The Office: Season 8

Description

Andy takes over as manager of Dunder Mifflin and finds the
job to be more than he bargained for. He wants to win the respect of his
employees, while going toe-to-toe with Robert California, the enigmatic new
CEO, who wants to turn the office into his personal playground. Dwight makes
his own grab for power when he leads a team to Florida to work under Nellie
Bertram, who may be slightly out of her mind. Jim and Pam’s relationship is
put to the test when Pam goes on maternity leave and her replacement has eyes
for Jim. Meanwhile, Erin harbors lingering feelings for Andy; Angela’s
relationship deepens with her dashing (state) senator; and Darryl looks for
love in the warehouse. Developed for American Television by Primetime Emmy
Award winner Greg Daniels (Parks and Recreation, The Simpsons), watch all 24
episodes back-to-back in this 5-disc set, with outstanding bonus features
including extended episodes, deleted scenes, webisodes, Football Championship
promos and more! The Office returns for its eighth season with a
new focus: salesman Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) has become manager, floundering
under the serene yet manipulative eye of new CEO Robert California (James
Spader). Dwight (Rainn Wilson) chafes at the new hierarchy and vacillates
between passive-aggressive apathy and naked ambition. The rest of the cast
just tries to carry out their jobs, despite the increasingly absurd ups and
downs of Dunder Mifflin and its new corporate owner, Sabre. There’s no denying
that, after the departure of Steve Carell, The Office is uneven. Some episodes
simply put Andy into Michael Scott-ish situations, while others seek out new
angles on the well-established web of interpersonal conflicts. Sometimes this
works–the very first episode feels like a classic episode, concluding with a
moment that’s heartfelt without being cloying. Other episodes find a new
footing that flares to life, like when half the Dunder Mifflin team go to
Florida for a seminar with new upper management Nellie Bertram (Catherine
Tate). Leaving the familiar surroundings of Scranton opened up new
possibilities and the cast seemed to respond with renewed vitality. It’s best
to approach this season as if it were a completely new series; these episodes
often feel diminished simply because the series’ previous heights were so very
high. But there are definite virtues: Dwight’s increasing mania, Andy’s clumsy
pursuit of receptionist Erin (Ellie Kemper), and the solid performances of the
cast as a whole provide more pleasure than many more highly rated sitcoms.
When Oscar (Oscar Nuñez) realizes that Angela (Angela Kinsey) is lying about
the conception of her baby, or Stanley (Leslie David Baker) cuts loose while
in Florida, or Toby (Paul Lieberstein) leads a self-defense class, these
scenes have a rich, lived-in feel, as the actors portray little moments with
an effortless and thorough grasp of their characters. It’s unfortunate the
show began to lean towards an increasing number of guest stars for novelty
rather than simply digging deeper into the wealth of talent that’s already
there. Extras include deleted scenes, some extended “Producer’s Cuts” of
episodes, bloopers, and a web subplot in which Andy, Erin, Kelli (Mindy
Kaling), and Ryan (B.J. Novak) form a pop band. –Bret Fetzer

Features:

Product Details:

• Genre: The Office: Season 8, The Incentive, Pam's Replacement, DVD Movie, S8, The List, Blu-ray Movie, The Office: The Complete 8th Season, Garden Party, Mrs. California, NBC, Lotto, The Office: The Complete Eighth Season, Doomsday, Television, Gettysburg, Spooked, Comedy See more
• Format: Box set, Multiple Formats, Dolby, NTSC, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Number Of Discs: 5
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.78:1
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1 x 5.6 x 7.4 inches; 9.6 Ounces
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ 25524690
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Box set, Multiple Formats, Dolby, NTSC, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 8 hours and 53 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ September 4, 2012
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, Spanish
• Language ‏ : ‎ English (Dolby Digital 5.1)