2008 Woodie Awards
Behind-the-scenes features make latest "Office" DVD set even better
Paige Juhnke
Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Season 4 of "The Office": 4 out of 5 stars
On the surface, the new DVD set for the fourth season of "The Office" is just an average DVD boxed set. It comes with four discs that include episodes, deleted scenes, episode commentaries and a blooper reel. The thing that sets this television boxed set apart is the hilarious extra material. That, and the fact that "The Office" is one of the greatest comedies to ever hit the airwaves.
The set includes 14 episodes, seven fewer than last season's boxed set due to the 2007-08 Writers' Strike. But despite the shorter season, anyone from a die-hard "Office" fan to a newbie can appreciate what season four has to offer.
For people who have never watched "The Office" before, each episode revolves around a paper company in Scranton, Pa.
Season four focuses on the relationships between Jim and Pam, Michael and Jan and the Dwight-Angela-Andy love triangle, all of which are carried throughout each episode. Each episode also has unique content, including the kidnapping of a pizza boy, a rabies fun run and a boys' night out in New York City.
More than two hours of deleted scenes are included, some of which are funnier than the actual episodes. My three least favorite episodes from this season are "The Deposition," "Did I Stutter?" and "Night Out," but the deleted scenes make the actual episodes funnier and more enjoyable to watch. In "The Deposition" Dwight impersonates a preying mantis and a table tennis player all-in-one, which left me rolling on the floor.
Episode commentary is included for select episodes. I recommend watching the episode once through, the deleted scenes and, finally, the commentary. If you're extra-obsessed, you should then watch the episode over again.
Rainn Wilson (Dwight), Jenna Fischer (Pam) and other actors and writers give feedback about the episodes. Plus, if you watch the commentary, you'll find out super-secret "Office" tidbits. For a fan, that's like opening presents on your birthday.
Another extra that makes this DVD a must-have is an excerpt from "The Office" Convention held last year. This extra is called "Writer's Block" and includes all of the writers for "The Office" talking about the show and how they come up with ideas for it. It's refreshing for television fans to see how writers and actors collaborate to put together the final product, especially one this good.
My favorite part of this DVD set is the blooper reel. It's 22 minutes long, and it's funnier than any other blooper reel I've seen. It's nice to see the actors have as much fun with this show as the viewers do.
The negatives are the short number of episodes and the $35-$40 price tag, but for fans of "The Office," the DVD is worth buying, and for people who have never watched "The Office" and want to be a part of this television cult classic, now is the perfect time to start.
paigejuhnke@dailynebraskan.com
On the surface, the new DVD set for the fourth season of "The Office" is just an average DVD boxed set. It comes with four discs that include episodes, deleted scenes, episode commentaries and a blooper reel. The thing that sets this television boxed set apart is the hilarious extra material. That, and the fact that "The Office" is one of the greatest comedies to ever hit the airwaves.
The set includes 14 episodes, seven fewer than last season's boxed set due to the 2007-08 Writers' Strike. But despite the shorter season, anyone from a die-hard "Office" fan to a newbie can appreciate what season four has to offer.
For people who have never watched "The Office" before, each episode revolves around a paper company in Scranton, Pa.
Season four focuses on the relationships between Jim and Pam, Michael and Jan and the Dwight-Angela-Andy love triangle, all of which are carried throughout each episode. Each episode also has unique content, including the kidnapping of a pizza boy, a rabies fun run and a boys' night out in New York City.
More than two hours of deleted scenes are included, some of which are funnier than the actual episodes. My three least favorite episodes from this season are "The Deposition," "Did I Stutter?" and "Night Out," but the deleted scenes make the actual episodes funnier and more enjoyable to watch. In "The Deposition" Dwight impersonates a preying mantis and a table tennis player all-in-one, which left me rolling on the floor.
Episode commentary is included for select episodes. I recommend watching the episode once through, the deleted scenes and, finally, the commentary. If you're extra-obsessed, you should then watch the episode over again.
Rainn Wilson (Dwight), Jenna Fischer (Pam) and other actors and writers give feedback about the episodes. Plus, if you watch the commentary, you'll find out super-secret "Office" tidbits. For a fan, that's like opening presents on your birthday.
Another extra that makes this DVD a must-have is an excerpt from "The Office" Convention held last year. This extra is called "Writer's Block" and includes all of the writers for "The Office" talking about the show and how they come up with ideas for it. It's refreshing for television fans to see how writers and actors collaborate to put together the final product, especially one this good.
My favorite part of this DVD set is the blooper reel. It's 22 minutes long, and it's funnier than any other blooper reel I've seen. It's nice to see the actors have as much fun with this show as the viewers do.
The negatives are the short number of episodes and the $35-$40 price tag, but for fans of "The Office," the DVD is worth buying, and for people who have never watched "The Office" and want to be a part of this television cult classic, now is the perfect time to start.
paigejuhnke@dailynebraskan.com
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