UPLOAD This Into Your Brain

Article first published as TV Review: UPLOAD on Seat42F.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers from the first three episodes.

Greg Daniels, co-creater of The Office and Parks and Recreation, is back on television with the new Amazon Prime half-hour dramedy, UPLOAD. Set just over a decade in the future, it tells the story of a world in which the dying can upload their consciousness into the digital realm – for a fee. And like the apps of today, it’s connected very closely with anyone you want to interact with (even back in the real world), and has plenty of in-game purchases available. But there a dark underbelly to the satiristic story.

Robbie Amell (The Flash) stars as Nathan Brown, the protagonist who is killed in a malfunctioning self-driving car. He ends up in the app thanks to his rich girlfriend, Ingrid Kannerman (Allegra Edwards, Briarpatch), who wanted to marry him, but whom Nathan was trying to work up the nerve to dump. Once there, Nathan tries to accept his new status while feeling more and more isolated in the real world. Complicating this are missing memories and unanswered questions surrounding his demise.

Nathan is aided by Nora Antony (Andy Allo, Chicago Fire), the customer service representative that serves as his ‘angel’ in the afterlife. Nora is frustrated with her job and lousy corporate culture, but is drawn to Nathan, despite his unavailability, and finds personal motivation in building a relationship with him. (Jim Halpern, anyone?) Nora notices strangeness in Nathan’s case before he does, but is she really in a position to do anything about it?

UPLOAD is funny. One might even add a very to that statement. There are many visually humorous aspects to the situation present, and there’re some biting observations about modern society, especially concerning tech and corporate culture. This is a meaner, more raw version of what Daniels was saying in The Office, and it’s easy to appreciate the thought process that went into the making of this show.

However, sometimes believability is sacrificed for a laugh. Take, for instance, the scene in the pilot in which Nathan is shockingly uploaded. It’s hard to believe a hospital would have a window and allow family to witness such a thing, or that those who did witness were not prepared for the sight. We also are expected to believe that Nora suffers no direct repercussions for some of the acting out she does on the call center floor? And Ingrid unfortunately only becomes more cartoonish as the series unfolds.

One such thing that struck me very odd on the first viewing was Nathan’s behavior just before upload, but this has been explained away by further plot developments.

I like this show quite a bit, and it’s easy to devour in twenty-five minute chunks. (The pilot is double-length). The actors are universally charming, and the mystery adds a compelling through-line to a very interesting take on a man-made afterlife. Elizabeth Bowen (Resident Alien) may just out-Melissa-McCarthy Melissa McCarthy as amateur investigator Fran Booth. Owen Daniels (Space Force) is soooo creepy as the A.I. servant. There are also lots of answered questions that beg to be explored. A lack of aging and development in the app, for one.

But I do wonder just how amazing it could be with a few of the wrinkles ironed out. With just a bit more development time to really figure out those weak spots, I think this might even rise to the level of The Good Place, created by fellow Office and Parks alum Mike Schur (though of course the content is vastly different, despite both being about the afterlife). It is so close to being one of those shows you tell all your friends about. But it falls just slightly short, which doesn’t make it unwatchable, but definitely sparks a bit of longing for what might have been.

UPLOAD’s first season is available now to stream on Amazon Prime.

COMMUNITY Wrecks a "Wedding"

Article originally published as TV Review: 'Community' - "Wedding Videography" on Blogcritics.

In the penultimate episode of Community season six, “Wedding Videography,” Abed (Danny Pudi) makes a video record of the show’s second-most-seen-recurring-character, Garrett’s (Erik Charles Nielsen), wedding. The result is a half hour that highlights the main cast as individuals and as a group, and teeing up what could be the series finale next week.

Much of this episode is done in the style of The Office. Not only does Community have the sit-and-chat segments so familiar to modern sitcom audiences, but Abed also refers to ‘Jim-ing’ as a verb that basically means to gesture to the camera, letting the audience in on a joke at the expense of another character. I love this joke and the way this installment is presented.

I love how “Wedding Videography” reveals something about each main player, or at least reminds us of who they are. Elroy (Keith David) is addicted to encouraging white people. Jeff (Joel McHale) loves himself more than anyone else and has a hero complex that must be served. Britta (Gillian Jacobs) blames others for all of her problems and doesn’t see her own flaws, even when away from the distractions of her friends. The Dean (Jim Rash) just wants to be part of the gang, always the outsider. Abed isn’t seen, but he is heard, and staying behind the camera is exactly who his character is.

Annie (Alison Brie) and Frankie (Paget Brewster) have an interesting conversation because a bit of conflict crops up. Frankie reveals that she’d like to get Annie away from Jeff. Is that because Frankie wants Jeff for herself? Jeff and Frankie’s chemistry has been excellent this season. Or does Frankie think that Jeff is dragging Annie down and Annie will be better off without him? Or perhaps, given Frankie’s ambiguous nature (sexual as well as otherwise), Frankie is in love with Annie? I really hope this plot is served in the season finale.

Besides being about the individuals that make up the Save Greendale Committee, “Wedding Videography” is also about showing us the makeup of the group as a whole. Sometimes this is positive, such as when they are all having fun at Annie and Abed’s apartment, getting ready and playing games before hand, or when Chang (Ken Jeong), who has often made bad decisions on his own, saves the day because of the confidence he has as part of the gang. Other times, though, this is a negative, such as when the group shows up late and interrupts the ceremony, and then proceeds to ruin the reception. Other characters have commented before that this clique always makes things about themselves, and never is it more obvious than this week.

So, with a single episode of Community left, does that mean it’s time for everyone to go their separate ways? The negative aspects listed above are brought to their attention, and most of them (Chang excepted) begin to think that maybe they aren’t better off with their friends. Has the series been a tale of a bunch of people growing up with the help of one another, or has it just been showing us the stunted development that encasing oneself in a bubble causes? I believe it’s the former, but it will be interesting to see how this week’s revelations play into the finale.

The end is a bit disappointing. Since this is the “incest” episode of Community, the “writer” comes out to deliver a sort-of PSA about ignorance surrounding incest. Community has opted to have these stand-alone tags often in season six, and it really makes me miss Troy and Abed in the Morning and other in-story jokes that have been replaced. I think it makes for a more solid overall presentation when the last scene is part of the story, or gives us glimpses of other parts of the main characters’ lives, rather than something like this fake PSA. But it’s only about thirty seconds long, so it doesn’t affect the enjoyment of the episode much.

Community‘s sixth season finale can be found on Yahoo! Screen next Tuesday.

THE OFFICE "Finale"

Article first published as THE OFFICE "Finale" on TheTVKing.

How do you say goodbye to a beloved series after nine (!) seasons on the air? Well, it helps to give every single person in the sprawling cast a nice moment, with even bigger payoffs for the show's leads. Toss in the most-missed character in the series' run, a slew of recurring returning players, a handful of well-known guest actors used in smart, not distracting, ways, and supersize it to 150% longer than the normal installment so it doesn't feel rushed.

That's what NBC's The Office did last night, to great effect. There are two major stories intersecting in one weekend: Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Angela (Angela Kinsey) are getting married, and all of the former Dunder-Mifflin staff are gathered together for a reunion panel, post the airing of their documentary. Thanks to some wrangling by Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fisher), both are scheduled on the same day so that everyone special gets to participate in both.

This level of caring extends to how Jim approaches Dwight's bachelor party, intent on making it perfect for his best friend. Dwight and Jim have fought like brothers over the years, but "Finale" is the ultimate payoff, not only proving Jim's affections, but showing how much Dwight cares for Jim, too, when he gives Jim and Pam a generous severance (which we'll get to later), and how he's upset at Jim backing out being "bestest mench" at the wedding. Fear not, it's just Jim's greatest "prank" to date, as he arranges for Michael Scott (Steve Carell) to fill the role, a great present for Dwight.

Despite NBC and Carell's reps repeatedly and vigorously denying Michael's appearance in this last episode, it's more than a one-scene cameo. Michael is at both the ceremony and the reception, happily celebrating the union of two people that he deeply cares about. He may only get two lines (at least to the best of my memory), but they are such classic Michael Scott dialogue that it's all that is needed. His presence makes the event perfect.

Well, that, and the fact that everyone gifts Angela cats.

Angela's cat fetish isn't the only major plot part featured for a supporting player, with each of the vital members of the Dundler-Mifflin staff whose names have not graced the opening credits, save once, before now, have a tribute in this episode. Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) gets a couple dumb moments and a cake. Phyllis (Phyllis Smith) and Stanley (Leslie David Baker) get to tell each other how much they miss one another, now that Stanley has retired and, happily divorced, moved to Florida. Phyllis also saves Angela's walk down the aisle, after causing Angela's walking hardships, and tries to fatten up her new desk mate (Better Off Ted's Malcolm Barett) into a new Stanley. Meredith (Kate Flannery) is proud of her son, hired to be Angela's bachelorette party stripper, and gives him tips at work. Kelly (Mindy Kaling) ditches her husband (Sendhil Ramamurthy) to run away with Ryan (B.J. Novak). Nellie (Catherine Tate) finally gets a child, when Ryan's fleeing results in an abandoned baby. Erin (Ellie Kemper) gets to meet her biological parents (Joan Cusack, Shameless and Ed Begley Jr., Family Tree). Andy (Ed Helms) has found his niche in the world. Toby (Paul Lieberstein) feels valued when his colleagues insist that he hang out with them. Oscar (Oscar Nunez) is running for office, and even has an assistant (Ben and Kate's Dakota Johnson). Darryl (Craig Robinson) is very successful, and riding in limos. Creed (Creed Bratton) sings a song, and is arrested at the end.

It's important that The Office serves all of these personalities, and there are a lot to get to, as the long paragraph above attests, so the increased running time is invaluable. The show is about so much more than five or six main characters; it's about the huge family that has come together under these conditions, bonded through the experiences they have undergone together. All of these bits, and the large hang out of the staff at the end, Dwight and Angela even postponing their honeymoon to be there, mean so, so much. It's very gratifying for the fans to see the characters care about each other as much as we care about them.

Even better, in the group photo in the warehouse, the behind-the-scenes crew get to join their colleagues and be included in one of the last moments for The Office.

Not that the more central players are given the short shift this week. Pam feels bad, especially after the documentary panel, that Jim always gives up everything for her. The viewers remark that Jim adores Pam, and she doesn't seem like she deserves it, something Pam also realizes when she tries to watch the show herself, and finds it too painful. So she makes the ultimate sacrifice, calling Michael's realtor ex-girlfriend, Carol (Carell's real wife, Nancy Walls), to sell their house, and giving up her life to move to Austin for Jim's dream career. This is the perfect cap to their relationship, the one that proves their love is not one-sided.

I have very few complaints about this final hour. I think it's a little cheesy that Mose's (Michael Schur) kidnapping of Angela is faked out as sinister. I don't like that Pam paints the office staff on the warehouse wall, leaving the warehouse workers, who will have to look at it every day, out of the process, although the way that the cast sneaks away from everyone else during the party reinforces that they don't value the others so much, and they aren't exactly part of the same family.

It's also a little sad how many of the staff are gone from Dunder Mifflin. Dwight (deservedly) fires Kevin and Toby, Stanley retires, Creed goes on the lamb, Nellie moves to Poland, Andy moves to New England, Jim and Pam quit, following Darryl, and Michael has been gone for a very long time. Yet, they all feel exactly where they should be.

The best scenes in the "Finale" are the emotional ones: Michael talking about how proud he is his "kids," both literal and figurative; Dwight speaking of his relationship with his subordinates; Dwight and Kevin making up; everyone reliving the memories they share. It's hard to write this review without tears in my eyes. This is how we want to remember them, and because The Office gives us this nearly-perfect send-off, we will get that wish.

Thank you to everyone involved in The Office for a wonderful series to be thought of fondly and relived over and over again.

Raise an "A.A.R.M." for The Office

Article first published as Raise an "A.A.R.M." for The Office on TheTVKing.

Things have mostly gotten back to normal for The Office in "A.A.R.M.," a fine example of a classic episode, while still allowing those emotional, end-of-the-series plot developments to creep in. Jim (John Krasinski) plays a huge practical joke on Dwight (Rainn Wilson), Pam (Jenna Fischer) questions whether she's going to make Jim resent her, Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) gets jealous when baby Phillip is in the office, Andy (Ed Helms) tries out for a singing competition, and Darryl (Craig Robinson) tries, and fails, to leave without saying goodbye.

I love "A.A.R.M." because it has something for each member of the cast. While the main story sticks with the characters who have been front and center this season, the rest of the supporting players get focus and moments, too, both in the normal plot, and in their interview cut scenes. Yes, they are all sort of lumped together with saying goodbye to Darryl, but doesn't that just feel right, that they don't want to lose one of their own? Watching the culmination of the plot, where Stanley (Leslie David Baker), Phyllis (Phyllis Smith), Creed (Creed Bratton), Meredith (Kate Flannery), Erin (Ellie Kemper), Toby (Paul Lieberstein), Nellie (Catherine Tate), and the others dance with Darryl feels special.

Then, they all go to a bar together to watch the premiere of their documentary. What this episode reveals is that these people are a family. We've known it all along, of course, but the point is driven home now. They could be by themselves, watching the show on their own television sets. Instead, they choose to be together, off the clock, to face this new adventure among people that are their family. And hearing Michael Scott's voice in those final moments brings back the one person missing, making the clan complete. It's a perfect episode ending.

Even Andy attends the viewing party, as no matter what he does, he is one of them. Sure, he's gone all day, trying to be famous (which is a funny little side story with wonderful guest stars), but when all is said and done, he returns to the group.

Jim feels that his family in The Office is enough. Pam questions that she is holding him back, and she should feel bad, but he tells her this is his decision and he won't regret it. In fact, Jim does everything he can in "A.A.R.M." to prove that this is where he wants to be, with Pam, even getting the documentary crew to make a video tribute of the two of them over the years, and giving her a long-held-back card. It's hard to understand how Jim could give up his dreams and be happy, but seeing him with Pam, and with the others at the end of this week's installment, Pam, and I, finally believe it's true.

We don't need to know what's in the note. As not much has been in these people's lives, it's private.

It helps that Jim has his "brother," Dwight, around. Jim teases him mercilessly, tricking Dwight into being the assistant to his own assistant, and mimicking many of the things Dwight did when he was assistant to the regional manager. But there's no cruelty in it, the two seeing each other as comrades. Dwight seems to be in on the game, as, when Dwight really needs Jim, he tells him so, dropping the charade they have been perpetrating the entire hour.

Jim is there for Dwight when Dwight needs him. Dwight isn't sure if he should marry Esther (Nora Kirkpatrick), the woman who is perfect on paper, or Angela (Angela Kinsey), whom he has always carried a torch for. Jim helps Dwight figure out his feelings, and gives him sound advice, which Dwight acts on. To me, this is the culmination of everything there is between them, and it's a very satisfying story.

Angela doesn't make it easy for Dwight, refusing to acknowledge that Phillip is Dwight's son until Dwight proposes. This makes sense, as she doesn't want him with her out of obligation, but instead, out of love. Yes, this plot develops a little quickly, but at the same time, it's been years in the making. And seeing Dwight, Angela, and Phillip end things as a family is almost as satisfying as the final Jim / Dwight story. So thank goodness Dwight's spin-off did not get picked up, or this may not have been possible.

I also really enjoy the dynamic in Accounting when Angela brings in Phillip, with Kevin acting as the insecure big brother, growing jealous of the attention Angela and Oscar (Oscar Nunez) give the baby. For anyone else, this story could come across as dumb, but the three actors involved sell it so well, and the resolution is so perfect, that it is enjoyable, rather than annoying.

That's long been a theme of The Office, taking tales that, in lesser hands, wouldn't be funny, and creating characters that, without such brilliant performances, wouldn't be sympathetic, and making them both. It isn't just a realistic look at life in an office environment, but also a celebration of people that make things work, even when they shouldn't. Despite a recent rocky path, The Office is doing the finale right, and "A.A.R.M." is the perfect penultimate episode to set that up.

The Office concludes next Thursday, with a retrospective at 8 p.m. ET, followed by a one-hour-and-fifteen-minute episode, set six months after this one, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

The Staff of The Office Are "Livin' the Dream"

Article first published as The Staff of The Office Are "Livin' the Dream" on TheTVKing.

NBC's The Office begins winding down to their series finale (airing May 16th) this week with "Livin' the Dream." Two weeks out from the release of the documentary, the staff considers what is important to them, and begins to think about where they want to be. For some, that means finally realizing something they have longer worked towards. For others, giving up one thing they love might be necessary to hang onto what they care about the most. And some are ready to take a leap of faith, no matter what it could cost them.

Dwight (Rainn Wilson) has always wanted to be the manager of the Dunder-Mifflin Scranton branch. When we are introduced to him, he isn't anywhere near ready to lead, and he has many rocky years of trying and failing to establish himself as a leader. Even a couple of years ago, after the departure of Michael Scott, Dwight has no idea what it means to really run an office, as we see during the brief time he grabs power.

But Dwight has grown a lot. In recent months, he has lost family members and found love. He has considered giving up the paper business altogether, but decided against it because his spin-off was not picked up. At least, right before the curtain closes on the series, he is ready for the job.

Not only does Dwight's promotion feel totally earned, he is supported by the entire staff in an incredibly sweet sequence. No one begrudges him the accomplishment, and even as he celebrates a bit too much, both after getting his black belt and this news from David Wallace (Andy Buckley), they are happy for him. They all know just how much he cares about their company, and Dunder Mifflin will be in good hands.

The best moments are between Jim (John Krasinski) and Dwight, naturally. There has long been an undercurrent of affection in their rivalry, with a relationship not unlike brothers. Jim recommends Dwight for the promotion, and could not be happier for his friend. Dwight getting Jim his desk back from Clark (Clark Duke) proves the feeling is mutual. And the interplay when Dwight offers Jim the position of assistant manager is not only a call-back to the earliest days of their ribbing, but a way to say "I love you" without saying it out loud, as men do. Perfect!

Of course, for Dwight to rise to that level, Andy (Ed Helms) must first be de-throned. David intends to fire him, only to have Andy quit first, set on following his dreams of being a performer. Everyone thinks this is a bad idea, and Andy waffles, temporarily accepting a return to the sales team, where he didn't flourish, but got by better than he has as manager. But in the end, passion trumps sense, and he makes a go at becoming famous.

I am a bit disappointed with Andy's trajectory. He works so hard at bettering himself, after being introduced as a terrible man, and then slips backwards in this final year. Andy does almost everything he can to leave with shame and pity, not good wishes. Even his excellent farewell performance doesn't make up for what he has done, nor promise him a successful career.

The Office will likely let Andy go "Livin' the Dream." I think the fact that he pulled out a song far better than what anyone expected was the writers' attempt to set him up to soar. However, realistically, it feels like Erin (Ellie Kemper) has the more likely prediction, that Andy will end up homeless and starving. What a tragic ending to a briefly beloved (during the middle of his run) character!

It's also sad to see what Jim is giving up. He makes Pam (Jenna Fischer) his priority, quitting work in Philly and telling Darryl (Craig Robinson) he won't go on the road. This shows us what a dedicated family man Jim is, and what he is willing to do for the love of his life. It's romantic, of course, and it paints Jim in a very good light. What's more, he seems at peace with his decision, like he will never regret making the choice that he does.

But he shouldn't have to make that choice. Pam is being selfish. Yes, Jim doesn't handle the start of the business well, in regards to consulting Pam. But she agrees to support him before they begin to fall apart. Her behavior, while somewhat coming from a place of love, is holding Jim back. With the opportunity now presenting itself, she needs to sacrifice, too. And, since she overhears the conversation between Darryl and Jim and knows is at stake, I think she will.

Many of the side characters remain side characters, and don't have their own subplots in "Livin' the Dream," nor will they likely in the next couple of weeks. The exception to this, though, is Angela (Angela Kinsey). Evicted and with her cats, whom she considers her babies, taken away, and realizing that she loves Dwight, who is with someone else, this is the lowest we've ever seen Angela. It's not easy to like her, but it's hard to watch her suffer.

Thankfully, Oscar (Oscar Nunez) steps in and offers her a place to stay and a shoulder to cry on. There's something poetic here, Angela being supported by the man who contributes to the downfall of her marriage. Oscar may be trying to make up for something, but there's also a kinship between them, both tossed aside by the same guy. It's special.

Most likely, The Office will see a reconciliation between Dwight and Angela, but I think this is the wrong move. Like with Andy, I wish they'd take a less predictable tact, with Dwight marrying the farm girl, and Angela becoming Oscar's roommate and best friend. Perhaps it isn't that realistic that Angela could learn to care about Oscar deeply (and platonically, of course), but that's what I'd really like to see. They could be like Karen and Jack from Will & Grace, living together for the rest of their days.

The end is near, and one can sense it in the air. At least before it goes, The Office has found a lot of what makes it special again. "Livin' the Dream" isn't perfect, and there are signs that the series finale won't be either. But it will make a lot of fans happy, and the emotional heft, barely begun to scratch the surface this week, should be significant.

The Office airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC for two more weeks.

Oh, and TVLine.com reported yesterday that Michael Scott will appear in the series finale!

When Good Shows Go Bad

Article first published as When Good Shows Go Bad on Blogcritics.


NBC's The Office was once one of the most praised, funniest sitcoms on network television. Community, on the same channel, was a brilliant, creative, original show that broke all the traditional bounds of what sitcoms were capable of. FOX's House was an intelligent character study wrapped in a medical procedural. What do these all have in common? They were great shows that fell apart in the end.

Although I list House, which I still enjoyed through to the end, even if I admit I see the point many make about the creative sagging of the final couple of years, this is usually more of a sitcom problem. A show that is funny and beloved will frequently age and tarnish. I think it's something about a certain type of comedy that just begins to wear thin over time. Jokes are only good for so long, and then they stop getting a laugh out of us. If a comedy series doesn't adapt and grow with its audience, rather than deliver the same thing over and over again, it begins to wither and die.

This isn't a new phenomenon. Many criticized Friends as it approached its end, frustrated with an unrealistic Joey / Rachel romance. The Seinfeld series finale is renowned for how much it disappointed fans. But it's also not going away, as The Office and Community prove. A show that once delighted can go sour.

Perhaps it's a lack of passion. A new show runner may feel edgy and their creative juices may flow, but they can get tired after awhile of working with the same characters and premises. Or new writing staffs may come in and just not understand what makes the characters tick.

The latter is definitely true for Community. Abed used to be the linchpin that made the series work. Even in the installments that could be considered filler, his keen eye and specific viewpoint always made things rise above what seemed to be happening on the surface. Now in its fourth year, with series creator Dan Harmon ousted from the project, Abed is easily the worst character in the ensemble, and the show suffers mightily for it. It may go off the air for good this week, with no fanfare and a very unsatisfying ending.


The Office, on the other hand, is taking its victory lap. It struggled to find its way after losing the star of the show, Steve Carell, and his wonderful Michael Scott. After over a year of floundering, the team threw in the towel and began gearing up to send the characters grandly off into the sunset. It's made the show seem a little better, with the players having some direction and the plot getting movement. But it's curtain call, which, while well deserved, should have come much earlier.

A series can pull itself out of a creative rut. After several strong initial seasons, CBS's How I Met Your Mother spiraled into unfunny drivel for a few years. It clawed its way back to being good by adding emotional heft. This was present in the beginning of the show, of course, before disappearing, but now it's the bread and butter of every installment, with the drama being of a far better quality than the comedy. Even as the final push begins, as next season will be its last, all the major stories are based on pathos, not gags.

But reinvention isn't always possible. Sometimes it's better just to end things, whether the show's story gets tied up or not. NBC pulled Heroes after a fourth season cliffhanger, and ABC didn't give Brothers & Sisters its due five years in. But neither of these series were worth watching anymore, and the networks decided to cut their losses and move on. This outraged fans, but most soon forgot about it.

Maybe we'll never know exactly why our favorite shows can't remain our favorite shows forever. For every Lost and Battlestar Galactica, which maintained quality through the finish line, even with polarizing swan songs, there are plenty like The X-Files or Veronica Mars, which just never recaptured what once made them so special. I'm sorry Veronica Mars fans, I've donated to the Kickstarted campaign and am greatly looking forward to the film, but it's true that each of the three seasons was weaker than the one before it. Storytelling is a tricky thing.


I do think series tend to be better if they maintain one creative vision. Gilmore Girls and The West Wing faltered after losing their guiding person (though the latter eventually found its stride again). A single voice having control allows better consistency than a production team; ask George R.R. Martin. However, if The Walking Dead can continue to thrive, even though it is now on its fourth show runner, this can't adequately explain away the phenomenon.

Taste is not only varied, it is fickle. Catching lightening in the bottle takes a high degree of skill and luck, but to cultivate that lightening and to not let it burn out for one hundred and fifty or two hundred episodes is a very rare feat. Maybe this could be solved with shorter seasons, like the cable channels tend to do, as you'll notice I've mainly talked about programs on the broadcast networks. But systems are slow to change, and there doesn't seem to be movement on that front.

Awesome television that doesn't age well will always be a part of life, sadly. For now, I guess we just enjoy what's good while it lasts.

Lack of Imports

 Article first published as Lack of Imports on Blogcritics.

The United States severely lacks the importation of television programs from other countries. We only like our own fare. Why?

It's extremely common for us to remake shows in the American style. Ugly Betty and Homeland are two examples of successful series from lands far away we've remade in our own studios with our own actors. But how many series can you think of that you watch that do not come from America? I expect that is an extremely short list, if you can think of any at all. Why?

One obstacle may be our country's resistance to subtitles. Sure, there is a certain segment that enjoys an occasional foreign film, and occasionally bad reality TV provides words on the screen for those with thick accents or who mumble a lot. But for the most part, we avoid such things.

Dubbing over the shows with American voice actors is worse. Thankfully, that is trend that never took off here.

It could be because people here are lazy. Books, while still popular among some, are shunned by others. Many people sadly do not equate reading with relaxation, and at the end of a long day, don't want to have to think about their television programming. Even if the content is simple, reading subtitles means some thinking is involved.

For others, television still holds that idiot-box reputation, and subtitles are seen as an uppity thing for the elite or over-educated. They assume they won't like anything with words on the screen because they watch TV for mindless entertainment, and think that anything with subtitles won't appeal to their demographic.

However, I do think that the issue goes much deeper than subtitles. Our entertainment industry has an arrogance that, because the rest of the world gobbles up our content, we are the best. They think they can do it better than anyone else, and so decide they want to do their own version, rather than serve us up a foreign package.

This mindset is not completely unjustified. We do have a thriving entertainment industry which is syndicated around the world, and sometimes we do remake things better than the original. Other times, though, we do not. In this case, I really wish there was more importation.

Another reason for remakes, rather than straight airing of other countries' shows, is social disconnect. This is especially relevant in the arena of humor, which often relies on commentary of a certain society or population.

This occurs even with the country we are arguably most closely related to, England. Some people like the British version of The Office, while others don't get it and prefer the American one because they can relate to it. For every Monty Python's Flying Circus, there are dozens of comedies that foreign audiences will just not understand. We love Ricky Gervais and Simon Pegg, but there are many others who experience obscurity here.

This isn't just an American problem. Shows like Everybody Loves Raymond are recast and remade so that viewers in other countries will get the joke, as illustrated in the excellent documentary, Exporting Raymond.

But they are also offered some American fare, as well, as that's where we suffer, because we get the choice for very little of anyone else's content.

While humor is subjective, one would think drama would translate much better. After all, stories of the heart are universal, right, and don't require a certain frame of reference? It's why Shakespeare remains so relevant, more so for his serious plays, rather than his whimsical ones. Then how come we won't sit for the original version of The Killing? Why won't we expend that little bit of effort, or why do studios think we won't?

There are inroads in the world of sci-fi. I think this is because this is the one genre where we expect to look past the surface to relate to characters who aren't like us. Any well-done alien will seem foreign, so who cares which country developed the creature? From Doctor Who to SyFy's broadcast of Canadian hits like Lost Girl, this is the type of show that gets here and finds a home and viewership in the U.S., even if it's not made here.

However, even if the vast majority of people won't watch programs from other countries, there are plenty of niche channels, so why don't we get import networks, too? IFC has a very narrow viewing audience, as I'm sure does Oprah's network. Yet, they have subscribers and still broadcast their thing. Where are the French and German stations?

One could argue that BBC American is the exception. However, BBC America airs very little British programming. Instead, it reruns American shows with British actors, like The X-Files or Star Trek: The Next Generation incessantly. Sure, it gives us lots of Top Gear, but other than that, the list of fresh programs we get every year is pretty short.

Now, BBC America is even getting into the original content game, making shows just for the U.S. With Copper and Ripper Street, they are stepping away from the BBC series American fans may want to see, and giving us things they think we'll like, based on a certain style. Can't they air the second seasons of Friday Night Dinners or Outnumbered instead? Isn't it cheaper to just show the stuff the BBC already makes, and that some American audiences really want to see? I am increasingly more disappointed with that network.

I can't say for certain if satellite TV offers more opportunity; perhaps it does. And Netflix and Hulu have offered a handful of imported shows, such as Skins and Misfits. But for those of us still using cable (which is all TiVo works with, though it does allow Netflix and some of Hulu), we get very little opportunity to expand our horizons.

Considering how much I've enjoyed the handful of foreign shows I have seen, and given the expanding reach of globalization in arenas outside of the entertainment world, it's a trend that should change, even though there have not yet been signs that it will. At least, I hope so.

The Office turns depressing

Article first published as The Office turns depressing on TheTVKing.

As NBC's The Office starts its wind down to the series finale in mid-May, the plot has turned really depressing. I expected to be taken through a more emotional segment of the journey, but maybe not for a sitcom to go quite as dark as it has. This week's episode, "Couples Discount," was absent of much joy, and yet, incredibly good.

Andy (Ed Helms) returns to his post after being gone for three months. He wants to act like he never left, and to be caught up on all the latest going-ons, but is it because he cares, or because he is covering his butt with his boss, David Wallace (Andy Buckley)? He should have returned humble and contrite, and instead, chooses the opposite tack, attempting to re-assert dominance and control.

When Andy sets sail last fall, he is a beloved character who has earned his place among the staff, and is finally settling into the boss's job. He is part of the group, someone who doesn't always do right, but who tries hard, and seems like a good man. Considering where he starts from, as the detestable invader from another branch with anger management problems, it is a satisfying place.

However, Andy has been totally and permanently ruined. From the moment he walks back in the door, it is clear that he no longer belongs. He tries to take credit for the work the staff has done, and accepts a bonus for the quarter he is gone. This ruffles a lot of feathers, to be sure, and it's no wonder that everyone turns on him. It's heartbreaking to see this happen with Andy.

Even worse, Andy single-handedly screws up the biggest account the office has ever landed, Jan's (Melora Hardin) white pages, ruining a lot of hard work that Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Clark (Clark Duke) put in. Fans will feel just as shocked and betrayed as Dwight and Clark upon seeing this, and it's a rough moment to get through.

In the end, no one is mean enough to really rat Andy out to David, but Erin (Ellie Kemper) accidentally tips him off. This is how it should be. Andy will get his comeuppance, probably making this episode a one-time return, rather than a rejoining for the character, and no one has to be thought of as a bad guy for getting rid of Andy. The rest of the employees may be mad at him, but they're not so cruel as to be the one that stabs him in the back, and this twist saves any of their characters from that damnation. A few small lies that they tell Andy can be written off as justifiable, but revealing to David the truth would have gone too far.

At least Erin can finally be with Pete (Jake Lacy), free and clear. When Pete first arrives, he seems like an interloper, moving in on Andy's girl. But at this point, it's clear his feelings for Erin are pure, and he certainly deserves her more than the absentee boyfriend. Good for them!

So who will be the new boss? Last season, The Office floundered as it searched for a manager. It was not a good year for the series. However, these past three months without a boss have worked really well, both for the characters, and the series. Everyone knows their jobs at this point, and even if they goof off a little, they don't need a babysitter to keep them in line. Maybe this is how it is supposed to be. Maybe David doesn't need to appoint a replacement. Though that is pretty radical thinking for such an environment.


The other major development in"Couples Discount" comes when Jim (John Krasinski) learns the full truth about how Pam (Jenna Fischer) has been hnadling his absence from Brian (Chris Diamantopoulos), the fired boom guy. This takes the couple to a major make-it-or-break-it-point, where their relationship could go one of two ways. Jim, sadly, picks the wrong one, wanting to head back to Philly and avoid a fight, which would probably end their marriage, since it cuts off communication, and could even drive Pam into the arms of Brian, who is most definitely interested. But Pam chooses Jim, fights and all, and in doing so, puts them back on the right path.

It's a teary moment when Pam tells Jim that she wants to fight. What is she saying? That she wants to fight about what's gone on between them? Or that she wants to fight for their marriage? Jim and Pam have come so far in the past nine seasons. To see them fall apart now would be intolerable, and because they're working it out, they will only be stronger for the experience.

Lastly, there's a blink-and-you-miss-it moment when Darryl (Craig Robinson) almost turns Oscar (Oscar Nunez) down on acting like a couple for a mall discount, and then, seeing the camera, changes his mind. Setting aside that this leads to a fantastic genuine moment later on, where Darryl defends Oscar's homosexuality, it also is a sign of the changing tone of the documentary being made.

Before, this kind of thing hasn't been seen, so it was likely cut in the editing room. Now, this isn't the first slip up allowed in, and it makes me wonder what is going on with the rest of the crew. Brian's incident definitely isn't the only thing of interest happening behind the camera, and I can't wait to find out more.

"Couples Discount" is a superb episode of The Office. It may not be as laugh-out-loud funny as it has been in the past, but the real emotional heft more than makes up for it. This has been a terrific season, and a fitting bounce back from the weakness of last year. Catch more episodes of the final season Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter.

Television Reboots

With a new year upon us, thoughts turn to fresh starts and new horizons. However, what will be dramatically different for us in 2013 than in 2012? Most people's lives are likely to stay very similar to how they are now. The trick is to make everything old new again. It's a feat our pop culture seems quite dedicated to, especially as of late.

I refer, of course, to reboots and remakes of television series. In this day and age, we cannot leave well enough alone, or commit just to original ideas. So many television shows are new incarnations of old ones, or based on movies or other material, that it seems like they outnumber the fresh concepts. Sometimes this can be bad, and other times, it's so well done that one can't complain.

Sci-fi seems to be the biggest beneficiary of good remakes. Battlestar Galactica springs to mind as a top notch effort, a show that took a poorly executed concept from decades ago (so I've heard, I haven't actually got around to watching the original), and managed to make it a grand political, religious, war-intensive, philosophical thriller. Interweaving the things that our society hinges on, and seeing them laid bare, with the trappings of B.S. stripped away, it is a true triumph.

Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Stargate also have found new lives, continually updating themselves to stay up with the current trends. The first two of these three had some pretty solid stories in the old days, but the technology just wasn't advanced enough to satisfyingly portray them. Now, not only have the special effects gotten better, but so has the depth and complexity of the tales. Dark sells better these days, and so the optimism gives ways to dystopia.

Next up in this category: Star Wars should soon get a long-awaited, live-action small screen adaptation.

Fantasy is right up there with the sci-fi. Once Upon a Time has shown us what can be done with children's stories when they are reinterpreted with a fresh eye and a creative wit. It helps that it is starting to feel a lot like Lost, which it borrows from almost as heavily as the source material. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, arguably one of the best television shows of all time, has its roots in a crappy film. These are the types of shows that give rebooting a good name.

And then there's Game of Thrones. Previously a book series, this epic tale has capitalized on the Lord of the Rings' success, and taken the genre to a new level. It's the amount of characters, mixed with the willingness to take risks in storytelling, throwing stereotypes out the window, performed by an all-around amazing cast, that makes this one soar.

Sadly, Mockingbird Lane failed to join this list. Despite a wonderful cast and stunning visuals, the characters just weren't good enough to earn a pick-up. The concept was solid enough, making a goofy comedy into an hour-long drama, but the execution, which sold itself short, going for the easy path, rather than breaking new ground, is what killed it.

Staying in a similar vein, superheroes are still the rage. Even after the ill-fated Heroes, they continue to be attempted over and over again, taking their roots from popular comics. Smallville is the biggest so far, and is about two-thirds good, amid some terrible arcs. But Arrow shows promise as a suitable CW replacement, with many critics calling it one of the best freshman shows of this past fall. Both of these took liberties from the original stories, but stay close enough to convention to be accessible for general audiences who haven't read the books.

Of course, if one really wants to look at comic adaptation done right, look no further than The Walking Dead. The genius of the show, in which the creator of the comics also helps with the TV series, is that both incarnations embrace their medium fully. What works on the page won't necessarily translate to the screen, and the writers have been brilliant about making those distinctions, while keeping the premise at heart. Plus, killing characters off at different points and in different ways keeps viewers guessing, and makes the show its own unique experience.

We Americans sometimes look across the pond for inspiration. One of the best examples of a remake here that made the premise its own is The Office, finally bowing out this spring after a long, mostly enjoyable run. Similarly, Ugly Betty took a Mexican telenovela and turned it into something great in English.

Being Human is doing its own thing, in a good way, and Homeland and The Killing do for drama what The Office does for comedy. All of these owe American ignorance of other cultures for their praise. After all, if the original is good, why remake it? Except, many of us still refuse to watch the originals, especially if we have to do it with subtitles. This seems a glaring flaw in our national makeup, but one not likely to be corrected anytime soon. As long as our versions are as good as those I've just mentioned, and not another failed attempt at Coupling, we're OK.

CBS's Elementary has been an interesting experiment this year. In a landscape so flooded with current Sherlock Holmes iterations, this one still manages to be different than its peers, and entertaining. I have a few complaints, but overall, it's been a pretty solid fall run.

The pitfall Elementary must avoid is sticking too close to its crime procedural set up. After all, aren't all the CSIs and NCISs just remakes of themselves? Hawaii Five-0 is also in this category, though I hear that the new episodes remain pretty decent; I gave up because crimes of the week usually get pretty boring, pretty quickly.

I could say the same thing about medical dramas, except, for some reason, these tend to be more character-driven. Maybe Grey's Anatomy owes its roots to ER, but if they're both good, why complain? (Disclosure: I did not watch ER).

One tactic I applaud is continuing a previous series. Perhaps Dallas was ready to end after spending the better part of two decades on the air (I don't know for sure, I was too young to watch), but I am glad they brought it back now, as it was a highlight of last summer. I cannot wait for Arrested Development to make its highly anticipated return on Netflix. I wish more shows would do this, calling back the cast members who made the show special in the first place, rather than trying to completely revamp itself, a la 90210.

I think, again, we could learn from the British. Obviously, its Doctor Who is a continuation, and a very, very good one at that. But it's far from the first time they made new episodes of a series that was over and done with. Absolutely Fabulous had new entries last year. Sure, we occasionally get a TV movie, like we used to with The Waltons and The Brady Bunch continuations, but mostly, nowadays, once a show is over here, it's over. Why? This doesn't make sense to me.

I've mostly listed the good shows, but I'll give you a few of the recent bad here, without too much explanation, as they don't deserve it: The Bionic Woman, Charlie's Angels, Melrose Place, Free Agents, Eastwick, V, Flash Gordon, Skins, American Gladiators, Crusoe, Kath & Kim, Knight Rider. These are some of the many reasons folks argue against a reboot.

It's pretty clear that reboots and remakes are not going away anytime soon. And I don't necessarily want them to, not when there are so many great ones to list above, including some of my favorite programs on television. I guess, the point is, when considering a reboot, those in the creative industry should ruminate more fully on what has worked and what has not. If it's obvious to the fans the reasons some of these shows soar and some flop, it should also be apparent to execs. There are lessons to be learned. Take them to heart, and we'll all be happier.

After all, we do not want a new Gilligan's Island on the fall 2013 slate. Unless there's a smoke monster.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first published as Television Reboots on Blogcritics.

The Office celebrates a "Dwight Christmas"

NBC's The Office continues the emotional journey of its final season. In "Dwight Christmas," Pam (Jenna Fischer) manipulates her co-workers into throwing Dwight's (Rainn Wilson) dream holiday celebration as a gift for Jim (John Krasinski). It works, and Jim is giddily amused. But when he cuts out early to head to Philadelphia for his new job, Dwight feels slighted, and calls off the celebration.

"Dwight Christmas" makes obvious what many of us have long suspected, and what The Office has allowed small glimpses of from time to time: Dwight and Jim have a brother-style relationship, at least in Dwight's eyes. He claims to hate Jim, but how hurt he is when Jim leaves tells a different tale. This proves not only a deep affection for the other man, but also how much Dwight is going to miss Jim when if he quits Dundler-Mifflin completely and moves away.

The Office may portray a dysfunctional family, but make no mistake about it, the co-workers do comprise a family. Every clan has their tiffs and disagreements, but in the end, they care about each other. Whether it's Oscar (Oscar Nunez) trying desperately to heal things with Angela (Angela Kinsey) after sleeping with her husband, or it's Phyllis (Phyllis Smith) and Stanley (Leslie David Baker) promising to help Jim out after giving him a ribbing, as they did last week, these people mean something to one another.

What better way to mark a final season than to demonstrate this? There is definitely starting to be a sense of an end in sight, with several characters considering paths that will take them away from the group. It's a shame, but it's also life, and viewers should be grateful for these people while we've had them. We've gotten to witness such a long stretch of their lives, and what they mean. It's very relatable, and as much as the employees may shed a tear in the end, so, too, should the fans at home, who have become invested, and may even feel like part of the family themselves.

During the party, Darryl (Craig Robinson) gets drunker and drunker, angry at Jim for seemingly forgetting about him in his new venture. It's a classic case of misunderstanding, as Jim hasn't forgotten to include him, but has not remembered to tell Darryl exactly what Jim has done for him. Yet, even while playing out such a familiar, unoriginal trope, "Dwight Christmas" still manages to be good because Robinson, along with his fellow actors, know how to sell the heart that beats at the center of the series.

Speaking of heart, a couple of relationship developments happen in "Dwight Christmas," too. Toby (Paul Lieberstein) senses some interest from Nellie (Catherine Tate), who may return the feelings. It's interesting that former boss, Michael's (Steve Carell), nemesis would get with new boss, Andy's (Ed Helms), foe, but there's also a bit of poetry in that. Plus, neither one has any other prospects in (or outside of) the office, and it's cool if they end up finding something in each other. Even if their co-workers might judge it the grossest pairing in the company.

Unfortunately, at the same time, a couple many are rooting for is falling apart. Andy is still MIA, not only continuing his run of being a bad, absentee manager, but also threatening things between himself and Erin (Ellie Kemper) by neglecting her. A lonely Erin falls sway, somewhat, to the charms of new guy Pete (Jake Lacy). It's hard not to think that Erin might be better off with Pete, who definitely cares about her, and at the same time, it's difficult to give up on Andy after everything we've seen from him over the years. It's a complicated, messy situation that will likely not resolve itself until the very end.

The Office, in its final season, is embracing the things that have made it so good in the past. This is a relief, considering the wandering, less-than-stellar past year. The show is taking its victory lap, and in doing so, has found itself again.

Watch The Office Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first published on TheTVKing

The Office lands "The Whale"

NBC's The Office continues its great final season this week with "The Whale." Dwight (Rainn Wilson) is given the opportunity to double Dundler Mifflin's growth when a new potential client asks for a meeting. Learning the meeting is with a woman, and knowing how bad Dwight is with relating to women, several of his female co-workers try to intervene and improve upon his manners. But no one is prepared when they learn who Dwight is actually being sent to talk with, and it will take everything Dwight has to land this impossible account.

Yep, Jan (Melora Hardin) is back! Jan is one of those character who is a delight every time she arrives on screen, mostly because she makes everyone squirm. This is the type of humor that The Office frequently lands, so it hits the perfect tone when it is returned to. We haven't seen Jan in awhile, so it's a great surprise (if you avoided NBC spoiler-filled promos), and the way it's played as a horror film moment when it slowly dawns on Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Dwight just whose office they are in is priceless.

This being the final season, we are likely to see a good many familiar faces in the coming weeks. Even former boss Michael (Steve Carell) is rumored to be making an appearance by series end. It's a well deserved victory lap, nine years in, to revisit these past people.

But it's not just done for nostalgia's sake. Jan's reemergence allows for a really good Dwight story. He may not be best at dealing with girls, but he is an expert salesman for a reason. Even Jan, who has absolutely no intention of dealing with her former employer, and is just taunting them, comes around to Dwight's skills when he uses what he knows about her to change her mind. Meaning, he dangles Clark (Clark Duke) as a sex object. And Dwight and Pam get a very nice friendship moment.

This continues the trend of giving the characters nice payoffs this year. While last season floundered as the company searched for a new manager, this year is back to the basics, exploring the main characters, reminding us who they are, allowing them to make some big decisions, and hopefully sending them on their way with sweet, satisfying endings.

There is drama. Jim (John Krasinski) is trying to start a business on the side. Andy (Ed Helms) is taking advantage of Erin (Ellie Kemper), driving her away. Angela (Angela Kinsey) seems to have realized that her husband, the Senator (Jack Coleman), is sleeping with Oscar (Oscar Nunez) and other men. But all this should be resolved, probably with happy results, by the end of the year. So rather than sweating it, as might have been done in earlier seasons, there's a sense that all of this is just the last few bumps in the road.

If you drifted away from The Office, as many have done, now might be a nice time to catch up. However it ends, it should be memorable.

The Office airs at 9 p.m. ET Thursdays on NBC.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

Last day at The Office

NBC's The Office returned this week with "New Guys," the final season premiere of the long-running sitcom. It felt like the end, too. Sure, there were a couple of new staff members at Dunder Mifflin, but others have moved on, and a couple of the leads are contemplating their next step for their future. I don't know if this final season can make up for the mess of last year, but "New Guys" gets them off to a promising start.

Kelly (Mindy Kaling) is gone, whisked away to the glamor of Miami (Ohio) by her fiance, Ryan (B.J. Novak) trailing her and trying to pretend that he's not. I really wish there had been an entire episode where this played out, rather than a couple of scenes shown with voice over, but at the same time, Ryan and Kelly were never the focus of The Office. It's an appropriate ending for them, as far as the series is concerned, though I will miss them. (Kaling and Novak are both currently working on The Mindy Project, which premieres this Tuesday on FOX).

Jim (John Krasinski) considers moving on, too. A buddy of his is starting a business based on Jim's idea, and wants Jim to be a part of it. At first, Jim hesitates because it would mean moving his family and taking a big risk with their financial future. But when he sees what he has become through a new employee his co-workers dub "Young Jim" (Jake Lacy, Better With You), he decides that he must give it a shot.

Does Jim have the luxury of following his dreams now? Before having children, sure, as long as wife Pam (Jenna Fischer) is on board. As a creative person herself, she probably would be. Now that he has a couple of little mouths to feed, though, is it selfish of him to leave the security of the paper company to work on a venture that could fail? I guess it would depend on what kind of savings he has tucked away. But it's TV, and we're near the end, so anything can happen.

Dwight (Rainn Wilson) feels much the same as Jim when viewing his own "Young Dwight" (Clark Duke, Greek, Hot Tub Time Machine), but doesn't have the same prospects that Jim has. Learning Angela's (Angela Kinsey) baby isn't his adds to his misery. So, with no outlet for these feelings, Dwight acts out by trying to ride a bicycle on a wire off the roof of the building. It does not go well.

Most people who follow television know that Dwight is about to get his own spin-off called The Farm that will open a completely new chapter of his life. And he's ready for it. Dwight is no longer the same goober he once was, having grown as a person. He can't be held down by a menial job. He needs something more. It's time.

Seeing Dwight and Jim reach this point almost simultaneously is thrilling. These are two beloved characters who we have seen shaped over nine years. To be present at the time of major change is great, and it's nice that the writers are going to take their time with these plots, rather than just toss them in the last few episodes of the season. In this way, the conclusion should feel natural, and make watching The Office this entire time totally worth it.

In other plot, Andy (Ed Helms) comes back from leadership training more confident and in charge. This isn't good news for Nellie (Catherine Tate), whom Andy justifiably resents after she tried to steal his job. The thing is, as much as I've disliked Nellie, seeing Andy being such a bully to her makes me feel bad for her. This poor woman is just looking for an anchor to hold on to, and she has nowhere else to go. Hopefully, Andy will see that soon, and take pity on her. Having the bravado stripped away has humanized Nellie in a single episode. Terrific job.

Awesome throwback that Andy finally hates Toby (Paul Lieberstein) as much as Michael did! It seems like balance that I hadn't even noticed was off has been restored to the universe.

Lastly, it turns out that Oscar (Oscar Nunez) is having an affair with Angela's husband (Jack Coleman). I can't say that I didn't see this coming, but it's a regrettable turn of events. Unless Angela leaves with Dwight for the spin-off (she hasn't shown up in the current cast list), this leaves her with no happy ending. She is a miserable person, but no one deserves to be cheated on. It's not a bad story, but I'm still hoping the writers find a way to satisfactorily resolve this, and I have no idea what that could be.

Oh, and Creed (Creed Bratton) has gone completely insane, which doesn't bode well for the safety of anyone who works there. Might there be a death looming? Might he even be the infamous Scranton Strangler (assuming you don't believe the Jim Carrey theory).

The Office's final season continues Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

The Office ends season with another shakeup

NBC's The Office presents "Free Family Portrait Studio," the season eight finale. All of the turmoil over who is in charge seems to finally be dying down. After a year of uncertainty, with Andy (Ed Helms) being selected as manager, only to lose the position to Nellie (Catherine Tate), who just takes it, Andy is left back in charge as the smoke clears. This probably won't change again, considering that David Wallace (Andy Buckley) now owns the company, having bought it back from Sabre.

This is a relief. The Office has suffered this season from not having clear leadership. Whatever kind of manager Michael (Steve Carell) is, he keeps things running, somehow. His absence is felt heavily, as season eight shows viewers that Dundler Mifflin does not run itself. Without a strong person in charge, it flounders.

Will Andy be that person? Probably. He isn't at the beginning of the season, but that is before he is fired. He has to fight hard to get back into the head office, and now that he's there, it's likely to be a different kind of leadership. He no longer has to prove himself. He is the one that gets David to buy the company, and so his position is secure for the time being. His co-workers didn't fight for him all that much, so he doesn't owe them anything. The Andy who will run the show next year should be a markedly different Andy than season eight contains.

If Ed Helms stays with The Office. And if The Office is renewed. Which it probably will be, but has not been yet. Helms' contract is up, and he has not signed on for another year. One presumes, since his character is the boss once more, the actor will want to stay. But television is a fickle industry, and one never knows for sure.

One thing is certain: Robert California (James Spader) is gone. Spader only wanted to do The Office for one year, and with "Free Family Portrait Studio," his tenure is complete. How his character convinced Wallace to foot the bill for three years of seducing young, vulnerable Eastern European and Asian college girls is a mystery, but he is just that smooth a talker.

Dwight (Rainn Wilson) will also not be returning, as he gets his own spin-off, likely to premiere in January. Hopefully Wilson will be in a couple of episodes to tie up the character's arc, and it would also be nice if Angela (Angela Kinsey) goes with him, once the parentage of her baby is outed. Who else might join that cast? Surely, Nate (Mark Proksch)? And Mose (Michael Schur)?

Similarly, Kelly (Mindy Kaling) will be departing, though her new sitcom is looking at a fall schedule spot, which might not leave time for her to offer much of a goodbye.

Not yet signed for next season are Jim (John Krasinski), Pam (Jenna Fischer), and Ryan (B.J. Novak), the rest of the characters featured in the theme song. If they all choose to leave, too, there is no telling what next season will look like. If they depart without any closure, with season nine premiering and they are just gone, it will be a betrayal for millions of fans of The Office, who have followed the series so closely. They don't have to re-up for the season, but they do need to make some appearances.

But for now, let's get back to "Free Family Portrait Studio." It's a fun little episode, with David's tardiness spoiling Andy's big moment. Then Nellie spoils it further, knocking the wind out of Andy's gloating, so much so that he agrees to make her Head of Special Projects. Does he even have the power to do that? Anyway, it's sad, because Andy is once more screwed up by fate, putting himself out there, and being disappointed.

There are some very funny moments in this episode. One is when Jim fears Dwight will hurt his children. Another is Erin (Ellie Kemper) starting to believe that Andy may be hallucinating David Wallace. And, of course, there's Robert's announcement concerning the new "career" he is about to embark on. This is the kind of funny that The Office excels at, and even with the many changes that have come up, the show can still deliver.

Perhaps most triumphant in "Free Family Portrait Studio" is Darryl (Craig Robinson). Not only do a couple of his former warehouse employees come groveling back to him after squandering their lottery earnings, but by making a vocal declaration of his feelings for Val (Ameenah Kaplan), he wins her away from her boyfriend. The Office features many characters who just don't get what they want in life, slaving away at a paper company they care little about. Victories are few and far between. To see Darryl really get to a good place in "Free Family Portrait Studio" is incredibly satisfying.

If renewed, The Office should return to NBC next fall.

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Don't bring your children to The Office

This week's outing of NBC's The Office is called "Jury Duty" because that's what Jim (John Krasinski) says he is doing when he misses a week of work. But Dwight (Rainn Wilson) grows suspicious, and goes on a quest to get his nemesis fired. Knowing he's in trouble, Jim confesses the truth to Andy (Ed Helms), that he was at home with his kids, who only makes things worse by trying to continue the cover up. Luckily, before Dwight can get corporate involved, he stops by the hospital and sees Angela's (Angela Kinsey) baby, who looks an awful lot like a Schrute. Suddenly, Dwight has the much more important thing of fatherhood to worry about than a feud with Jim.

It's long been known to viewers that Angela's husband, The Senator (Jack Coleman), is gay. But until the baby is born a "month early," at over nine pounds, it's unclear whether somehow he impregnated her or not. Why the Senator remains oblivious to the truth of the matter is unknown, but perhaps he is so caught up in his lie that he doesn't question it. Presumably he does have sex with Angela at least once, so it could be his, right?

Angela and Dwight's relationship has been a very slow burn over the years. Never getting too much focus in The Office, there has always been something special between them. Even as Angela tries to push Dwight away, it's hard not to hope that they will be together. They are strange in very different ways, and yet, their pairing works somehow. Both have taken turns being in pursuit of the other. This baby born in "Jury Duty" changes everything, and could possibly set up a happy ending for the two. Which would be ideal. Though, given how The Office has handled things so far, it could be years before Angela even acknowledges publicly that the baby is Dwight's. That would be a shame, because it's likely that The Office will be off the air by then.

Unless Dwight is wrong. However unlikely that possibility seems, it is a possibility. While the timing lines up much better for the child to belong to Dwight, there is always the chance that, in the end, he could be wrong. Dwight surely sees what he wants to see in the child's features, and often thinks he knows things that he doesn't. Mightn't the more unexpected and exciting option be that the baby is not Dwight's?

Nah.

Being a daddy finally gives Dwight a way to connect to Jim. Dwight always has a fondness for Pam (Jenna Fischer), but it's not until he learns he is a father that he shows any respect towards Pam's husband. Now, this stuff in "Jury Duty" will not herald a new dawn between the two; they will always hate each other. Dwight is only kind in a moment of weakness because of his own excitement. But a new understanding could crop up, and that could change their interaction in a way that no one quite knows yet. It would be an interesting cap to a long-standing rivalry.

Lots of laughs this week, too. Some "Jury Duty" comedy highlights: Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) begins calling Angela's baby "Little Kevin." Oscar (Oscar Nunez) once more is shown to be ridiculous in how he "prepares" his co-workers to see the "premature" baby. The staff's anger at Jim for lying turns to distaste for his kids, whom they can't wait to send away. Ryan (B.J. Novack) agrees that Angela having a black baby would be slightly more exciting than a Chinese one. Creed (Creed Bratton) thinks Pam has brought in Angela's baby, or possible that Pam is Angela. Wonderful episode!

     The Office airs Thursdays nights at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

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