This show won me over at long last. I avoided it like the plague, as I do most shows that are really popular. I suppose it's in my contentious nature. At some point a few months ago I watched all of the previous seasons and wasn't disappointed. This latest season's been pretty good too, though I haven't found it to be as funny as the others. It's let me down a bit, as if I missed the best parts and have come in on the waning end. I started the season excited for new episodes and somewhere in the middle just began forgetting to watch. I think some of that came from NBC's random breaks in airing episodes, which I don't understand but I suppose there's a good reason. I'm no network CEO.
After watching John Krasinski's technically notable yet morally inept attempt at movie making, I could no longer see Jim as 'witty' or 'endearing'. In fact, every time I saw him, I got a bit of a tummy ache. It's really unfortunate. I found it really took away from my enjoyment of the show since I could only laugh when things didn't go his way. Though it's seemed like they've been steering his character towards hapless since he became co-manager. Luckily, Pam is still adorable, plus Ellie Kemper as the new receptionist, Erin, saves the comedic day. The super long break for the Olympics seemed to refresh my outlook on the show too; finally getting to watch this special seemed like a sort of reunion. Plus since I dislike the Jim and Pam parts more and more I can find more enjoyment in the other characters that get less time to be more funny.
Really, I feel like my whole opinion of this episode will be biased because I'm really creeped out by babies. Also, in television shows I tend to see them as marking the beginning of the end. So I went into this episode expecting to hate it unjustly and ended up breaking even. One favor bestowed upon me was the lack of groan-worthy labor pain scenes. Things were kept cute, upbeat, and witty. Some of the gags were predictable, with everyone being way too involved and a baby mix-up happening. And some didn't make much sense. For instance, why wouldn't Pam just call in sick and wait at home to go to the hospital at midnight? Amazing work ethic she's got. Yet others were new, at least to me, and genuinely made me chuckle. Nearly everyone else's antics were hilarious. I especially enjoyed Dwight and Angela's baby contract; I find their weirdness really funny for some reason.
Earlier in the season, while Dunder Mifflin was being bought by Sabre, I thought there would be a chance to bring in some new situations and jokes. But really the newness was only from the new (though awesome) characters. Kathy Bates for some reason always makes me laugh, and I wanted to see more of her even when her character went away. I kept thinking 'No, come back, I miss the newness!'. Meanwhile the regulars simply remained themselves as they adjusted to the new company. It seemed like change wanted to happen, but instead there was just more of the same under different management.
Hopefully in the next season the baby will be heard of and not seen. Well, not too much anyway. I don't think it was the best extra special 'special' or even episode but there was a lot to be happy about. Jim and Pam are together and have reproduced, so hopefully the series can move on. While I've found previous seasons to be funnier and more original, this season has been pretty good. It's unrealistic to expect a show to entertain me all the time season after season. I'm just hoping I came in on a lull and things will pick back up. I feel like I should write more about this episode, or this season, but there isn't that much to cover. Just the same characters doing the same stuff that everyone's come to expect.
No comments:
Post a Comment