For fans of The Office....PEG SHEETY REPRAZENT!
The Office comes to town
Winnipeg is set to get a whole lot funnier. Part of an upcoming episode of popular U.S. television show The Office is based in Manitoba's capital and it has some wondering if our city will be the stylish backdrop to a comedic extravaganza or merely the butt of jokes.
"What kind of city are we going to be represented as?" asks Gene Walz, a professor of film studies at the University of Manitoba.
Walz worries the city will be the target of "easy jokes" about its cold temperatures and remote location.
While viewers will have to wait to see how Winnipeg comes across on the NBC show, Walz believes many in the city will enjoy seeing it referenced on the small screen.
"There is a kind of validation we get, a sense of privilege and prestige that makes it special," he said.
The show revolves around a fictional paper company called Dunder Mifflin based in Scranton, Pa., that includes a variety of off-the-wall characters. Actor Steve Carell stars as inept boss Michael Scott.
"Most people know The Office is a tremendously popular show. It's a honour for Winnipeg to be a small part of it," said Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz.
The episode deals with a business trip Scott and some of his staff take to the city. Writers from the comedy series said they selected Winnipeg because it had the right balance "between exotic and obscure."
While part of the episode -- which airs Nov. 13 -- is set in Winnipeg, filming took place in Los Angeles.
A member of the props department from The Office contacted Destination Winnipeg last month about getting material to make the episode look realistic.
"They wanted to do as much as they could to ensure the accuracy," said Lori Walder, a spokeswoman for Destination Winnipeg.
'CHANGE HIS LIFE'
To outfit the show, the organization worked with Fort Garry Brewing and Old Dutch Foods to ship some of their products down. Walder said staff from the show told her Scott knocks back some Fort Garry beer on the show.
"Let me tell you, it's going to change his life," said Andrew Harris, president of Fort Garry Brewing Company. "I think it's terrific. Everyone in this whole brewery is going to be proud of being a Manitoba icon."
Much of the episode's plot centres on scenes inside an airport, a hotel and a bar, all based in Winnipeg.
Walder said she thinks the city will come across well on the show.
"I'd be surprised if they poke fun at Winnipeg," said Walder. "This is just Michael (Scott) being Michael in a different location."
SOURCE:
http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2008/10/26/7207521-sun.html
Topic: The Random TV Shows Thread (Read 29122 times)