WHY NO ONE CAN QUIT “THE OFFICE”
Fischer and Kinsey have several theories about why The Office remains so beloved, but in rewatching episodes for Office Ladies research they’ve come to realize one obvious reason which fans have known for years: The show is really freaking good.
“Jenna and I are rewatching [the show] now, and I really get it, because it’s so good and it holds up. I mean, I don’t want to sound braggy about our own show, but it really is good,” Kinsey said.
“No, it is,” Fischer agreed. “People ask us all the time, ‘Why do you think it’s still popular today?’ And I think the answer is because it’s so good. In rewatching it I’m discovering a whole new appreciation for it.”
This is the first time Fischer is seeing most of these episodes since they aired, and now that years have passed they hit differently for her. Because the show is over she’s no longer watching through the eyes of an actor who’s thinking about performance notes or cut scenes. “I feel like I’m able to watch it now as an audience member without any of that other junk in my head. It’s really been quite a special experience. I would recommend it to all of the cast members,” she said.
In rewatching the show Kinsey has also found that the old episodes can act as soothing companions. “It’s odd to say that, but it is comforting,” she explained. “I think that Office fans that watch [the show] and put it on when they come home or have it in the background while they’re making dinner or doing laundry — whatever — there’s something comforting about it. You know where Michael’s going to be, and where Jim sits, and where Pam’s at, and everyone is always there. I don’t even know how to put it into words, but it’s somehow comforting.”
While reruns of the show can usually be found marathoning on Comedy Central and some dedicated fans like myself still own the series on DVD, Netflix has been one of the most accessible ways for people to watch over the last several years. The streaming platform recently added a Top 10 feature that highlights the most popular movies and TV shows(opens in a new tab) on site, and The Office consistently ranks on that viewership board. Knowing that Netflix subscribers are choosing to watch this 15-year-old show when a giant streaming library of new and original content is at their fingertips is mind-blowing to the cast.
“It feels great,” Kinsey said in response to the show’s streaming acclaim.
“It’s crazy,” Fischer said. “You know, as an artist all you really want is for your work to resonate with an audience. That’s your wish. That’s why I became an actor and so all these years later for my work to still resonate? That means everything. It’s such a gift to be a part of something that has that kind of staying power.”
