The Office

     Earlier today I finished watching The Office. For eight long years from 2005 to 2013, the American comedy TV series was a classic hit. I was able to watch all 9 seasons, 201 episodes in the past 3 weeks. I had never binged watched a show before, but I've had a decent amount of time these past weeks and I figured why not. I don't really know why I chose The Office;  but after finishing of the series, I am very glad that I did. For years I have heard people talking about the show, and how hilarious it is. My expectations were high, but even they were blown out of the water. Every character was incredible comical in their own unique way and there were endless one liners and funny moments.

     But what amazed me the most was how genuinely real the show itself felt. Sure the writing and the characters were amazing, but it all came off so natural and effortless. Of course, looking back on it, that really is the whole idea of this show in the first place. Just your average, everyday business office with average, everyday people. But what the show really proved is another essential truth; all of those ordinary people, in their own unique way, are special.

     The last few episodes, and especially the finale, were really fantastic. With many shows, the grand finales don't live up to the expectations. Any show that has been on for 9 years is no doubt, hard to end. But The Office did a really great job and reminded us how much we really cared about all these people. As the whole show is the filming of a documentary, the finale was set a year after the documentary had aired as sort of a "where are they now" type of thing. The timing also coincided with the wedding of two of the characters which gave all the characters from the show an opportunity to get back together. The finale definitely had an emotional nostalgia feel as characters who had been missing for seasons made heartwarming returns.  Even I will admit that I was feeling a little sad as the characters said their final goodbyes and parted ways. Which is crazy because I have only known them for a couple of weeks! I can only imagine how emotion that finale would have been if I had invested 9 years of my life in that show.

     The finale ended in dramatic fashion with one of the characters addressing the central theme of the show itself. As everyone starts to get up and leave the office, Pam says "There is a lot of beauty in ordinary things. Isn't that kind of the point?". Yes. Yes it is.