(S05E13) Let me ask you a philosophical question: is it possible for a sitcom to be funny and still not be a very good episode? Technically, all a sitcom is trying to do is make you laugh; if it accomplishes that, it's hard to argue that it's a bad episode. Yet, despite above average guffawing throughout tonight's Office, nothing about it worked that well.The cold open perfectly encapsulates what I'm talking about. Dwight's actions officially crossed the line from odd-but-likable-doofus to dead-eyed sociopath. I get that Dwight's a little out there, but when it becomes plausible that a sitcom character might have a basement pit filled up with hitchhikers he's planning to use to make a girl-suit, you have to take pause and consider how he's being handled. That fire was stupid, unbelievable, and ridiculous.
But it was damn funny. You see my dilemma ...
The rest of the episode stuttered down the same path as the cold open, consistently combining odd pacing and awkward characterization with bursts of laugh-out-loud comedy.
Take Jim and Pam's subplot, for example. This is the first we've heard where they're at in their relationship in months, and the best the writers can give us is an off-camera drama between Pam's heretofore unseen parents? And, on top of that, they try to wring some unearned pathos out of it by having Jim's advice turn out to actually be sweet. (Was there a person on the planet that didn't see that coming, by the way? My 18 month-old son called that "twist," and he only knows how to say like ten words).
And yet, if you can't laugh at a steamy post-bath makeout session between Jack Black and Cloris Leachman, there's a good chance you're dead inside. Plus Andy's reactions to their in-depth "movie review" were fantastic.
So how do you review that?
If tonight's episode were a reality TV character, it would be one of those wannabe MILFs on The Real Housewives of Orange County. Each part was surgically polished to a kind of bottle-blond perfection, but when you consider the big picture, you realize there's not really that much to get excited about. Also, it might try to sleep with you to steal your youth.
Other stuff:
-- The spontaneous "Staying Alive" musical bit was the highlight of the episode. I'm a sucker for unexpected singalongs in my sitcoms (anyone else remember the "We Will Rock You" cold open on Cheers?)
-- A close second was Creed not knowing what a text was.
-- Another predictable but funny piece was Michael's self-thrown roast. Not since Bob Saget defended the honor of the Olsen twins has the point of a roast been missed so completely: the second Michael announced that there was going to be a roast, you knew his feelings were going to be hurt. That said, it was nice to see him get a round of real laughter from Stanley and the rest of the office crew; as a comedian with self-esteem issues that make Michael Scott seem like Steve McQueen, I can fully appreciate how good those laughs can feel.
-- "If his thing were an iPod, it'd be a shuffle."
-- It was nice to see a little bit of accountability being added into the mix with Dwight being called up to corporate to answer for his crimes. I felt a little bad for Michael that one week after David Wallace complimented his fine leadership, he's immediately back to being yelled at for allowing shenanigans to go on. In the words of MC Skat Cat: it's two steps forward, two steps back.
Your thoughts are always appreciated in the comments, especially this week!
The Office' Photos
THE OFFICE Steve Carell as Michael Scott and Amy Ryan as Holly star in the episode "Weight Loss." Airs Thursday, September 25, 2008.
NBC
THE OFFICE Steve Carell as Michael Scott and Amy Ryan as Holly star in the episode "Weight Loss." Airs Thursday, September 25, 2008.
NBC
THE OFFICE Mindy Kaling as Kelly Kapoor and Craig Robinson as Darryl Philbin star in the episode "Weight Loss." Airs Thursday, September 25, 2008.
NBC
THE OFFICE Amy Ryan as Holly and Brian Baumgartner as Kevin Malone star in the episode "Weight Loss." Airs Thursday, September 25, 2008.
NBC
THE OFFICE, Steve Carell, ''Did I Stutter'', (Season 4, airing May 1, 2008), 2005-. Photo: Chris Haston / NBC
THE OFFICE, Rainn Wilson, ''Did I Stutter'', (Season 4, airing May 1, 2008), 2005-. Photo: Chris Haston / NBC
THE OFFICE, Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, ''Did I Stutter'', (Season 4, airing May 1, 2008), 2005-. Photo: Chris Haston / NBC
THE OFFICE, Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, ''Night Out'', (Season 4, airing April 24, 2008), 2005-. Photo: Mitch Haddad / NBC
THE OFFICE, Rainn Wilson, Cassie Fliegel, ''Night Out'', (Season 4, airing April 24, 2008), 2005-. Photo: Mitch Haddad / NBC
THE OFFICE, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Rainn Wilson, ''The Dinner Party'', (Season 4, episode 4013, aired April 10, 2008), 2005-,. Photo: Chris Haston / NBC / courtesy everett collection
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
2-02-2009 @ 12:10AM
Drew Shaw said...
I am fairly certain that Jessica Alba was in this episode for a grand total of 6 seconds. Glad to see The Office is spending its money wisely.
But other than that, pretty good episode.
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2-02-2009 @ 12:09AM
Ned said...
I was more excited watching the brand new credits than anything.
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2-02-2009 @ 12:11AM
Hector said...
My wife thought this was the "Jump the Shark" episode.
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2-02-2009 @ 7:41PM
Dave said...
I agree with your wife. I said to myself about halfway through the show (while like Jay, laughing hysterically) that the show jumped the shark with this episode
2-02-2009 @ 12:25AM
Melissa said...
There were some absolutely classic and hysterically funny parts...the impromptu sing/dance and Dwight's stabbing/gutting the dummie...I literally laughed out loud at my TV set. But then that strange story with Jim & Pam messed it up...the only glimpses of humor was Jack Black crying. I felt that part and the roast were forced.
But there was synergy...lovely and perfect humor as they were all jamming to Stayin' Alive. I would of watched the entire hour just to see those few minutes:+)
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2-02-2009 @ 12:35AM
Andrew said...
With it's biggest audience ever The Office throws up a stinker of an episode. What a disappointment.
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2-02-2009 @ 12:42AM
Willmore2000 said...
It wasn't a stinker, it was targeted specifically at the audience that doesn't regularly watch the show. And there's a reason they don't watch. They are stupid. However, it would be much better if they did watch, and make The Office as popular as Two and a Half Men. So, they gave that audience a lot of things - slapstick, oddball, romance, classic Michael, "feel sorry for" Michael, and some other stuff. The point of the show was not to make a regular Office episode for the 7 million fans it already has, it was made to attract as many of the 20 million other people watching today, so that they come back on Thursday. And personally, I think it succeeded, we'll see on Friday, when the Nielsens come out.
2-02-2009 @ 12:36AM
Willmore2000 said...
I vote for all but the last 3 minutes of the episodes to not be a part of the "The Office" canon.
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2-02-2009 @ 12:31PM
Lauren said...
Seconded.
Stanley's montage of rage was my favorite part...otherwise this episode was too crazy over the top. Dwight would be arrested for all that fire business.
2-02-2009 @ 7:54PM
Peter Lynn said...
This is exactly the way I feel. The first part of the episode just felt cartoonish, not just with Dwight acting like a sociopath, but also with a lot of the broad slapstick, like Angela hurling her cat into the ceiling. It felt like a Treehouse of Horror episode or something.
Dwight now has two strikes against him with David Wallace, which means he stands to be fired the next time he steps out of line. Will this be remembered in future episodes? I doubt it. This felt like a "What If?" story outside regular continuity.
2-02-2009 @ 12:40AM
Diego M said...
i completely agree with your review and i don't do so often.
Dwight was way over the top from funny haha to buffalo bill psychopath.
sure there were great one liners here and there which made the episode enjoyable but then resolutions were awful michael is suddenly ok after the afternoon? what was the catalyst for that? we knew Jim said something sweet and what's up with angela and the cat?
i don'tk now maybe they were trying to get the attention of the superbowl fans and they went all out and turned the office into two and a half men, well except with funny moments.
oh what a great superbowl thoguh 27-23 steelers i was rootin for the cards but damn cardinal defense slippin and over pursuing... :(
at least the office made me laugh and then got me frustrated then laughed again.
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2-02-2009 @ 1:12AM
ac said...
"The fire is shooting at us!" My favorite line after the iPod line.
This was not The Office, but it was damn funny, but too over the top. It is weird I liked it, yet hated it. I think my mass consumption of hot wings with blue cheese during the gam has rendered my mind useless.
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2-02-2009 @ 12:57AM
charles.moore said...
I don't know. It has been a while since I have laughed at The Office as hard as I did tonight. Besides all the moments mentioned, I was about on the ground laughing when Dwight tried to save the organs of the CPR dummy and pulled a hunting knife out of an ankle holster. Not to mention the scene with Jack Black and Cloris Leachman, when she is going up and down the stairs on the motorized chair.
Also, I'm not so sure that Dwight's "fire drill" was so out of character. We all know Dwight is obsessed with things like being a deputy sheriff, Jack Bauer, and crazy dangerous scenarios, so for him to get ignored when giving a fire safety talk, and then turn around and prove to people that they should have paid attention to him, seems pretty in character for me.
I don't know. I guess my point is that I thought there were so many hilarious moments that the episode worked for me. Maybe all the threads didn't fit together quite right, but nevertheless, it was a damn funny episode.
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2-02-2009 @ 10:31PM
Eludium-Q36 said...
This was a GREAT episode and those with opposing opinions are {insert preferred insult here}. Seriously, if you're harshing on this expanded episode of The Office then you're losing your soul -- this had so many little ninja-jokes you really had to be paying attention to catch them. Others, were more obvious like the Most Disturbing Hetero Kiss EVER between Jack and Cloris! Gahd, I almost got eye cancer (borrowed from Calculon of Futurama).
And the whole Pam's parents getting a divorce was the set up for Jim saying that "50% of all marriages end in divorce - it was either her parents or mine." That was great.
I could go on and on but you guys just don't appreciate the dozen-plus jokes within the opening sequence: Angela boarding her cat Bandit in the file cabinets, throwing Bandit into ceiling and it falling through it again, the vending machine assault, "the fire is shooting at us!", and ramming the door with a $3000 copier! Great episode, watch with fresh eyes!
2-02-2009 @ 1:05AM
Joe L. said...
I agree with the original sentiment of the review, in that it IS possible to be funny, yet not a good episode (although I thougth the episode was OK).
As an example of this, I had huge arguments several years ago with my college roommate, back when Austin Powers was big. After Austin Powers 2 came out, I said that it was funnier than the first, but not nearly as good of a movie. He said this was not possible, if a comedy's purpose is to make you laugh. But making something funny and making something good are two different things - a lot more goes into making something GOOD than just funny.
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2-02-2009 @ 1:10AM
Monkeydog said...
For some reason the sound just kept dying when I watched the episode...so I didn't really catch some of it...but I agree with the review.
I loved the "THE FIRE IS SHOOTING AT US" part.
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2-02-2009 @ 1:15AM
MosquitoControl said...
The show has definitely jumped the shark. It's gotten ludicrous and completely lost the feel it originally had. The camera-work is slicker, the confessionals far more rare, and it's starting to feel like sitcom for the sake of sitcom. It has all season.
Yet it's still very funny. Go figure. I don't think I've experienced this before. It's not as good and it has some quickly growing flaws.
But I'm cracking up. Earlier in the season when Andy used his Prius against Dwight? Hysterical.
Dwight wearing the face? Mind-blowingly funny.
But the show has lost something. It's gone slapstick. Maybe it's lost heart, maybe it's lost sight, maybe it's lost focus, maybe it's lost direction, maybe it's just going for what is easiest. I think the latter, as its easiest when it's insanity.
I still enjoy it immensely. But it's not what it was.
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2-02-2009 @ 2:18AM
davement said...
pams mom was at the office once before.
http://theoffice.wikia.com/wiki/Pam's_Mom
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2-02-2009 @ 1:44AM
Michael said...
If it's funny, it's good. That's the beauty of comedy. This was a funny episode, so I loved it.
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2-02-2009 @ 1:49AM
Audrey said...
So the part with the cat in the ceiling falling out, does anyone else think it looks like a real cat...? O_o I'm a tad bit worried. When Angela threw it up, I could tell it was fake, but it looks much more real when it's falling out. Thoughts?
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