Jim and Pam's Office Space
By Stephen Battaglio
TV Guide - October 2 - 8, 2006

It was a big summer for The Office's Pam Beesly. She called off her wedding to Roy. She's got her own apartment for the first time. She's taking art classes. But why has her not-so-secret admirer Jim moved to the Stamford branch of Dunder Mifflin? Seems TV's favorite receptionist needs a little alone time before heading into a new romance. "I was really happy Pam didn't marry Roy," says Jenna Fischer about her character's cliff-hanger. "But I was also happy that Pam is going to figure out who she is in life without a man. Throughout the season we're going to see Pam develop an identity."

John Krasinski's character has learned some life lessons as well since Pam rebuffed him in last season's finale. "There's only so much you can take before you start bordering on the pathetic," he says. "He needs to stand up for himself and move on with his life." How long will they be apart? Fischer says their issues start to bubble up in the third episode, and at some point they'll be back in the same office again. "We're not going to leave poor Jim alone in Stamford forever," she says. But don't count out Roy (David Denman). "I think you're going to see some chemistry between Pam and Roy that you haven't seen before."

A gay old time at 'The Office' - From Inside the Box - Zap2it
By Rick Porter
September 21, 2006

"Ughhh ... ahhh ... awww ... arghh."

That's an approximation of Oscar's reaction to what may well be the ickiest, funniest, most fantastically awkward kiss in, what? The last decade? 25 years? Ever?

NBC spent an entire summer building up the Jim-and-Pam kiss on The Office, and in Thursday's season premiere, it's the B story. A really good and nicely handled B story, to be sure: Loved Jim's slow revelation that he misses the other nutbags in Scranton almost as much as he misses Pam (and that Stamford co-worker Rashida Jones called out his mugging to the camera), and Pam's habitual stares at Ryan, now occupying Jim's old desk (and a full-time employee).

That left lots of room for Steve Carell to give his most squirm-inducing performance in quite some time. It almost physically hurt watching Michael dig further and further into this ditch ("Did you know that gay used to mean happy? When I was growing up it meant lame.") And then the crying, and then the kiss. I'm laughing just replaying it in my head.

Other bits of beauty from the premiere:

Creed: "It's possible a man may have slipped in. There's no way of knowing." Creed's '60s remembrances are all the funnier knowing they're pretty much real.

Stanley's toaster lament.

Roy's realization of the good thing he's lost in Pam. The brief flashes of humanity he's shown in the past have been fun, but this could get really interesting, particularly if Jim ends up back in Scranton.

Phyllis to Michael: "You knew me in high school. Of course we all thought you were gay in high school." Michael: "That's what she said. Or he said."

Pam's reaction to Jim's Gaydar tool as the final credits rolled. As cringingly hilarious as much of the rest of the episode was, Pam's rueful smile was a really sweet, quiet note to end on.

So, what else? Were you able to keep your eyes on screen the whole time, or was Michael just too much to take?

The Office: TV Guide Community: September 21, 2006

Welcome back, old friend. There's so much to say I don't even know where to begin, so I'll start with a side note: I received a lot of giddy e-mails today from fellow Office fans, all giddily waiting for tonight's premiere. My buddy Drew went so far as to say, "Last season ended so spectacularly, I'm not sure they can top it." And I've never been happier for him to be wrong.

First things first: Pam called off the wedding! Jim moved to Stamford! We're left to reel from these colossal life changes while the rest of Dunder-Mifflin, Scranton branch gets an impromptu lesson in gay pride. (Not to be confused with Gay Shame Festival.) Not only does Michael out Oscar in front of the entire office, he manages to do it combining the sheer ignorance of Archie Bunker and the well-meaning (albeit hazardous) exuberance of Dennis the Menace. And just as last season ended with a purely squee-worthy kiss, the new one begins with a lip-lock that literally made me curl my toes in discomfort. Awesomely hilarious discomfort. (Hey, if all it takes to score three months' paid vacation is an awkward embrace with your boss, then ? no, never mind.) Believe it or not, I'm pretty sure Michael Scott truly broadened his horizons ? "That's what she said... or he said" may be a small step, but it's a step nonetheless. I think this episode once again proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that: A) the show completely deserved the Emmy, and B) Steve Carell was robbed of one.

As always, some of the funniest moments occured in the margins: Ryan's sad surrender to life as a non-temp ("Ryan Howard is a junior sales associate at a mid-range paper supply firm... that'll show 'em."); Stanley's dismay at being the proud owner of two toasters; Creed's admission that in the mud-and-rainy days of free love, a man could have "slipped in" there; and Meredith's late-afternoon shot of antibacterial hand sanitizer. And the same goes for Jim's new coworkers at the Stamford branch ? as hard as it is to accept our beloved Big Tuna so far away from home, Ed Helms and Rashida Jones seem like they'll be able to keep him on his toes for the time being. Speaking of Jim, did you notice he never once uttered the "P" word? Nor did Pam make mention of the absent Mr. Halpert. Not that their collective umpteen longing glances didn't speak volumes enough, I just thought I'd point it out.

Here comes the biggest shocker of the night ? at least for me, anyway. Roy, you've completely broken my heart. Damn this show! I've never wanted a TV couple together more than Pam and Jim, and yet all of a sudden here I am rooting for poor Roy to win back the girl of his dreams. Let me take this opportunity to give mad props to David Denman for never once letting Roy become a caricature ? it would be so easy to go all Bluto to Pam's Olive Oyl, but this love triangle works precisely because there is no bad guy. (And seriously, dude, what's your secret? All-grapefruit diet? Yoga booty ballet? Manorexia? I don't know how to deal with a Roy who's not a great big bear of a warehouse worker ? I'm thisclose to sending you contraband Hostess snack cakes in the mail.)

So there it is. I'm thrilled my favorite show has returned, utterly conflicted over our dear Pam's love life, and already foaming at the mouth for next week's episode. I'd say The Office is back.

NBC Universal and I-play Bring The Office to Mobile; Best Clips From the Emmy Award-winning Comedy Now Available to North American Mobile Users

LOS ANGELES, Calif. & SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 21, 2006--NBC Universal and I-play, the mobile entertainment company, today announced a new on demand video offering that brings the most memorable scenes from the Emmy Award winning comedy series, The Office, to mobile. Through a groundbreaking license agreement with Universal Mobile Entertainment, I-play and Universal will unveil the first prime time content from NBC Universal's extensive television series catalog. The most memorable clips from The Office will be available in North America later this year. The Office Season 3 makes its premiere on NBC September 21, 2006 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The news comes on the back of the groundbreaking announcement made at CTIA last week in which I-play and Universal released details of their blockbuster movie clip offering. The deal was a first for Hollywood studios in that it was the first time a deal has been struck for 'the best of clips' being made available on mobile on-demand. The Office agreement is further testament to a continuing relationship between I-play and Universal that advances the two companies mobile partnership focused on games and on-demand video services.

"Offering select video clips from popular television series like The Office is one way that NBC Universal is looking to extend our audiences' experience with the brand," said Jeremy Laws, Senior Vice President, Universal Mobile Entertainment. "We look forward to working with I-play, who has been a key strategic partner for us as we address consumers' growing appetite for mobile video content."

David Gosen, CEO of I-play commented: "I-play is continuing to build its library of video on demand entertainment and having the best scenes from The Office fits perfectly with the profile of today's burgeoning 'clip culture'. Bite size chunks of comedy, wit and innuendo delivered when the end user wants to see it is a compelling offering -- mobile on demand video really puts choice and control in the hands of the consumer."

About The Office:

This year's Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Comedy Series, "The Office" takes a painfully funny look at the interactions of the desk jockeys at Dunder Mifflin paper-supply company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Steve Carell ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin" -- whom E! Online said, "might be the funniest man alive,") stars as unctuous regional manager Michael Scott who hosts the documentary crew on a tour of the workplace. Jenna Fischer ("Slither"), John Krasinski ("Jarhead," "Kinsey"), Rainn Wilson ("Six Feet Under"), and B.J. Novak ("Punk'd") star as the employees who tolerate Michael's inappropriate behavior only because he signs their paychecks. Also starring are Melora Hardin as Jan Levinson, David Denman as Roy, Leslie David Baker as Stanley Hudson, Brian Baumgartner as Kevin Malone, Kate Flannery as Meredith Palmer, Angela Kinsey as Angela Martin, Oscar Nunez as Oscar Martinez and Phyllis Smith as Phyllis Lapin.

"The Office" is executive-produced by Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels, who developed the series for American television, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Howard Klein. The series is produced by Reveille in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.

The show is currently broadcast by NBC in the United States, Global TV in Canada, Channel 6 in Ireland, BBC Three in the United Kingdom, Star World in the Asia Pacific region and Channel Ten in Australia.

I-play's move into on-demand video services support the company's 'mass market' approach to mobile gaming, offering something for everyone, in a fun, accessible package. The company plans to announce more video based deals over the coming months and will continue to look at revenue opportunities within the delivery and hosting of mobile entertainment content.

About I-play:

I-play brings the best in mobile entertainment to an audience of over one billion people via a network of over 120 carriers worldwide, including Sprint (NYSE:S), Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ), Cingular, Vodafone (LSE:VOD.L) and Telefonica Moviles (NYSE:TEM), amongst others and online portals including http://www.iplay.com/. I-play has been creating mobile games since 1998 and continues to spearhead the creation of mobile entertainment for the next generation. As one of the world's longest established and respected creators of mobile entertainment, the I-play brand stands for quality and the best in mobile development. Working with the best media and entertainment brands I-play is dedicated to fulfilling the promise of the mobile phone as the first truly mass-market electronic entertainment platform.

I-play's investors are Apax Partners and Argo Global Capital. I-play is headquartered in London, with North American Regional HQ in San Mateo, California and European Regional HQ in Dunfermline, Scotland; a publishing studio in Macclesfield as well as sales offices in Paris, Hamburg, Madrid, New York and Singapore.

For more information, please call +44 (0) 20 7901 1760 or visit us at http://www.iplay.com/ I-play is a trademark and trading name of Digital Bridges Limited.

About Universal Mobile Entertainment:

Universal Mobile Entertainment (UME) generates revenues and enhances brand awareness for NBC Universal's motion picture and television properties through licensing agreements with top-tier publishers. UME oversees the creation of high-quality mobile application services that include games, ringtones, wallpapers, MMS, SMS services and audiovisual services, and ensures ubiquitous distribution through mobile operators and portals worldwide. With offices in Los Angeles, London and Tokyo the team has been aggressive in the mobile content market since 2000 and currently has hundreds of mobile products that are available to consumers in every major territory of the world.

About NBC Universal:

Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric and 20% owned by Vivendi.

Electric City - 'Office' Crush
By Matt Smith - e.c. Editor
September 21, 2006

We get the dish on the kissing cliffhanger from resident hottie Jenna "Pam" Fischer

Steve Carell's Michael Scott gets all those oh-no-he-didn't cringes. Rainn Wilson's Dwight Schrute is just, well, everything that an oddball assistant to the regional manager can be. And John Krasinski's Jim Halpert is just so dreamy with his mop top and puppy-dog eyes. But it's Jenna Fischer's portrayal of receptionist Pam Beesly that ec/dc swoons for.

On the eve of the season premiere of The Office, we caught up with the 32-year-old actress as she was about to board a flight with Krasinski for this morning's appearance on The Today Show.

Question: I saw on your MySpace page that you were afraid to walk through the airport with John Krasinski because he's easy to recognize?

Answer: Well, this would be like the most public of public Jim-Pam outings that I can think of, so it should be interesting. And I just spilled water on myself so it looks like I pee-ed my pants. So in addition to that, I have the lovely distinction of looking like I pee myself. It's great.

Question: You've also been blogging about finding a particular dress for an US Weekly party. Why all the hand-wringing on your part? Are you that way about clothes?

Answer: I don't love shopping. Never have. I went to a girls' high school and we wore a uniform, and it was the biggest relief of my love. I only had a choice of three colors, two styles of sweater, and a skirt, which I had to wear every day. I find that very freeing. I tend to go to the store and find a pair of pants, and I'll buy it in three colors, because I don't like really having to think about what I wear. It just stresses me out in general. ... And as the show gets more popular, I have more and more occasions to dress up, so I just find the whole thing sort of stressful.

Question: What do you do to de-stress? Do you go to a happy place?

Answer: (Laughs) What do I do to de-stress? Currently I de-stress by watching old episodes of 24 with my husband (actor James Gunn). We just became obsessed with the show, and we're in the middle of season four right now. ... I watch a lot of TV.

Question: So did you meet a bunch of TV stars at the Emmys?

Answer: You'd be surprised how many celebrities I did not meet at the Emmys. I didn't really use that opportunity to the fullest. After we won, it was just a media frenzy, and then we wanted to go quickly and celebrate with our crew, who were all waiting for us at a private party. ... I didn't get to meet Kiefer (Sutherland), I didn't get to meet the cast of Deadwood, and I didn't get to meet the cast of Grey's Anatomy. I met Lisa Kudrow, which was awesome, and Heidi Klum. That's it.

Question: And you still have to visit Scranton. The rumor is you'll be coming for the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Answer: I've heard that rumor, and I've even asked the producers flat-out, and they won't give me a straight answer. I think they don't know. It's a pretty big deal to fly all our cast and crew out to do the show, and put us up, but it's something that everybody from the producer to the cast really want to do, just because we feel attached to Scranton. ... We want to come and live it up.

Question: Speaking of not getting a straight answer, so what happened with Pam and Jim?

Answer: There's been a lot of speculation and a lot of rumors, and even some things printed in major newspapers, and not a single place has gotten it exactly right. ... I will say this: Most of your questions will be answered in the first episode. Pretty much everything you've been waiting to find out, we don't leave you hanging on. It's all there.

Question: Are you afraid it could turn into a Ross and Rachel thing, where they get together and break up ad infinitum?

Answer: The most important thing is that our show be committed to doing what's real, and what's authentic for the characters. Since the beginning, I've said that I think it would be a wonderful surprise if after everything's over they end up with none of the people you ever think they would end up with. Sometimes you meet that person who inspires you to make a change in your life but that doesn't mean they're "the one."

Question: So it could be that Pam doesn't end up with Roy or Jim, but she ends up with some guy that we meet next year.

Answer: I think they can only be perfect for each other if they continue to be perfect for each other, and we just have to wait and see how that plays out.

Question: Speaking of being true to the character, I've talked to a lot of women in Scranton, and they love your portrayal of Pam. She's someone from a modest background, but she can still be sharp and cool and funny. And I think they see themselves that way.

Answer: Well, I grew up in St. Louis, Mo., and I always wanted to be an actress, but I didn't really know how to do this. My dad's an engineer and my mom's a school teacher. I used to do plays at school. I went to a liberal arts college (Truman State University). And then I moved to L.A., and worked as a secretary and sat behind a receptionist's desk, and I dreamed about being on a TV show. And I think that, to me, Pam is very relatable. Pam is me without the courage to do anything about her dreams.

I know what it's like to be caught in a place where you want something different for your life but you don't know exactly how to get it. But, also, Pam isn't as ambitious as I am, so the only thing Pam really needs to make her happy is a great relationship and a job where she's creatively expressed in some way. Pam doesn't need to be showing her art in a big gallery and going to cocktail parties in New York - Pam just needs to have a great graphic-design job, marry the man of her dreams, have a couple kids, and that's the perfect life. ... You're job shouldn't be who you are - it should just be what you do. And I think that's why our show works really great. Clearly Dunder-Mifflin is a horrible place to work but people are finding their bits of happiness in the world, and I think that's cool.

IGN: The Office - Season Two (US/2005) Review
Steve Carell returns for an amazing season of the brillant comedy series
By Eric Goldman

September 13, 2006 - Like so many others, I was quite skeptical about the US version of The Office. The British series it's based on is one of the best television comedies ever, and it was so easy to imagine how any attempt to adapt it could go so very wrong. However, the US version quickly proved to be far from the disaster some feared, introducing clever new versions of the UK characters that were played by a likable and talented cast.

That said, the short first season of the American edition didn't make a particularly strong impression: the pilot episode took a lot of flak for using the script to the British pilot, while other early episodes took some story elements from the UK version, albeit not as directly. So Season Two was going to be the real test; not only would the US version have to produce more episodes than its UK predecessor, but distinguish those installments as something more than just a pale imitation. Could this new version of The Office truly stand on its own, as it dwindled away the ability to rely on the original for inspiration?

As it turned out, Season Two's response was quite a loud, "Hell yeah." The Office quickly turned from a very funny show into a truly brilliant show. Fully emerging from its predecessors' shadow, Executive Producer Greg Daniels and his incredible team of writers and actors delivered episode after episode of great material.

The UK Office was a bleak and often depressing show, and there was clearly a mandate to lighten things up a bit in the second season of the US version, rather than follow the path the original took. Instead "wimping out" or playing it safe, this decision helped the show quite a bit to become its own entity. The amazing Steve Carell's Michael Scott turns out to not be quite as incompetent as his British counterpart, Ricky Gervais's David Brent. David is one of the greatest TV characters ever, but the fact is, Michael can't be that bad, simply because this show is intended to run for several years, not 12 episodes, and it would be impossible to imagine Michael keeping his job if he was that terrible at it.

Not that he's all that good, mind you. The Office mines plenty of comic gold from how terribly socially awkward Michael is, along with his hysterically funny, but cringe inducing casual racism (witness his reaction to a man with a turban showing up at the office, or all of his interactions with black employees Stanley and Daryl). But at the same time, we get to see some intriguing other aspects of Michael that make him a fully formed character, even as he remains as amusingly out of the loop as ever. The episode "The Client", in which Michael and his boss Jan (Melora Hardin) try to close a deal with a potential client played by Tim Meadows, serves as a perfect example of the US version going down a path the UK version didn't, in a way that really works and helps give the show its own feel.

Michael's lackey Dwight (Rainn Wilson) exists in a world of his own. Dwight is in some ways a very over the top character, who could risk bringing the audience out of the mundane world the show exists in. Yet Wilson manages to infuse Dwight with a true sense of gravity and belief in what he saying, that makes this oddball, beet-growing, wannabe authority figure both lovable and ridiculous all at once. Dwight also has one of the most random and funny car accident scenes ever, that makes me laugh just thinking about it.

In the second season, the show also does a wonderful job of developing the rest of the staff of Dunder-Mifflin, something the UK version could never do to this extent, simply because 12 episodes just didn't allow for it. By the end of the season, everyone who sits in the office has a distinct and funny personality the audience is familiar with, and cast members like Creed Bratton and Angela Kinsey (who, like many of the supporting cast, use their actual first names for their character) have proven they can easily carry their own scenes and situations.

And then of course, there's Jim and Pam. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I was this involved in a TV show love story. It's wrenching watching the long-suffering Jim joke and play with his best friend Pam, while secretly, desperately, wishing the engaged receptionist would be more than his friend. John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer truly are the heart and soul of the show, and the pair have an innate charisma that shines forth on the series. I'm well aware that I am not alone in my TV crush on Fischer, or that Krasinski isn't lacking for female fans.

It's very easy to see why so many viewers feel this way about these two actors - They are so charming and sweet and fun, and the dynamic they create as Jim and Pam is so genuine. You believe in their friendship, and the feelings underneath it, and it is nearly impossible to not root for them to get together.

Meanwhile, from Christmas parties to Take You Daughter to Work Day to the fallout from a joint found in the parking lot, season two delivers one huge laugh after another. Hysterical comedy, terrific characters and touching sentiment… What else do you want? With Arrested Development sadly over, The Office is easily the best comedy on television these days.

Score: 10 out of 10

The Video:

The Office is shot on HD video, with camera work evoking the handheld, quickly moving feel of a documentary, in order to retain the show's setup: That we are watching the footage shot by a documentary crew, about this particular office staff. The season two set features a very strong looking Anamorphic Widescreen (1:78:1) transfer that is among the best in recent memory when it comes to half hour comedies on DVD.

Score: 8 out of 10

The Audio Presentation:

Upgrading from the first season DVD's 2.0 track, The Office Season Two is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1. This is hardly a series attempting for any audio showboating - In fact, much of the humor and pathos comes from the many pauses and moments of silence that are both funny and emotional. But there's certainly nothing wrong with having the strong, clean presentation the soundtrack gets here, which retains all of the purposely differing levels of volume, as the unseen documentary crew works to record audio, even while the characters are whispering.

Subtitles are available in English and Spanish.

Score: 8 out of 10

Packaging and Extras The Office Season Two comes in a digipack, fold out case (inside a slip cover) with the discs split between two "pages" of the case, along with episode descriptions printed on the adjacent inside and back covers. Unfortunately, Universal is following Warner Bros' recent TV show box set packaging here, where one disc sits in the case overlapping the other. This style is a pet peeve of mine, as I find it greatly awkward and cumbersome, especially because you have to remove one disc to get to the other one below it.

This four-disc release features the following extras:

Webisodes
Fake PSAs
Olympics Promos
"Faces of Scranton"
"Steve on Steve"
Blooper Reel
Deleted Scenes
Commentaries

The Office turned into a decent sized hit in its second season, but well before that, it developed an incredibly loyal, intense fanbase. This DVD set is the kind that repays that type of fan, offering up a huge amount of extras that is far more than most TV series, especially half hour comedies, typically receives on DVD.

The webisodes collect all 10 installments of The Office: The Accountants 10 part series that ran online this summer, which tell the story of Office characters Kevin, Angela and Oscar, investigating $3000 that has gone missing. Consisting of "episodes" that are about 2 minutes each, this is an amusing little tangential story featuring several of the many great supporting cast from the show, along with an appearance from Wilson.

The fake PSAs consist of 17 quick (20 second or so) parodies cast members John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Rainn Wilson, Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak took part in, in which they send up NBC's "The More You Know" campaign, as they deliver funny, off-kilter bits of advice to the camera, essentially all in character - Krasinski's one about The Fugitive might be my favorite.

The Olympics Promos are four commercials the cast filmed to promote the series while it was off the air, while NBC was airing the winter Olympics.

I was a bit let down by "Faces of Scranton." This is the full version of the video created by Michael in the "Valentine's Day" episode. The video itself is very funny, and a great moment on that episode, but given its separate placement on the DVD, I figured a lot must have been cut, only to discover the full version is just a tiny bit longer, restoring only one (albeit clever) bit, showing more interaction between Michael and the no-time-for-laughs Stanley.

"Steve on Steve" is a cute, albeit frivolous, piece, which was originally created as footage that ran in between episodes of an Office Season One marathon that aired on NBC summer 2005. Steve Carell, through the magic of special effects, interviews himself, and Jenna Fischer makes a quick appearance, in footage used to plug The 40 Year Old Virgin (a film also owned by Office producer NBC Universal). At least it's shameless promotion for a really good movie.

If you enjoy blooper reels, this is a great one, running nearly 17 minutes. On a show as funny as The Office, it's hard to imagine the cast keeping a straight face all the time, so it's always fun and gratifying to see that indeed, they aren't always able to. There's also some good footage here from scenes that aren't included anywhere else on the disc.

Not to say the Deleted Scenes are lacking though. Far from it! It turns out The Office always tends to run long when episodes are first cut together, and every single episode from season two has deleted scenes on this set, ranging from around three minutes, to nearly ten minutes of additional material. All together, there is nearly two and a half hours of deleted scenes on this set!

To put that in perspective, time wise, there's over six (22 minute) episodes worth of content on this set consisting of deleted scenes alone. While you can see why much of this footage was cut, due to its lack of importance to the story or perhaps because it just wasn't quite as strong as some other scenes left in, there is still a ton of excellence here, which not only deliver the funny, but also some insights into supporting characters like Toby and Creed, including more information on their respective pasts.

As for the commentaries, they are done group style on ten different episodes, with anywhere from five to ten participants, which include various groupings of the following people: John Krasinski ("Jim"), Rainn Wilson ("Dwight"), Paul Lieberstein (writer/"Toby"), Jenna Fischer ("Pam"), Kate Flannery ("Meredith"), Oscar Nunez ("Oscar"), Brian Baumgartner ("Kevin"), B.J. Novak (writer/"Ryan"), Angela Kinsey ("Angela"), David Denman ("Roy"), Melora Hardin ("Jan"), Mindy Kaling (writer/"Kelly"), Randall Einhorn (director of photography), Larry Wilmore (writer), Mike Schur (writer), Jen Celotta (writer), Lee Eisenberg (writer), Gene Stupnitsky (writer), Dave Rogers (editor), Paul Feig (director), Kent Zbornak (Co-Executive Producer), Greg Daniels (Executive Producer).

These are funny and amusing commentaries, where the cast and crew (who clearly get along great) have a good time teasing each other, while throwing out tidbits about the episodes. The only notable absence of course is Carell, who is mentioned more than once, couldn't participate due to his extremely busy film career (he went right from shooting The Office Season Two to the Bruce Almighty spinoff Evan Almighty). The only problem with commentaries like this is how hard it can get to keep track of people, particularly those who aren't actors, and whose voices aren't as familiar, so it's too bad there's no on screen text to inform the viewer who is speaking at which point.

It seems ridiculous to quibble over a set that gives the fan this much extra material, but the only thing I felt was lacking was perhaps a video interview/look back at the season with Daniels and perhaps the other writers. There are interesting mentions on the commentaries about some of the decisions made in season two, including the attempts to make Michael less of a dark character, but the group/party atmosphere of the commentaries doesn't allow for much elaboration. Either a separate solo commentary or interview probably would have been able to fix this tiny issue. It would have been also nice to hear a bit more from Novak, Kaling and Lieberstein about what it's like to be staff writers and cast members at the same time, but alas, maybe on the next set.

All in all, it's hard to complain, because this is an extremely impressive collection of extras.

Score: 9 out of 10

The Bottom Line:

We have two shows called The Office now, and unbelievable as it may seem, they are both truly great in their own different ways. This new collection shows exactly why the US version of the series deserves its recent acclaim and awards, and why it's one of the most satisfying series on TV right now. The set is an excellent one, that offers hours of additional material and extras that Office fans will happily immerse themselves in.

Score: 10 out of 10

NBC's 'The Office' Cast Goes Casual to Help in the Fight Against Breast Cancer
emediawire.com
September 8, 2006

Cast Members Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer and B.J. Novak participate in Lee National Denim Day® in support of the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Programs.

Merriam, KS (PRWEB) September 8, 2006 -- The Emmy Award-winning comedians of NBC’s “The Office” are lending their talents to a more serious cause -- the fight against breast cancer. Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer and B.J. Novak appear in a public service announcement encouraging people to participate in, Lee National Denim Day, which benefits the Women’s Cancer Programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF).

The cast members, using their signature sophisticated, quirky humor, ask people to wear denim to work on Friday, October 6, and make a $5 dollar donation to support Lee National Denim Day—the nation’s largest single-day fundraiser for breast cancer. The PSA will air on NBC nationwide throughout the month of September.

“We want people to understand how easy it is to support this meaningful campaign in the workplace, and the cast of NBC’s hit comedy ‘The Office’ is the perfect group to deliver this message,” says Lisa Paulsen, EIF’s president and CEO. “The Entertainment Industry Foundation is truly blessed to have such widespread volunteer support from individuals working in every part of our industry. That backing, combined with Lee Jean’s steadfast commitment to the cause, is helping advance promising breast cancer research.”

Money raised will benefit the Women’s Cancer Programs of EIF. Funds will be used to support a groundbreaking scientific project to detect breast cancer in its earliest stage. They will also help accelerate research on treatment and increase patient access to some of the most significant clinical trials, as well as continue to support grassroots programs across the country.

“Lee National Denim Day unites people across the country in one common goal—the fight against breast cancer,” said Liz Cahill, director of advertising and public relations for Lee Jeans. “We’re thrilled that the cast of ‘The Office’ chose to help with our cause. They will inspire people nationwide to be a part of the program.”

Companies, schools or organizations can register by visiting www.denimday.com or calling 1.800.521.5533 to receive a comprehensive participation kit, which includes educational materials about breast cancer in addition to supplies that make coordination easy.

Last year, more than 29,000 companies across the nation participated in the single-day fundraiser, and more than $8.6 million was raised for the fight against breast cancer.

Lee Jeans is a division of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC). Headquartered in Merriam, Kan., Lee manufactures and markets brand denim, casual pants, shirts, fleece and knit apparel. A brand committed to the community, Lee Jeans founded Lee National Denim Day, the largest single-day fundraiser for breast cancer. VF Corporation is a leader in branded apparel including jeanswear, outdoor products, intimate apparel, image apparel and sportswear. Its principal brands include Lee, Wrangler, Riders, Rustler, Vanity Fair, Vassarette, Bestform, Lily of France, Nautica, John Varvatos, JanSport, Eastpak, The North Face, Vans, Reef, Napapijri, Kipling, Lee Sport and Red Kap.

The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), as a leading charitable organization of the entertainment industry, has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support charitable initiatives addressing critical health, education and social issues.

EIF is committed to saving lives by raising awareness about the importance of early detection of breast and reproductive cancers, and providing funds to advance early detection and treatment research, as well as support to community programs that assist the millions of women and their families at risk of or affected by cancer.

Through EIF’s National Women’s Cancer Research Alliance and EIF’s Revlon Run/Walk For Women, EIF funds some of the most promising research being conducted today to develop new and more effective approaches to the treatment of women’s cancers. EIF grants helped accelerate research that led to a treatment breakthrough—the development of Herceptin®, the first successful drug that seeks out a particular gene found in one of three cases of the most aggressive form of breast cancer. EIF grants have also supported other state-of-the-art therapies bringing new and innovative treatment approaches to breast cancer worldwide.

More recently, EIF launched its Women’s Cancer Research Fund. Focused on early detection of cancer, the initiative supports EIF’s Breast Cancer Biomarker Discovery Project—an ambitious, groundbreaking scientific project where a group of internationally recognized scientists and clinicians are collaborating to develop a blood test that will detect breast cancer in its beginning stages, when survival rates are highest.

The Sun Online - News: ITV grabs US Office from BBC
September 7, 2006

BEEB bosses have been dealt a blow by ITV pinching the next two series of the hit US version of The Office.

The BBC, which made Ricky Gervais’ original show, screened the first series on BBC3.

Insiders said BBC planned to buy the next two series of the award-winning comedy.

But cheeky ITV bosses outbid them to grab it from under their noses.

An ITV source said: “It’s a great coup for us as The Office is always associated with the BBC — even the American one.

“They will be furious that we’ve done this.”

ITV plans to air the show on its spin-off channel ITV2 from the end of the month.

The Office: An American Workplace has been a huge success for US broadcaster NBC.

The comedy, which like the UK version revolves around life at a boring paper company, recently won a prestigious Emmy.

Office Gossip
By Michael Ausiello
The Ausiello Report - TV Guide
September 11 - 17, 2006

The British aren't coming! The British aren't coming! Despite reports that The Office's U.K. counterparts were getting ready to invade the American remake this season, co-creator (and star) of the Brit version Ricky Gervais insists, "That wasn't true." But behind the scenes, the two shows will stage a crossover: Gervais and writing partner Stephen Merchant have penned an episode of the Emmy-winning U.S. comedy to air in the spring. "It's Michael desperately trying to be PC, as usual, and failing miserably," Gervais reveals. "And Jim and Pam send Dwight on a wild-goose chase.... The strange thing was, I wasn't thinking of (my character) David Brent. I was thinking of (his Yank incarnation, Steve Carell's) Michael Scott. We were totally writing for the American version."

Golden Globe(R) Winner Steve Carell Leads a Hilarious Ensemble Cast in the 2006 Emmy(R) Award Winner for Outstanding Comedy: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

'The Office: Season Two'

22 Outrageously Funny Episodes of the Emmy(R) Winning Season and Over Six Hours of Bonus Features Arrive on DVD September 12, 2006 From Universal Studios Home Entertainment

'Never has a lousy job been so much fun.' - Time

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Aug. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- America's most dysfunctional workplace is open for business again when the Emmy winning "The Office: Season Two" comes to DVD on September 12, 2006 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Welcome back to Dunder-Mifflin, the cubicle kingdom where the hapless employees work for a staggeringly insensitive -- and unintentionally hilarious -- boss. Steve Carell ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Anchorman," "Bruce Almighty") earned a 2006 Emmy-nomination and a Golden Globe Award for starring as ignorant but harmless boss, Michael Scott, a man who has failed his way to the middle. The four-disc "The Office: Season Two" collection contains all 22 deadpan, edgy, uproarious episodes of the series that won a 2006 Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. Find out why The Boston Globe calls this series, "Painfully Funny"! Exclusive bonus features include deleted scenes from all 22 episodes, a blooper reel, episode commentaries and much more! This must-own DVD arrives just in time for the Season Three premiere on Thursday, September 21st on NBC.

Petty behavior and unfortunate observations are all in a day's work at paper supply company Dunder-Mifflin. In his misguided attempts to build company spirit and demonstrate his talent for leadership, clueless manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell) destroys the morale of his already unhappy employees with a series of harebrained schemes. Season Two features such memorable moments as the dojo showdown between Michael and Dwight (Rainn Wilson), the Christmas Party, office drug testing and Michael's doomed dalliances with his buttoned-up corporate supervisor Jan (Melora Hardin) and the Pam and Jim cliffhanger finale. The DVD is priced at $49.98.

BONUS FEATURES

Just when you thought job site angst couldn't get any funnier, "The Office: Season Two" DVD raises the laugh quotient with over six hours of irresistibly comic bonus features, including:

Workplace Webisodes From NBC.COM -- Dunder-Mifflin's crack accounting staff star in ten original, stand-alone episodes previously available only online!

"The More You Know" -- "The Office's" cast members lampoon NBC's well known PSA series with their own twisted takes on important social issues.

Exclusive Behind the Scenes Commentary

Plus hilarious deleted scenes, a blooper reel, and much, much more!

SYNOPSIS

It's time to clock in for Season Two of "The Office," the comically honest look at the world of white-collar employment. Steve Carell ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin") won a Golden Globe® for his role as Michael Scott, the sometimes pathetic but always hilarious regional manager of the Dunder-Mifflin paper supply company. Join him and the amazing ensemble cast (Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B.J. Novak) as Michael, Dwight, Jim, Pam and Ryan navigate the hidden romance and open absurdity of the business world, from the Christmas party to sexual harassment training to the "Booze Cruise" retreat to the heartbreak of "Casino Night." Developed by Greg Daniels ("King of the Hill," "The Simpsons"), and fully staffed with all 22 outrageous episodes and packed with hours of laugh-out-loud bonus features, "The Office: Season Two" is your appointment with the series New York Magazine calls "viciously deadpan."