In the post Seinfeld wasteland, few shows have grabbed my attention.

That is until a zany crew at a Scranton paper supply company came along in a documentary-style comedy that is the U.S. version of The Office.

As usual, I come upon great TV shows late. The Office is no exception but since I began watching it on Netflix a few years ago I have become hooked.

The Office has appealed to me on several levels — the documentary format makes it real; there is no laugh track so you may laugh at something different than others laugh at.

For the majority of its run, with the exception of this season, the show has always come through as true in one way or another.

While the show should have probably ended its run when Michael Scott left for Colorado, the producers have tried amazingly hard to make it ring true in the absence of Steve Carell.

In the post Carell era there have been great moments, good moments and bad moments, almost like a stellar athlete at the end of his career.

Overall the show gets two big thumbs up from me or else I wouldn’t devote space writing about it.

Everyone knows someone on the show. There is a Michael Scott in every office, the one who seeks attention, the one whose humor is often over the top, the one who, while trying to be well meaning, comes off as offensive and often crude.

The very first episode of this show, when Scott pretends to be Hitler, reminds me of a boss I had who did something he called the gay Nazi march. It was disturbingly funny the first time but wore thin the second.

I remember when a woman came in our newsroom complaining her grandchild’s photo hadn’t run. She used a racial epithet and the boss, running after her, told her not to say that word while using the word and then called her the name of a female dog while chasing her.

There is a Dwight Schrute in every office, fiercely loyal to the company mantra no matter what the company might throw at you. I can’t say, however, I have known many beet farmers with an Amish lineage.

There are, of course, the human resources reps that, while only doing their jobs, always steal the fun and sometimes hit you in the gut with the bad news of cutbacks or taking away overtime.

Sometimes the HR reps simply report stupid corporate mandates like all women must wear bras — a very true story.

There are definitely Todd Packers in the office, my first publisher being one of them, an extreme misogynist who often used racial epithets like they were going out of style. Where were the HR reps when you needed them most?

Then there are the office romances, the tension they can cause or the bliss they can create. Mine have always ended badly.

Then there are just those awkward moments, when either you try to pull a prank or make a joke that falls flat.

In its very real way, The Office covered most of those situations and covered them well.

While the series finale won’t be as painful as the Seinfeld finale it will still leave a huge Thursday night void, the one night I actually devote to TV viewing and cringe if there’s an assignment.

This coming Thursday night the fun comes to an end. Last night gave some major hints to how it will end and it seems from the previews the writers may have done an outstanding job bringing this fine series to a close.

Don’t be offended if you try to call me and I don’t answer because the office will be closed. Thanks guys for the memories and the laughs — Lance Martin

Lance Martin is editor and publisher of rrspin.com