A sitcom about an ordinary office without the canned laughter seems like a one-way ticket to snoozeville. "The Office," however, is far from it! Who would have thought that a show about an ordinary workspace and their mundane everyday lives would be so frickin' funny? And while it's a remake of a UK sitcom, the American version changed the way American TV approached comedy. But what made this show so fun and funny? These points might answer the question.
Exaggerated Characters
The setting and the premise might be about an ordinary paper company, but the characters are slightly far from it. Granted there will be people out there exactly like Michael Scott, Dwight Schrute, Andy Bernard, they're more like exaggerations, or even combinations, of typical office personalities. They made the most painstakingly boring plot that much more exciting, riveting, and hilarious. Not to mention all sorts of crazy s**t they get themselves into! It was a perfect blend of extremes that TV hadn't seen before. And best of all, there were little to no sitcom gimmicks at all, Just plain ridiculousness at its finest!
Priceless Expressions
Both Brian Baumgartner and Leslie David Baker both serve Golden Globes and Emmys for every time they showed an expression onscreen. Their subtle comedic chops made the show the unique success that it was when it was still airing. And they proved that you don't need to trip, dance, or even curse all the time to get a few laughs. You just need to time yourself right, show your face to the screen, and give your best expression! Around 60% (possibly even more) of the comedy gold from "The Office" were from these two actors. They deserve all the praise they can get!
Absurdity in the Mundane
An office party where you get so drunk you show your boobs to your boss? Spilling a big pot of chili on the office floor, ruining not only people's dinner but also the space? These were just a couple of the memorable absurd moments in "The Office". Sitcoms are all about the absurd moments, but just like Baumgartner and Baker's expressions during their one-on-one moments, these exaggerated situations were a lot subtler than most of the show's contemporaries. Sure, such moments happen only once in a blue moon, but the fact of the matter is, they happen! And the show highlighted the funny side to prove that life is full of s**t and you can't do anything about it!
Great Chemistry
Jim and Pam? Dwight and Jim? Michael and Dwight? These characters and the talented actors who played them had some of the best chemistry of any sitcom cast. They played off of each other and gave each other the space to bring out their comedic chops. Who doesn't love the sweet and normal love story between Jim and Pam? Or even the uncomfortably rigid romance of Dwight and Angela? What about Jim's knack for annoying Dwight? That's a classic! And Dwight's sucking up to Michael? Genius! This cast of characters made "The Office" the success it was!
When you’re in need of a laugh, this show will always be there for you, available now on Netflix and other streaming platforms! Check it out and see what’s so great about a sitcom about an office? Spoiler alert: so many!
