"Local Ad (The Office)", 10-25-2007

"The Office" is one of those shows that have several members of the cast working as both writers and producers. Frankly, I don't know what the "producer" credit entitles a cast member to -- I assume it entitles them to a share of the profits, or something like that. At the very least, the writers can have a sense of investment in the final product (after all, they are "producers") as opposed to working-for-hire.

B. J. Novak, who plays former-temp-turned-boss Ryan, wrote this particular "The Office" episode called "Local Ad". Dunder-Mifflin, which is determined to put itself on the national map, is producing "local" commercials, and the corporate headquarters sends two of the men in charge of producing the commercial to explain the concept of personalizing a commercial to a dense Michael Scott.

Scott, who has always seen himself as a Renaissance Man -- he couldn't be farther from the truth -- concludes that the local Scranton branch office will have a chance to create a local commercial, and Michael appoints himself as director. He explains his ideas to the idea men, but the men explain that the actual commercial -- your typical goofy commercial produced by a faceless entity -- is to remain the same regardless of the city in which it airs and the creative part of the process consists of a five second tag with the actual employees passively waving at the camera.

Scott can't accept this, and Ryan, who wants to end the conversation, allows Michael to talk him in to giving the Scranton office a chance to produce its own commercial, which, if good enough, would air instead of the "personalized" commercial.

Meanwhile, Dwight continues to moan over the end of his relationship with Angela. As he mourns her loss by retreating into the world of Second Life, he gets no solace elsewhere at the office. Office suck-up Andy -- one of those striped-shirt wearing, everyone's pal employees who uses annoying catchphrases and whom you want to strangle -- decides to confide in Dwight regarding his progress on "Operation Fallen Angel", his attempt to seduce Angela to first base and possibly beyond.

As it turns out, both segments end rather well. Pam stays up until 2:45 am at the office, producing the final tag of computer animation for the commercial -- it's a chance, however insignificant, to use her artistic skills at work. Michael produces his magnum opus and sends it off to "Corporate" -- where it is rejected. The only creative input the Scranton branch will have is watching themselves waves at an overhead camera for five seconds. In the meantime, while Andy passes information to an annoyed Dwight, Andy tells Dwight something that Dwight might interpret as a sign that Angela is still interested in him.

My first comment is that the idea of a "personalized" commercial is spot on. In most corporations, the idea of employee input really means "employee input within narrowly defined channels". Corporations don't really want employee input, what they want is to provide the impression to employees that their input is valued without actually having to value of any it. Dunder-Mifflin -- particularly the new, revitalized Dunder-Mifflin -- fits that model perfectly. Just as Michael Scott doesn't really want the input of his employees, "Corporate" doesn't want any of his input, either.

This brings me to my second comment: Ryan as the harder-edged boss. At the beginning of Season 4, Ryan was very tenative in his relationship with Michael as a superior -- now, he seems to have done an abrupt 180 degree turn, to the "do this or you're fired" kind of boss. Undoubtedly, the events in "Launch Party" where Michael mocks Ryan's website might have facilitated the change, but it's just too abrupt a turn. Undoubtedly, B. J. Novak's concept of Ryan is one not shared by the other writers. Will Ryan swing back to his former wishy-washy self, or will Ryan maintain his new personality? I'd hate to see Ryan teeter back and fourth depending on whether or not B. J. Novak is writing the episode.

Finally, "The Office" is back to the pure thirty-second episode, and not the "hour long" episodes which are just two separate episodes united by a common theme. "The Office" works better as a thirty-minute show -- but you probably won't be able to convince "Corporate", i. e. NBC of that. NBC just wants your passive acceptance, and not your input....just like Dunder-Mifflin.