It is generally accepted that broadcast network television is dying. Since the proliferation of woke themes and forced diversity, cancel culture has effectively neutered comedy, especially network comedy. The days of All In the Family, Sanford and Son, Cheers, and even more latter-day comedies like Parks and Recreation are over and not likely to return.
The first dominos began to fall when Roseanne Barr was fired from her own show, The Connors, and killed off as a character because of a Tweet, and it has only gotten worse since. As more fans flock to streaming networks like FX, Hulu, and Netflix in search of the type of bawdy, inappropriate comedy that is actually funny, many viewers are happily settling for reruns of classic programs.
Perhaps the last great comedy was The Office. The mockumentary-style comedy, set at a mid-level paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, is still one of the most streamed, influential programs ever to air. The show, created by Ricky Gervais, helped launch the careers of Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Elle Kemper, Rainn Wilson, and more and is still wildly popular with fans despite being off the air since 2013.
Recently, one of the most popular characters, Dwight Schrute, played by Rainn Wilson, shared a heartfelt message from a fan named Melanie. Melanie was working as an attendant on an Alaskan Airlines flight Wilson was on, and unbeknownst to Wilson, the attendant slipped him a handwritten note expressing her gratitude for The Office.
The 58-year-old Wilson shared a photo of the note, which read: “The Office got me through some of the darkest days of my life. I can’t thank you enough for that.” Wilson then said on social media: “I didn’t even see who dropped this on my lap at the PDX airport, but I greatly appreciate the sentiment, flight attendant Melanie of Alaska Airlines. So humbled to be a part of a show that affected, touched, comforted and inspired. And continues to do so! It’s so f—ing rare.”
Throwing a shout-out to his castmates and writers and even joking about the note, Wilson continued: “A continuous thank you to the whole Office family, cast, writers, crew and especially AUDIENCE! This is not an open invitation to give me notes on napkins!” The impact the show has had on fans is undeniable, and The Office is still considered the gold standard for network comedy.
The exploits of the Dunder-Mifflin family touched on topics that are now untouchable. Carell, Krasinski, Wilson, and company lampooned office politics, diversity, sexual harassment, racism, and many other issues that are now ignored or glossed over on broadcast networks. The efforts from the left to whitewash comedy in favor of not hurting feelings have all but destroyed comedy.
It is no small surprise that a decade-old show like The Office is still so successful. People are nostalgic for better times, and The Office represents better times. That explains why it is still so popular in syndication and why people like flight attendant Melanie feel compelled to write heartfelt thank you letters to Dwight Schrute. Sadly, those days likely will never return, but at least we can still stream the exploits of Dunder Mifflin Scranton whenever we want.
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