Life after The Office

Is a life without The Office really a life at all? When NBC took it's crown jewel off of Netflix it kind of felt like they had stolen something near and dear from me, and if I wanted it back, there was a 4.99/month ransom to be paid. We made the difficult decision, as a family, to carry on without our favorite show.

Like a lot of people I know, to me, The Office is more than a show. It's a quiet member of the family that stabalizes all circumstances. It plays constantly for either entertainment or a soft ambiance. It's reliable in its entirety. Most days I play it to keep our dog company when we are running errands. My Dog's name is Dwight for God's sake. Slowly but surely, The Office becomes a language that you speak with other lovers of the show.

Needless to say, a void had been created. Great News eased the pain temporarily, but the Tina Fey backed series is unfortunately bound by the fact it only had a 2 season run. I needed a bigger commitment. Something I could count on in my lowest of lows, my highest of highs, and my even less dramatic medium of mediums.

Enter, People Just Do Nothing

People Just Do Nothing is like The Office in MANY WAYS. Here's a few reasons why-

1) Style. People Just Do Nothing is a British Mockumentary that follows a group of wannabe music stars as they seek underground glory with their pirate radio show KuruptFM. Just like the Office, the characters are followed by a camera crew and have their own talking head interviews cut into scenes. The noise level is relatively low, and most of the action takes place during their regular day to day activities.

2) The Comedy. It's no secret The Office got it's start in England and the American adapatation was many people's introduction to the dry, nuanced, comedy we have come to love. PJDN really delivers here. The jokes are fast, carefully woven, and usually revolve around simple misunderstandings and character follies.

3) The Characters. If you love Michael Scott, you will love MC Grindah. The 30ish year old aspiring MC, has convinced himself and his cronies that he is truly the best rapper in the world. His ignorance, selfishness, and arrogance usually push the narrative as he is comepletely unaware of how he comes off, just like Michael. DJ BEATS is the Dwight here. Loyal to a fault, Beats' idolization of and desperation to please Grindah motivate him to do some pretty silly things. This is all in spite of the fact that Beats is truly the more competent of the two.

4) Rewatchability. The best part of The Office is that it's a gift that keeps on giving. Even in my last days in Scranton I was still catching little jokes and looks I had never noticed before. PJDN is loaded with the "little things" that may even require a few rewatches to recognize. Also with PJDN, the jokes you already love are fun to quote and seem to get even funnier over time, just like the classic lines that come all over The Office. That's what she said.

And now for how the two are different.

1)Music. The show actually has some great music. I grew up in the States, and had never heard of uk garage or jungle music. It's highly passe to the Brits, but as a noob, I think it's pretty cool. In musical lamens, it's a primitive form of bass driven EDM similiar to 90's club techno but with a little more pace and often times with an MC rhyming over it. MC Grindah, though not the best in the world by any stretch, is actually pretty good at what he does. The group performs and records a couple of recurring tracks on the show that will get stuck in your head frequently. The songs are available on spotify, and honestly I listen to them all the time. All that being said, I dont want to discredit the musical genius of the Nard Dog, David Wallace's son, or Hunter the assistant.

2) Weed. If blowing trees IS your thing, you'll find good company with the crew of PJDN. Stoners will rejoice over the pot themed plot lines, as well as the fact that there is a lit "zoot" in almost every shot.

3) The Respite from American Problems. Treat yourself to a break.

4) Chabuddy. I can't explain Chabuddy.

Seriously though, moving on from The Office wasn't easy, and if you are having trouble yourself, I highly reccomend People Just Do Nothing. Give it a shot!

Keep it Kurupt.

And to the NBCPEACOCKAPP - WE WILL NEVER SUBMIT. NOT EVEN SAVED BY THE BELL COULD DO IT.

UPDATE FROM THE AUTHOR - I was so wrong. Get the peacock app. The Office Superfan episodes provide what feels like an alternate reality where our friends from Scranton live out different and longer interactions. Also, the Saved by the Bell reboot was done with great reverence to the original.