Steve Carell’s nose is like a
dorsal fin. John Krasinski’s nose is
like a Ninja Turtle’s head. Rainn
Wilson’s nose is too small for his face.
Oscar Nunez’s nose is Cuban.
Notwithstanding the shape, size or ethnicity of their noses, these
actors—along with a handful of others—have used their entireties to win our
hearts through almost-too-believable acting on one of NBC’s remaining hit
shows, The Office.
This mockumentary that first aired
24 March 2005 immediately became and has been [up until 19 May 2011 (the end of
the seventh season)], one of the single most hilarious, loveable shows on
television since the technological invention’s origin. It has introduced to America the world of the
work place—the everyday, so to speak, of middle class workers from a variety of
backgrounds. “The camera, [however], not
only follows everyone around the office but also follows the cast in their
personal lives on screen,” says Grant’s World writer of “The Office TV show
review info & where to watch online.”
That’s one thing that draws so many people in – how personal the show
can trick us into believing that it is. Being
a spawn of the popular British show, The
Office, it was tough to say how successful the American “version” would
be. Lucky enough for the cast, however,
star of The Office (UK) is one of the
two creators of The Office (US).
As Michael Scott (Carell), who is
the regional manager of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company – Scranton branch, says
throughout the series, the employees of the office are like a family to one
another. A lot of the time, he says so
in delusion, but it most definitely has ended up being true. Michael’s frequent assumptions that anyone
who is nice to him is his “best friend” expose a great trait of his – desire
for closeness to everyone around him.
Michael Scott is truly the quality that The Office requires in order to remain a hysterical show. States Alan Sepinwell in his “Review: ‘The
Office’ struggles to find its center post-Steve Carell” on hitfix.com, “During
the Carell years, Michael not only generated most of the stories, but most of
the comedy. Even if a joke wasn’t about
something Michael was doing, it was frequently about how others were reacting
to him.”
Who know that someone so conceited,
so stupid and so needy could be as loveable as Michael Gary Scott? No other character could fit Carell more
perfectly.
Although Michael is really la crème
de la crème as far as cast members go, the show has so many great qualities to
it that make it so addictive.
One of the fans’ favorite aspects
is Jim Halpert’s (Krasinski) and Pam Beesley’s (Fischer) feelings for each
other throughout the first three seasons, which finally end up in a sweet
romance that develops throughout the rest of the series. The two characters are the most “normal”
employees at the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin. They are fun, all-American W.A.S.P.s who find
more joy in pretending to be the CIA contacting a co-worker about some secret
mission than they do in… well, just about anything else in the world (aside
from spending any time with each other, really).
Their relationship isn’t the only
one, though. There is the awful
back-and-forth between Kelly Kapoor (Kaling) and Ryan Howard (Novak). There is Meredith’s terrible lack of self-respect,
which brings on her addiction to porn (viewing and participating) – but we only
get hints that she participates in such festivities. There is Stanley Hudson (Baker) with his wife
and mistress. Then, of course, there is
Michael with his attachment issues that arise in each of his relationships. Finally, though, when he gets together with
Holly Flax (Ryan) for a second time, they fall madly in love and that’s that.
Their falling in love in the
seventh season leads to Michael’s eventual proposal to Holly, which is
absolutely fantastic but it also brings on an inevitable sadness. Holly has to go back to Colorado and, of
course, Michael agrees to go home with her because her father is sick and she
is his life now. He would do anything
for her, even if it means leaving his family.
Everyone has known since the
beginning that if Michael ever had to leave, that would have to be the end of The Office. “For so many years, Carell was The Office, and it was easy to
understand the sentiment from those who insisted the show should end when he
left, even as it was clear that struggling NBC wouldn’t cancel one of its few
remaining hits,” says Sepinwell.
He makes the show worth watching,
which is why now, with his absence, the eighth (and final) season of The Office has been so drastically
different… and not in a positive way.
Andy Bernard (Helms) is the new manager, which simply isn’t right
because he plays the quirky, preppy, awkward salesman who can’t actually make a
sale so much better than he plays any form of authority. Even though Michael in a roll of authority
makes little to no sense, his charisma and his authenticity made him the man
for the job because everyone who worked under him—no matter how much they may
have hated him at times for his not uncommon stupidity—absolutely loved him in
the long run.
One can only hope that Michael will
miss his family at Dunder Mifflin and come back for, at the very least, a visit
for the length an episode or two. He
made too much of an impact on that place to completely leave it in the
dust. Nineteen years, he worked
there. Those years don’t just abandon
your memory once you leave. And
Michael’s too sensitive to forget.
The show has only gone downhill
since Michael’s departure. As a diehard The Office (US) fan, I actually pray
that maybe the producers will decide it’d be wise to bring Steve Carell back on
set for at least a small appearance. He
made the show, he is the show. And we
love what it was with him on it.
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