Get Caught Up with The Office!

With the NBC show picking up steam in its third season, now's as good a time as any to see what it's all about. And Season 2 is full of classic Office.

The show is based in the office of a mid-size Pennsylvania paper distribution company, and focuses on the employees who work there.

The obvious center of the show is Michael Scott (Steve Carrell), the somewhat dimwitted but well-meaning regional manager who's in charge of the office. Michael's focus is on making friends with the employees, despite their obvious (to us, at least) disinterest. Michael calls for bonding activities even when there's work to be done, and spouts insensitive, often racist jokes. But Season 2 also opened up exploration into Michael's personal, emotional side, such as his dilemma over which employee to fire.

Supporting Michael are several other big roles, such as pathetic and nerdy boot-licker Dwight (Rainn Wilson). A side story beginning to evolve in the second season is the not-romance between cool salesman Jim (John Krasinski) and engaged receptionist Pam (Jenna Fischer). And through it all, Ryan the Temp (BJ Novak) just wants to get out.

While these characters were the focus of season 1, the second season really fleshes out the supporting cast. Pam's fiance Roy, a warehouse worker, comes off as even more of a jerk. Toby, the human resources worker, antagonizes Michael for his offensive humor. And the personality quirks of all of the workers come to light like they never did in the first season.

This incredible cast of characters is just the beginning, however. The situations in which they are placed are equally absurd, and usually generated by Michael. The annual office awards ("The Dundies") spin out of control at the local Chili's. Michael and Dwight show down at a dojo for bragging rights. Michael takes the staff on a team-building retreat... on a party boat, on the lake, in the dead of winter. Dwight, at the advice of Jim, emulates Benito Mussolini while giving a speech at a sales conference. And across the season, Michael tries (successfully?) to woo his boss, Dwight engages in a secret office relationship, and romantic tension between Jim and Pam intensifies, leading up to the last few minutes of the season finale, "Casino Night."

The humor of the show relies chiefly on the awkwardness presented largely by Michael's ignorance and Jim and Pam's unrequitted romance. These are the moments when a laugh track just wouldn't work, and thankfully, there is none included in the show. Carrell and Wilson's often over-the-top acting make the moments that much better.

Included in the DVDs, aside from all 22 episodes of Season 2, are deleted scenes from every episode. Watching these scenes makes you wish that there were more than 20 minutes or so for the show. Also on the discs are some revealing commentary on the making of the show, several mini-episodes aired on the NBC website over the summer, and fake Public Service Announcements (parodying NBC's "The More You Know!" commercials) that aired during some episodes.