Growing up my TV preference was always centered around FOX. Which makes little sense since their shows rarely make it past a season. So I missed out when The Office debuted back in 2005. Thank Buddha for syndication, for I fell in love with this band of laugh rioters years later. It seems I’m not the only one though. Over the past couple years, The Office has spawned many leading ladies and gentlemen of comedy. But why?
Sitcom stars used to launch into fame after their hit said a final aloha to primetime, but there’s something about The Office that’s making this group household names before their shows said and done. John Krasinski stole hearts in It’s Complicated while Ed Helms continues to be a frat boys’ wet dream with The Hangover and his latest, Cedar Rapids. Then you have everyone’s favorite nut job, Rainn Wilson who went from Six Feet Under to The Office but has become everyone’s favorite in films like The Rocker and soon-to-be-released Super. But the Cinderella story is Craig Robinson who went from the warehouse of The Office to hosting Last Comic Standing and splitting sides in Hot Tub Time Maching. What seems to be in the water over at Dundler Mifflin? Their network, wit and normal looks? Let’s go with all of the above.
NBC may not recognize fair *cough* Jay Leno stealing Conan’s show *cough,* but they do know a little something about comedy. Almost four decades of Saturday Night Live proves that. SNL launched names synonymous with chuckles; Sandler, Rock and most recently Samberg and Sudeikis. Who happens to star alongside the precious Jenna Fischer in the new comedy, Hall Pass. From boss man Steve Carell’s “Kelly Clarkson!” to B.J. Novak killing some Nazis, you can find a member of The Office in any and every genre. Which isn’t surprising because of the talent.
Laugh tracks. Americans are designed to laugh when others do. But somewhere between Married with Children and Arrested Development, the laugh track was used less. There are still shows out there with comedic charm that tape in front of a live audience to carry scenes emotions, but The Office was and still isn’t one of them. Whether it is the hate between Jim and Dwight or the love between Jim and Pam, audiences can sense it with the emotions expressed with their dopey looks.
As one of a million people who doesn’t and will never look in the mirror and see a Kim Kardashian or David Beckham staring back, I find The Office cast relateable for their normalcy. There’s a sense of like-ability when someone looks like they could be your best friend from high school or a nice neighbor.
Take a network mastermind and toss in a batch of people who wouldn’t necessarily turn heads but have the ability to steal a scene with just a look and you have The Office cast. They have built a steady base in Scranton, but have proved you can breakout before your sitcoms final day. With this being Steve’ last season it’ll be interesting to see how well he does without The Office to go home to at the end of the day…seems like I’ve left us with a cliffhanger…
