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The Office TV Series
Director: Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant
Release Date: March 24, 2005 – present
Starring: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B.J. Novak
Language: English
Country: United States
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The Office is an Emmy Award-winning American television sitcom airing on NBC and developed by Greg Daniels. It is an American adaptation of the BBC series of the same name. Unlike most sitcoms, The Office is shot in a single-camera setup, without a studio audience or a laugh track, and is made in the form of a documentary, or “mockumentary”. It depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Although fictional and scripted, the show takes the form of a documentary, with the presence of the camera openly acknowledged.
Based on the British series of the same name, it was adapted for American audiences by executive producer Greg Daniels, a veteran writer for Saturday Night Live, King of the Hill and The Simpsons. Original series creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, who wrote “The Convict” episode, have production credits. It is co-produced by Greg Daniels’ Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille Productions, in association with NBC Universal Television Studios. The show debuted on NBC as a midseason replacement on March 24, 2005, replacing the short–lived sitcom Committed. In 2007 Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) started broadcasting episodes once a week, and will begin broadcasting the series five days a week in 2009.
All original series characters were adapted for the U.S. version. NBC programmer Kevin Reilly suggested Paul Giamatti to producer Ben Silverman for the role of Michael Scott, but the actor declined. Martin Short, Hank Azaria and Bob Odenkirk were also reported to be interested. In January 2004, Variety reported Steve Carell of the popular Comedy Central program The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, was in talks to play the role. At the time, he was already committed to another NBC midseason replacement comedy, Come to Papa, but the series was quickly cancelled, leaving him fully committed to The Office. Carell later stated he had only seen about half of the original pilot episode of the British series before he auditioned. He did not continue watching for fear that he would start copying Gervais’ characterizations.
Rainn Wilson, who was cast as the power-hungry sycophant Dwight Schrute, had watched every episode of the series before he auditioned. Wilson had originally auditioned for Michael, a performance he described as a “terrible Ricky Gervais impersonation”; however, the casting directors liked his audition as Dwight much more and hired him for the role. John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer were virtual unknowns before being cast in their respective roles as Jim and Pam, the central love interests. Krasinski recalled accidentally insulting Daniels while waiting to audition for the series, telling him, “I hope they [the show's developers] don’t screw this up.” Daniels then introduced himself and told Krasinki who he was. Fischer prepared for her audition by looking as boring as possible, creating the original Pam hairstyle at her first audition for the show.
The supporting cast includes actors known for their improv work: Angela Kinsey, Kate Flannery, Oscar Nunez, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Melora Hardin and David Denman. Kinsey had originally auditioned for Pam. The producers thought she was “too feisty” for the character, but they called her back for the part of Angela Martin, which she won. Flannery first auditioned for the part of Jan Levinson-Gould, before landing the role of Meredith Palmer. Baumgartner originally auditioned for Stanley, but was eventually cast as Kevin.
Ken Kwapis liked the way Phyllis Smith, a casting associate, read with other actors auditioning so much that he cast her as Phyllis. At the beginning of the third season, Ed Helms and Rashida Jones joined the cast as members of Dunder Mifflin Stamford. While Jones would later leave the cast for a recurring role, in February 2007 NBC announced that Helms was being promoted to a series regular.
Four of the show’s writers have also stepped out in front of the camera. Novak was cast as reluctant temp Ryan Howard after Daniels saw his stand-up act. Paul Lieberstein was cast as human resources director Toby Flenderson on Novak’s suggestion after his cold readings of scripts.
Greg Daniels originally was not sure where to use the Indian American Kaling on-screen in the series until the opportunity came in the second episode’s script where Michael needed to be slapped by a minority. “Since (that slap), I’ve been on the show” (as Kelly Kapoor), says Kaling. Schur has also made occasional appearances as Dwight’s cousin Mose, and consulting producer Wilmore has played diversity trainer Mr. Brown. There were plans for Mackenzie Crook, Martin Freeman and Lucy Davis from the British version of The Office to appear in the third season, but those plans were scrapped due to scheduling conflicts.
The Office employs an ensemble cast. All of the main characters, and some minor ones, are based on characters from the British version of The Office.
Michael Scott, the head of the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, feels he is the life of the office; his employees feel otherwise. His assistant manager, sales representative Jim Halpert is dating the office receptionist, Pam Beesly, and plans to ask her to marry him. Their relationship comes after three seasons of friendship laced with sexual tension. Dwight Schrute, the assistant to the regional manager, is an award-winning salesman and former Lackawanna County volunteer reserve deputy sheriff known for his authoritarian personality and science fiction fandom. There is an ongoing rivalry between Jim and Dwight, whose differing personalities often cause them to be at odds with each other. Michael’s boss, Dunder Mifflin’s Vice President for Regional Sales, is Ryan Howard, who started out as a temporary worker in the Scranton office.
The accounting department features the uptight Angela Martin, who wishes to keep things orderly and make sure situations remain as serious as possible, including her previous secret affair with Dwight; Kevin Malone, a slow-witted, overweight man who revels in juvenile humor and is addicted to gambling and M&Ms; and the patient Oscar Martinez, whose homosexuality, timidity and Mexican American heritage make him a favorite target for Michael’s off-hand comments. Rounding out the office are the stern salesman Stanley Hudson, who barely stands for Michael’s constant references to his African-American heritage; anger-management grad and Angela’s current boyfriend Andy Bernard, formerly of the Stamford, Connecticut branch office; former Woodstocker and all-around rule-breaker quality-assurance Creed Bratton; the innocent and timid Phyllis Lapin; the bubbly and talkative Kelly Kapoor; the depressed, alcoholic single mother Meredith Palmer, and frequent target of Michael’s abuse human resources representative Toby Flenderson.
Outside the office, there is Michael’s former girlfriend Jan Levinson, who previously held the position of Vice President for Regional Sales. Also, Bob Vance, Phyllis’ husband and owner of Vance Refrigeration, which shares an office building with Dunder Mifflin. He is consistently referred to as “Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration”. Karen Fillipelli, former saleswoman from Stamford, was Jim’s insecure and paranoid girlfriend for most of Season 3, forming a quiet but tense rivalry with Pam as they fought for his attention. Karen is now Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin’s Utica branch.
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