Since premiering in 2005, watching the hit show The Office has become popular among millennials and Generation Z. It is common for viewers of the show to comment about how many times they have binge-watched the entire series or how they enjoyed the onscreen romance between characters Jim and Pam. In fact, the show’s reputation for such elements is usually the first step in what eventually becomes a full-fledged obsession.
Despite its age and outdated feel, teens and young adults, such as student Tyrus Morre, still find themselves wrapped up in its legacy.
“My parents actually got me into it,” Morre said. “We were just looking for something to watch, and my mom thought Steve Carell was funny.”
Other responses for how students originally found it was, “Netflix recommended it,” and “My friends started watching it, so I got into it.”
While the show has no problems with creating a curbside appeal, the real question is what exactly keeps people interested?
The modern generation seems to be widely interested in the comedy aspect of the show. Most people will say their reason for staying interested in the show is simply because “it was really funny” or that “it was an easy way to have a good time.”
Some students, however, such as freshmen Eva Abshire, were kept interested by something that is much deeper than just pure comedy: the relationship between characters.
“Jim and Pam for sure kept me interested in the office,” Eva said. “I was so invested in their relationship. They are a great example of what a great relationship should look like and that’s what kept me so interested.”
Character relationships are a very interesting dynamic to look at. The show itself often veers off in a variety of directions, but one thing that appears constant and is portrayed in a linear fashion is the character-driven plots, which is likely why such relationships interest the younger viewers.
The show’s recent move from Netflix to NBC’s new streaming service, Peacock, has left many viewers disappointed and wondering what to watch.
“You hear people at this school say I’ve watched the show like six times on Netflix, but now that it’s off of Netflix, it feels like there’s kind of like a whole in the service itself,” senior Connor Evers said. “When I had nothing to do, I would watch that show. It’s a good show and I would recommend it to anybody.”
