The office gathers for the funeral of a beloved bird. Photo courtesy of Breakroom Breakdown.  

AVA ROEMER | OPINION COLUMNIST | aaroemer@butler.edu 

Picture this: You’re in a work office with carpet emitting the stench of something like chili beans. You look up and you see a room filled with average working people; an older man well into his 60’s with a scary smile, a red-headed woman who’s passed out strangely, a petite blonde who has way too many pictures of her cats and so on. What you’ve just imagined is what “The Office” is, including — but not limited to — the odor of beans, which is real. 

“The Office” is an incredibly funny show, winning the Peabody Award for its humor and popularity in 2006. From dry to controversial humor, this show will make almost anyone laugh. 

Something that makes “The Office” special and one of a kind, especially for its time, is the filming style. Although it wasn’t the first show filmed in Mockumentary style — a television series that takes form in a serious documentary in order to satirize it — it redefined Mockumentary for modern TV. In general, “The Office” is humorous, but the filming style adds so much to it. 

“The Office” is not only comical because of the plot and filming style, but also because of the characters and the relationship they have with each other. Jim Halpert and Dwight Schrute, played by John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson, respectively, are among the most iconic friendships “The Office” created. As sworn enemies, both Jim and Dwight tease and prank each other, always trying to prove that the other is an “idiot”.

Senior elementary education major Stephanie Gonzalez explained how watching “The Office” impacts some of her closest relationships by adding a special touch of unique humor.

“One of the main [reasons I watch it] is my boyfriend and I, that’s our show,” Gonzalez said. “I think of our relationship as embedded with ‘The Office’. We use so much of the humor from the show together.” 

This show is a good way to spend time alone or with your loved ones. Despite some awkward and offensive humor at times, it provides comfort and a warm feeling that can bring people together for a good laugh. And I know that for myself, “The Office” is a show that I share with my dad. It’s one of my favorite things to do with him and I hope to do it with my kids someday, too. 

Susana Hilleary, a first-year creative media and entertainment major, talked about what stood out to her about the humor when discussing some of the specific reasons why “The Office” is funny. 

“Specifically, [some of the] actors were new actors who hadn’t been in anything before,” Hilleary said. “So I think that really helped, because they were able to make the show in their own way.” 

When thinking about why the directors and producers chose the actors for the specific roles in “The Office”, they were looking for people who depict some of the everyday office aesthetic. Choosing rookie actors and actresses is thoughtful and likely intentional because it allows the producers to train them to become the characters they portray. For example, when “The Office” first aired, Krasinski had been in fewer than five movies before 2005. But since then, he has acted in at least 60 movies and has produced at least 20.

Although “The Office” is sometimes uncomfortable and awkward, it’s still funny. It comforts first-years trying to settle in and brings loved ones together to simply have an easy, laid-back time to laugh. The meaningful relationships and community that “The Office” created during its eight years of production monumentally transferred to its audience. And the fact that this show is still relevant and popular today shows that there truly is something special about it.   

Recently, a spin-off of “The Office” called “The Paper” was released on Sept. 4, 2025. It is filmed in the same style — Mockumentary — and directed by many of the same production members, including Greg Daniels, who co-directed “The Office”. Although I haven’t seen it in total, I can already sense a potential “Pam Beasley and Jim” love story blossoming within just four episodes. And if that’s not enough to get you to watch “The Paper”, I’m not sure what is! 

For the older generations, “The Office” is an ideal choice of entertainment because of how relatable it is. The recording of average, real-life people working every day, in an office for a company that is dying, is rather relatable. Although a lot of the satire and some of Michael Scott’s — the main character and the boss — actions are rather dramatized, the depiction of an average company’s local office is incredibly universal.