I think we can all agree that services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Instant Video make binge watching an all-too-easy pastime. The real challenge comes in not only finding the perfect new show to watch, but also sticking to it when there are so many other options available.
As a die hard "Friends" fan, I was thrilled when all ten seasons finally came to Netflix, and it was an easy choice to watch that show in its entirety because I already knew I loved it. After the third run through however, I was left feeling, (dare I say it?) bored of the cheery theme song and quick Chandler Bing quips and suddenly in need of a new show to fill my free time.
After a fruitless hour on www.whatthehellshouldiwatchonnetflix.com, I was no closer to making a decision. Part of me wanted to play it safe and rewatch another beloved show but I knew I had to branch out and expand my pop culture knowledge.
Deliberating with friends and family finally led me to a decision: The Office. While the reviews were certainly mixed it had a lot of the qualities I was looking for: more than a couple seasons, short episodes, and some often-quoted characters for guaranteed comedy.
I eagerly fired up Netflix, glad to have finally settled on something, only to be disappointed an hour and three episodes in when I realized that The Office sucks. Michael Scott’s sexism, Dwight’s incessant creepy slaughterhouse comments, Jim and Pam’s frustratingly obvious connection, and not to mention the fact that they’re constantly talking to nameless and faceless cameramen all make for a very difficult to watch and even more difficult to enjoy first season.
Inexplicably, I kept watching. I’ve always been an optimistic person so I did my best to keep an open mind. I was pleasantly surprised to find shining moments of genuinely clever comedy hidden like diamonds in the rest of the mud that was the boring paper dialogue and unrealistic unproductivity.
Thankfully, seeing as it is summer and I was too lazy after a day of working at a summer camp to go through the effort of finding yet another new show, I continued viewing season after season and slowly but surely my opinion flipped to a very favorable one.
While the first three seasons are, in my opinion, worth skipping with a quick Wikipedia summary for plot context, the following six are actually fantastic. Spoiler Alert for anyone else that has been living under a rock and hasn’t seen this show yet like me: Jim and Pam turn into #couplegoals, Michael Scott becomes bearable but even better eventually leaves, Dwight becomes endearing and the premises of the episodes are actually hilarious.
Committing to this show was difficult but now that I can successfully understand Gabe Lewis memes, I know it was all worth it. (“No one is a bigger fan of sexual touching than me”–a true gem). The moral of the story? Even if something seems pointless at first, try sticking it out anyway. Whatever it is, it might just surprise you.
