Thanks to listener Melonie for pointing out that NBC has set up a bogus "Princess Unicorn" website in conjunction with this week's episode. 

Entertainment Weekly posted a slideshow of what they consider to be Jim Halpert's seventeen best pranks over the last four and a half seasons of The Office.

I'm on record as not being a fan of pranks that aren't "deserved" -- in other words, that Dwight (or whomever) needs to do something to deserve punishment.  With Dwight being a massive tool this season, I am completely DOWN with some righteous pranking-- and the cold open from Moroccan Christmas definitely goes down as one of my all time favorites.

A CHRISTMAS PARTY IN MOROCCO - Phyllis' (Phyllis Smith) Moroccan-themed holiday party goes up in flames when Meredith's (Kate Flannery) hair catches on fire and Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) is forced to deal with the accident. Meanwhile, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) corners the market on the hottest toy of the Christmas season. John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, Leslie David Baker, Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling, Oscar Nunez, Brian Baumgartner, Creed Bratton, Paul Lieberstein and Craig Robinson also star.

Well, the Christmas episodes of The Office have always set the bar incredibly high... I hope this year's episode can live up to that legacy! Kind of sad/funny to think about how we never did get one last season.

As always, leave your comments below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS chat room after the show.

Blog poster "Funtivities" brought up an interesting dilemma that is all too familiar to many foreign residents-- Hulu.com, NBC's great streaming service, only works to those who live within the United States.  This blocking is accomplished by a simple check of your IP address-- if it's located in the US you're golden, and if not, NOT.

I ran across this on Digg.com a few days ago, and thought it might help-- full instructions on how anyone outside of the US can access Hulu.com.

Good luck!

We mentioned it quite a while ago, but NBC officially confirmed today that The Office will indeed air a special one hour episode immediately following the Super Bowl on February 1st.


Originally, the "Office Spinoff" was supposed to fill that second half hour slot, and then when THAT disappeared the Poehler show was supposed to find a home. Alas. With both shows MIA, it's up to The Office to fill the hour.

I brought this up a few months ago, but I think it'd be brilliant to see Jim throw a big Super Bowl party at his new house as part of the plot. Shades of "Email Surveillance" and "Dinner Party" perhaps, but it'd definitely be topical and would give us a glimpse of the cast in a new situation (Kevin with a huge bet riding on the game, Pam & Jim trying to entertain as a couple, etc.).

If any of the writing staff is looking for more ideas, you have my email address :)

EDIT:

Yes, I am aware that the details of the episode are already wandering around on the internets.  I just refuse to be spoiled-- so there! :) It's more fun my way.

From NBC.com:

SURPLUS SPENDING AT THE OFFICE - Oscar (Oscar Nunez) informs Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) that the office must spend a $4300 surplus or lose it in next year's budget. When Michael opens up the floor for suggestions, factions break out and officemates square off against one another in order to get what they want. Meanwhile, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) takes Angela (Angela Kinsey) and Andy (Ed Helms) to Schrute Farms to work on their wedding plans. John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith, Creed Bratton and Paul Lieberstein also star.

--------------------------

Post your comments below, and join Kevin and me in the TWSS chatroom after the episode.

We've talked for a while about John Krasinski's directorial debut, his own adaptation of the late David Foster Wallace's BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN (plot: when her boyfriend leaves with little explanation, a doctoral candidate in anthropology tries to remedy her heartache by interviewing men about their behavior).  The film stars Krasinski, Julianne Nicholson, Timothy Hutton, Dominic Cooper, Christopher Meloni, and Rashida Jones, and was set to be released sometime in the new year.

Well, some extremely good news came for Johnny K. today by way of Park City, Utah-- it seems that BRIEF has been selected as one of the 16 official entries in the 2009 Sundance Film Festival's U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION (selected from 1,026 submissions).

Nicely done. Buzz at Sundance can only help the film spread to a wider audience, and here's hoping that we'll actually get to see what John can do on the big screen (no offense to fans of period football flicks or cheesy rom-coms).

For a list of other films accepted into the festival, click HERE.

So PREGNANCY magazine had an interview in this month's issue with everyone's favorite Office related psycho, Jan Levinson. Yep, it's a magazine interviewing a fictional character (IN character) about her fictional pregnancy (which has been over for quite some time now).

To all our fellow American fans of The Office, we wish you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving! 

Kevin and the missus are off debauching themselves in Las Vegas, but you can rest assured that I'll be spending a wholesome family Thanksgiving day at my parents' house, stuffing my face with an assortment of traditional holiday fare (hopefully followed by some fearsome rounds of Rock Band 2 and Ticket To Ride).

Hope everyone else has a great day, wherever (or HOWever) you choose to celebrate.

See you in the chatroom next Thursday!

It's about four minutes longer than the original cut, and as I thought they (for the most part) simply wove the footage from the already aired deleted scenes back into the episode.  There were a few new bits (Angela's wedding dress, Phyllis talking about her house, etc.), but most of them weren't too essential.

Kevin might be happy, as this new cut definitely fleshed out the microwave plotline-- the escalating notes definitely rang true to me (and the "I'll knock your teeth out" line will be worthy of speculation). A big "boo" to Hulu for blacking out the penises on the notes, though--took a bit of humor out of that deleted scene.

I honestly think this cut DOES make FRAME TOBY a better episode than the original cut, although that might be faint praise for some.  What did you guys think? Did this change your mind at all, or was it just more of the same?

by Kevin Crossman

Apple released operating system version 2.2 yesterday for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Notable among the new features is the ability to download podcasts over Wi-Fi or cellular networks. Which means that That's What She Said listeners can listen anytime, anywhere.







It's great to be able download podcasts away from the computer. And thanks for all those great reviews for That's What She Said - 4.5 stars is nothing to sneeze at!  If you haven't reviewed and rated the show in iTunes, please do so today!

They haven't done this since season three, but NBC is planning to offer a streaming "producer's cut" version of FRAME TOBY on Tuesday, November 25.

Perhaps the extra content will appease many of the blog posters who seemed to really dislike this week's episode?

by Kevin Crossman

NBC.com is featuring the first in a four-part webisode series called "The Outburst" today. Though most fans of The Office were underwhelmed by the previous webisode series, "The Accountants" and "Kevin's Loan", fan will surely find this one more satisfying. "The Outburst" features a much larger cast of supporting actors from The Office and the writing and direction is on-par with broadcast episodes of the show.


The plot is fairly simple and shown during the first episode of the series. Oscar (Oscar Nunez) screams at someone on the telephone and storms off in anger, setting off curiosity by the others in the office. Andy (Ed Helms) offers a $100 bounty on who can find out who Oscar was talking to, setting off a series of vignettes where the other employees play amateur-detective. In the fourth episode, we learn who Oscar directed the outburst towards - and the result may surprise you.

Directed by Lee Eisenberg & Gene Stupnitsky and written by Nate Federman & Jonathan Hughes, "The Outburst" feels like an eleven minute broadcast episode - albeit without the "big five" stars Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, and B.J. Novak. For example, there is an intense conclusion to the third episode that features Oscar addressing the rest of the office as well as the documentary team that may get you to jump from your seat in excitement and perhaps fear. The participation of nearly the entire supporting cast really sets this webisode series apart. Every supporting player except Craig Robinson is on board, including Toby (Paul Leiberstein) who is returning to the show. There are several scenes that use Creed (Creed Bratton) effectively and a hilarious scene with Kelly (Mindy Kaling) that will warm the hearts of cellphone fans everywhere.

Perhaps what sets "The Outburst" apart is the effective use of the character of Oscar. As shown in episodes like "Business Trip" the character is more nuanced than often portrayed and Nunez is given a lot of room to stretch the character. Unlike Brian Baumgartner's one-note portrayal of Kevin in "Kevin's Loan," Nunez keeps fans interested with a range of emotions including anger, exasperation, and a bit of condescension.

Every fan of The Office should go out of their way to watch "The Outburst."  The interplay between the characters is top-notch and the writing is crisp and hilarious.  Additionally, unlike "Kevin's Loan" this series has a great payoff to the mystery in the fourth episode. In fact, the twist is so good you'll want to go back and rewatch the series to see the clues that were sprinkled along the way.

"The Outburst" is hilarious and is "appointment TV" for your computer.

Matt says:

I don't have a whole lot to add to what Kevin has written above, and what I've already said on the podcast, but I DO want to emphasize that this is by far the most entertaining webisode series to date.  Must see TV, as the saying goes.

From TVGuide.com (because NBC.com didn't bother to update their "next on" page):

Dirt is dished over a dirty dish: Tension boils over when a mysterious someone leaves a culinary mess in the office microwave. Meanwhile, Michael has trouble accepting that personnel changes were made without his knowledge.

--------------

FLEEEEEEENDERSOOOOOOON!

As always, leave your comments below and join Kevin and Me in the TWSS chat room after the show.

Big news today about the still unnamed Amy Poehler sitcom set to debut in 2009--

Despite the earlier news denying involvement, Rashida Jones has indeed joined the cast. According to VARIETY, Jones will play "Ann Logan, a nurse whose boyfriend has a strange injury. It's that injury that leads Jones' character into the world populated by Poehler and Aziz Ansari."

Writer Mike Schur, one of the show's creators, called Jones "funny, talented and beautiful... She is perfect for this new show, which -- just to remind everyone -- is not a spinoff of 'The Office,' It is a spinoff of 'MASH' called 'Seinfeld II.' "

According to the article, Jones is also set to appear at least once this season on THE OFFICE.

Kevin and I already told you a while ago about BJ Novak signing on for a part in Quentin Tarantino's WWII movie "Inglorious Basterds" [sic]. Michael Ausiello is reporting this week that Novak HAS asked for time off from NBC to film the role, and that it has been granted.  How long he'll be gone, exactly, is still a matter for speculation.


This isn't really new-- As you recall, Oscar Nunez took a similar leave back in season three, to return a few months later.  This might be the same with Novak, although Ausiello is claiming that an "insider" had this to say:

 Kevin's been ragging on Novak this season, and I haven't been a big fan of his cartoonish "villainy," but I don't think either of us would like to see him leave. 

Thoughts?

Steve Carell and Friends Signed for New 3D Animated Film

Steve Carell will voice the title character in Despicable Me, a new 3D animated film from Universal Pictures-based family film unit Illumination Entertainment. Horton Hears a Who's Chris Meledandri is producing from a script from Horton writers Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin are directing.

Joining Steve are the voices of Jason Segel, Kristen Wiig, Will Arnett, Danny McBride, Russell Brand, Jack McBrayer, along with Jemaine Clement ("Flight of the Conchords") and Julie Andrews. The film will be released in 2010.

According to Variety, "Carell's title character is a deplorable man known as Groo who masterminds the mother of all heists when he plots to steal the moon. Egged on by an evil mother (Andrews), Groo finds one obstacle in his way: a trio of orphan girls who temporarily come under his care and won't leave."

For more info from Variety, CLICK HERE.

From NBC.com:

CANADA BOUND - Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) is ecstatic when David Wallace (Andy Buckley) decides to send him on a business trip to Canada. Andy (Ed Helms) and Oscar (Oscar Nunez) become unlikely friends when Michael decides to bring them along on the trip. Meanwhile, Jim (John Krasinski) is counting down the days until Pam (Jenna Fischer) gets back from art school. Rainn Wilson, B.J. Novak, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith and Creed Bratton also star.

-----------------------

Andy and Oscar, huh? An unlikely pairing, especially given their obvious animosity during the whole "Finer Things Club" fiasco. Will our favorite gay accountant stop worrying and learn to love the Nard-dog? Only time will tell.

As always, leave your comments below and Join Kevin and me in the TWSS chat room after the show.

It doesn't happen very often, but occasionally the real world conflicts with my ability to produce That's What She said.  For me, this week is the end of the first quarter and that means I've got to enter report cards and finish grades before Tuesday morning.

Normally I edit the show and post it to the servers by Monday night, but this week it's just not going to happen.  I should be able to have the episode posted on TUESDAY night, though.

Thanks for your understanding.

Ricky Gervais was at the Paley Center this past week to promote his new HBO production "Ricky Gervais: Out Of England -- The Stand-up Special." When asked by the intrepid TV Guide reporter if Gervais would like to make a guest appearance on the US version of THE OFFICE, Gervais had this to say:

Gervais even has an idea for how he could appear: as himself, playing struggling actor Andy Melman on HBO's Extras.

"I'd quite like them to maybe be watching an episode of Extras, and Michael Scott comes along and goes, 'This guy is no good. If they ever do a remake, I think I should do that part."

Personally, I think Gervais shouldn't come within a country mile of the US Office.  Sure, he can write another episode (he still owes us for "Prison Mike," after all) or direct, but to have him appear as David Brent would be incredibly silly (and having him appear AT ALL would be a major distraction).

30 ROCK has really been milking the celebrity cameo this season, and I can see the temptation of getting Gervais to appear.  Still, I think once we go down that road there will really be no coming back.

THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT - Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Jim (John Krasinski) are shocked when they get the results of the annual customer survey report. Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim decide they want to spend every minute together using their bluetooth phones. Meanwhile, Angela (Angela Kinsey) and Andy (Ed Helms) pick an unusual location for their wedding. Steve Carell, B.J. Novak, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Phyllis Smith, Oscar Nunez and Creed Bratton also star.

Based on the way things have been going, I'm not sure how anyone would be surprised by a POOR survey of customer satisfaction. Guess we'll just have to see what the fuss is all about... hey, maybe they're surprised because people actually LIKE their company?

As always, leave comments below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS chat room after the show.

Someone jokingly brought this up in the chatroom last night, but it turns out that YES, NBC is indeed selling those MUGS at the NBCU store as of today.  You can buy them separately for $12 each, or get all 10 for $90.  If you order before next Monday, you can get 15% off your order using the code OFFICEFAN.

LOVE ALWAYS GETS IN THE WAY - OSCAR NOMINEE AMY RYAN ("GONE BABY GONE") GUEST STARS - Pam (Jenna Fischer) is embarrassed when she is the only person at corporate wearing a costume on Halloween. Holly (guest star Amy Ryan) and Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) take the long trip to Nashua after they get some shocking news from corporate. Meanwhile, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) torments Andy (Ed Helms) and tries to get under his skin. John Krasinski, B.J. Novak, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Creed Bratton and Craig Robinson also star.

Lots of stuff going on here-- are we saying our final farewell to dear Holly Flax? Another Halloween episode, which is a plus. Pam in corporate... more than 30 seconds of air this week?

Leave your comments below, and don't forget to join us in the TWSS chat room after the show.

Jennifer Godwin, writing for the "Watch With Kristin" column over at Eonline.com, posted some news from The Office writers' appearance at The Paley Center on October 14th.

Most specifically, news about the non-spinoff starring the newly post-pregnant Amy Poehler.

Here are a few tidbits from Mike Schur:

In other words, we still don't know much more than we did five months ago. As I've said before, I'm not a huge Poehler fan and still resent the fact that Schur and Daniels are being taken away from The Office in order to produce this new show. Still, I guess we'll see sometime next spring whether it was worth it.  And hey, worst case scenerio the show tanks and they'll be back writing The Office in season six :)

BTW, click on THIS LINK for several pictures of the writing/producing staff taken at the event.

DUNDER MIFFLIN FIGHTS CRIME - OSCAR NOMINEE AMY RYAN ("GONE BABY GONE") GUEST STARS - Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) helps Pam (Jenna Fischer) get a part time job at corporate so she can afford to go to art school. Michael and Holly (guest star Amy Ryan) get an early start at the office on their date night. After the office gets robbed, Michael decides to hold an auction to raise money for all the items lost. Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, B.J. Novak, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Creed Bratton and Craig Robinson also star.

As always, leave your comments below and join Kevin & me in the TWSS chat room during and after the episode.

In today's "Ask Ausiello" column over at EW.com, someone asked the spoiler-man a question that's been in ALL of our hearts:

It's only been two weeks, but it surely feels much longer than that since "Weight Loss" aired.

From TV Guide:

BUSINESS ETHICS | 10.09.2008 | 9/8c TV-PG

Holly presides over a business-ethics meeting in the wake of Ryan's corporate scandal, but the seminar breaks into chaos when Michael allows the staffers to opine openly about workplace malfeasance. Elsewhere, Jim coerces Dwight to adhere to Dunder Mifflin's "time theft" policy.

by Kevin Crossman

According to this week's Entertainment Weekly, The Office is the top-rated comedy series on Marketing Evaluations Inc emotional attachment list, a measure of commitment that key viewers have with TV shows returning in Fall 2008.

Survivor tops the list with a rating of 177, followed by serial dramas Heroes, House, CSI, and Grey's Anatomy. The Office's ranking of 123 is 17th on the list and the only comedy in the top 20. This means that The Office tops other comedies like Two and A Half Men that regularly score much higher ratings. All of which indicates that my recent declaration of a man-crush on Jim Halpert shows that I'm a typical Office watcher with a high emotional attachment.

Check out the original article HERE.

The new episode should be posted late PM Wednesday.

This is another "epic" length episode, and since there's no Office this week, I'm hoping you guys can survive the wait. :)

Thanks,

Very, very long article in the New York Times today about Paul Feig (pronounced FEEG), creator of "Freaks and Geeks" and current co-executive producer of "The Office."

For the first time, we see what happens over eight weeks of the summer, as a Dunder Mifflin weight loss initiative causes the branch to diet and become obsessed with their weight. Michael (Steve Carell) pursues a friendship with his new HR rep, Holly (Oscar nominee Amy Ryan). Jim (John Krasinski) misses Pam (Jenna Fischer) who attends art school in New York. Dwight (Rainn Wilson), Andy (Ed Helms) and Angela (Angela Kinsey) attend to unfinished business. B.J. Novak, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Oscar Nuñez, Brian Baumgartner, Leslie David Baker, Phyllis Smith, Creed Bratton and Craig Robinson also star.

As I mentioned in episode #48, I will be unable to view the premiere "live" tonight as I am forced to attend my school's "open house" night. Don't let that stop you from joining the "chatroom" to discuss the episode with other TWSS fans.  Kevin should be around for the west coast showing.

Man, I can't believe it's finally here.

EDIT:

Almost forgot -- NBC is helping to arrange various "premiere parties" for the show tonight in a number of cities across the US.  Check this THREAD to see if anything is going on in your area.

EDIT 2:

Click HERE for a large downloadable copy of Pam's ASCII portrait of Dwight (warning-- link is to a PDF file).

Also, go HERE to see Andy & Angela's wedding website.

by Kevin Crossman

The Emmy Awards were held tonight and The Office had eight nominations... but received zero awards.

Thank you, good night!

Yes, thanks to stellar showing by NBC stablemate 30 Rock, The Office won no Emmys this year. There were two Office related moments of note though. The show's opening montage included TV personalities delivering catch-phrases of yesteryear. The Office's John Krasinski channeled Joey from Friends for "How you doing?" and Rainn Wilson also appeared though his quote escapes me.

More entertaining was British Office star Ricky Gervais who came out to tell the winners how to accept an Emmy. This seqeued into a reminder that Gervais was not present for winning last year, and that presenters Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert had given the award to Steve Carell. Carell was positioned in the front row and sat stonefaced while Gervais mock-insulted him with lines like "I made you what you are and I get nothing back" and "I don't think that's an Emmy, it's actually a shoddy remake."  Gervais eventually ran into the audience to obtain his Emmy. It was a wonderful bit that reminded audience viewers of Gervais' role in creating The Office and why he and Carell are so funny.

Kevin and I are going to be recording a mini "pre-season" preview episode of the podcast tomorrow night, consisting of our hopes and fears for season five, some season four "Dundee" awards, news, feedback and more.

If you'd like to get your comment read "on air," please post your predictions for season five (no spoilers, please... just honest speculation) in the space below, or send an email to TWSSpodcast@gmail.com before 7 PM Eastern tomorrow night.

George Clooney’s Leatherheads is at once a throwback sports movie about the early days of professional football but also a throwback to the era’s screwball comedies. Clooney directed the movie written by Duncan Brantley and Rick Reilly, and also stars alongside Renee Zellweger. The Office’s John Krasinski stretches his acting chops with an effective performance in a tricky role.

Leatherheads tells of the story of Dodge Connolly (Clooney), an aging football hero in the days when “professional” football was closer to rugby or even organized street fighting. But Connolly sees a way to save his sport by attempting to recruit handsome, glamorous college football star Carter Rutherford (Krasinski). Meanwhile, Lexie Littleton is a star newspaper reporter sent to dig up dirt on Rutherford who is a war hero and product pitchman in addition to the star of the Princeton gridiron.

For the first two acts, Clooney deftly directs a tale that respects and celebrates the subject matter and the type of filmmaking present in those days of yore. He has several effective scenes of snappy dialogue with Zellweger who is brilliant at playing the smart and sexy reporter. Clooney is underrated as a physical comedian and plays many scenes for laughs in the early part of the film that will keep you laughing and smiling throughout.

During the last act, the film takes a distinct dramatic turn as the story heads towards its climax. Will Rutherford’s slimy agent (Jonathan Pryce) find a way to keep him in the spotlight or will his secret ruin his career? There is true dramatic tension and while it is distinct in tone it is not lacking in effectiveness or in pleasure for the audience. Additionally, as a sports movie the climax provides a true twist unlike any I’ve ever seen in the genre. The twist is among the many well-crafted aspects of this movie that is great fun.

Office fans should take note that Krasinski isn’t phoning in the performance as Jim Halpert circa 1925. Instead, Krasinski plays the role with equal parts likable all-star and haunted melancholy. He’s extremely effective in a trio that involves two Oscar winners, and his role is the most nuanced and well rounded in the film. Krasinski proves he has the acting chops to form a healthy career.

The DVD extras are interesting but Office fans should not feature very little Krasinski material.

   - Deleted Scenes
   - Football’s Beginnings – an inside look at the making of the film with brief interviews with the stars
   - Visual Effects – an interesting side by side look at the scenes before and after the special effects were added to recreate football scenes from 1925
   - No Pads, No Fear – Preparation for the film’s football scenes
   - George Clooney – A Leatherheaded Prankster
   - Feature commentary with George Clooney and Producer/Actor Grant Heslov
   – An unfortunate extra that features little of the charm and prankish fun that we usually see from Clooney.

Overall, Leatherheads is a film that is fun for men and women of all ages. Office fans should immediately head to the DVD store to pick up the film and root for their favorite salesman in a different kind of uniform.

Kevin obviously liked this movie much more than *I* did.  See my original review HERE.

Just got word from NBC Universal that Melora Hardin will be doing a signing from 12-1 pm at the NBC EXPERIENCE STORE in New York City on September 24th.

If you're a local, this isn't a bad way to usher in the premier next week (speaking from personal experience, she is definitely worth seeing live).

Nothing spoilery or shocking to be found, but the piece on Ed Helms in this week's NEW YORK MAGAZINE is worth a quick read.

From the article:

Ed Helms wasn’t always a jackass. For a while, he was an aspiring filmmaker in New York. He worked for a postproduction house, loved the job, and even now talks of it wistfully. “I was and still am very infatuated with filmmaking,” he says, before describing his editing duties in all earnestness as “sexy and fun.” While training as an editor, he laid down a few rough-cut voice-over “scratch tracks.” From there, he landed some real voice-over gigs. From there, he got an agent. Finally, he realized he could quit his job and pursue stand-up comedy full-time, because, as he says, “I was finding this thing that I love, which is acting like a jackass professionally.”


Read the rest of the article HERE.

NBC has been running two new teaser trailers this week to help hype the season premier of THE OFFICE.

The first one focuses on the Michael/Jan/Holly triangle:

The second uses much of the same footage as the first, but we DO get to see Pam's replacement, as well as Michael Scott in a fat suit:

EDIT: listener Jorgen Petersson (a resident of Sweden) let me know that people outside the US can't view Hulu videos. Never fear, Jorgen! Here are the links to view the trailers on YouTube:

I found this article on The Hudson Hub-Times website and thought it was worth a quick read.

In the article, actor Stefan Kumor gives a brief summary of his experiences with filming as a background student in scenes showing Pam's college classes. Nothing really "spoiler-ish" here, but he does give an alternative view to the "John Krasinski is a horrible diva" rumors that were flying around a few weeks ago.

During Apple's big iTunes/iPod focused media event today, Steve Jobs let the audience know that Apple and NBC have buried the hatchet, and that  our favorite NBC shows would be once again available through the iTunes store (in full HD).

Great news!

More details HERE.

NBC set up a conference call today with Paul Lieberstein and Amy Ryan.

No, I wasn't invited.

Thank goodness for E!'s Kristin (and the other people who actually DID get to sit in on the call).

The comments get a lot more "spoilery" than usual, so I won't quote anything here.  If you're curious about the fate of Mr. Flenderson, however, I highly recommend clicking THIS link (also HERE and HERE).

The most disturbing thing mentioned, at least for me, was the revelation that Greg Daniels is splitting his time and Mike Schur has TOTALLY left the show in order to work full time on the "Unnamed Amy Poehler spinoff show." Schur wrote many of my favorite OFFICE episodes over the last 4 years, and the thought of him NOT being a part of the creative staff for season 5 has me more than a little pissed.  Do you see what you've wrought, Mr. Silverman?

FOR SHAME.

Listener Kath informed me via email today that TWSS has been nominated for a pair of "Blogger's Choice" awards! Imagine my surprise.

We've been nominated for BEST PODCAST BLOG as well as BEST ENTERTAINMENT BLOG. So far, we're getting our asses kicked by just about everyone, but if you'd like to send a few votes our way, please check out the links below.

by Kevin Crossman

Coming to stores on September 2nd is the DVD release of Season 4 of The Office. The four-disc set contains all 14 episodes and a host of extras. The entire set comprises over 400 minutes of content.

The Episodes

Each episode is presented in pristine widescreen format and looks sharp on DVD. Season 4 saw many of the office relationships take on new roles and challenges and once again a season collection like this is a great way to revisit the story arcs and go back to earlier episodes for hints of what is to come later. In particular, the character of Ryan (B.J. Novak) is a completely new role and by season's end is in a very, very different place than when the season starts. His "transformation" is fun to watch over the course of a season.

The packaging of episodes is pretty much what you'd expect. The episodes are shown in entirety, with Deleted Scenes for each episode easy to get to after playing the episode. Unfortunately, the Deleted Scenes are presented as one large clip, unlike the Deleted Scenes on The Office website where you can pick and choose which scene to watch. But it is hard to complain about the amount of deleted scenes, which run from over five minutes for the regular 21 minute episodes to over twelve minutes for some of the "hour long" episodes like "Fun Run" and "Dunder Mifflin Infinity."

One of the interesting and unusual episodes this season was "Did I Stutter?" In addition to taking the episode name from a line of dialogue, the episode was unusual in that it featured the character of Stanley (Leslie David Baker) in a major role. Thankfully, Baker's performance is one of the strongest from any actor in any episode in the entire set. "Did I Stutter?" also features a interesting and informative commentary from Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery, Justin Spitzer, Brent Forrester, Gene Stupnitsky, and Randall Einhorn.

Fans of Jim and Pam are not left out in Season 4, as our favorite TV couple actually get to be a couple. This puts the characters in new situations, such as their overnight stay at Schrute Farm in "Money" and their cringe-worthy visit to Michael and Jan's condo in "Dinner Party." The engagement storyline is another season-long story arc, though as fans of the show know it did not quite conclude in the season finale, "Goodbye Toby."

Speaking of the season finale, "Goobye Toby" features one of the best performances in the entire series by Steve Carell. Carell masterfully communicates his joy at saying goodbye to his HR nemesis, and the excitement of meeting a new "love of his life" in the character of Holly (Amy Ryan).

The Bonus Materials

A complete list of bonus features is shown below. "Unique to the DVD" items include the hilarious 22-minute blooper reel that every fan of The Office should watch again and again. The complete Michael Scott Dunder Mifflin Ad is the kind of extra that makes sense for the DVD and is a welcome addition. Similarly, the Summer Vacation Promo features some unique content and is a good piece to play prior to watching the season opener, "Fun Run." Unfortunately, the Summer Vacation Promo is available on Disc 4, rather than on Disc 1 where it would have fit chronologically.

Last season, I complained about episode commentaries with too many participants. This year, the number of participants has not been reduced, but the overall effectiveness has improved as there is less "talking over" and everyone trying to get a word in edgewise (this is also attributed to a couple "quiet" writers on some of the commentaries). Only Rainn Wilson and Jenna Fischer participate of the "Big Four" but their presence is most welcome on three of the four commentaries, even if we do miss Steve Carell and John Krasinski. B.J. Novak, Leslie David Baker, and Paul Liberstein all provide insights to their characters and the process of creating the show. The commentaries are very entertaining, though some fans may wish for a more-mellow Melora Hardin in next-year's collection.

Available in some packages and probably the best overall extra is the table draft script of "Dinner Party." For those who are unfamiliar with script formats, this is a great way to see what the writers produce prior to filming an episode (in a year that featured the writers' strike, this is even more appropriate). It's lots of fun to read the script and watch the episode at the same time. For example, the video camera in the bedroom and the scene with Angela and Andy eating ice cream were not in the original script. The script also features of scene where Michael prank-calls Toby, sitting alone at home watching Las Vegas by himself.

Finally, The Office Convention Writers' Block is another good "behind the scenes" piece that provides real insight to the show (unlike the recent writer panel at Comic-Con). The camera work is a little shaky, but at least we get to see the writers answer their questions in a way that does make this piece a little more engaging compared to a pure audio version featured on podcasts like That's What She Said. (If you missed our coverage of the OTHER panels at last year's Office convention, follow the links tn the sidebar to your right -Matt).

The Packaging

The "office" theme is presented well in the packaging. The photos and post-it notes once again make references to events of the season. In addition, the inside fold of the DVD pakage features Dwight's org chart from "Did I Stutter?"

The DVD menus are animated and well-done. There are visuals and audio that are pertinent to the episodes on each disc, and they provide a wonderfully immersive experience.

Overall

Due to the writer's strike, the season was shortened to only 14 episodes spanning 19 half-hour segments. Unfortunately, the reduction in number of episodes did not translate into a lower retail price for the collection, compared to previous seasons. As with Season 3, the extras are reduced again this year. Worse, many of the extras are already available on the NBC.com website. Still, it's nice to have all the content in one place.

If you're a hardcore fan of The Office, there's no question this is a must-own item. Casual fans will be well-served by this set as well, since the immersive experience can help you understand and appreciate the show's humor and sensibility. However, the middling bonus features and lesser overall value do present flaws to be aware of.

Bonus Materials

Bloopers, photos, and more at the official The Office DVD site.

Disc 1

1. Deleted Scenes
2. Rabies: The More You Know

Disc 2

1. Deleted Scenes
2. Michael Scott's Dunder Mifflin Ad
3. "Money" Commentary - Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Melora Hardin, Brian Baumgartner, Paul Lieberstein, Michael Schur, and Jennifer Celotta.
4. "Local Ad" Commentary - B.J. Novak, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, Creed Bratton, Craig Robinson, Jason Reitman, and Anthony Ferrell.

Disc 3

Deleted Scenes

1. "The Deposition" Commentary - Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Melora Hardin, Brian Baumgartner, Ed Helms, Lee Eisenberg, Lester Lewis, and Ryan Koh.

Disc 4

1. Deleted Scenes
2. Blooper Reel
3. The Office Convention Writers' Block
4. Summer Vacation Promo
5. "Did I Stutter?" Commentary - Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery, Justin Spitzer, Brent Forrester, Gene Stupnitsky, and Randall Einhorn.

And so does the latest issue of WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY:

"Contrary to popular belief, Oscar recognition is not necessarily a ticket to stardom. And so, despite having scored a nomination at last year’s Academy Awards for her part in “Gone Baby Gone,” Amy Ryan insists she is still “pretty anonymous.”

That status may change, however, when the new season of “The Office” premieres on NBC on Sept. 25. In the finale in May, Ryan joined the show as Holly, a human resources executive who catches the eye of awkward boss Michael, played by Steve Carell. Fortunately for the actress, it was more than just a flirtatious tease: She is set to appear in a six-episode arc, in which her greatest challenge might just be maintaining her composure among her castmates.

“You are guaranteed at least three hysterical fits of laughter between takes,” Ryan says. “It makes it easier to keep a straight face while filming, although it’s still extremely hard. You’re drumming up every dead puppy story you can imagine.”'


For the rest of the article, click HERE.

For the Comedy and Drama Emmy Awards, nominated series submit six episodes to be judged. The six episodes are divided into three pairs that are randomly distributed to voters who view two episodes from each nominated series. The Office is competing against 30 Rock, Two and a Half Men, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Entourage.

Here are the Season 4 episodes submitted for The Office:
"Local Ad"
"Dinner Party"
"Chair Model"
"Did I Stutter?"
"Goodbye, Toby (Parts 1 & 2)"

These episodes are the most emotionally charged of the entire season, especially for longtime viewers with an investment in the couples' relationships. "Chair Model" not only features the uncomfortable humor the show is famous for, but also features the start of the "engagement storyline" that went through to the season finale, "Goobye Toby."  Of course, "Dinner Party" is another emotional and chance-taking episode that may reasonate with literate Emmy voters who see references to films like "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf." "Did I Stuffer" features tension-filled moments on par with any episode of "Law and Order."

So, will Season 4 be judged by these moments that transcent mere "comedy" but cross over to real emotional connection to the show's characters? Or, will Emmy voters be turned off by the sight of Dwight's Second Life avatar? We'll find out on September 21st, when ABC broadcasts the Emmy Awards.

Learn more at The Envelope.

We have brand-new year of DMI starting Sept. 4th with new scores, new tasks, new desks and improved features!

Come back and start from scratch! All the SchruteBucks and stats from last year will be wiped and everyone starts over as of Sept. 4th, so it's a whole new game!

Afraid of losing your profile and hard-earned desk items? Don't be! Your profile will remain intact as will as the desk items you purchased up until now.

Branches will be open for business Thursday, Sept. 4th and will accept applications from ALL members, current and new. Everyone is guaranteed to get into the first branch they apply to. The new Regional Manager hiring period will also begin the same day.

DON'T FORGET: The SchruteBucks you've earned in DMI 1.0 will be revert to zero at 11:59 PM ET/8:59 PM PT, Thursday, August 28th. The DMI site will be shut down for maintenance Aug. 29-Sept. 4, but you still will be able access the DMI Forums. There are a few days remaining to spend your remaining bucks so don't miss out!

The season four DVD is getting ready to hit stores on September 2nd, and as usual, Best Buy is offering a special gift pack.  This season, the "swag" includes a "Fun Run" T-Shirt, wristband, and water bottle, which certainly seems like a good deal for the $33.74 asking price. Supply will surely be limited, however, so get your orders in as soon as possible.

Target and other big box stores usually offer their own specials, but so far I haven't seen or heard anything-- but check the Labor Day circulars this weekend for more information.

I certainly don't blame anyone for choosing to buy one of these sets instead of ordering through the Amazon link.  If you HAVE ordered through Amazon, feel free to cancel your order if you so wish.

EDIT: The Target set will apparently come with "60 minutes of bonus cast footage and a notepad." No idea what that footage will be. ($36.99)

EDIT 2: Circuit City will be offering a "Free The Office Stapler in Gelatin Mold Keychain with purchase." ($32.99)

IGN.com has posted a small interview with Melora Hardin today. Nothing much in the way of actual season information (you know the drill by now), but it's worth a quick read.


The article ALSO links to several promo photos that NBC has released for the season five premier.

Good old Kristin over at E! did a set visit, and posted a few clips.  Neither Kevin or I were too amused with Rainn's "hold Jenna hostage until THE ROCKER does well" plot, and according to John Krasinski the whole thing has gone horribly, horribly wrong:



There's another video with Rainn, and a bit more information, if you follow the LINK.

According to TMZ, Craig Robinson entered a "tentative guilty" plea to possession of ecstasy (a felony)... this ignores the meth that was found in his possession as well as the cocaine and amphetamines found in his system at the time of his arrest.

The plea agreement requires Robinson to attend a "drug treatment" program for 18 months.  If he successfully completes the program, he will have the charge expunged from his record.

Now, I have nothing against Robinson (despite my dislike for Darryl, in general), and I am glad that he's getting the help he needs.  But I can't help but wonder about the ridiculous double standard that exists in the Hollywood justice system.  If you, or I, or an actual warehouse worker in Scranton, PA was found with ecstasy or meth, you can bet damn well that we wouldn't get off with 18 months of treatment.  I hope he realizes and appreciates the breaks he has been given.

Listener Kevin Murphy tipped me off to this interview that Rainn Wilson did with The Onion AV Club to pimp "The Rocker." He ends up spending MUCH more time talking about The Office, though.

AV CLUB: Was it difficult to not be influenced by the actor who played the equivalent to your role?

Rainn Wilson: I get asked that question a lot, no offense, but the situation was—the guy playing Gareth is very distinct. He looks like a whippet, he's 97 pounds and has very intense eyes and demeanor, and I knew I'd never be able to copy him. We have totally different energies and are very different as actors. He's just absolutely brilliant for what he did. I knew for the American show, what we were going for was Seinfeld-like success. People who compare the English and American Offices—there's so much ignorance in that comparison, because the English Office made 13 episodes. We make that many episodes in three months. We've made 89 episodes at this point. Their show is more like a miniseries, and our show is like an American TV show, because the demands of the market are so different.

It's like comparing a book and a movie. Gone With The Wind the movie and Gone With The Wind the book, it's difficult to compare them, because they're different forms. So I knew that ours needed to sustain, but I also knew that the Dwight needed to play a similar role, and I knew that [Steve Carell's] Michael Scott needed an acolyte and a foil, and I knew that Jim [Halpert, John Krasinski's character] needed someone to butt heads against. I knew that the office needed someone who was a real stickler for rules, and at the same time was a nerd and had weird, oddly obsessive-compulsive ideas about the military and gaming and fantasy worlds, but also needed to be a real in to the hierarchies of office life. I also didn't want him to be—one thing I really appreciated about the character of Gareth was that he wasn't a loser. The guy had a lot of friends, he could go to bars, he could get girls. He wasn't like the office nerd that we've seen so many times before, so I knew that—this is a very long-winded answer—I knew there were certain needs that needed to be fulfilled. I wanted to find my own way of doing that. I wanted to find my own bad haircut, my own way of kissing the boss' ass, my own way of butting heads with Jim, and so I tried to forget Gareth as much as I could.


Check out the full article HERE.

From the AP news wire:

LOS ANGELES — Prosecutors have filed felony drug charges against Craig Phillip Robinson, an actor best known for his role as Darryl Philbin on NBC's "The Office."

According to documents released Friday, police in Culver City arrested Robinson on June 29 on suspicion of possessing MDMA, also known as ecstasy, and methamphetamine. He was released the same day after posting bail, jail records show.

Los Angeles County prosecutors charged Robinson with two felony counts of drug possession and one count of being under the influence of illegal drugs.

Robinson's publicist declined comment Friday. The 36-year-old is scheduled to appear in court on August 21.

He is familiar to television audiences for his portrayal of Philbin, a warehouse foreman on "The Office." He also recently appeared in the comedy film "Pineapple Express."

I'd like to thank everyone who has pre-ordered the season four DVDs through the site.  If you haven't done so yet, please consider ordering through our associates link to your right... every little bit helps.

One thing I've discovered is that if you get to Amazon through the link on our site, we get a little piece of EVERYTHING you buy, not just the season four DVD set.  So even if you're not going to buy the DVD online, you can still make a big difference.

Thanks in advance,

-Matt-

E!'s Kristin is digging up more dirt on the season premier with TWO more "spoilers" today.  One of them seems to deal with our favorite creepy fence-hopping HR rep, and the other talks about what role Mad Men's Rich Sommer will be playing on the show.

So what happens when you tell the world you're going to debut an Office spinoff show after the Superbowl, but you don't actually MAKE an Office spinoff show?

Well, if you're NBC, you change your mind and run a special hour-long episode of THE OFFICE instead.  Entertainment Weekly confirmed this yesterday, noting that this special episode will be prepped and ready for the post-Superbowl slot on February 1st.

All things considered, I won't complain.  In fact, this could make for an awesome episode where the gang from The Office attend a Superbowl party (perhaps at Jim & Pam's new place?).  Just think, more gags with Kevin's betting, more drunken shenanigans, more party awkwardness... it practically writes itself.

E!'s "Watch With Kristin" has posted a few minor spoilers about the season five premier.

The summary?  They've been filming on location this past week at the University of Southern California, which is serving as a stand-in for Pam's NYC art school (The Pratt Institute).  Apparently, they shot scenes of Jenna Fischer sitting in two different classrooms, with two different professors. 

Based on past experiences, I'm guessing these might be part of a flashback montage, showing us what Pam was up to over the Summer (seems doubtful they'll start with her still actually being in the program, seeing as they've never done that before... but who can say?).

An "Inglorious Bastard," anyway.

From Reuters:

"B.J. Novak could soon be going from pushing paper to fighting Nazis.

The co-star of NBC's "The Office" is in talks to play one of the soldiers in "Inglorious Bastards," Quentin Tarantino's long-gestating film about a band of Jewish resistance fighters in Vichy-era France.

Novak is expected to play Private Utivich, described as a soldier of slight build who comes from New York.

Novak is best known for his role as Ryan, the temp-turned-crooked manager on NBC's "The Office." He also has served as a writer and producer.

On the big screen, Novak has had small parts in the September 11 drama "Reign Over Me" and Judd Apatow's "Knocked Up."

Casting is being finalized on "Bastards," which is expected to shoot in the fall in Europe and wrap in time for a potential Cannes debut in May. Brad Pitt is in talks to play the leader of the band of fighters."

His biggest war-crime was the beard.

EW's Michael Ausiello gave a bit more information on yesterday's announcement of Rich Sommer's guest appearance on THE OFFICE:

"Thanks to Monday's Aus Files scoop, you already know that Mad Men's Rich Sommer is guest starring in the Sept. 25 season premiere. Well, what you don't know is that if it weren't for the writers strike, it probably never would have happened! Sommer says the idea for his Office visit first came up when he met producer/star Mindy Kaling last winter on the picket line. "Mindy is a big fan of Mad Men and she knew that I was a big fan of The Office," he explains, "so we mused about finding some way to get me over there." Sommer insists he's been "sworn to secrecy" about the specifics of his guest stint, although he does admit that he's playing a "very different character" from Harry Crane, the 1960s ad exec he portrays on Mad Men. "When you see it," he adds, "you'll understand why I can't say anything." And when you pick up this week's issue of EW and turn to page 54, you'll understand why I had to."

He also had this to say about the season premier:

"Based on what I'm hearing about the premiere, it's either going to go down as the funniest Office episode ever or NBC's most blatant piece of cross-promotion yet. Or some combination of both."

I'm a little concerned about that last part... what does that mean? Is Michael Scott going to be making an appearance on "America's Got Talent" or something similar? Why am I suddenly feeling so nervous?

Michael Ausiello, at EW.com, is reporting that actor Rich Sommer (no relation) from AMC's MAD MEN will be making a quest appearance on The Office.


Says Ausiello:

What twist are we dealing with here? Jan's pregnancy? Something to do with Holly? The mind boggles.  Sommer does a decent job on MAD MEN, although his role so far has been pretty minor.

For those who don't know, MAD MEN was one of last year's hot new shows. From one of the writers of THE SOPRANOS, the series is about the life and loves of a group of advertising men (and their families) circa 1960. I missed all of the hype when it was actually airing, but AMC put all 13 episodes "on demand" last weekend, and I got a chance for a little marathon. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Not sure if I love it yet, but I'm definitely "in like," and it's now a part of my weekly TV queue.

(You can watch the first episode of season two of MAD MEN here)

If anyone is interested, I have recently joined the wonderful world of Twitter (essentially a social forum for "micro-blogging").  Just FYI-- this is my own personal account, NOT a TWSS-related account.  That mean's you'll just have to read my regular ramblings instead of news or other The Office related stuff.

That said, if you're still interested, check me out HERE.

We mentioned on the last podcast that the writers of THE OFFICE (along with Rainn Wilson) were going to be talking to the fans at this year's Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA.

Here's the full panel, courtesy of NBC.com:



Mahalodaily.com has posted several videos of the panel. This first one is short, about 1.5 minutes, which consists of the Mahalodaily reporter trying to get some season 6 details out of Rainn and Greg Daniels (to absolutely no avail). The second clip is an interview with Paul Feig.

As if this whole Office spinoff mess wasn't convoluted enough...

At the TCA Awards this week, NBC honcho (and the guy behind bringing the OFFICE to the US) Ben Silverman told everyone that the show created by Mike Schurr and Greg Daniels starring Amy Poehler that's going to air AFTER The Office and debut after the Superbowl, isn't, in fact, The Office spinoff show.  To top that off, because of Poehler's pregnancy and SNL commitments, the actual show ISN'T going to be debuting after the Superbowl anyway.

But, says Silverman, there *IS* an Office spinoff that exists... it's just not THIS show, and they have no idea when it's going to air or who it's going to star.  Here's the quote, from The Washington Post:

"Well, fortunately for Amy and [her husband], she's pregnant right now. So the target was to have it be ready after the Super Bowl. . . . So the timing will be tough to be able to turn that show around to fit into the post-Super Bowl slot. It's much more likely we're going to have to launch that in March. What happened was ['The Office' show runners Greg Daniels and Mike Schur] came up with two ideas. One of which is totally a spinoff, which they're pursuing and [is] planted inside 'The Office' and maybe would involve characters who are already on 'The Office' who would then migrate to a new show. And then they developed a different parallel, which was kind of set stylistically and formed by 'The Office' but not characters based in 'The Office,' or storylines based in 'The Office.'

"And, as they pursued both, we decided to put all our energy to get Amy locked in, and she agreed, and then we started a negotiation with her and also focused on making sure that Mike and Greg's creative was something that she really was going to respond to. And that kind of took position A in what Greg and Mike were going to focus on right now. So that's kind of where the process went.

"We're still pursuing the spinoff, but when you get a talent like Amy Poehler at the top of her game coming off what easily could have been a decision to become a full-time movie star, this was a great chance for us to land her, and Mike and Greg and everybody at NBC think she's just the ideal talent to fill out what they're working on."

Once again, Steve Carell was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (for the episode "Goobye Toby"). The Office received a total eight nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series ("Local Ad") and Rainn Wilson for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series ("Money"), along with additional nominations for directing, writing, editing, and sound mixing.

And, it should be noted, Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski also picked up something. Big ol' snubs! While both were in the listing of "Top 10 finalists" for their respective supporting categories, neither was in the final list (Fischer was nominated last year). And while we certainly appreciate Rainn Wilson's work, I can't help but wonder if Wilson's over-the-top character is a reason why he received a nomination over Krasinski's more subdued performance.  The fact that Emmy voters officially cast votes on a single episode from an entire season also penalizes actors who transform over a season (see also: Lost).

Outstanding Comedy Series: The Office ("Local Ad")

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series : Steve Carell ("Goodbye, Toby")

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series: Rainn Wilson ("Money")

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series: Paul Lieberstein ("Money")

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series: Paul Feig ("Goodbye, Toby")

Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series: Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky ("Dinner Party")

Outstanding Picture Editing For A Comedy Series: Dave Rogers and Dean Holland ("Goodbye, Toby")

Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series: Ben Patrick, John W. Cook II, Peter J. Nusbaum ("Local Ad)

Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are saying that SNL and UCB alum Amy Poehler is in "final negotiations" to headline the still unnamed Office spinoff show set to debut after the Superbowl in early 2009. Apparently "Baby Mama" was enough of a success that negotiations began sometime in late June.


So much for Ausielo's "guaranteed" Amanda Peet prediction.

In any case, the deal is not yet officially confirmed, and both articles mention that Poehler's pregnancy (she is due this fall) could also affect or delay the production of the new series.

I still need some time to process this news, but my initial reaction is that Poehler is too "over the top" as a comedian to fit into an "Office"-like show.  Maybe it's having seen her mugging into the camera so often on SNL that's put this thought in my mind... I dunno.  As it stands, I am very glad that the "spinoff" seems to NOT be a spinoff after all-- I will be much more charitable towards a completely NEW show than if I am worrying about how this new show "tarnishes" the original (or not).

So what do you guys think? Great choice, or reason for concern? Can the fabric of the universe survive when both Poehler AND Fey have sitcoms on the same network on the same night? Will Poehler being hired also earn us some juicy Will "GOB" Arnett cameos? Only time will tell.

Talking to the AP about her SNL Emmy nomination, Poehler basically confirmed that her participation in the new show is a done deal (although she says she doesn't know what she'll be doing, exactly).

I must be living under a rock since going on Summer vacation.  I just this minute read an article in TV Guide about Mindy Kaling going back to Scranton, PA on July 19th for "The Office Games"

To quote the article:

"Scranton, besides hosting a day of events inspired by the show including a 2K race, a trivia challenge and beet eating contest, will also be the first city to offer the new The Office DVD Board Game and a separate The Office Trivia Game" (the first 125 people to buy a game from Boscov's in Steamtown Mall will get an autugraph from Mindy).

Our very own Kevin Crossman just spent some time in Scranton last week, so I guess the lure of the "Electric City" is still holding strong for many an Office fan.  I think I'll be sitting this next one out, though.

Anyone planning on attending the event?

EDIT:

Go HERE to sign up.  All proceeds will be donated to the United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Watch the episode NOW:



------------------------------------------------
One hundred people surveyed, top five answers on the board-- Name a great way for an Office fan to deal with Summer withdrawal.

Number one answer?  Watch CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD tonight at 8 PM Eastern/7 PM Central as our beloved cast takes on (believe it or not) the American Gladiators.  Al Roker, everyone's favorite portly African-American weatherman, does the hosting duties (he's no Richard Dawkins, but I suppose he'll do in a pinch).

Friend of the show Laura H. attended the taping, and filed this report:

"I had heard that there were going to be two Office-related shows at IO West in Hollywood in early June on the same night. One was Kate Flannery's "Lampshades" show and the other was an improv show featuring Angela, Oscar and Creed.  I had some credit with NWA which I had to use soon. I also had enough credit card points for a free hotel stay. So I thought "What the hell." I made my bookings and then sent both Angela and Kate short MySpace messages telling them I was coming out. (Not like we're "tight" or anything - but I had met both of them on a few different occasions over the past couple of years). Kate sent me a message back saying that some of them were going to be filming "Celebrity Family Feud" on the day I was coming into town. She asked if she should try to get me a ticket. Obviously, I said "Yes, please!" A couple of days later she sent me all the info I needed.

Since she had put my name on the list as her guest, I was sort of treated like a rock star - well, at least for a couple of hours at a game show taping, that is. I got to park my little rental car by the limos, I was escorted into the bldg through the back stage door and was shown where craft services was. It was pretty cool. The person taking me in said "You're a guest of Kate's? Did you want to go to the trailers?" I didn't want to push my luck, so I declined. I did happen to see the Office-mates walk past, however, and Kate said that she was happy I made it.

Once I was seated, it was alot of fun actually. The announcer dude warmed up the crowd, and it was pretty hilarious because he made us "practice" our responses - all the "oooo's" & "ahhh's", clapping, etc. It all just made me laugh!  I learned that The Office was going to be playing the American Gladiators - and that made me laugh more! The Office cast was all dressed very nicely - and the Gladiators came in costume . . . stretchy, spandexy bulges. It felt wrong just looking at them. :) 

Al Roker was the celebrity host, and he did a really good job. It was evident that he is a fan of The Office and he had a great rapport with them - probably since he had met them in Scranton?   Anyway, I won't spoil anything, but it was a good show. At one point, Kate was at the podium and nearly didn't get her answer in time. I let out some kind of noise - which I hope they edited out! ;)

That night was the two shows at IO West. Even though I had seen the Lampshades previously, it was still hilarious. I got to talk to Kate for a little while afterwards, and she was nice enough to give me a CD of the show. She didn't stay too long, though, because she had the TV Land Awards and a breast cancer charity event the next day.  The Armando (improv) show was also fun. Creed was the "host" and took the opportunity to tell a few stories from "back in the day" involving using illegal substances, etc. Just what you'd expect from Creed! Oscar and Angela were part of the group of improvisors - and Angela (especially) is alway so funny! 

After the show, it was pretty late and loud and crowded. But Angela saw me and came over and gave me a hug and thanked me for coming. She apologized but said that she wouldn't be able to stay too long - which I fully understood. She really wanted to get home to Isabel, and she also had the TV Land Awards the next day. We chatted for just a few minutes - mostly about the baby - and she told me that she would be appearing in People magazine and how she had been apprehensive to do so, but the folks at People were really great to work with."

Awesome story, Laura.  I think you just made a lot of people REALLY jealous, though... including yours truly.

To all of out American listeners-- a happy 4th of July to you all.  Please, try not to overdo it on the hot dogs and potato salad this year.

Just a few news tidbits that I'm sure most of you already know:

1) Amy Ryan is committed to reprise her outstanding role as Holly Flax in at least FIVE episodes next season.  Kevin and I both loved her work in the season finale, so I am very excited to see her coming back for more. 

2) According to Ricky Gervais' official blog, Steve Carell has signed on for another three year commitment to THE OFFICE with his new contract.  While his movie track record has been somewhat spotty, he definitely doesn't NEED to come back to working those fabled 12 hour days on a TV show if he didn't want to.  Hats off to Steve for sticking with the show.

3) The first new "webisode" of the Summer is set to launch on July 10th! Less than a week away.  TWSS will have full coverage of all the webisodes, so never fear (although I'm still not sure if we'll discuss them individually or wait until they're all finished...).

4) We're right back where we were in November 2007, as the SCREEN ACTORS GUILD are in the middle of their own tense negotiations with the studios.  The final contract has been proferred, but we won't know the results until July 8th.  I haven't been following this as closely as I should have, but we're literally on the edge of another major Hollywood work stoppage if a strike is called (the existing contract expired on June 30th).  Hollywood is walking on eggshells right now, as are many other cities that do a lot of location shooting (like Vancouver, for example).  Many seem to think the strike won't happen so soon after the WGA strike, but you never know.  Keep watching the news.

5) I'm looking at releasing the new TWSS Retro episode sometime in the next week (if Kevin and I can work something out).  Although we still have two episodes left from season one, I think we're going to just jump right ahead into "The Dundees."  If you'd like to leave an email comment for the show, giving your opinions on the episode, favorite parts, etc., get them to me ASAP at TWSSpodcast@gmail.com.  If you'd like to leave an audio comment, feel free to use Kevin's hotline:


This is technically the phone number for Kevin's Frat Pack Podcast, but never fear-- your comments will be forwarded to the right place.

6) Also, if you haven't done so, PLEASE consider pre-ordering your season four DVD sets from Amazon.com through our associates link (located to your right).  A small percentage of your purchase price will be kicked back to TWSS to help defray some of the costs of production.  If Amazon's price goes down in the coming months, you'll be charged the lowest price, regardless of where it is currently.  If you know you're going to order the set, please order from us.  You'll be doing TWSS a major solid, yo.

In conjunction with their "The EW 1000" list, Entertainment Weekly has asked Rainn Wilson to portray "several" classic TV characters from the past 25 years. 

So, anyone going to see it?

It's not doing too well on RottenTomatoes right now-- it's sitting at 52%, which is considered "rotten-- but the tide might turn as more reviews come in tomorrow.

If you HAVE seen it, or plan to, give your comments below.

EDIT:

Roger Ebert liked the film, at least, giving it 3.5/4 stars.

Variety posted an article yesterday about the first official actor to be hired for the yet-unnamed OFFICE spinoff-- Aziz Ansari.  Ansari, a veteran of the MTV sketch comedy show HUMAN GIANT, is described in the article as:

A rising star on the standup circuit, Ansari has earned raves, including best standup at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, for his irony-laced takes on life. Ansari's targets include everything from the singing ice cream scoopers at Coldstone Creamery to racism and homophobia.


In addition to serving as a writer, exec producer and performer on "Human Giant," Ansari also guested as a racist fruit vendor on HBO's "Flight of the Conchords" -- and recently opened for the Conchords on a series of concert dates.

[The] Comedian, who's repped by 3 Arts and UTA, is currently in Albuquerque filming scenes for the upcoming Seth Rogen feature "Observe and Report." He'll also be seen alongside Paul Rudd and Jason Segel in "I Love You, Man."

Furthermore, the article goes on to say that Daniels and Schurr have yet to decide on a concept for the spinoff, although there are several in the running.  They have hired veteran writers from EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, SOUTH PARK, and LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN to join the scripting team, and are (in the words of Greg Daniels) "meeting with a lot of cool people... We're trying to see how the pieces all fit together."

Going along with the previous rumor, Rashida Jones's name popped up again in the article, as it mentions that a telent holding deal has been struck between her reps and NBC/Universal.  Whether she'll be appearing in the spinoff, THE OFFICE, or 'none of the above' is yet to be determined. As of now, the idea that any of the cast of the original show will be moving over to the new spinoff seems highly unlikely.

(so much for our Andy theory!)

On the homefront, the article also brings word that several new writers have been hired for the show including '"Freaks and Geeks" creator Paul Feig, "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "New Adventures of Old Christine" vet Aaron Shure and "Saturday Night Live" writer Charlie Grandy."'

Paul Lieberstein will also become an executive producer for season five.

Good old Kristin over at E! is claiming that a source is telling her that Rashida Jones is going to be involved in The Office spinoff.  Doesn't sound very solid, however, since no one else will confirm and Jones' people are denying that she's been approached.

Personally, I've never been a huge "Karen" fan (she never seemed to exist beyond being Jim's temporary "Pam replacement" in my eyes), but what the hell. I just hope (as I've said before) that the spinoff simply isn't "The Office Utica."