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 (110 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B003L77GDS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #358 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #16 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

49 of 63 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.

1 of 1 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.

1 of 1 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!