this season is the evolution of the Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski) saga. Millions of people watched every week in hopes that these two flirtatious coworkers would step up to the plate and initiate a more intimate connection. Fans have been teased with this side story since day one and season four kicked off with our first glimpse of Pam and Jim as a couple. Though I have to admit I was rooting for them throughout the series, the fact that they are together removes the element of ‘what will happen next?’ from the show, which really got the audience involved on a weekly basis. It is understandable that the game of cat and mouse could not go on forever, but it makes you think about how the show will develop in the areas of a running story line. The beauty of the UK version of ‘The Office’ was that it consisted of two short seasons and two 45-minute specials that wrapped the whole story into a neat little package. If the American adaptation wants to stay fresh throughout the upcoming seasons, they are going to have to add that dramatic effect that will get people hooked again.One of the great aspects of the show is that it is so easy to relate to. Everybody, at one point or another, has worked in an office environment. With the culmination of characters the show provides, it is likely you have come across one or two of the stereotypes in your own office. Overall, the season premiere was everything you would expect from ‘The Office’. A likeable and diverse cast of characters placed in unorthodox situations that are definitely good for a few laughs. Like many shows, it has its flaws, but I recommend it to anyone looking for an intelligent comedy. You can catch another hour-long episode of ‘The Office’ this Thursday at 9:00 on NBC.

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DonnaOct 8th, 2007 - 17:06:45

Um... rabies is NOT, in fact, curable. It's nearly 100% deadly if you don't get shots. In fact, only one person has been known to survive rabies after the onset of symptoms - a 16 year old girl who was put into a coma and it was considered a miracle she survived.

The joke is that people really don't GET rabies in this day and age.

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NikoletMar 20th, 2008 - 06:34:56

Nice site!

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Review: ‘The Office’ Returns From Its Vacation

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