The TV Zone

This may be huge news in Scranton, but it's news to me: "The Office Games" will take in the queen city of the Lackawanna valley on July 19. It's billed as a "full day of Dunder Mifflin style fun," and will be hosted by Kelly Kapoor, otherwise known as someone named Mindy Kaling.

Now, if this all sounds suspiciously (to you) like a publicity stunt to advertise a new "Office" board and DVD game, then your suspicion is well-founded.

Here's the full-day sched:

9:00 a.m. – 2K Fun Run [Wear your favorite office attire! Prizes for best dressed, best character look-a-likes and fastest.]

10:30 a.m. – "The Office" Trivia Challenge [Are you an "Assistant to the Regional Manager" or the "Regional Manager" when it comes to "The Office" trivia? The Challenge will feature questions from "The Office" Trivia Game.]

12:00 p.m. – Beet Eating Contest [Straight from Dwight's farm...well, after being canned.]

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Autograph Session [The first 125 customers who purchase "The Office" DVD Board Game or "The Office" Trivia Game at Boscov's at The Mall at Steamtown in Scranton, PA, on July 19 will be able meet Mindy Kaling and have her autograph their game.]

In a canned quote, Kelly said: "I have been to Scranton before and am really excited to return for this fun event!"

And...in "Office" casting news: NBC did just now formally confirm a batch of trade reports this ayem, that Amy Ryan will be back in season 5 to reprise her Holly Flax role. She'll be on board for "multiple" episodes. Is this a surprise? Hardly! She was great and the last we saw of her, she was driving off with Kevin, whom she believed to be retarded...

It's beginning to look like that much ballyhooed "Office" spin-off isn't actually gonna be a "spin-off" in the traditional sense but maybe a companion, that'll have the same tone, spirit, energy and style - but NOT any characters from the original. I direct your attention to this morning's Variety, which has a good story on the still-unnamed show's first casting move - show boss, Greg Daniels has hired Aziz Ansari, who stars in MTV's "Human Giant" (a pretty amusing show, by the way.) In his own blog, Aziz Is Bored, he confirms the hiring: "I’m very happy to announce that I’m going to be on the new 'Office' spinoff on NBC!! I haven’t been this excited since Lisa lost on 'Top Chef.'” Greg tells the trade that maybe the new show will be what's called a "planted spinoff," in which a character's introduced on the mother show and then segues onto something brand new ("Mork & Mindy" out of "Happy Days" is the example he cites.) Some in the ad community have wondered whether NBC ever even knew what the spin-off would be - they just went ahead and ordered something sight unseen. Anyway, here's a first look at the once and future star of "The Office-Spinoff-or-whatever-ya-wanna-call-it:"

The people at "The Office" need help! The people at NBC need help! They've gone ahead and ordered a spinoff of the show and - as best as the press could tell - don't have the slightest damn idea what it's going to be about.

Or do they? Some unnamed source - not saying who - got a copy of this top-secret memo from Ben Silverman, which he/she has sent to my colleague Andy Edelstein and me. Personally, I think some of these ideas are idiotic - others, not so bad. You be the judge.

MEMO: To Jeff Zucker, Greg Daniels, et al.

RE: Office Spin-Off

FROM: Silverman

We need a plan, gang. Need it fast.Super Bowl's fast approaching. I've cooked up these thoughts for a spin-off. Need reax pronto. B.S.

"Dwight Schrute: The Beet Generation:" It turns out that Dwight's twin brother WASN'T reabsorbed in the wound, but was actually born, grew up, and lived in the farmhouse antic. He's a weirder version of Dwight - watches re-runs of "Good Times!" over and over - and his name is Dwight too. Anyway, Dwight returns to run the farm full time with Dwight and Moses; they grow beets and pot.

"Jan's Plan:" After the lawsuit, etc. Jan moves out - the thing with Michael just wasn't gonna work out and she needed to restart her life. She moves to Altoona to start her own paper company - direct competitor to Dunder Mifflin - and many hilarious scenes whereby Jan and Michael compete, eventually get back together again, etc. Endless cross-promotion/product placement possibilities.

"Michael: After Dark:" With his love life back in the toilet, Michael's a swinging bachelor again. This spin-off explores what he does at night - hitting Scranton's many hot-spots, occasionally getting to Altoona where he runs into Jan...

"Touched by an Angela:" Angela's hot! That's right. You heard me. She's hot - a lusty, luscious lovely babe in the after-hours. Plus, she gets pregnant - a shocker! Front page coverage in the NY papers, or at least PA papers, is guaranteed. Angela Lansbury promises to do a cameo. Endless cross-promotion/product placement possibilities.

"Love Booze Cruise:" Captain Jack is back! And this time, they're having a rockin' great time on Lake Wallenpaupak, where the booze runs freely and so does the love. Michael and gang return for another office party and...Sorry, not sure where this goes from here.

"Andy and Angela:" You've always wanted to know "what if...?" What IF Andy and Angela "get it on." What IF they're a couple. Here's the show! They get married, have a nice home life, have baby ("little Andy"), start new jobs in different offices...HILL-arious situational comedy ensues. Endless cross-promotion/product placement possibilities.

"Missus...Missuss Jones:" Rashida Jones is back. She's the manager of a new office paper supply company in Scranton, and does everything in her power to scuttle the Jim/Pam thing. (Plus, I think R's tight with Foo Fighters, Maroon 5 in real life - cameos! cameos! cameos!) Plus, Endless cross-promotion/product placement possibilities.

"Creed:" Agreed, it's a tough sell to advertisers. We do a whole show based on Creed! There's so much possibility here. Who really is Creed? What does he do in his off-hours? Does he really live in Toronto (so he can stay on the dole in the Canada?) What really happened to his missing toe? Did he really run cults? Has he been in jail? There are many possibilities here, though still working out love interest angle . (Meredith? Not sure. Just spit-balling here. Open to ideas) Plus have already talked with Creed Bratton's agent; think we can get him cheap. Endless cross-promotion/product placement possibilities.

[Note to reader: We can't vouch for authenticity of this memo; may be another one of those hoaxes that are perpetrated on the Internets. But we had to share anyway.]

Anyone who watched last night's repeat of "The Office" may have wondered about that "in memoriam" video that closed out the show (I missed it, but thanks to Reelpopblog for pointing out.)

It features a young kid at the piano, playing the show's theme song. Who was it? Nathan Alden Robinson, 15, and no one connected with the show - just another loyal fan. He played the theme, posted it on YouTube and then (somehow) the clip came to the attention of producers after his death from flu complications. Here's his obit in the Boston Globe, and the clip.

Thursday night’s episode was not as brilliant as the plot description hinted at (even though it was written by Steve Carell). But considering that production has now halted on future episodes, we’re grateful for what we can watch.

Check out the show's staff marching on the picket lines here.

The 411: Michael is peeved that he wasn’t asked by Ryan to go with him, Toby and a coupla other guys into the woods on an male-bonding corporate retreat. So he decides on his own version of “Survivor” by plunging into “the vast Pennsylvania wilderness” by himself with just the suit on his back (plus a roll of duct tape and a knife). Meanwhile, back at D-M, Jim’s temporarily in charge and he immediately alienates his co-workers by consolidating each month’s birthday celebrations into one big one.

Here are the five things I loved:
1. Michael dismissing Ryan’s male-bonding adventure as “Broken Mountain.”

2. Dwight showing off his cache of weapons he has hidden in the office, including a blow gun in a toilet tank.

3. Michael cutting up his suit to become a do-rag and a tent. Jeff Probst would be proud.

4. Michael’s rationale for not being so gung-ho about the natural world. “I don’t hate the woods... I have a wood desk” and “I don’t need fresh air... I have A/C.”

5. Creed sure loved that peach cobbler, didn’t he?

Another stellar "Office episode."

Long story short: Karen, now running the Utica branch, recruits Stanley to leave Scranton by promising him a large raise. Michael and Dwight concoct a scheme to stop her by traveling undercover and sabotaging the Utica branch. They drag along a highly reluctant Jim (Karen’s ex).

My 5 Things to Love:

1. “Mo Money. Mo’ Problems — You of all people should know that,” says Michael (I’m Really a Black Man Trapped in a White Man’s Body) to Stanley, trying to dissaude him from taking the offer.

2. Dwight and Michael chanting “Utica! Utica! Utica!” as they roll in Michael’s PT Cruiser. Great send-up of Al Pacino in “Dog Day Afternoon.”

3. Those fake moustaches — especially Dwight’s Rollie Fingers special.

4. The whole concept of the Finer Things Club — an attempt by Oscar, Pam and Toby to bring a tad of refinement to Dunder Mifflin -- was priceless. But why was Toby wearing a bowtie in one scene and a full tie in the next?

5. And speaking of that gaggle of cultural elitists, Oscar had the best line of the night: "Besides having sex with men, I'd say the Finer Things Club is the gayest thing about me."

What did you think of the episode? Send me a comment.

Are you ready for an “Office” spinoff?

A couple of trade reports, in TV Guide online and TV Week, have suggested that NBC is mulling the creation of a show spun off of what is becoming one of the network’s few solid performers.

But before you salivate over the thought of “Dwight Schrute, Dark Knight” or “Touched by an Angela,” please stop.

NBC isn’t going the “Private Practice” or “Frasier” route and spinning off a series regular. Rather, the reports indicate that a new character or characters will be introduced in a future episode, and he, she or they will then go onto their own series. (Hey, it worked for Robin Williams when Mork first showed up on “Happy Days.”)

Not sure if that’s the right way to go, but what do I know? That’s why Ben Silverman makes the big bucks.

Anyway, tonight’s show brings back one of my favorite characters, the alluring Karen (Rashida Jones). Apparently, she’s going to try and spirit Stanley (Leslie David Baker) away from Scranton. Stay tuned for a report tomorrow.

Get yourself to Scranton on Saturday, May 19.

That’s the day the Pennsylvania town is kicking off Office Fest 2007, in honor of the NBC comedy set in their industrial-era burg of 75,000.

Cast members Brian Baumgartner (Kevin) and Angela Kinsey (Angela) are coming in to meet-and-greet, sign autographs, and party on a parking garage.

But if you miss it, there are plans afoot to stage a full-fledged convention -- yes, a la “Star Trek” -- this fall.

Turns out Scranton is seeing an uptick in tourism from fans of “The Office,” who drive hundreds of miles to visit real places the show mentions. Town fathers and mothers are hot to exploit this newfound fame. They drew thousands last December when star Rainn Wilson (Dwight) appeared at the Mall of Steamtown.

Gas up, people. Just 120 miles west of Manhattan.

The countdown is on in earnest now, and stations have added some goodies to the holiday menu.

The Simpsons (7 p.m. on WNYW/5) – Yuletide yuks all week. On Tuesday, Dec. 19, Bart gets caught shoplifting. On Wednesday, Gary Coleman shows up. On Thursday, the Christmas tree burns down. On Friday, the school gets snowed in.

The Christmas Box (late Tuesday night at 3:30 a.m., Thursday at 10 p.m., TBN) – Richard Thomas stars in TV movie from the 1990s bestseller.

The Office (Thursday, Dec. 21 at 9 p.m., NBC/4) – Instant-rerun of last week’s “Benihana Christmas” classic. One hour. [NBC photo, right.]

Masters of Illusion Christmas (Thursday, Dec. 21 at 10 p.m., WNBC-DT 4.4) – You’ve gotta have the digital subchannel to catch this seasonal magic special with disappearing trees and more. (On NYC-area digital cable: Cablevision Ch. 110, Time Warner Ch. 732, Comcast Ch. 249.)

These shows and dozens more have joined the massive listings at the Christmas Tube category links to the right. Keep checking back!

Bummer that “The Office” wasn’t on last night as NBC opted to air a two-part “Earl” episode instead.

But I needed to get my Dunder Mifflin fix, so I popped in a DVD of next week’s episode, which the folks at NBC mailed out earlier this week hoping to generate publicity. I know I’m jumping the gun here, but let me say this special one-hour episode may be the funniest “Office” yet.

It’s a one-hour Christmas-themed episode. Now, I know one-hour (well, 43 minutes sans commercials) sitcoms usually suck (except for the Keith Hernandez “Seinfeld” episode back in ‘92) and Yule episodes leave me with the taste of sour eggnog in the mouth.

But this one is a winner in both categories. I won’t divulge too many details save for Michael has a rude shock in his love life and we get to hear stick-in-the-mud Angela singing “The Little Drummer Boy karaoke-style. All this, plus the shameless product placement that this show revels in, this time for Sandals in Jamaica and Benihana.

What has made “The Office” so great this year — its third year — is that the show has pulled off the somewhat difficult trick of adding characters (when Stamford merged with Scranton) who actually enhance the show rather than cluttering it up. Andy (Ed Helms) may be the funniest butt-kisser in TV history since Eddie Haskell, while the extremely hot Karen (Rashida Jones) has deftly upset the show’s most delicate story line, the Jim/Pam tango.

Hey, I’m even gonna watch this episode again — when it airs at 8 p.m. Thursday night.

If you can't wait, check out this promo.