WhileThe Office’s worst episode might be woeful, viewers can take some solace in the fact that the outing technically isn’t really a part of the series.The Office’s cast of charactersmight be reliably hilarious, but the show didn’t always live up to its potential. Some episodes ofThe Officeare hard to sit throughon purpose, crafting some of the most effectively cringe-inducing comedy in TV history. However, other episodes are unintentionally cringe-worthy, with forced drama, out-of-character moments, or unfunny gags ruining their momentum.
Most ofThe Office’s weakest moments are very much part of the series, whether we like to admit it or not.The Office’s infamous Brian the Camera Guy arcmight not have worked, but the entire premise of the storyline was tied up inThe Office’s status as a mockumentary and the show’s longstanding Jim/Pam romance. The story itself might have fallen flat, but there is no denying that it wouldn’t have made sense in any other series. However, one of the worst episodes ofThe Officehas a much more tenuous link to the series.
“The Farm” Is Very Much Not An Episode Of The Office
“The Farm” Was A Backdoor Pilot And It Truly Shows
In season 9, episode 17, “The Farm,” Dwight attends his Aunt Shirley’s funeral at his family farm, bringing Oscar but none of the rest of the office’s inhabitants. As Oscar runs from the funeral shortly after their arrival, the majority of the episode’s action is dedicated to Dwight’s reunion with his family members, including his brother Jeb, his cousin Mose and Zeke, his sister Fannie, his nephew Cammy, and his uncle Heinrich.
Although there was a forgettable B-story involving David Kouchner’s odious Packer returning to Dunder-Miflin and fruitlessly attempting to convince his old colleagues that he had changed, “The Farm” focused almost entirely on the titular location.The reason “The Farm” doesn’t feel like an episode of The Officeis that it wasn’t one, or rather, it wasn’t an episode of the series in the traditional sense. AsThe Office’s final seasonwrapped up its storyline, the show’s former showrunner Paul Lieberstein was busy planning a spinoff starring Dwight.
Judging by the largely negative critical and fan reception of “The Farm,” it is relatively easy to see why this spinoff show never materialized.
The show, titled The Farm, would have followed the episode’s storyline and seen Dwight run the farm he inherited from his Aunt Shirley with his mismatched family. Hijinks would no doubt ensue, but viewers never got to bear witness to these since the show wasn’t picked up by NBC. Judging by the largely negative critical and fan reception of “The Farm,” it is relatively easy to see why this spinoff show never materialized.
Why The Office’s Dwight Schrute Spinoff Didn’t Move Forward
The Limited Appeal of “The Farm” Was Evident From Its Reception
AsThe AVClub’s Erik Adams noted,“The Farm” was more cartoony and broader in its humor than the deadpan antics ofThe Office. SinceThe Officewas already much broader than the subtler,darker original UK version ofTheOffice, it is easy to see whyThe Farmwouldn’t have worked as a series. The show started zany and only got progressively more absurd as the episode continued, meaning there was almost nowhere for the show to go after its pilot episode.
Rainn Wilson’s character would have been the spinoff’s protagonist, and his worst side was amplified withoutThe Office’s characters to rein him in throughout “The Farm.”
Furthermore, there was the problem of the show’s unlikable hero. Dwight was very funny in the context ofThe Office, where his loyalty to Michael and his rivalry with Jim kept his self-centered attitude and creepy side contained. InThe Farm, Rainn Wilson’s character would have been the spinoff’s protagonist, and his worst side was amplified withoutThe Office’s characters to rein him in throughout “The Farm.” Thus, it is a good thing that viewers were spared any further trips to the farm after this ill-fated lone outing.
At Least “The Farm” Was Just An Episode And Not A Whole Show
The Office’s Worst Outing At Least Shut Down A Terrible Spinoff Premise
Although it is hard to deny that “The Farm” doesn’t work, it is at least mercifully brief.It is a good thing thatThe Farmwasn’t picked up, since the legacy of a failed spinoff might have tarnished the fond memories viewers have ofThe Office. WhileJoeydidn’t ruin the legacy ofFriends, it is worth noting thatFriendsremained fairly popular in its later seasons and departed with more audience goodwill.The Officeseason 9 was badlong before “The Farm,” and a failed spinoff could have left viewers wondering why they ever liked the show.
The Office Had Much Bigger Problems Than Replacing Michael Scott After Steve Carell’s Exit, And Its Worst Season Proves It
The Office suffered a huge loss when Michael Scott left the series, but the cartoonish season 9 would’ve been terrible even if Michael was in it.
Although there were a few laughs to be had on the titular farm, Dwight wasn’t a good protagonist for a show of his own and the setting didn’t hold much promise. The awkward tonal uncertainty of the pilot, combined with the lack of laughs, means it was ultimately good thatThe Office’s worst episode didn’t end up spawning an entirely separate show after “The Farm" was released to little fanfare.
