my s and p keys are kind of broken, so if my words don't make sense, that may or may not be why

[elapses]

Then vs. now, Office finales have always been about the crescendo -- the emotional buildup in "Casino Night" and "the Job"(/"Beach Games") were both incredibly palpable -- not even just in the episodes themselves, but in the episodes leading up to them, and even, really, the entire seasons themselves. Tonight's episode was all about SHOCKING! TWISTS! which definitely made it riveting -- but not in the organic way I've come to expect from the Office. Season 4 was overall lacking in the kind of cohesion two and three had -- and I know the strike had a lot to do with that. The first half of the season was laced with the buildup to a Jim Halpert character arc -- which actually, in the last two weeks, had a weeeee bit of resolution (I know I cannot be the only one COMPLETELY DELIGHTED with Jim Halpert: that guy who actually cares about his job), and in the second half, they decided to take us on this Jim-and-Pam-getting-engaged ride. They've built it up, they've alluded to it weekly, and a good quarter of the first 44 minutes of this finale was more buildup -- and then.

I'm not... angry. I was frustrated, and now I'm just... disappointed. They didn't need to make this week about Jim and Pam, but they did make it about Jim and Pam. To give away the moment they'd built up to just... feels so false to me. Especially right before that three month separation -- this was their night, and I cannot belieeeeeve Andy and his engagement ring sitting the bottom of his wallet is what took that away from them.

BUT PAM AND ART SCHOOL!!!!! Oh Beesly, I'm super proud of you. And this was actually one of the funniest episodes of season 4, the Kevin plotline was pure brilliance. (Best line of the night goes to Oscar, though, on Ryan's beard. AHAHAHAHA, mannnnn. AND KELLY ON RYAN!!! Oh my god, is there anything not wonderful about Kelly Kapoor?)


But so that was season 4. And let's be honest: it was incredibly sub-par. There are plenty of excuses as to why -- the hourlongs were too much (which begs the question: why why why are we doing more to start off season 5?), the strike cut the Office off even faster than it cut off all of our other shows, they shouldn't've come back with only this many episodes left -- because really, this was what, six?? What can you do, creatively, with that?

But there's something lacking, artistically, as well. I've been watching my season 2 DVDs, and this Office 2008 is a different, different show from the Office 2006. Season 2 felt like a documentary about a bunch of people working in this crazy, crazy office, season 4 has felt a lot more like a television show about a bunch of characters who happen to work together. Remember the little touches, the conversations the cameras caught from outside the breakroom, the two-line scenes that were thrown in there that weren't working towards whatever the plot of the week was? It was so REAL.

I keep going back to Money. At the time it aired I really did enjoy it, but in retrospect, it stands out like a grand metaphor for everything that's been wrong with this season. Yes, ha ha ha, Jim and Pam spend a night away at Dwight's farm! Hilarious concept, sure, but it's so wrong for this show. I can't think of a reason for the filmmakers to need to tag along on a night like that, and I can't think of reason Jim and Pam would want them to.

Once upon a time, these characters all had such organic relationships with the cameras. You can see why Michael, Dwight, Jim, Pam, and Ryan are the five that stood out to them at first (uh this sentence is the one in which I put aside how they were the main five cast, of course they were the first five to stand out and pretend that the characters who work in this office are real people) in the beginning -- they were the ones most inclined to use the camera as a confessional. Michael and Dwight loved having someone so willing to listen to all those things they had to say, Ryan needed outside confirmation that he was not the only one who thought Dunder-Mifflin Scranton was the most crazy surreal place on the planet, but Jim and Pam each had this complicated, organic thing with the camera crew -- with the Jim faces and the grinny explanations of the prank-of-the-day and those shy, emotional talking head moments -- but there were other times when the cameras were intruding on their private moments. (One of the best things about last week's episode was how that kiss was so reminiscent of those old times! Pam's faaaaace when she looked at the camera after remembering it was there for the hug??? FAVORITE.)

ANYWAY, my point is this: why would that Jim and Pam want to take a bunch of cameramen along on their first night alone?? Shouldn't it be a relief for anyone who works in a Office where they're constantly being filmed to get away from that at 5:00?? Don't the cameramen want to go home and have lives outside of the insane people who work here??? So why was this season all about nights away/launch parties/driving up to Utica/camping trips/dinner parties/clubbing???

I am not totally crazy, I know this is a television show that is first and foremost about entertaining the people who watch it, but for all the gimmicky plotlines, this season was not actually that funny. And that old realism is what used to make this show so damn GREAT back in the day -- remember how during Jim's confession in Casino night, one of the cameras was shaking??? Presumably because whoever was holding it was OVERCOME?? I love those cameras so much more than I love the stalkery cameras of season 4 who like to take artistic shots of MICHAEL AND JAN'S FEET.

I just, damn it, I want so badly to love this show. I do love this show. It's been phenomenal in the past. I hope this season was an abberation a la West Wing season 5, and not the beginning of the end.

Did anyone click that SCARY SPOILER CUT in 206_bones today? IS SOMEONE DYING??? DO YOU KNOW WHO??? Don't tell me! Ohmygoddddd I cannot believe I resisted clicking it.

Comments

[stepliana.livejournal.com]

I've been watching my season 2 DVDs, and this Office 2008 is a different, different show from the Office 2006.

It truly is. I think they stopped trying to push the 'It's a documentary!' on us, because we got used to it, and they felt like they didn't have to try, anymore - which is always something that contributes to downfalls of shows. Maybe if they felt like the show is struggling again, it could get back to the days of yore (I know it'll never happen.) But you're right, it has changed (evolved?) and who knows if it's for the better or worse, but let's hope there is no actor's strike to mess with Season 5, because when this show is given free reign to go for broke, it can be amazing.

[silverstars.livejournal.com]

Oh man, Alex, you just put into words everything I am feeling -- including things I didn't even realize I was feeling.

I just told my friend that this season felt so pointless. It was not the show I've watched for the past three years. I'm not even going to touch on the first half of the season, but they tried to shove waaaaaay too much into the final six and it did not work AT ALL.

The engagement thing should have never been brought up. There was literally no point to it except to disappoint the fans and say 'ha ha, we got you!' in the finale. I mean, they built it up SO MUCH and looking back I can't help but wonder why they did it. This is not me being a whiny fangirl, but that was CRUEL. We saw the ring, their little proposal conversation, the fake proposals, and THE FIRST 45 MINUTES OF THIS EPISODE. Why was that necessary? I really want to know. Because now Pam is disappointed for no reason and the Andy/Angela thing is never going to work and it's so CONTRIVED.

I don't know what they were trying to accomplish with that finale. I truly believed that we were going to get payoffs in this episode to make up for the whole season. Instead, I'm left not really even wanting to watch.

Just a total disappointment all around.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

If there is an actor's strike next year I will ACTUALLY CRY. I cannot deal with another hundred years of strike time.

I do think the creative staff of this show is phenomenal, and I know they had a lot more to deal with this season than they did before because of strike and everything -- but they really are capable of so much more. Here's to hoping season 5 is an improvement!

[elapses.livejournal.com]

The engagement thing should have never been brought up.
I keep thinking about this! Remember how in the first post-strike interviews Jenna (I think? John too, maybe?) was talking about how they didn't expect to do anything else with Jim and Pam because there were only six episodes, but once they got their scripts there was a curveball. The thing is, they didn't need to do anything with Jim and Pam. They could've focused on Dwight/Angela/Andy if this is how they wanted to finish it off. We didn't ask for engagement buildup, we didn't need it. They could've sprinkled a couple of random Jim/Pam moments in there and it would've been FINE, but they did it and the way they chose to do it is just... such a damn cop out. I mean, he had the ring in his hand, Carrie! He paid for that damn carnival, and that moment meant relatively SO LITTLE to Andy. AND ANGELA IS HITTING DWIGHT ON THE SIDE, I just, damn it.

The weird thing is, there was a lot to love about this episode. I really, honestly enjoyed the first 45 minutes of it. Had it been anything but the season finale it would have easily been one of the best of the season, but as is, it was all emotional cop outs when finales should be about... I don't know. More than this.

[modernthirst.livejournal.com]

Oh! How insightful. While most of my Office complaints are of the Jim Is A Huge Vagina variety, I really agree about the lack of small moments and different camera styles. I thought this season was dominated by unfunny plots and jokes and there was too much focus on the romances (THERE ARE SO MANY. WHY MUST THERE BE SO MANY???). But I'm a relatively casual fan of the show so I feel less sad and more whatevery about it.

[dudski.livejournal.com]

Though I disagree overall [I would like to take S4 behing the middle school and get it pregnant, TBH], I do agree that the lack of consideration that the show has given the documentary conceit this season is a huge fault. The proposal subplot tonight kind of highlighted that - come on, show, you used to be able to convey an series of emotions without needing an unrealistically honest talking head to pin down every stage.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

You know, it's funny, but they just... pulled everything off so much BETTER then. Like, Jim was a girl in season two, but he was a charming girl, and they had Michael/Jan and Dwight/Angela on top of Jim/Pam in season 2, but it all just worked better. Possibly because there weren't entire episodes about how Jan was crazy and did horrible things to Michael, seeing Andy and Angela together was pure torture for Dwight, and how Jim and Pam were cute together. DINNER PARTY, I AM LOOKING AT YOU.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

The proposal subplot tonight kind of highlighted that - come on, show, you used to be able to convey an series of emotions without needing an unrealistically honest talking head to pin down every stage.
SERIOUSLY.

Season 4 has some stuff that was really going for it (i.e. EVERYTHING INVOLVING RYAN AND KELLY) but I just felt like the overall execution was so... lackluster. BUT YOU KNOW. Next year.

[leucocrystal]

I couldn't agree more, with every word, basically. If anyone ever asks me why I'm barely invested in the show anymore, and why watching it hardly interests me anymore -- I will watch it, but I don't particularly care if I miss it, which makes me sad -- I'll just point them here. S2 was... wonderful. But the funny thing is, as soon as S3 started, I realized that in S2 they'd hit their stride. Somehow, I knew it was all downhill from there; it was just a matter of the speed of the decline.

Oh, and I would happily never see an hour-long episode again. NBC is abusing the format, which is only hurting the show further.

[dudski.livejournal.com]

Haha, remember in Fun Run how Jim and Pam actually tried to hide their relationship from the cameras? Or Boys and Girls, when Pam is all "they don't even make houses like that in Scranton, so I'm never going to---" and it's ACCIDENTAL TRUTH?

I mean, even in S3, when Pam was super open with the cameras because with Jim gone they were pretty much all she had left, she was careful with her words. I was thrown by how plainly she was speaking about expecting the proposal and having it not happen.

[silverstars.livejournal.com]

John said it just a few days ago! He was talking about how they weren't expecting all of these developments in the final six. If they had pulled it off that would be one thing, but nooooooo. They so did not pull it off. Am I even lame for being disappointed with the Dwight/Angela thing? I feel like they've wrecked what I used to love about Angela. I mean, cheating on Andy? Not that she was ever really in love with him or anything, but still! She accepted his proposal! Her uptight nature in regards to her morals was one of her trademark character traits...WHAT HAPPENED? I really hate that she's been reduced to having sex in the office with someone who is not her boyfriend.

I usually get less annoyed as time goes on, but I'm getting more pissed off as the hours pass. This is like Phyllis' Wedding, except we don't have a good ten episodes left to rectify the mess. This felt more like a February sweeps episode and probably would have been fine as such.

They just really messed things up this season.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha, point them to my locked ramblings??

I loved S3. S2 was television as its VERY FINEST and I don't know that anyone could've recreated this, but they did a better job following that than basically any other show could've. I don't know. These writers are still technically brilliant, and there is a delusional part of me that will continue clinging to the hope that they'll pick up the pace again, even though that almost never happens in the TV world.

God, DO NOT get me started on the damn hour longs. It's such a money-grubbing NBC technique. Like, you know the execs who ordered more for s5 don't give a shit about what it does to the show.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so with you on Dwight/Angela. It threw salt on the very very open Andy-stealing-Jim's-thunder-so-damn-CASUALLY wound because they took something that would have MEANT SOMETHING away and replaced it with something that meant nothing. And YEAH, total character destruction for Angela, what the hell is up with that? It feels like everything in this finale was built up for the shock factor, at the expense of character? Ugh.

This felt more like a February sweeps episode and probably would have been fine as such.
SERIOUSLY. Had this happened in February, I might've even liked it? Midseason disappointments are so much more okay, and there was a lot about this episode that did work (Kevin! Kelly!), but the fact that there is NO MORE, and there isn't another chance for three months, I just, god damn it, WHY?

[elapses.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I was getting at. It's almost like lately they're using the talking heads as a way to narratively reveal inner monologue, which, just, no. They're not supposed to work that way!

[lunapluvia.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to jump and agree with this whole conversation. You said what I've been thinking. And just - it's so frustrating and sad and disappointing and angering...

[silverstars.livejournal.com]

they took something that would have MEANT SOMETHING away and replaced it with something that meant nothing.
yesssssssssssssssss.

I would have even been more okay with this if it had been Dwight proposing to Angela. SIDE NOTE: HOW COME I CAN COME UP WITH LIKE 5 MILLION SCENARIOS THAT WOULD HAVE MADE THIS MORE TOLERABLE BUT THE WRITERS TOOK THIS ROUTE?

Angela is just a big fat question mark for me right now. She's always been a bitch, but it's always been based on the fact that she disagrees with everyone who doesn't share her morals. But lately she's just been so intentionally cruel. Like, her comment to Phyllis at the end of the episode about the party was so incredibly vindictive. Struck me as odd. And having sex in the office? What happened to the woman who wouldn't even face Dwight in the break room when they were talking for fear of being caught.

I feel like there's going to be an announcement tomorrow like, BELATED APRIL FOOLS! The real season finale is next Thursday at 9pm. Tune in!

[elapses.livejournal.com]

it's so frustrating and sad and disappointing and angering
I KNOW, I feel such a cocktail of things right now, and the damn thing aired hours ago. I'm so upset, Amy! Why why why why why?

[leucocrystal]

Damn you and your locking of posts!

I think "love" is too strong a word for my feelings about S3. I liked it very much, but I loved S2. But yeah, I try and read the signs on the wall, considering that TV almost never picks itself up and fixes what's wrong; it's all hindsight. The Office is free to surprise me any time, but I won't exactly be holding my breath.

I hate NBC a lot. The only other network I hate more is FOX.

[lunapluvia.livejournal.com]

I DON'T KNOOOOOOW ALEX, but it's just... so much. TOO MUCH. They're making me think too much about future [but reading through some comments, I'm starting to calm down a little]. I JUST - IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS SO MUCH RIDING ON THIS NIGHT, Y'KNOW? AND THEN IT DIES AND SOME COUPLE WHO CAN BARELY STAND EACH OTHER GET ENGAGED INSTEAD?

Twisty is a word for it. There are others.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

SIDE NOTE: HOW COME I CAN COME UP WITH LIKE 5 MILLION SCENARIOS THAT WOULD HAVE MADE THIS MORE TOLERABLE BUT THE WRITERS TOOK THIS ROUTE?
OBVIOUSLY THEY JUST WANTED TO BE MEAN TO US. (Uh, my feelings on this have come to a point where I'm pretty sure the next comment you see from me will involve the words "meanies" or "buttheads".) Seriously, absolutely EVERYTHING seems more tolerable than... this. I mean, jesus, if Pam was disappointed in Jim for an actual reason it would have been more okay! But he was going to and he didn't get to and GOD DAMN IT.

You know, what they did with Angela it kind of reminds me of Jan's character assassination in "the Job". Plowing through storylines without thinking about the characters they have? I mean, why did Angela say "okay" to Andy? And what the hell is this Dwight thing? It's so ridiculously unAngela. UGH, WORLD.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

AHAHA, I don't mind unlocking this if you really actually want.

My role in fandom is to play the deluded, perpetual optimist. I have a really hard time letting go of my characters.

I took so much vindictive pleasure in the fact that all of NBC's new shows for next year look like crap, I'm not going to lie. ENJOY SUCKING, NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

IT WAS THE PERFECT ENGAGEMENT SCENARIO FOR JIM AND PAM. Like, I can't get over the fact that that moment -- their perfect moment -- is just GONE. What the hell, world.

Others indeed.

[leucocrystal]

Hee, don't worry about it. It is your way! ;)

I can understand that. I've just become so strangely detached from TV lately. Or rather, network TV. Maybe it's because Californication and Breaking Bad were far more satisfying, for me, than anything the networks offered up at all last year? Perhaps.

HAHA, I KNOW. Not that this is anything new for NBC, but it's still funny.

[silverstars.livejournal.com]

Oh man, Jan is all over the place. I don't get what they're trying to do with her. I mean, she seemed normal and responsible tonight. And I was pretty sure she'd show up pregnant from spoilers I'd read, but I thought it would be Michael's kid (still holding out hope that it might be) and I thought she'd still be totally nuts. (I do believe I'm the only one, but I am super excited to see pregnant Jan and expectant father Michael.)

Just...MAN, WRITERS. I know they're all writing season five episodes right now so I feel like I should channel some RETURN TO FORM vibes or something.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Because me rambling about the Office for like, nine paragraphs will turn people who don't know me away in fright! Something about 85% of my entries feel very "WHO IS THIS CRAZY LADY?" to me.

Hee, you barely watched network TV this season, though, it seems like!

Isn't it funny to think NBC used to be TOP DAWG?