# The Office will run 50 minutes April, 28



## jamesbobo (Jun 18, 2000)

Steve Carrel will make his final appearance, at least his scheduled final appearance, on the April 28 episode. The show is scheduled to run 50 minutes. Even if you have a season pass you should check to make sure it will record properly.


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## trainman (Jan 29, 2001)

And "Parks and Recreation" will run 40 minutes, from 9:50 to 10:30 (Eastern/Pacific), with a normal-length "30 Rock" following at 10:30.


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

I never understand this sort of thing.

If a show is going to run 50 minutes, DO IT AS AN HOUR AND BE DONE WITH IT.

Totally messes up the viewing schedule for the night.

Yes, I'm being grumpy, but it's a legit point.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

gastrof said:


> Totally messes up the viewing schedule for the night.
> 
> Yes, I'm being grumpy, but it's a legit point.


Not really. What "viewing schedule" does it mess up?

If you mean it messes up recording shows in abutting time slots, that problem is so old now ('er' being the one that originally brought it to my attention, starting at 9:59).

Since NBC comedies are typically grouped together in good groups (though I have a bunch of Outsourced I haven't watched yet, and haven't watched any of this season's Parks & Rec yet), it's even less of an issue -- though I do like to add a minute on the end of each of them too.


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

Oh good, it will not mess up anything I watch but I agree, this is stupid.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Why? Again, explain.


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

I guess they want everyone to have two tuners. I think is to prevent watching another show in the second half-hour.


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## JLucPicard (Jul 8, 2004)

gastrof said:


> If a show is going to run 50 minutes, DO IT AS AN HOUR AND BE DONE WITH IT.


For this kind of event (so to speak), I would much rather have them schedule a 50 minute episode that hits its marks than to have them arbitrarily expand it to an hour and fill the time with things that will take away from the quality of the episode. Plus within that additional 10 minutes they'd probably plop in about another 4 minutes of commercials anyway.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

I'm now seeing 52 minutes for The Office and 38 minutes for Parks and Recreation.


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## esjones (Oct 20, 2007)

JYoung said:


> I'm now seeing 52 minutes for The Office and 38 minutes for Parks and Recreation.


What are you looking at? My TiVo guide still shows 30/30 each for The Office and Parks & Rec.


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## David Platt (Dec 13, 2001)

esjones said:


> What are you looking at? My TiVo guide still shows 30/30 each for The Office and Parks & Rec.


This thread is for the episode that aired two weeks ago.


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## esjones (Oct 20, 2007)

David Platt said:


> This thread is for the episode that aired two weeks ago.


Oops. 

Boy, do I feel stoopid.

Where's Bill Engvall? I lost my sign.


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## AbMagFab (Feb 5, 2001)

JLucPicard said:


> For this kind of event (so to speak), I would much rather have them schedule a 50 minute episode that hits its marks than to have them arbitrarily expand it to an hour and fill the time with things that will take away from the quality of the episode. Plus within that additional 10 minutes they'd probably plop in about another 4 minutes of commercials anyway.


Unfortunately, it's simply more commercials. This rarely has anything to do with more content.

A special episode = more viewers + more commercials = more money.

Don't forget - the content is there to get you to watch the commercials. Broadcast television is entirely about advertising. Everything else is to support that.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

AbMagFab said:


> Unfortunately, it's simply more commercials. This rarely has anything to do with more content.


I'd say you're partially right and partially wrong.

Yes, *most* of the extra time is commercials, compared with the "standard" commercial time per show (between 1/4 and 1/3 of the time per hour). But I've timed out a few 'extended' episodes in the past, and they did have more actual show than a typical length one. (I think 'er' was one of them I did, and probably something like 'Friends' that they extended on occassion too.)


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