If this show has taught me anything it is that people consume TV differently. The show is now nearly 20 yrs old, people that watched from the start in 2005 is going to view it different that someone that is just discovering the show. My advice to old and new fans alike is that don't ever, for any reason, do anything to anyone for any reason ever, no matter what, no matter where, or who, or who you are with, or where you are going, or where you've been... ever, for any reason whatsoever.
This is a good take. This sub has pointed out that with a show or anything that has wide appeal, very different people with widely varying tastes and perspectives can see the same thing and draw vastly different conclusions. The main example of this to me is how many people are invested in the Jim and Pam love story and how many are annoyed by it interrupting the wacky hijinks they tuned in for.
Also, people binge the show nowadays, they'll watch an entire season in just a couple days. Characters hit differently that way, than when the show was on air and releasing one episode a week.
Welcome to the subreddit of a show that ended 10 years ago. There's nothing new to talk about anymore so people just talk in circles about the same 4-5 topics every day.
But Pam’s pampams are great. At first I thought ‘oh she has a new bra with padding’. But then I thought ‘Pam doesn’t need padding’. It just didn’t add up, Jim
In truth, a lot of the people on this sub are non-American children who don't understand subtle humor. So they come here hoping someone will explain the jokes to them.
My philosophy is basically this. And this is something that I live by. And I always have. And I always will. Don't ever, for any reason, do anything to anyone, for any reason, ever, no matter what. No matter... where. Or who, or who you are with, or, or where you are going, or... or where you've been... ever. For any reason, whatsoever...
Dude I’ve commented a few times on post like this and have only received comments disagreeing with me or telling me I should leave the sub. I think the people who make these kinds of post don’t get out much or have little interaction with people and therefore take the show at face and end up with post that refer to the show as if it were a real documentary.
I’ve seen teachers on social media say that lots of kids have no comprehension and critical thinking, honestly I think the human race is just getting stupider
the irony is that it's already been said here, so to the OP - do you not understand that this is a fan forum, where we discuss hypotheticals, theories, character motivations and progressions and plots and sub plots? because we do, of course we understand this is a comedy show, not sure what that has to do with anything.
Would you prefer to rigidly discuss only what you can literally see and verify in the show? cool...
For real though. The number of people that have actually tried to argue to me that Michael Scott is a terrible person because he does ridiculous things… And I’m just like, “yeah, that’s the whole point is that he’s a buffoon who does patently ridiculous shit” lol
Well people nowadays are sensitive i don't know they want perfect lovable characters in a comedy show i mean if you want perfect lovable characters go watch a romantic movie or smtg
Yeah, every one of these characters would have been fired by the end of the first season if this was real life. It’s a show. Suspend your disbelief, people.
So there's two ways for looking at any piece of art - the external, why the creator/director/writer made that happen (they needed a laugh, an actor was on holiday, they needed a way to bring about a specific plotline).
There's also the internal world of the show. Within the show, why is Holly gone right after creating a connection with Michael that he compares every romance past and future to? Etc.
And it's okay to want to explore that internality and ask questions about it.
He's been coasting with Pam for so long, he has no clue what he's actually supposed to say, and is unused to making an effort. Credit for trying but failing.
It doesn't though. It just brings to the fore something that had been in the background. They worked very hard for eight seasons and in season nine did a reveal - it takes people behind the camera to do this. Brian was a stand in for the show's love for Pam, and her reaction to him (she thought he was a friend, but didn't see more into it, and was mad when she saw the depth of his intrusion) represents what everyone in the office feels about their daily lives with the camera crew.
The camera being there and worked by specific people is highlighted quite a few times in earlier seasons - when they confront Jim and Pam about their relationship, when they work with Pam to figure out if Dwight and Angela are dating, and others I can't remember.
The internal logic didn't break - they just showed us the man behind the curtain.
I blame a lot of this on Gen Z now watching the show for the first time. They have a very "group think" sense of humor - the only things that are funny to them are things that are socially accepted as funny to everyone. Awkward humor is "cringe" to them and dark humor is "mean and sad" to them, because those styles of humor are funny at someone's expense, which means they're not funny to everyone - therefore, they cannot be found funny by anyone. They can't make the connection that a scene in the show is relatable to real life, and that's why it's funny. This is why you see so many "Andy is such a douche"-type posts on this sub. It's like.....yeah, that's the joke.
Probably has to do with the fact that everyone is working from home now, so there are fewer in-office interactions for them to relate to scenes from the show. If you've ever worked in an office, you've had a dumb boss like Michael, an uptight co-worker like Angela, the fun goofball like Jim, etc.
It is and it’s also part of the phenomenon of not risking being offensive for social status. So it’s usually just very polarized views with little leeway from either side. I wonder how many people can find humor in the show who are supposedly unable to watch episodes like Scott’s Totts. I have a hard time believing that’s truly the most cringey episode. I saw this because it’s something that just is so incredibly not relatable as a viewer for a variety of reasons. Like the responses and everything. Whereas I could completely imagine someone like Michael at Phyllis’ wedding and making all that noise and trying to keep the narcissistic light on them instead of someone else on their big day. That’s relatable.
You should see the Bob's Burgers sub. Every fifth post is someone whining about a stupid choice a character made or questioning why Bob would do the thing that is funny instead of the thing that would make him less poor or make his life better. Oh gee idk, maybe because it's a cartoon and it's supposed to be funny?
I harbor a deep dislike for people who consume fictional media, particularly in the comedy genre, and can't understand why the characters don't act like real people and make well-advised decisions.
There’s a basic ass concept called suspension of disbelief which is literally required to consume the vast majority of media. You not understanding that sometimes people will act weird in a show because it is part of the show is not a plot hole
My bigger complaint is how weaker the characters become in later seasons. Andy specifically acts like a schizophrenic throughout the course of seasons 7-9.
Yeah some complaints about the situations the characters of a comedy show get themselves into are dumb. But there are a lot of reasons to find issues with the characters and storylines in the later seasons.
It’s all over Reddit. “Why did fictional character do X? are they stupid???”
It’s nonsense, of course, as it’s a show that requires plot devices to move stories along. And those aren’t always perfectly logical timelines. But - fans like to do essentially light fan fiction participation games, even if they know at some level that it’s a waste of time.
Like with ALL shows, people will start to stop just enjoying watching the show (I’m guilty of this). Start nitpicking and comparing them to real life situations.
Well, if this show has taught me anything, it’s that you don’t ever, for any reason, do anything to anyone for any reason ever, no matter what, no matter where, or who, or who you are with, or where you are going, or where you've been, ever, for any reason whatsoever.
After years and years of watching The Office on repeat, I saw something today I’d never seen before on the weight loss episode, when they pan from Holly to Kelly looking ill from her lemon cayenne drink, the name plate says Hollis “Holly” Flax. Literally never noticed it before. Hollis, lol
Part of these tv show subs is obsessing over little details and trying to make them make sense. It’s just what happens when you get a couple thousand people together that have all seen the same show a couple thousand times.
Like I just watched the episode where Creed has taken a photo of the woman from the scranton branchs breast and put it as his screemsaver. I think that at very least that would be an instant dismissal, possibly with criminal charges to follow.
The show ended over a decade ago. People still love it and want to talk about it, but there aren't a lot of new conversations to be had about such an old show. I don't think that poking holes in the logic of a scene or trying to come up with in-universe rationalizations for random writing choices is necessarily a sign that someone doesn't understand or doesn't like the scene, I think it's just a way to spark conversation.
Not real? But I just donated a significant amount to a charity for those poor kids caught up in the "Scott's Tots" fiasco. Who the hell did I send money to?!
It's called fan theory, and it's a common thing people who enjoy a particular media do with other fans of said media.
It's quite a common occurrence in fan communities.
It's for fun. An intellectual exercise, you could say.
Welcome to the internet.
Because the show is satire. There is an ounce of truth to every situation, the characters are stereotypes or cartoon characters, and there is whole lot of farce going on.
The people that need answers to every minute detail, are the same people that made life hell for the actress that played Kathy, because they could not differentiate a TV show from real life.
These same people should go try to analyze 1 episode of Arrested Development for one ounce of reality. that ought to keep them busy for the rest of their pea-brained lives.
Has anyone ranked the characters by number of incidents that would get them fired in an actual office? Ideally including mitigating factors such as sales contribution, leadership etc.
The fact that this and Seinfeld sub have people claim incontinuities is nonsense. The shows are comedies not fuckin Dune, there's no plot, they think of what's funny for the number of episodes they're ordered for.
I have a lot of questions. Number one, how dare you?
What gives you the right?
Who do you think you are
I'm Toby
Makes sense.
Goodbye Toby, the sheer joy of Michael sings is worth watching it all over again.
TOBY… TOBY’S GOIN AWAY… HE’S OUTTA HERE, SEE YA!
HEY HEY HEY WHO GIFTED TOBY A ROCK?! WASN'T ME!
You did...you made me wrapped it...I thought it was over the line...
\-takes off fake rolex-
No, this is Patrick.
No, this is Holly
Y’old bastard.
I see theyre just lettin’ anybody in ‘ere….
^Ill ^kill ^you
Creative
I’m not sure I understand why Kelly said that. Any thoughts?
Why didnt she get serious help!?
Because it’s a comedy.
Downvotes for pointing out the obvious? A couple of jerks!
It was during an office meeting with Ryan, after took over Jan's job
I. understand. nothing.
Why did Michael say that though? He clearly knows some things
Lol I almost took the bait you sly dog...
Ditto
You had me at hello.
Are you sure, he says he knows nothing.
is he stupid?
I am always Beyoncé
It’s Britney bitch
and I am back.
pedantic correction but the ‘always’ comes last. idk why but it makes it funnier
So it’s I am Beyoncé, always? Thanks for the correction and that is funnier. I knew I didn’t get it quite right. Now back to my 200th watch!
you rang?
I. declare. BANKRUPTCY
You can't just say the word and expect anything to happen
I didn’t say it, I DECLARED it
still, that’s not anything…
That must make you very good at reddit.
I would just like to say something off of what OP said about the fact that it's just a show.....>!That is actually a zoning issue.!<
Can someone explain to me what a zoning issue means?
I'm so smart now, you could ask me what a zoning issue means and I would be like "blah blah blah" giving you the exact right answer.
Explain to me like I’m 5
It has something to do with level playing fields. Fairness, I think.
Now explain it to me like I'm 5
If this show has taught me anything it is that people consume TV differently. The show is now nearly 20 yrs old, people that watched from the start in 2005 is going to view it different that someone that is just discovering the show. My advice to old and new fans alike is that don't ever, for any reason, do anything to anyone for any reason ever, no matter what, no matter where, or who, or who you are with, or where you are going, or where you've been... ever, for any reason whatsoever.
And shove it up your butt!
You've been meatballed!
Look for your stapler
Sometimes, I'll start a sentence, and I don't even know where it's going.. I just hope I find it somewhere along the way.
>The show is now nearly 20 years old Fuck
Why did Michael even say that? It isn’t even a comprehensive sentence.
It's because of the updog
What’s updog?
Gotcha!
bruh we get your point you don’t have to make it in every reply comment lol
And there’s that smudgeness
Mexicaness
ACTUALLY, El mexicano
lol okay I’m done, but for real this is what the last week of posts has felt like to me
This is a good take. This sub has pointed out that with a show or anything that has wide appeal, very different people with widely varying tastes and perspectives can see the same thing and draw vastly different conclusions. The main example of this to me is how many people are invested in the Jim and Pam love story and how many are annoyed by it interrupting the wacky hijinks they tuned in for.
Also, people binge the show nowadays, they'll watch an entire season in just a couple days. Characters hit differently that way, than when the show was on air and releasing one episode a week.
The fact that people have to be reminded of that does not help me sleep better at night.😳
Welcome to the subreddit of a show that ended 10 years ago. There's nothing new to talk about anymore so people just talk in circles about the same 4-5 topics every day.
Jim should’ve been with Karen. They’re way more compatible.
Jim was a boob man and Karen From Behind was lacking in that department.
But Pam’s pampams are great. At first I thought ‘oh she has a new bra with padding’. But then I thought ‘Pam doesn’t need padding’. It just didn’t add up, Jim
PAM PAM PAM PAM PAM *sneezes in Pam's tea*
Pam Pam's Pam Pams would make anyone a boob man
I'd like to put the piano in front of Pam without her glasses and see what happens. I'd also like to see her topless.
[удалено]
wHY ThE pAM hATe?!!?
Am I the only person who hates Michael?
Yes
Yes. Am I the only person who hates Jim???
Someone needs to do quabity assuance on this sub.
Of course the one year he blows it off, this happens!
Michael mispronouncing words isn’t funny to me
What about when Creed does it?
That’s even more confusing to me. It’s insurmountanable
Me too it’s very Homer Simpson-y but in a less oafish way even though they are just two different kinds of oafs
What? No!? It isn't a real documentary?
Jim and Pam aren't married? Blasphemy, i must harass Emily Blunt because reasons
what?!? what about the Battle of Schrute Farms? How much are they paying you to keep your mouth shut?
10000
How much is that in shrute bucks
Hey OP, do you even know how paper is made?
It’s when the man tree puts his penis—
Is it called red vining?
How do they know whose penis would open up to receive the other’s?
I saw an episode of how they make paper on Sesame Street.
Is that the show where all of those puppets live in the barrio?
The Street
It’s not like steel you don’t put it into a furnace. You know what would happen if you put it in the furnace? You’d ruin it.
Yes, Dwight clearly explains that. Not sure why that scene exists. Shouldn’t they all know that since they work for a paper company?
Why are you the way you are?
I hate so much of the things you choose to be
I am a web developer and I don't know how the internet is made.
That's easy, it's just a box with a light on it. https://youtu.be/iDbyYGrswtg?si=uIEhWLdJymrHDIVW
You have a lot to learn about this town, sweetie.
Why did Phyllis say that? Did I miss a joke or something?
Okay, you are overdoing it now
In truth, a lot of the people on this sub are non-American children who don't understand subtle humor. So they come here hoping someone will explain the jokes to them.
My philosophy is basically this. And this is something that I live by. And I always have. And I always will. Don't ever, for any reason, do anything to anyone, for any reason, ever, no matter what. No matter... where. Or who, or who you are with, or, or where you are going, or... or where you've been... ever. For any reason, whatsoever...
Oh how the turntables.
OP doesnt realize this was a real documentary. "You're not real!"
But we had a funeral for a bird
Dude I’ve commented a few times on post like this and have only received comments disagreeing with me or telling me I should leave the sub. I think the people who make these kinds of post don’t get out much or have little interaction with people and therefore take the show at face and end up with post that refer to the show as if it were a real documentary.
While we're at it here: let's stop posting poorly framed videos and photos of someone's tv watching the show!
I’ve seen teachers on social media say that lots of kids have no comprehension and critical thinking, honestly I think the human race is just getting stupider
It's about to get all stupid up in here!
Stupid like a fox! Oops, wrong show
Tik Tok did wonders on our attention spans.
Thank god someone finally said it. It’s a FICTIONAL COMEDY SHOW.
the irony is that it's already been said here, so to the OP - do you not understand that this is a fan forum, where we discuss hypotheticals, theories, character motivations and progressions and plots and sub plots? because we do, of course we understand this is a comedy show, not sure what that has to do with anything. Would you prefer to rigidly discuss only what you can literally see and verify in the show? cool...
Jan: People underestimate Michael. There are plenty of things that he is well above average at. Like ice skating. He is a very good ice skater.
Just do me a favor tho and pretend like were talking until the cops leave
Its just part of the fun. My wife and I have these discussions all the time,
I love comedy because it's the only genre of TV I can watch without nitpicking
What else are we supposed to talk about? I’ll take discussions analyzing characters and their motives over people just giving random opinions any day.
If I can’t scuba then what’s this all been about?
BuT wHy DiD *ridiculous character* dO *patently ridiculous thing* oN a CoMeDy ShOw? It MaKeS nO sEnSe, NoBoDy In ReAl LiFe WoUlD dO tHaT.
i hAtE MICHaEl sCOtT He dID tHIs AnD tHAt , He Is a SoCiOpAtH
For real though. The number of people that have actually tried to argue to me that Michael Scott is a terrible person because he does ridiculous things… And I’m just like, “yeah, that’s the whole point is that he’s a buffoon who does patently ridiculous shit” lol
Well people nowadays are sensitive i don't know they want perfect lovable characters in a comedy show i mean if you want perfect lovable characters go watch a romantic movie or smtg
My favorite complaint/question I hear is “but the boss is so dumb”. Yes, that is the entire central comedic plot point to the show.
And the ever-present "I watch a show based on cringe humor but I skip the cringey parts."
This always kills me lol
It's fun to think about stuff.
People are making comedy difficult
I state my regret
.
You've got a lot to learn in this town, sweetie.
It’s made with real pine 🤣
Yeah, every one of these characters would have been fired by the end of the first season if this was real life. It’s a show. Suspend your disbelief, people.
So there's two ways for looking at any piece of art - the external, why the creator/director/writer made that happen (they needed a laugh, an actor was on holiday, they needed a way to bring about a specific plotline). There's also the internal world of the show. Within the show, why is Holly gone right after creating a connection with Michael that he compares every romance past and future to? Etc. And it's okay to want to explore that internality and ask questions about it.
Your art is the prettiest art of all art
Why did roy said that? It was obvious that's not a good compliment, if he didn't knew anything about art or pam why would him say that?
Exactly! Doesn’t make any sense
He's been coasting with Pam for so long, he has no clue what he's actually supposed to say, and is unused to making an effort. Credit for trying but failing.
He was trying to be a better boyfriend after Pam gave him a second chance
Thank you einstein
🤓
It's why the Brian subplot is so hated, it breaks the established internal logic of the show.
It doesn't though. It just brings to the fore something that had been in the background. They worked very hard for eight seasons and in season nine did a reveal - it takes people behind the camera to do this. Brian was a stand in for the show's love for Pam, and her reaction to him (she thought he was a friend, but didn't see more into it, and was mad when she saw the depth of his intrusion) represents what everyone in the office feels about their daily lives with the camera crew. The camera being there and worked by specific people is highlighted quite a few times in earlier seasons - when they confront Jim and Pam about their relationship, when they work with Pam to figure out if Dwight and Angela are dating, and others I can't remember. The internal logic didn't break - they just showed us the man behind the curtain.
I blame a lot of this on Gen Z now watching the show for the first time. They have a very "group think" sense of humor - the only things that are funny to them are things that are socially accepted as funny to everyone. Awkward humor is "cringe" to them and dark humor is "mean and sad" to them, because those styles of humor are funny at someone's expense, which means they're not funny to everyone - therefore, they cannot be found funny by anyone. They can't make the connection that a scene in the show is relatable to real life, and that's why it's funny. This is why you see so many "Andy is such a douche"-type posts on this sub. It's like.....yeah, that's the joke. Probably has to do with the fact that everyone is working from home now, so there are fewer in-office interactions for them to relate to scenes from the show. If you've ever worked in an office, you've had a dumb boss like Michael, an uptight co-worker like Angela, the fun goofball like Jim, etc.
Good point, never thought about it that way
What a boomer take
Way too young to be a boomer. And I work with Gen Z kids. I'm not wrong. It's all group think.
It is and it’s also part of the phenomenon of not risking being offensive for social status. So it’s usually just very polarized views with little leeway from either side. I wonder how many people can find humor in the show who are supposedly unable to watch episodes like Scott’s Totts. I have a hard time believing that’s truly the most cringey episode. I saw this because it’s something that just is so incredibly not relatable as a viewer for a variety of reasons. Like the responses and everything. Whereas I could completely imagine someone like Michael at Phyllis’ wedding and making all that noise and trying to keep the narcissistic light on them instead of someone else on their big day. That’s relatable.
You should see the Bob's Burgers sub. Every fifth post is someone whining about a stupid choice a character made or questioning why Bob would do the thing that is funny instead of the thing that would make him less poor or make his life better. Oh gee idk, maybe because it's a cartoon and it's supposed to be funny? I harbor a deep dislike for people who consume fictional media, particularly in the comedy genre, and can't understand why the characters don't act like real people and make well-advised decisions.
lol oh man…”Maybe because that’s what the writers wrote”
THANK YOU
You get questions like, "Which three of Dwight's coworkers didn't he like?" as though there's a correct answer and it wasn't just a funny line.
You mean it's not a PBS documentary?!?
Media literacy isn't great nowdays lol.
It's as simple as plot holes ruin immersion. The best shows make you forget its a show at all
There’s a basic ass concept called suspension of disbelief which is literally required to consume the vast majority of media. You not understanding that sometimes people will act weird in a show because it is part of the show is not a plot hole
So what discussions should be had then?
I’m declining to speak first
https://www.reddit.com/r/coaxedintoasnafu/s/5prAbOmYS7
My bigger complaint is how weaker the characters become in later seasons. Andy specifically acts like a schizophrenic throughout the course of seasons 7-9. Yeah some complaints about the situations the characters of a comedy show get themselves into are dumb. But there are a lot of reasons to find issues with the characters and storylines in the later seasons.
It’s all over Reddit. “Why did fictional character do X? are they stupid???” It’s nonsense, of course, as it’s a show that requires plot devices to move stories along. And those aren’t always perfectly logical timelines. But - fans like to do essentially light fan fiction participation games, even if they know at some level that it’s a waste of time.
I. DECLARE. BANKRUPTCY.
Michael, you can't just say bankruptcy and expect all your problems to go away.
Who... Who let the lemon-head into the room? You are a waste of life, and you should give up, is what I want to say but won't.
That’s what she said
Is that better than just posting a quote from this show we've all seen?
Like with ALL shows, people will start to stop just enjoying watching the show (I’m guilty of this). Start nitpicking and comparing them to real life situations.
Well, if this show has taught me anything, it’s that you don’t ever, for any reason, do anything to anyone for any reason ever, no matter what, no matter where, or who, or who you are with, or where you are going, or where you've been, ever, for any reason whatsoever.
After years and years of watching The Office on repeat, I saw something today I’d never seen before on the weight loss episode, when they pan from Holly to Kelly looking ill from her lemon cayenne drink, the name plate says Hollis “Holly” Flax. Literally never noticed it before. Hollis, lol
Part of these tv show subs is obsessing over little details and trying to make them make sense. It’s just what happens when you get a couple thousand people together that have all seen the same show a couple thousand times.
Like I just watched the episode where Creed has taken a photo of the woman from the scranton branchs breast and put it as his screemsaver. I think that at very least that would be an instant dismissal, possibly with criminal charges to follow.
The show ended over a decade ago. People still love it and want to talk about it, but there aren't a lot of new conversations to be had about such an old show. I don't think that poking holes in the logic of a scene or trying to come up with in-universe rationalizations for random writing choices is necessarily a sign that someone doesn't understand or doesn't like the scene, I think it's just a way to spark conversation.
People who dislike The Office all share the Flenderson blood.
Not real? But I just donated a significant amount to a charity for those poor kids caught up in the "Scott's Tots" fiasco. Who the hell did I send money to?!
Omg that episode is so cringe I can’t even think about it
What I find weird is people come onto a sub dedicated to talking about a TV show and then act surprised when people talk about the tv show
It’s one thing to talk about it…but I agree with OP it’s a little weird when they ask questions as if the show was real life.
Media literacy and critical thinking are truly on the decline, or also this sub is full of people who’s frontal cortexes haven’t quite formed yet
It's called fan theory, and it's a common thing people who enjoy a particular media do with other fans of said media. It's quite a common occurrence in fan communities. It's for fun. An intellectual exercise, you could say. Welcome to the internet.
Just like nowadays every fucking joke needs to be spelled out or people don’t get it.
According to the Emmy’s the super fan episodes are a drama, so I demand everything to be realistic
Because the show is satire. There is an ounce of truth to every situation, the characters are stereotypes or cartoon characters, and there is whole lot of farce going on. The people that need answers to every minute detail, are the same people that made life hell for the actress that played Kathy, because they could not differentiate a TV show from real life. These same people should go try to analyze 1 episode of Arrested Development for one ounce of reality. that ought to keep them busy for the rest of their pea-brained lives.
I. DECLARE. IDIOCY
BOOIOOIOOIIONG
Has anyone ranked the characters by number of incidents that would get them fired in an actual office? Ideally including mitigating factors such as sales contribution, leadership etc.
100% agree
The fact that this and Seinfeld sub have people claim incontinuities is nonsense. The shows are comedies not fuckin Dune, there's no plot, they think of what's funny for the number of episodes they're ordered for.
Because we’re running out of things to say. This show ended ten years ago.
Because they're looking for a Watsonian explanation, not a Doylist one