One of the icons of primetime television will be leaving before this season ends. He has brought many smiles, awkward laughter and even a famous tag line to our lives. I began watching Michael Scott in the first season of The Office. Not knowing what to expect, this show became a weekly tradition. Every Thursday, I had my lineup of shows to watch, and this was a high priority. My best friend and I would make it a point to rendezvous at our houses for the half hour sitcom. With the rumormill ablaze, Scott Carrell, the actor who plays the beloved character, has confirmed that he will in fact be leaving the sitcom. Although the show as a whole is not coming to an end, it has been proven that when main characters exit even on a high note, it can cause a rippling effect resulting in lower ratings.
A copy of the British version, The Office is a fake reality show, a first for this type of comedy in America. A “camera crew” follows the employees at Dunder Mifflin, a paper company. Each staff member extends their own personality, and at times you can sense their self-consciousness around the cameras, but more often than not, the characters are hilariously themselves. Michael Scott, the big boss guy, is a half-witted graceless man who makes the audience simultaneously cringe and laugh. He always means well, but nothing ever seems to go his way. Michael Scott’s quirks make him who he is, and sometimes people have a hard time accepting him for that. In short, he encompasses the qualities in a person that much of the audience might know but do not associate themselves with on a daily basis. You come to expect his foolishness, the way he doesn’t think before he speaks, and his all too famous attempts at dirty jokes.
On the new episodes of the show, they have yet to truly hint at Michael Scott’s departure. In an amusing opening to this past week’s episode, they began with a short clip of an exchange between Michael Scot and his British counterpart, David Brent. As they are similar characters, their run in was double the laughs and twice the awkwardness. It wasn’t the hilarity I was focused on after the clip. No, I wasn’t laughing. Instead I was shrieking at the fact that I felt as if I had caught onto what NBC must have thought was a subtle hint.
After they converse about comedic impressions and David Brent makes a “that’s what she said” joke, a line Michael Scott coined, the last few seconds of the clip could be a very apparent suggestion to who will be replacing Michael Scott when he leaves. When he discovers where Scott works, Brent follows up by asking if there are any job openings. Scott replies, “Not right now,” to which Brent says, “just let me know.” How could anyone NOT take that as David Brent is going to take Michael Scott’s job once he leaves? My best friend and I were watching this together and both awestruck and amazed, our jaws dropped. The analyzing that followed led us to believe that we could be correct in our theory, but what if it was a trick? There’s always the possibility that NBC threw us for a loop and want us to believe one way when in fact they have a completely other story line going. Truth be told, I cannot wait to see what is to come of this show.
-- Jackie DiBiase
A copy of the British version, The Office is a fake reality show, a first for this type of comedy in America. A “camera crew” follows the employees at Dunder Mifflin, a paper company. Each staff member extends their own personality, and at times you can sense their self-consciousness around the cameras, but more often than not, the characters are hilariously themselves. Michael Scott, the big boss guy, is a half-witted graceless man who makes the audience simultaneously cringe and laugh. He always means well, but nothing ever seems to go his way. Michael Scott’s quirks make him who he is, and sometimes people have a hard time accepting him for that. In short, he encompasses the qualities in a person that much of the audience might know but do not associate themselves with on a daily basis. You come to expect his foolishness, the way he doesn’t think before he speaks, and his all too famous attempts at dirty jokes.
On the new episodes of the show, they have yet to truly hint at Michael Scott’s departure. In an amusing opening to this past week’s episode, they began with a short clip of an exchange between Michael Scot and his British counterpart, David Brent. As they are similar characters, their run in was double the laughs and twice the awkwardness. It wasn’t the hilarity I was focused on after the clip. No, I wasn’t laughing. Instead I was shrieking at the fact that I felt as if I had caught onto what NBC must have thought was a subtle hint.
After they converse about comedic impressions and David Brent makes a “that’s what she said” joke, a line Michael Scott coined, the last few seconds of the clip could be a very apparent suggestion to who will be replacing Michael Scott when he leaves. When he discovers where Scott works, Brent follows up by asking if there are any job openings. Scott replies, “Not right now,” to which Brent says, “just let me know.” How could anyone NOT take that as David Brent is going to take Michael Scott’s job once he leaves? My best friend and I were watching this together and both awestruck and amazed, our jaws dropped. The analyzing that followed led us to believe that we could be correct in our theory, but what if it was a trick? There’s always the possibility that NBC threw us for a loop and want us to believe one way when in fact they have a completely other story line going. Truth be told, I cannot wait to see what is to come of this show.
-- Jackie DiBiase
posted by Editorial Staff | 12:17 PM
2 Comments:
I have watched the Office all the way through since it started, and his departure will dramatically affect the shows future. However, I like how the writers are beginning to focus on all of the other talented cast members, and I find it even funnier than ever before. Let's hope they find a good replacement!
The Office is such a good show, and I am glad to see it make this surprising twist. I agree that this wasn't too subtle of a hint, but a good one nonetheless. Can't wait for some good British humor on the American Office!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home