'Office' Lady Walks the 'Walk'
John C. Reilly will star for Jake Kasdan
Zap2it
January 29, 2007

Jenna Fischer, beloved Pam on NBC's "The Office," will become a feature film leading lady in the Columbia Pictures comedy "Walk Hard."

Judd Apatow and Jake Kasdan wrote the film, which is something of a take-off on the musical biopic genre and the conventions established in films like "Walk the Line" and "Ray."

John C. Reilly will star as Dewey Cox, a musical legend fallen on hard times. Fischer, who will get to do a little on-screen singing, will play Darlene, Dewey's June Carter Cash-esque love interest.

According to Variety, Kasdan will direct the comedy during Fischer's summer break from "The Office."

Earlier feature credits for Fischer include the horror-comedy "Slither." She's also completed work on the ensemble "Quebec" (also co-starring Reilly) and the comedies "Blades of Glory" and "The Brothers Solomon."

NBC renews series for full season of episodes in 2007-08

BURBANK January 17, 2007 NBC has ordered early full-season pickups for the 2007-08 season for four hit series -- the comedies "The Office" and "My Name Is Earl," and dramas "Heroes" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, " it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President, NBC Entertainment.

"These four series represent some of the best of what we consider to be the 'NBC brand' of quality shows," said Reilly. "It is a pleasure to give them an early renewal to develop more stories for next year since we know they will remain both critical and commercial successes for a long time to come."

"The Office" is delivering a 4.2 rating, 11 share in 18-49 and 8.7 million viewers through the first 16 weeks of the 2006-07 season and has matched or built on its 18-49 lead-in from "The Office" with every original telecast this season. "The Office" has improved the Thursday 8:30-9 half-hour for NBC this season by 20 percent versus year-ago averages in 18-49. "The Office" is network television's most upscale comedy, delivering primetime's #1 concentration of adults 18-49 living in homes with $100,000-plus incomes.

From Reveille and NBC Universal Television Studio comes the Emmy Award-winning "The Office" (Thursdays, 8:30-9 p.m. ET), a documentary-style look into the sometimes poignant foolishness that plagues the world of 9-to-5, based on the award-winning BBC hit. "The Office" delves into the lives of the workers at Dunder Mifflin paper supply company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Regional manager Michael Scott (Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Steve Carell, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin") is a single, middle-aged man who is the boastful tour guide for the documentary.

Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer, "Slither") is the friendly office receptionist who bears the brunt of Michael's routines. The bright spots in Pam's day are her conversations with Jim Halpert (John Krasinski, "Jarhead," "Kinsey"), a likable sales rep. Jim shares his working space with Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson, "Six Feet Under"), the arrogant assistant to the regional manager. Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak, "Punk'd") is a young, smart temp who quickly figures out the real office politics.

Also starring are Melora Hardin ("Monk") as Jan Levinson, David Denman ("When A Stranger Calls") as Roy, Leslie David Baker ("Malcolm in the Middle") as Stanley Hudson, Brian Baumgartner ("Arrested Development") as Kevin Malone, Kate Flannery ("The Heir Apparent") as Meredith Palmer, Angela Kinsey ("Tripping Forward") as Angela Martin, Oscar Nuez ("Halfway Home") as Oscar Martinez, Phyllis Smith ("Arrested Development") as Phyllis Lapin, Mindy Kaling ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin") as Kelly Kapour and Paul Lieberstein (writer, "King of the Hill") as Toby.

"The Office" is executive-produced by Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels, who developed the series for American audiences, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Howard Klein.

"My Names Is Earl" is averaging a 4.0 rating, 11 share in 18-49 and 9.5 million viewers through the opening 16 weeks of the 2006-07 television season. "Earl" has improved the Thursday 8-8:30 p.m. half-hour for NBC this season by 38 percent versus year-ago results in 18-49.

In "My Name Is Earl" (Thursdays, 8-8:30 p.m. ET), Earl (Jason Lee, "Almost Famous") has taken one too many wrong turns on the highway of life. However, a twist of fate turns his life into a tailspin of life-renewing events when after winning a small lottery, Earl has an epiphany and is determined to transform his good fortune into a life-changing event as he sets out to right all the wrongs from his past.

In its inaugural season last year, the show received the People's Choice Award, two Television Critics Awards, a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series and Emmys for executive producers Greg Garcia and Marc Buckland for writing and directing, respectively.

Joining Earl along his quest to cleanse his karma are his hapless brother Randy (Ethan Suplee, "Cold Mountain") and the very sexy Catalina (Nadine Velazquez, "The Bold and the Beautiful"). Even Darnell (Eddie Steeples, "Torque"), the owner of the Crab Shack where Earl drinks beer, offers his support. But it's Earl's ex-wife Joy (Jaime Pressly, "Not Another Teen Movie") who won't help him unless there's something in it for her. Created and written by Garcia ("Yes, Dear"), "My Name Is Earl" is executive-produced by Garcia, Buckland ("Medical Investigation," "Ed") and Bobby Bowman ("Yes, Dear"). The series is produced by Amigos de Garcia and Twentieth Century Fox Television.

"Heroes" is the #1 new series of the season in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key categories and, through 16 weeks of the season, is tied for the #3 ranking among all shows in 18-49. "Heroes" is NBC's highest-rated first-year drama in 18-49 in 12 years, since "ER" debuted in Fall 1994. Through January 7, "Heroes" was averaging a 6.8 rating, 16 share in adults 18-49 and 15.3 million viewers overall.

From creator-executive producer Tim Kring (NBC's "Crossing Jordan") comes "Heroes" (Mondays, 9-10 p.m. ET) recently named the winner of the People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Drama is an epic drama that chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities and a destiny to save the world.

They include a genetics professor (Sendhil Ramamurthy, "Blind Guy Driving") in India who is led by his father's disappearance to uncover a secret theory that there are people with super powers living among us. Also featured are a young dreamer (Milo Ventimiglia, "Gilmore Girls") tries to convince his politician brother (Adrian Pasdar, "Judging Amy") that he can fly. A high school cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere, "Ice Princess") learns that she is totally indestructible while trying to relate to her father (Jack Coleman, "Dynasty") who has a keen interest in people with special abilities. A Las Vegas single mother (Ali Larter, "Final Destination") struggles to make ends meet to support her young son (Noah Gray-Cabey, "My Wife & Kids") and discovers that her mirror image has a secret.

In addition, a fugitive from justice (Leonard Roberts, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") continues to baffle authorities. A gifted artist (Santiago Cabrera, "Empire"), whose drug addiction is destroying his life and relationship with his girlfriend (Tawny Cypress, "Third Watch"), can paint the future. A down-on-his-luck Los Angeles beat cop (Greg Grunberg, "Alias") can hear people's thoughts, which puts him on the trail of an elusive serial killer. In Japan, a young man (Masi Oka, NBC's "Scrubs") develops a way to stop time through sheer will power.

Joining Kring as executive producer are Dennis Hammer (NBC's "Crossing Jordan") and Allan Arkush (NBC's "Crossing Jordan"). The drama is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (Tuesdays, 10-11 p.m. ET) is averaging a 4.3 rating, 12 share in adults 18-49 and 12.9 million viewers overall through the first 16 weeks of the 2006-07 television season, making it NBC's #2 drama in total viewers. "SVU" remains in control of the Tuesday 10 p.m. hour, where an original episode hasn't lost the time period to regular competition in adults 18-49 in more than two and a half years. "SVU's" 18-49 margin of victory this season is nearly 50 percent.

"Law & Order" Special Victims Unit" is a hard-hitting and emotional series from NBC's "Law & Order" brand that chronicles the life and crimes of the Special Victims Unit of the New York Police Department, the elite squad of detectives who investigate sexually based crimes. Created by Emmy Award-winning producer Dick Wolf, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" is now in its eighth season.

The drama follows Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), a seasoned veteran of the unit who has seen it all, and his partner, Detective Olivia Benson (Emmy and Golden Globe winner Mariska Hargitay), whose difficult past a child of rape prompted her career move to the unit.

Captain Donald Cragen (Dann Florek) oversees the unit with his tough but supportive approach to the team's complex cases. Detective John Munch, (Richard Belzer, "Homicide: Life on the Street") brings his acerbic wit and street-honed investigative skills to the team. His partner, Detective Odafin "Fin" Tutuola (Ice-T), adds his unique sense of humor and investigative experience, making him a formidable match for Munch. Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak (Diane Neal) brings closure to the intense investigations with her legal expertise. Forensic psychiatrist, George Huang (B.D. Wong) often provides significant clues that lead to the resolution of a case, and Medical Examiner Melinda Warner (Tamara Tunie), uncovers more forensic evidence.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" is a Wolf Films production in association with NBC Universal Television Studio. Wolf, is creator and executive producer, Neal Baer (NBC's "ER", "China Beach"), Ted Kotcheff ("Fun with Dick and Jane," "Weekend at Bernie's") and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.

Methods to 'The Office' madness
Lauren Horwitch
Back Stage West
December 27, 2006

It wasn't easy getting NBC's "The Office" off the ground in 2005. Sure, the show had an extraordinary creative team, including executive producer-director-writer Greg Daniels ("The Simpsons"), director Ken Kwapis ("Freaks and Geeks," "The Larry Sanders Show"), and a star, Steve Carell, whose success with that year's "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" gave him a boost in the household-name category. But execs didn't know whether an American version of Ricky Gervais' hit British series of the same name would fly - or die, as the U.S. remake of "Coupling" had in 2003 on the same network.

Two years and an Emmy for outstanding comedy series later, the U.S. "Office" has become a hit without the need for laugh tracks. The show's success is largely due to its tight-knit ensemble, each member of which is perfectly at home with the show's sometimes dark, cringe-inducing humor.

Back Stage talked with some of the cast members about how they landed their roles, how much of the show is improvised, real-life office nightmares, and how they get "The Office's" specific tone just right.

Back Stage: What was the casting process like?

Angela Kinsey ("Angela"): I was brought in for the role of Pam. It does totally seem weird. I felt so good about my audition, but I was surprised that they laughed in places that I hadn't counted on. The feedback I got was that they really liked me but that my Pam was probably a little too feisty.

Brian Baumgartner ("Kevin"): I went to the callbacks to read for Stanley, actually. I was not very smart but smart enough to know that that was not the part that they were going to cast me as. The role of Keith from the British version that they were calling "Kevin" was really where I felt like I had a legitimate shot.

Kinsey: It wasn't conventional casting. For once, not being a prominent face on TV was a help. I feel like a lot of times I would go to auditions and sitting across from me was a girl who was a series regular on another show at one time. And this time, there were no recognizable faces. It just made it feel to everyone who watched it like they were discovering these people for the first time, as well.

Leslie David Baker ("Stanley"): You don't want an office where everybody is 20 years old. It's unrealistic. "The Office" looks like real offices. Everybody is not looking like they just stepped off the cover of Vogue.

Kate Flannery ("Meredith"): I think there are many more Merediths in the world than somebody from "Friends." I think we're done with that: the false reality, the false studio-style audience and laugh track. I hope we're done.

Baumgartner: They really wanted these people to be real, that they existed in this paper company in Scranton, Pa. That was a big thing. They did not want it to seem like a joke.

Back Stage: Why do some of the characters have the same first names as the actors?

Kinsey: Most of us are new characters to the BBC version. Phyllis, Oscar, Creed, and myself were all new characters, and so we have our own names. As far as I knew, I was going to have three lines in the pilot. When the pilot got picked up, I had no idea if I was going to be in any subsequent episodes. And then when I showed up to work, my character's name was Angela. I thought that was hilarious.

Back Stage: Did you feel the show would be successful from the start, especially because the original version was such a hit?

Baker: We got a lot of naysayers saying, "This isn't going to work. It's not going to be good. Remember what happened with Coupling.'" And something happened with this combination of actors: Magic happened, which rarely does happen. Especially when it's a show that's been done already and has been as successful as the original.

Oscar Nunez ("Oscar"): When I went (to audition), I thought, "Oh, The Office.' Well, that's another thing that'll fail because it won't translate." And then I found out that Steve Carell was going to play the lead. Then I got excited. I thought, "This has a chance."

Melora Hardin ("Jan"): When we first did it, everyone was like, "Oh, God, is this going to be a mushy, glossed-over, Americanized version of a British show?" I think what we realized is it's in the right hands. Greg gets it that it has to push those boundaries. It has to keep being on the verge of too much or too little.

Back Stage: The cast and crew spends 60 hours a week on-set together, which is not unlike working in a real office. How does that affect your acting?

Jenna Fischer ("Pam"): I might sit at my desk for three hours before my scene. That's very different from when you're doing a movie and you leave your trailer only to say your lines. I sit at my desk in my pantyhose for 10 to 12 hours a day. That's going to make you feel kind of glum.

Rainn Wilson ("Dwight"): It gets so claustrophobic, especially in that damn conference room. You pick up a script, and you see, "Oh, geez, we've got the next five pages involving 11 people sitting in this conference room. We're going to be here from 7:15 in the morning until probably 5:45 at night, and it's under fluorescent lights. Brutal."

Baumgartner: We are there so much, most of the time we see the people we're working with more than our own families. I don't think there are a lot of shows that are like this, and I think it is because we're all there all the time. There is such communication with the editors and the writing staff and the executives. We're just always there. They can't avoid us.

Fischer: We always get really excited when Melora or David Denman (who plays Roy) comes, because they're, like, a new person. It was so exciting, too, to have Ed (Helms, who plays Andy) and Rashida (Jones, who plays Karen) from (the office in) Stamford. They were the new kids in the class.

Back Stage: Melora, your character appears only occasionally. Is it difficult to come into this tight-knit group?

Hardin: Just as any group would welcome fresh blood, that's sort of how I feel most of the time. It's a different vibe, a different person, different energy. It kind of shakes things up a little, and Jan kind of does that. I work a few days a week - three days, maybe four at the most.

Back Stage: What do you do at your desk while you're waiting to film a scene?

Baker: I like to read (the website) Television Without Pity to see what they're saying about the show. I also like to send Phyllis (Smith, who plays Phyllis) emails to make her laugh when she's trying to keep a straight face. She sits right across from me, so if I can make her crack up when she's not supposed to, then my work is done.

Flannery: Sometimes I'm on MySpace talking to fans. But I actually write other stuff, too. I wrote a short story that's getting published.

Wilson: I try and catch up on blogs for Dwight on the NBC website. But (Dwight) would never do it on work hours. He would get up at 4:30, milk the cows, fertilize the beet fields, then he'd go write his blog. Then he'd come into work an hour and a half early.

Fischer: I do all kinds of things. Last year, I did all my Christmas shopping online from my desk. I have a MySpace account, so I'll write a blog or check messages. We found this online Boggle game that we could all play at the same time from our desks. We've played pretty much every online game there is. A lot of the guys on our set are in a Fantasy Football league. So a lot of times they're online checking stats and making trades. John Krasinski (who plays Jim) went around and set up all of our computers with instant message, and so now we can IM each other.

Back Stage: Do you ever communicate with each other in character?

Fischer: Angela is almost the closest person to me because we share a divider, and she would pass me notes in character. One time, she passed me a note that said, "I would be honored if you would join me on Saturday for the birthday party of my cat Sprinkles. Please RSVP by the end of the day. I mean it." We created this world sort of organically, and then these little things end up in the episode.

Flannery: We have a lot of fake paperwork. It's so crazy and bizarre. (The props department) literally made up these Dunder-Mifflin worksheets.

Nunez: There is a lot of paperwork there. I don't know what decade we're in. Nowadays, everything's on the computer. Sometimes I catch myself sitting there with reams of paper, and I'm like, "What am I, Dickens or something?"

Fischer: Phyllis used to sit at her desk and make fake sales calls. I kid you not, one time the director yelled "cut," and people started getting up and milling around, and she finished her call. She hadn't made the sale yet. She kept going.

Back Stage: Do the writers look to you for input on your characters: who they are, what happens to them outside Dunder-Mifflin?

Baker: We were never really told who our characters were in terms of their hopes, wishes, dreams, ambitions, hobbies. We are able to add those ingredients to our characters as we go along. That makes a big difference.

Fischer: It's so inclusive and collaborative. That's very unique. Other things that I've done, it's definitely that the actor is hired to say the material that's given to them. When we first started the show, Greg came up to me and said, "Jenna, tomorrow we're going to do some talking heads about you and Roy (Pam's then-fiance, played by Denman). I just want you to think about how you think that relationship got started and why do you think you're with him, and maybe a little bit about his family." That's never happened to me before. Usually it's the actor saying, "I need motivation; what's my motivation here?"

Back Stage: How much of the dialogue is scripted, and how much is improvised?

Baumgartner: It's 100 percent written and then 100 percent improvised, which means that everything is always written, and we shoot like a one-hour drama of those scenes, essentially verbatim, and then it's always shot as an alternative way. (The director says,) "Okay, you guys, go ahead and do what you want to do."

Kinsey: We have frickin' awesome writers. I just think we're so lucky to have this group of people: They're smart and they're funny. So, our show is 100 percent written, even down to, "Angela gives Dwight a glare."

Wilson: The important thing is it's going to have the feel of improv. There's a lot of time I feel like I could say anything, but I really choose to say the writers' lines because those are the best and the funniest lines.

Hardin: The kind of improvisation that I come from, which is different from most of the people in the cast, is not a real comedy improv but more of the improv coming out of the truth of the moment and letting the humor come out of that. And that works really well for our show.

Fischer: A good example of improv that paid off was in our episode "The Gay Witch Hunt" (Season 3, Episode 1). That kiss between Oscar and Steve (Carell) was not scripted. And all of our reactions are the real reactions. It speaks so much to Oscar's professionalism that he did not break.

Nunez: I do not break. You can write that down. He wasn't supposed to kiss me. We did it a couple of times, and he wasn't kissing me. And then that once, I see his lips coming closer and closer; I'm like, "Dear God, he's going to kiss me." And sure enough, he planted one on my face.

Fischer: In the moment you don't know. It's like, "Did we just go too far?" But it was so great! And then Rainn got up and tried to kiss Oscar, and we all lost it.

Back Stage: The humor is very unique and subtle - full of awkward pauses and long silences. Was that difficult to master?

Wilson: We have to allow the comedy to come from the characters and the situations and not from jokes.

Baumgartner: It's much funnier to be the undercurrent beneath the joke. I think that's what was very effective about the style of the show that was created even in the British version. Oftentimes the thing that makes you laugh the loudest is not what somebody says or does, but it's that moment right after what they say or do where the camera finds somebody's reaction in the office. I mean, nothing, really, is happening. The comedy comes from you getting to know and see these characters.

Baker: Plus, it doesn't have a laugh track. Most shows, they tell you, "Laugh here, only here." With our show, you can see one episode several times, and each time you'll see something that you may have missed the last time.

Back Stage: Many actors have worked office jobs. Have you ever had co-workers similar to "Office" characters?

Kinsey: I've definitely worked with a few people similar to my character. I totally now realize that it all has a purpose.

Nunez: I did have a boss like Michael (Carell). He was insane. He had a Napoleonic complex.

Flannery: I used to do temp work in Chicago. Every day felt like it was three days.

Fischer: I worked for many years as an administrative assistant. It's funny because those years of drudgery and going to those receptionist jobs, I always sort of wondered, "What is the purpose of this?" And then it turns out it was the most elaborate research I could've ever done. It was perfectly planned.

Baker: I've run into a bunch of Stanleys, I've run into a bunch of Michaels and Phyllises. We all have. I think that's why America identifies with the show so much.

Wilson: I think people wouldn't identify with the show and feel so strongly about it if it didn't resonate with them in some way. It touches on something very real about the human condition. There's a certain kind of suffering that happens in the office that doesn't happen anywhere else.

'Office' DVR Viewing Soars, Lower 'Live' Ratings May Cost Nets Big Bucks
By David Goetzl - MediaPost Publications
December 22, 2006

When ratings come in for the next new episode of NBC's "The Office," the data are likely to show that a full one-fourth--25%--of 18-to-49 viewers watched via DVRs. Bottom line: networks' failure to get paid for more than just "live" viewing could cost them big dollars. And that may have a major impact on next year's upfront.

Recent episodes of the niche NBC hit have been posting jaw-dropping increases in the number of viewers watching in time-shifted fashion, likely with commercials skipped. In fact, "The Office" is believed to be the first show in which more than 20% of 18-to-49s watched an episode with a DVR in the week after its on-air premiere.

Signaling that the 25% mark is imminent are the DVR ratings for the Nov. 30 "Office" episode--the latest available--that showed 23% of 18-to-49 viewers watched via DVRs in the seven days following its Thursday night "live" premiere. The episode posted a 3.9 "live" rating--and this soared to a 4.8 in the "live plus seven" category, which adds DVR viewing in the week after broadcast to the "live" figure.

The striking increases augment recent Nielsen research showing that DVR viewing is growing at a faster pace than buyers and sellers thought just a few months ago. At the time, NBC research chief Alan Wurtzel called it "stunning" that 18- to-49-year-olds in DVR homes take in more than 40% of their prime-time viewing in time-shifted mode. "The Office" appears to be a prime example of the shifting dynamic.

"It may be an indication of how that segment of the audience will ultimately watch television," says Bill Carroll, vice president/director of programming at Katz Television Group. "They're not the people who are watching "According to Jim."

The Nov. 30 episode of "The Office" isn't an anomaly. DVR viewership for the comedy has been on a seemingly unstoppable trajectory, which should continue as more DVR homes are added to the Nielsen sample. (The figure is 11.4%, and expected to reach 12% by Jan. 1.)

The three preceding "Office" episodes--which all ran in the November sweeps--also showed that 20%-plus of the 18-to-49 audience watched the show with DVRs after the Thursday 8:30 p.m. broadcast. For Nov. 2, "live" 18-to-49 ratings were a 3.8, which leaped to a 4.6 (up 21%) in "live plus seven." The following two episodes both posted 22% jumps.

In light of the Nielsen research showing a boom in time-shifted viewing--probably more than networks anticipated--it appears that there is now much at stake. Significant DVR-infused ratings for pricey shows, such as "The Office," raise the question of how much money networks may be "leaving on the table" this season and whether they will be able to extract dollars for DVR ratings next season. (Advertising Age says a spot on "The Office" goes for $219,000.)

CBS CFO Fred Reynolds signaled recently that networks will take a harder line next round. Reynolds says many DVR viewers are actually watching commercials, meaning that CBS is "delivering free goods."

"We ought to get paid for it and ... we'll have a stronger position in the 2007-08 upfront," Reynolds adds.

For now, "The Office," which is sparking a DVR-ratings debate, will be a TV-based phenomenon.

NBC's top television executive, Jeff Zucker, recently said that the network has opted not to stream "The Office" on NBC.com in order to maintain its eventual value in syndication. But another reason may be to limit the number of DVR-aided viewers who watch it outside its broadcast window. (Another may be to preserve revenues from iTunes downloads.)

NBC executives were not available for comment.

In comparison to the much lower-rated "Office," top-five hits "Grey's Anatomy" and "Lost" have seen "live plus seven" ratings increase by a respective 18% and 17% over "live" ratings, but no episode appears to have crossed the 20% line.

Nielsen's report on the top time-shifted shows for 2006 was based on household ratings, not the 18-to-49 demo in which DVRs are more pervasive. The show posting the greatest increase between "live" and "live plus seven" household ratings in the Nielsen poll was NBC's "Studio 60," up 10.9% on average, followed by the network's "Heroes" at 9.1%.

Networks arguably took a pie-in-the-sky approach in the most recent upfront as they sought to press buyers to pay for some DVR-aided ratings. ABC's sales chief Mike Shaw led the charge. But buyers closed rank and refused, on the grounds that DVR viewership arguably is a euphemism for commercials-skipped.

Of course, if "commercial ratings"--and that is a big "if"--become an industry standard and provide hard data on the breakdown of how many commercials are watched and skipped with DVRs, the issue could become moot.

"Commercial ratings are the answer," says Geoff Robison, senior vice president, national broadcast for Palisades Media Group. "But I can't imagine the issue will be resolved by this upfront. It's a pretty steep mountain to climb that quickly."

On some levels, it isn't surprising that rabid DVR users are watching "The Office" via the devices.

Viewers have demonstrated a willingness to watch the show on-demand, with a large number doing so via iTunes downloads (costing $1.99 each), although NBC declined to provide exact figures. Yesterday, an episode of the "Office" was listed as iTunes' top-downloaded show, and the series accounted for three of the top 10, more than any other program.

"The Office" also runs in the same time slot as two strong-performing shows--"Ugly Betty" on ABC and "Survivor" on CBS--perhaps leading some viewers to record "The Office" and watch one of the other shows live. "Survivor" may fall into that category, since it has an immediacy factor with contestants voted off each week. "People want to see that in real-time," says Gail Ettinger, executive vice president, national broadcast at KSL Media.

"Office" viewers are also believed to be more upscale and tech-savvy than the general public--iTunes use is an example--and to own more DVRs on average. The show is in the top-10 most-recorded shows among TiVo users, considered to be even more upscale than the general DVR universe.

NBC executives frequently trumpet the role that iTunes downloads have played in improving ratings for the "The Office," arguing that alternative distribution forms add to--rather than cannibalize--ratings. But any ratings increases appear to be modest. Before the show was made available last season on iTunes, it was averaging a 3.9 in the 18-to-49 demo. It finished the season with a 4.0--a 3% increase. This year, it averaged a 3.7 "live" rating in sweeps--down from the pre-iTunes days.

A Benihana Christmas
By Chana Shwadlenak
TV Guide Community: The Office December 14, 2006

"I think I'll go to Angela's party, because that's the party I know." Luckily for everyone, Kevin's fear of the unknown didn't prevent us from seeing a whole new kind of Dunder-Mifflin Christmas party this year — comfortably similar to last year, but with a whole lot more going on. Karaoke! Indistinguishable (to Michael) Benihana waitresses! Regular and strawberry margaritas! The return of Oscar! Well, almost. I think we all pretty much saw the inevitable "it's over" from Remax after the impromptu Diwali proposal, but that didn't make it any easier (or less hilarious) to watch Michael suffer a broken heart. I can't think of a more signature Michael Scott move than his 30-second online sampling of James Blunt's "Goodbye My Lover" — as he so eloquently put it, "I don't need to buy it, I just want to taste it." One trip to "Asian Hooters" and several Nog-a-sakes later, Scranton's fearless leader faced yet another heartache when his dry-erase-marked rebound girl gave him the slip and took his old bike. Hopefully Rebound #2 will cure what ails him at Sandals Jamaica — the only question is, who's the mystery lady? Surely it's not Jan....

Speaking of mysteries, how great was that "lady or the tiger" commercial break? Oh majestic Stanley, from whom New Year's was almost grievously taken away, which party will you choose? Obviously, the one with the more brightly colored flyer. And vodka. I enjoyed seeing Pam and Karen getting along, as well as the nervous looks their newfound friendship elicited from Jim. But better yet, I'm still glad that newer, bolder Pam is still at heart the office caretaker. She's the one who ended Angela's party-planning agony, she's the one who gave her extra robe to Toby, she's even the one who helped Michael adjust to a more comfortable wallow when his grief overpowered his heart, his stomach and his arm. Whereas last year, Jim had the perfect gift for Pam (I'm always looking for that teapot on her desk), this year it was Pam who had spent weeks upon weeks torturing Dwight to put together the perfect gift for Jim. Or at least, for the old Jim. And that brings us to Mr. Halpert's two standout, fraught-with-double-meaning lines of the night. First, about turning down the CIA dossier for Dwight (and clearly, returning to a routine of daily hijinks with Pam): "I feel like there's a chance for me to start over, and if I fall back into the same kind of things I used to do, then what am I doing?" Poor Jim, trying so hard to do the right thing and move on. But, as I'm sure many of my squee-obsessed brethren were thrilled to see, he just can't make good. In trying to give Michael a pep talk toward the end of the episode, he was again obviously talking about his beloved Ms. Beasley: "You just had a rebound — which, don't get me wrong, can be a really fun distraction. But when it's over, you're left thinking about the girl you really like — the one that broke your heart." Uh-oh, Karen. You may think you guys are perfect for each other because you both got Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason for Christmas, but I'm thinking Jim's gift to Pam — the CIA ice-cream-social assignment for Dwight — spells doom for you two. (That goes for you, too, Roy. We didn't get to see much of the photo album you gave your ex-girl, but I think we all know where her heart belongs.)

A few other holiday delights worth mentioning: Angela's bevy of snarktastic remarks, including "Orange is whorish" and "I don't walk into your house and steal your Hello Kitty backpack"; Kevin belting out "You Oughta Know" a little too convincingly while Darryl accompanied him on synthesizer; the revelation of Angela's adorable-yet-icky nickname for Dwight via walkie-talkie ("Monkey, this is Possum, do you copy?"); Toby's "why?" when Dwight stole his bathrobe; Michael's gut-wrenching soliloquy on love, urban style ("and suddenly she's not yo' ho no mo'... "); Phyllis admitting she'd like a little Christmas roadkill goose; the bleeped curse when Michael banged his bike into the door; and a complete throwaway but one I intend to start using daily: Dwight's revival of "and circle gets the square."

Happy holidays, everybody! Just remember, it's that time of year when we should make peace with our enemies, merge our rival parties in the name of Nutcracker Christmas, and return any karaoke-machine power cords we might have "misplaced."

David Denman, The Office: Can Roy Win Back Pam?
by Sabrina Rojas Weiss
TVGuide.com
December 14, 2006

After spending all summer waiting to see what happened after Jim and Pam's kiss, fans of NBC's The Office received another shock at the start of this season: Pam's loutish, inconsiderate and generally unworthy ex-fiancι, Roy, emerged from the aftermath a changed man. After being dumped and arrested for a DUI, he lost weight, got cute and realized — too late? — that he'd taken Pam for granted. No one was more surprised about this transformation than David Denman, the Juilliard-trained actor who plays the warehouse wonk. TVGuide.com sought out Denman to see what's up Roy's sleeve and to find out if tonight's hourlong episode, "A Benihana Christmas" (starting at 8 pm/ET), will bring new complications to the Roy-Pam-Jim-Karen love quadrangle.

TVGuide.com: Let's begin with the obvious. How did you end up playing Roy?

David Denman: I had seen the original British version [of The Office] and was a huge fan. I heard they were doing an American version, so I called my agent. He said, "You really want to do that?"

TVGuide.com: Because everyone doubted its prospects?

Denman: Everyone thought [the American version] was not going to be good, that it wouldn't translate well.

TVGuide.com: The British version of Roy — Lee — is pretty mean and unlikable. Did that attract you?

Denman: By the time I got in, all the other parts had been cast! I think it's pretty funny that he isn't likable in the original. And he wasn't likable for our first season. It wasn't until this year that [executive producer] Greg [Daniels] had the idea that he wanted to make Roy more of a viable option for Pam. When he said that, I said, "Are you crazy? I think that's a great idea, but how are we going to do that?" We spent the whole season making him such a knucklehead. I said that the only way that would work is if he realizes that he's been such an idiot and has some sort of cathartic experience. So they came up with the DUI. I don't think Roy's a bad guy. He just never had to work at that relationship. They'd been together for 10 years or something.

TVGuide.com: So you hadn't been lobbying for this all along?

Denman: I wanted to be around. I wanted to see Pam and Roy together, but as a fan of the show, it was clearly Pam and Jim.

TVGuide.com: And of course, once the main couple finally gets together, they have to break up.

Denman: You've got to drag that triangle out as long as you possibly can. So they brought Karen in for Jim, which I think is a great idea. Now Pam gets to sit back and pine over Jim. When all is said and done, I really hope Pam ends up with Roy. I think that's reality. That's the kind of stuff that happens.

TVGuide.com: Is it just my perception, or did you go through a big physical change to become the new Roy?

Denman: I definitely did! I lost something like 30 or 40 pounds. I started training for triathlons.

TVGuide.com: Which came first, that you were supposed to lose weight for the character, or that you were training?

Denman: It was never said, "You should lose some weight." But Greg said, "I want to make you more of a viable option." I said, "That's great, because I was actually planning to get back in [shape] and start working out." I'd kinda turned into a little bit of a couch potato. And then one of the camera operators on the show, Matt Sohn, who has done a bunch of triathlons, was trying to get us to go do this Malibu triathlon, and I said, "Yeah, I'll do it." I started on this training schedule for about eight weeks. I had so much fun, I did another one, like, a month later.

TVGuide.com: Did anyone else from the cast do it?

Denman: Ed Helms (Andy) did a triathlon with me.

TVGuide.com: He's hard to imagine as athletic.

Denman: I thought the same thing, but the guy was a swimmer in college. He actually beat me; I was so pissed!

TVGuide.com: Is there any warehouse/office rivalry?

Denman: It's not a rivalry. I show up, and they go, "You suck. I'm here every day, 12 hours a day, while you're on your butt at home, and you come in for your one day of work a week!"

TVGuide.com: I notice you've joined your cast mates in the MySpace world.

Denman: Jenna [Fischer] started it, Angela [Kinsey] jumped on board pretty quickly, and then I eventually got on board and added a site. Everybody would send me e-mails going, "You're such a jerk. It's awesome!"

TVGuide.com: If you were Roy, what would you do to win Pam back?

Denman: I think the strategy is, first of all, to listen to her and try to care about what she wants. I think he's trying to be encouraging. And also to sit back and give her a little space.

TVGuide.com: Does he have a clue about Jim?

Denman: No! As far as I'm concerned, he doesn't know. I think that's way more juicy if we wait until later in the season.

TVGuide.com: What can you tell us about tonight's Christmas-party episode?

Denman: Michael gets his heart broken by Carol, and they take him to Benihana to cheer him up. Roy is trying to be funny for Pam a little bit. There's a scene when I'm trying to talk to her, and she's not having it. She and Karen end up kind of becoming friends in this episode. And Roy gives Pam a nice present at the end.

TVGuide.com: What else do you have coming up?

Denman: I'm in this movie called Fanboys, where I play the meathead brother to one of these four guys who take a road trip across the country to break into Skywalker Ranch to steal a rough cut of [Star Wars:] Episode I. And then I have another movie, Crossing Paths, with Minnie Driver. Our son gets killed, and it's all about how he dies and [how they deal] with the loss. Then I did another movie called If I Had Known I Was a Genius. It has Whoopi Goldberg, Sharon Stone, Pink and Tara Reid... a bunch of random people. It's loosely based on a true story about a child actor whose show gets canceled and eventually he ends up working at Costco. I play his nerdy manager.

TVGuide.com: So you're not a meathead!

Denman: There you go! And I'm leaving next week to do this movie called Smart People with Sarah Jessica Parker and Dennis Quaid. I get to play a smart guy — a neurologist! — so I'm excited.