The Office

January 1, 2020

Rolling Stone journalist Greene offers fans hoping for an Office reboot the next best thing--a detailed oral history drawn from interviews with the show's creators, writers, and cast and crew, as well as critics and NBC network executives. A remake of a short-lived but acclaimed British series, the U.S. version of The Office was met with skepticism when it debuted in 2005--in the wake of glamorous, Manhattan-based sitcoms, a mockumentary about the employees of a struggling paper company in Scranton, PA, seemed unlikely to last. But following a rocky first season, the show quickly found its footing. Greene's subjects are an effusive bunch, rhapsodizing about showrunner Greg Daniels's eccentric genius or lead actor Steve Carell's comedic prowess, warmth, and professionalism. Though the occasionally repetitive narrative would have benefited from a shade more editing and a greater willingness to address the show's missteps, fans will nevertheless be richly rewarded by insights into watershed moments, such as the meticulous location scouting that went into salesman Jim Halpert's proposal to receptionist Pam Beesly. VERDICT Greene's affectionate tribute will satisfy Office devotees eager for a behind-the-scenes look at this beloved sitcom.--Mahnaz Dar, Library Journal & School Library Journal

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2020
An oral history of the long-running, mega-popular American sitcom. In this behind-the-scenes trove for the countless fans of The Office, Rolling Stone senior writer Greene pulls together comments, context, and insights in a round-table style that tracks the sitcom's origins and success. Inspired by its British TV namesake, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the American version of The Office, created by Greg Daniels, initially "faced a lot of resistance" as it struggled to find a place as a "single-camera, laugh-track-free show about a struggling small town paper company." The narrative, ably curated by Greene, features the creators, actors, writers, and reviewers that spanned the show's nine-season run on NBC from 2005 to 2013. With cogent chapters about key episodes, lead characters such as the boss, Michael Scott (Steve Carrell), and assistant to the regional manager, Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), craft talk, and nuts-and-bolts details, Greene smartly lets the contributors elaborate how a workplace mockumentary became a cultural phenomenon. Lively anecdotes reveal the closeness of cast and crew, and we see the writers' room as a highly collaborative, intense training ground that fostered talents such as Mindy Kaling and BJ Novak. Director J.J. Abrams characterizes the show as having "a kind of timelessness to it," a point driven home in reflections on what The Office did that differed from prime-time shows of its era: establishing a strong point of view, resisting glamorous actors, and building a set away from the traditional studio. Greene doesn't just rave, however; the book includes respectful candor about episode ideas that didn't pan out and late additions to the cast who didn't fit. When Carrell left after Season 7, The Office rallied for another two seasons, to mixed response. Amid rich trivia for pop-culture buffs, relationships--both fictional and real--stand out. Everyone involved notes Carrell's genuine personality and professionalism; the text also serves as a tribute to his role in defining the series. A fond, funny, informative trip down Memory Lane for series buffs and newcomers alike.

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February 10, 2020
First-time author Greene delivers a fascinating oral history of The Office, the NBC sitcom that started in 2005 with low ratings and became a cultural phenomenon during its nine-season run. Greene, a pop culture writer for Rolling Stone, illuminates the show thanks to nearly 100 interviews with cast members, writers, directors, producers, and crew along with various TV executives and critics. Starting with its birth as an American remake of the British series created by comedian Ricky Gervais, Greene shows how the series developed its take on the day-to-day life of everyday office workers—“normal people, but they’re really quirky.” Greene includes chapters on fan-favorite episodes (“The Dundees,” “Beach Games,” “Threat Level Midnight,” etc.) and makes clear that at the show’s center is actor Steve Carell, whose portrayal of office boss Michael Scott is the show’s pulse. Greene argues that Carell’s “magic superpower” to take Gervais’s rougher and meaner character and instead show his “vulnerability” and “empathy” was responsible for the show’s success. With its wealth of anecdotes, this entertaining history will delight the series’s many fans.