(Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute are peeping through the window blinds of Michael's office, observing the rest of the office employees...)

Michael Scott: "I need to know who else is gay. I don't want to offend anyone else."

Dwight Schrute: "You could assume everyone is, and not say anything offensive."

Michael Scott (rolling his eyes): "Yeah. I'm sure everyone would appreciate me treating them like they were gay."



This is just one of the many golden nuggets of hilarity from "The Office: An American Workplace".

Good Lord, this TV show is funny.

Are you already an avid watcher? (HINT: There is only one "good" answer to this question.)

If not, why not?

Don't you want to be cool too?

Then you and I can call each other up the next day and wax lyrically about how many times during the previous night's episode we peed a little in our pants because of how hysterically socially inept Michael Scott (the boss) is, how uproariously power hungry Dwight Schrute (the fascist assistant manager) is, or how poignantly star-crossed Jim and Pam (the would-be office lovebirds) are. (JAM fans, anyone?)

A couple weeks ago, it was such an exciting revelation when I learned that my good friend in New York was also a loyal Officemate. It was like we now got to gossip about these new "weekly" friends of ours behind their backs. It, like, totally renewed our friendship on a higher level! (Plus I can't help but giggle a little because one of the kooky Office characters - the Valley Girl-esque "Kelly Kapoor" - reminds me of my NYC friend! Hehe.)

Anyway, back to the show:
This is not your father's comedy. This isn't your tried-and-true (read: *yawn*), old school sitcom. And this really isn't the typical "set up then punch line"/"Charlie Sheen chasing skirts as the precocious little nephew wags his finger at him"-type humour. The Office predicates itself in those awfully awkward, cringe-worthy, painfully funny moments when others around you are oblivious to their own embarrassing, unfiltered, un-PC behaviour. Trust me, we all know people like these in our day-to-day lives.

Okay, I don't know how I can continue on with this entry without further coming off as a pathetic shill. It's not like the show needs me to recruit more pairs of eyes to save it. It's actually doing just fine.

I guess I'm just trying to do my (non-Semitic) mitzvah for the week and spread the gift of laughter with you all!

And for all of you fans of the original Brit version of The Office, you'll have to take my word for it that once you get past the first few episodes of the American version, you'll start to realize just how wonderfully different a comedic beast this one is. Give it a chance. You'll love it too.

But this American version really began to hit its stride in its second season (after an abbreviated 6-episode first season). So what I recommend to all you American Office neophytes is that you purchase/rent/Netflix/five-finger-discount a copy of Season Two as your foray into the series. Then once you are (guaranteed) hooked on the show after those 22 episodes, you can go get Season One and watch the original six. And then you can also catch up to the current Season Three this upcoming summer when it goes into repeats on TV.

Wow, WHAT AN AWESOME PLAN I just laid out for you! You can send me a tin of "thank you" cookies later. (HINT: I'm partial to oatmeal raisin.)


Dent in your pay cheque:
around $25 for Season One; around $40 for Season Two; currently FREE for Season Three!

Ideal for:
anybody who loves having their funny bone fondled; snooty fans of smart, non-patronizing television; people who work in an office and want to watch a weekly, half-hour version of their autobiography

Look for it at...
the DVDs: Best Buy (but maybe you can find it cheaper elsewhere)
the weekly TV broadcast: NBC, Thursdays at 8:30 PM!