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.

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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.