Post-Game

Post game running time: 27 minutes.  By my account, the game ended at (putting this all in Eastern time) 10:13pm, when the telecast cut to commercial after the game ended and the celebration began.  The Office began at 10:40pm.  NBC, you were cutting it cloooose.  Did we learn nothing from ABC's 2002 Alias fiasco?

Show itself...

The opening is hilarious.  Classic Dwight.  And the opening credits have EVERYONE IN THEM!  Nice!

Alba/Black/Leachman cameo... eh/ew (though nice shout-out to not illegally downloading content yay).

Second half (the revelation that Michael was what was stressing everyone out and the roast) were less yay.

Amy Poehler sitcom promo!  Wait, it's called Parks and Recreation?  I thought it was called Public Service.  Meh on the official title...

Jim/Pam was cute (for, like, the first time this season).

I miss Holly.

Overall... easy to get into for nonfans?  Yeah (you just have to accept les shenanigans and go with the characters' quirks).  Doesn't necessitate tuning in again, though, and it wasn't LMFAO enough to convince nonfans that they ought to watch the series regularly.  We'll see what, if any, effect this has on the ratings on Thursday (is this the week it beats Grey's Anatomy and CSI in the demo?)

Without knowing the future effect on The Office's ratings, I still feel like NBC screwed up by not giving Chuck the post-game slot (would certainly say "look, we have confidence in this series!") and capitalizing on the 3D episode (which potentially could have continued into tomorrow's 8pm episode... thus dragging viewers in and giving the show a much-needed, much-deserved ratings bump as the sophomore series resumes its run).