EDIT: The task is now live.  You have to use the online design tool supplied by the DMI site, so my "official" logo is out.  In fact, the only text you can have in your logo is the name of your branch... so not even a TWSS reference.  Sigh.

Still, we need all DMI branch members to head on over to the site and start designing!  You have until midnight on Tuesday.

Oh, and our desks are live too... you can buy stuff to populate your desk, but I'm not sure if I want to waste my SB's that way.  Still, if you submit a design you get 50 SBs, so that's something. 

====================================

OK folks, they've given out the first official task over at the DMI game-- design your branch logo.

I already jumped the gun and designed a logo on Friday, just for the heck of it (you can see it on the sidebar).  But that doesn't mean that someone out there can't do a better one.

Unfortunately, the DMI website appears to be broken again since the link to start designing your logo goes nowhere (and the promised desk feature STILL isn't working, despite a message saying it is).  The deadline for the task is 6pm E on Monday, so keep your eyes open.

EDIT: Right after posting this, I found Eric's email in my spambox... to quote Professor Farnsworth, "good news, everyone!"  The Schaumburg branch officially belongs to TWSS!

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

OK, I just got an email saying I was officially "hired" on as an employee in the SCHAUMBURG, IL branch.  According to the FAQ, you are automatically hired *IF* the person whose code you entered is selected as the regional manager, so I'm hoping Eric was able to get his winning notification.  If not, there are still several open branches.  Ultimately, I'd like everyone who listens to TWSS to be in our branch, but it might not happen unless we take control of one ourselves (if the manager whose code you entered DOESN'T win, your hiring is left up to the whims of the manager that DID).

At this point, it almost seems like too much of a hassle to get EVERYONE who signed up to RE-sign up under a different branch, but I guess I'll have to wait and see if Eric was notified.  As of now, if you click on the link for "your branch," it only gives an error message.

BTW, the game FAQ has been posted, if you're interested in seeing what you're getting yourself into.

On Friday, the organizers of the official Scranton THE OFFICE convention posted the following information on ticket prices.  Keep in mind that AS OF NOW, they still haven't confirmed what cast members or writers will be attending-- although they are promising an announcement soon.

Ok... $250? How many cast appearances is that good for? Which cast members?  What if I pay $50?  Do I get to pick WHICH cast member I get to see?  Again, I know this is a first attempt, but I think it's really crazy to expect people to outlay this kind of money on faith alone, without any confirmation of who will be showing up. 

In all honesty, I wouldn't mind going.  It's just not meant to be this year, I guess.

Ok folks... the long rumored "The Office" home game is gearing up to start, and we need to get our TWSS branch up and running. 

Eric "Sabai" Olsen is going to be my contact on this front, and he has set up a branch for us to join.  The first manager that gets 15 people to sign up under their access code gets control of that branch.

I'm REALLY rather pissed off that the Racine, WI branch has somehow already been taken.  Because of this, we're going to have to go "south of the border" and start our very own SCHAUMBURG, IL branch.

To sign up, to go the official site:

Http://www.dundermifflininfinity.com

register, and say you would like to be an employee for the SCHAUMBURG branch.  When asked, enter this code:

74gtynbdl9

Time is really of the essence.  The first one to get 15 people to sign up gets control of that branch.  We definitely need to be in charge of our own TWSS branch, so let's get signing up!

Tying in with yesterday's Emmy coverage, the Scranton Times-Tribune posted an interview with Greg Daniels which talks about his plans for the convention in October as well as some spoilers for season four.

From the article:

"Mr. Daniels, executive producer of the Scranton-set NBC sitcom "The Office," which will vie for its second consecutive Outstanding Comedy Emmy tonight, told The Times-Tribune in a recent interview that he's currently trying to get the network to pay for him and the show's other writers to come to Scranton for the first "The Office" Convention, set for the weekend of Oct. 26-28.

Mr. Daniels has been privy to the convention's plans since early this year. Overall, he's been encouraged by what he's seen.

"It looks like they have their act together," he said from his car while en route to "The Office's" production offices in Van Nuys, Calif. "It seems to me that a lot of the fans would like to meet each other. There's sort of a community there; they've become friends online."

The visit, he said, would be productive on two levels. First, they could participate in the convention itself, most likely in some sort of Q&A forum. Second, it would give the writers a better feel for the area and the chance to grab a few new story ideas.

Then there's the matter of the cast. Convention planners have extended invites to everyone from star Steve Carell (buffoonish boss Michael Scott) on down, but so far no one has made the commitment to show up. Originally, the week leading up to the convention was to be a hiatus week for the cast, but the network's demand for an additional episode has turned it into a full-shooting week, Mr. Daniels said."

You can read the full article HERE.

Maybe it's just me, but the convention certainly seems pretty haphazard.  Here it is, September 17... the convention only a month away... and they still don't know IF the writers will come, or IF any of the cast will be attending.  I've never seen a convention like this in my life.  Hell, I'd be willing to put my money down if I knew for a FACT who was going to be there.  As it stands? It's like a huge roulette game-- the ball might come up Greg Daniels, Steve Carell, and Jenna Fischer... or it might just be a total wash-out.  I wish I could attend regardless, but right now, I just don't have enough incentive to try and swing it.

First category... Best Suporting Actor in a Comedy Series... Aaaaaand... Rainn Wilson loses to Jeremy Piven!  Ah well... tough call for me, as I love both THE OFFICE and ENTOURAGE.  I really think that Rainn carried a LOT of the comedic weight last season, and that he was pretty integral to the show's success.  It's just too bad that this category was so strong... Ari Gold, Dwight Schrute, Johnny Drama?  Hard, hard decision.

Speaking of Rainn Wilson, did anyone else see his new commercials with the U.S. women's soccer team?

Score so far: The Office 0, The Other Guys 1

Next up... Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series... (come on, Jenna!)... aaaaaaand... GAH! Jenna Fischer loses to Jamie Pressly!  Her character definitely had a huge role in the second season of MY NAME IS EARL, but it's definitely a one note role.  I guess the Emmy voters went for the BROAD comedy of EARL over the more subtle emotional journey that Pam went through in season three.

OK, Steve Carell is presenting now.  He's got his usual "every man," nice guy thing going.  He's giving "props" to all of his Office-mates.  Ha! Nice montage of "quotes" from Rainn, John Krasinski & Jenna Fischer.  Something to look forward to on the season four DVD I guess... and it's worth a point! Why not? :)

Score so far: The Office 1, The Other Guys 2

Ok... Ken Kwapis up for Best Director... Aaaaaaand.... Kwapis loses to the director of UGLY BETTY!  The Office denied yet again (although GAY WITCH HUNT was never my favorite episode).

Outstanding writing in a comedy series... Greg Daniels up for GWH, Mike Schurr up for THE NEGOTIATION... come on, Mike! I'm rooting for ya, man... Aaaaaaaaand... GREG DANIELS WINS!  Finally!

Hmmmm... Rainn Wilson is up on stage with Wayne Brady now... and apparently he's going to compete somehow against Kanye West in a "Don't Forget The Lyrics" battle over "Kanye West lyrics."  Loser has to quit show business! Har.  And Rainn Wilson wins! ;) Give 'em another point.

Here's the big one... Lead Actor in a Comedy Series... AAAARG! Ricky Gervais wins out over Steve Carell! But wait-- Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert decide to give it to Carell since Gervais couldn't make it! Take that, British guy! ;)

All right... the big one... Outstanding Comedy Series... goes to 30 ROCK! Sheesh! The Office is just totally dominated tonight!  I'm a fan of 30 ROCK, but I'm not sure if it was ready to win based on just this first season.  Well, the Emmy voters have spoken. 

Score TOTALS: The Office 4, The Other Guys 4 (a tie?)


Gotta say, I'm pretty disappointed in The Office's showing this year, but they were up against some pretty tough competition.  The Emmy voters went for some non-traditional choices all told, so I can't complain too much (I mean, at least Tony Shaloub didn't win for best lead actor in a comedy series, right?).  If The Office couldn't win for best series, I'm glad it went to 30 ROCK.  Here's hoping the award will give 30R some wiggle room in the schedule if the ratings aren't there this season. 

Part of why our dear friend Ian Casselberry stepped down from co-hosting TWSS had to do with his desire to make a name for himself in the blogosphere. 

He's been working on his own personal blog and his sports themed blog for a few years now, but more recently he's gotten a paying gig writing about his local love, the Detroit Tigers.  Thanks to traditional media embracing the blogging world lately, Ian has been asked to represent the Tiger Blogger's point of view on ESPN.com, and most recently in an article for USA TODAY.

Let's all wish Ian good luck and further success with his writing career.

The New York Times today posted a rather lengthy article looking at the upcoming film "DAN IN REAL LIFE," and speaking with its star, our old pal Steve Carell.  Apparently, Steve is a big weirded out by being called "nice" all the time.

If you didn't pull the trigger on the season three DVD set last week, Circuit City this week is offering the set for $29.99 (which also includes an "exclusive" The Office mousepad).  This is the lowest price I've seen on the set so far.

The deal runs from Sunday September 9th through Saturday September 15th.

Old news by now, surely:

Jenna Fischer and husband James Gunn have made a joint announcement on their MySpace pages that they will be separating/divorcing.

To quote from the posting: "We are sorry for any pain this causes family and friends. The enthusiasm we have expressed for each other's lives, spirits and careers is real—we have been each other's cheerleader and friend during the past six years and continue to be so now and in the future."

Maybe I'm out of the loop, but this certainly came as a surprise-- they always seemed to "couple-y" in all of the posts and comments, TV appearances, etc.  Ah well.  Did John C. Reilly break up their marriage? :) I guess we'll never know.  Damn that Dewey Cox.

Still, at the very least, delusional male fans of THE OFFICE can look forward to Fischer being "on the market."

by Kevin Crossman

Review

Coming to stores on September 4th is the DVD release of Season 3 of The Office. The four-disc set contains all 22 episodes and a host of extras.

The Episodes

Each episode is presented in pristine widescreen format and looks sharp on DVD. After an incredible Season Two that was one of the best seasons in television history, The Office's Season Three cannot help but be somewhat of a letdown. The early episodes with Jim in a separate branch office in Stamford in particular are not well-loved by fans. These early episodes also feature Pam as kind of an aimless soul. However, both storylines work well when placed in the context of the entire season and are well-worth a second look as part of the entire season package on DVD.

   

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. Another note is that the "Traveling Salesmen" and "The Return" episodes are presented together as they were when rerun as an hour episode. While this means additional scenes are included, each episode's individuality is reduced. This hurts "The Return's" cold open with Dwight (Rainn Wilson) on the job-hunt, for example.

Fans of the show have commented that this season belonged to the character Pam and actress Jenna Fischer. Fischer takes a character that appeared as a timid wallflower in Season One and has turned her into a sympathetic and dynamic character by the end of Season Three. John Krasinski's Jim character is subdued for most of the season, a turn-off to many fans. However, placed in context of his character's story-arc this acting style is understandable. New characters Andy and Karen (Ed Helms and Rashida Jones) are great foils to the existing cast and are definitely two big reasons to remember this season.

Steve Carell continues to evolve the character of Michael Scott from an insufferable, mean, and bloated windbag in Season One to a tragically flawed man-child in Season Three. He has many standout moments, and increases the mix of funny moments, cringe-worthy statements and monologues, and adds this season many emotionally effective performances.

The Bonus Materials

A complete list of bonus features is shown below. A couple "unique to the DVD" items include "Kevin Cooks Stuff in The Office" a funny vignette featuring Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) and the high-energy "Dwight Schrute Music Video" that has to be seen to be believed. More interesting is the original mini-episode "Excerpts From the 2006 NBC Primetime Preview Hosted by “The Office? Cast" that features a storyline with Michael buying a flat-screen television. This is also funny and is produced with the same quality and care as a regular episode. Hip-hop and comedy fans will also appreciate the full version of the "Lazy Scranton Video."

The commentaries are a mixed bag. For the most part, the commentaries decline with the number of people on the commentary track. In particular, the season finale "The Job" is neither fully entertaining or informative because of all the people who are trying to participate. A better option would have been to make two commentaries for this important episode, featuring John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, and Rashida Jones for one and Melora Hardin, Editor David Rogers, and Director Ken Kwapis on the other. This would have allowed more discussion of the two principal storylines.

Commentaries with fewer participants are better, even if they are for lesser episodes. The “Initiation? Commentary with BJ Novak, Rainn Wilson, and Leslie David Baker is both informative and hilariously entertaining, for example. Novak and Wilson are also good together along with writer Brent Forrester on "Business School." Another standout commentary is for the penultimate episode "Beach Games." In our opinion, writer Jennifer Celotta could do commentaries for all episodes as she is insightful and pleasant to listen to. Ed Helms and Brian Baumgartner are also effective on this commentary, though Director Harold Ramis does not participate as much as he does on the commentary for "Safety Training."

The "Bloopers" provide the only season-spanning bonus feature and that's a shame. The blooper reel is actually really good, but a twenty minute feature about the storylines for the entire season would have made for a more interesting and unique keepsake. A "Making Of" feature for the Stamford branch office would have also been welcome. Given these missing features and Steve Carell being unable to participate in the commentaries, The Office's bonus features are only good but not great.

The Packaging

The "office" theme is presented well in the packaging. Lots of "highlights" over the episode listing by disc, and cast photos, "post-it" notes, and more. Thankfully, the cover of the DVD set features a normal looking Michael Scott, rather than the infamous "Prison Mike" (from "The Convict") that was shown when the DVD set was first introduced.

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

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 uneven commentaries do present flaws to be aware of.

Bonus Materials

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

Disc 1

• Deleted Scenes
• “The Coup? Commentary with John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Rashida Jones, and Angela Kinsey
• “Initiation? Commentary with BJ Novak, Rainn Wilson, and Leslie David Baker

Disc 2

• Deleted Scenes
• Kevin Cooks Stuff in The Office
• Excerpts From the 2006 NBC Primetime Preview Hosted by “The Office? Cast
• Toby Wraparounds
• Dwight Schrute Music Video
• Joss Whedon Interview
• Videos From The Office “Make Your Own Promo? Contest

Disc 3

• Deleted Scenes
• “Traveling Salesman?, “The Return? Commentary with John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Rashida Jones, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, and Editor Dave Rogers
• “Business School? Commentary with BJ Novak, Rainn Wilson, and Writer Brent Forrester

Disc 4

• Deleted Scenes
• Blooper Reel
• Lazy Scranton Video
• Conan O'Brien Excerpt from the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
• “Safety Training? Commentary with BJ Novak, Mindy Kaling, and Director Harold Ramis
• “Women’s Appreciation? Commentary with Jenna Fisher, Angela Kinsey, Kate Flannery and Writers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky
• “Beach Games? Commentary with Ed Helms, Brian Baumgartner, Writer Jennifer Celotta, and Director Harold Ramis
• “The Job? Commentary wtih John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Rashida Jones, Melora Hardin, Editor David Rogers, and Director Ken Kwapis

I already mentioned the Best Buy exclusive edition, and now Target is offering their own version of The Office season three DVD.

Wrapped in a brown paper "Nifty Gifty" bag, the Taget exclusive comes with an extra bonus disc featuring Q&A with the cast and crew at the Museum of Television and Radio.  It also comes with a retail price of $37.99, which seems a bit steep for that extra disc.  The regular season three DVD set is priced at $31.99.