Pam said during last night's episode that she was 30. For some reason I thought she was a little...

Pam said during last night's episode that she was 30. For some reason I thought she was a little older than that given previous biographical snippets mentioned in previous shows. Thoughts?

The Office

7 months ago royalsreview 15 comments 0 recs |

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i haven't watched in weeks

guess i gotta catch up on a show i don’t care that much about anymore

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by devil_fingers on Apr 24, 2009 12:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

you're all in on 30 Rock now I take it

the plots getting nonsensical, but the last three or four episodes have been strong

by royalsreview on Apr 24, 2009 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

in which show?

I’ve only recently begun to appreciate 30 rock properly. it usually takes me a while.

we just have skipped a few Offices, and we’re going to catch up at some point

I’m preparing for the emotional season (and likely series) finale of Chuck on Monday. I wish it was airing on ShowTime.

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by devil_fingers on Apr 24, 2009 1:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I too am a big Chuck fan

I give it a 50-50 shot and getting another season. 30 Rock is amazing tho, although get the DVD of Season 1, by far some of the best comedy anywhere in recent years.

As for the Office, the last few episodes have actually been fairly good. Less Micheal being a awkward ass every scene and more of him showing that he actually has small bits a brilliance mixed in.

by ZeppelinDZ on Apr 24, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Office

The Korean van bit, while wholly inconsequential to the main story line, might have been the funniest bit (and recall) of the season.

I agree that the show has picked up in recent weeks, with last night’s negotiation with the Dream Team a nice way to wrap up the Michael quits storyline (even if it, along with Dwight back to the doghouse, tied up a little too neatly).

RR: Maybe Pam is fudging her age a little. I hear women and international baseball free agents do that from time to time.

by Gopherballs on Apr 24, 2009 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think they are making the right choice ending it, actually

given my theory of the shelf-life of shows.

Moreover, they hot-shot every possible storyline this season, + Sara(h) had increasing numbers of underwear/lingerie appearances. I’m not sure where they can even take it next, other that it was all a dream I’m still the intersect/re-insertion of the intersect/full frontal.

We’re getting caught up on the Office.

The 30 Rock re-run I saw at 9 last night was so-so. It was with peewee baseball team/Iraq thing. I think blatant parallels like that are lame whether I agree or disagree with the politics, although that ep was funny overall. I never thought I would enjoy Tina Fey. Her smug SNL news delivery was the most overrated since Dennis Miller, and that turned me off, but 30 Rock has hooked me in.

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by devil_fingers on Apr 24, 2009 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thoughts on Parks and Rec?

I’ve only seen one episode and although I really wanted to like it, I don’t think I laughed once. It seems like what a bunch of amateurs could do if they wanted to make a show just like “The Office.”

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 24, 2009 10:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That pretty much sums it up

It’s really too bad that all the people that created this came from The Office, because it feels just like it, minus the funny.

by AxDxMx on Apr 24, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The pieces are there for a great show

but the showrunners have not moved them into the right places yet (kind of like the 2007 Tampa Bay Devil Rays, or the first six episode run of the U.S. version of The Office). Amy Poehler’s character is too similar to idiot Michael Scott (I’m not buying the producers’ line that she is totally different because she is ambitious and a women, while Michael Scott is not ambitious and a man). The Rashida Jones character is suppose to be the relatable “Jim” character (just with the “Roy” boyfriend), but she has too little to do except conveniently show up everywhere so she can react to others’ stupidity. Aziz Ansari is the breakout character, but his role is too one note to carry a main story line. The boss works in small bits too. I almost forgot about the city planner and the intern characters, which is a bad sign.

One problem with the tone of the show is that it goes for too many cliched “small town rube” laughs. The Office has done a good job of letting the characters knowingly put Scranton down, but it rarely comes off as mean or cheap. Most of the Parks and Recreation small town jokes are tired, but even the sort of inspired ones like the city hall murals are kind of cruel.

There are too many talented people involved (including cousin Mose) for the show not to be funny (the show does have the feel of network meddling), but if they get a second season, they need to retool the show and make it less derivative and conventional.

by Gopherballs on Apr 24, 2009 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think TV writers need to move out of Winesburg, OH

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by devil_fingers on Apr 24, 2009 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

May I suggest Thunder Bay, Ontario?

There was that old CBC show that captured the drama, but no one has mined the comedy.

by Gopherballs on Apr 24, 2009 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

heh

haven’t had a chance to watch Parks and Rec, yet.

Are you Canadian/have you lived in Canada?

Trailer Park Boys was awesome, at least the first 5-6 seasons. Sucked after Corey and Trevor left. the 3rd and 4th seasons are some of the funniest things I’ve seen in my life. It takes a while to get used to the bad acting (although Julian is DeNiro compared to, say, Adrian Grenier), but, wow… just unbelievably funny.

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by devil_fingers on Apr 24, 2009 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not a Canuck

but been through Thunder Bay (twice, I think) and used to get CBC as a cable channel (which was good for Blue Jays and Expos games, the curiosities known as the CFL and curling, SCTV and later Kids in the Hall, reruns of US sitcoms, “He Shoots, He Scores,” a watchable Toronto cop drama whose name escapes me, and the aforementioned “Thunder Bay” — which I only watched once or twice because the commercials for it always showed lots of speed boat action but the show itself was rather “talky.”).

by Gopherballs on Apr 24, 2009 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Aziz Ansari

Really needs his own show. That guy cracks me up.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 24, 2009 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It'll get good.

I think a show takes about 5-10 episodes to get really good. 30 Rock was like that. I think Leslie Knope is fun (maybe because I have an irrational like of Amy Poehler—the Mighty B is pretty awesome, I think), but I think a good thing they could play up more is Leslie’s mom (who was in one episode and is perpetually disappointed in her, but got her the job with the Parks department.) Gopherballs was right that the parts are there…April is a funnier version of Ryan, I think. Leslie is sort of an mix of insecure but competent Liz Lemon, dumb Michael, and ambitious Dwight, which could be good. I think it’ll turn around. Introducing a Sarah Palin-type character (incompetent small-town mayor who made it big!) might be good for a laugh (though Ron the boss has that anti-govrernment government worker in him).

I don’t really see the jokes as being small-town bashing, just making fun of municipal government and all the lame things it entails (town hall meetings, local newspaper stories, etc.). Pawnee seems as much suburban as small-town to me, albeit a suburb with its own history that now is part of a larger metro area (Lee’s Summit, Olathe, Harrisonville). It’s kinda scary the actual importance local government has over people’s lives and that it somehow works fairly well despite being full of incompetent people.

Also, Pam has to be around 30 because John Krasinski is that age (only 29). Jenna Fischer is actually closer to 40 (wait, only 35 according to Wikipedia) I think, but I think it would be weird if she were way older than Jim.

by mikewormdog on Apr 24, 2009 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs