All good things must come to an end, and to many fans dismay, The Office faces this sad fate. The show, which wrapped up filming in March, will air its series finale May 16th at 9pm. After this day, Dunder Mifflin will close its doors for good. The computers will shut down. There won’t be any more saying goodbye to characters such as Dwight Schrute, Jim and Pam Halpert, Creed Bratton, Oscar Martinez, Kevin Malone, and countless others who have touched our hearts and made us cry tears of laughter.
It’s not easy for a sitcom such as The Office to be funny without crossing the line into stupid humor. Everyone remembers the first time they finally understood “That’s what she said” and had to explain it to all their friends. However, the comedy went beyond the one-liners. The actors portrayal of their characters brought the humor to a new level. Many say that the show stopped being funny when Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell, left the show, but the Office was truly an ensemble piece. John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson, who played Jim Halpert and Dwight Schrute respectively, both played major roles in making this show a Grammy winner.
The Office also presented a new and unique style of television to the table, the mockumentary. As a mockumentary, characters would “interview” with the camera, make eye contact with the camera and viewers, and acknowledge that they are on television. Many of the best jokes have come up in these interview settings. Jim’s eye contact when Dwight does something ridiculous makes the viewer feel like they are right there with them and can truly relate to the secondhand embarrassment Halpert faces.
In order to celebrate all that The Office has been for the past nine seasons, there are many things one can do. One way is to relive your favorite episodes from each season. Just because its March doesn’t mean you won’t continue to laugh out loud at each holiday party the Party Planning Committee throws together despite conflicts between Angela and everyone else. Don’t be ashamed to cry rewatching Jim and Pam’s wedding, or dancing around your living room as the entire cast dances down the aisle at their ceremony. Although there have been highs and lows, The Office never disappoints viewers with providing a truly enjoyable television experience.
Some people have other opinions, however, on the end of The Office. Many claim that since the departure of Michael Scott, the show has gone downhill and is no longer on the same level as it used to be. Senior Conor Horgan said, “I won’t really miss it anymore. It was fantastic but it lost its pizazz. I want to watch it just to see how it ends.”
The Office has created a legacy that won’t soon be forgotten. It has created a new standard for comedy television that others must stand up to. Don’t let the series finale be the end of The Office. Whether you check it out on Netflix or quote it with your friends, we must always remember The Office.
Some of the Office’s Best Lines (separate box on the page)
-”Bears eat beets. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.” (Dwight Schrute)
-”No no no no you will not die! Stanley! Stanley you will not die! Stanley! Stanley! Barack is president! You are black Stanley!” (Michael Scott)
-”Well I just wanna take a minute to talk to you all about something very serious. Once every hour, someone is involved in an internet scam. That man is Michael Scott. He’s supporting about twenty Nigerian princesses.” (Pam Beesly)
-”Alright let me ask you this, tell me if you think this is creative. When I was five, I imagined that there was such a thing as a unicorn. And this was before I had even heard of one, or seen one. I just drew a picture, of a horse, that could fly over rainbows, and a had a huge spike in its head. I was five! Five-years-old. Couldn’t even talk yet” (Michael Scott)
-”Myth: Three Americans every year die from rabies. Fact: Four Americans every year die from rabies.” (Michael Scott)
-”What an awesome party. The best wedding I’ve ever been to. I got six numbers. One more, would’ve been a complete telephone number.” (Kevin Malone)