# Is The Office always this bad? (March 9) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 10, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855 "2006-03-10T17:46:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/1 "2006-03-10T17:46:22Z")
Okay, I don’t watch much TV. However, last night my hour of having my legs elevated (medical reasons) coincided through…well, in hindsight, very bad luck, with the airing of this (apparent) repeat of _The Office_. Is this show always this painfully _ **horrrrrrrible** _? I mean, I’ve heard moderately good things about the American version, but I cut my hour short by 10 minutes because **supervenusfreak** seemed to be enjoying it and I just couldn’t stand it anymore… ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/2 "2006-03-10T17:55:40Z")
That was from the first season… it hadn’t reached the greatness that is the second season yet. However, I LOVED that episode (the racial diversity day one). Especially with the cards on the heads game. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/3 "2006-03-10T17:56:43Z")
Kind of funny you posted this. My girlfriend pretty much refuses to watch The Office because she just doesn’t like it when I’m watching it. But last night she watched her ass off. If I had to guess, it’s that this one wasn’t a typical episode, so it doesn’t seem like most of the rest of the series… -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/4 "2006-03-10T18:00:40Z")
It was from the first season… but you are clearly wrong in your opinion… Hey you didn’t specificly say anything you thought was horrible… so I can say you’re wrong without having to refute anything. Diversity Day is one of the best episodes of that season… if not the best one. ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/5 "2006-03-10T18:03:07Z")
I love when the girl asks to go to a conference and he looks around the room and says, “Well, okay… if you leave, we’ll only have two left.” Brilliant! Painful, but brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/6 "2006-03-10T18:08:56Z")
I really do love that Chris Rock Michael routine Michael go in trouble for too, but I wouldn’t do it in a diversity training. Why? Because I’m _supposed_ to not do that . I didn’t watch the first season. I’m kind of glad the Dwight/Jim rivalry is not so much a focus anymore. Otherwise, it might have been unlikely that Jim would be the one to take Dwight to the ER that time and then who would have sprayed him with water. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/7 "2006-03-10T18:09:29Z")
That kind of humor just isn’t my cup of tea…the kind of severe self-embarrassment that’s Will Ferrel’s and Jim Carrey’s and Steve Carrel’s schtick just makes me cringe instead of making me laugh. It’s TOO painful for me. I just want to note that the OP is my opinion, and I’m not insisting that the show is objectively unfunny…I’ll just try to avoid it from now on. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/8 "2006-03-10T18:24:03Z")
I loved it when Kelly slapped Michael, but then I felt bad for him. I don’t know what that means, except maybe that Michael’s a well-written character. Was Michael’s hair a bit thinner than it is now? I swear I could see scalp. What would Michael’s diagnosis be if he went to a psychologist? Is he narcissistic or something else? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/9 "2006-03-10T18:44:35Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Was Michael’s hair a bit thinner than it is now? I swear I could see scalp. The style is done different. In the first season it’s just combed back with gel, but in the second season it seems like he lost the gel. Oh, and since you mentioned Kelly, it was interesting to see how different she appeared in that episode. She seemed to look older than what she is now. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/10 "2006-03-10T18:48:03Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Oh, and since you mentioned Kelly, it was interesting to see how different she appeared in that episode. She seemed to look older than what she is now. Yeah, a bit more mature. Did her character change? I didn’t watch the first season, and the smack was a surprise, from what I saw of her this season. ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/11 "2006-03-10T18:52:40Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > That kind of humor just isn’t my cup of tea…the kind of severe self-embarrassment that’s Will Ferrel’s and Jim Carrey’s and Steve Carrel’s schtick just makes me cringe instead of making me laugh. It’s TOO painful for me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the latter two in roles that quite resemble Carrell’s on The Office. That said, it is pretty cringe-inducing, but that’s what I love about it. It looks like Carrell lost some weight between this season and the last, as well. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/12 "2006-03-10T19:42:57Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > The style is done different. In the first season it’s just combed back with gel, but in the second season it seems like he lost the gel. > > Oh, and since you mentioned Kelly, it was interesting to see how different she appeared in that episode. She seemed to look older than what she is now. > [@ISiddiqui](#): > > The style is done different. In the first season it’s just combed back with gel, but in the second season it seems like he lost the gel. Actually, I think he combs it back and to the side now with less of a slick gel look. The show is the best thing on network TV right now, \*Family Guy \* included. The best from last night: they’re reenacting the “incident” that led to the diversity training (i.e. Michael’s Chris Rock impression), and Michael is flustered by the inability of Kevin (who is playing Michael) to impersonate Chris Rock: Michael: (unable to remain sitting and quiet) I’m, okay, I’m, I’m sorry, (looks at Mr. Brown) I’m sorry, he’s ruin…, he’s butchering it. I, I’m, could you just let me, every time, (starts Chris Rock impression) EVERY TIME BLACK PEOPLE WANNA HAVE A GOOD TIME, SOME IDIOT ASS…(BLEEP) Mr. Brown: Whoa, whoa, whoa now. Michael: I TAKE CARE OF MY KID! (BLEEP) Mr. Brown: Wait, wait, wait a second, you don’t need to go there. Okay? Please stop it, stop it, stop it, please stop… Michael: THEY ALWAYS WANT CREDIT FOR SOMETHING THEY SUPPOSED TO DO. Mr. Brown: (physically restraining Michael) STOP IT!!! (Silence) Michael: (As Chris Rock in a semi whisper) What you want, a cookie? (sits back down) ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/13 "2006-03-10T19:55:43Z")
Yeah Carrell does his hair differently now. I’m betting in character reason is Michael saw some of the footage and realized it made him look older and balder…Real World reason is the network saw it and decided it made Carrell look older and balder. 🙂 In the first season the focus was more on Michael, Jim, Pam, and Dwight. Kelly was I think more of a generic indian woman office worker. Very conservatively dressed, kinda quiet. Second Season as they have broadened the focus of the show and given all of the staff great bits and full characters, they’ve changed Kelly (also one of the shows writers) into the annoying teenage girl-minded character. They originally filmed Carrell doing the whole Chris Rock bit with N-words and everything. The director was so nervous that the footage would get out and cause a bit of a controversy that he did the editing bleebs on the master tape of the footage. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/14 "2006-03-10T19:56:47Z")
I did not watch the first season, because I cannot watch the British original. The British version seems to exist solely on cringe; there’s not much more to it than that, the eps I’ve seen. Why I can’t watch Curb YOur Enthusiasm either: it’s sadism, pure sadism; there’s nothing more to those shows for me. But watching the Office this season, I’m impressed by its depth and humanity; there’s WAY more to it than cringe for sadism’s sake. That said, watching last night, I was not aware that it was a rerun from last season, and I was chagrined. I was thinking, “uh oh, if they’re going to step up the sadism factor–if it’s gonna be all about cringeing–I may not be able to see this one through.” So **jayjay** , I’d say you were correct in your opinion, but you should still give it another chance. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/15 "2006-03-10T20:04:03Z")
Watch the episode called “The Injury”. If you don’t find the scene with Jim squirting Michael and Dwight with a water bottle funny, the show is not for you. My wife have that clip on our computer is it so funny. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/16 "2006-03-10T20:26:48Z")
I like both the British and American versions of the show. That said, I thought last night’s episode was a little over the top. We know Michael is clueless, but he’s not _that_ bad. ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/17 "2006-03-10T20:27:48Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > That kind of humor just isn’t my cup of tea…the kind of severe self-embarrassment that’s Will Ferrel’s and Jim Carrey’s and Steve Carrel’s schtick just makes me cringe instead of making me laugh. It’s TOO painful for me. > > I just want to note that the OP is my opinion, and I’m not insisting that the show is objectively unfunny…I’ll just try to avoid it from now on. LOL. I know hun. I know. I didn’t realize that you fel this way about it, or else I would have turned the channel. Next time speak up! ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/18 "2006-03-10T20:36:50Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > I did not watch the first season, because I cannot watch the British original. The British version seems to exist solely on cringe; there’s not much more to it than that, the eps I’ve seen. Why I can’t watch Curb YOur Enthusiasm either: it’s sadism, pure sadism; there’s nothing more to those shows for me. I watched a few episodes of the BBC version too and I agree totally. I just couldn’t STAND it. I like the NBC version, though. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/19 "2006-03-10T20:55:13Z")
“Abraham Lincoln once said, if you’re racist, I will attack you with the North.” Come on! That’s just gold! ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855/20 "2006-03-10T21:09:09Z")
I thought Kevin doing Chris Rock was funnier than Michael doing Chris Rock. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-office-always-this-bad-march-9/347855.md?page=2)