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« Roush Dispatch
In Praise of Dwight Schrute
Now there's a line I never imagined I'd find myself typing: "In Praise of Dwight Schrute." Before I explain further, can I just say: How awesome are Thursday nights this season?
This week, I truly needed escapism (I have a number of friends who are directly affected by the Time Inc. cutbacks that were announced Thursday, a very sad development for a very battered business), so I opted to watch the ABC lineup in more or less real time, and was richly rewarded.
First, Ugly Betty. Sheer delight. Couldn't be happier for its, and America Ferrera's, Golden Globe wins. In especially fine form this week: Becki Newton as Amanda, who's a scintillating hoot even when she's manipulated into planning treachery against Daniel or calling our Betty a "stumpy troll." I also love how Betty is introducing Daniel to the finer things in life, like slices (although that looked like a full pizza) at the corner parlor and, gulp, karaoke. Took the sour taste of this week's American Idol auditions right out of my head. And what about that final twist: the bangaged lady (Rebecca Romijn) revealed to be Daniel's presumed-dead brother Alex, now transformed into "Alexis." Let the battles over "Mode" begin. With Betty in Daniel's corner, how can he lose?
Then, Grey's Anatomy. Capping a remarkable week for T.R. Knight, the terrific actor whose self-effacing interview with Ellen DeGeneres took such the high road in the wake of Isaiah Washington's continuing career-suicide saga, this week's episode gave our George an Emmy-worthy workout. With his family around him, laying hands on his dying father as life slipped away, there wasn't a dry eye in my house. Heartbreaking, touching, and with an unexpected grace note from, of all people, Cristina, welcoming George to the Dead Dads' Club. Even Meredith learns the value of a fatherly chat, as the estranged Thatcher confesses he's the genetic root of her snoring and tells her the way to cure her partner's sleepless nights is a set of wax ear plugs. McDreamy sure looked happy to try them on for size.
Finally, Men in Trees. Such a cute show. Not the best episode ever, but perfectly pleasant, and how charming were Patrick's repeated attempts (a fortune cookie, Scrabble tiles) to propose to Annie, culminating in his painful plea with his foot caught in a trap at the dump? Romance, Alaska style. I presume Marin's new digs, with that great lakeside view, will be an inspiration for more than writing. We'll see.
Moving on to NBC, because after all, I slugged this Dispatch "In Praise of Dwight Schrute," and I'm still scratching my head about that. From the earliest days of The Office, back when I had plenty of issues with the show (most have been resolved over time, as this adaptation of the British classic developed its own voice and as its ensemble came into sharper focus), I have not been shy about my disdain for Rainn Wilson's over-the-top portrayal of Dwight, the overeager office patsy. Many weeks, he and the character seemed a Kramer-like device out of a lesser or more obvious sitcom, jerking me unhappily out of the awkward workplace realism the rest of the show so uncannily and hilariously conveys.
That all changed in the last two episodes, as Dwight paid the price for his chivalry toward his prissy soul mate Angela (covering for her by driving her late paperwork to corporate in New York, inflaming Michael's suspicions thanks to the gossip of the unbearable Andy). Dwight resigned, took a job at Staples (where it's quite clear he's not suited for customer service), and to everyone's shock, especially Jim's, he was actually missed.
Turns out Dwight, despite his neuroses and fascist tendencies, was a top salesman, good at his Dunder-Mifflin job. And compared to the offensively unctuous Andy (Ed Helms in a performance of uproarious boorishness), the epitome of preppy evil, Dwight's a prince. Also something of a tragic hero in these circumstances. I totally bought it. And I sided with Jim as he confessed: "I miss Dwight. Congratulations, universe. You win."
In an even less-expected development, we saw how Dwight's absence, and Andy's clumsily cloying pseudostalker chumminess, has taken such a toll on Michael that this most clueless of bosses actually seemed to grow a pair. Michael finally told off Andy, and when Angela confessed Dwight's true intentions for going to corporate, Michael hastened to Staples to fetch Dwight back.
Dwight Schrute, it turns out, is the sort of fool that you can't help but suffer gladly. I imagine there will be times in the future when I will again regret the way he is written and performed, but for now, he earned his moment in the spotlight and made the most of it.
Also on the Thursday beat: Speaking of rising to the occasion, Liev Schreiber made a very promising, and enigmatic, first impression as Gil's temporary fill-in on an unusually haunting episode of CSI (with a truly creepy late-in-episode appearance by Ned Beatty as the unrepentant serial-killer dentist). Now this is how you handle a star's hiatus. William Petersen wanted time off to do a play, the show found a way to write him out for a limited period with a minimum of fuss, and they found a first-rate actor to bring some new shadings to the first and best of CBS' many popular crime-drama procedurals.
Add the spectacular fun of Scrubs' musical episode (which I'd reviewed earlier for the magazine) to the mix, and this Thursday truly was a night to remember.
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Jan 19, 2007 11:37 AM
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With last nights episode, Greys Anatomy was definitely deserving of the Golden Globe and should be even more deserving of an Emmy later this year. TR Knight shines as he makes the audience cry with George and his family. Grey's consistently touches on human experiences and real-life situations. My praise for its writers never stops...
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Jan 19, 2007 1:00 PM
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Last night was definitely a special night for television fans, and its not even sweeps. I had to stay up well past midnight to watch all 11 of my shows, and it was worth every minute. My favorites for the night were:
1. Scrubs: 2 words: "Guy Love"
2. Grey's: Their 2-part episodes are always great but to me this one will always stand out.
3. Smallville: The JL was everything I wanted it to be
4. Ugly Betty: I don't think anyone saw that twist coming, and just when I thought Betty couldn't get better
5. The Office: When the camera zooms out at it's reveled that Dwight is working at Staples, just brought me pure joy.
Nights like this is what makes me appreciate my 2 Tivos even more.
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Jan 19, 2007 4:25 PM
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I love me some Thursday night TV. One of these weeks I think my tivo is going to explode - partially from delight of recording such fabulous programs as I watch some more fabulous programs. I still need to watch some of my NBC programs (have to wait for the hubby to get home from work!) I can't wait, and I basically know what happened on the Office anyway. Last week I was so moved by Dwight's chivalrous act, I actually got a little misty. Though I'm pregnant, so we can write it off as that.
On to ABC. I live for their new Thursdays. It's like it's the light-hearted version of the bliss they offered us last year in the form of 3 hours of heart stopping Wednesday action (Alias, Lost, Invasion). But this is even better. Daniel and Betty make such a great team, even scheming Amanda can't deny it. I love it so much. And while I called the twist last week in the TV blog posts, I still this it was executed well!
Grey's was fanstastic. Being a memeber of the Dead Dad's Club myself, it's safe to say those tears streaming down my face had nothing to do with the baby in my belly.
And Men In Trees was adorable as usual. Not the best one, really nothing compares to Talk for Tat yet, but still great. And next week looks better.
Thanks Matt for making sure everyone knows just what they should be watching on Thursdays. If Thursdays on NBC/ABC aren't the perfect ad for buying a TiVo, I don't know what is!
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Jan 19, 2007 9:15 PM
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What about the eagerly anticipated Smallville "Justice" episode and the wonderfully creepy Supernatural episode that followed?
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Jan 19, 2007 10:16 PM
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Matt, I appreciate that there is a lot of good TV on Thursday night. But again, you manage to mention almost every show appearing on Thursdays except the CW shows, in particular Supernatural. I remember back in November you posted a similar column about Thursday nights and said in a response that you hoped or planned to catch up on Supernatural after November sweeps and, if you did, you might write about it. Have you had a chance to watch it yet? I'd love to know what you think about the show.
And did you attend the Supernatural panel at the TCA press tour today?
Thank you.
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Jan 20, 2007 1:11 AM
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Matt, I wholeheartedly agree with you about Dwight. This week, his absence brought Andy's boorishness into full focus. You really got to see that while Dwight is an annoying dork most of the time, he is actually good at his job (witness his joint sales call with Jim last ep) and cares about the company and other people (witness covering for Angela, weirdly but sweetly attempting to comfort Pam recently). Andy, in contrast, is all about Andy and will manipulate any situation to his advantage. Also, he wasn't even attempting to work!! Just bugging others relentlessly.
I just started a TV Guide.com blog, TV's Silver Linings, and I almost couldn't finish writing about Thursday night's lineup, because I was so wrung out from Grey's Anatomy. It was nice to read your thoughts on it and Men in Trees, which I love as well. We are in agreement on a lot of things about these shows. I am glad this night of TV was a temporary balm for what sounds like a rough week for you. Hope things work out okay for everyone affected.
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Jan 20, 2007 1:46 PM
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I have this mind numbing over loaded Thursday viewing and recording schedule, with Monday not being much better, and only glimmers of brilliance in between. I wish these good shows were a little spread around. I do love the Thursday night block on NBC the way it is. All of them have been on top of their game - with The Office and Scrubs shining brighter than ever! In the words of Jim, "Well, are you happy Universe?"
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Jan 22, 2007 3:59 PM
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Well Matt, even though I have been buzzing in your ear about how wrong you were about Dwight and Rainn Wilson I have to be big enough to admit that you are big enough to admit when you are wrong.
My only complaint about The Office is the Jim/Pam/Karen triangle. I really don't like the soap opera like angle the romance is taking. I really don't need my comedy mixed with pathos.
I cannot say that I am immune to "caring" about the characters on this or any show that I am a fan of. As the awareness of Jim and Pam's history dawned on Karen the look on her face was heartbreaking-thanks to Rashida Jones' excellent portrayal-but that's not what I want or need in a comedy.
Certainly there can be touching developments in a sitcom without making the show overly sentimental or even sad. I am touched by the relationship developments on My Name Is Earl, even by the poignance of Randy's as yet unrequited love for Catalina. But, unlike The Office and especially Scrubs(too much with Carla and the post-partum stuff, too many unfunny medical developments) Earl never forgets that it's a comedy first.
I'd rather a completely unsentimental even over the top comedy like Arrested Development (or the British Nighty Night) than one that mixes in too many tear-jerking moments.
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Jan 24, 2007 4:07 AM
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Matt, I am hoping you can help me out. After reading about your thursday night bliss (of which I am in total agreement) I think that you may be the man who can answer my question. What happened to the Men In Trees recap on the tv show commentary? It is no longer even listed on the master list to the left of the column? What gives? I believe that this is a great character driven show that deserves any and all coverage it can get. Any info you have about this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Jan 24, 2007 9:20 AM
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I agree with Deborah54; Matt, you simply MUST watch Supernatural and give a shout-out to this superb show!
My Thursday nights are full of T.V.: Grey's Anatomy, The Office, Earl, Smallville, and Supernatural, and of the dramas, I would have to say that Supernatural is my favorite. (Yes, even beating Grey's Anatomy.)
Why? It's just one of the best written, excellently performed shows on T.V. I can hardly believe that it is on a network like CW (or WB), except for the young good-looking leads. Both lead characters are talented actors who handle subtlety well and have fantastic chemistry with each other. And, the storyline/plot is remnicient of the X-files in its heyday. I can't believe that this show gets an audience at all with all of the competition it is up against (toughest spot of the week IMO), but the fact that it has over 3 million viewers is just a tribute to how really fantastic it is.
Please check it out soon!
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Jan 24, 2007 9:54 AM
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In Praise of Matt Roush
First I must express my initial shock at your thoughts regarding Dwight Schrute. Rainn Wilson is so brilliant I thought anyone who really loved the show would enjoy his portrayal of Dwight--how naive of me. Dwight always makes me laugh, and through the annoying and obnoxious behavior a little humanity shines through now and then. I think he's great. Just had to voice my two cents!
Signed--
NOT Rainn Wilson's Mother, Just A Fan.
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Jan 26, 2007 10:53 AM
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