Friday, September 07, 2018
Fri-Yay: The Prevailing Popularity of The Office; Fox Fall Pilot Review: Rel - Premieres Sunday (Sept. 9)
by Vincent
From every generation, it seems there's at least a few shows that rise above the others and stand the test of time, to the point where they almost feel distinct from their eras. These shows play endlessly in syndication to the point where future generations attatch to them just as much as fans did in their original run. In the '80s, that show was Cheers, in the '90s, it was Friends and Seinfeld and in the '00s, I think we're far enough removed to pick what show that is - The Office.
This isn't to slam other '00s-era comedies like Arrested Development, 30 Rock or Scrubs, or even multi-cam hits from the era like Everybody Loves Raymond - all shows I enjoy. However, The Office has reached a ubiquity that few shows are able to achieve in their life spans. Fans young and old have been finding the show on Netflix and falling in love with its cringe-awkward humor, clever one-liners, and surprisingly enthralling character dynamics. Those other shows have prevailed, too, but just like Cheers, Seinfeld and Friends before it, The Office seems to be becoming a universal, timeless series not specifically tied to the era it aired in. You wouldn't think of The Office as "a 2000s show" just as you don't necessarily immediately think of the '80s with Cheers - it's a universal series whose humor and character development can be accessible for anyone.
So why is The Office so prevailingly prevalent? Personally, I'd say that the show's form of existential-dread humor mixed with heartfelt character moments fits in perfectly with the current comedy landscape - it's not hard to draw a line from The Office to 2010s "sadcoms" like Bojack Horseman or You're the Worst, which similarly balance a goofy sense of humor with in-depth characterization. Additionally, The Office was never particularly tapped into current culture - much like Seinfeld and Cheers. While the show made occasional pop culture references, it was mostly grounded in the reality of Dunder-Mifflin. That allows people - no matter their age or when they're watching it - to relate to the show's antics. Additionally, the show's setting is universal and relatable to many people - most of us have jobs, and we all can relate to the feelings of dread, boredom, amusement, and surprise that come with them, as well as the basic archetypes of the show's characters, just as the bar on Cheers was a place where "everyone knew your name" (something we could all relate to). All of this means that I expect The Office to grow in popularity rather than lose it, and I wouldn't be surprised if we're still talking about the show's enduring popularity years down the road.
Special Premiere Time: Sunday, September 9, 2018 at 8:00PM ET/PT
I'm not so sure about this series. I was definitely looking forward to this and wanted so badly to love it, but the pilot just left me filled with so much disappointment. Even worse, I'm not sure how this fits on Fox, which pretty much seems to be laser focused on sitcoms that fit in with Last Man Standing. This one certainly does not. I hate to say it, but I'm going to make a prediction that this may very well be one of the first series of the 2018-2019 season to get cancelled, and aside from liking the cast, I'm not quite sure it is worth saving. Perhaps with a stronger pilot, a case to keep it floating for a while could be made, but I'm not sure how this makes it past a number of episodes that you can count on one hand.
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 1.5/5
Funniness: 2/5
Overall: 1.5/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Sunday, September 9, 2018 at 8:00PM ET/PT on our message board.
Related Links:
Preview:
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Sunday, January 29
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 23)
Friday, January 27
- Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Up All Night) - Watch Maya on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Josh Gad (Central Park/Avenue 5/The Comedians/Back to You - Josh chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Nia Long (Uncle Buck/The Cleveland Show/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) and Lauren London (The Game) - Nia and Lauren talk about their roles in the movie You People on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Kristin Chenoweth (Schmigadoon!/Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin talks about her new book I'm No Philosopher, But I Got Thoughts on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
- George Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez/Lopez/Saint George/George Lopez) - George stops by to talk about his NBC sitcom Lopez vs Lopez and his life as a single man in Hollywood on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Jaime King (Gary Unmarried/The Class/Kitchen Confidential) - Jaime talks about Lifetime's Sherri Papini: I Kidnapped Myself on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings. She will also be on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.
- Katie Lowes (How We Roll) and Guillermo Díaz (United We Fall/Weeds) - Katie and Guillermo discuss their new podcast Unpacking the Toolbox on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Kyla Pratt (Call Me Kat/Let's Stay Together/One on One) - Kyla is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 8:50am and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (October-January)
10/04 - Mr. Mayor - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/04 - The Munsters - Marineland Carnival with The Munsters TV Cast
10/18 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete First Season
11/08 - Frasier - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/08 - Young Rock - Season Two (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/15 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Seven / The Complete Season Eight
11/22 - That '70s Show - The Complete Series (Mill Creek)
11/29 - Ghosts - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/06 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - 70th Anniversary Ultimate Christmas Collection
12/13 - And Just Like That... - The Complete First Season
12/13 - Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/03 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series (2023 Release)
01/27 - Master of None - Season Three / The Complete Series
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