Why Jessica Alba, Jack Black and Cloris Leachman could be bad for 'The Office'
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When NBC announced Monday that Jack Black would guest-star in the post-Super Bowl episode of The Office, I was curious and maybe a little nervous. Now the network says it's also signed Jessica Alba, and my colleague Korbi Ghosh has broken news that Cloris Leachman will be involved in the episode as well.
And I've gone from a little nervous to really nervous.
The Office has defied a lot of sitcom expectations in its five seasons. It's probably the most successful remake of a British comedy in a generation, and it's made a long-running romantic storyline (Jim and Pam) palatable without letting it take over the show. So maybe it can pull off a guest star-packed post-Super Bowl episode and keep up its usual standards of comedy.
I'd like to think that, but for six words: "The One After the Super Bowl."
That was the hour-long episode of Friends that aired after Super Bowl XXX in 1996 and featured the likes of Brooke Shields, Julia Roberts and Jean-Claude Van Damme in guest roles. It was also a low point in a very strong second season for the show, as large parts of the episode felt like they were written to accommodate the sudden presence of these big stars (yes, Van Damme qualified as such 12 years ago) rather than serve the regular characters.
Malcolm in the Middle also succumbed to guest-star inflation (Susan Sarandon, Bradley Whitford, Stephen Root) with its post-Super Bowl episode in 2002. As a result, the hour-long "Family Picnic" episode made a show that usually whizzed by seem interminable.
To The Office's credit, it does sound like the show is keeping its big-name guest stars out of the main story. Black, Alba and Leachman will be playing themselves, as the stars of a bootlegged movie that the Dunder Mifflin crew watches in the office. (Side question: What kind of movie stars Jack Black, Jessica Alba and Cloris Leachman?)
But still. The show is already taking on the burden of an hour-long episode for an audience that will be several times larger than normal, and you just know that NBC is going to be relentless in promoting the Big! Movie! Stars! that are part of the episode (it's already started, in fact. There's little reason to announce Jack Black one day, Jessica Alba the next, and Cloris Leachman a little later unless you're trying to keep the story alive longer).
I fear a situation in which the extra 20 million people who aren't regular Office viewers but tune in after the game find themselves wondering why the big stars are taking a back seat to Kevin, Phyllis and Angela. Those of us who do watch the show every week, meanwhile, could wind up distracted by the rather glaring presence of Black, Alba and Leachman in a show that has always resisted stunt casting.
I hope I'm proven wrong on Feb. 1, and that The Office makes a bunch of new fans without alienating those of us who have been there from day one. But it's going to be a tall order to cram in all the guests and still bring the usual level of funny.
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Who cares? The Office sucks. I watch Ugly Betty on Thursdays, and look forward to it every week.
The Office is on at 9pm. Ugly Betty is on at 8pm. If you ask me, Office is a much better show.
i like betty better also.
Ugly Betty and the Office make my Thursdays watchable. DVR friends. DVR.
I highly doubt that there will be an 'extra' 20 million people who will tune into the post-SuperBowl episode.
2 years ago, Criminal Minds only got about a 1 point bump on its seasonal average and House last year got maybe a 2 point bump on its seasonal average (for new eps).
Don't expect 28 million people to suddenly tune into the episode. They should be happy if it doubles it's seasonal new episode average (has a much smaller base than Criminal Minds and House - hence the larger area for improvement).
great post, first. second, I wonder how these guest appearances will help the stars themselves in future ratings. When people see steve carrell anymore, they ***ociate him with the office, thus increasing his ratings... I hope it does the same for these guys(even though they will only be on one episode, thus probably not being ***ociated with the show, obviously).... My fingers are crossed for the show, the post game success, and the stars themselves that they survive the guest spots... and come out alive and with better ratings: http://www.everyhype.com/?utm_source=bc)
Programmers always presume that folks who watch football also like shows like The Office. Generally, they don't. If The Office does get a ratings boost from being on post-Bowl, it will likely be because folks with Nielsen boxes will be too drunk or otherwise busy to shut the TV off or change the channel. :P
Jack Black, Jessica Alba and Cloris Leachman could all be in a musical comic book comedy rather effortlessly. Then again, have we ever heard Jessica sing?
Rishi, I dont know how to break it to u but the post super bowl ep of House got 29 million viewers........the season averaged 16.2. 26.2 million people watched the CM ep after the SB.......the season averaged 14 million
What is this, a post-game show or the half-time show? Too much ****e spoils the soup y'know.