They are jokes. I recognize one, and then forget about it. I'm not really interested in a big debate over how much the Office takes stuff from news radio. Even if I could come up with a dozen examples i wouldn't bother. I rewatched News Radio a few months ago and i was constantly seeing things on both shows. Maybe it was just the Office eps that were on while I was watching News Radio, but i doubt it.
You should watch news radio, it's a great show, and most of it is on Hulu.   See 7 other replies

You're right, it HAS been consistent quality. I started the show last season and went back to watch EVERY episode. Some shows were hits and others were just OK. But they were consistent. The same with the Simpsons. At the time they lucked out by being a cartoon for adults but now I would guess less adults watch it since adult cartoons (such as Archer) are MUCH stronger. I didn't watch much News Radio. Can you point out a dozen or so examples of how the Office steals a News Radio joke or plot point like every other episode? I mean, with THAT many thefts, it should be pretty easy to identify a dirty dozen within a few seconds. And that last part brought me to the third group of people commenting on the show that I missed in my original post:
3) the people who watch the office and complain about the show; these people make you wonder "if you hate the show so much, why don't you do something else with your time? A hobby won't hurt you"   See 7 other replies

If the first part of your statment wasn't glaringly self contradictory, I would feal obliged to respond to the second half.   See 7 other replies

The Office is every awkward situation anyone has every been in, set to a television series. It's not going to resonate with everybody, and tends to resonate more with people who've worked in office situations, but it's nothing remotely like Just Shoot Me or News Radio, anymore than Good Times was similar to The Cosby Show. A couple of similar premises does not infringement make.   See 7 other replies

Oh Noes!!!This made me have THOUGHTS!!! :-(   See 7 other replies

The Office is a run of the mill show that was lucky enough to be the only sitcom on when the TV world was covered in realty TV garbage. It isn't any better than other office comedies like Just Shoot me or the Great News radio (the Office steals a News Radio joke or plot point like every other episode.) it just didn't have anything to compete with. The Office never went down hill, as so many like to claim. It has been of consistant quality all along. Now it just has stiffer competition. 30 Rock and Community is much harder to look good next to than say Everybody loves Raymond and Flavor of love.   See 7 other replies

I try not to have any thoughts.They hurt. :-(   See 7 other replies