Don't worry, I'm not gonna start any sword fights. I'm over that phase.

Mal ,'War Stories'


Experimental TV: Comedy  

This thread is part of an experiment to determine Buffistas' interest in television discussion. It will close on June 1st, 2007, after which there will be a brief skirmish to sort out what we want to do next. This thread is for discussion of all comedy, regardless of airing station. [NAFDA]


Kevin - May 01, 2007 1:51:50 am PDT #198 of 447
Never fall in love with somebody you actually love.

The thing is, I work in Coporate for a mid-sized company. I used to work with a man called Andy, who thought he was my manager, except he actually was a team leader. Which meant nothing, really, in the structure of the company. He was constantly brown nosing, but was just a complete idiot. He said things which just made the people in the office look at each other and make odd faces. At this minute I'm sat in the office playing a prank on a co-worker by redirecting all their web access to The Muppets homepage. We have our own Jan, who everybody knows is dating somebody completely stupid for her in the office, but nobody says anything to her.

The show, aside from being something which is - you know - funny, and cleverly put together, is something I can completely relate to.


Topic!Cindy - May 01, 2007 3:47:53 am PDT #199 of 447
What is even happening?

I think they're kind of selling Jan as a desperate divorcee of sorts (she's divorced, right?). It's clearly a bad idea but she's got that whole television trope about Women of a Certain Age choosing between settling and Crazy Cat Lady.

Yes. And Gould didn't want to have kids, while Jan did, so there's a bit of the biological clock cliche going on, plus...

Yeah, she is. That's a good possibility, though it isn't how I'd been thinking about it. I have to listen again to her "this is what my therapist said" scene.

Jan seems to say her therapist is encouraging her self-destructive tendencies.

Whenever the show fails to hit a note for me though, it's most often when Michael's behavior is just too over the top, even for Michael. His antics in Phyllis's Wedding made me cringe -- but not for the characters -- for the writers, directors, editors and actors.


JenP - May 01, 2007 6:16:20 am PDT #200 of 447

Jan seems to say her therapist is encouraging her self-destructive tendencies.

And what better way...

Oh, huh, that kind of explains why she said yes to the trip in the ep before. Sometimes I catch up late. Or not at all.

His antics in Phyllis's Wedding made me cringe -- but not for the characters -- for the writers, directors, editors and actors.

Heh, I think that's the only ep I caught while it was airing this season, and it made me wonder whether I'd be able to deal with the show if his character was that absurd. I'm glad I tried anyway.


Topic!Cindy - May 01, 2007 6:47:49 am PDT #201 of 447
What is even happening?

I think that's the most absurd Michael's been, at least in a setting where I couldn't buy into the behavior, even coming from Michael. I found that part of the episode very disappointing. It's usually not that bad, or when it's close, it doesn't seem to go on as long or be as big a part of the episode.


Kevin - May 01, 2007 6:53:22 am PDT #202 of 447
Never fall in love with somebody you actually love.

I could buy it. Michael likes to be the center of attention, which he usually is in the office. When he's not, he tends to freak out.


Fred Pete - May 01, 2007 7:01:38 am PDT #203 of 447
Ann, that's a ferret.

But even if Michael usually doesn't get it, he usually gets that there's something to get (if that makes sense). I could see him with an inflated sense of his own role in the wedding. And of course he'd make an ass of himself. But he'd be more likely to do it while trying to do the right thing.

Michael is the embodiment of "the road to hell is paved with good intentions."


Kevin - May 01, 2007 7:38:24 am PDT #204 of 447
Never fall in love with somebody you actually love.

The Office actually has me shipping a couple (Pam and Jim). I never ship. Except, well, now. And, as much as I want to hate Karen: I kinda like her.

I adore Michael going to see Pam's artwork. Yes, I nearly cried. Perfect moment of TV.


Polter-Cow - May 01, 2007 7:46:47 am PDT #205 of 447
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!

The Office actually has me shipping a couple (Pam and Jim). I never ship. Except, well, now.

I'm the same way, Kevin! I don't ship either, but dammit: Jim and Pam must be together!

And, as much as I want to hate Karen: I kinda like her.

I love Karen. I don't even want to hate her. She's too cool to hate. A girl who will play Call of Duty with you is a girl...you should play Call of Duty with, if you catch my drift.


Kevin - May 01, 2007 7:51:08 am PDT #206 of 447
Never fall in love with somebody you actually love.

Polter-Cow makes more sense than... erm... Who makes sense? I don't know. Babbling.

Yes. Being somebody who plays Call of Duty 2 & 3 on Xbox Live (and who sucks at it). Yeah. I had forgotten about that.

Plus she saved Jim from a bush.


Topic!Cindy - May 01, 2007 7:53:52 am PDT #207 of 447
What is even happening?

Call of Duty != Call of Booty.