Author: Tyler Kearn
An epic battle for control is about to begin again in the common rooms across campus on Thursdays at 9 p.m. The conflict: Who is going to get the TV? The Office fans or Grey’s Anatomy fans? Both shows return with extended season premieres tomorrow night (9/25), and people are excited (and a little desperate) to get to the TV first.
It has been months (long, long months) since either show has been on the air, a delay compounded by the writer’s strike, which also affected the episodes at the end of last season. The last episode of The Office aired May 15, and the last Grey’s Anatomy was televised May 22.
The Grey’s Anatomy premiere, titled “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” will follow up the events of last year’s finale. The Office premiere is called “Weight Loss,” and the title is a pretty good indicator of what it’s going to be about.
Both NBC and ABC have traditionally loaded up their Thursday nights with their powerhouse lineups with The Office and Grey’s at the center. However, both networks have weakened schedules this year, forcing the shows to stand on their own.
Last season, NBC’s Thursdays were all comedy – 30 Rock, Scrubs, The Office and My Name is Earl. Only Earl is returning alongside The Office — 30 Rock does not return until late October, and Scrubs is moving to ABC mid-season.
ABC’s lineup last year was more eclectic, with Grey’s sandwiched between Ugly Betty and Lost (ABC’s two other most successful shows). This season Ugly Betty is returning Thursday before Grey’s, but Lost does not return with new episodes until 2009 (though how much carryover audience there is from Grey’s to Lost is debatable).
One thing that will be interesting to watch with The Office this year are episodes that feature new characters in preparation for the rumored Office spin-off. (While there is a forthcoming show from the producers of The Office featuring Amy Poehler, it does not appear to be the spin-off.)
Grey’s already had its spin-off with Private Practice, a show built around Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh), one of Grey’s more important peripheral characters. If The Office is going to go the same route, look for certain supporting characters to get more airtime.
However, The Office might do what House is doing this season: introducing a completely new character for a few episodes (the private detective character on House this season will soon get his own show), and then taking that character and building a show around him. If The Office has this strategy in store, look for some high-profile guest characters.
Whatever happens, both The Office and Grey’s Anatomy are shows at the top of their respective games. Fans of either show are completely justified in their excitement for Thursday nights – it’s not often that you come across shows that are as good at what they do. I call dibs on the Haines TV for The Office.
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