Episode # 131 -- "Series Finale" (8/29/12)

Episode # 131 of THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID finds both Matt and Kevin crying like tiny little babies. Friends, listeners, countrymen... lend me your ears. We've come to bury TWSS, not to praise it.  OK, maybe we'll praise it a little.  The last half of season EIGHT on the other hand..? Hrm. THANK YOU to everyone who listened to and/or donated to TWSS over the past five seasons. TWSS and THE OFFICE have taken up a huge portion of my life, and left me with many awesome memories.  Incidental music provided by Music Alley from Mevio. Email us at TWSSpodcast @ gmail. com, or leave a comment on our blog page at TWSSpodcast.com. iTunes reviews are always appreciated! Help spread the word! Also, PLEASE help support the show by signing up for a FREE 14-day trial of Audible.com. Go to http://www.audiblepodcast.com/shesaid for a free audiobook download.

Direct download: TWSS_131.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:08pm EDT
Comments[1]

By Kevin Crossman

The Office creator and Executive Producer Greg Daniels announced that the NBC show’s upcoming ninth season will be it’s last. Daniels also announced that he is returning to the role of showrunner, taking over from Paul Lieberstein who is prepping a Dwight spinoff with Rainn Wilson. According to OfficeTally, Daniels spoke about making an artistic ending to the show but also that “all questions will be answered” about the world of Dunder Mifflin and it’s characters.

  • Who is behind the documentary, and why are they still filming?
  • A “big year for Jim and Pam”
  • Identity of the Scranton Strangler

This news is sure to reinvigorate the desire for Steve Carell’s character Michael Scott to return to the show in some capacity. Daniels left that open but also indicated he didn’t want to force it. And it would be Carell’s call as well, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

“We’ll see,” Daniels said of the idea to bring the actor back to the series that helped launch his career. “We have ideas for the ending, and obviously if he would participate, we would have a lot of good times. The idea will fly without him if he can’t make it. He is pretty busy.”

Much of last season’s cast will not be present as regulars or even at all for the upcoming season. Both Mindy Kaling and BJ Novak are expected to make occasional appearances, while James Spader’s character is definitely out. Andy Buckley is returning as David Wallace who will be “running things” according to Daniels. Importantly, deals were signed with key leads John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, and Ed Helms.

As for Wilson and his Schrute Farms-inspired spinoff The Farm, a key cast member was announced last week. Comely blonde Majandra Delfino has been cast as Schrute’s younger sister Fannie, who previously left the farm but returns as a single mother. Though the key creatives for the spinoff are top-notch, it’s still unclear if sibling-inspired spinoff will be great (think Frasier) or awful (Joey).

Category:general -- posted at: 8:46pm EDT
Comments[1]

Say Goodbye to Matt and Kevin

This should not be a surprise to longtime listeners, but our upcoming Season 8 finale will also be the series finale for the That's What She Said Podcast. It's been a great ride but unlike certain network executives, Matt and Kevin (mostly Matt) know when it's time to step away. So, dear listeners, please leave a comment about how TWSS has touched your lives and affected your dreams - you might just hear it on our final show.

Also, if you want to get angry - don't punch the wall. Leave a colorful comment for us to read.

Category:general -- posted at: 11:07pm EDT
Comments[27]

Listener Thoughts on The Office Season 8

In preparation for Matt and Kevin's season-ending recording of the That's What She Said Podcast, we ask our dear listeners for their thoughts on Season 8. Did you love it? Did you hate it? What were your favorite moments, storylines, or characters?

Let us know...

The eighth season consisted of twenty-four episodes. James Spader reprises his role as Robert California, the new CEO of Dunder Mifflin/Sabre. Andy is promoted to Regional Manager and works hard to make a good impression on Robert, and asks Dwight to be his number two. Pam and Jim are expecting their second child, Phillip, at the start of the season, to coincide with Jenna Fischer's real life pregnancy. Angela is pregnant with her first son, also named Philip, with Sen. Robert Lipton (although it is implied that Dwight Schrute is actually the child's biological father). Darryl starts falling for new warehouse worker Val. Dwight is tasked with traveling to Tallahassee, Florida in order to assist Sabre Special Projects Manager Nellie Bertram (Catherine Tate) in launching a chain of retail stores, along with Jim, Ryan, Stanley, Erin, and new office temp Cathy Simms. Cathy is also revealed to have ulterior motives for the trip, as she intends to seduce Jim, but fails. Robert later kills the retail store project, blaming Todd Packer for the debacle. Erin decides to stay in Florida as an elderly woman's live-in helper. Andy goes to Florida and wins back Erin, but this allows Nellie to claim the manager position as her own. Robert tells Andy that he has been demoted back to a salesman, but refuses to accept the news, which causes him to be fired. Andy becomes motivated to begin a Dunder Mifflin comeback and joins with former CFO, David Wallace, to buy Dunder Mifflin back from Sabre putting Sabre completely out of business and giving Andy the manager position once again.

Category:general -- posted at: 10:45pm EDT
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Dwight returns to Tallahassee and competes with Todd Packer (David Koechner) to impress the president of Sabre's special projects, Nellie Bertram (Catherine Tate). Meanwhile, in Scranton, Andy dodges requests by the staff for raises

Director and writer: TBA

___________________

Urgh. The return of Nellie, a character that I HATED when she was introduced during last season's "Search Committee." Thankfully the show went with Robert California as the office manager, but like a bad dream they just can't let go of Catherine Tate and the extremely annoying character of Nellie.  Perhaps we'll see a "new" Nellie who might not be so bad. We'll see...

 - TWSS Kevin

Category:general -- posted at: 12:07pm EDT
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Just as Pam's maternity leave ends, Dwight and Andy must select employees to accompany Dwight to Tallahassee after he is sent on an assignment.

Directed by David Rogers, written by Amelie Gillette

___________________________

This is TWSS Kevin. Matt seems to be dodging my emails so I really have no idea if we'll return from hiatus. Blame the gradual decline in quality of The Office and good bit of Wisconsin politics. That said, I REALLY liked this episode, especially some of the continuing storylines with Val and Darryl, Erin, Dwight, and Angela. It made me forget, perhaps for the first time, that there used to be somebody called Michael Scott on the show.

In any case, we'd love to hear your feedback.

Category:general -- posted at: 12:36am EDT
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After Jim returns from jury duty, Dwight questions him on every detail of his case. Meanwhile, Angela and the senator (guest star Jack Coleman) welcome their new baby.

Directed by Eric Appel, Written by Aaron Shure

____________

Hey TWSS listeners, this is TWSS Kevin. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this week's episode. I'm looking forward to the requisite gay jokes that are of course the hallmark of any episode featuring the father of a new baby.

Category:general -- posted at: 10:55pm EDT
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When Robert decides to sell his mansion due to his divorce, Kevin suggests that he throw an office pool party, where Erin tries to make Andy jealous by flirting with Dwight and Robert gives everyone a tour of his mansion.

Writer: Owen Ellickson, Director: Charles McDougall

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As always, dear Office fans, we'd love to hear your thoughts on tonight's episode.

Category:general -- posted at: 12:21am EDT
Comments[8]

The Office #8.11 "Trivia"

Description:

When Oscar joins a trivia contest, Andy tries to get the entire office involved. Meanwhile, Dwight goes to Sabre headquarters to explore other job opportunities.

Writer: Steve Heley, Director: BJ Novak

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The guy on the right looks awfully familiar. If only I could place the face...

Category:general -- posted at: 3:49pm EDT
Comments[3]

Andy attempts to make everyone's Christmas wishes come true while Robert drinks too much at the Christmas party.

Written by Mindy Kaling, Directed by Ed Helms

______________

Are you feeling the spirit? Or, are you a Scrooge?  Either way, leave a comment with your thoughts on this episode of The Office.

Category:general -- posted at: 8:00pm EDT
Comments[15]

The Office #8.9 "Mrs. California" (12/01/2011)

Robert California gives his wife (Maura Tierney) a job in the office. Meanwhile, Dwight opens a gym in the building.

Writer: TBA, Director: TBA

______

Will ER veteran Maura Tierney bring "must see TV" back to NBC Thursday night televsion? Leave a comment on the episode.

Category:general -- posted at: 8:54pm EDT
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Andy decides to motivate and inspire everyone by taking them on a field trip to Gettysburg. Some people in the office stay behind and Robert California asks them to come up with Dunder Mifflin/Sabre's next big idea. Guest star: Lindsey Broad.

Writer: TBA, Director: TBA

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Another field trip for our Office friends. Will it be as satisfying as it was in Doomsday?

Category:general -- posted at: 12:58pm EDT
Comments[7]

Pam trains a temporary worker to take her place while she is on maternity leave, and enlists Dwight's support when she tries to show that Jim finds her replacement attractive. Meanwhile, Robert surprises Andy, Kevin, and Darryl when he asks to join their band.

Written by Allison Silverman, Directed by Matt Sohn

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Some real-life issues this week so we're late on recording Doomsday. Nonetheless, please leave a comment and tell us what you thought of Pam's Replacement.

Category:general -- posted at: 1:22am EDT
Comments[8]

The Office #8.6 "Doomsday" (11/03/2011)

Dwight (Rainn Wilson) devises a system to find mistakes made by employees in the office. To improve efficiency, he installs a doomsday device that will get someone fired if they make too many mistakes.

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As always, please leave your comments about the episode here on the blog.

If you're looking for a real doomsday device, check out Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970). Not the best of the series, mind you, but there's a great payoff at the end that I doubt will be seen in tonight's episode of The Office. -- Kevin Crossman

Category:general -- posted at: 7:13pm EDT
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Erin struggles to make a scary Halloween party that meets the requests of Andy and Robert. Jim and Pam  argue whether or not ghosts are real, while Dwight bonds with Robert's young son, Bert.

Writer: Carrie Kemper,  Director: Randall Einhorn
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Another Halloween episode likely filled with circa-2011 pop culture references. Be sure to put this into your time machine for viewing in 2016, when it likely will either be groan-worthy or completely baffling.

Please leave your feedback below, and it might just be used on the next episode of the podcast.

Category:general -- posted at: 7:07pm EDT
Comments[12]

Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) throws a garden party at Schrute Farms to impress Robert California (James Spader), with his parents and brother in attendance. Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) works to make it a classy event.

Writer: Justin Spitzer. Director: David Rogers

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Please leave your feedback below, and it might just be used on the next episode of the podcast.

Category:general -- posted at: 12:09am EDT
Comments[11]

From Wikipedia:

When all the warehouse workers win the lottery and then quit, everyone in the office dreams of what it would be like to win big.Andy (Ed Helms) and Darryl (Craig Robinson) search for new warehouse employees, while Jim (John Krasinski), Erin (Ellie Kemper), Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) get a taste of warehouse life.

The episode was written by co-executive producer Justin Spitzer, his 10th writing credit for the series. It was directed by cast member John Krasinski, who portrays Jim Halpert; this was the second episode directed by Krasinski for the series.

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Please leave your feedback below, and it might just be used on the next episode of the podcast.

Category:general -- posted at: 6:23pm EDT
Comments[10]

Robert California (James Spader) challenges the Scranton branch to double sales after a rousing motivational speech. After Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) promises the unthinkable, everyone in the office suddenly gets motivated to sell. Meanwhile, Pam Halpert (Jenna Fischer) finds an unlikely pregnancy friend.

written by Paul Lieberstein

directed by Charles McDougall

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Leave a comment about this episode and influence the opinion of your hosts, Kevin and Matt. If you're especially interesting or insightful you may hear your comment on the podcast.

Category:general -- posted at: 9:11pm EDT
Comments[13]

Written and directed by B.J. Novak

Robert (James Spader) stops by for the first time as CEO, accidentally leaving behind a mysterious list, divided down the middle with each employee's name on one of two sides. Everyone in the office frantically tries to figure out what it means. Meanwhile, the new manager faces a crisis.

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What's this?

Yes, TWSS fans, the moment you've all been waiting for (or at least some of you have been waiting for). After six months of fighting for the rights of teachers and working people in Wisconsin, influencing directly or indirectly the entire nation, Matt is back in the TWSS saddle at least for now. Meanwhile, Kevin has been relaxing on the beach in liberal California wondering what all the fuss is about.

TWSS's format will be changing. A little. Probably shorter shows (but not "short shows"). Definitely fewer clips. But all that great That's What She Said banter that's made us famous.

So, please leave a comment about this week's season premiere. If you have thoughts about Steve Carell leaving the show (and getting screwed out of winning a much-deserved Emmy), or the events of last season it's okay to leave those comments here as well.

-Kevin Crossman

Category:general -- posted at: 1:11am EDT
Comments[4]

On, Wisconsin...

I should have done this sooner, but I'm hoping a LATE explanation is still better than NO explanation.

 

If you've been following the news about what's going on in Wisconsin, you might have seen that we're all kinds of up in arms over a proposed "budget repair bill" which (among other things) will strip the collective bargaining rights from thousands upon thousands of public sector employees.  As a public high school teacher, I (needless to say) find myself quite vexed by this prospect, and have spent nearly every free moment these past few weeks engaged in activities and protests aiming to stop this ridiculous partisan bill. Just in case that wasn't clear a moment ago, I'll repeat it-- we're fighting to keep our collective bargaining rights.  Every state employee has already agreed to pay their "fair share" in raised costs, but this plan isn't about balancing the budget;  It's about busting unions, and that dog just won't hunt.

 

I'm not asking for your support here, nor do I want to hear any uninformed rants about subjects of which most non-public sector employees have no understanding.  I merely offer it as an explanation for why the podcast has trickled to a halt.  We have one more episode in the hopper that has already been recorded (The Search), but I cannot guarantee anything beyond that.

 

For those who have supported the podcast and enjoyed our excessive rambling discussions of a twenty-minute TV show, please know it has been greatly appreciated.  We will return if and when we can.

 

Peace,

 

-Matt-

 

Category:general -- posted at: 3:11pm EDT
Comments[14]

From Wikipedia:

PDA | 2.10.11

d: Greg Daniels

w: Robert Padnick

 

Michael and Holly's public displays of affection start to make everyone in the office uncomfortable. Jim and Pam have too much champagne during lunch, causing complications when they have to return to work. Andy tags along on a romantic treasure hunt Gabe has made for Erin. 

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Speak of the devil and he appears! Kevin was wondering if Greg Daniels would rear his head now that Michael is on the way out, and here he is.  Will the office "OG" bring back some of the missing magic, or will virgin writer Padnick queer the deal?  According to IMDB, this is Padnick's first and ONLY writing credit... but he apparently played someone named "Willie" on the 8th season episode of SEINFELD, "The Foundation." Odd.

As always, post your thoughts and comments on the episode in the space below.  Also, join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show tonight.  Just hit the green "Chat Now" button in the sidebar on the right.

Category:general -- posted at: 6:57pm EDT
Comments[13]

From Wikipedia:

 

THE SEARCH | 02.03.11

W: Michael Spiller

D: Brent Forrester

 

Jim gets an emergency phone call from Helene (Linda Purl), forcing him to leave Michael at a gas station bathroom. This leads Holly, Erin, and Dwight on a search for the whereabouts of Michael. A captioning contest starts in the office over Pam's artwork, which seems to offend Gabe. 

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Nothing much to say about this one, other than it reminds me of the classic episode of Seinfeld where Kramer is "lost" in NYC and Jerry has to go and find him (cue Daniel Day Lewis in LAST OF THE MOHICANS quote...).  Glad to see Gabe mentioned prominently in the episode summary, as he seems to have had little to do for the last few episodes.  I'm also kind of rubbing my eyes in disbelief as Andy isn't mentioned ONCE! Can it be? No Andy in the A or B plots? Unthinkable :)

As always, post your thoughts and comments on the episode in the space below.  Also, join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show tonight.  Just hit the green "Chat Now" button in the sidebar on the right.

Category:general -- posted at: 5:31pm EDT
Comments[15]

The Office #7.14 "The Seminar"

From Wikipedia:

 

THE SEMINAR | 1.27.11

 

Andy holds a small business seminar in the office with some special guests after he finds out that his sales are at his lowest. Michael and Holly use the seminar as an improv challenge. Erin and Gabe have a game of Scrabble where she engages others to join. Ricky Gervais is set to guest star as David Brent. 

 

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Well, here it is-- the moment I never thought we'd see, and never WANTED to see.  If we pretend that David Brent exists in the same universe as Michael Scott, then we must accept that both of these offices experienced the EXACT same day, and said the exact same dialogue, and everything else (the pilots of both shows being identical). This seems to me to be, as George Costanza so eloquently put it, a massive example of "worlds colliding" that will shake the universe of THE OFFICE to the core. I absolutely HATE "wink wink" kind of humor and cameo appearances, so I'm sure this will be something that I have a lot to talk about in the podcast.

OK, yeah, I know-- lighten up, Matt.  It's a comedy show! If it's funny, who cares? Etc. 

Call me insane, but I *DO* care.  I feel like this show I've loved and chronicled for the last four years is slowly becoming something I no longer appreciate or recognize.  I HOPE I'm wrong about this.  I HOPE that the guest spot is funny in and off itself, and they stay away from the "Dwight, ey? I know a bloke named Gareth who you'd get along with..." kind of stuff. I guess we'll just have to see.

As always, post your thoughts and comments on the episode in the space below.  Also, join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show tonight.  Just hit the green "Chat Now" button in the sidebar on the right.



Category:general -- posted at: 5:24pm EDT
Comments[17]

From Wikipedia:

ULTIMATUM | 1.20.11

Michael anticipates the news regarding the status of Holly and A.J.'s relationship. He later calls for a counseling session with Holly. Meanwhile, Pam puts up a New Years resolution board in the office so everyone can post their resolutions. 

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One can't help but wonder how soon they're going to end this "will she/won't she" thing with Holly and A.J.  Kevin and I often expect plotlines to play out forever, and yet they're resolved within one or two episodes.  Other times, something we think is a quick joke ends up running through an entire season.  How will this play out?  We now know that Steve Carell plans to exit the show at least four episodes before the actual finale, so will he get his "happy ending" with Holly? Using my "new math" skills, it seems we still have ten more Michael-filled eps before his departure.  Here's hoping he goes out with a bang (and this is the episode that starts it all off).

As always, post your thoughts and comments on the episode in the space below.  Also, join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show tonight.  Just hit the green "Chat Now" button in the sidebar on the right.

 

Category:general -- posted at: 6:09pm EDT
Comments[7]

Episode #107 -- "China" (12/2/10)

Episode # 107 of THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID finds both Matt and Kevin thinking of picking up the cello. If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit. When Michael returns from the dentist with a new-found fear of China, he becomes an office folk hero by putting Oscar "Mr. Actually" Martinez in his intellectual place.  But round two looms, and things don't look good for our hero keeping the championship belt. Meanwhile, Pam and Dwight battle over the building, Creed parlays, Nate de-plies, and Andy attempts to woo back Darryl with the perfect text.  One thing's for sure: there's plenty of crazy pigeon action up in THIS podcast! Incidental music provided by Music Alley from Mevio. Email us at TWSSpodcast @ gmail. com, or leave a comment on our blog page at TWSSpodcast. com. iTunes reviews are always appreciated! Help spread the word! Also, PLEASE help support the show by signing up for a FREE 14-day trial of Audible.com. Go to http://www.audiblepodcast.com/shesaid for a free audiobook download.

Direct download: TWSS107.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:43pm EDT
Comments[4]

Episode #106 -- "Wuphf.com" (11/18/10)

Episode # 106 of THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID finds both Matt and Kevin preparing themselves for the TWSS IPO. You may be right; I may be crazy. But it just may be a social networking site you're looking for. When Michael and others in the office invest in Ryan's WUPHF.com, they quickly come to realize that their long shot just might be a not shot. Can Michael overcome his mancrush on Ryan to save everyone's money? Aye... am not going to tell you.  Meanwhile, Dwight becomes the hay king, Angela hooks up with a hero, and Jim... well, Jim does a whole lotta nothing.  Kevin, can't we at least TRY to look busy here on the podcast? Incidental music provided by Music Alley from Mevio. Email us at TWSSpodcast @ gmail. com, or leave a comment on our blog page at TWSSpodcast. com. iTunes reviews are always appreciated! Help spread the word! Also, PLEASE help support the show by signing up for a FREE 14-day trial of Audible.com. Go to http://www.audiblepodcast.com/shesaid for a free audiobook download.

Direct download: TWSS106.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:05am EDT
Comments[4]

I guess this pic is in bad need of updating, but I just love it too much to let it go. 

 

TWSSxmas

 

PS. "Santa" tells me that TWSS episode #106 for "WUPHF.COM" will be available sometime today...

 

Category:general -- posted at: 3:19pm EDT
Comments[2]

From Wikipedia:

CLASSY CHRISTMAS | 12.9.10

w: Mindy Kaling

d: Rainn Wilson

Michael couldn't be happier when Toby takes a leave of absence, leaving corporate to send Holly Flax (Amy Ryan) to cover for him. Michael forces Pam to plan a second Christmas party on the day Holly returns to Scranton. Jim agrees to a snowball fight with Dwight, which he later regrets. 

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Well, here we go again.  The Office has made the annual Christmas episode a part of our collective holiday celebrations, but will CLASSY CHRISTMAS be another classic Christmas Party or a Moroccan Christmas lump of coal?  We shall indeed see, and adding Amy Ryan's Holly back into the office surely can't hurt our chances.

As always, join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the broadcast, and leave your comments below.  Best comments get read on the next podcast! 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 8:43pm EDT
Comments[16]

From Wikipedia:

CHINA | 12.2.10

When Michael reads an article about China growing as a global power, he decides they must be stopped before they take over the United States. Pam threatens to move Dunder Mifflin to a new building after everyone in the office complains about Dwight's building standards. 

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As always, join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the broadcast, and leave your comments below.  Best comments get read on the next podcast! 

Category:general -- posted at: 7:01pm EDT
Comments[8]

Episode #105 -- "Viewing Party" (11/11/10)

Episode # 105 of THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID finds both Matt and Kevin arguing over who's going to solo at regionals. There's a time for love and a time for livin'. Not since the epic battle between Tony Danza and Judith Light have so many wondered who, exactly, is the boss. When Erin and Gabe throw a Glee party, Michael resents that others think Gabe is his superior. Michael, spoil a party for his own selfish needs? Naaahh.  Meanwhile, Pam sells out Jim in order to acquire Dwight's baby- whispering skills, Andy injests way too much powdered seahorse, and Kevin finally finds out what it's like to eat pigs in a blanket IN A BLANKET. Good times, my friends.  Good times. Incidental music provided by Music Alley from Mevio. Email us at TWSSpodcast @ gmail. com, or leave a comment on our blog page at TWSSpodcast. com. iTunes reviews are always appreciated! Help spread the word! Also, PLEASE help support the show by signing up for a FREE 14-day trial of Audible.com. Go to http://www.audiblepodcast.com/shesaid for a free audiobook download.

Direct download: TWSS105.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:23pm EDT
Comments[5]

From Wikipedia:

WUPHF.com | 11.18.10

D: Danny Leiner

W: Aaron Shure

 

Michael helps Ryan by charming people to invest in his internet company, WUPHF.com. Dwight creates a hay festival in the parking lot for the Thanksgiving holiday. Jim learns of a new Dunder Mifflin policy that prevents him from earning commission. 

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I never thought they'd have made this whole WUPHF thing a running joke for so long, as it seems remarkably similar to Ryan's role with DUNDER MIFFLIN INFINITY back in season four.  Michael out looking for investors? Sounds a lot like the MICHAEL SCOTT PAPER COMPANY plotline from season five.  Here's hoping writer Aaron Shure can breath some life into this limp sounding summary.   As always, join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the broadcast, and leave your comments below.  Best comments get read on the next podcast! 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 6:50pm EDT
Comments[8]

From Wikipedia:

VIEWING PARTY

Erin and Gabe invite the office over to Gabe's house for a Glee viewing party. Michael can't deal when people refer to Gabe as his boss. Andy grows more jealous of Gabe's relationship with Erin. 

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Yet another episode written by a virgin THE OFFICE writer this week-- I'm trying to put my faith in writer John Vitti, though, because he's written for THE SIMPSONS and KING OF THE HILL (two of my all time favorites).  I can only hope that he "brings it" better than fellow newbie Peter Ocko did with last week's craptacular episode (TWSS episode forthcoming).

Fingers crossed, but the inclusion of GLEE makes me extremely nervous.

As always, leave your comments below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the airing of tonight's episode.

 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 6:55pm EDT
Comments[17]

The Office -- Episode #7.07 "Christening"

Directed by Alex Hardcastle, Written by Peter Ocko   
   
Pam and Jim's baby, Cece, gets christened and Michael invites the entire office to celebrate.


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As always, leave your comments below.  Be sure to join Matt and Kevin in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show (just hit that green "Chat Now" button on the right sidebar).

Category:general -- posted at: 11:27am EDT
Comments[24]

The Office -- Episode #7.06 "Costume Contest"

Costume Contest

Directed by Dean Holland, Written by Justin Spitzer

Michael freaks out when Darryl goes over his head by taking an idea to corporate. The employees partake in a Halloween costume contest in the office. Meanwhile, Pam tries to get the truth from Danny about their dating history. 

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As always, leave your comments below.  Be sure to join Matt and Kevin in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show (just hit that green "Chat Now" button on the right sidebar).

Category:general -- posted at: 10:50am EDT
Comments[14]

This is hilarious and amazing stuff from Daily Show vets Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert.

Night of Too Many Stars Thursday, October 21, 2010
Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert - "Everybody's Talking 'Bout Sully"
www.comedycentral.com
Ugly Americans New Episodes Nick Swardson's Pretend Time Night of Too Many Stars

Or, if you like your humor more raunchy yet awkward...

Night of Too Many Stars Thursday, October 21, 2010
Steve Carell and Chris Rock's Special Auction Items Pt. 1
www.comedycentral.com
Ugly Americans New Episodes Nick Swardson's Pretend Time Night of Too Many Stars
Category:general -- posted at: 3:22pm EDT
Comments[1]

The Office -- Episode #7.05 "The Sting"

Written by Mindy Kaling, Directed by Randall Einhorn

When a competing sales associate steals a Dunder Mifflin client, Michael, Jim, and Dwight decide to set up a sting to find out his sales secrets. Andy decides to start a band after finding out a friend from college has a successful music career. Guest star: Timothy Olyphant.

As always, leave your comments below.  Be sure to join Matt and Kevin in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show (just hit that green "Chat Now" button on the right sidebar).

Category:general -- posted at: 12:19pm EDT
Comments[12]

The Office -- Episode #7.04 "Sex Ed"

Sex Ed | 10/13/2010

Michael comes to work thinking he has a pimple, but it turns out to actually be a cold sore. When he is told that it is a form of herpes, Michael contacts all his ex-girlfriends—Jan (Melora Hardin), Holly (Amy Ryan), Helene (Linda Purl), Donna (Amy Pietz), and Carol (Nancy Carell). Andy holds a sex education meeting in the office hoping to appeal to Erin's passionate side.


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As always, leave your comments below.

 

Category:general -- posted at: 5:53pm EDT
Comments[14]

Episode # 100 -- "Andy's Play" (10/7/10)

Episode # 100 of THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID finds both Matt and Kevin embracing the power of showtunes. Attend the tale of Michael Scott... his pride was hurt, his temper hot. Andy's plan to impress Erin with his Sweeney Todd performace hits a bit of an O'Henry-style snag when she ends up babysitting for Jim & Pam. Whoops. Meanwhile, Michael grows as a person (booooooo), Angela blue-balls Dwight, and Gabe orders some delicious broth. TWSS listeners-- my world crumbles when you are not here. Now shhhhh: if we don't listen to the overture, we won't recognize the musical themes when they come back later. Incidental music provided by Music Alley from Mevio. Email us at TWSSpodcast @ gmail. com, or leave a comment on our blog page at TWSSpodcast. com. iTunes reviews are always appreciated! Help spread the word! Also, PLEASE help support the show by signing up for a FREE 14-day trial of Audible.com. Go to http://www.audiblepodcast.com/shesaid for a free audiobook download.

Direct download: TWSS100.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:58pm EDT
Comments[5]

From Wikipedia:

ANDY'S PLAY | 10.7.10

Andy invites the entire office to his community theater production of Sweeney Todd in hopes that Erin will attend. Michael tries to put his jealousy aside and enjoy the performance while Jim and Pam struggle with their incompetent babysitter. 

----------

As always, leave your comments below.  Be sure to join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show (just hit that green "Chat Now" button on the right sidebar).

Category:general -- posted at: 3:12pm EDT
Comments[8]

From Wikipedia:

COUNSELING

Corporate assigns Michael to have counseling with Toby. Dwight vows revenge on a shop owner at the Steamtown Mall and Pam tries to change her job title.

____________

 

Seeing as both this episode and the premiere were directed by the same individual, I can't help but wonder if this is actually going to be a "part two" sort of continuation from last week.  Michael and Toby in counseling has the potential to be a good time, but have the writers already wrung the Flenderson hate dry? Hopefully they'll give us a little something more than just the "Toby is the worst!" sort of material.  Pam's move to salesperson still seems completely underdeveloped, so her trying to change he job title seems a little odd.  I know several people seem to want to see her take over as manager after Michael leaves, but she hasn't been anywhere close to earning that position.  If she experiences some sort of career rebirth this season, maybe I can buy into the idea a bit more.

As always, leave your comments below.  Be sure to join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show (just hit that green "Chat Now" button on the right sidebar).

 

Category:general -- posted at: 11:59am EDT
Comments[14]

From Wikipedia:

NEPOTISM

The office turns against Michael when he refuses to fire the new office assistant, who has a bad attitude. Erin shows interest in another man and Andy tries to play it cool. Pam pulls an office prank on her own to impress Jim. 

 

------

Well, here we are again!  I've purposely avoided any clips or spoilers for the premiere episode, so I'm going in nearly blind.  Hopefully season seven will serve as a fitting farewell to Steve Carell.  Looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

 

As always, join Kevin and me in the TWSS chatroom during and after the episode, and leave your comments on the episode below.

 


 

Category:general -- posted at: 9:05am EDT
Comments[24]

Episode # 97 -- "Whistleblower" (5/20/10)

Episode # 97 of THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID finds both Matt and Kevin furiously erasing their hard drives. If nobody talks, everybody walks. When word gets out about the Sabre printer fires, Jo goes on the warpath to smoke out the whistleblower. Will it be Andy, Pam, Darryl, or Kelly who get their anuses checked? Meanwhile, Dwight looks to make the investment of a lifetime, Michael bargains with the devil, and the IT guy... uh, Shadow? Garth? Sport?... makes a dramatic exit (boom, roasted). We cannot let the pedophile win again, folks-- I'd like you all to go to our website and listen to this episode of TWSS eleven times. Incidental music provided by Music Alley from Mevio. Email us at TWSSpodcast @ gmail. com, or leave a comment on our blog page at TWSSpodcast. com. iTunes reviews are always appreciated! Help spread the word! Also, PLEASE help support the show by signing up for a FREE 14-day trial of Netflix. Instantly watch every episode of the office from the comfort of your laptop, desktop, Wii, PS3 or xbox360-connected TV. Go to http://www.netflix.com/twss to start your free trial today. Also, check out http://www.audiblepodcast.com/shesaid for a free audiobook download.

Direct download: TWSS97.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:15pm EDT
Comments[6]

Sorry for the lack of news, updates, and...um... podcasts this past month.  I realize that it must be sort of frustrating for Kevin and me (blame me, 100%) to have punked out so close to the finale.  

BUT! Fear not, loyal listeners.  We're set to record another episode tonight which should be released sometime in the next few days.  I'll do my best to make sure we get through the last three episodes of season six within the next few weeks.

Thanks to everyone for their continuing support.

 

Category:general -- posted at: 1:05pm EDT
Comments[7]

From Wikipedia:

 

WHISTLEBLOWER | 5.20.10

 

The press learns that Sabre printers catch on fire and Jo, suspecting that someone within the company leaked the information, sets out to discover who the whistle-blower is. 

 

--------

As always, post your comments below!

Also, join Kevin and me in the TWSS chatroom during and after the airing of tonight's episode (I'll be there for the Eastern/Central showings; Kevin's got the Pacific).  Scroll down and hit the big green CHAT button on the right.

Category:general -- posted at: 8:10pm EDT
Comments[20]

Who is the Scranton Strangler?

by Kevin Crossman

There's been a lot of speculation about the Scranton Strangler, a plotline that seemed like a throwaway joke back on "The Delivery" but has been mentioned repeatedly in subsequent episodes. One might think that since they have mentioned the strangler frequently we will eventually learn the identity. Of course, the very topic of the strangler is odd; The Office is known for uncomfortable and awkward humor but serial killing is quite a bit of a darker shade of gray don't you think?

On TWSS #94, Matt and I speculated on who we think the strangler might be, if the killer is a character we know from the show. Matt chose Gabe, which makes a lot of sense. The new Sabre character appeared in Scranton at about the same time as the killer and his "odd" personality would lend itself to serial killer theories. On the other hand, I chose Toby. A beloved (by some) and longtime character, Toby would be a unexpected choice. But, something tells me that the whimpy Toby has a dark and violent side.

So, what do you think? Who do you think the Scranton Strangler is? What do you think of even the very topic of a serial killer on a comedy show?

Category:general -- posted at: 10:51am EDT
Comments[27]

From Wikipedia:

 

THE CHUMP | 5.13.10

 

Michael is surprisingly cheerful after learning some bad news about Donna. The new parents, Pam and Jim, have trouble staying awake in the office. Meanwhile, Angela takes matters into her own hands when Dwight refuses to honor their pre-natal contract. 

 

--------

 

As always, post your comments below!

 

Also, join Kevin and me in the TWSS chatroom during and after the airing of tonight's episode (I'll be there for the Eastern/Central showings; Kevin's got the Pacific).  Scroll down and hit the big green CHAT button on the right.

Category:general -- posted at: 8:09pm EDT
Comments[16]

From WIKIPEDIA:

 

THE COVER-UP | 5.6.10

 

Michael suspects Donna is cheating on him and puts PI Dwight Schrute on the case. Meanwhile, Andy is frustrated when no one takes his customer's complaint seriously. 

 

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As always, please leave your comments below.

 

Category:general -- posted at: 10:33pm EDT
Comments[5]

Is Steve Carell Leaving The Office?

By Kevin Crossman

This is something I've been mentioning on the podcast for a while now and Steve Carell has recently confirmed the details in a BBC interview.

Carell is signed through next year's seventh season of The Office, where other cast members such as John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer are signed through an eighth season. So, could that mean that Carell could leave the show before the series ends? I've said as much for months now... and now Carell confirms it. OfficeTally has the clip of the interview.

Interviewer: How long does your contract run? Carell: Contract through next season. Interviewer: And will you stay after that? Carell: I don’t think so. I think that will probably be my last year.

What do you think? Can The Office survive without Carell? If he leaves, who do you think should take up residence in Michael's office? Jim? Dwight? Or how about my pick: Todd Packer?

----------

Matt says --

End it!

Seriously, the show had a good run, but without Michael, what's the point?  I suppose they could always just keep the rest of the cast, or bring in some other big name for the boss, or maybe they could take my suggestion and hire Steve Carell look-alike Peter Jacobson from HOUSE :) But it just won't be the same.  End the show with a little dignity, guys.

 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 11:40am EDT
Comments[15]

From Wikipedia:

 

BODY LANGUAGE | 4.29.10

 

Pam and Jim work on their first sales pitch together to Donna, the manager of a local restaurant, but Michael keeps misreading the signals she's putting out. Dwight encourages Kelly to try out for the minority training program. 

 

---------

 

More with Donna.  TWSS listeners-- what do you think about this new "relationship" for Michael?  Do you buy it? Are you happy to see him involved again, or is this one romance too many this season?  Curious to see how JAM work together, although the old rule about never working with your spouse might raise its ugly head here

 

As always, post your comments below!

 

Also, jjoin Kevin and me in the TWSS chatroom during and after the airing of tonight's episode (I'll be there for the Eastern/Central showings; Kevin's got the Pacific).  Scroll down and hit the big green CHAT button on the right.

Category:general -- posted at: 10:33am EDT
Comments[5]

From Wikipedia:

 

SECRETARY'S DAY | 4.22.10

 

Andy tries to make Erin's Secretary's Day a memorable one. While out to lunch with Erin, Michael accidentally informs her of Andy and Angela's past relationship. Oscar circulates a video he made which compares Kevin's voice to Cookie Monster's. 

-----

 

So after a lengthy hiatus, we are presented with what COULD be a "classic episode"-- it's written by Mindy Kaling, and directed by Steve Carell himself.  More Andy and Erin stuff, which is OK, but certainly lacks the stakes of the classic Jim/Pam romance.  Do I really CARE if they break up over the old Angela relationship? Not really.  Still, we'll see where it goes. The Oscar/Kevin thing sounds rather ridiculous, but the potential for laughs seems rather high.

As always, post your comments below!

 

As always, join Kevin and me in the TWSS chatroom during and after the airing of tonight's episode (I'll be there for the Eastern/Central showings; Kevin's got the Pacific).  Scroll down and hit the big green CHAT button on the right.

 

Category:general -- posted at: 6:06pm EDT
Comments[13]

by Kevin Crossman

Here our the winners and some of the best entries in our That's What She Said Baby Name contest, in honor of Jim and Pam's daughter, Cecilia.

As Matt points out in the forthcoming TWSS episode #91, these are my picks for the winners so all gripes go to me, not Matt.

Third Place - Winner of DVD copy of "You" starring Melora Hardin.
"I think Jim and Pam should name their baby Travis because that is the artist of the song they listen to in season 2 when they swayed."
Jamie Kushner

Several listeners/readers sent in "Travis" but Jamie was first and so she gets the prize. As much as I love the "jokey" entries this sentimental suggestion would have been a great nod to a classic JAM scene from Season 2.



Second Place - Winner of book "The Office and Philosophy"
"Herbert Halpert.  Book it."
Brandon Petersen

Very, very "jokey" but I love this entry. Can you imagine the lines that could be delivered by Michael or Kevin if the JAM baby was named Herbert Halpert?



First Place - Winner of a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate
"My Idea for a name for baby Halpert - Mistake. The reasons are fairly odvious don't you think?"
Shelly

Give credit to Shelly for understanding the mindset of the judges with this entry. Though I have to admit the baby stuff has not been overplayed this season I still stick by my guns in saying that it was too soon to have a baby. In life, you sometimes cannot plan for unforseen pregnancies. On TV, there is no such thing as an "unplanned pregnancy."  Here's hoping, in a way, that Cecilia becomes as much as an afterthought as Emma was on "Friends."


Others entries that were good:
"Jim and Pam pick an obscure biblical name Obadiah and add the middle name Juan. They could call him Obi-Juan!"
Zac Cross

"Perfect PB&J Baby name: "Smuckers"  [Cue the high-hat]"
Vic Shuttee

"This is Aaron from Laguna Hills, CA and my suggestion for the name is: Damien. I know it's simple, but I like the idea of it being a nice name that Jim and Pam could choose, and it would of course prompt Michael (along with others) to make some jokes about Jim and Pam's child being the son of satan. So those are my thoughts, simple but possible."
Aaron Neuwirth

We received a lot of "Michael" related entries. You didn't really think we were going to pick those, right?

Category:general -- posted at: 11:37am EDT
Comments[5]

From Wikipedia:

 

HAPPY HOUR | 3.25.10

 

Michael gets kicked out of the bar when he pulls out all the stops to impress a friend of Jim and Pam's. Meanwhile, Andy and Erin do their best to keep their relationship under wraps. Dwight rethinks his pre-natal contract with Angela. 

 

-----

Post your comments below!

As always, join Kevin and me in the TWSS chatroom during and after the airing of tonight's episode (I'll be there for the Eastern/Central showings; Kevin's got the Pacific).  Scroll down and hit the big green CHAT button on the right.

Category:general -- posted at: 5:49pm EDT
Comments[23]

From Wikipedia:

 

NEW LEADS | 3.18.10

When the sales staff lets Sabre's new "sales is king" policy get to their heads, Michael hides their new, prized leads.

 

------

 

Sabre's "no caps on commission" policy played a big role in the main plot of MANAGER & SALESMAN, so I suppose this episode's antics are the result of said policy.  The mere mention of "leads" instantly brings to mind David Mamet's GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (Always Be Closing, Mother f*cker), so I'm curious to see if writer Brent Forrester will use the famous play/film as inspiration or forge his own path.  Will Jim be the "Shelley Levene" of the bunch? Is Dwight DM/Sabre's "Ricky Roma"? Who's getting fired, and who gets the steak knives? Place your bets now.

 

As always, join Kevin and me in the TWSS chatroom during and after the airing of tonight's episode (I'll be there for the Eastern/Central showings; Kevin's got the Pacific).  Scroll down and hit the big green CHAT button on the right.

 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 9:47am EDT
Comments[8]

The Office -- Episode #6.19 ST. PATRICK'S DAY

From Wikipedia:

St. Patrick's Day | 3.11.10

Michael (Steve Carell) thinks he impressed Jo (Kathy Bates) only to discover someone else in the office caught her eye. Meanwhile, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) makes trouble on Jim's (John Krasinski) first day back from paternity leave. Andy (Ed Helms) and Erin (Ellie Kemper) have an interesting first date.

-----------

 

So. Hm.  Here we are.  For those of you that don't follow my Twitter feed, let me repeat some of what I said this past week-- I'm tired.  Burned out, really, and TWSS is definitely taking a back seat to a lot of the other issues in my life right now.  Out podcast for THE DELIVERY is late, and I'm not sure when we're going to get back into it.  And NO, I'm not quitting because I hated the episode or anything (I liked it a good deal, actually) like that.  And NO, I'm not even quitting.  I'm not sure what I'm doing, but I plan to return as soon as I can manage.

OK, on to tonight's episode.  The real city of Scranton has a long tradition of having a huge St. Patrick's Day parade, and the creators of THE OFFICE have long wanted to do something with that plotline.  In the past, March has always been a hiatus month so nothing could be done.  It will be interesting to see how much (if any) this real-life event will play into tonight's show.

I still plan on being in the TWSS Chatroom tonight if you want to stop by.  Hit the green "Chat Now" button on the side of the screen.


Category:general -- posted at: 6:52pm EDT
Comments[12]

From Wikipedia:

THE DELIVERY | 3.4.10

Pam's contractions begin but she and Jim are determined to wait it out as long as possible so they can have more time at the hospital. Meanwhile the rest of the office tries to distract Pam from the pain with food and entertainment. Michael anxiously waits for Pam and Jim's baby, Cecilia, to be born. Back at the office, Erin makes Andy jealous when she has lunch with Kevin.

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

Well, here it is-- the second huge JAM episode of season six.  The Office already milked much of this baby/delivery humor last season in "Baby Shower," so it'll be interesting to see what they can do with a very similar plotline tonight. 

Unfortunately, I have parent/teacher conferences tonight and will not be able to watch the episode live (or participate in the chatroom discussion).  Feel free to stop by, though, and join other TWSS listeners in the chatroom if you'd like.  Also, make sure you leave your comments below-- I have a feeling this could be a really love it or hate it sort of situation.

 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 4:43pm EDT
Comments[28]

That's What Said Said Baby Name Contest

Are you excited for March 4th's hour-long "Delivery" episode? Even if you're not, here's something that will get you excited. That's What She Said is holding a Baby Name contest.

Send your suggestion for the name of Pam and Jim Halpert's baby. It could be a funny suggestion or something romantic or even a little strange. Feel free to elaborate on why your suggestion is the best baby name for Jim and Pam.

To submit your suggestions:

Matt and Kevin will look at all the submissions that come in prior to the broadcast of the March 4th "The Delivery" episode and will be the sole judges for the winners.

Prizes:

1st Place - $50 iTunes or Amazon gift certificate

2nd Place - copy of the book The Office and Philosophy

3rd Place - copy of You DVD, starring Melora Hardin

Category:general -- posted at: 2:41pm EDT
Comments[12]

From Wikipedia:

Manager and Salesman | 2.11.10

The office is eager to welcome Sabre CEO Jo Bennett to Scranton, and are dazzled by her Southern ways. When Jo finds out there are two branch managers, she says either Michael or Jim must go back to being a salesman. Meanwhile, Andy's Valentine's Day plan backfires.

-----------

 

OK, so here we go with a potential interesting plot twist-- could we end up with Michael being a salesman working onder Jim's leadership?  It seems like a natural direction to explore at this point, since we've pretty much tapped out the "Jim as Michael's long suffering underling" angle.  I can see this taking us through the end of the season, with Michael perhaps taking the reigns back in the season finale.  As for Kathy Bates-- "Meh" about sums it up.  Didn't like her small part last week, and expect to find her "southern belle" act tonight just as grating.  But again, perhaps they'll surprise me?  Hopefully the Michael/Jim stuff will take up the bulk of the episode.

 

For those of you wondering what's going on with the TWSS episode for last week's SABRE, please be patient-- it will be out sometime soon.  Since we have a month long gap until our next episode of THE OFFICE, I figured we could space the TWSS eps out a little bit.  The show for Sabre will be up sometime next week, and the show for this week's ep should be out a week or so later.

 

As always, join me in the TWSS Chatroom tonight during and after the episode.  I don't think Kevin is going to be able to make it into the West Coast chat tonight, but the room is always open for anyone who'd like to talk about the episode in real time with other TWSS listeners.

 

 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 4:36pm EDT
Comments[20]

From Wikipedia:

 

SABRE | 2.4.10

 

Sabre comes in to take over Dunder Mifflin and Michael has difficulties accepting their new policies. Erin is waiting for Andy to ask her out while they work on a welcoming song for the company's new owners. Meanwhile, Jim and Pam interview for a local daycare center they hope to get into. Kathy Bates guest stars.

-----------

 

In a long-standing Hollywood tradition, yet another actor will step BEHIND the camera to direct an episode of The Office-- This time, John Krasinski, perhaps best known as the husband of Emily Blunt (ha ha), takes the reigns. We've already talked about our feelings for the whole Kathy Bates move, so we'll just see how it plays out.  Hopefully, I'll be pleasantly surprised by her performance. 

 

As always, leave your comments below.  Don't forget to join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom before and during the episode.  Just click that "Chat Now" button on the right-hand sidebar.

 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 5:55pm EDT
Comments[17]

From Wikipedia:

THE BANKER | 1.21.10

When a potential buyer comes to Dunder Mifflin, Michael, Dwight, Andy and Pam pull out all the stops in hopes of impressing him with their high profile contacts. Michael reminisces about all the great times they have had in the office.

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

To borrow a line from The Simpsons-- So, it's come to this.  A "clip show" for THE OFFICE.  As Kevin mentioned in the last podcast, there HAVE been good "clip show" episodes before (see SEINFELD), but by and large they have always been a sign of a show trying to produce a "new" episode on the cheap.  Will the interstitial material be enough to make this episode "podcast-worthy"?  Only time will tell.

The episode was written by Jason Kessler, who has been involved with production but never actually written an Office episode before. 

Join us in the TWSS chatroom tonight during and after the episode.


Category:general -- posted at: 8:25pm EDT
Comments[26]

by Kevin Crossman

The People's Choice Award is sometimes a snooze-fest, but Best Comedy Actor winner Steve Carell managed not only to break the 30 Rock curse, but also delivered another exemplary acceptance speech.  All of us a "That's What She Said" appreciate Steve's shout-out for the podcast.


Category:general -- posted at: 2:48am EDT
Comments[4]

by Kevin Crossman

I guess this isn't new news to some but I just started seeing commercials with Angela Kinsey as Gigi the "Guardian Girlfriend" to promote Clairol Nice 'n Easy haircolor.  Unlike the dour Angela Martin, this Angela is smiley and perky. Quite a change!


Even the outtakes are fun. Stay through for an Office catch-prhase that you might be familiar with...
Category:general -- posted at: 1:24pm EDT
Comments[2]

From Wikipedia:

SECRET SANTA | 12.10.09

Michael is outraged when Jim allows Phyllis to be Santa at the office Christmas party. Jim and Dwight try to get everyone into the holiday spirit despite the uncertainty with Dunder Mifflin. Meanwhile, Oscar has a secret crush.

----------

It's Christmas time again, and the new season brings a new holiday themed episode.  I loved the original Christmas Party, enjoyed Benihana Christmas, and was pretty disappointed in Moroccan Christmas last year.  Hopefully Secret Santa can recapture some of that past magic.  I tend to be pretty split on many Mindy Kaling written episodes, so I guess we'll see how things turn out.

As always, leave your thoughts in the comments section below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show to share your thoughts (click on the green "chat" button in the right sidebar).


Category:general -- posted at: 4:05pm EDT
Comments[43]

The Office is the Most Depressing Show on TV Meghan Keane blogged recently, saying: 'The Office' is the Most Depressing Show on Television.

Here are some of the choice cuts from the lengthy essay.

In the last two seasons, our hero Jim Halpert won the girl, got the big promotion and upgraded to a suit. These were all things fans were happy about. It was encouraging. But wanting romantic tension to be relieved is never as satisfying as the relief.

All of Jim and Pam's witty asides and eyerolls in response to their officemates' antics have stopped being expressions of untapped potential and started to look like passive-aggressive attempts to undermine their peers—who are the only people who will socialize with them.

Now Jim has developed into the most depressing archetype: a mediocre man who has already realized his full potential.

Gone is Jim's charming lack of enthusiasm for his job. Now he's proving exactly where a lack of drive is likely to lead you—to the mediocrity of middle management, where one is gripped by the fear of losing whatever corner of inanity you've carved for yourself in the workplace.

What do you think about this provocative premise? Is The Office truly depressing?
Category:general -- posted at: 11:12pm EDT
Comments[4]

From Wikipedia:

SCOTT'S TOTS | 12.03.09

Written by Lee Eisenberg & Gene Stupnitsky. Directed by B. J. Novak.

Michael (Steve Carell) is forced to face the music after he realizes he can't keep a promise he made to a group of kids 10 years ago. Meanwhile, Jim (John Krasinski) starts an employee of the month program to increase employee morale.

----------

Definitely curious to see what exactly this "promise" entails, although it sounds like this might be pretty heavy on the "awkward" humor that many people love (and I tend to not be too thrilled with).  Shall we assume Michael promised to pay these kids' way through college, or something equally ridiculous?  Michael always has loved making people happy and promising things.  It's that damn FOLLOW THROUGH that always seems to kick him in the butt...

Lee and Gene wrote this season's (arguably) best episode THE LOVER, and B. J. Novak is hot off his directorial work on SUBTLE SEXUALITY, so I hold out high hopes for tonight's installment.

As always, leave your thoughts in the comments section below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show to share your thoughts (click on the green "chat" button in the right sidebar).

Category:general -- posted at: 3:00pm EDT
Comments[26]

From Wikipedia:

SHAREHOLDER MEETING | 11.19.09

Michael gets excited when he's invited by David Wallace to be honored on stage at the Dunder Mifflin shareholder meeting in New York, and he brings Andy, Dwight and Oscar along for the ride. Meanwhile, Jim has a hard time getting Ryan to do work.

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

With the big bankruptcy bomb dropped last week, I'm curious as to what David Wallace thinks Michael can do for the failing Dunder Mifflin.  We enjoyed the Andy and Oscar action last season on BUSINESS TRIP, so hopefully we'll see some nice bonding moments this time as well.  As we mentioned in the last podcast, Ryan really put the screws to Jim in season four, so it would be interesting to see if Jim turns that around on him here.  He never really DID get his revenge, but Ryan has become such a different character since then that I'm not sure if it would still be a relevant thing to do.  I guess we shall see tonight.

I'm probably NOT going to be able to make it into the chatroom tonight, but don't let that stop you from talking to all the other TWSS listeners.  Kevin should be around during and after the Pacific time showing, though, if you Eastern/Central folks want to wait around.  As always, please leave your episode comments below.


Category:general -- posted at: 9:50am EDT
Comments[21]

Or should that be "muckduck"?

From Wikipedia:

MURDER | 11.12.09

Michael's world is rocked by troubling rumors about Dunder Mifflin. He forces the office into a day of strange diversions, upsetting Jim and leading others to wonder if Michael has gone insane. Meanwhile, Andy finds that his chief obstacle in courting Erin is his own awkwardness.

-----------

This description is actually so baffling that I have abslutely no guess as to what could be going on with the Michael "A" plot.  Guess I'll just have to strap myself in and enjoy the ride.

As always, leave your thoughts in the comments section below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show to share your thoughts (click on the green "chat" button in the right sidebar).



Category:general -- posted at: 4:14pm EDT
Comments[22]

From Wikipedia:

DOUBLE DATE | 11.5.09

Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) are out of excuses so they have no choice but to go out with Michael (Steve Carell) and Helene (Linda Purl), Pam's mother. Meanwhile, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) is strangely doing nice things for everyone in the office.

--------

As Kevin mentioned in the last podcast, the "Jim and Pam finally run out of excuses and have to go on a date" thing definitely smacks of DINNER PARTY from season four.  Don't get me wrong, I loved THE LOVER, but that was mostly an episode about the CONCEPT of Michael dating Pam's mom.  I hope when we get to see the "real thing" that it doesn't get too weird to take.  I enjoyed the last few episodes, though, so I am curious to see what they can pull off tonight.

As always, leave your thoughts in the comments section below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show to share your thoughts (click on the green "chat" button in the right sidebar).


Category:general -- posted at: 3:02pm EDT
Comments[26]

From Wikipedia:

KOI POND | 10.29.09

It's Halloween and the Office plans a Haunted House for the kids in the community. At an important business meeting, Michael falls into a Koi Pond. Meanwhile, Pam and Andy go cold-calling to try to stir up some new business.

------

I mentioned on the podcast how odd it struck me that Reggie Hudlin was tapped to direct this episode, as nothing in his past experience seems to scream "The Office."  Still, he worked on THE BERNIE MAC SHOW, and so did Paul Liberstein, so maybe that's the connection.  In any case, hopefully Hudlin will bring something new to the plate.

This is billed as a "Halloween" episode, but I'm guessing it's going to be EXACTLY like last season, with only the cold open having anything to do with the holiday.  Michael falling into a pond has the potential to be as ridiculous as the "driving into a lake" plot line from season four, and once again they'll have to walk a fine line to keep the episode from being TOO ridiculous.  Here's hoping. The Pam and Andy stuff has a great deal of potential.

As always, leave your thoughts in the comments section below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show to share your thoughts (click on the green "chat" button in the right sidebar).


Category:general -- posted at: 12:52pm EDT
Comments[32]

From Wikipedia:

THE LOVER | 10.22.09

Jim and Pam return from their honeymoon and are shocked when Michael reveals the identity of a woman he has been dating recently. Dwight makes a strange peace offering to Jim after years of torment.

--------

This plot line has the potential to go horribly, horribly wrong if not handled correctly-- I almost wonder how they could possibly surprise us with the way this story will play out.  Can't we already imagine it? Pam (and Jim) are disgusted, Michael acts like Pam's father, etc., etc.  I hope writers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky can wring something new out of a rather tired premise.  The Dwight plotline sounds interesting, and hopefully it connects back into the season long arc of "Dwight getting revenge on Jim" that they've ignored for the past few episodes.

As always, leave your thoughts in the comments section below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show to share your thoughts (click on the green "chat" button in the right sidebar).




Category:general -- posted at: 12:37pm EDT
Comments[41]

The Office -- Episode #6.06 "Mafia"
Hey, NBC.com-- any time you want to update your "Next On" page, just let me know.

From Wikipedia:

MAFIA | 10.15.09

Michael meets with an insurance salesman and is convinced by Dwight and Andy that he is part of the mafia. Erin accidentally ruins Pam's painting.

-----

I'm still awash in thoughts of "Niagara," so I can barely think about this new episode.  From what I recall Paul Lieberstein saying before the season began, the events in "Mafia" come about due to Jim and Pam being on their honeymoon-- when the voices of reason are away, the idiots will play.  Hopefully things don't get too broad and ridiculous here, as the traditional "Sopranos/Mafia/Godfather" stuff has been mined so often in other media.  Can they find a fresh take on this? Let's hope so.

As always, leave your thoughts in the comments section below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show to share your thoughts (click on the green "chat" button in the right sidebar).



Category:general -- posted at: 12:19pm EDT
Comments[26]

NBC.com STILL hasn't bothered to update their "next on" page since "The Meeting," so once again this comes from Wikipedia:



NIAGARA | 10.08.09 | 9/8c (one hour)

The Office travels to Niagara Falls to celebrate Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam's (Jenna Fischer) wedding. Michael (Steve Carell), Dwight (Rainn Wilson), and Andy (Ed Helms) all want to hook up with guests at the wedding and Michael and Dwight meet twins.

---------

So here we are-- the culmination of five years of Jim and Pam romance.  NBC is promoting this as "the happy ending," but that seems kind of bizarre to me since we still have twenty or so episodes left in the season, and who knows how many more after that.  Still, OK, I get it. We all have (or HAD) a big emotional investment in these characters, and this DOES seem like it should be a big deal, but part of me feels like I am just really over this whole thing.  I remember saying that at the end of season three, though, and "The Job" managed to win me back, so maybe tonight's hour long ep will make my grinchy heart grow ten sizes.

What do you guys think? Are you excited for this? Have you been looking forward to it, or is it just an hour of "been there, done that"?

As always, leave your thoughts in the comments section below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show to share your thoughts (click on the green "chat" button in the right sidebar).


Category:general -- posted at: 9:49am EDT
Comments[45]


NBC.com hasn't bothered to update yet, so via Wikipedia:

THE PROMOTION | 10.01.09 | 9/8c

David Wallace breaks the bad news that not everyone will get a raise this year. Dwight reaches his breaking point with Jim and looks to the rest of the office for allies. Pam would like cash instead of wedding gifts.

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

Kevin and I speculated on this episode in the last podcast, and I hope the writers really explore this "Dwight's revenge" angle to a satisfactory conclusion-- after all these years of Jim's shenanigans, it'd be nice to see the tables be turned and see how Halpert deals with jerky employees who don't want to do their jobs. Sweet, sweet karma, don't fail me now!

As always, join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom before and after the show (I'll be taking the Eastern and Central times, while Kevin will handle the Pacific). Just click on the GREEN button in the right side-bar, enter your nickname, and chat away. Hope to see you there.
Category:general -- posted at: 12:33pm EDT
Comments[25]

As mentioned in "Gossip" and episode #76 of the podcast:




Category:general -- posted at: 7:42pm EDT
Comments[1]

Now that I'm feeling better, Kevin and I plan to produce a double episode of TWSS that covers both GOSSIP and THE MEETING. We'll hopefully record the episode on Sunday night, and hopefully post the new episode sometime on Monday or Tuesday. Thanks for your comments and your patience.
Category:general -- posted at: 2:48pm EDT
Comments[8]

From NBC.com:

THE MEETING | 09.24.09 | 9/8c PT | TV-PG DL


TOBY AND DWIGHT GO UNDERCOVER FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT IN THE WAREHOUSE -- A request by Jim (John Krasinski) leaves Michael (Steve Carell) feeling insecure and defensive. Meanwhile, Pam (Jenna Fischer) deals with the guest list for the wedding, and Dwight convinces Toby (Paul Lieberstein) to investigate Darryl's (Craig Robinson) worker's comp claim. Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Oscar Nuñez, Creed Bratton, Ellie Kemper, Andy Buckley also star.

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

Roll on, episode two. Sounds like a LOT of different plots to break down this week, as well as a lot of potential for wackiness.

As always, leave your comments below, and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the episode airs.



Category:general -- posted at: 6:05pm EDT
Comments[17]

Emmy Wrap-Up: One Out of Ten Ain't Bad... by Kevin Crossman

The 61st Annual Emmy Awards were held in Los Angeles last night and The Office came home a winner!  Well, in one category at least. Congrats to Jeffrey Blitz who won the Emmy for Comedy Directing for the post-Super Bowl episode, "Stress Relief."  However, once again, the Office did not win in any of the major categories.

The Office received ten nominations total this year, including Best Comedy Series, Best Actor (Steve Carell), Best Supporting Actor (Rainn Wilson), and other categories including Editing and Casting. 30 Rock received four of the five Comedy Writing nominations, and won the Best Comedy Series and Best Comedy Actor (Alec Baldwin) Emmys. Rainn Wilson lost to Jon Cryer of Two and a Half Men.

Blitz's award is ironic, since "Stress Relief" is not universally loved by all Office fans. Our own Matt Sommer in particular was not a fan of the episode that featured a forced story-within-a-story featuring name guest stars Jack Black, Jessica Alba, and Cloris Leachman. I'll just say for my part that the extended cold open featuring a Dwight-induced fire was one of the best moments in the series' history and perhaps the funniest four minutes on television this year. I also liked the emotional JAM storyline featuring Pam's father.

Blitz is pictured receiving congratulations from Office nominees Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson.
Category:general -- posted at: 12:59am EDT
Comments[0]

Well, here we go again! Season six is upon us, and if you're like me, you've stayed away from ALL of the promo clips and other information on tonight's season premiere.

From NBC.com:

GOSSIP | 09.17.09 | 9/8c PT | TV-PG


MICHAEL GETS CAUGHT UP IN OFFICE GOSSIP - Michael (Steve Carell) feels left out as the rest of the office gossips about the summer interns. While Michael searches for the next juicy rumor to share, Andy (Ed Helms) struggles with heterosexuality. Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Brian Baumgartner, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Oscar Nuñez, Creed Bratton, Paul Lieberstein, B.J. Novak and Ellie Kemper also star.

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

Both Kevin and I were pretty skeptical about this JAM-bino plot in the finale, so I am really curious to see how that whole thing plays out this season.  Is it too much to ask that the writers knock the first pitch of the season out of the park? 

As always, leave your comments below, and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the episode airs.


Category:general -- posted at: 9:18am EDT
Comments[24]

Yes, we'd sure appreciate it if you'd order the season five DVD/blu-ray set through the TWSS Amazon link to your right, but we understand if you're one of those people looking to take advantage of the exclusives and extras the various big box stores throw your way.

Case in point-- Best Buy, after offering the "fun run" pack last year, is back with more Schrute Farms crap than you can shake a beet at:



Included in the pack is the DVD set, a beet shaped stress ball, a "do not disturb" door hanger, a mousepad, magnet, and t-shirt.  The set is available in limited quantities, and will be selling for $41.99 when it drops on Tuesday.

Target is offering their own exclusive, which includes Michael Scott Paper Company graphics, "a 45-minute interview with the writers, plus a script and inspirational cast magnets." Price is $39.99, and will also be dropping this Tuesday.

This also leads into a difficult decision for me-- now that I own a PS3, do I spend the extra $10 for the blu-ray versions? You don't get any of the fancy extra shirts or magnets, but you do get the wonderful HD picture for $41.99/42.99 at Best Buy/Target.


Category:general -- posted at: 3:15pm EDT
Comments[4]

We mentioned earlier that FAMILY GUY is up against THE OFFICE for best comedy at the Emmys this year, but as a fan of both shows, for which should I cast my metaphorical vote?

Both Brian and Stewie find themselves in a similar quandary, and have some pretty good points to make:



Thanks to listener Kathryn Kramer for bringing this to my attention.

Category:general -- posted at: 1:48pm EDT
Comments[6]

According to Jeremy Piven's Twitter feed, he and "The Goods" co-star Ed Helms are set to host Monday night's WWE Raw.

Technically, Piven didn't name names, but said "With me tomorrow night on Raw is a gentleman u know from 'The hangover' and he also has a day job." Seems like a pretty obvious hint.

I'm not a wrestling fan by any stretch of the imagination, but these two guys might be interesting enough to get me to tune in.


Category:general -- posted at: 12:15am EDT
Comments[2]

It's That Time Of Year Again...
The 2009 Emmy Award nominees were released this week, and while there are plenty of old guard classics filling the lists, there are also a few surprises-- especially in the "Best Comedy Series" category, which sees its first animated program since 1961 with a nod to Family Guy.  Joining Seth McFarlane's controversial show on the "best" list are Entourage (great), Flight of the Conchords (great), Weeds (never seen it), How I Met Your Mother (don't find it funny), and of course 30 Rock (great) and THE OFFICE.

Steve Carell is once again nominated for Best Actor in a Comedy Series, and Rainn Wilson gets another nod in the Best Supporting Actor category.  Unfortunately, Carell is up against fellow NBC powerhouse Alec Baldwin as well as Jemaine Clement from FOTC, Jim Parsons from The Big Bang Theory, Tony Shaloub from Monk, and Charlie Sheen for Two and a Half Men.  It's funny to see Clement nominated without Bret Mackenzie, since the show is such a duo.  Anyone who watches TBBT surely appreciates Parson's turn as "Sheldon," but is it enough to take the trophy? While Sheen's show grabs big numbers, it's surely scoffed at by most in the Hollywood comedy elite. Shaloub used to own this category, but momentum tells me Baldwin with continue to be the odds on favorite.

Rainn Wilson faces an equally tough crop, including Jon Cryer, from Two and a Half Men, Kevin Dillon from Entourage, Neil Patrick Harris from How I Met Your Mother, and Jack McBrayer and Tracy Morgan from 30 Rock.  Jeremy Piven, the usual winner, wasn't even nominated this year, so the category is a bit more wide open than in the past-- I know the internet seems to lap up most anything NPH does, but I've just never found his horn-dog "Barney" character to be amusing in the least. As for Cryer, see Charlie Sheen in the above paragraph. Jack McBrayer is amusing as Kenneth, of course, but he's definitely a smaller part of 30 Rock's success. I love me some Johnny Drama, but I'd probably lay money on Tracy Morgan taking it home

So what do you guys think? Do the Office boys have a snowball's chance? Was season five of The Office funny enough to overthrow the competition?  Let us know.

For a full list of all the 2009 Emmy nominations, go HERE.




Category:general -- posted at: 11:28pm EDT
Comments[8]

Funny Or Die posted this video yesterday in a valiant attempt to help the rest of us losers with our lady-problems.  Won't you let the consummate smooth operator offer you some carnal advice?



Category:general -- posted at: 10:55pm EDT
Comments[2]

The Office Season 5 DVD Details
Here are the details of the forthcoming Season 5 DVD for The Office. The set will be released on September 8th.

5 discs, 606 minutes; $59.98 SRP; Anamorphic Widescreen; English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround; English and Spanish Subtitles

Bonus Material:

-Weight Loss Commentary with Randy Cordray, Michael Gallenberg, Brian Wittle, Nick Carbone, Ben Patrick, Alysia Raycraft, Kelly Cantley, and Jake Aust

-Business Ethics Commentary with BJ Novak, Peter & Vartan, and Sergio & Alan

-Employee Transfer Commentary with Dave Rogers, Anthony Farrell, Veda Semarne, Chuck Canzoneri, Kyle Alexander, and Phil Shea

-Customer Survey Commentary with Stephen Merchant, Paul Lieberstein and Mindy Kaling

-Moroccan Christmas Commentary with Kate Flannery, Angela Kinsey, and Brian Baumgartner

-The Duel Commentary with Rainn Wilson, Rusty Mahmood, Jennifer Celotta, and Dean Holland

-Dream Team Commentary with BJ Novak, Aaron Shure, Charlie Grandy, and Matt Sohn

-Michael Scott Paper Company Commentary with Jenna Fischer, Gene Stupnitsky, Lee Eisenberg, and Justin Spitzer

-Casual Friday Commentary with Creed Bratton, Mindy Kaling, Ellie Kemper, Brent Forrester, and Claire Scanlon

-Company Picnic Commentary with Paul Lieberstein, Ken Kwapis and Jennifer Cellota

Other stuff:

-Gag Reel
-Deleted Scenes on each disc
-Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences Presents The Office
-Superbowl Ads
-Olympic Promos
-Webisodes


Please help support the podcast by pre-ordering the DVD set through our Amazon link (located to your right), or by clicking HERE.


Category:general -- posted at: 11:11pm EDT
Comments[1]

To celebrate the success of THE HANGOVER, and Ed Helms' return to THE DAILY SHOW as a featured guest, the guys over at Comedy Central Insider posted some "best of" video clips of Ed's time as a correspondent for TDS.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
I Am Abe
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show
Full Episodes
Political HumorJason Jones in Iran


Head HERE to see more clips.


Category:general -- posted at: 6:44pm EDT
Comments[1]

We've been following "Away We Go" for many months now, and after a limited debut on June 5th, the film will start rolling out across the country very soon.



For those of you who have been living under a rock, rottentomatoes.com offers this summary:

Directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty) from an original screenplay by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, this funny and heartfelt film follows the journey of an expectant couple...  Directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty) from an original screenplay by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, this funny and heartfelt film follows the journey of an expectant couple (John Krasinski [The Office] and Maya Rudolph [Saturday Night Live), as they travel the U.S. in search of the perfect place to put down roots and raise their family. Along the way, they have misadventures and find fresh connections with an assortment of relatives and old friends who just might help them discover home on their own terms for the first time. The movie features the music of Alexi Murdoch.

So far, reviews have been mixed yet decidedly positive-- it's currently sitting at 65% "Fresh" on the RottenTomatoes page, and at a slightly more worrying 57% on Metacritic.

Critical icon Roger Ebert gave the film 3.5/4 stars in his Sun-Times review today, calling it:

"...a film for nice people to see. Nice people also go to “Terminator Salvation,” but it doesn’t make them any nicer. “Away We Go” opened last week in New York and Los Angeles, and now rolls out after lukewarm reviews accusing Verona and Burt of being smug, superior and condescending. These are not sins if you have something to be smug about and much reason to condescend [...] If their characters find they are superior to many people, well, maybe they are. “This movie does not like you,” sniffs Tony Scott of the New York Times. Perhaps with good reason."

Have you seen "Away We Go"? Planning to? Give us your thoughts and impressions in the comments section.

Category:general -- posted at: 11:11am EDT
Comments[3]

Ed Helms: Movie Star? By Kevin Crossman

After a series of small roles in films like Night at the Museum, Walk Hard, and Evan Almighty, a big time movie star moment is staring The Office's Ed Helms straight in the face. Helms is starring alongside Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis in director Todd Phillips' The Hangover opening on Friday.

In addition to the hilarious character poster, Helms is getting his song on with this very funny but not entirely safe for work trailer.




Have you seen The Hangover? What did you think? Is movie stardom in the card for Ed Helms?
Category:general -- posted at: 1:43am EDT
Comments[12]

Melora Hardin's new cinematic labor-of-love, You, is now available on iTunes and Amazon.com. You can learn more at the film's official website, YouTheFilm.com.

Now, Melora's Office costars want YOU to know that the film ("YOU") is now available. Most of the cast is shown in the video, including Steve Carell and Jenna Fischer.


Category:general -- posted at: 2:39pm EDT
Comments[1]

WARNING: FINALE SPOILERS

I'm not going to get into my thoughts on the finale until we do the podcast, but I've seen this crop up in various blog postings and forums and thought it was worth asking:

Has THE OFFICE jumped the shark with the JAM plotline in the finale?

According to Wikipedia, "jumping the shark" is "a colloquialism coined by Jon Hein and used by TV critics and fans to denote the point in a TV show or movie series' history where the plot veers off into absurd story lines or out-of-the-ordinary characterizations. This usually corresponds to the point where a show with falling ratings apparently becomes more desperate to draw viewers in. In the process of undergoing these changes, the TV or movie series loses its original appeal. Shows that have "jumped the shark" are typically deemed to have passed their peak."

WARNING: FINALE SPOILERS

One of the "signs" of JTS, according to the site is:

Birth, when a new baby is added to a show's cast (and often unnaturally aged to a preschooler the season following the birth), sometimes to accommodate an actress's real-life pregnancy but usually for the same reasons a New kid in town might otherwise be brought in. (Ex: Malcolm in the Middle and the introduction of Jamie)

Of course, another one of the JTS "signs" is also:

They did it, in which two main characters have sex, particularly if their sexual tension was deemed part of the show's appeal. (Ex: Who's The Boss? or I Dream of Jeannie)

WARNING: FINALE SPOILERS

But I think many people agree that the writers managed to keep the show afloat despite having JAM officially hook up.  CAN they do it again with this pregnancy plot?  Do you actually look forward to a Mini-Halpert on the show? How do you think this will play out? Will they dare pull a "miscarriage" plot of some sort?

Give us your opinions below and we'll definitely reference them in  TWSS #72!

Category:general -- posted at: 12:09pm EDT
Comments[34]

From NBC.com:



COMPANY PICNIC | 05.14.09 | 9/8c PT | TV-PG


SEASON FINALE - THE SCRANTON OFFICE REPRESENTS AT THE COMPANY PICNIC - OSCAR NOMINEE AMY RYAN ("Gone Baby Gone") AND IDRIS ELBA ("The Wire") GUEST STAR - It's the annual Dunder Mifflin company picnic and Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) and Holly (guest star Amy Ryan) are reunited, and Michael has some big plans for her. Meanwhile, the office competes in the picnic's volleyball tournament. Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Oscar Nunez, Creed Bratton, Paul Lieberstein and B.J. Novak also star.

---------

Well, here were are once again for yet another season finale.  What a long, strange trip season five has been-- it feels like we've had about 4-5 "mini-arcs" worth of plot twists this year, and hopefully most of them will come together in COMPANY PICNIC.  The MSPC plotline really made me forget about Holly, so will the magic still be there tonight?  Will Charles Miner finally receive that karmic payback we never got during BROKE? Are they going to be able to tell a satisfying season finale story in a meager 21 minutes?

As always, leave your comments below, and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the episode airs.


*BONUS FUN FACT: Did you know that some people believe the word "picnic" has a racist etymology, and have actually protested its use? Check out the entry at Snopes.com (it's not true) for the straight dope!
 
Category:general -- posted at: 8:45am EDT
Comments[41]

by Kevin Crossman

As mentioned in this week's podcast, NBC announced their fall schedule earlier this week. Well, sort of...

NBC announced the shows on their Fall Schedule, including The Office of course. Interest in Parks and Recreation from The Office creative team Greg Daniels and Michael Schur has been mixed, but NBC went ahead and renewed the show starring Amy Poehler. NBC also announced that SNL Weekend Update would be returning to Thursday nights at least on an occasional basis. NBC didn't renew My Name is Earl, but didn't exactly cancel it either, leaving the show in limbo.

But NBC didn't provide an actual schedule. So, we don't know if The Office is keeping it's Thursday 9 pm timeslot, or what shows will air before and after.  It is certainly possible that The Office could be moved to the 8 pm slot likely vacated by My Name is Earl.  NBC is expected to announce the full schedule and timeslots later this month.

Speaking of Parks and Recreation, we've received some notes about whether we will cover this show or review any episodes. With the summer hiatus coming soon, it does provide an opportunity to go back and talk about this show. So, would you like us to review Parks and Recreation, or would you like more Retro episodes from Season 2?  Leave a comment and let us know!
Category:general -- posted at: 12:16pm EDT
Comments[26]

From NBC.com:

CAFE DISCO | 05.07.09 | 9/8c PT | TV-PG

MICHAEL BRINGS COFFEE AND DANCING TO THE OFFICE - Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) gets into the café/disco scene. Meanwhile, Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski) decide to take a secret trip. Rainn Wilson, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Oscar Nunez, Creed Bratton, Paul Lieberstein and B.J. Novak also star.

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

As I mentioned in the last podcast, I can't think of a dumber sounding plot than Michael bringing coffee and "disco" to the office.  Still, from the humblest acorns, mighty oaks grow. Hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised.  As for the "B" plot-- a huge thanks to NBC for spoiling that for me during LAW & ORDER last night.  Idiots. Of course, it COULD just be a fake-out, but either way, I feel extremely annoyed. Sigh.

As always, leave your comments below, and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the episode airs.
Category:general -- posted at: 10:37am EDT
Comments[27]

from Variety:

NBC has Tina Fey-style plans for "The Office's" Mindy Kaling, signing the multihyphenate to an overall deal with the Peacock and Universal Media Studios.

Under terms of the two-year, seven-figure deal, Kaling will continue to write for and appear on "The Office" next season while simultaneously developing a comedy in which she would also star.

"This is my first step in a Transformers-style way to take over the whole world," Kaling quipped. "I've only ever worked for NBC, and I've felt an enormous amount of support from the executives there."

Much like "30 Rock" star-exec producer Fey, Kaling is known for both her writing and acting skills. Behind the scenes, Kaling is a co-exec producer on "The Office," having written notable episodes including "The Dundies," "Diwali" and this season's "Golden Ticket."

On camera, Kaling stars as Kelly Kapoor, the chatty customer service representative at paper company Dunder Mifflin.

NBC primetime entertainment prexy Angela Bromstad called Kaling "a rare and unique talent."

"Her comic sensibility is perfect for what we stand for in NBC comedy," Bromstad said.

Kaling, who notes that her time at "The Office" has been akin to going through "the Greg Daniels Graduate School of Writing," said her tastes now skew in the single-camera comedy direction -- but that she isn't opposed to writing a multicamera laffer.

In kicking around different development ideas, Kaling said she's drawn to workplace comedies but is also interested in buddy shows in the vein of "Flight of the Conchords."

"I've always wanted to do another show about women," said Kaling, whose past credits include writing the WB pilot "Mindy and Brenda," along with Brenda Withers, for Carsey-Werner and Steve Martin. That project was about two female best friends straight out of college.

Kaling has been with "The Office" since the show's launch. As an actress, she has appeared as Richard Lewis' assistant in "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and on film in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Unaccompanied Minors" and "License to Wed."

Kaling is repped by UTA and 3 Arts.
Category:general -- posted at: 11:47pm EDT
Comments[0]

From NBC.com:

CASUAL FRIDAY | 04.30.09 | 9/8c PT | TV-PG


MICHAEL IS TORN BETWEEN HIS TWO SALES GROUPS - Michael has to mediate a dispute within his new sales team. Meanwhile, trouble brews in the office when several employees take the term "casual" Fridays too loosely. Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Oscar Nunez, Creed Bratton, B.J. Novak and Paul Lieberstein also star.

-----

As mentioned in yesterday's podcast, I can't help but think these last few episodes might be a bit of a let down after the thrilling rollercoaster ride that was the Michael Scott Paper Company plotline.  Can an episode about dressing too casually on a Friday REALLY stand up to our newly reborn expectations of excellence?  I will be hoping for the best, but writer Anthony Q. Farrell (who has written only one other episode, "Employee Transfer," and a few of the "Kevin's Loan" webisodes) has a LOT to live up to.

As always, leave your comments below, and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the episode airs.

Category:general -- posted at: 8:56am EDT
Comments[24]

Download the Dwight "Idiot" Ringtone by Kevin Crossman

One of the highlights of "Broke" was Jim's custom ringtone of Dwight repeating "idiot" over and over. Now NBC is satisfying the needs of  tech-savvy fans with a download link so you can install it on your own phone (because everyone wants a little Dwight in their phone).

Ringtone is available in two formats (select "Save as..." to download to your computer):
 - WAV
 - M4R (iPhone)

The great thing about custom ringtones is that you can hear in advance who is calling, just like Jim. So, it was very easy to install the ringtone on my iPhone and use it for one of my contacts. Now, whenever Matt calls me I will hear "Idiot, Idiot, Idiot..."  :-)
Category:general -- posted at: 11:50am EDT
Comments[3]

One hundred episodes? Not too shabby, "crappy" American spin-off that had nothing on the UK version. On a less sarcastic note, congrats to the cast and crew.  Looking forward to another hundred.




EDIT: Here's an "official" video from NBC.com:



Category:general -- posted at: 8:50am EDT
Comments[4]

The Office -- Episode #5.23 "Broke"
From NBC.com:

BROKE | 04.23.09 | 9/8c PT | TV-PG L

Michael's new company struggles to make early morning deliveries while the office tries to get their expense reports in on time after Angela enforces Dunder Mifflin's policy.

----------

Is this end of Charles Miner's run as the "new boss." Idris Elba was signed for six episodes and guess what... this is show #6. Do Michael and Pam return to Dunder Mifflin? And what role will David Wallace play in all of this. Tune in tonight to find out.

As always, leave your comments below, and join Matt and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the episode airs.
Category:general -- posted at: 12:04pm EDT
Comments[24]

From TVguide.com:

Heavy Competition



The bizarre bond between Dwight and Michael faces a great challenge when Dwight begins to regard bigwig Charles (Idris Elba) as his newest hero. Meanwhile, Andy comes to Jim's emotional rescue.


--------

Matt is sipping margaritas in Mexico but Kevin will be in the TWSS chatroom during the show during the West Coast airing. Just click the green "Join the TWSS Chat" button.
Category:general -- posted at: 10:24am EDT
Comments[20]

Hey everyone! Greetings from the "cibercafe" at the Grand Mayan Riviera Maya resort, just outside of Playa Del Carmen.  Been pretty busy for the last few days (just got back from seeing Chichen Itza-- holy crap, the heat!), so I haven´t had a chance to access a computer.

 

Glad to see everyone liked the last two episodes.  Can´t wait to see what happens next.  Look for a double episode of "Dream Team" and "Michael Scott Paper Company" to air shortly after I return.

 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 8:05pm EDT
Comments[3]

Melora Hardin is Busy Everywhere but The Office By Kevin Crossman

We haven't seen much of Melora Hardin and the character of Jan Levenson since the infamous "Baby Shower" episode earlier this season. We know that Hardin has been busy appearing in the Broadway cast of "Chicago," but with recent news and several projects hitting the marketplace right now it's definitely "The Month of Melora."

Hardin's first project of note is this weekend's box office champ, Hanna Montana: The Movie. And while I'm willing to spend a lot of time checking out Office related movie projects (and even like most of them), guess what movie I'm not seeing?

Coming up next weekend is the high school fantasy film 17 Again with Zac Efron and Matthew Perry... and Melora Hardin. As much as I have no interest in Efron, I do like Perry and some of other costars including Leslie Mann and Thomas Lennon. So, remind me to NetFlix this when it comes out on DVD. (remember... support TWSS with a two-week trial to NetFlix).

We also have more details of You, the labor of love from Hardin and her husband Gildart Jackson that we mentioned on the last TWSS episode. According to Hardin's Twitter post, "Download @YouTheFilm for Mom May 8th at youthefilm.com, itunes, and amazon!".  You can learn more at youthefilm.com.

Of course, what we're most interested in is whether Jan will return to "The Office." Well, if history is any indication then just as fans of Team Karen were bummed to learn about a new pilot for Rashida Jones, those fans of Jan can't be excited to learn about "Lights Out," a new FX drama pilot that will star Melora Hardin. Hardin will play a surgeon in the series pilot that will start filming this week.

"Lights Out" centers on Patrick "Lights Out" Leary (McCallany), an aging former heavyweight boxing champion who struggles to find his identity and support his wife (Hardin), a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, and three daughters after his fighting days are over.

That leads him to take a job as a legbreaker, collecting on unpaid gambling debts. He is diagnosed with pugilistic dementia (a neurological disorder that affects boxers who receive multiple blows to the head), so he decides he'll need to make another big payday to support himself and his family before his brain turns to jelly.

According to the article in the Hollywood Reporter, Hardin will not return to "The Office" this season, but "is expected to guest on one or more episodes" next season.

Learn More:
www.melora.com
Category:general -- posted at: 8:11pm EDT
Comments[5]

From TVguide.com:

Dream Team

Following his bumpy first meetings with new boss Charles (Idris Elba), Jim finds himself squaring off with the bigwig in a soccer game in the parking lot. Meanwhile, Michael fears the new workday, so much so that he's barely able to leave his house. But that doesn't stop him from assembling his "dream team."

The Michael Scott Paper Company

Former romantic rivals Dwight and Andy form an unlikely kinship and plan a hunting trip together. Meanwhile, supervisor Charles demands a rundown from Jim---but Jim has no clue what "rundown" actually means. And Michael holds a Paper and Pancakes company luncheon, but it might end up as a flat affair.

--------

Two episodes in one night? You're killing me NBC! Can't wait to see how this plays out.



Category:general -- posted at: 9:16am EDT
Comments[17]


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The Show:

That's What She Said is a weekly podcast dedicated to NBC's Emmy Award winning show The Office. Every episode of TWSS includes TV episode clips and commentary, news, reports on upcoming media appearances of the cast, a selection of podsafe music, and much more. If you have a news item, piece of gossip, comment, constructive compliment, or are interested in promotional cooperation, please contact us:

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