Quitting Time: A Farewell Post to The Office

Tonight marks the end of an era. The Office airs its last episode tonight. The television series, adapted from the British version in 2005, has been on the air for 9 years and has been a Nerdy Pop favorite since we started. Although the series has had its highs (Jam Wedding! Dwight Pranks!) and lows (Jam Fighting. Michael Leaving.) we'd still like to give it a proper send off. Below Auddie P and S.E. Andres discuss the TV series' impact on their lives.

S.E. Andres:

I had always been a dry humor person, and it was easy to find indie movies that I'd love.  Christopher Guest gives me my favorites.  So when The Office came along, it was an instant must.  My oldest brother told me to watch the second episode after he raved about the first and said I'd love it.  (This is exactly how I got into It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Archer, as well.)  And I did.  I couldn't get enough, despite how different the first season was.  As I found out, it was essentially the first season of the original British version with different actors that acted in the same manner and had similar looks.  But I loved it, and I loved every background character that appeared.  I wasn't as vocal about my love for it until we watched it junior year together in Auddie's apartment (before I left to go to English Theory Club, of course).  My fondness for The Office exceeded its humor.  I connected to the characters.  It was like each one was a different part of my personality: Meredith's love of alcohol, Jim's pranking, Pam's gapes, Dwight's entirety (I love bears, I grow beets, and I LOVE Battlestar Galactica), Creed's random musings, Angela's control.  I'm starting to think I am more complex than I might be.

Auddie P:

I remember the first time I watched the Office. Season 2 was airing and the episode was Take Your Daughter to Work Day. If you're familiar with this episode you should understand why, from that moment, I was not exactly hooked. I was so confused by Dwight's strange behavior, Pam's desperate attempts to get the kids to like her and Creed's unusual feet. I didn't understand the show at the time. I found no humor in its awkwardness and ended up wondering what the big fuss was about.

Fast forward a couple months to me passing time at S. E. Andres's apartment and he and his roommate pop in season one. This time I got it and I was hooked. Over the next few weeks I became obsessed, binge-watching before it was a thing. I got caught up with the show in time for the season three premiere, as did my roommates.

The Flash: Iris (A fantastic fan film)

Recently there have been a few crackdowns on fan-made films, especially those that have been raising money to make them.  The Wonder Woman fan film by photographer Adam Jay almost succeeded but was shut down by DC/WB.  There's been plenty of trailers, like the newest Wonder Woman incarnation, played by Nina Bergman and directed by Jesse V. Johnson.  But what does it take to make a great fan film, like the brilliant Lazy Teenage Superheroes or the Y: The Last Man fan short? It takes a talented cast of creators from New Orleans, including up-and-coming lead actor (who also served as co-writer) Patrick Flanagan, hair and makeup artist Natalie Shea Rose, and commercial/minor character actor Ada Michelle Loridans.  

Loridans and Flanagan as Iris and Barry/Flash

It's Hip to Be Square, but Rectangle?

Whether they like it or not hipsters have started and championed many trends in the last few years. Skinny jeans are available and acceptable in every color and pattern. Organic foods are easy to find at your local grocery store or farmer's market. Large, black-frame glasses can be seen on everyone from Justin Timberlake to Katie Couric. Vinyl has been brought back from the dead.

Funny isn't it, how a subculture whose M.O. is to go against the mainstream can actually have the power to dictate it? Something tells me, though, the latest trend in the hipster world won't reach the masses.

Indie duo She and Him released its third volume today. I adore She and Him and its female leader Zooey Deschanel but am only about 40% hipster. I'd assume many of the duo's fans are a full 100% so I'm guessing to cater to its fan base, Volume 3 is being released on a turquoise cassette as well as digitally, on CD, and on LP.

From what I understand, Zooey and M. Ward of She and Him aren't the first or only musicians attempting to resurrect the cassette. But, will it take off the same way vinyl did? Will it be worth my while to dig up my now vintage Walkman for the next yard sale?

I understand the romance and the appeal of vinyl. The presentation makes the album a full experience allowing the cover art to, if you're me, double as wall decor. There's a certain feeling you get when you place a record on the player. It feels almost like you're going back in time.

Are cassette tapes capable of accomplishing the same thing? Maybe I'm alone in this, but I just don't see the appeal. Aside from the days when a mixtape was truly a mixTAPE, I don't have many fond memories of cassettes. The cases would easily break, there was always a risk of the tape getting stuck - it's just not the same. 

How about you? Will you be embracing the cassette or is this a trend hipsters can call their own forever?

S.O.S. Save Our Shows!

It's that time of year again. The snow has melted, flowers are beginning to bloom and network television shows are coming to an end. For many shows it's not the true end - only the end of a season. We'll see them again in September. Sadly, the fate of other shows is still unknown.

Many of our favorites here at Nerdy Pop are on the brink of extinction. It's happened before and it's bound to happen again. Brilliant, funny and top-notch series get left behind while shows we've never seen continue to be seen by tens of millions of viewers, apparently.

Luckily, the way ratings are tabulated is beginning to evolve along with the way we all watch, taking social media into consideration. But, in the meantime, we'll still lose shows way before their time. Below are my three favorites that need saving this season.

Emily Owens M.D.

If you're one of the few of us who have even heard of this show, you might be thinking "Um, wasn't this already cancelled?" and technically you are correct. I don't think time of death has been called yet, but not being granted a back 9 by the network pretty much means you're done. I, however, love this show so much that I'm not giving up hope!

Emily Owens M.D. reminds me of the early seasons of Grey's Anatomy, except Emily, for me, is much more relatable than Meredith Grey. 

Emily (played by the fabulous Mamie Gummer) is a hospital intern who knows her stuff, but is also able to connect with patients on a personal level in ways her colleagues often aren't. Although she knows what she's doing at work, in her social life Emily's more unsure of herself.

Yes, it sounds like you've seen this show before. But, it's so well done and Emily grows up so much just in the 13 episodes of season one that it's more believable than many other series that's have tried this angle before. You root for Emily at every turn. After introducing this series to a friend she was raving about it FOR DAYS!

If you haven't watched I encourage you to do so. Maybe we can help it make a full recovery!

Community

By now you probably know how much I love this show. It's been back for a few months and is just as good as ever.

I was concerned at first. It took a few episodes for the new show runners to find their own voice without compromising the Community tone fans are used to. If you ask me, I think by now they've got it down.

Well, Why Not? 2013's Pilot Season

This year promises to deliver a lot of dramatic comedies and some more female leads.  My favorites all lie in ABC's hands.  S.H.I.E.L.D. was already greenlit nearly as soon as its announcement.  So let's take a look at the nerd-centric pilots that could potentially be airing on our TVs in the fall or midseason.

S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)

Joss Whedon will direct, produce, and co-write the pilot.  His brother Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen will work on the pilot as well and will take the reigns post-pilot.  Jeffrey Bell and Jeph Loeb will also be developing the pilot.  The espionage, peacekeeping government organization will follow a group of its active members.  Some Avengers may show up, as well.  Clark Gregg resumes (and revives) his role as Agent Colson, alongside Ming-Na, Brett Dalton, Elizabeth Henstridge, Ian De Caestecker, and Chloe Bennet.  (UPDATE: S.H.I.E.L.D. was picked up.)

Murder in Manhattan (ABC)

Bridget Regan (eh-hem excuse me...BRIDGET REGAN!!!!!!!) and Annie Potts star as daughter (Lex) and mother (Blythe) as a duo of amateur sleuths.  Lex, described as sexy, works at the Mayor's office by day.  The joy I have at this duo is only exacerbated by the addition of Enver Gjokaj (Lex's best childhood friend Jack) and Brendan Hines (Bylthe's son/Lex's brother).  Jack works for the NYPD and Hine's character works as an Assistant District Attorney, both of whom I'm sure help the mother-daughter sleuths out.  (UPDATE: ABC has not order the pilot to series.  I have been CRUSHED.)

Regan, Potts, Hines; photo courtesy of Brendan Hines (@Brendan_Hines)

Looking Forward 2013: Movies, Pt. 2

Dates to be Announced

The following films do not have release dates yet.

Blue Jasmine

Everything about this is hush-hush except for the basics.  Woody Allen, you better not disappoint!  It would be hard not to with Cate Blanchett, Louis CK, Alec Baldwin, Michale Emerson, Sally Hawkins, and Peter Sarsgaard.

Drinking Buddies

Written and directed by indie-driven Joe Swanberg, Jake Johnson and Olivia Wile star as Luke and Kate, who work at a Chicago brewery and drink and flirt together, though they are both in committed relationships.  Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston co-star as the significant others Jill and Chris.

In Defense of the Oscars

Have you ever loved something, but felt like you were the only one? In the last few years that's how I've felt about the Oscars. I call it my Super Bowl, as on the night most Americans gather around the TV to cheer on their favorites I watch movies breaking only for the half time show.

True, this year's production of the Academy Awards didn't go unnoticed. Approximately 40 million people watched and are still talking about the winners days later. However, for me it still feels like I know no one who embraces the event as much as I do. I'm not saying no one else cares, I know many of you do, but I keep my love for it in check. I get REAL excited you guys. On the inside, I'm beaming.

In the last few years I've attempted to watch every Best Picture nominee before the big night. This year I was unsuccessful (blame my fabulous social life I suppose). Thanks to reading and research I figured Argo would take home the prize so I made sur to at least watch it. Three hours before the main event Sunday night I curled up on my couch and pressed play.

Argo really is a great film and deserves all the accolades it received this year. At the end, though, a thought crossed my mind. The name associated with the film is, of course, Ben Affleck. Again, he and his team deserved the award they were given - an award for a film. But still watching the movie I couldn't help but think that the man Affleck portrays in the film, CIA Officer Tony Mendez, deserves praise of his own.

And then I realized that if Argo the film hadn't been made, I would not know who Mendez was, nor the impact he's made on our country's history. That got me thinking of all the other characters portrayed in the Oscar films this year and I came to the conclusion that the Oscars is more than a celebration of the year in movies. It's also a celebration of incredible people.