(S03E11) Is there any doubt that this is the best sitcom on TV? Not only is it funny, but there are some great stories with hellacious plot twists.
Witness this latest episode, which dealt primarily with Michael returning to the office after a vacation in Jamaica. Before the holiday hiatus, we were left with a cliffhanger when at the end of the last episode, Michael was desperately trying to find someone to go with him after his girlfriend broke up with him. He was finally able to persuade someone to come along, but we were left speculating as to who the "lucky" person was.
Many of us thought it was Jan, but many of us thought it was too obvious a choice, and a number of us came up with other possibilities. Well, I guess we were all shocked, but not surprised, when Michael revealed that he did go to Jamaica with Jan. Not only did she go with him, but let's just say they "bonded" down there. I was very surprised that she did go, and I was very interested in finding out why, only because ever since her brief flirtation with him last season, Jan doesn't seem to think much of Michael. Well, there goes that theory!
At the same time, we saw Karen and Jim having their first fight when she says that she wants to rent an apartment two blocks from where he lives but he feels that she is practically moving in with him. It seems strange that Jim is acting this way, especially since he seemed to have rebounded so quickly from his rejection by Pam.
Anyway, back to Michael. When he first got back to the office, he was definitely in a giddy mood. Playing a steel drum and singing "Hot, Hot, Hot" and wanting to have an "Inventory Luau" certainly seems festive, don't you think? He gets the Party Planning Committee on the case, but you just knew that it wouldn't stop there. He just had to share his pictures of Jan in a skimpy bathing suit with someone, and he thought he was just sending an e-mail to his pal Todd Packer. Of course, as is his wont, his enthusiasm and braggadocio get in the way and he mistakenly e-mails it to the "Packaging" department, and quickly the picture makes the rounds in Scranton.
Meanwhile, Pam suprisingly counsels Jim about his dilemma with Karen and says he should not be so concerned about her move. Jim readily agrees, but the ever-so-subtle look on her face made me think that she was disappointed that Jim was so quick to agree with her.
Of course, pandemonium occurs over the picture of Michael and Jan. The warehouse guys have blown it up into a huge poster despite Dwight's "search-and-destroy" mission for Michael. In addition, Michael seems to be genuinely remorseful over what he's done, and when Jan finally shows up at in Scranton to speak to Michael, the forlorn look on his face made you think he was about to get the axe.
Next come two pretty incredible plot twists. First, we see Pam upset and crying. It wouldn't be a stretch to think that maybe she blew it with Jim, and her newfound independence isn't making her any happier. But shockingly, the person that offers her comfort is Dwight! Who'd have thunk it! He actually acts like a human being concerned for her, but of course he has to throw it all away when he thinks she might be PMS'ing. Too bad. It would have been very interesting if Dwight had been a real comfort to her and offered his friendship.
Not surprisingly, the shocker of all shockers is that Jan is in love with Michael, despite her admissions of self-destructive behavior. But, she says even though he's wrong for her, she wants to be with him. (Cue "If Loving You is Wrong, I Don't Want to Be Right"!) After a passionate kiss and her telling him to meet her at his condo later, he tells her "You complete me." Brilliant, just friggin' brilliant!
At the end, Roy and Pam share a joke over their scuttled honeymoon plans, but I just don't think he will be successful in winning her back. I just get the feeling that Pam will try to win Jim's heart, but I'm not sure she's going to do anything that drastic. We'll see what happens.
As I mentioned earlier, this was just a terrific episode. Well written, well acted, and had you begging for more at the end. What more can you ask for?
Giveaways reminder: Office, Eli Stone, Supernatural, South Park
Giveaway Thursday: Tickets to the New York Television Festival ... all of it!
I miss the media-friendly John McCain - VIDEOS
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-05-2007 @ 12:12AM
David said...
um...2 things - I think the picture of Jan was her topless (from the side) not in a skimpy bathing suit
also - when Dwight asked Pam if she was "PMS'ing", I literally had to pause the TV to laugh as hard as I have in a long time...great show, another great ep
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 12:32AM
Ben said...
I just wanted to ask either people who saw the episode because I was confused, did Jan actually know about the emailed picture? She never mentioned it and Michael never said anything about it either. It seems to me something like that would be kind of hard to ignore due to the professional problems it would cause which Toby was trying to explain.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 1:03AM
Matthew said...
I think the other shock is that she didn't know about it. If she did, she wouldn't have lied to everyone about going to Scotsdale. I wonder if it will come back...
I think Pam might go back to Roy. If she does, I'm going to be very angry (with Jim).
It is hard to tell how Jim and Pam take all the little things in their friendship. I can't tell if Jim is truly over Pam, even though he mentioned in the Christmas episode about rebounding, etc...
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 1:13AM
TedSez said...
It's not surprising that Jim was uncomfortable with Karen moving so close to him. As we know from his previous speech -- about being with one person while you're still in love with the one who broke your heart -- he's not over Pam, and he doesn't necessarily see his relationship with Karen as something permanent. (Which is too bad -- Karen is great, and it's looking as if his indecision is going to end up making him act like a jerk toward her.) I was surprised that Pam was so upset, though.... If her feelings for Jim are still so strong, how come she never contacted him after she called off her wedding? I think the writers are starting to struggle a little bit with these characters, and I hope they can keep their story line going as realistically as they did in the beginning.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 1:19AM
Donnie said...
Nobody's mentioned that another of the Stamford people, Hannah, quit.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 1:29AM
Chris said...
Jim and Karen seemed on the outs after the Christmas Party episode when Jim realized that Karen was just a rebound girl. Now it looks like Pam is going to make a mistake and get drunk one night and sleep with Roy. It No surprise that Michael and Pam went to the resort but loved the twist that she wants Michael. And it looks like he'll be getting plenty of action. Toby/Michael interactions just keep on getting better. Also another Stanford employee bites the dust.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 2:43AM
Omar said...
i loved the british office and after the first season of the american verison, i gave up. after much proding i finally started the second season and blew through it and the third season episodes that aired in less than a week. i think its a great show, really funny and am glad im watching it.
i dont think its the best comedy on tv because i think how i met your mother is funnier (not by much but still) but dwight's line about pms-ing might have been the best line yet. on pop candy he said he doesn't write and rarely inserts his own lines but i hope that was off the cuff, that would be great.
i doubt jan knows about the email because she cant be THAT attracted to michael.
the office (uk) christmas episode mad the entire show for me so i hope that by the end of this season, pam and jim get together, if only for a while.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 4:37AM
Jose said...
Jim and Pam are not to be admired. They are never honest with each other about their feelings. Their cowardice is a huge character flaw. I understand timidity and fear of rejection, but they are pathetic.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 5:02AM
paintist said...
This has got to be, bar-none, the best office episode to date. One the best opens (is it technically a "cold" open?) I've seen since Jim put Dwight's stuff in the vending machine.
Granted, they made the episode almost entirely character development instead of a sort of a wacky hijinks episode. Well, definitely my new favorite since The Convict or the Injury.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 6:28AM
malren said...
I would like to meet the people who were not 100% certain that Jan was Michael's date to Jamaica. Then I would like to sell them real estate, such as swamp land in Florida and waterfront property in Arizona.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 7:51AM
RSL said...
My theory about Jan's seeming ignorance about the emailed photo is that because she was dealing with her attraction to Michael all day she either wasn't back at work or wasn't performing work-related duties, ie. checking email, etc. Anyone else buying it? I'm more intrigued about what's gonna happen when she DOES find out about it now that she's given in to her dark [dork?] side.
Speaking of which, what's up with her shrink telling her to indulge self-destructive tendencies?? My roomie and I were discussing it and think that perhaps its that Jan views her instincts as self-destructive [when they aren't] and that by following them and seeing that she doesn't implode, she will learn confidence. Except that any relationship with Michael is just bound to screw up. Heh.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 7:51AM
RSL said...
Oh, yeah. What's up with the packaging department anyhow? I thought those guys worked for Bob Vance [Vance Refrigeration] now??
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 7:54AM
Bebop said...
No one has mentioned the beads in Michael's hair? How he was swinging them around in the beginning of the episode. I was hysterical.
Dwight and Pam moment was brilliant.
Also after Michael said, "You complete me" you can hear Jan say something like "dear god".
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 9:51AM
Alan said...
Oh the BEADS! Best understated joke of the episode! Brilliant.
I was starting to worry that we were going to see some "Sam and Diane" go on between Jim and Pam, but right now they just come off as...well...pathetic.
Then again most sitcom couples tend to come off this way, the "will they or won't they" aspect has been done by so many shows now that it's beyond predictable.
At least The Office is handling it a bit differently, and arguably better than so many others...but they still come off as really pathetic.
Terrific episode all in all.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 10:24AM
RedStarRevolution said...
I think the funniest part of this episode (and there were plenty), was Michael's blown attempt at being coy about his and Jan's tryst in Jamaica. We all knew when he said, 'I'll leave it at that' he wasn't going to leave it at that, because thats not the Michael Scott we all know and love. When he blurted out sex, the 'we had sex', then 'I had sex with Jan', i was pulling the same move as David up in comment 1, pausing the show so i could pull myself off the floor and try to stop laughing so damn hard. This is far and away my favorite sitcom, and getting up there as the one show I look forward to every week. Brilliant, simply brilliant.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 10:29AM
Joshua Stein said...
"That's not Jan, it's a German woman - Urkelberger"
When Jim brings up that name again later, I actually shot sprite through my nose. Not a proud moment for me, but still enjoyable.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 10:33AM
... said...
The Dwight - Pam scene was strangely endearing. I can't explain why, but despite all the akwardness and humor of the situation I practically shed a tear.
Emphasis on practically.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 11:00AM
Mike said...
I think the best cold open so far was the one where Jim was sending Dwight faxes from "Future Dwight". But Andy screaming, "Now I'm cutting off Phyllis head with a chainsaw!" into the tape recorder might be second on the list.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 11:03AM
Mike said...
"Urgelgrue" was the made-up name. And I too almost cried when Jim mentioned it later in the episode.
Michael - "It may or may not be. It may be Jan. It may be..."
Jim - "Urgelgrue."
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 11:47AM
joe said...
Does anyone know the significance of Darryl finding the iPod/speaker system in the warehouse. He was excited that he found it.
Reply