TVSquad

(S06E07) "You know, I really would have appreciated a heads up that you were into dating mothers. I would have introduced you to mine." - Dwight

Ahh, that's more like it. After last week's garbage episode, "Mafia," The Office seems to be back on track by exploring two of the best plots the show has had in quite some time. Jim and Pam's wedding is obviously still the high-water mark, and it will probably continue to be that way for quite some time, but "The Lover" was certainly a step in the right direction.

(S05E21) Okay, so this is the second slice of Office bread in the Parks and Recreation sandwich, and, in keeping with my long tradition of strained metaphors, it kind of felt like an end piece. Edible, sure, but it would have been nicer if it was as good as the episode that came before it.

While I'm enjoying frazzled Jim much more than "what-me-worry?" Jim, they're pushing the cringe humor between Minor and him a bit too far. Somewhere in the last couple of episodes, we went from "fun" to "not fun" (or, as we call it in the entertainment trade, from Last Crusade to Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls).

It was actually more interesting to watch my wife watching the episode: her face was twisting in grief for Jim's inability to figure out what a "rundown" was. It's a testament to good writing that we care so much for the characters that we feel their pain just as strongly as they do, but we need some laughs to lighten the load...

To some, the only games that matter this summer will be the Olympics in Beijing. To others, Scranton, Pennsylvania will be the place to be for the real games.

On Saturday, July 19, The Office's number one on-screen enthusiast, spunky Kelly Kapoor -- played by actress/writer/co-executive producer Mindy Kaling -- will host a series of games to promote the release of two new The Office products. NBC and Pressman Toy have created The Office DVD Board Game and The Office Trivia Game.

(S04E12) Jay Black couldn't be with us today because he was called away suddenly. Something about not leaving the table until he'd finished all his vegetables but he didn't like asparagus and yet that didn't matter he can sit there all night if he has to or until the asparagus evolves arms and legs and jumps off his plate and leaves on its own. So he figured since my name is the closest to his, maybe we could get away with this last minute pinch hit.

I got an episode that won't necessarily go down in the annals of time as an Office classic, but does bring us back to the core of the show: the office. The episode takes place entirely in one day, entirely in the office, and virtually every cast member gets pulled into one storyline or the other. For me, this is when The Office is at its best, when its presenting us barely controlled chaos. Offices are constantly bustling with activity productive or otherwise. Tonight's episode captured just that, and very well.

Well, the debate is finally over. After years of heated online arguments, several visits to the snopes website, and one inconclusive Mythbusters episode, I can finally reveal the truth: yes, Scranton, Pennsylvania is a real place. Believe me, I'm just as surprised as you are.

I know that Scranton exists because I spent a full day there at The Office convention. Up until now my only other experience with long-from first-person journalism was reading Hunter Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Orginally, I was going to approach this assignment like him and go to Scranton whacked out on Mescaline. As it turned out, Mescaline wasn't really needed...

Here's a question for all those obsessive (and not-as-obsessive) fans of The Office out there: Would you travel all the way to Scranton, PA, to attend a convention of the show's fans?

That's what a local group is hoping, according to The Times-Tribune of Scranton. Apparently, there is an increase of people coming to the city to find the sites seen on the show and to go to the restaurants and bars mentioned by the denizens of Dunder-Mifflin. A well-attended guest appearance by Rainn Wilson at a local mall convinced the organizers, which include some prominent residents and government officials, that such a convention could be possible.

Ah, the people of the internets are endlessly clever. In the tradition of recut trailers such as Brokeback To The Future comes The Office...if it was a crime thriller instead of a Must-See comedy.

My favorite parts: the slow motion shot of Jim in the rear view mirror, Dwight and Ryan out in the empty field, and Kevin saying "My God, what have I done?" They should have ended it with Dwight saying "you're dead" though, instead of the gunshot.

I guess TV shows and movies can look like anything you want them to be. It's all in the editing. I want to see The Wire done as a wacky sitcom.

Rumor has it that Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly mastermind Joss Whedon will be directing an episode of The Office. Considering that Scranton is situated right over a Hellmouth, it makes perfect sense. The rumor first surfaced on both Televisionary and FilmIck, but has been confirmed by Joss himself over on Whedonesque. (Scroll way down to see his two cents.)

As connoisseurs of the Whedon oeuvre may remember, Joss got his start writing for the sitcom Rosanne. He earned his television directing chops care of Buffy, Angel and Firefly. What should we expect from this most inspired of pairings - long master shots through the entire office, sequences done entirely in silence and lots of Pam's feet? Probably not, but I bet we're in for at least one guaranteed heartbreaker of a moment between Pam and Jim. Whedon's awfully good at bringing the funny and the waterworks, but so long as he's not actually writing the episode, I feel relatively safe. I wouldn't want anyone to die on us. It's not that kind of show so don't get any ideas, Whedon.

Thanks to reader Brendon Connelly for the tip.

NBC is really getting the hang of this whole internet thing. On top of making much of its schedule available for viewing and for sale, the network will also stream a special edition of this Thursday's episode of The Office. NBC is calling it a "producer's cut", which is basically a different version of the show with extra scenes and whatnot. It will be available for viewing starting at 9 pm (Eastern) on NBC.com-- right after The Office airs.

This is a smart move on NBC's part. It's like a DVD extra that is available right after you see the movie! Of course, deleted scenes on DVDs tend to be disappointing (there's a reason they're deleted!) but hopefully this will be worth the hype.

Did you know that Dunder-Mifflin, the fictional paper company featured in the U.S. version of The Office is actually a member of the real-life Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce?

Well, now you do. This AP article details how the people and business owners of the Pennsylvania city have embraced the show, to the point where business owners are lobbying to get references to their stores into the show. The article even speaks to fellow WIN blogger Dave Caolo of TUAW fame, who is tracking Scranton references on the show as a guest blogger on the website LifeInTheOffice.com.

It's a fun read about a small city on the comeback. Now, I wonder how well Slough took their portrayal in the British version...

Love is in bloom at The Office as it is Valentine's Day. We first see Pam (with her new hairdo that makes her look even more attractive than ever) describing what is going on, and then Phyllis gets a huge bouquet of flowers from her boyfriend Bob. We then learn that Michael is set to leave for New York City for a big meeting with other branch managers and Dunder Mifflin's CFO. Plus, he mentions that his boss Jan, with whom he hooked up with a few months before, will be there, and he slyly mentions the fact that it is Valentine's Day.

Jim then discusses his plans for the evening--since he broke up with his girlfriend a few weeks back, he's looking to get a few guys together to play some poker. Meanwhile, Dwight gets a box that contains a bobblehead doll of himself. He is absolutely thrilled, and we see Angela, normally very tightly wound, smile. We then learn that office chatterbox Kelly hooked up with Ryan, and she can't stop talking about it to Jim, who seems uncomfortable with the whole situation.