Product Details

• Actors: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer
• Format: AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 5
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: September 6, 2011
• Run Time: 678 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (114 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B003L77GDS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,544 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #93 in Movies & TV > DVD > Comedy

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Michael Scott's long tenure as manager of Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch comes to a bittersweet end in the seventh season of The Office, leaving viewers to wonder how and if the show will survive without star Steve Carell. The actor's departure marks a turning point for the comedy that extends beyond finding a replacement for its lead. The Office itself had begun to show cracks in its façade in its fifth season, with too frequent dips into implausible story lines and character behavior that hewed more cartoonish than the careful mix of sitcom humor and human observation with which the show made its mark. How The Office resets itself in Carell's wake will remain the task of its eighth season, but season seven offers an agreeable place-marker for the cast and crew, who pay tribute to Scott with several genuinely funny episodes and a wrap-up that manages to be heartfelt without tipping into overly sentimental territory. The season also features a recurring turn by Will Ferrell as Deangelo Vickers, Michael's temporary replacement and a walking collection of frayed nerves and personality tics. Ferrell is amusing in his four-episode story arc, but at times, his livewire routine clashes mightily with the lower-keyed energy of the established cast. More effective is the parade of celebrities who queue up to replace Michael in the season's conclusion, "Search Committee," with James Spader (a new Office cast member as of season eight), Ray Romano, Jim Carrey, Will Arnett, and UK Office creator Ricky Gervais (as David Brent) adjusting their respective styles to the level of the series. Other highlights include the unveiling of Michael's long-gestating film project Threat Level Midnight, which features an array of past Office performers, and "Viewing Party," which evokes past after-hours get-togethers in its barrage of neuroses run wild.

Extras on the four-disc Blu-ray set include four episodes with commentary tracks, each featured on a single disc; Carell is again noticeably absent from these tracks, but series creator Greg Daniels and various cast and crew members, including B.J. Novak, Ellie Kemper, and Paul Lieberstein, do their best be informative and entertaining. Deleted scenes from most of the episodes provide more footage of Ferrell and the other guest stars, while extended versions of "Training Day" and "Search Committee" provide some subtle moments of character development. The complete Threat Level Midnight is a welcome addition, as is The 3rd Floor, a series of webisodes about the staff shooting a horror movie in the office after hours. A fairly hilarious blooper reel rounds out the set. --Paul Gaita

Product Description

Big surprises are in store at Dunder Mifflin! Dwight is now the owner of the building and he may be letting this power go to his head; Andy is courting Erin who is dating Gabe; Jim and Pam are struggling with being new parents; and a parade of ghosts of girlfriends past haunt Michael, leading to his final days at Dunder Mifflin.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 65 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Goodbye, Michael September 5, 2011

By 007

Format:DVD

Season seven of The Office is in many ways the end of the series... well, actually in just one very major way: its Steve Carrell's last season, and without Michael Scott there is just no way the series can ever again be the same. It's not just Steve's one in a billion comedic talents that the show loses, it's also the intricately constructed dynamic between the characters. The teleplay of the entire cast that has developed into such a perfectly functioning comedy machine is something that cannot exist in the same way without Michael. The secret weapon of The Office is its spectacularly talented cast, but in a strange way, the loss of one (especially when we're talking about the main character) is enough to offset the chemistry of the entire cast. Michael Scott was the centerpiece of the ensemble, and without him, every single one of the characters loses something, whether it's their direct interaction with Michael that brought out the best in their performance while creating a one of a kind comedy team (particularly true of Jim and Dwight), or the complex balance of diverse comedic styles from one scene to the next that made each character's role seem so different and important. The talented cast may easily survive the departure of Steve Carrell, but the show can never be the same without him.
So, how does Steve's announcement to leave the series affect season seven? Well, first of all, Michael is clearly, and often awkwardly, pushed to the sidelines in order to instantly faze him out. The character that was for six seasons the driving force of every single episode is now rarely featured in the same capacity. There are very few episodes that allow him to take center stage and this hurts the show, badly. There are far more B-stories, and sometimes C-stories, that feature the rest of the cast.... Sometimes this a good thing, but many episodes start to feel crowded and paradoxically, the more sub-plots given to side characters, the less time there is for them to shine as the cast begins to become fragmented. There are very few 'ensemble' eps that involve everyone in the same story. Some characters are featured way too much... Kevin for example, becomes a bit over used, and as a result he wears a little thin. The same goes for Erin. Both are great characters but season seven puts way too much pressure on them to be funny. All the while Creed is rarely even given a single line. The biggest mistake the writers make is giving a ton of screen time to Gabe, who is without a doubt the worst, most painfully unfunny character the show has ever scene. I could write another whole review just on how and why this guy is ridiculously awful.
Season Seven also features a string of guest appearances by Will Ferrell as Michael's (temporary) replacement. He fits in fairly well at first, and there are some great scenes that showcase Carrell and Ferrell as a powerhouse comedy duo, but it's hard not to wonder why the producers would bring in such a high profile guest star to share the spotlight with Steve in all of his last episodes. It may just be for ratings, but you'd think the last episodes to feature Steve Carrell would be enough to generate hype. It may be to keep the audience's interest in the show beyond Steve's departure, but, ironically, Will is only featured in one (sub-par) post-Michael episode, then the series actually gains momentum when Will is written off and the remaining original cast members take the spotlight. Whatever the reason, it's hard to resent the presence of Will Ferrell, because he has good chemistry with the cast and, well, he's funny, plain and simple. At the same time though, it's a little strange not to have a complete and total end of the season celebration of Michael, even his last episode features a Will-centric sub-plot.
Season Seven is a hard season to define. It's certainly not a bad season, there is plenty to celebrate but at the same time it makes the previous season, thought by many fans to be sub-par, look like pure gold. The episodes that do celebrate Michael are kind of hit and miss. The return of Holly Flax is a great boost to Michael's character arc, but the progression of their relationship is rushed and often pushed into the background. Dwight, on the other hand, is ace all year long; 7 is chalk full of great stories revolving around his ownership of the building. There also plenty of great stories with Jim and Dwight that do not disappoint. Andy is also hilarious all year long as he continues to get more and more well deserved screen time. Pam also gets some nice subplots as newly promoted Office Administrator.

Notable episodes include...

Nepotism- A great premiere that sets the bar high. Michael hires his worthless Nephew and Pam attempts to prank Dwight.

Christening- A great Jim and Pam story that manages to involve their daughter in a non-invasive way. Also features a great sub-plot where Michael, feeling excluded from the ceremony, impulsively boards a bus to Mexico.

Viewing Party- A Glee party at Gabe's house??? Amazingly this ep is actually really funny. Feat: another great Jim and Pam parenting sub-plot where Dwight is the only one able to calm Ceci down, Andy gets high on powdered seahorse, and Michael gets jealous and disconnects the cable.

Classy Christmas- One of the few Michael-centric episodes featuring the return of Holly Flax as well as an epic snowball war between Jim and Dwight. Possibly the best episode since season five.

Threat Level Midnight- Considered a fan-favorite by some, I personally consider this episode to be over the top and way out of character. The idea of Michael actually filming his legendary screenplay sounds funny but it doesn't really play out that way. I'd like to know how his production values could be so high that he could afford CG and massive set pieces. Also, why was the cast so eager to participate and when did they find the time?

Michael's Last Dundies- A classic written by the great Mindy Kaling. I can't think of a better way to end Michael Scott's tenure at the office than another episode revolving around the Dundies.

Goodbye Michael- An emotional and hilarious send-off to the world's greatest boss, expertly written by Greg Daniels (making you wonder if the series would have had more stamina if he wrote more than just one post-season-4-episode a year). It has the energy and pacing of the show's earlier seasons, as well as a few very satisfying call backs.

Dwight K. Schrute, (Acting) Manager- A tremendous episode that allows Dwight to run away with the spotlight. Steve's presence is missed but this ep proves that the show can in fact still be great without him.

The Search Committee- Another surprisingly high-energy, high quality post-Carrell ep featuring a plethora of entertaining cameos from Ray Ramano to Warren Buffett. A very promising prequel to season eight.

Though starting to drift farther and farther away from its prime, The Office is still relatively excellent throughout season seven. A must have for all fans, especially since it is Michael's last. And though the show will go on, Michael will always be missed. He had a had a great run. But as great as it was, it didn't last nearly as long as it should have... That's what she said. Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I love it January 22, 2012

By jamie

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Threat Level Midnight! The entire season was worth purchasing simply because I can watch Threat Level Midnight any time I want. I don't really want to watch it without Steve Carrell though.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome January 13, 2012

By Shooter

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I believe the series speaks for itself, if you've never seen it then obviously you're not going to buy this season first. Love the office and definitely recommend it to anyone!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars the office has changed December 11, 2011

By tyljoh

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

ever since Michael Scott left the office the show has started to be a "hit and miss" type of comedy. There are some episodes that are hilarious like in previous seasons, but altogether you realize what is missing.. Michael...

The office is good, not great. Use your best judgement

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what it used to be. September 29, 2011

By Kris128183

Format:DVD

I am a massive fan of The Office and have watched it since it first aired in 2005. I thought the first 5 seasons minus the last 2 episodes of Season 5 were fantastic. Season 6 was inconsistent and was filled with some hilarious episodes and alot of episodes that I didn't care for at all. Season 7 is similar. The episodes that I did find to be quite funny are PDA, The Search, and Todd Packer. The rest were OK at best. To further complicate things this is also the final season featuring Steve Carell as Michael Scott. Towards the end of season 7, Will Ferrell makes appearences in 4 episodes as a potential replacement but this was a disappointment as the episodes provide for minimal laughs. In the final episodes a number of actors make guest appearences as additional candidates for the job of manager at Dunder Mifflin including Ricky Gervais as David Brent who was the manager of Wernham Hogg on the original BBC version of The Office. This got me a bit excited and led me to believe that he would eventually replace Michael. Unfortunately that was not the case. This along with Season 6 are not the best representations of the show. Seasons 1-5 were all fantastic and to any new fan of The Office I would recommend any of the first 5 rather than 6 and 7.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic Office fun despite the loss of Steve Carell September 16, 2011

By Kianna

Format:DVD

Love this season. So many of the episodes highlight the continued talent of the writers and actors such as Nepotism, China, Ultimatum, Threat Level Midnight and Garage Sale. Throughout the season you can feel Michael being given less parts and less focus on his character. Not that we don't enjoy his antics but it makes sense and its great to see some other characters shine. I particularly enjoy Creed but who doesn't enjoy a crazy, old person. All around the development of the ensemble is great.

I know a lot of people have objected to this season because the show doesn't focus on Michael as much as it has in the past. Lets remember that the show did not phase Michael out because they were trying to cut Steve Carell out. Mr. Carell CHOSE to leave to pursue other work. We can't blame him for wanting to try something new but the lose of his character is not NBC's fault and I'm sure they are doing the best they can to maintain the unity of the show. I feel they have done a great job. There is still a little void in the show and each episode that does not have Michael in it. I eagerly await the eighth season though because I have full faith in the writers and actors that made the show so great. It was not Steve Carell's performance alone that made the show one of the most influential comedies in recent history.

27 of 40 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Office Season 7 May 20, 2011

By Robert D. Watson VINE™ VOICE

Format:Blu-ray

I'm torn on my opinion of the Office Season 7.

On one level, there are the truly excellent episodes, from "Threat Level Midnight" to the "Herpes" episode which was full of cameos. The "PDA" episode and "The Search" really show how good of an actor both Steve Carrell and Amy Ryan are, and manage to be funny and quite heartfelt at the same time. Holly, one of my favorite characters, comes back, and Jo is absent from almost the entire season, which is a definite plus, though she did have her moments in the two hour finale. Michael Scott's final episode was wonderful, and there were some hilarious spots in almost every episode.

However, I used the word "almost" in the last paragraph for a reason. "China", "Viewing Party", "the Inner Circle" and "Christening" were, on the whole, pretty terrible episodes from my point of view. "Classy Christmas" and "The Seminar" weren't far behind. On some of them, I kept waiting for something to make me laugh, and there wasn't any payoff. The whole middle of this season was basically a train wreck that made me almost want to turn off my television mid-episode. I'm a harsh critic when it comes to the Office, if only because I know what the show is capable of creating, and the magic definitely left the building mid-season.

It got slightly more appealing to watch some of the later episodes, which would, of course, be some of Steve Carrell's last. He puts on a tour de force of three or four superior episodes leading up to his finale that could only be brought down by the talent, or lack thereof, of Will Farrell.... I've never been the least bit interested in the one character that he seems to play in every appearance, TV or on the big screen, and I can't say that I'm at all happy that he blemished five episodes of one of my favorite TV series here. Whether he's completely over-the-top or so subdued you hardly even notice him, the writing department clearly doesn't know whether they should use him as Michael Scott 2 or someone completely different, and needless to say, I was very relieved when he was gone. Those episodes as a whole, though, were excellent, saved by the superior cast of the show and Steve Carrell's genius.

But ever since Season 3 started, the Office has been more about the developing storylines of the characters than the comedy, which comes naturally as a result of the interactions between the strong and distinct personalities. Andy and Gabe get significant screen time, which is a plus, and unfortunately, Erin is drawn into this as well. I don't know what to think about her. At times, she's cute and innocent, like a younger Pam, while at others, she's just so stone-cold stupid that I can't stand her. Two of the best moments of the season put her at the center of events, though, when she calmly announces that Holly can't be Michael's girlfriend because she isn't good-looking enough, and when she breaks up with Gabe on stage at the Dundies, part 2, which was very reminiscent of the classically awkward moments that defined earlier seasons. Overall, I simply hope they find some consistency with her instead of trying to make her a Pam/Kevin hybrid.

The other character who is bothering me this season is Darrell, who used to just be the fun loving guy downstairs and a chance for Michael to make some off-color racial remarks to. Now that he's upstairs, he's lost his fun element, and he's just another body. A body who seems to be taking a lot of screen time away from the other, funnier and more interesting characters who have all but disappeared.

While it's obvious that much of the focus of the show has to settle around Michael Scott because of his departure, I think it's inexcusable to completely ignore Creed (until the final episode), Meredith, Stanley, Toby, and Phyllis, who combined might have twenty-six lines of dialog in all 26 episodes. For a large part of the beginning of the season, Jim and Pam are there for some one-liners, and absent otherwise. Some of the characters seem almost like parodies of their former selves. This is particularly evident in Kevin and Angela, the former being a little too inept to be believable, and the latter basically being transformed into a one-joke punchline. The strange thing about Angela is that her story in Season 7 actually has a lot of promise, but is almost completely ignored (she's unknowingly acting as the beard to the gay state senator, in case you forgot since you rarely see or hear from her).

I guess overall the biggest thing that Season 7 is lacking is continuity. Hopefully this will get a whole lot better now that Steve Carrell is officially gone, and all of the backstage drama and shenanigans of writing him out of the show has come to an end. Don't get me wrong, I love Michael Scott, and will miss him greatly, but the season as a whole struggled because of him. Hopefully, the writing team can focus on getting the show back on track, and hopefully, it will be done without the need to keep introducing new members to the Dunder Mifflin/Sabre team we all know and love. The guest stars were getting on my nerves.

By the way, I'm calling it now: Pam will be the new manager come Season 8. Read more ›