The Office was by far and large one of the most popular shows that’s been loved by its audience in the past few decades, and yet for all that, it’s also one of the most awkward comedy shows that’s ever been allowed to air. The type of humor exhibited in this show is, well, it’s the type that one can’t help but cringe at even now since watching it again on Peacock doesn’t take any of the emotion or the punch out of it when one goes back to the old jokes and gags. From the beginning to the end the style of humor used in this show is meant to put a person on their heels and keep them on the edge of their seat when it comes to the cast and their various antics. Trying to binge-watch The Office is absolutely possible, but it’s also something that’s going to take several days since like it or not, 9 seasons with so many episodes per season, after the first and second season at least, is daunting enough just to think about.
But what can also be seen is the reason why people loved this show when it was still on the air, since while the humor is enough to make some people pull a permanent O-face, it’s also enough to keep a lot of folks watching, obviously. Michael Scott is by far one of the worst offenders since the things he says and does throughout the show, up until his exit, make it clear that he’s kind of a moron that does things right often enough to keep a job, but otherwise tends to fail more often than not when it comes to life. His various replacements throughout the latter seasons however make it clear that despite being kind of a dimwit, he’s supported by his staff since he’s the dimwit they know, not the dimwit they don’t.
All but a few of the cast members play characters that are in some ways absolutely clueless to their own self-destructive ways since at some point just about everyone exhibits the types of behavior that lead to their own downfall. But some are just worse than others, and it’s because of this, well, at least in part, that they became some of the funniest characters in the history of TV. Dwight is an obvious candidate since listing his attributes is easy enough, but going through the long, long list of faults that he considers his strengths is bound to take a while. It’s easy to pick on each one of the cast members since they all have something that sets them apart from everyone else, but when it comes to the most obvious, Michael and Dwight, and yes, even Andy, are those that tend to create their own misery on a regular basis. Like everyone else, they want the best life they can get, but thanks to their inability to see their own faults, they tend to take the long, hard road to get there. But they do get there since by the final episode it’s seen that most of the staff are doing quite well.
Kelly and Ryan’s situation is one of the most messed-up since Kelly, despite professing to knowing what she wants, goes back to the most toxic relationship of her life, and Ryan ends up leaving his kid of all things. Creed, who’s the most mysterious of the bunch and one of the most psychotic, ends up going to jail, while the rest of the crew turn out pretty much okay. Even Angela, who a lot of people should be able to agree is one of the most miserable characters through the majority of the show, ends up being likable by the end. But the style of humor that gets everyone to this point is still kind of interesting since it involves more cringe-worthy moments than one can easily count. The fun part about it is that there were enough checks and balances to make the show work in a way that was greatly appreciated by a lot of fans since otherwise, the awkward nature of the show might have been a little too much for some folks. It’s still enough that a person might have to look away at times and wonder if laughing is appropriate, but the best idea is to just go with it and accept that yes, it is that funny.
While there have been talks over the years of a reunion, there’s a big hope that such a thing won’t happen since there doesn’t appear to be any need. The final episode made it clear that everyone was where they needed to be, and that the show had ended on a great note. It was sad to see honestly, but it was necessary. Going forward would have felt like a mistake, and not a funny one.
