Why “The Office” Is A Cut Above The Rest Of The Shlock

I’ve been bombarded with season/series finales this week. I daresay that the current New England weather staple of cold and heavy rain doesn’t help with the emotional trauma inflicted from knowing that another season of TV is over and I’ll have to wait till Sept/Oct before I can know the fate of my favorite characters. 

I started counting down the months till the new season at 59 past the 8 PM “Office” hour, knowing full well that by the time the new season comes, I’ll be excited again, but pondering all the personal changes that could affect my life between now and then to make me less of an avid watcher.

We have mini-seasons now and hiatuses have become more commonplace leaving viewers with a feeling that they are getting less of a return on their investment. I’m not sure why I feel such an anti-climatic sense of closure: If I’m still reeling from the numb of Locke’s loss last week on “Lost” or simply do what I do when I can sense the end of the something that had a more profound effect on me than I’m willing to admit: Withdraw.

I’ve gone through the whole week watching “Heroes,” “Lost,” “The Office,” “Scrubs,” and “Grey’s Anatomy” without feeling too much remorse. The shows end with the typical formulaic cliff-hanger: Will Meredith and McDreamy bid their adieus? (most likely) Will George leave both Izzy and his wife out in the cold and develop yet another unrequited crush on a Grey sister now that Meredith’s presumably half-sister is an intern? Will JD and Eliot come clean with their love for each other or use the kiss as the convenient narrative scapegoat for last-minute, cold feet jitters?

The truth is “The Office” season finale left us all with some questions too-the big one being whether Pam and Jim were really going to get together, but the show is a cut above the rest in scripting, acting, and comedic delivery and because of this, the finale stuck out from the rest of the pack. It was not only delightfully poignant, but the final scene didn’t do what every other show on Network TV does-it ended with some sense of closure and promise for what the next season holds.

Whereas “Grey’s Anatomy” leaves us in some chronic emotional crisis over characters who are so self-indulgent I can’t stomach them, let alone care for them anymore, and “Scrubs” builds up to the Eliot/JD kiss for the past three mos, “The Office” took us on a more original detour, leading us just where we might have supposed we’d be (with Pam and Jim together), but taking a much more lively and animated path to get there.

I guess what all this boils down to is the ability for “The Office” to remain true, steadfast, and faithful to its core and what drew fans to it in the first place. It hasn’t suffered a second season writing slump cum “Desperate Housewives” and most other hit first season shows. It’s managed to leverage its success and sustain the course of time, critics, and fame. Moreover, it’s retained that ability to not take itself so seriously, which in life and on TV, is so critical to our well-being. 

Besides, that line that Steve Carell’s Michael Scott says to Jenna Fisher’s Pam after taking back his ex Jan (who recently underwent breast enhancement surgery), “Your argument was strong, Pam, but hers was bigger.”

That line deserves at least 10,000 Schrutebucks.

Zach Braff To Host SNL Season Finale

The most enjoyment I’ve gotten out of SNL all season was watching Scarlett Johansson (surprisingly funny gal) and series’ regular Alec Baldwin pop in. So when I found out that Zach Braff was headlining the show’s season finale this Saturday, May 19, my spirits went up. He may be a bit goofy, a bit manic depressive borderline too self-pitying, have raunchy sex dreams involving Cindy Crawford morphing into Tom Bosley, but hey, who are we to judge?

“Heroes” Spawns Big Monster Of A Prequel

As I watched “Jay Leno” last night and he mentioned the Fall line-up, I started thinking that I covered ABC and the CW (briefly), but I totally neglected the Peacock!

Considering NBC gives me “The Office,” I think I owe it some sort of mention here. The major item of interest that NBC is adding to their Fall line-up (and most likely to satisfy “Heroes” fans craving for the show while it’s on hiatus), series creator Tim Kring is bringing us a “Heroes” prequel that will air in the same 9 PM time slot on Monday night called “Heroes: Origins.”

The “Origins” series will consist of six stand-alone episodes, with each one introducing a new character and telling his or her back story. They’ll take place within the “Heroes” universe but won’t be tied into the main arc of the series, although one or two regular characters may pop up.

It will also carry an interactive element: After all six “Origins” episodes air, viewers will be able to vote on which character joins the main show the following season.

The much-talked about, remake of the 70s series, “Bionic Woman” will also be on NBC’s line-up, as will Candace Bushnell’s (creator of “Sex & The City”) “Lipstick Jungle” which documents the lives of 40-somethings played by 30-somethings. Hmmm….

And because once in a while it’s nice to throw in something new, “Journeyman” features a time traveller/reporter (played by the actor in the picture seen here). But have no fear, “ER” is back for like a 15th season as is “Deal or No Deal.”

It’s nice to know some things stay the same. Or that our network execs are so adverse to change and/or taking a risk that they condemn us to John Stamos primping for a scalpel while some terrorist who’s threatened to blow the ER to smithereens holds a weapon of miniscule proportions to his face.

Pretty Betty

Two days ago I posted a piece responding to The New York Times commentary on insecure, self-doubting women as depicted on television. I alluded to the show “Ugly Betty” and its status as the critics’ darling.

As much as I can appreciate what “Ugly Betty” executive producer Salma Hayek is trying to convey with the “dowdy is beautiful” message, it just feels so shallow and contrived. Not to mention borrowed material. But what gets me is the attempt to glam up Betty’s appeal (as evidenced by ”Ugly Betty” star America Ferrera on the cover of W Magazine striking a seductive pose with the words Hot Betty) both onscreen and off.

It’s no longer acceptable for her to be walking around with unstyled hair and a Guadalajara poncho because now that viewers “like” her and can see her “instrinsic” beauty (not to mention her love life kicking into high gear), Ugly Betty doesn’t have to be so frumpy anymore.

In fact, it’s not a “beauty in the eye of the beholder” tranformation that’s taking place but a deliberate glamming up of the character. And doesn’t this go against the very intent that’s being incited in the first place? If Hayek’s message was to get America to stop looking and assessing people skin-deep, then why bother with the Betty’s wardrobe/make-up change? Is this a trend? Is the fate of the loveable, better than average-looking, smart, likeable protagonist/heroine on successful shows to have to pretty herself up? Tiny Fey’s character on “30 Rock” has fallen victim to a similar phenomena. Each week, her hair is a little bigger, her cleavage a little more exposed.

Is what we’re saying through these otherwise “flawed” women is that in today’s society, less than perfect might get you in the door, but less than pretty won’t keep you happy and employed for very long?

Hasselbeck To Call Her Newbie Rosie?

“The View” is all about public announcements these days. How is it that a show whose premise is gossiping yentas unleashing every private, intimate detail fosters an environment of explicit candor? In short, why do people bother hiring publicists if they are just gonna go on “The View” and tell all? And what’s with all the announcements?

Last week Rosie O’Donnell made public her news that she was leaving the show. On Friday, Alec Baldwin said he wants out of his show and now Elizabeth Hasselbeck is expecting a child and wants the world to know she loves Rosie O’Donnell, even if the two represent ardently oppositional political camps.

Did we mention Hasselbeck’s pregnancy is another slated “announcement” on “The View” today?

Tomorrow On “The View”: A Yenta

Last week, the infamous voicemail message from Alec Baldwin to his 12-year-old daughter (the one where he calls her a “rude, thoughtless little pig”) leaked all over the internet. Here on the blog, we debated a bit the media frenzy surrounding the whole incident. As was evidenced with Anna Nicole Smith, the media has a penchant for going too far in the realm of exploitation of celebrities’ personal lives, but who pays the ultimate toll?

Well, this time it would appear to be Alec Baldwin’s acting career. Baldwin was making pretty serious strides in his career, what with “The Departed” and “The Good Shepherd.” He’s proven that not only is he adept at playing the serious dramatic thespian every actor aims to be, but he’s a damn funny guy and a critical asset to “30 Rock.”

So it’s a sad day today for a couple reasons. First off, I’m really tired and dragging at like 9 AM. I realize not many of you care about that too much. But secondly, my friend took a big exam and thinks she failed. Also, bad. I feel very sad for her. But third, the only other show besides “The Office” on the NBC Thursday line-up I liked (”30 Rock”) might have go on without the presence of Alec Baldwin’s Jack Donaghy.

In what’s sure to be the nail on Alec’s career coffin,  tomorrow on “The View” he will publicly apologize to his daughter (Huh? Ever heard of a phone, Alec?) and make mention of how he wants to be released from his “30 Rock” contract. “No can do,” says NBC.

Talk is already circulating that Alec would be the perfect Rosie replacement when she leaves “The View” in June. Double Huh? That’s a definitive flush down the can for Baldwin’s acting career.

One thing’s clear from all this. Baldwin needs to fire his publicist STAT. Clearly whoever that person may be is blowing some heavy crack. And I’m not talking all the steam that’s blowing out of Tiny Fey’s head right about now.

Jimmy Fallon anyone? Ugh, perish the thought!  

Alec Baldwin: You Ain’t So Funny, Funny Man

As my husband and I were in the car on our way to work this morning, we listened to an interview with comedian Richard Lewis who is in Providence this weekend doing some comedy show. Among some of the things we learned in listening to Lewis’ shtick (aside from the fact that the comedian is inherently unfunny, especially for a Jew (and one that played a rabbi at that!) and that he may claim he’s “recovering” from drug abuse, but all rambling evidence points to the contrary), Alec Baldwin’s tirade on his daughter, which is plastered all over the internet or TMZ.

Apparently Kim Basinger (Baldwin’s ex) leaked the voicemail from Alec to his 12-year-old daughter Ireland to TMZ in which Baldwin, among other verbal obscenities calls his girl a “thoughtless little pig.”

And now ladies and gents, I present to you a very talented comedian with a very dark side indeed:

That’s not all. “I don’t give a damn that you’re 12 years old or 11 years old, or a child, or that your mother is a thoughtless pain in the a– who doesn’t care about what you do,” Baldwin screams into the phone. He then warns Ireland that he’s coming to Los Angeles today, Friday, and will “straighten her out.”Baldwin is going to have to do some fast spinning to get out of this situation, especially if the tape starts getting airplay. There will likely be little tolerance for this kind of behavior, especially toward a child — and his own child, at that.

It certainly is hard imagining telling one’s own kid how angry you are because they — the child — has “humiliated” you by missing a phone call.

More from the call: “Once again I’ve made an a– of myself getting to a phone to make a phone call … I’m tired of playing this game with you. You have insulted me for the last time …You’ve made feel like sh– and you’ve made feel like a fool over and over again … I’m going to straighten your a– out … You are a rude, thoughtless little pig.”

So much for Imus and the tragedy over at VA Tech. The media now has new fodder for exploitation. And I’m not talking Michael Richards here.