The Office

Starring: Rainn Wilson (187 episodes), John Krasinski (187 episodes), Jenna Fischer (187 episodes), Leslie David Baker (187 episodes), Brian Baumgartner (187 episodes), Angela Kinsey (187 episodes), Phyllis Smith (187 episodes), Kate Flannery (186 episodes), Creed Bratton (179 episodes), Oscar Nunez (176 episodes), B.J. Novak (167 episodes), Mindy Kaling (160 episodes), Ed Helms (152 episodes), Paul Lieberstein (142 episodes), Steve Carell (138 episodes), Craig Robinson (119 episodes), Elle Kemper (102 episodes), Zach Woods (51 episodes), Melora Hardin (42 episodes), Andy Buckley (37 episodes), Catherine Tate (34 episodes), David Denman (31 episodes), Rashida Jones (26 episodes), James Spader (25 episodes), Robert R. Shafer (25 episodes), Hugh Dane (23 episodes), Jake Lacy (21 episodes), Clark Duke (19 episodes), Mark Proksch (19 episodes), Amy Ryan (17 episodes), David Koechner (15 episodes), Jack Coleman (14 episodes), Calvin Tenner (14 episodes), Ameenah Kaplan (13 episodes), Michael Schur (13 episodes), Lindsey Broad (12 episodes), Stephen Saux (9 episodes), Kathy Bates (8 episodes), Linda Purl (8 episodes), Idris Elba (7 episodes), Will Ferrell (4 episodes), Amy Adams (3 episodes), Patrice O'Neal (3 episodes), Larry Wilmore (2 episodes), Rosanne Barr (2 episodes), Timothy Olyphant (2 episodes), Josh Groban (2 episodes), Clay Aiken (2 episodes), Aaron Rodgers (2 episodes), Tim Meadows (1 episode), Rob Riggle (1 episode), Julius Erving (1 episode), Ken Jeong (1 episode), Yvette Nicole Brown (1 episode), Stephen Colbert (1 episode), Randall Park (1 episode), Will Arnett (1 episode), Stephen Collins (1 episode), Michael Imperioli (1 episode), Bob Odenkirk (1 episode), Ed Begley Jr (1 episode), Evan Peters (1 episode), Jim Carrey (1 episode), Joan Cusack (1 episode), Ray Romano (1 episode), Dakota Johnson (1 episode), Bill Hader (1 episode), Seth Meyers (1 episode), Jessica Alba (1 episode), Jack Black (1 episode), Cloris Leachman (1 episode), Christian Slater (1 episode), Maura Tierney (1 episode), Ricky Gervais (uncredited, 2 episodes)
Directed by: Randall Einhorn (15 episodes), Paul Feig (14 episodes), Ken Kwapis (13 episodes), Greg Daniels (13 episodes), Jeffrey Blitz (11 episodes), Paul Lieberstein (7 episodes), B.J. Novak (5 episodes), Harold Ramis (4 episodes), Steve Carell (3 episodes), John Krasinski (3 episodes), Rainn Wilson (3 episodes), Jason Reitman (2 episodes), Joss Whedon (2 episodes), Seth Gordon (2 episodes), Mindy Kaling (2 episodes), Ed Helms (2 episodes), J.J. Abrams (1 episode), Bryan Cranston (1 episode), Jon Favreau (1 episode)
Rating: TV-PG
Genre: Comedy
2005-2013

Seasons Seen:
Tim: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9

Summary: The employees of Dunder Mifflin paper company take part in a documentary about life in the office.

Review:
Tim: "The Office" might not exactly be the kind of television series I normally watch, but it's been a very enjoyable experience watching this show over its 9 years. More than most television series I've seen, this one feels like it's evolved and changed the most. When I look back on some of the initial episodes, I just laugh at how far the show has come. This might not have always been the greatest series, but what it managed to pull off over the course of its run is mighty impressive.

What made me fall in love with the show was the budding office romance between Jim and Pam. They were just so perfect for each other and I loved the will-they-or-won't-they back-and-forth. That was the heart and soul of the series for the few years and it was what made me keep coming back. I have to say the dynamic between Jim and Dwight was also a major attraction for me. I remember just laughing and laughing at Jim's hilarious pranks. Those were the two biggest reasons I loved this show.

Now, most people would probably point to Steve Carell's star-making turn as Michael Scott. I agree that Carell's performance was incredible and I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for him. I didn't always love how Michael Scott was portrayed. He changed over the years, sometimes for good and sometimes for bad. In his best moments, he perfectly embodies the out-of-touch, clueless boss that we've all worked for at various points in our lives. In his worst moments, he was a weak caricature of an actual human being, a ridiculous buffoon that didn't feel tethered to reality. I had a hard time with his character at various points in the series and wasn't overly disappointed when Carell left the show. Still, there is no "The Office" without Carell, so we owe him a great deal.

John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer will likewise always have a place in my heart for bringing Jim and Pam to life. I just loved them together. After they eventually get married, the show did lose one of its most compelling story lines, but I enjoyed seeing their journey over the full nine seasons. I'll likewise always enjoy Rainn Wilson for embracing the crazy character of Dwight. His performance gets lots of acclaim and I still think he's underrated. Dwight is a fascinating, hilarious character and Wilson did an exceptional job of bringing him to life. I also have to comment on how "The Office" has done a better job of elevating supporting characters in ways that make them wonderfully memorable. More so than most shows, the supporting players feel just as much of the cast as the leads. I'll never forget Angela, Toby, Darryl, Kevin, Stanley, Phyllis, Meredith, Creed, Oscar, Kelly, Ryan, Andy, and the others. I loved these characters even when I didn't always love them.

"The Office" is a show that was a little uneven. The first few seasons were incredible, but there were a few seasons that just felt like a tier or two lower in quality. I always enjoyed the show, even though it was occasionally aggravating.

After 9 years, it definitely feels like we ourselves spent some time at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. The series did a wonderful job of creating compelling, memorable characters. It's amazing to me that a mockumentary show about a paper company could have lasted 9 years. That is a huge, huge achievement.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Series, We Recommend: Community, Scrubs, Brooklyn Nine-Nine