The Office: Season Four | 
 enlarge | Actor: Office
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
List Price: $49.98
Buy New: $29.49
You Save: $20.49 (41%)
New (49) Used (14) Collectible (1) from $26.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  126 reviews
Sales Rank: 32
Format: Ac-3, Box Set, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 4
Running Time: 405
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 1.3
MPN: 61102114
UPC: 025195017329
EAN: 0025195017329
Theatrical Release Date: September 2, 2008
Release Date: September 2, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Steve Carell (Get Smart) returns in his Golden Globe-winning role of The World s Greatest Boss Michael Scott in Season Four of the hit comedy series The Office! This must-own four-disc set includes every irreverent episode from Season Four including the five extended full TV-hour specials plus hours of hilarious deleted scenes and bonus features! Rejoin Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) as they bring romance to the workplace Dwight (Rainn Wilson) as he continues his quest to be Michael s right-hand man and newly deemed Wunderkind Ryan (B.J. Novak) who s working to drag Dunder Mifflin into the digital age. Developed for American TV by Primetime Emmy Award winner Greg Daniels (King of the Hill The Simpsons) The Office is the intelligent and edgy Primetime Emmy Award-winning series that critics are hailing as the funniest show on TV (Gavin Edwards Rolling Stone). You ll enjoy the inappropriate remarks uncomfortable silences and petty behavior again and again!System Requirements:Running Time: 405 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 025195017329 Manufacturer No: 61102114
Amazon.com
Is a season of The Office with less episodes still a great season? That seems to be the debate among the Emmy-winning sitcom's faithful audience in regard to season four, which like every program in 2007 and 2008 suffered due to the Writers Guild strike. But even a truncated season can't dispel the fact that The Office remains one of television's funniest and most consistently inventive programs. If a theme can be grafted upon season four, it's Things Fall Apart: former temp Ryan (writer-producer B.J. Novak) is promoted to executive position and then squanders that power, while Dwight (series MPV Rainn Wilson) attempts to recover from his breakup with Angela (Angela Kinsey) and her apparent relationship with the hapless Andy (Ed Helms). Elsewhere, HR's Toby (writer-director Paul Lieberstein) finally flees Dunder Mifflin for that long-threatened vacation to Costa Rica (and is replaced by Oscar nominee Amy Ryan), and Stanley (Leslie David Baker) reaches his own breaking point in "Did I Stutter?" The center of office entropy is, of course, boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell), who is knocked off his pedestal throughout the season; his sweetly nave television spot is disparaged in "Local Ad," he's passed over for the executive outing in "Survivor Man," and in the season's highlights, he is forced to twice endure humiliation at the hands of his own girlfriend Jan (Melora Hardin), first in the heartbreaking "Deposition," and then immediately after in the Emmy-nominated "Dinner Party," which puts their disintegrating relationship in sharp focus. Even office lovebirds Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) experience some rocky moments as Jim anguishes over the right time to propose to her. But don't let that laundry list of disasters fool you into thinking that season four is a downer; if anything, many of the episodes are among the funniest the show has produced to date. Most notable among these are the opener "Fun Run" (the Scranton team participates in Michael's charity race for rabies prevention), "Job Fair" (Michael attempts to hawk Dunder Mifflin to high schoolers, while Jim struggles to land a client), and the aforementioned "Dinner Party" and "Goodbye, Toby." Longtime viewers may wince at some of the broader gags in the season, like Michael and Dwight driving into the lake in "Dunder Mifflin Infinity," but the best episodes are so strong--and Carell and his fellow players so dead-on in their performances--that it's hard to make a case against the season for those relatively few low points. Extras in the season-four set are fewer than in previous releases, though that may have to do with the reduced number of episodes. Deleted scenes are offered for every episode, and many are real gems, most notably those in "Dinner Party" and "Goodbye Toby." A smattering of commentaries is also included; Carell and Krasinski are noticeably absent, but Wilson, Fischer and the writing and directing staff more than make up for their absence. And the featurette "Writer's Block," which includes footage of the writers' panel at an Office convention, gives an amusing alternate to the usual behind-the-scenes coverage. Michael's complete ad for Dunder Mifflin, a battery of amusing faux PSAs for rabies, and a gag reel do much to fill out the supplemental features. --Paul Gaita
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| Customer Reviews: Read 121 more reviews...
 A truncated, but great season June 25, 2008
58 out of 68 found this review helpful
It's that time of year again - a magical time when television studios release their most successful shows from the previous season in deluxe and frequently expensive DVD sets. But this last seasons was, of course, different. The writers strike cut the season down to 16 episodes and, as expected, many are starting to complain that the price hasn't been discounted. Paying the same price for less product does seem unfair. That is, to everyone but the media industry. As for me, I'm not surprised in the slightest. I expect to be exploited by the media - it's nothing new. The real question is, with all Office season four episodes already available on NBC's website, will people feel cheated enough to forgo this collection altogether?
Season four seemed like something of a departure from the usual style. Earlier seasons featured many episodes with a more-or-less self-contained story that came to some sort of resolution within 21 minutes. Season four seemed to be mainly episodes dealing with larger story arcs. Yeah, there were always little stories going on (e.g. they lose their parking lot, etc.) but they now feel firmly in the background, totally dominated by the more personal stories going on.
I'm not sure how I feel about this. In one sense, I'm happy that the Office is flourishing and moving beyond a simple (but awesome) comedy show. At the same time, I sometimes miss the lighthearted format of the earlier seasons. It's definitely a matter of personal preference.
Regardless, it's definitely a strong season and it's essential viewing for fans of the series because of all the major plot developments. For those who are considering skipping the season on DVD, I would argue that the bonus features make it worth the extra money. You get plenty of deleted scenes, commentaries, and all that good stuff. Sure, you could watch them online for free, but then you have to use NBC's less-than-stellar video player and you still have to watch advertisements.
Another hilarious season for the gang in Scranton July 10, 2008
11 out of 19 found this review helpful
Season 4 of The Office may have been a short one, but it was memorable and funny. Like many shows it did suffer a bit from the writers strike, but I still feel this season was up to par with the several that came before it. Bored, stressed, bummed out? Pop on an episode of The Office!
I just want to make a comment on the cost of this DVD set. I feel that the review section is not for the COST, but for the show, the season etc. So, that being said, if you feel the cost is too high, don't buy it. Or buy it somewhere else. I personally buy most DVDs on sale in the store when they first come out, it's the best bang for your buck. With that out of the way, season 4 was a good one. The writers and cast kept up in their stride. We got to finally see the evolution of Jim & Pam, Michael and Jan made for interesting fodder, I am beginnning to love the character of Andy and his running argument with Dwight. And Ryan.......all in all great season!!
No matter how you catch it, watch this season. Rent it, buy it, borrow from a friend. It's worth it and it has some fun and interesting storylines you can't miss! Kudos to the cast and writers, keep up the good work!
Another brilliant season for one of TV's most intelligent comedies June 15, 2008
19 out of 30 found this review helpful
My love for THE OFFICE is definite but complex. There are funnier shows (for instance, 30 ROCK), but few comedies are more rewarding. I've long argued that while nothing in the NBC version of THE OFFICE is as brilliant as the absolutely transcendent performance by Ricky Gervais in the BBC original, the NBC series is superior simply because of the way that we have gotten to know the entire group of characters in the Dunder Mifflin Scranton office. Although Steve Carrell is brilliant, the greater virtues of the show lie with the wonderful collection of workers we've gotten to know. Due to this, the NBC version of the show has a depth that the BBC original could never hope to achieve.
I love that in Season Four the producers and writers of THE OFFICE tried taking the show in new and challenging directions. First and foremost, they attempted to negotiate the most difficult obstacle in all of television: how to keep things interesting once you get the show's main romantic couple together. While the dynamics of each episode is always primarily driven by the antics of Steve Carrell's Michael Scott, the emotional center of the show has always lain with the deep attraction between Pamela Beesley and Jim Halpert. But ever since the ratings collapse of MOONLIGHTING after David and Maddie ceased chasing each other and ended up sleeping with one another, virtually every show has striven to keep lovers apart, rather than exploring their relationship together. (Shows that started off with couples together are a different matter. Eric and Tami Taylor on FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS have a completely different romantic dynamic than Pam and Jim.) In Season Two we all knew how deeply Jim and Pam were attracted to one another, even though she was engaged to Roy. In Season Three Pam was free, but Jim was emotionally distant after she rejected him in the Season Two finale. The Season Three finale, however, saw Jim asking Pam out on a date to end the season. Season Four begins with them a happy couple, a status that they maintain for the entire season, much to Toby's regret. But the amazing thing is that the writers managed to keep it fun. The season ended with Jim making elaborate plans to propose to Pam, plans that were dashed when the oafish Andy proposed to Angela at the precise moment Jim was about to pop the question to Pam (Angela's reply -- "OK. Just OK." -- was one of the funniest lines of the season).
Although romance blossomed for Pam and Jim, Angela and Dwight ended their secret office romance after he euthanized her cat by placing it in her freezer. Her involvement with Andy was one of the least passionate romances in TV history. (The "OK" reply pretty much summarized it, Angela refusing to give the more positive "Yes" reply to Andy's proposal.) Personally, I found the Michael/Jan relationship to be intensely unpleasant to witness. I'm not a sadistic person and I don't really enjoy seeing it on display in a relationship.
One interesting decision that they producers made concerned Angela Kinsey's real-life pregnancy. I'm sure it had to be a momentary temptation to have her pregnant by Dwight, but in the end they decided not to work her pregnancy into the story. The season's final episodes were filmed shortly before Angela gave birth. Most of her scenes were shot with her standing behind chest high barriers or sitting so that her torso was largely hidden.
On another real life note, it was good to see Jenna Fischer moving around without too much difficulty early in the season. In the June 2007 Up Fronts in New York, she took a nasty spill down a staircase, breaking several discs in her back. Sadly it appears to have been a very painful injury, but luckily one that did not result in any nerve damage.
I've told many friends that I believe that the 2008-2009 television season could well be the finest in TV history. This is partly because so many great series that are at their peak are returning (series like PUSHING DAISIES, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, DEXTER, LOST, 30 ROCK, 24, ELI STONE, and THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES), partly because one truly great series is wrapping up (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA), and some potentially great new series are debuting (mainly DOLLHOUSE, but also THE FRINGE). And part of this is because THE OFFICE, I'm confident, will continue to be one of the most interesting shows on television. It is going to be a very, very good year.
"I Declare Bankruptcy!" September 9, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have been waiting since May for this set -- I was traveling most of the spring (once the blankety-blank strike was finally resolved) so I missed the final 6 episodes of the season. What a joy to be able to watch the whole season without disruption!
There are so many wonderful story lines in Season 4 - Dwight's beet farm B&B, Michael and Jan's disasterous dinner party, Ryan's big city social life, and the development of Jim and Pam's relationship -- that even with fewer episodes than seasons 2 & 3, the Office crew managed to pack a full season of great writing, acting and directing into a short season.
Yet with all the big stories, there are plenty of small moments that are laugh out loud funny: Darryl's description of his gang cred (I fell off my couch at "Newsies"), the two versions of "Mad Libs," Angela's description of the claw marks on her frozen vegetables, Toby being...Toby.
I'd rate this one a definite "buy."
Why It Costs So Much July 13, 2008
17 out of 22 found this review helpful
This was a great season, and I see a lot of complaints about this kind of price for such a short season. There's a reason: MANY of these episodes were a FULL HOUR, as opposed to other seasons where almost all episodes were a half hour. Compare the full running time of this set to seasons 2 and 3 and you'll see it costs less, even though it's only a bit shorter in overall length.
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