# The Office Season Premiere, The List **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 23, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282 "2011-09-23T01:55:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/1 "2011-09-23T01:55:49Z")
Great start! I knew California would be the new CEO, but I was hoping Andy would be the new boss. So, I’m actually happy and want to see what the show progress from here. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/2 "2011-09-23T02:44:03Z")
NBC totally spoiled it an hour before the premiere. They aired a commercial just before Community that showed Andy sitting in his office. But I really liked it. I’m happy they didn’t just try to do Michael Scott 2. More focus on the entire cast then just the boss. Robert California was great, but I’m guess he’ll just be a recurring character. Which is good, because I think he’s best in small doses. ETA: WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/3 "2011-09-23T03:00:30Z")
Why was Gabe still around?? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/4 "2011-09-23T04:39:56Z")
I happen to have watched Secretary a few weeks ago. Really casts Robert California in a different light. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/5 "2011-09-23T08:41:56Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > I happen to have watched Secretary a few weeks ago. Really casts Robert California in a different light. Maggie Gyllenhaal makes scars look good. James Spader now just looks… odd. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/6 "2011-09-23T13:07:36Z")
The planking thing was actually pretty funny, mostly for the anti-plankers’ reactions. I didn’t get a good look at the list, but one of the names on the “loser” side was “Old Pam”. Who’s Old Pam? Meredith? Phyllis? I bet Angela’s husband (the Senator), turns out not to be the father of Angela’s baby. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/7 "2011-09-23T13:18:46Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > I didn’t get a good look at the list, but one of the names on the “loser” side was “Old Pam”. Who’s Old Pam? Meredith? Phyllis? I’m guessing “Old Pam” is regular Pam and “New Pam” is Erin? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/8 "2011-09-23T13:33:08Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > The planking thing was actually pretty funny, mostly for the anti-plankers’ reactions. > > I didn’t get a good look at the list, but one of the names on the “loser” side was “Old Pam”. Who’s Old Pam? Meredith? Phyllis? > > I bet Angela’s husband (the Senator), turns out not to be the father of Angela’s baby. I’m pretty sure it said “Old man.” ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/9 "2011-09-23T13:34:24Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > I’m guessing “Old Pam” is regular Pam and “New Pam” is Erin? There’s no way that this brand new guy would think of Erin as “New Pam.” ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/10 "2011-09-23T13:38:48Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I’m pretty sure it said “Old man.” It definitely said “old man” which would be Creed. I liked the plankers as well, though I cringed when he knocked Meredith off the top of the bathroom stall. I just imagined her coming down and her head hitting the toilet on the way. I have to admit, when he moved Andy’s name from one side of the list to the other I thought it was going to be a season long gag that they were going to be guessing at. I was surprised when it was resolved so quickly. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/11 "2011-09-23T13:41:27Z")
It said “Old Man”, meaning Creed. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/12 "2011-09-23T13:55:17Z")
I caught just bits and pieces and maybe this is old, but is Pam pregnant? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/13 "2011-09-23T13:57:34Z")
Argh, I got a phone call right after Dwight said “Back to work. You too Andy” so I never saw the resolution. Was it just an experiment by California to mess with their heads? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/14 "2011-09-23T14:00:10Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > I caught just bits and pieces and maybe this is old, but is Pam pregnant? Yes, apparently with her second. I don’t know if she’s pregnant in real life though. If not they sure did good job making her look huge. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/15 "2011-09-23T14:02:29Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Argh, I got a phone call right after Dwight said “Back to work. You too Andy” so I never saw the resolution. Was it just an experiment by California to mess with their heads? Yea, and he addressed it. He said the list was not static and people can change. Telling the “winners” to prove him right and the “losers” to prove him wrong. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/16 "2011-09-23T14:04:18Z")
I’m not big on the motivational speaker types but I found Spader’s character’s insights and methods to be pretty good… proove me right/proove me wrong, etc. I liked Andy sticking up for the whole office and being relentless about it. But I did miss Michael too. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/17 "2011-09-23T14:11:16Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I’m pretty sure it said “Old man.” Doh! ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/18 "2011-09-23T14:11:18Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > I’m not big on the motivational speaker types but I found Spader’s character’s insights and methods to be pretty good… proove me right/proove me wrong, etc. > > I liked Andy sticking up for the whole office and being relentless about it. > > But I did miss Michael too. I think the show has the potential to be BETTER without Michael. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/19 "2011-09-23T14:19:36Z")
Liked the episode. Much more of an a ensemble. I was convinced that Andy would be demoted before the episode’s end and the ‘real’ manager would get promoted but glad I was wrong, Andy can work. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282/20 "2011-09-23T14:23:47Z")
Underwhelmed. Spader is boring. The planking thing was stupid. Meh. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-season-premiere-the-list/597282.md?page=2)