127crazie
Smash Journeyman
This is a long read, so just skip to the end for the opinion.
For a long time, I've been an Office fan, starting with the brilliant British series. Soon after, the American version came out. While early episodes of the first season seemed too similar to the British show, it showed a lot of promise and definitely came into its own later on that season.
The second season was even better, giving more time to a great supporting cast and subtly developing the Jim and Pam story line that was the "heart" of the show.
Season three somehow, incredibly, topped the previous one. The Office now has its own clever, smart, hilarious style while still evolving its characters and providing one great show to watch.
By the end of the season, all of the story lines, from Jim and Pam finally getting together to Ryan getting the corporate job had been tied up. The season finale, "The Job," was close to a perfect episode in my eyes! It had the feel of the end of a perfectly shaped roller coaster story arc.
However... The Office had become wildly popular by this time and people demanded more. While BBC had less pressure to continue their series, the US Office had to continue. The show seemed to be the same at first to me, but then I started noticing the writing becoming a bit stale, outlandish, and situation driven. Michael driving his Sebring into a lake. This just didn't seem like something anyone would really do.
Also, the writing began focusing entirely on the relationships, like in the episode Dinner Party. The writing was so-so, like most of season 4 up to that point, but it wasn't even The Office, it was a soap opera! That was really a marked decline to me. The writers got off track this season.
Season five started off not that great either. Although I have enjoyed the recent plot of the Michael Scott Paper Company, after watching "Beach Games" from season three a few days ago it just doesn't compare. The writing did improve this season a lot, but time has taken its toll on The Office.
A few reasons I think The Office has jumped the shark (or at least gotten somewhat worse) since season three: (These don't constantly apply, only sometimes.)
1. Strained continuance to a series story arc that should have ended at the end of season three. There is just a certain point where the natural story arc runs out in a TV show. This, IMO, was at the end of season three. There is no emotional heart to the show anymore after Jim and Pam got together, and it has been replaced by...
2. Excessive focus on relationships. While The Office in its prime gave little hints of the relationships, just enough to keep you interested and coming back for more, seasons four and five have had much bigger plots and even an entire episode focusing on them. It just smells of overkill.
3. Lack of focus on the actual work. Whatever happened to episodes like "Product Recall"? It seems like the Dunder Mifflin employees don't even do anything at work anymore. The episodes or plots based around the actual work situations were great.
4. The show seems rushed. No more are those one or two second camera shots of people doing mundane things or just the little moments that made the show. Some episodes seem more panicked, blown out of control, and rushed.
That's it. Please don't get me wrong - I love The Office and I think it is still a very enjoyable show and hopefully will be for a while. I just wish it could somehow return to the sheer excellence it once was.
For a long time, I've been an Office fan, starting with the brilliant British series. Soon after, the American version came out. While early episodes of the first season seemed too similar to the British show, it showed a lot of promise and definitely came into its own later on that season.
The second season was even better, giving more time to a great supporting cast and subtly developing the Jim and Pam story line that was the "heart" of the show.
Season three somehow, incredibly, topped the previous one. The Office now has its own clever, smart, hilarious style while still evolving its characters and providing one great show to watch.
By the end of the season, all of the story lines, from Jim and Pam finally getting together to Ryan getting the corporate job had been tied up. The season finale, "The Job," was close to a perfect episode in my eyes! It had the feel of the end of a perfectly shaped roller coaster story arc.
However... The Office had become wildly popular by this time and people demanded more. While BBC had less pressure to continue their series, the US Office had to continue. The show seemed to be the same at first to me, but then I started noticing the writing becoming a bit stale, outlandish, and situation driven. Michael driving his Sebring into a lake. This just didn't seem like something anyone would really do.
Also, the writing began focusing entirely on the relationships, like in the episode Dinner Party. The writing was so-so, like most of season 4 up to that point, but it wasn't even The Office, it was a soap opera! That was really a marked decline to me. The writers got off track this season.
Season five started off not that great either. Although I have enjoyed the recent plot of the Michael Scott Paper Company, after watching "Beach Games" from season three a few days ago it just doesn't compare. The writing did improve this season a lot, but time has taken its toll on The Office.
A few reasons I think The Office has jumped the shark (or at least gotten somewhat worse) since season three: (These don't constantly apply, only sometimes.)
1. Strained continuance to a series story arc that should have ended at the end of season three. There is just a certain point where the natural story arc runs out in a TV show. This, IMO, was at the end of season three. There is no emotional heart to the show anymore after Jim and Pam got together, and it has been replaced by...
2. Excessive focus on relationships. While The Office in its prime gave little hints of the relationships, just enough to keep you interested and coming back for more, seasons four and five have had much bigger plots and even an entire episode focusing on them. It just smells of overkill.
3. Lack of focus on the actual work. Whatever happened to episodes like "Product Recall"? It seems like the Dunder Mifflin employees don't even do anything at work anymore. The episodes or plots based around the actual work situations were great.
4. The show seems rushed. No more are those one or two second camera shots of people doing mundane things or just the little moments that made the show. Some episodes seem more panicked, blown out of control, and rushed.
That's it. Please don't get me wrong - I love The Office and I think it is still a very enjoyable show and hopefully will be for a while. I just wish it could somehow return to the sheer excellence it once was.
