We were Seniors in College when we found The Office.
cleapow:
Tim came back from Winter Break with the first season in tow. He said, “Holy shit. You have to watch this.” And watch it we did.
We went through the first season in a day. We couldn’t stop. We went down to Family Video the next day and rented the second season on DVD. One. DVD. At. A. Time.
It was incredible. The show was in its third season at the time so we had to wait to catch up, but we still caught all the new episodes. We were hooked. The Office was our show.
We moved in together and started our real lives. The writers strike nearly killed us delaying our very favorite show in the world. We waited patiently. I was finally working in an office and I had The Office paraphernalia all over my tiny cubicle. We watched and re-watched the DVDs obsessively. At every down time. When nothing else was on. Tim has nearly every line memorized. Thanks to my horrible memory, much of it is still a surprise to me today.
The Office was on in the background as we were stuffing envelopes for our wedding. It was in the background as we sat quietly playing on our computers. Jim and Pam’s relationship evolved and changed as ours did. We experienced ups and downs along with the characters.
I have been invested in these characters for so long and it sounds silly but this whole season has been ripping at my heart. Jim and Pam’s relationship being tested hurt in a way that you can only hurt when you have experienced it yourself. They have always been a couple years behind me and Tim so it is only natural that their relationship woes happened 2 years after some of our toughest times. I cried with them this season, knowing the hurt they felt.
And tonight, this finale, was such a perfect end to my favorite show. To all of my favorite characters. They finished it up exactly the way it needed to be finished. They did well.
The Office may not be airing new episodes anymore, but it will never stop airing in my home. We will always use it as background noise in our house. It will be played when we need to see our old friends again. When we need a laugh. When we need a cry.
It is ours forever.
Whoever you are, you pretty much summed up exactly what The Office meant to a lot of fans, and myself. I honestly couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve watched each season. I came in at the 3rd season as well and it was always playing in the background. I fell asleep with the dvd going through every episode since the dialogue calmed me and made me feel happy as well.
The feeling of never seeing a new episode hasn’t hit yet, but, eventually, the bittersweet blubbering tears will roll. But even though I know the plot, dialogue, and scenes backwards and forwards, I’ll never stop watching. Someday, I’m going to be able to watch it with my children and watch it through their new eyes. Having “thats what she said” be a constant joke around the house. This is a show that will never be forgotten. A show that will be having reruns that you will fondly watch when you are 60. The show may end, but their stories are eternal. Stories like theirs will always happen no matter when or where you are and that is why this show will stand the test of time. Thank you NBC for gifting the world this beautiful example of the human spirit, it will never be forgotten.
