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Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 09/04/2007 Rating: Nr

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After a shaky first season of finding its footing, and a second season of establishing itself as one of the funniest shows on TV, the third season of The Office finds the show in its strongest form yet, thanks in large part to the addition of some new characters and stronger plotlines centered on office romances. A corporate merger brings the Stamford staff to the Scranton office of Dunder-Mifflin a quarter of the way through the season giving a nice boost to the season's arc of story lines, especially the addition of Andy (Ed Helms, another Daily Show alum in a role that seems custom made for him) who serves as yet another foil to Dwight (Rainn Wilson) in his unending fight for Michael's approval. As the season begins, the focus is more on Michael (Steve Carell) and his unique "leadership" style in the Scranton office. "A good boss gruntles the disgruntled," and despite his best intentions, he proceeds to somehow screw it up, as in the opening episode, "Gay Witch Hunt," in which he accidentally outs a gay employee. In the second episode, "The Convention," Michael tries to get the party started at the Mid-Market Office Supply Convention ("fun jeans"), and ends up revealing his insecurity about Jim's (John Krasinski) decision to move to Stamford. It leads up to "The Coup," where Dwight meets with Michael's Boss Jan (Melora Hardin) in a misguided attempt to take control of the office. The merger of the two offices into the Scranton location provides the fuel needed to continue the Jim and Pam (Jenna Fischer) subplot as Jim returns with his new girlfriend, Karen (Rashida Jones) who also transferred, and with Pam no longer engaged to Roy, the tension among them increases significantly. Other major plot points this season include: Dwight shows his true feelings for Angela in an excellent climax to one of the funniest subplots on the show; Michael negotiates a raise after learning he barely makes more than his subordinates; new office suck-up Andy is forced into anger management classes; and finally, in what may be the most bizarre company retreat in history, a day at the beach ends with Pam revealing her true feelings for Jim in front of the entire office. The season wraps up in unpredictable fashion when Karen, Michael, and Jim all travel to headquarters to interview for the same position. The strength of this season just continues to solidify The Office's place as the preeminent satire of today's cubicle culture. --Daniel Vancini

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5 out of 5 stars

That is our building. And, we sell paper. July 9, 2007
240 out of 302 found this review helpful

By the end of Season 3 of The Office (US), we get the sense that the series has finally established its independence from its European ancestry. Throughout Season 3, the BBC series continues to serve as a very basic template for the NBC series: the awkward merger, the upper management restructuring, the romantic role reversal (boy-chases-girl becomes boy-gets-new-girl/original-girl-now-chases-boy). The one major plot development from the UK original that has yet to be explored is the regional manager's slow, painful march toward termination as he clashes with a new corporate supervisor. Could Season 3's final scene been an ominous sign that a similar fate is in store for Michael Scott down the road? The popularity of this series, and the apparent commitment of all involved to keep it going for at least a couple more seasons suggests this doom will be postponed, at least for a while. In the meantime, much cheerier things seem to be on the horizon.

And, it is on this issue that The US version of The Office is finally transcending its English heritage. Are we actually going to witness the development of a (presumably) healthy, happy relationship between two people who belong together, free from any melodramatic roadblocks? To follow such a path would represent not only a significant departure from the British series (which actually ended when the two romantic leads finally got together, after a similar last second change of heart based on a parting "gift"), but it would also be a risky move for a TV comedy of any kind. People think they want to see romance on TV, but they don't. What they want is romantic tension. Remove the tension, and it's just a couple of people hugging, kissing, shopping, sometimes arguing over mostly trivial things, and occasionally going out to dinner. Those are real relationships, right? Maybe we'll have some "Meet The Halperts" style wackiness to keep things interesting, featuring guest director Ben Stiller.

Sarcasm aside, if there is any show in the history of TV comedy with the talent and insight to delve headfirst into a realistic relationship - avoiding predictable TV contrivances in favor of delighting in the subtle nuances of ordinary human interactions - it will be this group of writers and performers. Even the other office relationships on the show, which are all deeply insane, provide charming and hilarious little character moments that defy expectations and manage to surprise (e.g. Kelly infantilizing Ryan by feeding him French fries on a double-date and insisting that he does, in fact, love ketchup). This sort of thing is, of course, one of the two main aspects of The Office that make it so endearing. The other is, obviously, cringe-inducing embarrassment.

When I think and talk about The Office, I find that I'm usually most impressed with the subtle aspects of Jim and Pam (whose evolution throughout Season 3 was nothing short of inspiring). But, Michael and Dwight are really the anchors of the show, and the reason most people watch in the first place. If "The Office" was a rock song, I think that Michael and Dwight would be the rhythm section, and Pam and Jim would be the vocals and lead guitar. Yeah, it's a silly analogy, and oversimplified. But, my point is that Jim and Pam provide those rare, soaring moments that really stand out, but that Michael and Dwight keep the show grounded, ironically enough, with their madness. It's their indulgences and whims that keep the show's pace, and advance the plot on an episode-by-episode basis. I've read other reviewers point out that, if this were a traditional sit-com, the "normal" characters of Jim and Pam would be the focus, and the "oddball" characters of Michael and Dwight would be the ones that pop in for the occasional zaniness (think Laverne, Shirley, Lenny & Squiggy). I think that this perspective shift from traditional sitcom formulas, coupled with the dry, documentary-style presentation, is the key to the success of "The Office".

Another impressive aspect of the US version of the show is the fleshing out of the secondary characters, which really began taking shape in Season 2, and expanded in Season 3 to include the Stamford branch of Dunder Mifflin, which was eventually assimilated (decimated?) by the Scranton Branch. The contrast of the seemingly more professional Stamford office with the Scranton office offered some really significant insight into this show. I can point to two specific moments where this contrast was used to make an important point: The first is when the "talented" Josh uses his upcoming promotion at DM to land himself an executive position at Staples instead, prompting Jim to note that "Say what you will about Michael Scott, but he would never do that!" The second is when Andy's constant sucking up to Michael reaches toxic levels, eventually leading to Dwight's resignation and rehiring, inspiring Michael's epiphany that "I don't want somebody sucking up to me because they think I'm going to help their career [Andy]. I want them sucking up to me because they genuinely love me [Dwight]." The point is that Stamford was the more professional of the two offices. Stamford did better business. Scranton is a better family.

This family theme is the emerging element of Season 3 that distinguished it from Season 2. How else can one possibly explain a group of workers willing to tolerate a "boss" like Michael Scott, unless they no longer think of him as a boss at all, but just some crazy uncle, or a 10-year old boy in a (bisexual) suit that they're babysitting, who forces them to watch movies and throw parties? The women in the office, especially, can only be excused for allowing themselves to be subjected to such disrespectful and inappropriate behavior because they clearly have more pity for Michael than fear. If they were even the least bit intimidated by him, his transgressions would be a very serious problem. But, his obnoxious antics are born from profound immaturity, not a desire to dominate them. Sex is something to giggle about for Michael, not something used to wield power... unless you're trying to withhold sex from a female superior in order to receive a modest, scheduled pay raise, as Toby explained it.

By the way, Jan's downfall this season was indeed as spectacular as a dying star collapsing on itself (although a supernova may have been the better analogy, given her explosions in the... chesticles... region). She became the Rebecca Howe of "The Office", as her carefully constructed executive facade slowly crumbled and turned to dust.

The family theme played itself out in another, completely surprising way this season with regards to Ryan, the former temp. I wonder how long, exactly, the writers have known what his corporate fate would be. Early in the season, I got the sense that he was beginning the process of reluctantly settling into his new family at Dunder Mifflin Scranton. The episode where Dwight "hazed" him seemed to suggest this was the direction he was headed. Ryan's continuing failures as a salesperson also seemed to hint that he was going though a necessary humbling process on the road to becoming part of the group. But, then... everything changed within the last 10 seconds of Season 3, as I realized that this was not at all the point behind Ryan's character arc. He wasn't being groomed as a new member of the family. He was being set up to become just another, talentless, clueless executive with a fancy degree. This miserable kid who has never made a single sale will now be giving orders to Michael, his former mentor. Again, I wonder if the conflicts that emerge from this dynamic ultimately lead to Michael's firing, echoing the British series once more. But maybe, on a more hopeful note, Ryan's training may be the factor that saves Dunder Mifflin (at least for a while), and all of his scholarly insights into the problems facing this "dying" company lead to some real positive changes. Despite all of his shortcomings as a salesman and a human being, maybe the guy actually knows what he's talking about.

And, then there's Pam. Her story is the heart and soul of Season 3. The risk of putting her in a relationship with Jim in Season 4 is less significant than the risk it took to change her character in the first place to get her to that point. This is another sitcom taboo, where reliable, predictable characters are part of the comedy formula. How is Pam going to remain a meek receptionist after everything she went through this season? She walked through fire! Will she even be capable of being a receptionist now? Again, the family dynamic will probably ensure that she remains in place in spite of the obvious professional suicide that it signifies. I don't know how Pam views Michael - as a friend, a little kid? But, I do know that she sees him as someone to protect, in a bizarre sort of way. Think back to the eulogy at the bird funeral, one of the most touching moments this show has ever produced. And, Pam has gone out of her way to protect Angela and Dwight, both as a couple and individually, on many occasions, two people who clearly irritate her. She's not a pushover at all. A pushover doesn't defend her family members - even the irritating ones - with such devotion. A pushover doesn't stick up for people. Anyone who thinks Pam has ever been weak has not been paying attention, or doesn't really understand the definition of strength to begin with.

So, Season 4 should be fascinating, with big changes on the horizon and lots of questions to be answered, both corporate and romantic, and in all of the places where they mingle. Or, should I say, "merge"?

5 out of 5 stars

Without question my favorite comedy on TV July 6, 2007
75 out of 138 found this review helpful

Warning! There are spoilers in the following review.

Briefly, the history of my response to the NBC version of THE OFFICE is as follows: before it started horror that they were remaking a the BBC masterpiece, then surprise in Season One (at least after the first horrid episode, which I think all of us OFFICE fans would like to forget) that it was not only not horrid but actually pretty good, and then delight in Season Two as it got better and better. Starting Season Three I was fearful, afraid that it was not going to be able to keep the show on the level of genius that it had maintained through the previous season. But once again my expectations and fears were confounded. It easily stayed as fresh and as brilliant as it had been in Season Three.

In terms of format I find THE OFFICE to be one of the most interesting shows on TV. For the past twenty years most shows--well, at least almost all good ones--have struggled with a balance between standalone episodes (or the episodic format strictly speaking) and serial arcs. THE X-FILES, one of the most important shows in the development of the modern story arc, alternated between rigidly standalone episodes and what they termed their "mythology" episodes. But most shows have more and more come to adopt a hybrid format in which they will have episode elements while at the same time gradually moving forward their arcs. THE OFFICE in most ways is an episode series, in that for most of the characters everything restarts each week and they are not really part of an evolving story. For the most part THE OFFICE has maintained arcs built around office romances, most importantly Pam and Jim but also Michael and Jan, with Dwight and Angela as well as Ryan and Kelly in the background. But they managed to work in a couple of other arcs in Season Three as well, most notably Andy's attempt to rebuild the structures of power in the office. But nonetheless, the overwhelming ongoing story in THE OFFICE is that of Pam and Jim.

Season Two ended with Pam and Jim kissing during casino night. In Season Three we learn that Jim transferred to the Stamford office of Dunder-Mifflin in order to distance himself from Pam, who ultimately rejected his overtures. Ironically, shortly after Jim left she broke off her engagement to Roy. Most of Season Three deals with Pam and Jim's ongoing and largely unresolved feelings about each other. Things are complicated when in Stamford Jim begins dating the lovely and eventually likable Karen (played by the lovely Rashida Jones), which means he is unavailable to see Pam when he returns to Scranton when the Stamford office is closed. Of course we all want Jim and Pam together, but we like Karen also. The resulting situation is therefore somewhat the reverse of Season Two, when Jim spent the season pining over Pam. This year Pam pines over Jim, but with one major difference. While in Season Two Jim and Pam were best friends despite how Jim felt about Pam, in Season Three things are strained between them. Pam, in fact, is quite alone most of the season.

One definitely senses that Jim and Pam are finally on the verge of getting together in Season Four. Looking ahead for just a second, one wonders if the writers will truly allow this to happen. One truism in contemporary TV writing is that you can never let the main romantic couple on a show get together for long. This is known as the David and Maddie Problem, named for the lead couple in MOONLIGHTING. As soon as Bruce Willis's David and Cybil Shepherd's Maddie made love, interest in the show disintegrated (though personally I think the irregular appearance of new episodes was as much to blame) and it gradually came to an end. (This is also sometimes called the Lois and Clark Problem, since THE ADVENTURES OF LOIS AND CLARK saw a sharp decline in ratings as soon as the two of them became involved.) Since then writers and producers have been terrified of getting couples together. Generally when two people get together you can guess that something catastrophic is about to happen. So, will Pam and Jim try to make a go of it in Season Four? Will the writers attempt to overcome the jinx of David and Maddie? Just one of the mysteries to be solved in Season Three.

I cannot express how much I love this cast. I must confess that I side with a number of leading TV critics (like TV Guide's Matt Roush) in confessing that I'm not a huge fan of either Steve Carrell's Michael Scott or Rainn Wilson's Dwight Schrute. I know they are hugely popular with many fans, but I find both of them a tad too hard to believe in. I prefer the rest of the cast, which has expanded in importance over the course of the past two seasons. I love the way we have been able to get to know all the regulars in the office, not merely Pam and Jim, but Ryan, Kelly, Phyllis, Kevin, Meredith, Toby, Angela, Oscar, Stanley, and Darryl. And for the record, I don't always find Michael unentertaining. It is merely that at times he does things that make me so uncomfortable that I squirm. And Dwight is sometimes funny, though far too often he becomes so extreme that he passes over being funny to something else. I find Dwight to be at his best when he is trying to help others instead of reacting to his own all embracing set of fears.

I will confess gratitude to Dwight's frequent and sometimes wonderful shout outs to my favorite show on TV, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. One interesting aspect to television in the 2006-2007 season was the sheer number of references in various series to BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, which some observers has speculated may be the most avidly viewed series by TV and movie industry outsiders than any other (THE OFFICE might well be second; BSG creative genius Ron Moore confesses to be a huge fan). THE GILMORE GIRLS, HEROES, VERONICA MARS, SOUTH PARK, THE O.C., and several other series all made nods towards BSG, but no show more frequently than THE OFFICE. And Dwight may have had the best BSG line in any of the aforementioned shows in an episode when he confronted a somewhat older and very conservative looking gentleman at a Dunder-Mifflin part and asked him, "Do you watch BATTLESTAR GALACTICA?" "No." "You sir, are an idiot."

Like the previous season, Season Three provided us with a host of unforgettable moments. So many of them are hard to summarize because they are caught in a glance or a look, especially by Pam or Jim. Some highlights include Michael's insistence at giving Oscar a kiss after learning he was gay. Or Dwight's sly smile when Michael, speculating on the sexual preference of some of the office employees, asks Dwight, "What about Angela? I can imagine her with a woman. Can't you?" Or Kelly sprinting into Victoria's Secret after Michael offers to buy all of the women into the office a single item from their stock. Or Michael being the only person from the office to show up at an art showing by Pam and his buying one of her paintings for the office. Or Michael contemplating jumping off the top of the building onto a balloon that would certainly not keep him from dying. Or Pam running across hot coals and then confronting Jim over ceasing to be her friend. I'm sure that every fan has his or her own set of memories.

This was also the season when the show had a number of celebrity directors. Harold Ramis directed several episodes. J. J. Abrams directed one. And Joss Whedon, the creator of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, directed "Business School," in which Jim pretends to have been bitten by a bat that caught trapped inside the office. Jim proceeds to distress Dwight into thinking that he might have been turned into a vampire, first rubbing a tooth as if it might be on the verge of growing into a fang and later complaining of how bright the light is. Hopefully Season Four will bring additional well-known guest directors.

THE OFFICE proved so popular in Season Three that NBC briefly suggested that the show expand to an hour each week. Every fan I talked to reacted to horror at this. If we could be assured that the show would be a brilliant and as funny for an hour each week, then I'm sure everyone would be delighted with the prospect, but the fear is that the show would become diluted and there would be a watering down of ideas and humor. Luckily NBC backed off the request, though it was agreed that there will be four hour-long episodes in Season Four.

Lastly, hopefully Jenna Fischer will be recovered from a terrible accident that she had this summer in New York during the Upfront Presentation. According to what I have read, she slipped on a marble staircase and hit her back hard against the steps. Luckily, although she broke several bones in her back she did not sustain any nerve damage. Her recovery will evidently overlap with the beginning of shooting for the new season. I'm hopeful that she will be feeling well enough to not miss any episodes or more importantly to be in any ongoing pain.

5 out of 5 stars

Season Three: The Rise of Ryan July 25, 2007
40 out of 58 found this review helpful

I usually do not post many comments, but wanted to discuss how the character of Ryan is very interesting. At first glance, you almost feel sorry for him being the office temp and the subject of Michael's harrassment, business school on the side, etc. Go back and watch the shows again (focus on Ryan, I know, it's hard to concentrate on any character since the show is busy....); he is not that nice (not giving Jim his desk upon return, asking about former girlfriends,the scathing review of Dunder Miflin management at the business school lecture, etc) and you get the sense that he is biding his time, waiting to get ahead. The last ten seconds of the season three finale show gave the writers a fantastic position to explore next season (not just about how Kelly will handle it). Ryan is cold, and it will be a shock to the Pam and Jim followers of the show. Just another reason to watch this multi-facet show. IMHO, the show will get dark and reveal a different angle of business at Dunder-Mifflin. The relationship between the corporate office and the local Scranton branch may become strained (especially if Michael think he taught Ryan everything to be successful!). I wonder if Ryan will still have the hots for Karen??
The meltdown of Jan could be seen from Jupiter (you just knew her behavior was in decay), the rise of Ryan was not expected!
I love this show since the characters are so enjoyable. You can see certain traits of people in your own environment. I've never had a boss as clueless as Michael Scott, but his twisted loyalty to his troops is undeniable.
Post some comments, I'd love to know what other think. At first I thought this show could not last for two years. Now I'm starting to think five to seven could be realistic. The whole "mock-u-mentory" style allows the audience to almost participate in the conversations, but to really observe. You can also see the reactions of many charatcters at once by looking around the room. They are almost always different and that contrasting style is what really makes this show work.
Just a quick update, I just watched the "what happened over the summer" trailer and it was hilarious! All of snips were great. Ryan is such a punk with that "so-cool" facial hair shadow and Kelly's critique was so much more than a scorned woman wishing her former lover well! What was up with Karen's top........

5 out of 5 stars

JUST BUY IT July 2, 2007
12 out of 26 found this review helpful

By far the best comedy on TV. You won't be disappointed. This is easliy the best season out of the three. Dwight is one of the best comedic character's I have ever watched on TV. I can't wait for this to be released.

4 out of 5 stars

Best Comedy Mini-Series Out There August 28, 2007
10 out of 14 found this review helpful

The Office series for me would be something like saying 'You had me at episode four.' That was the first season.
If I was rating the second seaon, this review would probably have 5 stars above.
The third season was awesome; but it left me hoping for a little bit more. It did, however, contained some of the best episodes I have seen in a romantic comedy series ever.
I really thought Seinfeld was unbeatable as a comedy and for those of you who still do so please watch 'The Breakup' on this DVD set.
In a sense reviewing the Office Season Three is fruitless in that you have to see the first two seasons first; there is no way around it.
For a commedy that portrays characters so shallow and single minded, there are extremely important core values at the workplace portrayed thoughtout the season. You also have your cliffhangers and character development, and plot points so beautifully coordinated that it only takes a few short scenes to sum up episodes worth of build up. Now what surprises you the most is the fact that most episodes include scenes and passages that you really don't pay much attention to; scenes that build up to a season cliffhanger that really surprises the heck our of you.
I have not seen the BBC version of The Office nor would I ever understand how is that important to the US version. I don't see where you can get a BBC channel other than a 5 star hotel so WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO COMPARE IT?
The Office (US Version) is one heck of a TV series. Do watch it for fun, you'll laugh all the way to the end.

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