The Office – Season 2

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B-     Extras: B+     Episodes: B

 

 

It just gets better the longer it goes.  THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID!  The Office: Season 2 is an amazing blend of skillful writing and an outstanding cast.  Every actor on this show plays a vital role on this character based comedy; in fact many of the actors are also writers for the series.  For those who feel season 1 of this show was dry I would have to agree, but Season 2 brings advancing life to the characters with each episode.  The Office: Season 2 delivers what Season 1 did not, developing an array of relationships amongst characters while helping to show that they are trying to find themselves.  There are not many comedies on television that make viewers laugh-out-loud when no one else is around, but The Office exceeds all expectations of a television series.  I often found myself laughing so loud I thought I was disturbing the neighbors, and then later when I thought about the shows one-liners again, I laughed even harder.

 

Steve Carell, playing the dimwitted boss Michael Scott, grows as an actor this season, finally realizing who he wants his character to be.  No longer is he trying to be an overbearing jerk, but instead is an ignorant, rude, and clueless man who desperately wants his office staff to love him.  The charismatic relationships between Jim (John Krasinski) and the annoying, self-righteous Dwight (Rainn Wilson) are comical genius, as well as budding relationship between Jim and the lovable Pam (Jenna Fischer).  With all of the great qualities coming from the characters, this is not to say the storylines have nothing to offer.  With each episode filled with amazing stories of such things as Michael Scott attempting to get his staff to cater to his needs, after burning his foot on a George Forman Grill, after getting out of bed or the great mystery of who left a bowel movement in the boss’s office…no viewer will be disappointed.

 

Now for the technical aspect of our tour.  The Office is shot in digital High Definition and the transfer to DVD is amazing being presented in Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1.  The image is good, but has some detail limits, the larger the screen you watch it on.  The sound has its moments where it sounds muffled or unclear in its Dolby Digital 5.1 format, even beyond the intended nature of the show as a documentary, but overall is decent.  Too bad this was not DTS.  The extras on this TV on DVD set are interesting, well presented, and plentiful.  The extras include the following:

 

          Deleted Scenes

          Blooper Reel

          Episode Commentaries

          Webisodes from NBC.com

          Fake PSAs (Public Service Announcements)

          Steve on Steve (a segment where Steve Carell interviews himself)

 

The Webisodes and Blooper Reel are not something to miss.  The large degree of improv on this series shows through on the Blooper Reel, often presenting variants of many scenes.  As far as the Webisodes, they are essentially original shorts of the shows characters in different situations, quite an innovative idea that many shows are starting to try.  Overall, the extras are just icing on the cake.

 

If you thought about watching this while it was on TV, if you thought of buying the Season 1 DVD, if you think you may like Steve Carell, BUY THIS DVD!  With all the serious crime dramas and Grey’s Anatomy on television, this well written comedy is sure to delight.  And all I have to say is….THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID!

 

 

-   Michael P Dougherty II