Such a painful show... by Gord Lacey (All reviews)
9/05/2007
Fill your Inbox with hilarious moments from The Office: Season Three in this four-disc collection that's crammed with extensive bonus features and all 22 episodes of the 2006 Primetime Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Comedy Series! Steve Carell is back in his Golden Globe-winning role as earnest but clueless boss Michael Scott, who can't help but contribute his own irreverent commentary to the daily happenings at the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin paper company. As the staff deals with potential office closures, mergers, romances, and advancement, Michael's always there to say all the wrong things at all the right times. Including five supersized episodes and over three hours of deleted scenes, The Office: Season Three is packed with classic moments from the show that Time magazine praises for "satirizing the culture of coffee, cubicles and Chili's with heart and laser precision."
Michael Scott and the employees of Dunder Mifflin are back for more zany adventures in The Office, season 3. This four disc set contains all 22 episodes, plus some great bonus material:
Disc 2 (1:54:27)
The Merger (29:51)
The Convict (21:18)
A Benihana Christmas (42:01)
Back from Vacation (21:17)
Disc 3 (2:37:48)
Traveling Salesmen/The Return (42:44)
Ben Franklin (21:14)
Phyllis' Wedding (21:15)
Business School (21:46)
Cocktails (21:17)
The Negotiation (29:32)
Disc 4 (2:21:55)
Safety Training (21:15)
Product Recall (21:16)
Women's Appreciation (28:57)
Beach Games (28:01)
The Job (42:26)
Video
Universal has done a very, very nice job on this release. In fact, I couldn't see any flaws in the picture. The first season had a strange shimmering effect, but that gone in season 2, and still absent from season 3. They shoot the show using HD cameras, and the DVDs include anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) video. There are chapters after the opening of the show, and each disc contains a "play all."
Audio
The third season features an English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track, first introduced in the second season. There are lots of subtle office sounds that can be heard in the rear speakers; I found it helped suck me into the environment. There are subtitles in English and Spanish.
Deleted Scenes (3:09:56)
There's some great material in these deleted scenes, which come from almost all the episodes in the third season.
Kevin Cooks Stuff in the Office (4:57)
Kevin cooks stuff....in the office. The audio was encoded improperly for this segment.
Excerpt from the 2006 NBC Primetime Preview Hosted by The Office cast (8:11)
The cast of The Office hosts the 2006 NBC Primetime Preview. This is a series of clips featuring the characters from the show.
Toby Wraparounds (2:48)
Toby records some wraparounds.
Dwight Schrute Music Video (2:09)
A funny music video featuring Dwight.
Joss Whedon Interview (1:00)
A very, very short interview with Joss Whedon, director of "Business School."
Videos from The Office "Make Your Own Promo" Contest (2:52)
The winners, and some finalists, from the "Make Your Own Promo" contest.
Blooper Reel (13:44)
Yippeee, it's the blooper reel!
Lazy Scranton Video (2:12)
Watch the "Lazy Scranton" video.
Excerpt from the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1:14)
Conan drops in on "The Office." The audio was encoded improperly for this segment.
Commentary Tracks
"The Coup" - John Krasinski, Rain Wilson, Rashida Jones and Angela Kinsey.
"Initiation" - BJ Novak, Rainn Wilson and Leslie David Baker.
"Traveling Salesmen/The Return" - John Krasinski, Rain Wilson, Rashida Jones, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker and Dave Rogers (editor).
"Business School" - BJ Novak, Rainn Wilson and Brent Forrester (writer).
"Safety Training" - BJ Novak, Mindy Kaling and Harold Ramis (Director).
"Women's Appreciation" - Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, Kate Flannery Lee Eisenberg (writer) and Gene Stupnitsky (writer).
"Beach Games" - Ed Helms, Brian Baumgartner, Jennifer Celotta and Harold Ramis.
"The Job" - John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Rashida Jones, Melora Hardin, Dave Rogers (editor) and Ken Kwapis (director).
Summary
It brings me great pain every time I watch this show. I have these muscles right below my cheekbones that hurt, and I can't tell if it's from laughing, or smiling, but it's this show that does it to me! I have to sit and massage my face after I'm done watching an episode because it really hurts. Yes, this show brings me great pain.
I was trying to decide who my favorite character was, and I've come to the conclusion that it's a tie with everyone in the office (not including the guys in the warehouse - they aren't as cool). Every character fits in perfectly, and they all make me laugh. Some of them are good for the shock value, some are good because of their reactions, and others are good because they're just so damn zany. Everyone has a role in the show, even if it isn't a large one.
This set is another great one from Universal - well deserving of my "pick of the week" for September 4. The commentary tracks are good, the deleted scenes are awesome, and while some of the other material is a hodge-podge of stuff, I'm glad it's on the set. It's going to be hard waiting a year for more episodes; I only watch this show on DVD.
