The Office: The Complete Third Season DVD Review
Posted by Nick Wallander on 09.20.2007
The highly anticipated season 4 of NBC's "The Office" debuts on Thursday, September 27, but even the most patient of fans can't wait. So, what does one do? Perhaps pick up "The Office: Season 3" on DVD. Not convinced? Well then check out this review of the 4 disc set by 411's Nick Wallander
If you are reading this review, you are probably already familiar with the NBC hit show, “The Office”. After three solid seasons, the anticipation for the fourth is enough to drive the average fan of the series a little crazy. Fortunately for them there is “The Office: Season Three” out on DVD and in stores everywhere.
For those of you unfamiliar with “The Office”, I can tell you that it is a comedy filmed as a documentary at a small Pennsylvania branch of a paper company named Dunder Mifflin (yes, it is based on a BBC show of the same name). It stars Steve Carell as Michael Scott, the hapless regional manager, who oversees a staff of complex, unique, and often hilarious individuals. His crew includes top salesman/lackey Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), the girl-next-door receptionist Pam Beasley (Jenna Fischer), the laid back and lovelorned salesman Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), anal retentive accountant Angela (Angela Kinsey), and the office temp Ryan Howard (BJ Novak). Season three follows the daily routines of the Dunder Mifflin crew as they prepare for downsizing and a possible merger with another branch through 22 episodes on four discs.
The uninitiated will be able catch on to the plot quickly as the first episode of the season does a short recap of the events that took place in the first two seasons. The first two seasons’ prominent storyline revolved around talk of Dunder Mifflin facing budget cuts and the Scranton, PA branch being in jeopardy of closing. The other main storylines focused on the office romances of two couple and one love triangle. The most prominent of these romances would be that of Jim and Pam, whose friendship is inches away from being something more had Pam not been engaged to Roy (David Denman). The second romance is a torrid (and very odd at the same time) secret love between Dwight and Angela, who both have reservations about sharing the truth. The third romance is that of Michael and his boss, Jan Levenison (Melora Hardin), who have a one night rendezvous that affects their personal and professional relationship in many ways. All of these relationships play a key part in the fate of the office as a whole and are integral into the story of season three.
Season three finds Jim, who transferred as a means to get over Pam, working at the Stamford branch of Dunder Mifflin where they have their own interesting crew of characters as well. These include the office suck-up Andy Bernard (Ed Helms), smart and sexy Karen Filippelli (Rashida Jones), and Stamford regional manager Josh Porter (Charles Esten). It is a different world for Jim in Stamford as he not only struggles to find his place, but also finds himself missing his friends in Scranton. Meanwhile, back in Scranton, Michael Scott is having his leadership and management skills tested as Dwight plans a coup and tensions are high as the office prepares for the inevitable downsized merger.
Through an unexpected twist, the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin is saved from being downsized and in turn takes in the Stamford branch in the much anticipated merger. Conflict and tomfoolery arise when the Stamford crew tries to assimilate itself. At the forefront of conflict is a heated feud between Dwight and Andy for the affections of Michael as well as the spot as the branch’s #2. The merger also complicates the previously mentioned love triangle by adding a fourth member into the mix as Jim and Karen start dating. The bulk of season three explores the complicated relationships within the office and then challenges them as Jim, Michael, and Karen are all offered the opportunity to interview for a key position in the Dunder Mifflin corporate office.
All in all, season three of “The Office” is a masterpiece of character development. The show cares about its characters and it shows all the way from the top to the bottom. Carell’s portrayal of Michael Scott is something to behold as he manages to make a bumbling idiot of a boss into a very sympathetic and likable character. The Jim and Pam story captures the heart of the average Joe because it is so damn relatable. Even the quirky and bizarre tryst between Dwight and Angela gives depth to characters that often play the antagonist. It is a rare thing to find a show that can have you rooting for any given character at some point or another. This happens because many of us basically know these people to some extent. They are just like people we have worked with in an office, people we’ve heard stories about, or more importantly they are often glimmering example of ourselves. The bottom line is that “The Office” hits home and has heart. The show always has; and season three upped the ante.
As previously mentioned, the four disc set of season three features twenty two episodes, all of which will have you laughing. However, there are several that stand out from the rest and need to be recognized. These episodes are as follows:
Disc 1
“Gay Witch Hunt”- Michael offends Oscar (Oscar Nunez) with a derogatory name and then accidentally outs him after he learns that Oscar is in fact gay. Meanwhile in Stamford, we meet up with Jim who is settling in with his new crew. This episode is brilliant because it provides us with some uncomfortably funny moments as Michael tries to make it up to Oscar by holding a meeting to “educate” the office on gay culture. Also, the plot seeds are planted early as we get to know Andy and quickly learn that he’s going to be a little annoying.
“The Coup”- Dwight must wrestle with his loyalty to Michael and his love for Angela as she convinces him to make a play for Michael’s job. There are several great moments in this episode including a secret meeting between Dwight and Jan at a waffle house.
“Initiation”- Ryan the temp has moved into a sales position and therefore becomes subject to a surprise initiation while on a sales call with Dwight. Many will say that this is one of the series’ funniest episodes and they would be correct. Dwight takes Ryan out to the Schrute family beet farm for several hysterical challenges that include a coffin and the wrestling of Dwight’s cousin, Mose. Also keep your eyes open for the reaction Stanley (Leslie David Baker) has to the announcement of “free pretzel day”. This is a prime example of the supporting cast at their best.
Disc 2
“The Merger”- The Stamford branch moves several of its staff members to the Scranton office where Michael greets them with open arms. It is immediately evident that it is not going to be a smooth transition. This episode is worth watching just for the orientation video entitled “Lazy Scranton”. It is a spoof of a SNL Digital Short that stars Michael and Dwight. It is a sight to behold.
“A Benihana Christmas”- Comedy legend Harold Ramis directed this hour long holiday themed episode. Michael is distraught after his girlfriend, Carol, breaks it off with him, so he declares to the office that “Christmas is cancelled”. Fortunately Andy convinces him to go out for lunch at Benihana’s, which he refers to as Asian Hooters. Jim and Dwight join them at the restaurant while Pam and Karen face off with Angela regarding the office Christmas party. This is one episode that is not only hilarious, but also advances the plot. Look for a touching moment of reflection between Michael and Jim. Also, the best bit of the season involves Michael and a black marker.
Disc 3
“Traveling Salesmen/The Return”- This is the clear cut choice for the best episode of the season. The first half of the story finds Andy plotting against Dwight by convincing Michael to send the sales crew out on the road for a series of sales calls. The secret relationship of Angela and Dwight is tested because of Andy’s plot, which happens to be a tender example of why those two kids are together in the first place. This forces Dwight to make a critical decision that affects the entire office. The second half of the episode finds Andy in an incredibly cheery and annoying mood – and Jim has plans to derail him with a prank. Look for the best line of the season, or possibly the series, as Jim makes note of Dwight’s absence. The entire cast is on their A-game for this one.
“Ben Franklin” – The crew of Dunder Mifflin is preparing for Phyllis’ (Phyllis Smith) wedding when Todd Packer (David Koechner) convinces Michael that he needs to hire a stripper for the bachelor party. In the interest of what Michael thinks is legal, he enlists Jim to hire a stripper for the bachelorette party as well. Jim has a little fun with that responsibility as a scholastic speaker shows up instead of an exotic dancer. On paper the idea of a Ben Franklin impersonator isn’t all that appealing, but when it gets brought to life, it gives plenty of opportunities to make us laugh. Jenna Fischer and Steve Carell put forth noteworthy efforts as both Pam and Michael come to terms with aspects of their love lives respectively.
“Business School”- Creator/Director Joss Whedon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) directed this episode that centers around Michael speaking at Ryan’s business class. Meanwhile, at Dunder Mifflin, Dwight enlists Creed’s (Creed Bratton) help to eliminate a bat running havoc in the office. Worth viewing is an emotional moment in which Michael learns of Ryan’s true attitudes and beliefs regarding Dunder Mifflin. Dwight’s hunt of the bat and his suspicions that Jim may be a vampire drive the comedy home in this one. However, stealing the show once again are Carell and Fischer who remind us what the show is all about in a heart-wrenching scene at an art gallery.
“The Negotiation”- Dwight with nunchucks, pepper spray, and throwing stars. Need I say more?
Disc 4
“Product Recall”- This episode gives us a chance to learn a little more about Dunder Mifflin’s resident creepy guy, Creed. Apathy for his job causes Creed to allow a shipment of paper to be shipped out with a pornographic cartoon watermark. The office goes into spin mode as Michael rushes to put together an unnecessary press conference while Jim and Andy play damage control at a high school where the tainted paper was used to print out prom invites. More Creed is better in this one as we discover more details about the man’s mysterious past that proves to be funnier than one would expect. His take on being homeless is enough to warrant watching this one.
“Beach Games”- Michael gets a call from corporate about a job opening which causes him to change his plans for beach day into a Survivor-like competition to find his replacement. The competitions are as ridiculous as Michael Scott could devise and allow for some moments of comedic brilliance. Look for Stanley’s reaction to a hot dog eating contest, Creed’s method of fishing, and Dwight’s relay race with Ryan. Michael’s coal walk creates an opportunity for Pam to finally speak up about a few things. Those of you rooting for Jim and Pam will be very interested in “Beach Games”.
“The Job”- Several members of the Scranton office head to New York to interview for a job at corporate. This creates a new dynamic as Michael declares that Dwight will replace him before he even does his interview. To tell you much about this one would be ruining a lot of what is good about it, so I will just give you a list of things that are worth your while: Schrute-bucks, Jan’s surprise, and Jim’s interview. The whole season comes to a close with a surprise ending that nobody saw coming.
Special Features
The season three set includes the standard fare for special features such as bloopers, deleted scenes, and commentaries. Here are the things that separate this set from your average TV box set.
“Deleted Scenes” – Most series have deleted scenes that demonstrate why they were deleted. However, “The Office: Season 3” supplies deleted scenes from nearly every episode that all hold their own even if they were dropped onto the cutting room floor. Seriously, you probably should watch all of them. They help satisfy your hunger for new episodes while sometimes filling in blanks.
“Blooper Reel”- Nearly 14 minutes of screw-ups, slip-ups, and shenanigans. The cast shows how much they enjoy their job while spouting out an assortment of cuss words you aren’t going to see on network television.
“Episode Commentaries” – Little did you know that many of the stars write episodes of the show? Well, those are the kind of things that are revealed in the 8 commentary tracks included in the four disc set. Most of the principle cast (minus Carell) lend their thoughts on various episodes and prove that they are just as funny in real life as they are on the show. Harold Ramis provides commentary for “The Beach” which is insightful and funny.
“Dwight Schrute Music Video”- NBC put together a little promo video with many of Dwight’s best moments. The song is cheesy, but the clips are a good way to get your Schrute quickly.
“Joss Whedon Interview”- We get the opportunity to hear some of Whedon’s thoughts on the episode “Business School”. The track is only a minute long, so make the most of it.
“Videos from Make Your Own Promo Contest”- Three minutes of promos videos made by web contest finalists. I was pleasantly surprised and perhaps you will be too.
“Lazy Scranton video”- The aforementioned spoof of the SNL video “Lazy Sunday” in its entirety. What you saw on the original airing is just the tip of the ice berg. One of the best features overall.
“Excerpt from the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards”- This is a bit from Conan O-Brien’s opening montage that features Conan stumbling into the Dunder Mifflin office. It is worth seeing if you didn’t watch last year’s Emmys. Conan does some quality spoofing of the show’s little quirks.
That pretty much concludes the special features of “The Office: Season 3”.
Final Thoughts
It is rare for a television comedy to be as involving and deep as “The Office” tends to be on a weekly basis. Season 3 emphasized the strengths of the show that were demonstrated through the performances, the writing, and directing. This show has heart and everyone working on it seems to understand that point. One last thing I would like to mention is that season 3 of “The Office” does not work unless there is an outstanding supporting cast. There are so many subtle and unappreciated things that these actors do on a weekly basis. Whether it is Angela’s uptight neurosis or Kevin’s (Brian Baumgartner) random creepy/childish moments they come through with a realism you rarely find. Like I mentioned before, it is as if you have worked with these people at some point. Every office has a Stanley, who is all business, or there is a Kelly (Mindy Kaling) who won’t shut the hell up. My point is that every single character on this show plays an important part to the overall story. If the final episode of season 3 showed us anything it was that any character could get a sudden boost in their story at any given time. Season 4 is going to be real damn interesting.
The 411: Fact: Bears can climb faster than they can run. Fact: Identity theft is a serious issue. Fact: “The Office: Season 3” went down as one of the greatest seasons of television in history. If the 4 disc set contained nothing but the 22 episodes it would be classic in its own right. However, this set comes with insightful commentary, a lengthy blooper reel, two music videos, and deleted scenes that are actually funny. It is rare for the bonus materials to make the episodes that much better, but this set manages to do so.
