Several years ago, my brother received the first four seasons of The Office
on DVD for Christmas. I’d never watched the show before, but a series
of January marathons turned me into a certified fan. Recently, I’ve been
catching up on what I missed during season seven, wherein Michael
Scott, the lovably clueless boss played by Steve Carell, departs from
the series.
The Office is a mockumentary-style office
sit-com set at the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of Dunder-Mifflin, a
company that specializes in paper products. As the seventh season
begins, two newer characters are beginning to play a larger role. One of
them is sniveling Gabe Lewis (Zach Woods), a liaison with the corporate
headquarters of Sabre, the company that bought Dunder-Mifflin. He’s a
bit annoying, but his vulnerable nature is also endearing.
The
other is cheery Erin Hannon (Ellie Kemper), the receptionist who took
over for Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) during her season five absence. It’s
fun to see her settling into being a more regular part of office life,
especially since she is probably the character I relate to most. Though
she’s a bit ditsier than I am, I think we share a childlike outlook on
the world and a general sense of goodwill. I also appreciate her because
she is perhaps the only member of the office staff who is genuinely on
Michael’s side all the time without hoping to gain something from her
support. That allows for several nice moments as Michael’s days on the
show draw to a close.
Meanwhile, another newer character
returns mid-season to stir things up and is ultimately the catalyst that
leads to Michael’s exit from Dunder-Mifflin. This arc is handled in a
very satisfying way and allows Michael some of his most mature moments
on the show (as well as some of his most ridiculous along the way). All
of the other office denizens are up to their old tricks and have added a
few into the mix.
Tireless prankster Jim Halpert (John
Krasinski) and plucky Pam are now married with a daughter, so this
season involves a lot of adjustments to their new role as parents, from
finding a trustworthy babysitter to getting little Cece to sleep to
determining the saturation point at which their coworkers are sick of
hearing about their new addition. One of the most interesting episodes
involves the christening, which sparks an exploration of meaning for
several characters. Meanwhile, Jim’s nemesis, assistant regional manager
Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), continues to do everything in his power
to bring his rival down and to elevate himself, and we actually get to
see what a Dwight regime would look like in one of the season’s most
memorable deviations.
Preppy Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) participates in a community theater production of Sweeney Todd
in one of the season’s most entertaining episodes, allowing Helms a
chance to show off his great voice. The ongoing tension between him and
Erin and the budding friendship between him and Daryll Philbin (Craig
Robinson), the sage, no-nonsense warehouse manager who now has an
upstairs office, adds to the fun of the season.
Accountant
Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez) demonstrates his intelligence as Erin’s
Scrabble tutor but is horrified when Michael temporarily outsmarts him
in another episode. Elsewhere at the accountants’ table, sweet but
slow-witted Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner) experiments with toupees
and finds favor with newcomers through his simplistic approach to the
world and snippy Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey) finds a new romantic
prospect in a state senator. Chatterbox Kelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling)
sounds like she knows a thing or two this season after undergoing
special training, and Ryan Howard (B. J. Novak) has ceased to be weirded
out by Michael’s excessive attentions and is instead determined to use
them to his advantage.
Little has changed for sad-sack public
relations man Toby Flenderson (Paul Liebersten), perpetually grumpy
Stanley Hudson (Leslie David Baker), frequently drunken Meredith Palmer
(Kate Flannery) or soft-spoken, sweet-natured Phyllis Vance (Phyllis
Smith), but they all contribute to the general amusement of the season.
Elderly oddball Creed Bratton (Creed Bratton) is just as peculiar as
ever, and his brief reign as temporary manager is deliciously bizarre.
Guest roles and cameos from such comedy greats as Will Ferrell, Ray
Romano and Jim Carrey are very entertaining, as is Michael’s rendez-vous
with Ricky Gervais’s David Brent, Michael’s counterpart on the British
version of The Office.
This show draws its strength
from its diverse cast of quirky characters, and season seven showcases
each of them just as well as the previous seasons. It’s also a
significant season because it brings Michael’s time to a close, and as
he is arguably the central character, this packs quite an emotional
whallop. Michael is one weird individual, but he also has a whole lot of
heart, so this farewell season is especially touching. He may not quite
be the world’s best boss, but he’s certainly one of the most
unforgettable.
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