(S05E22) This review will go a whole lot better if we all just forget about that odd Jim/Andy subplot. Go on, it's okay, just wipe it from your mind. It's a little like pretending that the Star Wars prequel trilogy didn't happen, but easier because it's only a B-story and not an eight-year ordeal of codependency with George Lucas.Did you forget about it? Good, because now we can talk about the A-story ... which was awesome!
Tonight's episode was exactly what I want from The Office. I'm actually a little worried that the writers broke into my house and read my secret wish diary. Not only did we have good laughs and a hilarious (if slightly over-the-top) war between Michael and Dwight, we got to see something we've never seen before in an Office episode ...
... Michael Scott in full-on salesman mode.
Sure, we've seen tantalizing hints of what Michael was capable of in the past, but the writers always felt the need to undermine Michael's brilliance as a salesman with his incompetence as a boss. Freeing Michael from Dunder-Mifflin also freed the writers to explore just what got Michael to be the boss in the first place.
I'm loving this. I've long thought that the thing that most hurt The Office's ability to satirize the American workplace was Michael's cartoonish buffoonery. Because The Office needs believability for its satire to work, Michael's actions, while funny, were often at odds with what a lot of us love about the show. It doesn't matter how many brilliant little moments you worm into the corners of an episode if Michael does something completely outlandish like kidnap a pizza delivery boy.
There have been several times when this show has teetered on the brink of becoming a bleak workplace comedy full of funny wigs and catchphrases.
But this new Michael -- as slick and smooth as Ricky Roma in there -- changes all that. The issues that made Michael such a terrible boss (namely, his little-lost-puppy neediness and his grand-gesture attempts to manipulate situations) are precisely what makes him such a wonderful salesman. It's not a stretch to believe, then, that Pam would put up with Michael's craziness, because that craziness gets results.
Of all the changes that we've seen in recent months with The Office, this is by far my favorite. I can't wait to watch Michael Scott dismember Dunder-Mifflin like it was a bear struck by a Pontiac Trans-Am.
Other stuff:
-- Only nine grand to snag "I Love Treble" for your wedding? A bargain, if you ask me. (Seriously, for the comments: what would you realistically pay to have Andy Bernard and his a cappella group come to your wedding to perform?)
-- Brief note about the B-story: did anyone else find Jim completely confusing (and bordering on a-holiness) during it? Jim should stick with messing with Dwight.
-- It certainly looks fun working at the Michael Scott Paper Company. Though I'll be honest, I think it's a pretty big choking hazard to stuff that many cheeseballs in your mouth.
-- Tall.
-- Beets.
-- I don't know why, but Michael's face right after discovering that the meatball parm was the worst sandwich on the menu made me laugh for a full minute.
As always, your comments are the rotting fish in my ceiling.
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 2)
4-17-2009 @ 6:27AM
Darnell said...
I loved this episode, and agree with you that it was great to see why Michael became the boss and how great he is as a salesmen. I also cracked up with he ate the sandwich. Also I didn't understand one bit of the Jim/Andy thing.
Reply
4-17-2009 @ 8:40AM
Johnzo said...
i loved the b-story line as well. it's not clear why it was supposedly bad. it was virtually jim's same schtick he's being doing before just with Andy instead of Dwight.
4-17-2009 @ 11:20AM
Oneiroi said...
@Johnzo
But Dwight is always being a jerk, although Andy was too he immediately went into nice guy mode with Jim.
So it made picking on him a bit...mean.
4-18-2009 @ 1:03AM
D-Bo said...
@ Oneiroi
Andy was seriously messing with Kevin before and then started to talk to Jim about his perceived problems with their relationship. Reason enough for Jim to put him in his cross hairs.
4-17-2009 @ 7:07AM
Jason said...
Tripple cheese ball assault! I was rolling on the floor laughing my ass off. (I always thought that was funnier typing out...)
Reply
4-17-2009 @ 7:21AM
Nola said...
I liked the B Story. It was Jim's way of getting Andy to let go of his underlying bitterness that he was pretending didn't exist. Andy's been acting like everything's great with him since the breakup, when it's obviously not true. Yes Jim might have gone a long way to get Andy to accept the fact that he's not okay, but I liked that Jim cared enough to do it. It's better than another episode of Jim fumbling around trying to brown-nose to Miner. Maybe that's what Jim needed as well. To get back to enjoying the one thing he likes about work, rather than worrying constantly about whether Miner likes him or not.
Reply
4-17-2009 @ 7:31AM
Jack said...
Good point, Nola. I like the B story more now.
4-17-2009 @ 8:35AM
bdure said...
You call this realistic? Michael was a good salesman, so he got ... promoted? In what fantasy world do companies promote people who do good work??!!
I liked the B story. I've had enough of Jim flailing, and surely the VP would've heard from David Wallace that Jim is one of the company's stars. Nice to see him in control of a situation again.
Reply
4-17-2009 @ 11:03AM
my_name_is_ray said...
bdure, in many companies the person who gets promoted to manager can be the person that has been there the longest. Michael lasted longer than any of the other salesmen and then when Ed Truck left, they gave the job to Michael. It's not right, but it often happens that way.
4-17-2009 @ 8:26AM
annabel said...
I have to say: I LOVED the whole Dwight in a long-sleeved shirt business! HILARIOUS!
and even better - when he changed into the short-sleeved yellow shirt to go on the sales call! BRILLIANT!
Reply
4-17-2009 @ 8:27AM
MadMup said...
This is the first episode I've enjoyed in several weeks, and I liked both storylines.
I do wish we'd see more of the supporting cast more often, though!
Reply
4-17-2009 @ 8:30AM
Lisa said...
The triple cheeseball throw is an epic moment and am wondering how many takes they had to do it to get it?
I have never liked the separating out of the main characters from the office but this is different and I love the new company. Brilliant! It isn't just woe is me either as Michael's sales skills when directed properly are likely to make MSP successful. The whole show feels fresh.
I didn't like Jim which hurts me deeply but Nola saved the day for me, thank you Nola.
Reply
4-17-2009 @ 9:31AM
Raked said...
The fact that Michael color codes his descriptions "Green for go...ahead and not mention it" is fantastic--almost as much as that most of them mean to just shut up.
Reply
4-17-2009 @ 10:29AM
Cristina said...
I never noticed the short-sleeve thing on Dwight before and didn't get the whole why he was so uncomfortable thing in the beginning. Thanks for clearing that up. It was so obvious now that I look at it!
Reply
4-18-2009 @ 7:09AM
Jimmy said...
Long-sleeved *and* white. Dwight wears mustard-colored shirts.
4-17-2009 @ 10:54AM
Guy said...
I love the new storyline. My prediction is Michael will steal a lot of DMs customers and David Wallace comes to Scranton. Miner will do something drastic to stop the MIchael Scott Paper Company and it will backfire getting him fired and David Wallace will hire Michael back. For some reason David Wallace like Michael.
Now the big question.....Who would I rather have a my wedding. I Love Treble or Scrantonacity 2?
Reply
4-18-2009 @ 1:09AM
D-Bo said...
Dwight, Andy & Kevin power trio = awesomeness
4-17-2009 @ 11:11AM
Christine said...
Say what you will about the Jim/Andy storyline, but I giggled like a schoolgirl when they panned over to Jim's big smile when Phyllis let Andy in on the joke. And just like he's done with Dwight time and time again, his good heart came through in the end.
Reply
4-17-2009 @ 11:24AM
Kel said...
"There have been several times when this show has teetered on the brink of becoming a bleak workplace comedy full of funny wigs and catchphrases."
Are you having a laugh?
Reply
4-17-2009 @ 11:51AM
scott said...
is he having a laugh?