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The Office can be described as a workplace sitcom focusing on the reality that most of us face, working and trying to make light of every day, creating meaningful relationships in the workplace environment. Through these relationships we learn valuable lessons with the use of satire and irony as well as laugh at the situations these characters are put in. The Office criticizes its characters like Michael and Dwight for their outdated and misogynistic views and throughout the series they are able to better themselves but still stay true to their characters. It is no surprise that The Office is focused on funny situations to humor its audience but at its core, the show is about the relationships that have been made at Dunder Mifflin and their growth.

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The Office U.S. (2005-13) is a sitcom that follows the everyday lives of the employees of a fictional paper company, Dunder Mifflin, in Scranton, PA. The show uses the format of a mockumentary with a single camera setup. The show doesn’t have a laugh track to make it seem more like a real documentary–more life like. The show aired on NBC on March 24, 2005 and ended on May 16, 2013 with a 9 season run. The show is based on The Office U.K and was adapted by creator Greg Daniels. The show stars Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, and B. J. Novak as the main cast but the series experienced numerous changes to its ensemble cast during its run. Notable stars outside the original main cast include Ed Helms as Andy Bernard, Mindy Kaling as Kelly Kapoor, Craig Robinson as Darryl Philbin, James Spader as Robert California, and Ellie Kemper as Erin Hannon.

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Creator: Greg Daniels
Executive Producers: Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein, Ken Kwapis, Paul Lieberstein, Jennifer Celotta, B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, Brent Forrester, Dan Sterling
Producers: Kent Zbornak, Michael Schur, Ken Kwapis, Steve Carell, Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky, Randy Cordray, Justin Spitzer, Charlie Grandy, Warren Lieberstein , Halsted Sullivan, Steve Hely, David Rogers, Aaron Shure,, Steve Burgess, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Graham Wagner
Cast: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B. J. Novak, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Phyllis Smith, David Denman, Melora Hardin, Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling, Paul Lieberstein, Creed Bratton, Craig Robinson, Ellie Kemper, Zach Woods, Amy Ryan, James Spader, Catherine Tate, Clark Duke, Jake Lacy

Popularity: Nielsen looked at the numbers over a 12-month period and found that [The Office] accounted for 45.8 billion minutes watched compared to the Netflix original “Stranger Things,” which clocked in at 27.6 billion minutes.

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1. Context

How do the characters and events in the program reflect real people and events?

The Office reflects on the life of ordinary people who work in offices and uses ordinary situations to relate to those of us who watch the show. In the show we see Jim getting bored at work and pranking Dwight, Stanley leaving as soon as the clock says 5:00pm, small birthday parties in the conference room, and a boss that crosses the line a lot in the workplace environment.

What ordinary personal issues and attributes are recognizable?

Some examples of relatable and ordinary personal issues can be traced back to characters like Michael and Todd Packer who are characters that are constantly pushing uncomfortable boundaries within the workplace. Jim is a character that wants more for himself and makes that known in later seasons when he leaves to pursue a career within the sports industry but this leaves a strain on his relationship with Pam which many couples can relate to when they are trying to choose a career and a family.

2. Demographic

Whom does the program “hail”? In order to be a subject of the program, what is the expected social position of the audience?

The program "hails" it's main character Michael Scott, the boss of Dunder Mifflin's Scranton Branch. The audience is expected to root for Michael even though he may be a flawed character, the audience empathizes with him and wants him to succeed. Throughout the show Michael struggles with finding a perfect love interest. When he finally meets Holly the audience finds he is his best self with her. It takes a while but eventually he ends up with her and this is where Michael's story ends in the show.

To what demographic group is the subject of the program likely to appeal?

The demographic the show aims to appeal to is the working class and those beginning their careers because the show is all about the lives of those working in an office.

3. Structure

How do the scenes build on one another?

At the beginning of every episode of The Office there is a scene that doesn't exactly correlate to the rest of the episode, it is a part of the show that is aimed to make the audience laugh at the stupidity of its characters. The show then goes into it's theme song and usually starts with the mockumentary interviews that will explain the issue of this specific episode.

Does the show have a beginning, a middle, and an end?

Yes, unlike most sitcoms, each episode builds off each other and lucky for this show, The Office was able to have a complete beginning, middle and end throughout the series.

4. The Look of the Program and its Codes

Are the events located in an indoor studio dressed to look like a home, an office, a hospital, coffee shop, bar, restaurant, or another place? Do events take place outdoors in a city, suburb, or rural area? Are there recognizable icons that tell you the location—for example, the Empire State Building in New York City or the strip of hotels in Las Vegas?

The Office was filmed at an indoor studio in California; events usually take place inside of the office in the suburban Scranton, PA but there are some instances that they take place elsewhere like Florida, in restaurants like Chili's for the Dundies, or in our main characters homes like Dwight's for Andy's party. During the theme song we see some clips of Scranton letting the audience know where we are.

If you are looking at an indoor set, what makes it look realistic and natural? What objects, furniture, and other articles contribute to the look? What symbolism can you detect?

The set feels realistic and natural through the use of props you would usually see in a real office, paper, a printer, plenty of desks, office attire for the cast, very neutral colors (browns and grays), staplers, pens and pencils, etc.

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The Office is a show that really makes the audience feel like they are apart of it. The relationships in the show are a big part of this feeling. Jim and Pam are the main couple that the audience roots for throughout the show and with this they see the ups and downs of the relationship. Their wedding being an extremely important event that it needed 2 episodes and their first big fight after Jim and Pam were arguing on the phone over Jim's disappearance lately after moving to Philly. Although Michael definitely was no where near perfect, the audience rooted for him regardless because of those moments in between where he seemed to be just perfect in his own little way. The Office is a show loved by many for this reason, it has heart, it is comforting and it shows us that there is always room for improvement in all of us.

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Description of critical approach to the show + Questions

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Description of critical approach to the show + Questions

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When watching The Office viewers are not expecting anything other than laughter or a development in the lives of our favorite characters and their relationships. I will argue that The Office is this and more–the show offers and experience for the viewers to look into the lives of their favorite characters and the criticize their actions as well as analyze our own. The show criticizes the actions of its characters by exaggerating what they do as a reflection of what can be seen in our own places of work.
Questions:
1. Context

How do the characters and events in the program reflect real people and events?

What ordinary personal issues and attributes are recognizable?

2. Demographic

Whom does the program “hail”? In order to be a subject of the program, what is the expected social position of the audience?

To what demographic group is the subject of the program likely to appeal?

3. Structure

How do the scenes build on one another?

Does the show have a beginning, a middle, and an end?

4. The Look of the Program and its Codes

Are the events located in an indoor studio dressed to look like a home, an office, a hospital, coffee shop, bar, restaurant, or another place? Do events take place outdoors in a city, suburb, or rural area? Are there recognizable icons that tell you the location—for example, the Empire State Building in New York City or the strip of hotels in Las Vegas?

If you are looking at an indoor set, what makes it look realistic and natural? What objects, furniture, and other articles contribute to the look? What symbolism can you detect?

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Goodbye Michael–Pam runs over to hug Michael in his final episode

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Goodbye Michael–Pam runs over to hug Michael in his final episode

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Fans love the relationship between Pam and Dwight

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Fans love the relationship between Pam and Dwight

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Jim confesses his love for an engaged Pam on Casino Night–Fans ask the question "What will this mean for the two of them?"

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Jim confesses his love for an engaged Pam on Casino Night–Fans ask the question "What will this mean for the two of them?"

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Michael comes to Pam's art show after she feels defeated when no one comes to support her work

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Michael comes to Pam's art show after she feels defeated when no one comes to support her work

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Pam hugs him after he tells her he is proud of her

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Pam hugs him after he tells her he is proud of her

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Jim and Pam are the couple fans have rooted for since the shows first episode.

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Jim and Pam are the couple fans have rooted for since the shows first episode.

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Throughout the show we watch as their relationship develops and go through tough times which is something we all can relate to.

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Throughout the show we watch as their relationship develops and go through tough times which is something we all can relate to.