(S03E20) When I was 19 -- about as weaselly as a little sophomore English major weasel could get -- my father gave me a summer job touring construction sites for his business. I guess I was always kind of aware about what a little sissy boy I was (I mean I could have held my copy of The Foundation Trilogy in my man-boobs), but it wasn't until I had to walk around those work sites that my distinct lack of testosterone was made so apparent to me.I thought about those days a lot while I watched tonight's Office...
Before we get to discussing white collar impotence, though, let me say this: I loved this episode. I loved it in a way that might be unnatural for a man to love a network television show. Really, any more clicks higher on the "loved this episode" scale and I might be protested by a family organization.
Last week, I complained that the Pam/Roy/Jim/Karen quadrangle was a heavy, soapy stone around the neck of The Office. I complimented the brilliance of the supporting cast and said that maybe if they stopped trying to bait the viewer with "progress" on the romance front, we'd finally get to the core of what makes the show so great.
I'm not saying that I'm the most powerful man in show business -- that would be overstating (a little) my place in the entertainment universe -- but, I think it's obvious from tonight's episode that the writers of The Office paid attention to everything I said. What we saw tonight delivered on the promise of the last two years and gave us probably the best show of the season.
In fact, I'm a little worried that tomorrow, when I'm more removed from the hazy love that I have for the show right now, I'll be embarrassed about how ridiculously effusive I'm being. I suppose that's the risk you run whenever you review a show the second you're finished watching it. (And besides, I already revealed how big my 19 year-old man-boobs were, so I guess I'll have a lot to be embarrassed about concerning this review one way or the other.)
Moments of greatness tonight:
1) The blue collar/white collar dynamic that was the core of this episode. I've criticized in the past that sometimes Michael doesn't feel like a real person. Though you could argue that him jumping off the roof pushes him into that annoying cartoon character that he sometimes becomes, I thought that the impetus for his actions came from a very real place. It's nice to know that I'm not the only person who feels uncomfortable whenever I'm around "manly men".
1a) The build up to the jump and the eventual talk down ("You're Braveheart") never felt forced. Side note: did Creed discover the castle when he was peeing outside??
2) The betting. Even Cheers didn't have an ensemble this big and rich and defined. Each vignette existed solely because of what we knew about the characters; no awkward exposition was necessary. The high point was Kelly talking to Ryan while people just went up and placed money on his desk. Brilliant.
3) Shun. Unshun.
4) Stanley and the watermelon. Imus, take note, this is how clever racial humor is done. I'm not sure if one look at the end of an episode is enough to win someone an Emmy, but Leslie David Baker needs to be considered for it, doesn't he?
I think this episode proves that there needs to be a term for the opposite of "jumping the shark." If we use "jump the shark" to indicate a moment when a show peaks and can only get worse from that point forward, we need something for when a show defines its greatness and starts moving towards its place in television pantheon. I'd like to submit "jumping the castle" as a candidate for this term.
Question of the week for the male commentators out there: how many of you would have stood up for your girlfriend to Sea Monster? I ask because I thought the situation was a pretty subtle underscoring of the main theme of tonight's episode: for a lot of white collar guys, blue collar guys are scary. Last week I said that I would have probably punched Jim (like Roy did)... this week, I'm not so sure how manly I would have been in the face of someone as big as Patrice O'Neal being rude to my wife. What would you guys have done?
Not sure if you can tell from the review or not, but I give tonight's episode a seven... out of seven!
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)
4-13-2007 @ 1:34AM
Jon said...
7? I'm just noticing the rating scale. That's such an awkward number to use for rating. 5...maybe 10. But 7? I guess that works...
I almost died during the Kelly bet when she was explaining how the Netflix queue system worked. All of the bets were good, actually. I can sympathize with Kevin. Without March Madness, it has been pretty boring.
And I can't believe you didn't list Dwight and Michael's rock out on the roof in your highlights.
Michael's reaction to Darryl saying, "You Braveheart" as "I Braveheart"...I don't know if you can die from laughing, but that slayed me.
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4-13-2007 @ 2:17AM
Borat said...
The bets were the best part. Great stuff.
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4-13-2007 @ 2:19AM
Blair said...
This show "Jumped the castle" a long time ago...
Also, while I know it would get my ass kicked, I'd still stand up for my girlfriend. If I had a girlfriend...
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4-13-2007 @ 2:37AM
RedStarRevolution said...
To be honest, I would have told Sea Monster to shut the hell up himself...from a safe distance...then I'd duck behind Dwight. Even though Toby took his weapons, you know he's still got a stash.
Loved the bets and how it incorporated all the rest of the characters. I loved how Ryan knew exactly how long Kelly would talk about Netflix, beautiful.
The writers sure seem to be overdosing on Darrell since the show came back from newpeat/repeat hiatus, and I'm all for it.
And is it just me or does Kevin seem to have a gambling problem? He's a world class poker player, and now he's betting on random things b/c he's bored after the Final Four...
Shun + Unshun = Comedic Brilliance
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4-13-2007 @ 3:15AM
Haunt said...
Dude, I laughed my ASS off at this episode, but your review was almost as funny as the show itself. Let us know how that quest for a marriage license goes man.
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4-13-2007 @ 6:41AM
Jay Rubenstein said...
"how ridiculously effusive I'm being" summed up your review quite well. Most of the gags were forced and not worthy of this once fine comedy. Poorly written and overacted.
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4-13-2007 @ 6:50AM
Mark said...
Jay, when you're in a loving marriage, engaged to someone, or just in love, I'd like to think there's only one answer to your question of course you defend your woman's honor if the situation absolutely requires it... even if it means "taking one for the team".
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4-13-2007 @ 7:49AM
Bill said...
Oh I'd be be wussy in the face of the "Sea Monster" too. But RedStarRevolution's plan sounds pretty smart. I might go with that if I had time to think about it.
The part that killed me was when Daryl and Michael were arguing about the Bailer, Dwight just leans into the background with his head sticking into the thing. I definitely don't have Jay's level of love for the episode... I wouldn't want to marry it, but I might give it the keys to my apartment and introduce it to my parents. Getting out from the love triangle and just being funny makes the already great show even better.
http://popculturejunk.blogspot.com/
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4-13-2007 @ 8:14AM
patel said...
"how many of you would have stood up for your girlfriend to Sea Monster?"
I'm a whitecollar worker who works at a power company in the south. Lots of Blue collar workers. Actually more like red collar, as in in-bred rasict rednecks.
I've been at functions with my wife when she's gotten rude comments. And yeah I do stand up.
I even punch one guy. Damn near broke my wrist doing it.
As for the episode, I actually didn't get the watermellon joke until now.
The shun/unshun thing was excellent.
Looking back at season 1 I hated dwight, esp when he stole Jim sale.
Then they made him just wierd like with the farm.
Now Dwight is excentric, and brilliant at it.
I will be using the shun/unshun at work
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4-13-2007 @ 8:15AM
RSL said...
@ Jay: "I think it's obvious from tonight's episode that the writers of The Office paid attention to everything I said." Heh. Funny. For a moment I really imagined the creative staff retooling an episode in six days just to appease the critics. [Not that you're not _the_ critic. ;) At least, in your own mind.] It's funny to me how often teevee reviewers talk in these kinds of language about shows responding to the viewers when the timeline for the show to have actually responded had to have already passed before the comments and reactions were ever made. Or maybe I misoverestimate [yes, you heard me!] how much work and time goes into producing a show. Hope that doesn't come of as snotty as I frequently can. I understand that you were being humorous. It just made me think. :)
On the Ryan - Kelly - Sea Monster thing, I missed last weeks episode so I'm guess I'm going to have to assume that Ryan finally decided he wasn't trying to escape the needy clutches of Kelly but was actually in love. 'Cause if some big guy asserted himself and I had to choose between pissing him off or someone I was already trying to distance myself from... I'd piss off the "Kelly" every time. I obviously missed Ryan's conversion to true love last week. ;) [I really did miss the episode though. Heh.]
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4-13-2007 @ 9:01AM
Kyle Beasley said...
The show was very funny and the watermelon/lawyer/Stanley joke had me laughing very loudly, and I don't guffaw very often. Some of the jokes were over the top. I don't think even 8 year olds would think that the stuff Micheal was doing was safe, but he's the worlds biggest idiot. Anyway I really enjoyed this show, and all the stuff that was prominently displayed in this episode was on the undercurrent of the previous episode. I guess the Reviewer Jay likes humor a little bolder and not very subtle.
http://kylebeabo.blogspot.com/
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4-13-2007 @ 9:12AM
Scott said...
To borrow a line from another great NBC show: I wanna take this episode behind the junior high school and get it pregnant!
I loved, Loved, LOVED this episode!
Unshun/Shun
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4-13-2007 @ 9:40AM
Donnie said...
Since Michael was really planning to do something that would probably kill him, does that mean Kevin wins the 10,000-to-1 bet with Jim?
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4-13-2007 @ 10:30AM
graigbachman said...
If John Cougar Mellencamp ever wins an Oscar...
Best. Line. Ever.
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4-13-2007 @ 10:44AM
Daniella said...
Mu husband is a blue collar worker and people are always scared to say something about my loud mouth. (it doesn't hurt that he is 6'3 and 235 pounds) Loved the episode, I lol the whole time.
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4-13-2007 @ 10:46AM
Amy said...
The show had me rolling on the floor - I'm afraid I missed half the jokes - and Jay's review & everybody's comments have me about to get in trouble at work because I'm laughing so hard!
I loved the warehouse scene and Darryl lamenting, "We've never made it a full year." I loved when Darryl was fussing at Michael while Dwight was in the background looking up INTO the bailer (sp?). I loved Andy's very restrained therapy-speak: "I can't control what you do... I can only control what I do."
And, Andy: when is this shunning going to end?
Dwight: Unshun. NEVER!!! Re-shun.
I LOVED TOBY & CREED & THE POTATO!!!! GO, TOBY!!!!
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4-13-2007 @ 10:46AM
Jose said...
Why would you punch someone for expressing an opinion?
Why should Kelly or Ryan care what the Sea Monster thinks?
Having to defend Kelly would imply that she is fragile and lacking the self confidence to not care what someone else says or thinks about her.
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4-13-2007 @ 10:50AM
Nova said...
What is Sea Monster going to do if you stand up for your girl? punch you and get fired? I don't think so. All he can do is throw verbal insults, heaven forbid. You can say anything you like to him.
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4-13-2007 @ 10:55AM
erin said...
I loved this episode too, and I would place it right after "Gay Witch Hunt" as my favorite of the season. I was laughing pretty much the whole time.
Line I loved. Michael: "Am I a hero? I really can't say. But yes."
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4-13-2007 @ 10:56AM
Bash said...
?
I thought "jumping the shark" means the point in a series where it so blatantly shows it's past it's bedtime that you have to take it behind the gym and shoot it.
Or do you really think that "Happy Days" episode was the highpoint when the Fonz jumped that shark? Really?
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