The Office: An Oral History Review – A Must-Read For Fans

Earlier this Spring, author Andy Greene released The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History. The book takes accounts from the show’s writers, actors, and others to break down the wild ride that was The Office. In a lot of ways, sitcoms changed after this 2000s NBC drama took off. The book does a wonderful job of chronicling that process for fans and is a must-read. Here’s my The Office: An Oral History review for your consideration!

The Office: An Oral History Review – What We Learn from the Book

Image Credit: NBC Universal

The Office is one of the most successful sitcoms of the last 20 years. We know that it’s a huge hit now, but at the time of its development, the show was in poor shape. The show was in constant limbo in its early days. Likewise, the actors were reluctant to quit day jobs because things did not look promising. This reality seems insane now, as more people watch The Office year-round, and even more according to Coronavirus Netflix streaming numbers.

Separate chapters feature details of critical episodes throughout the book. Likewise, details behind major happenings like Steve Carell’s exit and the choice to promote Andy over Dwight are explained. The real fun in this book is the format of including quotes from interviews with cast and crew in the form of a conversation. It’s almost like you get a front seat to a roundtable from those who know The Office best. 

The Neverending Success of The Office

Image Credit: NBC Universal

There’s no shortage of love for this show, even years after it left the air. Streaming is certainly a huge part of that. So is the show’s timeless ability to embody all the struggles of an office job. Likewise, a recent podcast hosted by stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey is keeping the show’s fanbase full of passion and attention. 

The show’s ability to stay in the public eye for so long is certainly not a product of its strong finish. Like other great sitcoms, the show sort of fizzled out. Still, the early seasons and the brilliant writing sparked meaningful careers for many of the actors and writers. In the end, a lot of fans who love the show will likely learn something new from this book, and that’s reason enough for diehards to want to pick this up. 

The Office: An Oral History Review

I like to rate my book reviews on a scale of 1-5; The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History is a 4 for fans. If you don’t enjoy The Office, then I don’t know how much you’d enjoy the book. That said, it’s clear that readers hold a sustained interest in the show. For that audience, I believe this is a must-read. These readers can learn more about one of the best sitcoms in recent history.

The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History is out now via Dutton/Penguin. A digital copy of this novel was provided by the publisher for the purposes of this review.

Featured Image Credit: NBC Universal

Taylor is the Gaming Editor of Comic Years and a lifelong fan of video games. He holds two degrees in Political Communication and wrote a Master's Thesis on resistance movements, race, and the exploitation of college athletes. His wife and two Toy Australian Sheppards keep him sane.