Does anybody here know anyone who actually has seen the show and doesnt like it? i told one of my best friends to watch the show and the next day she told me that it was one of the randomest and most pointless shows she has ever seen. it broke my heart. and now when ever i mention the office she gets really annoyed with me and asks why i like that show!

My inlaws saw it once and said it was just plain dumb. They have no sense of humor though, so it doesn't surprise me.

Your experience sounds extremely familier....except mine was my sweety. Good thing we don't live together or she would be homeless.

One of my BFFs once told me she didn't get it.

I attacked her with the North. Not really a problem for me anymore.

During the pilot season of The Office, my mom and I loved it immediately. But my brother hated it. He made fun of us for liking it and called it stupid. But now that everyone else in my family and friends love it, he claims that it's "okay". I hate, so much, the things that he chooses to be.

To me, it's a show that -- for some people -- requires a few viewings for people to "get it." You're not going to understand the characters in one sitting, you probably won't see the charm of the "JAM" relationship in one sitting, Michael Scott may just seem stupid without being funny, in one sitting etc.

Plus, you won't understand references to previous episodes or storylines. If I hadn't watched "The Fire" via iTunes, I wouldn't have chuckled at Kevin's "Hey, Fire Guy!" reference to Ryan in "E-mail Surveillance." I woulda just thought "What does 'fire guy' mean? That's dumb."

Plus, a lot of people are used to sitcoms with laugh tracks, and without that "cue," they seem lost as to when a show is trying to be funny and when it's serious. (But "The Office" makes me laugh out loud more often than any "laugh track" show I can remember).

I think it'd help for someone not indocrinated into the show to maybe visit a fan site or two, read some summary descriptions of the characters here etc. before seeing an episode.

Or, maybe just buy the season 1 DVD and give it to them. If they can watch that whole set without being remotely amused, then they probably don't have a funny bone and never worked in an office themselves.

I know sometimes I prefer to "discover" a TV show or movie on my own. It's like, if a friend or relative pushes me and says "YOU'LL LOVE THIS!" I just rebel against it. But if I stumble onto episodes on my own and like them, then I'll get really wrapped up in them (as I have with "The Office")

I have to confess I'm only recently a junkie. I sporadically watched the show its first season, missed most of this season, but something spurred me to get the season 1 DVD and I was hooked. I've already spent about $20 on iTunes catching up on episodes I missed (I realize you can watch most of the episodes on YouTube or what have you, but I like having the full broadcast versions and heck, I like supporting the show with my lousy 20 bucks )).

I had bought the 2 British "The Office" season DVDs on a friend, watched then (before wrapping them ) and enjoyed them.

I loved the show since the pilot, but my mom, sister, AND girlfriend don't just dislike the show, but hate it with a passion. They all say there's no point to the story and carell is just a jackass. I wasn't able to watch the second half of the first season or the first half of second season because I was always forced to change the channel. (thank god for DVD and DVR)

So My Parents and Sisters don't like it ... thats just to bad for them

I agree with that completely.

Yeah, just about everyone I know, whenever I ask about "The Office", everyone I know says it is either stupid, pointless, not even funny, or shocked that it hasn't been cancelled already. Unfortunately, I am the only "Office" fan I know in person...

It's a shame, really.

sadly, I know many people who don't like the office. most of them say, "I just didn't get it. there were some parts that were funny, but for the most part, I just thought it was dumb."

Receptionist, those people are not your real friends. And if they are family, the whole "blood is thicker than water" thing is really overrated. Afterall, you didn't get to choose them, did you? We are your family. You even have a new name here. We will be setting up a commune in Scranton very soon, and you are welcome to join us there, where you will be loved an appreciated.

I only know one. I have a friend who saw one episode (The Injury), and he thought it was stupid. I don't see how since I love that episode, but he's a weird guy. I just recently got my boyfriend into The Office. Every Thursday, we've been watching the epsidoes that come on so that he can be fairly caught up with the story once the premiere of Season 3 rolls around.

dangit stapler, YOU HAVE MY PIC.
do you realise i spent hours looking for it? That i lost sleep? back to the drawing board i guess.

Since I just recently became obsessed with The Office in the past month or so (after being a casual viewer), I never really discussed it with other people to find out if they liked it or not.

But now, I've been dropping it into conversations, testing the waters, almost like "Will this person understand why I feel this way about The Office?"

I've been pleased with the responses I'm getting from friends! For example, my cousin loves the new show "Lovespring International," which has a similar feel - a crazy ensemble cast, filmed in an office (not a cheesy looking "set"), no laugh track etc. So I told her, "If you love that show, you'd probably enjoy The Office."

Her reply? "I do! I've got a couple episodes on TiVo!" And we screamed and jumped up and down and went into the living room to watch the ep's she had recorded. Yeah! Now I have one more person to talk to about The Office.

I have your pic? Oops! Sorry, I don't know where I get my pictures from, they just end up on my computer. I'll use a different one. Sorry again.

It's alright, it just suprised me that you found the exact picture I spent so much time looking for, I thought i was
being original or something. I changed mine so feel free to change it back.

Some of my friends despise it and my mom thinks it's "ok"

I only have one friend who likes it, and she says it's just "okay". She doesn't even know who most of the characters are, so I can't really talk to her about it. Most people I ask say that they like "My Name Is Earl" but the Office is stupid. I can't believe it! It's such a great show and it obviously has a lot of fans! Why is it so hard for us to find them???

I just got my dad into watching the show. And my dad is a tough person to make laugh.

I started him out on "Christmas Party," then showed him "The Injury."

I knew he was won over when he asked me, "When does this come on?"

My girlfriend says she likes it even though she doesn't, which is pretty sweet.

Almost all of my close friends also don't like the show but I make them sit through it.

I wonder what the characteristics are of people who like The Office and people who just don't get it. I think the USA are addicted to laugh tracks...they drive me crazy. (I don't need to be told when to laugh!)
I find people who don't get The Office tend to like clear cut humor and aren't able to appreciate gentler more unique ways of humor. Also there is a lack of appreciation of British humor among these people. What are the characteristics you guys find?

I must say I am rather shocked at my own obsession with the show. It's not like I don't have a life (I am bopping around China=quite happily I might add in the hotel right now...I think I gave the hotel the Fanfiction.com virus...opps! But there are two computers lol) I love various things (travel, paint, make jewerly, read, etc) but I look forward to The Office and writing JAM with a passion. If everyone watched The Office the world would be a better place. I decided I need to have a friend I can call on Thursday nights (Friday morning my time) to set the phone next to the tv so I can hear the episodes...then may be I can come on here to figure out what eye chatter I missed....yes indeedy I was proud of myself this morning when I came up with this plan! At times, I feel like I drank the kool-aid and should be selling flowers...

My brother in law doesn't understand why the rest of us like it. He doesn't think it's bad, but he doesn't find anything entertaining about it.

My mom.

The one and only episode she saw was Women's Appreciation. I kept yelling at her to shut off the TV b/c we were recording it (gotta love FF through the millions of commercials) Well she sat and watched it instead and of course the show was a lesson in penii. She thought it was just awful and wont give it another chance. I of course laughed so hard at her then at the show. LOL. Still laughing now. Dity and stupid were her exact words. LMAO!!

Ahhh, another gem from Page 69.

My parents do not "get" The Office. My sister-in-law and I have spent time explaining the show and they don't get the concept. Mom & Pop will laugh along while the rest of us are in hysterics, although you can tell they aren't quite sure why. My little brother is the same way ... so maybe my middle brother and I were switched at birth. That can be the only explanation.

My boss hates the Office - but she's a big idiot anyway, so she doesn't count.

Yeah, I know some people who don't like TO but they aren't my friends....
anymore.

I talk about the show all the time with a guy at work and the other day our supervisor said, "I don't like that show. The boss is real jerk!". She then went on to say, "I watch Earl".

Oh-KAY....

1st -- now I like My Name is Earl. I don't TIVO it anymore because it doesn't hold a candle to The Office. However, it is pretty typical in this rural area that most people would not 'get' The Office and like simpler humor that is present in Earl. (p.s. not trying to 'bash' where I am from, but honestly..)

2nd-- as my co-worker and I said, if she had actually watched more than one episode she would see that Michael is not a one-dimensional, cookie-cutter character. Because of the brilliant writers, we who actually watch all the episodes understand the reason behind his 'jerky' behavior.


Time to get off my soapbox......I just now know that I can very easily assess whether or not I will get along with someone and that is directly related to whether or not they watch The Office.

Am I being a little snooty? Probably, but I don't care. "I am what I am"

My aunt and uncle came to visit a couple months ago, and my family discovered that they didn't watch TO. However, they said that they had watched and enjoyed the british version. So anyway, one day while I was at work my parents had them watch the pilot episode of our version. And they didn't like it! Apparantly they thought that the whole concept seemed pretty far-fetched and unbelievable. The PILOT, which was, of course, pretty much an exact duplicate of the british version. Can you believe it?

I must say, I have friends who totally don't understand the show. My father sits there and looks at me like I'm crazy as I'm dying of laughter while I watch every single episode, even the repeats.

I think there's a reason why certain people understand the show's humor and some don't. I have worked in so many screwed up, dysfunctional offices like the one on "The Office" and I think for anybody who has ever put up with crazy situations like that, it really just brings it home. All of my friends who have worked in ridiculous places with crazy people find it hilarious as ever.

And I think one of the reasons that a lot of women, including myself, love the Jim & Pam romance is that we all kinda hope that one day, our Jim will come and we'll find someone who can laugh with us through the day and be there for us when we need 'em. Every girl wants that!

Anyway, I love the office and say "poo poo" to people who don't get it!

My dad doesn't like it and while watching the marathon he was said "You have already seen this" I said yes and I watch it because its funny. I know others who don't like it I don't get it really.

I showed a dead person the show and they did find it funny though peopl who don't speak english don't really get it I don't know why.

3 left

My mom doesn't like it.

She thinks Michael is irritating and Dwight's an idiot. I don't hold is against her, though. She watches Becker so it's obvious she doesn't understand humor.

I have a friend who says he can't watch it because it reminds him too much of his own office.

My older sister turned me on to the show and I loved it right way. So I decided to show it to my younger sister. I honestly didn't think that anyone could NOT like it. I was wrong. I showed her multiple episodes, and she just didn't get it. The only thing she said was that Pam was too ugly for Jim (what?!?!) . My response? I slapped her, kicked her out of my room, and haven't talked to her since.

I bet I can hold a grudge longer than Angela can...

Slap her once for me.

Well, yeah. That's part of why it's funny.



Ah, that explains it. Unfortunately, our characters have personality.

The first day of training for my job...we had to tell something about ourselves. I mentioned I loved TO.


My trainer said,"Really?? I think that is the stupidest show ever created."


So from day one I have hated my job.

My step-dad hates The Office. He calls it "stupid". My mom (who I just got hooked on the show) and I try to tell him how smart the writing is, but he just doesn't get the humor. I think it's a knee-jerk reaction...if he doesn't get it then it must be dumb. I also tried explaining the format of the show...a fake documentary...and he says "well what's the point of that?" (WARNING: MAJOR SARCASM) "Oh, you're right. If it's fake and scripted, it's not worth watching right? So let's never watch another TV show or movie ever again. Attention everyone! Shut down production! Everyone in Hollywood is now unemployed because he thinks if it's not real it's not worth watching. I'd also like to point out that he owns about 1000 of the worst movies ever made on DVD." Ugh. The thing I hate most about him not liking it is that he actively doesn't like it and is vocal about it, so my mom can only watch it when he's not around, like she's hiding it from him.

Wow I think thats the point is to make people see its realism and then be able to laugh at it.



Please slap her for me Pam is not ugly in any way.

Done.




And done.

Great board name, MoreLikeSwaying!

I actually know several people who either don't like the show or have never bothered to watch the show because they are convinced they would not like it. I finally got my sis in law to watch, but she isn't into it as much as we are all. A few of my good friends just don't like it. What is wrong with these people? I need to find some different friends who have excellent taste where comedy is concerned. Oh yeah, that's why I come here (to the boards)

My dad.

He says, "THat show is too close to my life to be funny. I guess I've had too many a--hole bosses. I mean, I can't believe no one's cut that guy's [meaning michael] throat yet!"

I know a bunch of people who don't like The Office. My best friend, who should by all rights love this show, says it simply makes him too uncomfortable, especially Michael's antics. A co-worker who has seen a few episodes says that, too.

Another thing --- I recently played a TiVO'd episode for my sister, who was visiting, and the fact I had to explain the dynamic with Jim/Pam/Karen, Dwight/Angela, etc. threw her off. There's a lot of back history, she said, that eludes a first-time viewer, she said ---- which in one sense bolsters pleas made by some to return the show more to everyday office situations that require little backstory knowledge.

(But I said, "Well, once you take a little time investing in these characters, you'll be glad you did." )

Everyone I've gotten to check out TO has loved it.

Every single one.


Except the dead ones.


Who are dead to me.


Because they don't love TO.


But seriously -- maybe because we all work in offices -- everyone I've steered toward TO has found SOMETHING funny or relevant about it.

I knew someone who did. Then me and some other people showed her some youtube videos of really good parts of the show and she changed her mind. Wouldn't say she was hooked but likes the show now.

Every woman I get to watch it loves it, but my dad and uncle hate it. They refuse to watch a whole episode and even get mad about people watching sometimes.

Karen probably doesn't like it much now.

People kept telling Mr. Recorderalways and I to watch it. We caught of few minutes of various eps through season two...and as we all know, this is not a "few minutes" type of show. So, I watched CN as my first front to back episode...and yeah, I was totally hooked. We bought season one and two DVDs and gorged on Office episodes for entire weekends seemingly....falling off the couch laughing literally at times. Ah, happy memories....

But I digress. My parents don't care for it, and neither does my sister. IDK, the humor is just not their type I guess, as hard as that is to believe...I can't imagine anyone thinking some of these things aren't funny. I still claim them though, what can I say....blood is thicker and all that.

ETA: Jenna Fischer is so beautiful that I actually do think they de-prettify her for Pam...but still, Pam is definitely attractive. Even in some very unfortunate shoe choices....how can anyone think Pam isn't pretty?

There are a few people I know who strongly dislike The Office and think that it is full of stupid humor. However, they also like to watch shows like The Hills, and My Super Sweet Sixteen(no offense to anyone here who likes those shows).

hubby doesn't like the office. but he puts up with my obsession quite well.

I maintain that it's because he's a drama/action guy and not comedy. that, and he's never worked in an office environment, so some of the humor he doesn't really get.