TMC
12-22-2022, 10:10 PM
https://www.looper.com/1147073/greg-daniels-continued-a-trend-from-the-office-to-space-force/
Daniels reworked aspects of Space Force, as he had with The Office
Greg Daniels' longevity as a creator arguably comes from his willingness to experiment with new ideas. When he first began conceptualizing "Space Force" with Steve Carell (https://www.looper.com/704480/the-untold-truth-of-steve-carell/), the duo wanted to be sure the new series had a distinct identity apart from "The Office" (per The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/greg-daniels-interview-office-reboot-space-force-season-two-1235090809/)). Given the creative personnel that worked on both shows, it's genuinely impressive how different they feel from one another.
As Daniels told The Hollywood Reporter, to avoid repeating the visual language pioneered by his previous workplace comedies, "Space Force" attempted a form of cinematography inspired by Stanley Kubrick. While this strategy succeeded in giving Season 1 a unique aesthetic, it hindered the potential of the cast's ability to improvise. Because of this, Daniels gave the actors more flexibility while shooting the second season. Daniels' change seemingly resonated with critics as well, with Season 2 jumping to 75% on Rotten Tomatoes (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/space_force/s02), from the first season's rocky 39%. Reviewing the show for Variety (https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/space-force-season-2-review-1235175383/), Caroline Framke wrote, "[Season 2] isn't half as sleek or ambitious as the initial season, but the show at least seems much more comfortable in its own skin."
It's easy to forget, however, that both "The Office" and "Parks and Rec" (https://www.looper.com/903203/things-you-probably-never-knew-about-parks-and-recreation/) took a little while to get off the ground. The Daniels Spectrum doesn't range from shows that worked to shows that didn't, but from shows that were nurtured over time and those that needed more time to grow.
Daniels reworked aspects of Space Force, as he had with The Office
Greg Daniels' longevity as a creator arguably comes from his willingness to experiment with new ideas. When he first began conceptualizing "Space Force" with Steve Carell (https://www.looper.com/704480/the-untold-truth-of-steve-carell/), the duo wanted to be sure the new series had a distinct identity apart from "The Office" (per The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/greg-daniels-interview-office-reboot-space-force-season-two-1235090809/)). Given the creative personnel that worked on both shows, it's genuinely impressive how different they feel from one another.
As Daniels told The Hollywood Reporter, to avoid repeating the visual language pioneered by his previous workplace comedies, "Space Force" attempted a form of cinematography inspired by Stanley Kubrick. While this strategy succeeded in giving Season 1 a unique aesthetic, it hindered the potential of the cast's ability to improvise. Because of this, Daniels gave the actors more flexibility while shooting the second season. Daniels' change seemingly resonated with critics as well, with Season 2 jumping to 75% on Rotten Tomatoes (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/space_force/s02), from the first season's rocky 39%. Reviewing the show for Variety (https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/space-force-season-2-review-1235175383/), Caroline Framke wrote, "[Season 2] isn't half as sleek or ambitious as the initial season, but the show at least seems much more comfortable in its own skin."
It's easy to forget, however, that both "The Office" and "Parks and Rec" (https://www.looper.com/903203/things-you-probably-never-knew-about-parks-and-recreation/) took a little while to get off the ground. The Daniels Spectrum doesn't range from shows that worked to shows that didn't, but from shows that were nurtured over time and those that needed more time to grow.