Student celebrates “The Office” on its 15th anniversary

Fallon Blair, Entertainment Editor

March 24 marked the 15th anniversary of the hit show “The Office.”

Being a huge fan of the show, I am thankful that this amazing show made this big of an impact on people long after its final season.

In seventh grade, I first discovered the comedy genius “The Office,” where most people do, on Netflix. My mom used to watch it occasionally but I never thought much of it before then.

Comprised of only six episodes, the first season seemed somewhat lackluster with a stale pilot episode but made a name for itself with episodes like “Diversity Day” and “Healthcare.”

Courtesy of imdb.com

The series drastically improved over the seasons in story, comedy and character development.

Steve Carell perfectly fits the personality of Michael Scott.

In the first season, Michael comes off as a jerk in his managing skills and doesn’t seem very likable.

After this, Michael starts to have more passion for his co-workers (maybe a little too much passion) and still does outrageous things that he thinks will have a good outcome.

His absence in the last two seasons really shows how Michael was the heart of the show. Andy isn’t sufficient enough to fill the role  of the whimsical branch manager we know and love, making the final episodes feel like a drag with few exceptions.

Jim and Pam’s love story blossoms throughout the series, hitting many highs and lows with infamous characters like Karen and Roy.

One of the things that helps Jim and Pam’s relationship thrive is their love of pranking Dwight.

These elaborate pranks went from a simple staple in jello prank to gift-wrapping Dwight’s desk to stealing Dwight’s identity.

One of my favorites pranks on Dwight is the “Asian Jim” prank. In season nine episode three “Andy’s Ancestry” when Jim asks an actor friend of his to act like he is Jim for a day, Jim goes as far as editing his family photos and informing the actor about all of his passwords, creating hilarious results.

Every episode seems to leave a different impact on the viewer.

Episodes like “Scott’s Tots” and “Dinner Party” make viewers feel very uncomfortable about how awkward Michael can make certain situations, while other episodes like “Stress Relief” and “The Injury” deliver non-stop laughter.

Other episodes like “Weight Loss” and “Niagra” offer both comedy and heartfelt moments for Jim and Pam’s relationship.

I’m glad that my generation can now binge this wonderful show that would have been forgotten if it wasn’t put exclusively on Netflix.

At the beginning of 2021, “The Office” will be moved from Netflix to NBCUniversal’s new streaming service Peacock.

Courtesy of fanpop.com

My favorite episode of “The Office” is season four episode nine “Dinner Party,” where Michael and Jan hold a dinner party with Jim, Pam, Andy and Angela that reveals how toxic Michael and Jan’s relationship truly is.

While other viewers usually avoid this episode because of its very uncomfortable nature, I find that the uncomfortableness makes every scene in this episode funnier and gives the situation more depth.

I often quote lines from “Dinner Party” and find a new detail about this masterpiece of an episode every time I watch it.

Fans on social media beg for a reboot of the show, but I have a better solution that wouldn’t disgrace the show’s legacy like the reboot “Fuller House.”

Michael Schur and Greg Daniels should come back to create either a “The Office” movie or even a holiday special; that would reunite the cast without disrupting their storylines.

Courtesy of professionalwomanmag.com

Recently, Jenna Fischer and Archer City alumni Angela Kinsey created a podcast, where in each episode they revisit an episode of “The Office” and talk about on-set stories and secrets. They have even gone as far as revealing what was written on the teapot letter that Jim gave Pam on the second to last episode of the show.

Now that this show is 15 years old, I hope viewers still find nuance in rewatching it, keeping it alive through every generation.