New? Read *The Office* N00b: Day 1.
Well, I’ve spent two days at Dunder-Mifflin in Scranton. I’ve celebrated Halloween and Christmas with my new office-mates. And my new office-mates are who I want to talk a little bit about today.
These are my “18 episodes in” impressions of the main cast of characters of The Office. As I mentioned in my intro post to this series, I binged all of Season 1 + the first three episode of Season 2 in my first sitting. My second sitting was Episodes 4-12 of Season 2. I am sure my opinions of these characters will change. Well, might change. But probably will change. It’s sorta like working in a real office…
So, here we go…
Michael Scott, Regional Office Manager
I can’t tell if we’re supposed to feel really bad for this guy or hate this guy or like this guy. I mostly just feel bad for him. I feel like I’d feel bad for anyone who George Foreman-grilled their foot, but he’s just got this sad clown aura about him.
Dwight Schrute, Assistant (to the) Regional Office Manager
I feel really bad for Dwight too. Like, the guy has so much heart and ambition and…just, no clue. And yeah, he steps in it a lot (see above .gif), but he also tries SO HARD and it’s pretty endearing. Though, it sorta makes me wonder, is that the comedy in this show? Laughing at well-meaning but socially-awkward people you pity? Because, if so, my “people I trust to recommend TV shows/movies/etc.” list just got a LOT shorter, and y’all need Jesus.
Jim Halpert, Sales
I am gonna get so much shit for this, but…what? Seriously, what? Why? How? This guy is a DICK. Why do people like him? You know when they say “Someone who is nice to you, but is not nice to the waiter, is not a nice guy?” That meme should come with Jim Halpert’s face on it.
(And please note, this question is coming from a woman who loves Sherlock Holmes, Jeff Winger, and Barney Stinson, so it’s not like the “adorable sociopath” is a lost trope on me…but, like, those three guys ADMIT they’re sociopaths, which gives them room to grow into…slightly less sociopathic guys. They all sorta end up where Jim is starting, I guess, but there’s growth there! Jim just shrugs and doesn’t seem to understand why he sucks so much.)
I’m willing to continue to give him a chance, but I feel like this is gonna become a #TeamEdward vs. #TeamJacob debate again, and you all will be wrong. Again.
Pam Beesly, Receptionist
Oh, sweet, Pan-Pam. You deserve so much better. Just, all around.
Jim + Pam, The Office Not-A-Couple-(Yet)
First, I give all the props in the world to John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer, because even though I kinda (really) hate Jim right now, I get it. These two have chemistry and it flies of the screen in the most undeniable ways. Even if I didn’t already know how their story ends, I’d get it. I mean, that teapot gift for Secret Santa? And when he turned to the camera on the booze cruise and said “I’d save the Receptionist. I would.” GAH. I GET IT. If I only saw Jim in how he interacts with Pam, that is, because the rest of the time he sucks and is stupid and Pam, like I said above, you deserve better.
Angela Martin, Accounting
I effing love Angela. If she’s not (at least, 18 episodes in) on everyone’s favorite character list, they need to have their heads examined. Her dry, caustic comments are HILARIOUS. And I’m totally obsessed with her and Dwight’s “secret” relationship that is either already happening or just starting or I’m not really sure what, but seriously, why are you all rooting for Jim and Pam? Root for Dwight and Angela.
Ryan Howard, Temp/Fire Guy
I kinda have a weird crush on B.J. Novak, which makes no sense because I’ve never watched The Office or The Mindy Project (y’all can yell at me for that one later), but I do. So, I think the Ryan character is great. And I was rolling on the floor that his whole episode about not being “a guy guy” turned him into “fire guy.”
Stanley Hudson, Sales
If you don’t love Stanley, then I don’t love you. I don’t even like you. Go away. Stop reading my blog. Stanley is the best, and no one will ever convince me otherwise (except, like, future seasons maybe, but I think of all the character opinions I’ve formed thus far, this is the one that will remain unchanged…)
Roy, Pam’s Current Fiance + Warehouse Guy
He doesn’t deserve a .gif. He sucks. Please tell me he disappears soon?
And…the rest.
So, admittedly at this point, the other characters are still sort of a big question mark for me. I think it’s because the others listed above are pulling my focus. Like, these characters are all interesting and have their moments, but I don’t know how much I’d notice if they were just randomly written off the show with no explanation. Meredith is a hilarious wildcard. She’s caused the most of my burst-out laughing moments. Phyllis currently falls into the same category that I put Dwight and Michael in, which is someone so well-meaning but weirdly reviled by everyone else, that I just feel bad for her. God, like, during the Secret Santa exchange when she proudly announced she’d knit Michael the oven mitt and then he immediately turned it into a Yankee Swap to get rid of it? RIPPED MY HEART OUT. That made me feel less bad for Michael, but definitely bad for Phyllis. Kevin hasn’t done much yet…at least, not much that jumps out at me. Same with Kelly, though I will say most of my favorite episodes thus far have had Mindy Kaling getting the “Written By” credit, so if she’s not on screen a lot right now because she’s busy writing the good episodes, I’m okay with that for now. Toby and Oscar both make me laugh, but I also forget they’re there if they’re not on screen. And I keep seeing Creed mentioned in cast lists on IMDB, and I have no idea who that is, so…yeah.
So, as of my second day with The Office, that’s my current take on the cast of characters assembled here. Maybe as I get further along, I’ll do an updated take on all these folks. We’ll see. Like I said on Day 1, this blog series is just gonna go wherever I feel like.
See you tomorrow! (It’s Thursday, not Friday, Dwight.)
Colette Marie Murphy 