Thursday, September 27, 2007

Shrute Farm Beets

Quick non-sports post about my favorite comedy, The Office: decent season premiere. I'd give it a B-minus. Didn't need to be an hour long, started to feel like one of those too-long Saturday Night Live sketches. Several laugh-out-loud moments. My one takeaway: the Shrute Farm Beets will be promoted by NBC as the next must-have accessory for Office fans ... and I'll probably be wearing one to family functions by January.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree. Didn't think it was that good. And next three throws are an hour-long as well (I believe). Not quite sure about this Pam-Jim thing. Although, I did think Kevin and Creed were funny.

Looking forward to 30 Rock. That emerged as my favorite show ... felt like it was more laugh-out-loud hilarious than the Office on a show-by-show basis.

brewku said...

I'm in the middle of The Office right now and I agree Taps, it's a B at best (although I'm halfway through). It seems slow for a season premeire. I'm too dejected by the Brewers blowing another golden opportunity to care about TV right now. Research question: In how many games have the Brewers given up multiple runs in an inning after the 7th inning. Shit, I'd venture to say it's happened in 35% of their games. Love the blog T$ -- sorry to shift the focus off The Office. Just irritated.

Coach Scott Tappa said...

During the brutal seventh inning last night Powell was talking about how that inning had been the Brewers' downfall all season.

It's sort of like the trap the Badgers fell into against Iowa: complete two long passes early, forget about the run. The Brewers got great work from Wise and Turnbow in the seventh and eighth in April and May, but it took Ned and Maddux too long to realize they weren't getting it done then any more.

I thought Linebrink would solve the problem, but no. And the offense doesn't seem to score much late in games, but it's hard to criticize too much when they give the pitchers a lead.

Matt said...

A mediocre episode at best but I thought Kevin was hilarious.

PB&J Damn!

I'm not sure if anyone noticed when he was trying to give Meredith "daps" in the hospital. That just struck me as really funny.

Coach Scott Tappa said...

Not familiar with the term "daps," but I think Schwib is referring to fist bumps. That was a funny moment, more funny than when Michael climbed up on Meredith to try to get a hug.

Also not funny: Michael puking at the end, soooo predictable.

Funny: When the stripper come up to get the check, and Michael says "That's really cool that you went back to college" or something to that effect.

Anonymous said...

At some point, I would like them to address the fact that they have had cameras following them around for three years or so now. That was one nice thing about the U.K. version: the show only lasted two seasons and then they did a two-hour special.

I think Creed is great....when he was talking about his religious beliefs....

Coach Scott Tappa said...

They sort of did address that last night when showing Pam and Jim the tape of them kissing, and Pam talking about how she wouldn't share her personal stuff with a camera crew.

My favorite Creed moment was when he said he was 82.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I guess what I meant is that have had a camera crew following a company, for what, three years? Has this show made it to the air? What does the company think of all of this? When will this show reach the air? That sort of stuff.

I know you have to suspend some level of disbelief for any television program, but when you create a show and give it a prop like a documentary film crew where they can then create an industry of goofy facial expressions and uncomfortable pauses simply because the camera is there, then it becomes lame.

Believe me, I love the Office and still think it's very smart - I am just a little concerned after watching last night's episode and hope that it remains that way.

I e-mailed this Andy, but Ed Helms is actually coming by the office today for a meet-and-greet. That should be cool.

Anonymous said...

By the way, I like the instant post of the comments. Nice change.

Anonymous said...

You guys are downers -- that episode was much better than the Oscar coming out of the closet episode that started off last season.

Also, you can purchase a T-Shirt to support "Michael Scott's Dunder Mifflin Scranton Meredith Palmer Memorial Celebrity Rabies Awareness Pro-Am Fun Run For The Cure" off NBC's site.

Anonymous said...

You didn't like that one? I thought it was better. But I will say that I think that my expectations for the show were so high and that I have to read so much about this show for work, that perhaps my judgement was a little off. We'll see.

Ed Helms was pretty cool....

Anonymous said...

Last winter I went back and watched my BBC "Office" DVDs and they are so grim compared to the American version. Just the colors alone, all greys and tans. You sort of forget. And the supporting characters are sadder sacks than the Americans, not to mention the Tim v. Jim comparison.

The "Hat FM" episode? Talk about Debbie Downer.

Coach Scott Tappa said...

I agree with andy on the premiere comparisons.

On one of will's points: a couple months ago Wired did a cover story on transparency in business (jenna fischer sans clothes on the cover) in which one story covered how Dunder Mifflin was using this documentary to become more transparent for the sake of employees and investors.microsoft with its in-house tv channel is another comparison. Maybe schwib will apply some of this philosophy at target? I'm not kidding ...

Anonymous said...

Yeah E, the British version was a lot more gritty. But I think because of that it also had some really cool heartfelt moments - like at the end of the two-hour special - that the American version won't be able to replicate because it's too goofy and completely out there (compare Michael vs. David Brent, Dwight vs. Gareth). It also helped that the British show was a lot shorter. That's another you'll never see on American television: a hit show voluntarily leaving the air rather than have the quality suffer.

Anonymous said...

I liked it. But episode two is better. Funnier. They are really promoting their goods though. In the second episode there are a few Dunder Mifflin caps flying around on top of the Schrute Farm, and Fun Run tees. I am tempted to get a DM t-shirt though as they are pretty cool. Or maybe a That's what she said one.

I definitely want to check out 30 Rock. Last night I watched Pushing Daisies.....

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