The Office running thread

That's awesome news. I really want this show to keep going even without Michael. It has staying power. This will just help it even more. I wonder if Todd Packer will make another appearance.

 

For what it's worth, I thought last night's was one of the better episodes of the season. Something about the Erin/Oscar/Pam storyline seemed like something that could actually happen in my office, and I found myself laughing at a few times. "Oh, right. The cow 'moo'ed." And while the Andy storyline doesn't seem all that common, I get a kick out of him, and Kevin, Kelly and Creed.

I kind of wish the Michael Scott/David Brent meeting had been kept a secret. That would have been one hell of a shock. Still, it was a great cold open.

 

-Kevin was funny as always, running around the room and getting sick
-Michael was funny as an old Greek-Italian named Mykonos.
-Jim's story line was following its usual dumb, boring trend regarding something that happened 20 years ago that no one cares about
-The Scrabble part was funny
-Andy's part was the best. Not only did he close the sale, but the movie thing at the end with Erin was nice. Andy is at his best when he isn't trying so damn hard.

 

Last night's humor was far too broad for my taste.

As a Scabble addict, though, I can relate to that part.

I'm pretty sure the word Oscar used with a "q" would have been "Qi."

Also, I don't like at all the place where the Andy character has arrived. He was a great addition early on when he was the obnoxious Cornell graduate, compensating for his insecurities by bragging. Now he's just kind of over-the-top insecure. It's like the writers weren't confident enough in the subtleties of their characterization, i.e. Are the viewers going to realize that this guy is not conceited - he's insecure? Is he unsympathetic? Kind of the same way they had to make Dwight and Ryan extra-large versions of their original characters.

 

What's Ryan an extra large version of?

 

Of a douche.

He's always been a douche of sorts - think about how he treated Michael when Michael came to talk at his business school. Or when he didn't put Michael's number in his phone. Or when he kept hitting on Jim's girlfriends on the sly.

But it is like the writers thought, "I'm not sure people get that this regular guy is a douche. We have to make him a douche bag all the time!"

 

After seeing the last two episodes, I think Krasinski was probably relatively unavailable to shoot for this part of the season - maybe he was off filming a movie? Seems like they've gone out of their way to separate him from the rest of the cast, and that would explain why.

The cold open was phenomenal.

 

He seems to change all the time. From Michael's pet to a slimy opportunist and backstabber to a greedy capitalist, to a beaten villain to a .... I don't know what he is now.

 

I know Steve Carrell is leaving, but it almost feels like the show might be a little better if Jim and Pam left with him. Their entire purpose from day 1 was to provide the "will they/won't they" tension that helps keep the audience emotionally involved, as well as play the rational voice in a crazy office. Last year they got married, had a kid, and at this point, serve no purpose. Without their chemistry in the first few seasons, I don't think the show ever makes it to year 3 (or 4, or 5, etc.) but they're now the most boring characters on the show.

EDIT to add:

I thought about that last week and didn't make the connection this week, but that's a good call. Still, even when he's been there this season, he hasn't done much.

 

It's been a great run, but it's about time to put the show out to pasture, I think.

It was outstanding early when they put all these pieces into place and kind of let them all run their course. Once that's finished, everything new feels like a contrivance, from the "Michael Scott Paper Company" to the Sabre takeover. Every show struggles with this to a degree, once the initial plotlines play out. For example, I don't think "The Sopranos" was ever the same after Livia died. That was such an engine for the show. "Mad Men" is one that has seemed to do a good job overcoming the breakoff from Sterling Cooper, as well as the Don-Betty separation, which could have been really disastrous and may yet prove to be so.

 

I like Andy a lot, but I see what you mean about the character transformation. I think part of that is due to them needing another sympathetic character who can move between a main and supporting role. They already had Dwight and Ryan as antagonists, but other than Jim/Pam, and sometimes Michael, who would people root for on the show? But I also think some of it is due to the success of The Hangover and wanting to capitalize on Ed Helm's movie career (granted, the shift started the season before, but became more prominent after the Hangover's release). They did a similar thing with Michael between season's 1 and 2 (during which 40-year old virgin became a huge hit). They softened his look and made him a bit more likable.

 

Kevin carried the episode again.

Michael sounded just like whatever creature it was that ran the race in Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace.

Nice shoutout to one of my favorite Dario Argento flicks, though, as Gabe tried to sell "Suspiria" to Erin.