The Timeless Appeal of The Office

Daring missions, grand acts of selflessness and bravery, and our hero ends up getting the girl. Sounds like a great show! Wait, what? All that happens in an office for a paper company?

I cannot pretend that by recommending The Office, the most watched sit-com of all time, I would be introducing you to a niche, highbrow television series. In 2020, seven years after its finale, the show accumulated 51.7 billion minutes of viewership, proving its withstanding 

cultural impact. So, one way or another, you are probably familiar with Micheal Scott’s antics or the Jim-and-Pam relationship. Lucky you! While you may be familiar with The Office, I urge you to consider why such an unassuming show could ever be so significant in our zeitgeist.

Primarily, a major strength of The Office is, of course, its comedy prowess. Relying on its actors’ genius comedic timing, its sense of humor keeps viewers engaged. What sets it apart from the sea of sit-coms with occasional slapstick comedy and character archetypes, however, is its dry style of humor. While this trait also acts as a major repellant to those who cannot see the value in cringing at one’s TV for 20 minutes, it also makes The Office undeniably memorable, as it almost constantly tows the line between offensiveness, discomfort, and humor, and the only way to achieve this is through impeccable writing and cultivation of tone.

Set in the office of a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, The Office’s relatability anchors its absurd humor to reality. Part of the reason so many consider The Office funny is because they have experienced similar situations themselves with people that reflect the show’s characters. Particularly, the intricate balance between wit and stupidity in the characters evokes a sense of escapism from the realities of an office routine while maintaining a sense of reality. 

Generally,  people love a good romance. While the epic love story is great and all, the beauty in an everyday relationship like the one shared by Jim Halpert and Pam Beesely keeps viewers feeling attached to the characters. The writers not only use romance as an incentive to rewatch, but they take on a task many fiction writers are too scared to attempt: not stopping at the happily-ever-after. While representing the quintessential example of a friends-to-lovers trope, Jim and Pam get married in the sixth of nine seasons. The two even face a marital crisis in season nine, causing them to attend couple’s therapy as they debate Jim’s career; depicting a relatable and emotional plot line. First you root for them to get together, then you hope for them to stay together. 

When the show aired on cable in the era of channel surfing, The Office had a degree of watchability that is difficult to get exactly right. For one, it was so popular that most were likely already familiar with the basic premise and certain plot points, which made jumping in on a random episode much easier. However, the series also had enough compelling plot lines that made streaming it gratifying. Adaptability comes in the form of stand-alone cold-opens and both resolved and unresolved plot within a single episode. Not only does the form in which you watch the show contribute to its almost universal appeal, but its concise 20- minute format makes for a digestible watching experience.

All of these factors dovetail to create one of the most noteworthy reasons The Office is so inescapable in popular culture: quotability. Jam-packed with one-liners and full of memorable moments, The Office is so easily quotable that it stays in people's heads. This is partly due to the show’s everyday situations and characters which people relate to in their own lives. By putting the characters in situations that normal people experience, the show allows people to associate certain tasks or ideas in their own lives to The Office.

Apart from the occasional 2000s popular culture reference keeping the show dated, not much is holding The Office back from continuing its withstanding reign over successful television. So, chances are cable will never stop playing reruns, and streaming services will not stop promoting the show as it hops from one app to another. Although an office in your life may have some negative associations, I say: Give The Office a chance. You might find the most realistic escape from reality on television.