The Show
With a blend of diverse, relatable characters (okay, some more than others), an understanding of the modern workplace and an unrelenting embrace of the absurd, The Office has managed to go where so few comedies have before: an uncompromising, still-hysterical Season Seven.
This year was noteworthy for the departure of star Steve Carell, whose Michael Scott is destined go down in history as one of the best TV characters ever. But whereas on some shows, major cast changes are sometimes handled in a schmaltzy, overwrought manner, Michael's last day was not only well-motivated across several weeks but it was also one of the best-written and acted episodes of the entire series. It rib-ticklingly funny, and if we shed a tear or two, it's a testament to the quality of the show, not some mawkish manipulation.
There are other personnel changes too, culminating in the star-studded season finale "Search Committee," wherein the quest for Michael's replacement continues. (No decision was made despite many qualified applicants.) Select episodes are available in extended versions as part of this collection. There are also office romances, ultimatums, ample personal "drama" and of course, multiple mandatory parties. It remains the sort of place we wish we worked at, if only....
The Picture
This is a primetime NBC series, so the HD quality here is everything we would expect. Overall the 16:9 image quite sharp and stable, evident in everything from the texture of the pavement to the actors' pores. We can even readily spot an errant bit of lint on someone's suit. And on the subject of costumes, Oscar and Phyllis further their penchant for bright clothing, and it really livens up the place, color-wise.
There are Venetian blinds in the background of many shots and they are prone to a bit of flicker, and I did note occasional noise on some challenging material, but The Office is superior to much TV-on-Blu-ray that I've seen.
The Sound
The audio does a clever if low-key job sonically establishing the various environments, first and foremost the office itself, with its omnipresent ventilation system, fluorescent lighting, phones ringing and keyboards clacking as a component of the gentle but effective surrounds. This high-resolution track also captures the subtlety of a great little moment as when Michael utters "That's what she said" for the very last time, barely audible after he's taken off his omnipresent documentary microphone.
Beyond that, the show is largely men and women talking either directly at or not far from the camera, and dialogue is always spot-on. It's still censored by the way, if anyone was wondering. And I've heard it hundreds of times before, but I feel like I now have a newfound appreciation for the piano part of the theme song in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.
The Extras
The five audio commentaries, all lively joint affairs, are spread at least one each across the four discs in the set. Participants include actors, producers, writers and hyphenates: Paul Lieberstein, B.J. Novak, Creed Bratton, Craig Robinson, Daniel Chun, Greg Daniels, Ellie Kemper, Angela Kinsey, Brian Baumgartner, Clare Scanlon, Kelly Cantley, Robert Padnick, Charlie Grandy, David Rogers, Steve Hely and Justin Spitzer. Sadly, Mr. Carell is not among them, but he does pop up in the 15 minutes of bloopers.
An expanded, freestanding version of Michael's cinematic masterstroke, Threat Level Midnight, is presented for our enjoyment, in HD like all of the video extras. A host of deleted scenes from across the entire season are organized by corresponding episode, totaling over 100 minutes.
A trio of webisodes centered on Ryan's horror movie The 3rd Floor are all ported over to Blu-ray (eight minutes total), also accessible on-the-go as part of the pocket BLU bonus content. Disc One is BD-Live enabled, most notable for its ability to stream new Season Eight episodes immediately after they begin airing later this month.
Final Thoughts
Michael Scott, we'll miss you, but sentimental viewers or really anyone who enjoys great network sitcoms will have this lovely set to remember him by, with its solid audio/video and fine, forward-thinking bonuses.
Product Details
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