"The Office" Returns
The hit NBC Comedy Returns from Hiatus after the Writer's Strike.
NBC smash hit "The Office" returned with new episodes last week, and NBC has announced plans for both a fifth season and spin-off.
With the WGA strike a painful memory, the major television studios have begun to recover as television shows return to the air tin April 2008 with brand new episodes. One of the most anticipated returning shows was NBC's hit The Office, a major ratings booster and the cornerstone of their Thursday night lineup. Although the show's fourth season was stopped dead in its tracks by the writer's strike, the show returned last Thursday just as fresh - and funny - as ever.
Series Synopsis
For those living under a rock for the past three years, The Office is the Americanized version of the succesful British sitcom of the same name, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. The show centers around the antics of mid-level regional manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and his staff at the small Pennsylvania paper company Dunder Mifflin. The staff there includes the uber-geek Dwight (Rainn Wilson), sarcastic paper salesman Jim (John Krasinski) and timid receptionist Pam (Jenna Fischer). Filmed in mockumentary style, The Office's episodes often begin as a normal workday and quickly turn into crazy situations, often caused by the incredibly inept Scott (examples include kidnapping a pizza boy, staging a suicide as part of "safety training," and driving to Utica to "raid" a rival branch).
Fourth Season
In the show's fourth season, three seasons of will-they won't-they tension finally came to a close as Pam and Jim began dating. The former temp, Ryan (B.J. Novak), was promoted to a corporate position over Michael and attempted to bring the company into the digital age. Meanwhile, Michael's relationship with his former boss Jan (Melora Hardin) descended into even more weirdness.
Dinner Party
In the latest episode, "Dinner Party," Michael and Jan invite Pam and Jim over for dinner at their cramped condo, where what should be a normal dinner party quickly becomes a catastrophe, involving a surprise visit from Dwight, a smashed plasma TV, and eventual police involvement. Even though as of late the show has been moving outside the actual office and into the homes of the employees, the show has never been sharper. One might think that any sitcom would get boring after awhile, but the ensemble cast of genius comedians (headed by Carell and Wilson) have mastered the art of turning uncomfortable situations into truly hilarious ones.
Future Plans
NBC, and America, agrees. "Dinner Party" was the highest rated episode of the season, drawing in 9.22 million viewers. Plus, according to this NY Times article, the television giant has not only renewed the series for a "super-sized" fifth season, but plans for a spin-off series are in the works as well, although at this point it is being kept tightly under wraps. Although there are only 5 episodes left in the shortened fourth season (including the hour-long finale), Office fans can rest assured that NBC will be mining this comedy gold for a long time to come.
The Office airs Thursdays at 9 on NBC.
