Review: Office Ladies

Fact: I have the best podcast review for you. 

Thanks to Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, who portray Pam Beesly and Angela Martin respectively, “The Office” fans everywhere have the inside scoop of every episode of “The Office” (well, at least halfway through season three). But don’t worry, new episodes are released every week! 

I have to hand it to Fischer and Martin: They talk together like best friends, which I love. There’s absolutely nothing more heartwarming to a “The Office” fan than watching (or in this case, listening) to cast members being genuine friends. Watching a TV show is one thing, but after a while I find myself getting insanely dedicated to finding behind the scenes cast moments that showcase true connection. And “Office Ladies” gives that to you! 

Not only does listening to this podcast give you a glimpse into Fischer and Martin’s friendship, it also reveals their relationships with some of the other cast members, directors and writers. Different people are featured on different episodes, based on whichever episode “Office Ladies” analyzes. 

In other words, if you’re the type of person who gets invested in actors’ friendships after watching their new film or show, “Office Ladies” is definitely for you. 

Aside from revealing genuine connections between cast members, I really enjoy the structure “Office Ladies” has. I’m not talking about a boring structure, but fast facts, character development and improv. Fischer and Martin go all out. They give you details on what they remember from certain scenes and the synergy they felt with each other. They talk about their memories, their characters’ growth and the moments they had with the writers and Greg Daniels, the developer and executive producer for “The Office.” Most importantly, they talk about what made “The Office” different from most TV shows. 

“Office Ladies” also includes their fans in many of the episodes. Fan questions come in through social media, video messages and mail, and they do their best to answer all the questions. I’ve even found myself having questions about “The Office” and getting them answered through the podcast every time. 

The podcast goes over every episode of “The Office” and does a great job using their resources and connecting with old coworkers to discover more about what went on behind the scenes. Fischer and Martin work so hard to deliver the most in-depth analysis of each episode possible, and I can’t get enough of it. 

While it’s not supposed to be an inspirational podcast, when I listen to those two best friends reminisce and remember their time working together on “The Office,” I’m uplifted. Even though I’m not in any of their memories, listening to “Office Ladies” makes me appreciate the memories I have with people I love, and many of those memories include watching “The Office.” The human experience isn’t a long one, but “Office Ladies” has indirectly shown me it matters, no matter how regular or boring it seems. The people and the memories I have are good ones, and they’ll last me a lifetime. Like Pam Beesly said, “there’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things. Isn’t that kind of the point?” 

—emily.white@usu.edu

Emily White is a junior studying English and broadcast journalism. She is currently serving as the senior writer for the Lifestyles section of the Statesman.