Whedonesque : Comments on 12340 : Joss Whedon directing The Office as you read this!

New Joss stuff in an episode of a show I watch every episode of anyway? How exciting!

It's tough waiting on Wonder Woman. I need him to do the occasional TV guest writer or director gig now and then to tide me over, so this is awesome news.

[ edited by Celluloid Novelist on 2007-01-26 23:00 ]

Celluloid Novelist | January 27, 00:58 CET

Crappers! Beat me to it by four minutes. How do I erase a link?

blutortu | January 27, 00:58 CET

Go, Joss, go!

Madhatter | January 27, 01:02 CET

Jeez I hope I like this show now that I have to watch it...

newcj | January 27, 01:07 CET

Well it certainly sounds like a good time is being had by all on The Office set, for which many hurrahs!

ArielWillow | January 27, 01:12 CET

Sheesh, I might have to get into it now. Sigh, my ever-shrinking wallet...

non sequitur | January 27, 01:29 CET

It's worth it. This show is the most consistent in terms of AWESOMENESS.

TheZeppo | January 27, 01:30 CET

I'm just starting to get into The Office (finally gave up on Smallville, which I haven't actually enjoyed for years) so looking forward to both Joss' episode and catching up on what I've missed.

Lady Brick | January 27, 01:32 CET

I'm going to let my evening class out early the night Joss's episode airs!

Nebula1400 | January 27, 01:37 CET

....envisioning Joss "giggling like a school girl"...*grin*....And wondering does he have pig tails too?

jenofthejungle | January 27, 01:46 CET

Always great to hear slebs act like total fanboys 'n' girls over other slebs!

Had forgotten 'Pam' has a Myspace profile and blog. Must add to my feed list.

Caroline | January 27, 01:49 CET

Very good find :).

Simon | January 27, 02:05 CET

I added Jenna to MySpace just to give her best wishes for the episode. I will be sure to check this one out.

impalergeneral | January 27, 02:29 CET

Joss was "giggling like a little girl"
(snickers)

embers | January 27, 02:39 CET

You mean right now!? Right this second!?
*swoons*

(I cannot wait for this to air!)

mifeng | January 27, 02:55 CET

I just started watching the Office last week. I got the last two discs of Season 2 today :)
I love it!! I'm flying through them. I can't wait to see Joss' episode.

I hear ya Lady Brick. I think after last night's episode I just can't watch Smallville anymore. For those who didn't watch it think of a poorly done "Normal Again" episode. It was just bad..

Harmalicious | January 27, 04:03 CET

Damnit. My last hope that it was lies is gone. *mutters about the stupid show*

RachVG | January 27, 04:18 CET

Awesome. Can't wait to see the episode.

Joss can you please write/direct an episode of Veronica Mars next! No pressure, lol :)

TwisTz | January 27, 04:36 CET

I love the Office, and now that I've read Jenna's charming blog I love it even more. And with Joss, well...yay!
Oh, and I second TwisTz motion.

jcs | January 27, 05:08 CET

Harmalicious: It LOOKED like a poorly done "Normal Again" so I watched The Office instead. Then I found out J'onn was in the episode and was a little sad I'd missed it.

Lady Brick | January 27, 05:14 CET

I can't even imagine how good this is going to be.
Its going to be great to be once again watching something on primetime directed by Joss!
its sure to be the best episode this season (which has already been a good one for the office).

ssick | January 27, 05:35 CET

Not surprising but nonetheless great to hear what a lovely director he is - his "little girl giggle" is both adorable and generous - I mean to the performers. Joss sure doesn't hold back his appreciation. As he's always said, he's a fan, too.

("Joss Is Us." ^{TM Dana5140})

After I got over my initial "Oh-the-British-version-is-so-much-better blockage and just saw this show as a standalone thingy on its own merits, I quite, quite liked it. The scripts aren't so wincingly and delightfully painful, but they are a whole n'other bag and the cast is so spot-on that I've quite fallen in love with this show.

Looking forward to the Joss-show - and to enjoying whatever idiocyncratic spin he's put on it with his direction...

QuoterGal | January 27, 05:50 CET

I have kind of a cool story that proves that Joss is directing The Office "as we speak". I got a call from my friend yesterday....she was asking me to guess who she just got off the phone with. You see, her 50th birthday is this Saturday and her son is a PA for The Office. He called her yesterday to wish her a Happy Birthday and then said, "I have somebody here who wants to talk to you." Next thing you know, Joss is on the other end admonishing her for not inviting him to her BD party this weekend!! She about died! She is still shaking!! The last thing she told her son before he hung up was...."You can have ANYTHING you want for YOUR birthday this year!" LOL

LadySings1 | January 27, 06:13 CET

This seems to be the line that stands out,

I'm currently [sic] the background of a scene and I can see him hunched over the monitors watching a scene and giggling like a little girl.

Nothing like a director who enjoys his actors. Nothing. I can't wait to see this episode. Pinch me somebody! Is this really happening?

Tonya J | January 27, 06:21 CET

What a fantastic story, LadySings1!!! I bet your friend was in absolute heaven!!!

ETA - can't spell...

[ edited by Harmalicious on 2007-01-27 04:56 ]

Harmalicious | January 27, 06:23 CET

What I like most is that Jenna Fischer updates her blog while she's in a scene.

jlp | January 27, 07:12 CET

It's worth it. This show is the most consistent in terms of AWESOMENESS.

I totally agree. I don't think it knows how not to be awesome.

jlp, nearly all the actors update their blogs while in scenes. That's why they got them, so they had something to do on the computer when they were in the background and had to look like they were working.

Polter-Cow | January 27, 07:28 CET

OK, now I'm completely confused.

Madhatter | January 27, 07:31 CET

Madhatter, what are you confused about?

billz | January 27, 08:28 CET

duh, Joss directing the office.

Madhatter | January 27, 08:34 CET

Well, I just got back from my last day of shooting. And already, rumors are flying. Jenna is terribly sweet but her eyesight and hearing are, well, dodgy. I clearly remember standing with excellent posture, arms akimbo and fists at my hips, throwing my head back and laughing a manly, one might almost say Viking laugh. Yes, that's how it was. Ha-HA!

You know those press releases where everyone gets mentioned and everyone's really nice and talented and it's clearly some studio wash? That's pretty much what this post is gonna read like. That show is stuffed with talent, efficiency and sweetness from the tippity-top to the lowly bottom, which in most cases would be the visiting director. It was crazy. I kept waiting for someone to be off, or mean, or limited... all anybody in the staff, the cast or the crew met me with was excellence. Ridiculous excellence. Reminds me of a show about a spaceship I worked on, only on this show the executive producer seems to be sane, which is quite frankly a little unseemly. Gak. I can't even start. I can't name a single person, not so much as a grip, 'cause the list of love would just eat up my weekend. (All right, I'll mention Jenna. Despite her failing senses, she is dazzling to work with. But you know, there's also -- no! Be strong!) All I can say is, I was well housed. I didn't write the ep (Brent Forrester did, who is so -- I'm strong! Not listing!) (He's awesome!) (Shut up!) (You're not the me of me!) Sorry. Dizzy. Didn't write the ep, and if I did my job right, no one will be able to tell I directed it (despite an odd, and as God is my hostile witness, TOTAL coincidence...), yet I was allowed to collaborate and feel like a well oiled cog in this perfectly working machine, and I'm pretty sure I'm reconsidering ever describing myself as 'well-oiled' again. (Hggh.) This is how TV should be made, and the proof of that comes weekly. What a rush.

One day I'll gab about it at length, but not today. I'm exhausted. I have so many crushes I have to lie down. And then write an X-men. Eat, I should probably eat.

Being lucky is so much more fun when you know it. Leave me!

-j.

[ edited by joss on 2007-01-27 06:48 ]

joss | January 27, 08:45 CET

Joss, that's a honest opinion. Hi.

Madhatter | January 27, 08:50 CET

Joss, dude, great to hear from you! Dude, you have all the luck of working on all the well-oiled machines with your well-oiled self! I'm so glad you had a great experience on The Office, and I can't wait to see the results!! Yay you!! :-)

Er, Madhatter, I guess I was confused about the confusion -- d'oh! ;-)

Well, anyway, I am a big Office fanboy so this just rocks endlessly. I love Jenna's blogs always, but reading about how she geeked out, and Ben geeked out, and Jennifer geeked out, and Joss geeked out (but with a manly, Viking-like laugh), made me awful damn proud to be a geek! ;-)

[ edited by billz on 2007-01-27 06:55 ]

billz | January 27, 08:51 CET

Joss, I wouldn't care if your ~~laugh~~ giggle was like James Earl Jones and your stature was like Olivier in Henry V delivering the St. Crispin's Day speech, it's your love of the peeps that tickles me many different colors, including the GREEN of ENVY, Yesssss, and coats my heart with the treacle.

[ edited by Tonya J on 2007-01-27 21:28 ]

Tonya J | January 27, 09:01 CET

This is frakkin' great!

And Joss, I so totally have confidence in your manly laugh. Really I do.

UnpluggedCrazy | January 27, 09:06 CET

When the cast and crew get along, it shows in the production. The Office is such a great show to watch partly because I know they're a happy fun unit. Think Jenna would mind trading places with me? *giggles* I am not a manly pirate.

thatweirdgirl | January 27, 09:48 CET

I've only watched one episode of The Office. It reminded me of long ago office temp experiences and other things that are best left unremembered, not thought of. I didn't watch any more because of an awareness that it might trigger unfortunate behavior. But I am obviously going to have to watch this episode. Wish me, and my prospective victims, good luck.

dreamlogic | January 27, 10:28 CET

Oh, Joss, it's so *cute* when you try to convince us you're a stud, Viking or otherwise, and then spend the rest of your post alternately drooling and self-flagellating! Don't get me wrong, I feel the same about the Office's awesomeness and don't think I'd be able to do more than convulse helplessly with snickering when faced with their comedy Nirvana, but if I'm woman enough to admit I'm Steve Carell's bitch, so should we all!

aver | January 27, 11:03 CET

Thank you, joss. My silly husband "can't stand" The Office (well, mostly SC, he says -- I know, I know!), but he respects you. I'll just copy your words of glowing praise for my favorite sitcom and casually leave them sitting on the desktop for him to read tomorrow morning. Dum-de-dum....

Seriously, don't you want to rock a sitcom of your own? :)

[ edited by Wiseblood on 2007-01-27 09:42 ]

Wiseblood | January 27, 11:40 CET

Is there any other way to giggle than in a girlish fashion? I ask as a student of human behavior, of course.

I can't wait for this episode of The Office. But then again, I can't wait for any episode of The Office.

Only 364 days until the next Pretzel Day.

Arabchick | January 27, 12:56 CET

I can't wait to see what the "coincidence" is.

And how much of a "coincidence" it was...

TheZeppo | January 27, 13:00 CET

Dwight gets a stake to the heart?

Polter-Cow | January 27, 13:05 CET

Blasphemy, Polter-Cow. :)

TheZeppo | January 27, 13:13 CET

Arabchick: You can giggle in a reedy, slightly deranged mad scientist/muppet sort of way. But if you don't get the pitch quite right, it's just a chortle.

Lady Brick | January 27, 13:46 CET

Any indication when the episode is going to air? I've been avidly reading the NBC press release site (gotta get a new hobby) for a while now but nothing yet has surfaced.

Simon | January 27, 14:08 CET

Not to be more disagreeable than I have to be by birth and inclination, but the Jossir should remember that invoking the Viking-word may trigger memories of him as Our Own VikingPrincess3, rather than a hearty Viking warrior with erect posture.

QuoterGal | January 27, 14:13 CET

You know, I was just thinking about Joss guest-directing my current fave, Supernatural, but then I thought, "Naaahhh, he's much too busy to be directing random awesome shows for no reason, he's got all that STUFF he's doing." Shows what I know :)

Joss, give Kripke a call... he'd probably pee himself!

*keeping my fingers crossed*

UnderTheDark | January 27, 15:18 CET

Glad you had fun, Joss!

On a somewhat tangential but nonetheless amusing note. I don't know about laughing like a Viking, but there were certainly different terms in Old English for being drunk-like-a-Viking and drunk-like-an-Anglo-Saxon! (Maybe that's only amusing if you're an Anglo-Saxonist?)

ArielWillow | January 27, 16:36 CET

I've been dreaming up concepts that involve the TARDIS landing on Serenity.

Just sayin'.

TheZeppo | January 27, 16:41 CET

Oh come on you guys. We all know that Joss' next guest directing gig will be on Drive's season (series?) finale.

dark_tyler | January 27, 17:22 CET

Some of you people are watching things like Supernatural and Smallville instead of The Office? Thats crazy and wrong.

GrapenutsRobot | January 27, 18:10 CET

Hey, Supernatural and The Office are by no means mutually exclusive, I happen to watch both! ;)

Also, Supernatural does deserve more credit than yet-another-MOTW-cheesy-bad-FX-piece-of-crap-produced-by-the-WB, or pretty-boys-shooting-monsters-in-the-face-with-rock-salt. (Which, as for the latter, it kinda is, but... It's also more than that.) Much like early S1/S2 Alias wasn't just about a hot SpyBarbie dressing up in wigs and blue rubber dresses, Supernatural started becoming a pretty damn good family drama somewhere in the middle of its first season. The last few episodes of S1, leading into the start of S2, have been amazing, character and relationship driven stuff, with the odd monster here or there. (Okay, in every episode, but that's besides the point.) Supernatural's pretty faces can also act, which is more than I can say for almost all of Smallville's, or Charmed's, or something.

Mmm, now I'm having dreams of the Winchester boys encountering Numfar during a hunt... Ooh, there's actually a guest starring role that's meant to be filled by another director, but which Joss could certainly fill if that other dude can't make it! Psst, Joss, call up your agent and find the sides for "Director", in the "Hollywood Babylon" episode of Supernatural! ;)

hrlo | January 27, 19:10 CET

VikingPrincess3 has spoken! Everybody give a manly giggle!

Nebula1400 | January 27, 19:48 CET

I understand what Jossir is saying though, that we shouldn't be able to tell that he directed it. It should blend and just be a little more awesome that I keep hearing it is. So I guess I had better start watching so that I can see if there is any difference.
It would be interesting to hear what it is like to direct something that is not your own and I'd like to hear Jenna compare him to other directors but I guess maybe she wouldn't/couldn't do that till the show was over.

[ edited by Lioness on 2007-01-30 01:13 ]

Lioness | January 27, 20:15 CET

despite an odd, and as God is my hostile witness, TOTAL coincidence...

OK, bets are on!

$10 from me says that either..
a) Someone dies.
b) A sweet relationship ends badly...or
c) Joss does a happy jig.

OK...and/or...
d) Nathan guest stars.

nixygirl | January 27, 20:31 CET

I'm gonna guess e) Dwight makes a references to something Jossy.

KernelM | January 27, 20:54 CET

Jim and Pam have sex, and a cubicle falls down.

Xane | January 27, 21:11 CET

Brent Forrester wrote some excellent Simpsons episodes. My excitement just gets higher!

Jona | January 27, 21:12 CET

I'm feeling very bad now that I snickered at what was clearly a very manly Viking laugh, and not at all girlish or giggly at all! Do we know the name of the episode or the air date yet? I must see, and find out if nixygirl is right (I'm sure KernelM is correct, regardless).

embers | January 27, 21:26 CET

hrlo, I agree with you about Supernatural. I thought it was a pretty dumb show at first, but then I actually watched it, and now I'm pretty into it. A Joss episode of that would rock mightily.

Also, GrapenutsRobot, I watch Smallville AND The Office! Fear my DVR.

Polter-Cow | January 27, 23:02 CET

I do grok what Jossir and Lioness are saying - his episode of The Office shouldn't go all obviously Whedonesque (unlike how we - patiently - expect Goners to be.)

And I have utter faith that it won't feel like anything but The Office. I think what a good director does is help make the piece more and better of what it intrinsically is, and bring the best out from the actors, crew and the story. I imagine that being Joss, he really gets what the show is about and enhanced its itness a bit.

I just think as Whedon fans we have every right to expect that at least one character gets staked, seeks redemption, loses their virginity and/or saves the world in an odd, God-witnessed coincidence.

(embers, don't feel bad about snickering. Jenna started us laughing, and she's his friend.)

QuoterGal | January 27, 23:37 CET

Everyone take a breath.

Madhatter | January 28, 01:28 CET

Dang it! Ok, fine. I'll watch The -darned- Office! Happy now?

The lengths some people will take to motivate me... jeez.

Love's Bitch | January 28, 02:19 CET

I wonder what sort of contact Joss had with Ricky Gervais (if any)? I'm curious to know how such a conversation between two creative geniuses might go...

daylight | January 28, 02:54 CET

Oh man, Gervais has done a few 'Ricky Gervais Meets ...' programmes over here (including Larry David and Gary Shandling) which are basically just excuses for him to meet his idols now that he's famous and can. I would shit funny coloured bricks if he did one with Joss (whether he's his idol or not).

Re: directing, i'm glad The Big Purplowski had a good time, not surprised folk were kinda dazzled by the whole talent thing but i'm still wondering how, well, Whedonesque it'll be allowed to be. And if the answer ends up 'loads' then he just has to write and/or direct an episode of 'House'. There's simply no avoiding it (it's like a lost commandment or maybe a sub-paragraph of the one about asses).

(and 'Supernatural' fans take note. The show features the Winchester brothers and Joss went to Winchester [College]. Pure coincidence ? Yes, yes it is. But y'know, some room for hope ;)

Saje | January 28, 03:45 CET

Nice tangential try there about Supernatural, Saje. But we can still light some candles, blow incense around our respective domiciles, and chant Buddhistically to help the energy along ... Hmmm, let's see, Joss directs the James Marsters guest-starring episode. HEY, I'm blowing my own mind!

Tonya J | January 28, 05:11 CET

Hm TheZeppo,it does seem pretty plausible that in the Doctor Who-verse that in the year 2517 there could be cowboys in space... I am a bit more curious how Whedon would handle Torchwood though, since that show needs a bit more help than Doctor Who does. (Aside from being Doctor Who's "Angel" in many ways.)

Incidentally, Angela Kinsey's MySpace had an aside about Joss directing and it turns out that he's being followed up by J.J. Abrams.

orangewaxlion | January 28, 08:02 CET

On the off-topic tip, I too endorse Supernatural (this week's ep, written by Angel vet Ben Edlund, was great!). I didn't watch the first season, the title itself made me feel like they weren't even trying to be original. I just happened to watch an episode late last season and really got hooked into the family dynamic. Something about the relationship between these brothers is different/better than any such relationship I've seen on TV. And ditto hrlo that those guys good looks in no way take away from their acting chops.

Anyway, *very* much looking forward to The Office ep. Love that show too.

jam2 | January 28, 10:17 CET

I can understand Joss directing an episode of The Office. But J.J. Abrams? It seems too much of a gimmick.

I should start Torchwood, shouldn't I? Is it officially cancelled?

TheZeppo | January 28, 11:50 CET

Nope, 'Torchwood's coming back for a second series later on in the year. Despite being met with distinctly mixed reviews it actually garnered record ratings for the channel it was shown on (BBC3). Personally I stoppped watching after the very poor - IMO yada yada - 4th episode though it apparently picks up after that so I may go back to it.

(and, totally on topic cos erm, 'The Office' was originally British, 'Life on Mars' is back for its second - and final - series next month I think. Woo, as they say, T ;)

Saje | January 28, 13:09 CET

*wakes up* More Life on Mars, Saje? Woo and hoo! ;-)

billz | January 28, 13:38 CET

Saje and billz - Dance of joy for Life on Mars. A friend brought them back to Oz taped onto VHS off British telly, and I fell so hard and so fast for it that I didn't even mind having to endure such plebian technology as a video tape. John Simm is my homeboy.

Saje - Torchwood episode four was DREADFUL, wasn't it? It does have a few good ones later on, in particular 'Combat', but avoid at all costs the woeful 'Out Of Time' which includes some of the worst dialogue I've ever heard on tv. Like, really, really bad fanfic bad, fanfic written by a 14 year old girl in between brushing her teeth and doodling 'I luv Adam Brody' on her biology folder. Bottom line - the show has no emotional continuity at all (very little actual continuity either, now that I think of it). It gives me rage.

Oh dear, seem to have wandered off topic here. I will say, thank heavens for the return of the purplefontedwashkillah in the comments. It has been too long. And he never gave us a Christmas or New Years post, sniff. Yay, Office. I enjoy Joss popping up in/on other shows. I just saw his Veronica Mars cameo, which was very funny and cute.

I'm really rambling tonight.

*goes*

Mythtaken | January 28, 14:41 CET

Add my vote to the list for Joss to direct a Supernatural episode. An episode with James Marsters guesting would be ... oh no words to describe it!

I watched an episode here and there but a month ago I bought the season 1 dvd for $22 at Costco. I really like the show, and yes the eye candy is high quality but they can act too. I would not be able to watch the show if all it had going for it was eyecandy.

jam2 I agree! "this week's ep, written by Angel vet Ben Edlund, was great!. "

Passion | January 28, 16:46 CET

... having to endure such plebian technology as a video tape ...

Heh, well Mythtaken, it is sort of apropos what with VHS being invented in the 70s ;).

'Torchwood' had so much potential and it did hit the mark in a few places but 4 was just terrible. One note acting of variable quality, script that was all over the place, plot holes a-plenty ... Not good. A few people did say there were some worthwhile eps afterwards so eventually i'll catch it again but i'm in no real hurry (if it's anything like the new 'Who' it'll be repeated very shortly and then seemingly on a perpetual reel ;) especially now that it seems like i've 'got' to hunt out a few episodes of the US office.

Saje | January 28, 17:35 CET

A note on all this DrWhoverse talk, if you listen to the Dr Who podcasts you will hear what R.T Davies is whedonverse fan and talks about "Angel"often!

demon magnet | January 28, 20:38 CET

demon magnet, I'm not surprised, I just recently watched my first episode of 'Torchwood' and it had a noir/Angel look about it, with the team doing the 'power walk' we've seen so often on Angel.

embers | January 28, 20:55 CET

Do I need to buy this show on DVD now?

eddy | January 29, 09:08 CET

Nope, 'Torchwood's coming back for a second series later on in the year. Despite being met with distinctly mixed reviews it actually garnered record ratings for the channel it was shown on (BBC3). Personally I stoppped watching after the very poor - IMO yada yada - 4th episode though it apparently picks up after that so I may go back to it.

Ep 4 was crap, it got way better after that. So excited about Life on Mars' impending return that I can barely speak of it!

Back on topic, y'all are using the wrong purple when you are colorising Joss' name. Its #9966ff and bolded.

zeitgeist | January 29, 19:32 CET

#9966ff is my new nickname for Joss.

Hjermsted | January 30, 00:35 CET

My wife & I really like The Office. The only thing better than The Office is Joss directing an episode. Can't wait to see it!

Browncoat1 | January 30, 16:37 CET

Just echoing the remarks about Torchwood episode four being awful. Personally I lost all hope for further episodes being any good at all after that. I think in its entire run (which to some extent I regret watching) I liked about two episodes, which really isn't a good proportion. I mean, there was more to like about Who season two, and that was seriously underwhelming!

daylight | January 31, 15:01 CET

January 27 2007