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Whereas the UK show ran for just two seasons, The Office had a nine-season run in America, ultimately ending in 2013—and, it should be noted, many fans were devastated to see the show go, even with 8 years under its belt and the departure of main character Michael Scott (Steve Carell) in Season 7. More than two decades after its debut, The Office remains in a league of its own, which only makes it all the more surprising that, at first, even America’s The Office seemed destined for a rocky road.
The Office Has Become One Of The Best TV Shows Of All Time
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what made The Office television magic. After all, if it was that easy, shows would be able to reproduce the sitcom’s success. There are some obvious ingredients in the show’s secret sauce, though. Carell’s role as Michael Scott is certainly high on that list; his lines remain some of the most quoted, and even the rare times when The Office had more profound story arcs, Carell’s performance was a standout.
The show survived another two seasons without the world’s best boss, however, which suggests that Carell was far from the only factor that made The Office such a hit. The cast of The Office as a whole (both the cast at the beginning and the many members that joined over the years) was also stellar. In fact, The Office was something of a celebrity-maker, given that actors like John Krasinski and Mindy Kaling had their breakout roles on the show.
Great actors can only take a script so far, though (Star Wars’ prequel trilogy actors know all too well how much criticism stars can receive even when audience grievances are really with the dialogue, not the performances, for example). In addition to the solid cast, The Office managed to produce a genuinely funny script. Even when it was absolutely painful—”Scott’s Tots” and the dinner party episode immediately come to mind—the show could get a real laugh out of viewers.
And, as mentioned, The Office also had some sincerely touching moments and storylines, particularly the longer it went on. The scene in which Jim and Pam find out that Pam is pregnant and Michael’s appearance as Dwight’s best man are among the most emotional moments on the show, and they both prove that while The Office was a brilliant comedy, it also had no trouble delivering something deeper. Yet, The Office as audiences now know it almost never was, as its first season was actually a rather rocky start.
The Office’s Initial Reception Wasn’t Favorable
While The Office (US) ultimately outpaced the original show, NBC’s remake initially suffered from being constantly compared to its UK counterpart. When the pilot debuted, it was actually met with mixed reception, not fanfare, and there was rampant speculation that the show might be cancelled after its brief six-episode first season. In fairness to those critics, season 1 is far from the best season of The Office, and it took time for the show to really find its footing.
This particularly makes sense when it comes to the deeper side of the show. At first, Jim antagonizing Dwight was just plain funny, but it has nothing on later seasons of the show, when it becomes clear that there is a genuine friendship and affection between the two (that still includes plenty of antagonizing). The Office’s sense of humor in the early days was also a lot to swallow. Let’s face it, there’s no way this show could be made in 2026, based on the jokes cracked in the first few episodes alone.
Thankfully, the show survived these early hurdles, and NBC decided to give it another shot with a second season. No doubt bolstered by Carell’s recent success with The 40-Year-Old Virgin, season 2 was considerably more popular, and it laid the foundation for a show that would ultimately become a cult classic.
The Office Still Feels Like A Once-In-A-Generation Show
Well over a decade since its finale, The Office seems cemented as a generation-defining show. From frequently quoted lines to a deluge of memes, The Office has become a cultural touchstone the likes of which are both rare and typically reserved for the most popular movies and shows. There have been innumerable great shows in the last 21 years, but The Office nevertheless remains in a league of its own.
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