The film industry is comprised of many movies, tv shows, documentaries, reality shows,      and more, attracting many people to partake in being entertained along the way. TV shows in particular provide a source of amusement for people, which allows them to relax and perhaps go on a binging spree of a particular show. There are many iconic TV shows that have acquired massive fandom over the years, and that factor has led people to grow more fond of TV shows as a whole. One show I want to talk about specifically is The Office. This show first aired March 24, 2005 and finished airing May 16, 2013, characterized as being a comedy show. 

The Office took place in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and it was based on an average paper supply company called Dunder Mifflin. All the episodes were based on the workers at Dunder Mifflin being filmed by a random documentary crew who showed up to film them. This aspect of the show allows the audience to feel like they’re watching raw footage of the characters, while also being involved in their lives for 9 years. The audience, including myself, most likely grew attached to the characters over time. For example, the funniest characters in my opinion were Kevin Malone and Creed Bratton because they both had specific traits that made them stand out amongst the other characters. Creed managed to say something absolutely random and funny almost every episode, while Kevin was oblivious to the real world and lovably dumb compared to the other characters. 

The Office made a total of 201 episodes, and each one brought a different topic every time. A slim and laid back character named Jim Halpert pranked another popular character named Dwight Schrute, who was quite gullible, ignorant, and naïve, frequently throughout the show. There’s something completely and utterly random in each episode that keeps the audience engaged and laughing. Most comedic references in the show are subtle, and the audience needs to pay deep attention in order to understand them. For example, Dwight Schrute and another character named Angela Martin pursued a relationship together in secret for no particular reason, and they do certain things to keep it private, most of them being funny. 

In addition to the comedy throughout the show, it displays multiple separate story lines that may attract the audience more. Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly’s relationship grows throughout the show, and it’s interesting to see them slowly fall in love, start a family, and so on. The documentary crew insight allows the audience to have an omniscient view because they show almost everything, including the characters’ feelings. The easy access to originally unforeseeable actions also reveals a theme of satire in the show. Some topics on the show are touchy, but I believe the writers do a great job of implementing satire to allow those topics to not be overly offensive to the audience. 

In conclusion, The Office is my favorite TV show because of its great character development, storyline, and comedy most of all. Every episode has something funny that keeps me engaged and entertained. Other TV shows are good as well, but The Office can’t be matched for its ability to be binged and retain its fans. In fact, Americans watched the equivalent of 100,000 years worth of “The Office” during the height of Covid and quarantines in 2020. Overall, I think The Office is a show that’s relaxing and entertaining at the same time, which makes me enjoy it so much. 

https://www.ncta.com/whats-new/nielsen-data-shows-that-people-working-home-are-watching-the-office

https://theoffice.fandom.com/wiki/The_Office