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The Office (American TV series) season 3

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The Office Season 3
Season 3
Tagline: An NBC comedy not for everyone. Just anyone that works.
No. of episodes25
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 21, 2006 –
May 17, 2007
Season chronology
← Previous
2
Next →
4
List of episodes

The third season of the American television comedy The Office premiered in the United States on NBC on September 21, 2006, and concluded on May 17, 2007. Consisting of twenty-three episodes, the third season continued the American adaptation of the British TV series of the same name as a fake documentary portraying the daily lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictitious Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. It was stated that one of the main points of season three was to further the relationship between Pam and Jim.[1]

The third season of The Office aired on Thursdays at 8:30 PM (EDT). The season was released on DVD in a box set containing four discs. While the DVD features all 25 episodes, the episodes "Traveling Salesmen" and "The Return" were condensed into one episode. The DVD was released by Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Production

The third season of the show was produced by Reveille Productions and Deedle-Dee Productions, both in association with NBC Universal Television Studios. The show is based upon the British series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and its executive producer is Greg Daniels, along with consulting producers Larry Wilmore[2] and Lester Lewis.[3] The show's writers include Daniels, Gervais, Merchant, Michael Schur,[4] Jason Kessler, Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky, Jennifer Celotta, Brent Forrester, and Justin Spitzer. Steve Carell, Mindy Kaling, Paul Lieberstein, and B.J. Novak double as writers as well as actors in the show. The third season also featured the song "River Runs Red" by the band Life of Agony in the episode Initiation.

Season three featured episodes directed by twelve different directors. The Office features both a "team" of directors, as well as several freelanced. While Ken Kwapis, Ken Whittingham, and Daniels had previously directed episodes, season three featured first time Office directors Roger Nygard, Randall Einhorn, Miguel Arteta, Tucker Gates, Jeffrey Blitz, Harold Ramis, Julian Farino, Joss Whedon, and J.J. Abrams. Abrams, executive producer of Lost and Cloverfield, directed the episode "Cocktails". After being chosen to direct, Abrams stated that "I am obsessed with The Office".[5]

While The Office was mainly filmed on a studio set in Los Angeles, California, the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania, where the show is set, was also used for shots of the opening theme.[6]

Cast

Many characters portrayed by The Office cast are based on the British version of the show. While these characters normally have the same attitude and perceptions as their British counterparts, the roles have been redesigned to better fit the American show. The show is known for its generally large cast size, with many of its actors and actresses known particularly for their improvisational work. Steve Carell stars as Michael Scott, Regional Manager of the Dunder Mifflin Scranton Branch.[7] Loosely based on David Brent, Gervais' character in the British version,[8] Scott is a dim-witted and lonely man, who attempts to win friends as the office comedian, usually making himself look bad in the process. Rainn Wilson portrays Dwight Schrute, who, based upon Gareth Keenan, is the Assistant to the Regional Manager, although the character frequently fails to include "to the" in his title.[9] John Krasinski portrays Jim Halpert, a sales representative and prankster, who is based upon Tim Canterbury, and is in love with Pam Beesly, the receptionist.[10] Pam, who is based on Dawn Tinsley, is shy, but in many cases a cohort with Jim in his pranks on Dwight.[11] B.J. Novak portrays Ryan Howard, who for the first two seasons is a temporary worker, but is promoted to sales representative.[12]

The show includes many minor characters playing roles of office workers, working in various positions around the office. Angela Martin, Oscar Martinez, and Kevin Malone are the office's accountants, and are portrayed by Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nuñez, and Brian Baumgartner, respectively. Schrute, Halpert, Phyllis Lapin, portrayed by Phyllis Smith, and Stanley Hudson, portrayed by Leslie David Baker, compose the sales division of Dunder Mifflin Scranton. Midway through the season, Karen Filippelli, portrayed by Rashida Jones, and Andy Bernard, portrayed by Ed Helms both join the sales division as transfers from the Stamford branch. Kate Flannery portrays Meredith Palmer, the promiscuous Supplier Relations Representative, writer-actress Mindy Kaling portrays Kelly Kapoor, the pop culture obsessed Customer Service Representative, writer-actor Paul Lieberstein portrays Toby Flenderson, the sad eyed Human Resources Representative, and Creed Bratton plays a fictionalized version of himself as the office's Quality Assurance Officer. Other characters include Roy Anderson, Pam's former fiance played by David Denman, Warehouse Supervisor Darryl Philbin, played by Craig Robinson, and Jan Levinson, Michael's main love interest, who is portrayed by Melora Hardin.

Reception

Splitting the action — or inaction — between two offices could have been disastrous. But it made us appreciate clueless Michael (Steve Carell) and his uncorporate family — prodigal son Jim (John Krasinski), receptionist/heartbreaker Pam (Jenna Fischer), power-hungry Dwight (Rainn Wilson), and other eccentric cubicle dwellers — even more.

— Entertainment Weekly magazine[13]

The third-season premiere "Gay Witch Hunt" received a 5.7/9 in the Nielsen Ratings, meaning that on average 5.7 percent of households were tuned in at any given moment and 9 percent of all televisions in use at the time were tuned into the program. The premiere also increased in total viewers and viewers 18 to 49 over the previous season, in doing so eclipsing its lead-in program, My Name Is Earl.[14] Rankings taken at the end of the third season placed it #68 on the list for total viewers. It averaged 8.3 million viewers per episode for the season. The show did improve on its rating with adults in the 18-49 range, with a 4.1/11 rating, good for a ranking of 28th.[15] The third season was the first season to feature hour-long episodes, as both "A Benihana Christmas" and "The Job" were an hour long. Both episodes received favorable reception, with "A Benihana Christmas" garnering 8.5 million viewers.[16] While season three featured mainstream songs for its soundtrack, many of the songs were decades old.[17] IGN felt that "In its third season The Office continued to be one of the smartest, funniest and most likable shows on television."[18]

Honors

The third season of The Office received seven nominations for Primetime Emmys at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards, and won the award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for the episode "Gay Witch Hunt".[19] The Office was also nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, with the award going to 30 Rock. Other nominations included Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Steve Carell for his portrayal of Michael Scott, Outstanding Supporting Actor for Rainn Wilson for his portrayal of Dwight Schrute,[20] Outstanding Supporting Actress for Jenna Fischer for her portrayal of Pam Beesly,[21] Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for Ken Kwapis for directing the episode "Gay Witch Hunt",[22] and another nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Michael Schur for the episode "The Negotiation".[23]

Episodes

"Series #" refers to the episode number in relation to the entire series, while "Episode #" refers to the episde number in the season. Production Code refers to the episode's individual code, with the "3" referring to the third season, and the two final numbers referring to the order each episode was filmed.

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Series # Episode # Title Director Writer(s) Original US air date Prod. code

Notes

  • † denotes a forty minute long episode.
  • ‡ denotes an hour long episode.

References

  1. ^ Ask Ausiello TV Guide, retrieved February 2, 2008
  2. ^ Veteran TV Writer Moves in Front of the Camera ABC News, retrieved January 28, 2008
  3. ^ Lester Lewis Yahoo! TV, retrieved January 28, 2008
  4. ^ Fender Bender The New Yorker, retrieved January 28, 2008
  5. ^ Abrams To Direct Episode Of 'The Office' TrekMovie.com, retrieved February 2, 2008
  6. ^ Scranton Embraces the ‘Office’ Infamy The New York Times, retrieved February 2, 2008
  7. ^ Taking 'Office' lessons from the world's greatest (inept) boss USA Today, retrieved January 27, 2008
  8. ^ Jolly Good Show Or Was It?; On TV, Attitude Is More Important Than the Way the Vowels Sound The New York Times, retrieved January 27, 2008
  9. ^ The Man Behind 'The Office's' Favorite Suck-Up, Dwight Schrute ABC News, retrieved January 27, 2008
  10. ^ Office' Transfers to a New Cubicle The New York Times, retrieved January 28, 2008
  11. ^ An American-Style 'Office' With a Boss From Heck The New York Times, retrieved January 28, 2008
  12. ^ Hawaii, The Office & Lost in Space Castings Variety, retrieved February 1, 2008
  13. ^ Meeta Agrawal "The Office: Season 3," Variety. Retrieved on January 27, 2008.
  14. ^ September 21, 2006. ABC Changes 'Anatomy' of Thursday, Zap2it.com
  15. ^ The Hollywood Reporter, 2006–07 primetime wrap, hollywoodreporter.com
  16. ^ Arts, Briefly; Holiday Parties, Holiday Ratings The New York Times, retrieved January 27, 2008
  17. ^ ‘Office’ Songs in the Unhip Keys of Life and Karaoke The New York Times, retrieved January 27, 2008
  18. ^ The Office: Season 3 DVD Review IGN, retrieved January 31, 2008
  19. ^ Greg Daniels NBC, retrieved January 29, 2008
  20. ^ The Week's 10 Best Celeb Quotes People Magazine, retrieved January 29, 2008
  21. ^ Emmy Reactions: Tina Fey Cracks It's 'An Outrage' People Magazine, retrieved January 29, 2008
  22. ^ Ellis, Lopez, Marx, Stritch, McKellen and More Among 2007 Emmy Nominees Playbill, retrieved January 29, 2008
  23. ^ Michael Schur VH1, retrieved January 29, 2008

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