(S03E23) After last week's comment massacre, I was hoping to be able to come on and give this episode a glowing review that would turn the comments from "I wish Jay would die of some sort of exotic fish poisoning" to "thank you for re-affirming why I watch this show by providing a series of highlights from tonight's episode, plus a 7 rating... if you ever need a kidney, email me."So which is it? More vitriolic bile or an army of willing organ donors? The answer, as always, after the jump...
I really enjoyed this episode a lot. I thought that it was a bit more low key than some of the previous episodes (hilarious sumo outfits not withstanding) and that suited me just fine. I thought that Michael's ridiculousness, always a difficult balancing act, was reigned-in to just this side of believable where it belongs. I thought that it was filled with a great assortment of gags, both character-based and farcical. I thought this episode was headed towards "classic" status and that writing my review tonight would be as easy as it is to get a glimpse of Meredith's breasts.
But...
Did anyone buy Pam's speech at the end of the episode!? If she had stopped with "Why didn't you come to my art show?", it would have been fine. When she pushed the Jim issue, though, the speech (and the episode along with it) took a turn for the worse. I had four major problems with it:
1) I just don't see Pam, flush with post-fire-walking endorphins or not, as being the kind of person to confront Jim so publicly regarding her feelings. Not because those feelings are invalid, but because talking about those things in front of everyone is impolite and incredibly disrespectful of Karen. Pam is not an impolite person. I realize that for the purposes of the story those things needed to be said to Jim and ultimately heard by Karen, but having Pam do it in an wildly out of character speech just smacks of sloppy writing.
2) For those of us who enjoy The Office for the soap opera as well as the comedy, what Pam said should have been a break-through moment. Think back to when Jim announced his feelings for Pam at the end of last season; it was so perfectly heartbreaking and real that I think my wife almost blew-up the TiVo re-watching it all summer. Tonight's speech, even though it was a season in coming, just felt forced. Do you think anyone will be using this moment as romantic methadone for the next three months? I didn't think so.
3) My internet nit-picky moment: walking on coals is not an accomplishment. Check out this site to see how it's done and why it's not a big deal.
And now, if you'll allow me to "Creed"-up a notch...
4) You cannot tell Toby in the beginning part of the episode that you'll be "wearing a two-piece" at the lake and then NOT WEAR A TWO-PIECE! I'm sorry, but that speech should have been given in a bikini. For the love of all that's right and natural in the world, that bikini was owed to me and the millions of Jenna Fischer addicts all over the multiverse. I will now stick an unbent paper-clip in my eye.
As always, I'm curious to hear your opinions on the speech. Did it seem natural to you? Am I over-thinking it (like usual)?
That being said, there was a lot to love in this episode:
1) Andy floating in a sumo-suit. Best single image of the year.
2) Stanley's brief flirtation with butt-kissing. "I can't do this anymore. I'll be in the van."
3) The look on Karen's face during Pam's speech. My wife, so much in tune with girl faces, gave this interpretation of the look she was giving Pam: "Back off, Bitch."
4) Dwight yelling at Ryan during the egg-walk.
5) "Like Amanda Bynes?" "Whose Amanda Bynes?" "She's from What a Girl Wants." "Oh, I love that movie." Just a priceless character interaction between two pop-culture-soaked dunderheads.
6) The sing-alongs. I have to say that these are probably my favorite Office moments of the year. Though the second choice of songs was either a rip-off or an homage (if there's a difference) to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, it didn't matter. I'm a sucker for sing-alongs and when you watch a bunch of characters who you've grown to love come together to sing one on a bus... well, that's the height of artistic triumph so far as I'm concerned.
Does thinking that a sing-along represents the "height of artistic triumph" disqualify me from ever writing seriously about anything ever again? Probably, but I don't care. I'm downloading The Gambler as we speak (legally, even!)
Question of the week: If you worked at Dunder-Mifflin and could pick one boss, who would it be and why? Extra points if you don't go with the obvious answer (Jim).
A potential first-ballot hall-of-fame-episode marred by a Ricky-Henderson-passing-Lou-Brock level bad speech means that I have to give this episode 6 Creed-Killed Fish out of 7.
Six shows that I am watching pretty regularly this season
Five other TV shows where Sarah Palin should appear
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
5-10-2007 @ 11:03PM
Susan Adair said...
Respectfully, I think you are totally wrong. Pam's speech was so on the money. I have no problem believing she would say what she said to Jim. She didn't tell him she loved him, she said she missied him and wanted his friendship. I think that was huge and he (and the audience) needed to hear that and I think she knew it. She didn't want to be ashamed of how she felt and she wanted everyone to know. There is nothing wrong with that.
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5-10-2007 @ 11:04PM
Andy said...
Yes, I did buy it. It did not feel forced. It was a brilliant moment, one that perhaps is as great as last seasons finale. Sir, I respectfully disagree.
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5-10-2007 @ 11:11PM
kit said...
the boss question- it would be toby, absolutely toby. he's like the delphi oracle of dunder mifflin- he is always, always right about everything. and is so quietly awkward and adorable about it too.
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5-10-2007 @ 11:15PM
Bill said...
Kit nailed it, Toby's the nicest guy on the show (Jim's pranks are kind of dick-ish sometimes).
I tend not to care too much about the soap opera parts, so I definitely agree that a two piece would've enhanced that scene significantly.
http://popculturejunk.blogspot.com/
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5-10-2007 @ 11:21PM
Guffin GacGuffin said...
The reason Pam's speech wasn't out of character is because the show has allowed her character to grow--something many shows are afraid to do. Over the course of this season, we've seen a real evolution of Pam that makes the show feel all the more real. If you were hoping for stagnant characters, I think Everybody Loves Raymond just came out on DVD.
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5-10-2007 @ 11:28PM
Carl said...
This episode made me feel like I was at the actual Dunder Mifflin beach-day. Just plain frustrating and a waste of time.
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5-10-2007 @ 11:29PM
westtexgeo said...
I, too, believed the speech was totally out of character. When I saw the previews, I had assumed the speech followed a heavy dose of wine coolers, in which cased I would have bought it, but after walking (running?) on hot coals? I think not. As for the next boss, if you can see Michael as a regional manager, you can put anybody in that slot EXCEPT Jim. It would be interesting to see how Stanley would act with that responsibility.
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5-10-2007 @ 11:41PM
Borat said...
It would have been out of character if she had said it in front of people she didn't know. But these are people she has been working with for years and I think there is always a time when a timid person like Pam always let's people know what they are feeling like.
What was weird was the fact that she was talking to Jim in front of everyone...
But wow, what a fun episode. Especially seeing Stanley being bored ("Sit in the back of the bus"), then getting really excited (His battle with Jim was priceless...especially when they replayed it), then getting bored again.
Creed eating the fish raw...that guy is super creepy...I love it!
And yes, where was the two piece bikini????
WILLMAAAA!!
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5-10-2007 @ 11:44PM
Justin said...
I think the speech seemed to lack the punch of the Casino Night finale because this was a declaration of friendship, not of love. This speech was a glass of white wine while Jim's revelation last year was a shot of whiskey.
On the topic of interpreting women, I loved Pam's arms-at-45-degrees-to-her-body chick-run. Adorable.
Oh, and I pick Stanley for manager. Because of all the great things that his people have...no, just kidding. I think he'd be a no-B.S. kind of guy. Although after seeing that look in his eye...
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5-10-2007 @ 11:45PM
smashthesymbols said...
"You cannot tell Toby in the beginning part of the episode that you'll be "wearing a two-piece" at the lake and then NOT WEAR A TWO-PIECE!"
My thoughts exactly. I loved the episode, but if they're gonna tease us like that they should follow through. It's the least they could do after Meredith flashed us.
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5-10-2007 @ 11:46PM
Spud said...
Boo! Stop raining on Pam's parade! (walking on coals is easy...psh). I totally bought it: it was in the moment and a result of her adrenaline as well as a logical progression of her character arc. In other words, IN CHARACTER.
BTW this was the best. episode. ever. An Office bus sing-a-long cannot fail to be.
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5-10-2007 @ 11:47PM
Tom said...
I do disagree, I think Pam's speech has been building since the beginning. If you rewatch Season 3 she's been getting more and more brave and daring. She's been coming out of her shell. I agree it was maybe just a little much, but it *is* a TV show, and with her, I buy it, the same way I buy Jim and Pam still wearing mics during their moment last season, and the documentary crew managing to hide in the Office. It wasn't as romantic, but it was liberating, and definitely one of my favourite moments. I could see next season Pam moving up to sales, or maybe being appointed some kind of advertising or graphic design person in Scranton. Don't know how that'd really work, but hey, they'd find a way. Or maybe Karen gets the promotion and it basically all goes back to the way it was, save for Andy?
I definitely agree on Michael, too. There are some eps from this season where I have to fast forward parts; I can't stand Michael when they go too far with him. They hit a good balance, and it will be an interesting bit when he doesn't get the job. I don't know, I can't see him getting the job, unless Steve Carrell wants to leave. Then you'd have to do an outside hire, cause no one from the Office can really, plotwise/dynamic wise, step up to be boss. I mean, Gareth, in the BBC series, I can almost believe. But Dwight? No way. Jim would be the logical, obvious choice. Andy wouldn't get past the screening process, and Stanley would just be boring. I think I'd like to work under Creed. He'd just kind of let everyone do their jobs and do weird things in his office.
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5-10-2007 @ 11:48PM
tricia said...
I agree with the first two commenters. She said he had been her best friend and she missed that. And after Michael had treated her so poorly on this trip, she was flush with the success of walking on the coals, and she was proud that she was the only one who had done it. So, I totally bought it. And she did not say anything against Karen. She was talking about friendship. And yes, Andy floating down the river in the sumo outfit, and Angela "not hearing" what he wanted was hilarious, especially when Michael was talking and you could see the little speck of Andy in the background, floating away.
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5-10-2007 @ 11:49PM
tricia said...
Okay, technically Dwight walked on the coals, but his was not very successful, was it??
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5-10-2007 @ 11:55PM
Zachary said...
The first sing along reminded me of the Tiny Dancer scene in Almost Famous.
They just had to tease us with Pam saying that she was wearing a two piece and then not show her in it. Bastards!
Pam's speech was awesome. I've been waiting all season for her to do something like that. Jenna nailed it.
Jim was really being an asshat in regards to his treatment of Karen tonight during the egg race. It's one thing to make them think they need to step over a hole, but entirely another to make them go into the water.
"Voldemort." "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." "Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort."
The two singing scenes reminded me of Almost Famous with Tiny Dancer and Planes, Trains and Automobiles with 3 Coins in a Fountain segueing into The Flintstones.
Angela getting her revenge on Andy was priceless especially with Andy being the background of Michael's talking head and he identifying himself as with Dunder Mifllin and the spotlight going away from him.
Stanley trying to get involved and giving up had me cracking up as well as Creed and the fish.
Great episode!
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5-11-2007 @ 12:04AM
Jay said...
There's another way to look at the speech too...it definitely wasn't a planned moment, and when Pam ran to the group to tell of her fire-walking achievement, I don't think she really knew what else was going to come out of her mouth. First she was just addressing the group, telling them how it hurt that none of them came to the art show, and then after seeing Jim she must have wanted to unload her baggage there. And yet she still did it in her tentative "Pam" way - it wasn't a major declaration of love, she just said she missed him and their friendship...but it was still a big step in her own way.
Real characters do surprise us from time to time, its called growth. Our little Pam surprised us, but it was completely real and believable.
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5-11-2007 @ 12:05AM
stephen said...
i like your recaps, butu i got to agree with the majority on this one, pam's speech was just spot on. jenna hit every beat in that monologue.
i had been complaining about "where's the fun gone between jim and pam?" well once again the writers got me because they wanted me to feel that so that when pam said it to jim i'd really feel it. kudos.
jim has really sucked this season. he has been such an ass right up to and including going for that job at corporate and rubbing michael's nose in it. also, what was with jim and karen applying for the same job together on the same phone call. how did the cfo not think that was totally weird and inappropriate? especially since they probably shouldn't have even known about the job. whatever...fancy new beasly is a goddess and she set jim straight. he looked like a puppy being scolded for peeing on the rug and rightfully so.
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5-11-2007 @ 12:28AM
Shlomo said...
ok, i just rewatched pam's speech, and i dont think it was forced. i think ever since the break up with roy, and jim got with karen, Pam really had been ignored most of the season.
It bothered me that Jim didn't go to the art show, and i think it made sense for Pam to finally be heard. I think in all of her excitement, her speech accidentally sounded "i have feelings for jim" but it was meant to be "lets be friends again"
i think The Office writers were being REALISTIC when making Pam's speech, because if you ever tried to say something in public on a whim, you'll almost always say something you regret or say things differently than you mean...
i would LOVE to see a similar Toby speech to Micheal! now that Pam is getting braver id like to see toby show a little back bone!
and for all the guys (or girls, not that theres anything wrong with that) who were upset not to see pam in her two peice, heres a video with Jenna Fischer wearing a two peice (wait till the middle part, its a funny video!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOOcoTJHRnc
"these are gonna make your little caboose look like POW!"
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5-11-2007 @ 12:31AM
paintist said...
I'm surprised you all glossed over yet another 'threat' of Jim leaving Scranton. He's going to go for the same corporate job as Michael, hello!
Also, Ryan seems like a likely successor. It would completely reflect his character's downward spiral of being chained to this office. First he's a temp, then he gets a job, then he gets a relationship he can't get out of, now... he's being offered the chance to manage the branch.
I can't think of one reason how Pam's speech was out of character. One reason why we "feel" it was out of character is because we've been thinking that she's been feeling nothing but unrequited and lost love for Jim but ultimately, after losing friends it would make perfect sense for her to be lonely.
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5-11-2007 @ 12:33AM
Shlomo said...
and jay, just because i disagree with you about the speech, i still would consider giving you my kidney!
just dont pretend to be my loving father just to get it.....
otherwise ill have you sent to an island and killed!
P.S. is Oscar going straight? how come no one mentioned this? i would love to see Micheal try to support Oscar going straight while still trying to suppourt the gay community..
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