The Office (U.S.) is one of the most iconic shows of our generation. There are very few people that haven't at least heard of it. With that in mind, I decided to embrace my ignorance in having never watched The Office and to give it a try.
Here are the various thoughts I had while watching the first two seasons of the Office.
1. My first impression of Michael was not great
He was loud, obnoxious, and clearly lacking in common sense. His attempt at Diversity Training could only be described as cringe-worthy.
2. There are literally no words to describe Dwight K. Schrute
Dwight is loyal to a fault with even less common sense than Michael and a penchant for authority that can be construed as border-line dangerous.
3. Jim and Pam are the lighthouses that The Office revolves around
Their chemistry is outstanding and their office pranks on Dwight are fresh and give an air of much-needed silliness to the whole show.
4. The sheer of absurdity of everything that is said in the show is magnified by each character and their unique personalities
From Jan to Phyllis to Stanley to Kevin to Oscar to Angela to Toby to Meredith, every single "minor" character is brilliant and can't help but make me laugh.
5. The way the show is filmed makes a difference in how you understand the characters
Having the actors look into the camera allows insight into who each person is. It also is just way funnier seeing Jim give side-glances to the camera after Dwight does something absurd.
6. Starting with Episode 1 of Season 2 and "The Dundies," Michael becomes much more tolerable and relatable
Michael becomes much more enjoyable to watch and it's much easier to tolerate his antics because you know that he has good intentions and that's what counts.
7. The pranks on Dwight never really get old
It just becomes part of the show that Dwight is strange and annoying and the pranks Jim and Pam pull on him are ridiculously and wonderfully detailed.
8. With all the ridiculousness that goes on in the show, there are moments of true heartfelt goodness thrown in
The end of the Office Olympics is absurd as is The Office fashion, but it's genuine and well-timed.
9. There can never be enough moments of Jim and Pam
10. The Office is more than just a comedy with a wide range of characters
The Office gets you invested and makes you feel first-hand the friendship of Jim and Pam, the loyalty of Dwight, and the life of Michael.
