Comedy fans everywhere can find the laughs they seek with The Office Seasons 1-6 DVD Boxset. As one of the funniest shows to hit television in quite some time, the series has been embraced by millions of people who appreciate its unique take on life at a paper company. With this set, newcomers to the series can get their first complete glimpse at this brilliant series, while fans of many years can relive all the great moments from every past season.

The Office is one of those rare comedy shows that seems to come around only once or twice in each generation. Throughout the first seven years of its life it featured Steve Carell as the lead actor, and all of his performances over the course of those first six seasons are on display with this set. For fans of this actor who want to complete their collection of his works, this set is a must-have item.

Obviously, however, there has been more to the show's success than the acting job turned in by one well-known star. Like other successful ensemble comedies, The Office has managed to assemble a stellar cast of players whose comedic timing and pitch perfect characterization perfectly complement one another. Almost all of them have a long history in improvisation, which lends itself well to creating the type of atmosphere needed for this show.

The origins of the series

True fans of the series are well aware of the show's origins in England. The original BBC series was a popular feature in the UK, and one that the producers of this American version sought to emulate. Like its prototype, the series is filmed in a mock documentary format, and relies upon a great deal of improvisation on the part of the cast. It also utilizes no laugh track, and every attempt is made to maintain an organic feel to the music in each episode.

The success

Many different attempts have been made to explain the success of the series over the course of its seven-year life. In simplest terms, the show works because it is funny. However, it is important to note that many funny shows have hit the network airwaves and failed to survive longer than a season or two. Enduring shows like this one obviously have something more to offer than a series of canned jokes.

A great deal of the success of this particular show can be explained in terms of the audience's ability to relate to the characters. The cast regulars play characters that often resemble the types of individuals most people encounter in their own work environment. Almost any viewer can find situations and character types that he has encountered before.

Because of that, there is a sense of familiarity that can develop in the viewer's mind. He has seen these people, or people very much like them, throughout his own office employment history. The viewer has seen many of these events before, including the power plays and emotional tug of wars that are often acted out on the small screen.

Corporate nonsense

There is also another factor at play in the series' success. Many people around the world have experienced their own personal angst about the nature of modern corporations and the way in which a person's individuality can become lost within the confines of a company structure. Most of these people have not had the words to express their sense of unease with the world around them.

Like the comic strip Dilbert, shows like the Office are able to express that angst in a comedic way. They take simple and common events that occur in any office setting and turn them upside down for examination. They remind us all that there is an underlying humor to be found in many of the things that the corporate world holds sacred, and that incompetent supervisors can be more than cause for frustration. They can also be a cause for amusement, provided that one keeps everything in perspective.

Getting the set

Like other television collections, this box set includes each and every episode from the series' first six years of production, as well as subtitles for each episode and other features. Fans who want to acquire the collection can find many websites that sell it, often at substantial discounts over retail store purchases.

Die-hard television series collectors should consider adding this collection to their own, even if they have never seen a single episode. With its deadpan humor and engaging look at a corporate world many of us know all too well, The Office Seasons 1-6 DVD Boxset belongs on every fan's movie shelf.