branch closing?

i was hoping i\’d never have to write this post. i\’ve got a bad feeling about my favorite show. the season started off nicely enough three weeks ago, with an hour-long episode that tied up a lot of loose storylines from

last

season (ryan to corporate, pam and jim, etc.) last week featured another hour-long episode that, while funny, didn\’t leave me laughing like usual. an off week, i thought. everyone is allowed a misfire from time to time. so again, like usual, i eagerly awaited last night\’s hour-long (sensing a trend?) show and… more disappointment. the thing about \”the office\” is that it works because of its quirkiness. subtle glances. rolled eyes. momentary flashes of ineptitude, or downright craziness. and, that works nicely if you\’re filling up 23 minutes. but double that? you\’ve got to turn things that work in small doses up to 11 (for lack of better word) and what was once funny becomes belabored and awkward. several stretches of last night\’s (and last week\’s) show were almost unwatchable, and certainly not funny. memo to television executives, then: there *is* such a concept of \”too much of a good thing.\” that\’s been proven many times over– most recently with game shows like \”deal or no deal\” and \”who wants to be a millionaire.\” what\’s entertaining when broadcast once a week gets to be a drudgery when shown three or four nights a week. sigh…