Rick's working overtime at THE OFFICE!

THE WHOLE TRUTH's own Rick Overton ("Uri") plays the dad of Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) this coming Thursday night on The Office.



















It's the episode millions will be watching because Pam and Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) are getting married!

We're so excited for Rick - that's us as the TWT premiere.

What a fine show to be in; hopefully the editing room does not leave too much of him lying on the floor - his first appearance as Pam's dad ended up without lines. Blasphemy! ;-)

While Rick is always working - he's been in half dozen big films this past year alone, I hope he gets the chance to become a program regular on The Office, or at least more of a recurring character than he is now, so audiences can get to know the great talent that he is!

Meanwhile, TV history would indicate that as soon as a pining, yearning, jonesing couple finally gets together, their programs die.

Mark my words - this will not happen on The Office.

The reason?

The other shows focused too much on the couple and their unrequited love and sexual tension. Like the goal was to do it, rather than be it - be a couple. Like couples who focus so much on getting married they do not focus on how to be married.

Pam and Jim's relationship is based on being a functional couple, their work, their sense of humor, the interaction they have with all the characters in The Office - not just one another. And their own interaction and dialogue is not so extremely sexually based; they talk and kid about everything and everyone.

Will and Grace made the mistake of making it a one joke show; all about sex. Funny for awhile, then like all functional relationships, we talk about something else.

More, Jim and Pam are good people, good representatives of their genders. They don't lie, cheat, drink, drug, deceive or denigrate others; they have fun; they respect one another and their priorities are in the right place.

They have no schemes of grandiosity, no ego maniacal melees - they leave that up to their boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell), and learn valuable lessons from his poorly pounded path.

I don't know about you, but I'll have popcorn at the ready to enjoy - and record - this week's episode.

Oh - good luck, Pam and Jim! Don't forget to put your dad in lots of scenes, Pam! ;-)

The only mistake the network could make with these two? Give them their own show.

Would. Not. Work.

....a day at The Office

Multi-tasking, I played seasons one and two - 5 full DVD's - of the NBC-TV show The Office for many *hours* today. Time very well spent

I also watch the program live on thei air, but play DVD's or captured programs off the air to enjoy a marathon. I don't play any shows online to support the writer's strike; writers are trying to get paid for their work that plays on the internet. David Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, signed a new contract with the striking WGA (Writer's Guild of America) because he negotiated with the writer's union separately.

Hopefully other major production companies will also negotiate separately. WWP signed the contract that calls for exactly the same thing WGA leaders wanted to offer the studio Producers who refuse to talk with them.

Back to The Office - this program, IMO, is spectacularly written and performed. The casting is perfect, and every performer scores a *10* each time he or she appears.


Lead Steve Carell. playing boss Michael Scott, is a brilliant actor; Melora Hardin (along with her two outstanding, well-rounded, air-brushed co-stars) is spot on as his foil - playing his sometime squeeze Jan Levenson.


Jenna Fischer is a deceptively fine actor - I can see her star rising because of her excellent, nuanced performance here as receptionist Pam Beesly. The key to a long career for her is to do drama and comedy - and smart comedy at that. She can do it all - and should.

John Krasinski stars as affable Jim Halpert. Also a fine performer, he must be careful of being in low comedy duds like License to Wed. Just because a film features Robin Williams does not a quality project make. Much better to take roles that challenge him so he can show casting agents the full range of what he's capable of doing than doing roles he can simply call in.

The phenomenal, scene-stealing Rainn Wilson is hysterical as the dysfunctional control freak Dwight Schrute. Wilson's career is going the distance because he has chosen such an array of roles, indie and studio, over the past few years, to complement his great work in The Office. This highly disciplined actor can do *anything.*

As I say, each actor on the show deserves an individual mention here - but space must be considered. But on the show, in fact, each performer's talent and skill are so impacting that each of them is isolated with a close up for their scenes, thanks to the "documentary camera" production technique established by the genius of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for the original BBC series.

The Office was developed for American television by Greg Daniels. Daniels did a profound job; being an ardent fan of the original British series, I was not sure the show could be properly translated for American audiences. In fact, in its own way, the American series has turned out to be a cut above the original.

As the sun sets, with several tasks accomplished along with sharing a day full of humor, social commentary and characters of The Office? I'm ready to do it all over again the next chance I get!