Season 3 Episode 1
The thing I loved most about this episode is the way they let all the details unfold. Little by little, the story came to light.
The major plot of the episode is just like the synopsis said, Michael finds out that Oscar is gay and has a had time keeping that a secret. As you can imagine, his oversensitivity ends up being very offensive. I can’t believe how awkward the conference room was to watch.
Jim is shown at his new desk in Stamford. The stamford location is nice, but definitely has a different feeling. And here we thought that Jim didn’t fit in in Scranton? His pranks don’t go over so well there in Stamford.
They finished the scene that ended last season. Jim and Pam both admitted that they had been wanting to do that for a long time. That was awesome. the episode goes on to tease us, but eventually we find that they did not get married. Pam called it off and dumped Roy. Roy hit rock bottom. I kind of felt bad for him, but that was a poor Photoshop job on his picture. He’s looking like a stud.
They did a really good job at showing how much Jim and Pam missed each other. The way Pam perked up when he saw the package from Jim was cool. My guess is that Jim doesn’t know.
Angela is Angela. Kevin rocks. Meredith needs help. Creed may have “known” men. Stanley has two toasters. Ryan is here for good. Phyllis Vance? And finally, Dwight was great in this episode. that last 15 seconds when the “gadar” beeps on him was so funny. I made the mistake of taking a drink right before that.
That was a fun episode. Did you have a favorite part?
Who put my calculator in Jello? The reaction of Jim when he kicked the trash can, priceless. BIG TUNAA!
-B (That’s what she said, or …He Said”
I totally forgot abou the Tuna part. That was real funny!
PS, Any diggers here at LITO? http://digg.com/television/Pam_And_Roy_Aren_t_Married
That episode was awesome! I really like the new characters, but it makes me sad that Jim isn’t really fitting in. You would think he’s the kind of guy to fit in anywhere.
I loved Kevin’s giggling. I was cracking up. Classic Kev.
And the Michael and Oscar kiss…Do you guys think Michael is gay?
I liked the mug shot of Roy…you’re right through, Brian. Really really bad photoshop. I wonder if it was meant to look that fake.
Ok, I’ll shut up now, I could go on and on. Yay Office!
I didn’t enjoy this episode. It felt like they were trying too hard. Why did the HR guy tell Michael Scott which employee was gay? He must have known no good would come of it. The episode had some funny bits, but overall it wasn’t a strong start to the season.
The opening scene with Dwight’s fake crying about Jim being gone-the contortions on his face had me howling…now I KNOW it’s going to be a great season!
I thought this episode was awesome too. I like how it all came out. This was not what I expected, but not disappointed. Looking forward to seeing Jim come back to Scranton. Please make it soon. Big Tuna is funny, but he really needs to come back home.
This episode was great! I think the writers actually did a great job working things out from last season with the Jim/Pam thing. I am so happy Pam broke up with Roy, but yeah, that photo was kind of funky. I think that was the point, though. I felt bad for Jim at his new work…he needs to go back to Scranton. The confrence room kissing shocked me…I was cringing and cracking up at the same time!
Oh and Dwight was great, this was absolutely his episode.
I was prepared to be disappointed, but wasn’t in the least. Five minutes into it, I was howling. The mug shut of Roy was too funny. I immediately Tivo’d back to take another look. The “new” Dwight character at the Stamford branch is the perfect jerk — real, but different from any other character so far. Oscar getting 3 months paid vacation — it was the least they could do. Pam and Jim sooo miss each other you can feel their aching hearts. I loved the drama; I loved the comedy. What an awesome start!
Ok, I have a question, What was that stuff Meredith ate?
Wow…just wow. Of course, that was probably the only show that can make you laugh ’til you cry then make you feel sick to your stomach sad (besides Scrubs, but that show has a diffrent focus then The Office). I think my favorite part is when the Stamford boss asked “What makes a hero?” I almost cried when Jim looked at the empty chair.
It was handsanitizer that has alcohol in it.
I enjoyed the episode a lot, but I’m still upset that Jim isn’t in Scranton. It’s just not the same without him there. I really can’t get over that part and I guess that kind of hindered the rest of my view on the episode.
Trying to look past that, it was a hilarious episode. Kevin is the best.
Not perfect, but not bad either. In this case, I think the parts were better than the whole-it just didn’t sit well with me. Gay porn? Come on, they could have done better than that. Next week should be better, and I think I had set my standards too high. Favorite part? Andy and the jello. You think he’s pretty normal, but then he just freaks out! I also like that Pam is starting to be her own woman. She needs some time for herself.
PS: I also watch Will and Grace for Harry Connick Jr.
I love how after everything’s done, Michael shows how truly clueless he is:
“There’s Oscar’s roommate, Gill. I wonder if he knows.”
That had me rolling!
I love that the Gaydar beeped louder at Dwight than it did at Oscar. I wonder where Jim found that thing! He cracks me up. I love when Rashida’s character said that Jim keeps looking at the camera and making a wierd face. I also wondered why the camera followed Jim to the Stamford branch. Any ideas? Ummm…I think that it was a great episode, but not a good idea for a premiere. But the The Office is back on so beggars can’t be choosers. My life is complete!!!
Merideth does need help. Serious Serious, stop-eating-hand-cream-for-a-buzz help.
HHmmm…so many good parts. Meredith eating hand cream was funny, but the conference room scene was just downright uncomforitable. I could not stop watching it though! Give that man a raise! Oh, NBC did.
Kevin is awesome. not a single line, but made me crack up.
I think that the best part of the episode that has not been mentioned already was the look on Dwight’s face when Micahel said “Can you imagine Angela going at it with some other girl.” His grin was so awesome.
Sorry for so many posts in a row, but I am sort of taken a little aback by so many people saying that this episode was not good enough for a premier, but more for mid-season. I think that we have to realize that in “The Office World,” there is no opening night. Things just happen. It is happening in real time, so no particular day is going to be better than the others.
That is all.
Slightly disappointed here, too. It also felt to me like they were trying too hard. Some funny bits, but still not NEARLY as entertaining as the cliffhanger last month. I have higher hopes for next week!
My favorite part (paraphrased):
Michael: “Dwight, I need you to find out who is gay so I don’t say anything to offend them.”
Dwight: “How about you assume that everyone is gay and avoid saying anything offensive at all.”
Michael: “Ya right. Like everyone wants to be treated like they are gay.”
First, I loved that exchange between Michael and Dwight that Costanza just quoted. I just loved how painful the conference room scenes were–I was covering my eyes too! Steve Carrell is so good at these cringe-worthy moments. It was really funny.
However, I must admit to feeling let down regarding JAM. The finale last season was just so breathtaking–I wanted more moments like that…I know they can’t have JAM run off together in the first episode, so I guess we wait. Both of them looking at the empty chair while they were in meetings was sweet, as was Pam’s look when Dwight got the gaydar.
And I suggested to my husband that maybe he needed to grow a beard, because Roy sure was hot!
Only 6 days until the next episode!
I agree that it seemed like they were trying too hard. It was funny though, and definitely worth waiting for. I hope everything is a little more subdued next week, kind of like last season was.
I thought it was a very funny episode (though not as funny as The Injury), but I was disappointed. They went a little too far with the Oscar and Michael kiss. There is no way Oscar would have let Michael kiss him. The scene was akward enough. The kiss was over-kill. I though the gay porn was over-kill too. I didn’t like the turn they took with the Jim/Pam/Roy storyline either, but I assumed I wouldn’t. I know I’ll be shot for this, but as each season goes on I like Jim less and Roy more. Jim left. He springs that news on Pam in the finale, and when she doesn’t immediately give him the answer he’s looking for he runs away to the Stamford branch. Pam broke both Roy and Jim’s hearts in the off-season, but Jim decided to give up and Roy decided to stay. That gives Roy major points in my book, and takes major points away from Jim. Didn’t Roy look good? He just needed a beard!
Courtny, I agree that the kiss and the gay porn was a bit too much. I like The Office becuase it’s so realistic, but those two things are just too much of a stretch for me.
But, I don’t agree that Jim gave up. He went as far as a guy should go to show you like an engaged girl. Even after he told her and kissed her, she still said she was going to get married. I think it was respectful the way he said, “OK” and left it at that.
But, I do want to hear about his Australia trip. I hope it does some flashbacks.
Does anyone know how long does it take for the episodes to be put up on iTunes… I missed last night and am looking to download it today!
I hope to hear about the Australia trip too. I love how realistic the office is, but they took the gay storyline far beyond realistic. I would agree that Jim was right to move to the Stamford branch if Pam hadn’t kissed him back. Pam admitted to having feelings for Jim. I thought he should’ve given Pam more time to make up her mind. It was a very imporant decision, and he should not have forced her to make her final decision all of 5 minutes after telling her he was in love with her. I could understand Jim’s hesitancy when he though Pam didn’t have those kind of feelings for him, but as soon as he found out she did have those kind of feelings for him he should’ve stayed and fought for her. He should not have given up until she was on her honeymoon. I’m a firm believer in persistance. You can be persistant and not give up, and still be respectful. Jim’s reaction was respectful. It assumed that Pam would know which man she wanted 5 minutes after finding out Jim was in love with her, which seems close to impossible to me.
usually, the episodes are already up on iTunes. But I have some insider info that they might be offering a season pass, which is delaying the release of the first episode. I did not miss it last night, but I do not have TIVO so I am waiting for it on iTunes so I can watch it on my iPod at lunch.
i thought it was interesting how Jim usually has a ham and cheese sandwich, but since he moved to the scranton branch he’s actually trying new things, etc (i pick up on little things)
i thought it was so sad when Pam kept looking over at Jim (now Ryan)’s desk! Did anyone else notice in the conference room when Pam started to laugh and looked at Ryan (like it was Jim) and then Ryan was like “What??” It really shows how much she missed him
The Gaydar bit was great! Dwight & Michael will believe anything!
I thought the show was great last nice. The funniest part was during the cringing-inducing scene in the conference room just after Michael & Oscar “kiss” – did anyone else see Kelly’s reaction? She was smiling and clasping her hands together, looking as if she’d just seen the most romantic thing in the world. It was HILARIOUS! I rewound my Tivo a few times just to see her over & over. Did anyone else cath that?
Kelly’s reactions always crack me up Norm! I noticed her too.
I was prepaired to be disappointed last night but surprisingly, I wasn’t! I had a friend kiss me once and that was exactly what he said after, “I’ve been wanting to do that for a really long time…” I have higher hopes for Jim & Pam than how my frienessance ended but realistically, Jim’s a good guy and did what he had to do. You know he’ll be back though!
A little over the top with the Michael/Oscar kiss- agreed. Steve Carrell is so good at awkward moments. My husband was actually backing away from the tv when Michael started to lean into Oscar.
Jim’s face after Andy kicked the trash can was my absolute favorite part.
Ali – Yes, I thought that scene with Ryan and Pam was perfect. And Pam is not alone, I am having a really hard time seeing Ryan sitting at Jims desk.
Norm – Yes! I thought that Kelly was the best part of that whole scene. It always amazes me how these little things they work in are some of the funniest.
The only thing I was really hoping for, that I don’t think happened, was Jim finding out that Pam didn’t get married after all. I predict that he will have a brief fling with Rashida (don’t know her characters name either) and then head back to Scranton. And I doubt he’ll be playing any more jokes on Andy.
Cheri – it wasn’t made clear if Jim knows about Pam or not. One would think he would based on the fact that he still speaks with folks from the Scranton office (ie his telecon with Michael & Dwight), as well as the fact that human nature would dictate that someone from Scranton would have called Jim or sent an email with news like that. In a smallish office like that, an internal work wedding being called off would be HUGE.
I live about 20 miles from Scranton & we have a free weekly paper called “Electric City”. There were parties held in bars up in Scranton last night for “The Office” season opener. I could just imagine the laughter coming from those bars during the kiss.
This weeks Electric City has an interview with Jenna & a couple of other Office articles. Check them out at http://www.ecweekend.com
Was it just me or did it feel that every member in the cast had at least a line? Not a bad thing (love Creed’s line) but maybe in trying to get everyone on, they didn’t have time to concentrate on just Pam/Jim.
HAHA great episode. The Oscar/Michael kiss rocked and so did Jim/Pam’s kiss. Of course we all noticed Jim’s shorter hair. I would love to hear the producers explain that one. Maybe the kiss itself gave Jim a haircut. Haha.
What I thought was funnier than Oscar and Michael’s kiss was when Dwight went to go kiss him too. I died laughing watching that part.
Another great moment was when Kelly told Oscar that he was cool when she found out he was gay and then Oscar told the interview crew: “Yes. I’m cool. I am an account at a failing mid-range paper supply company. In Scranton. Just like Sir Ian McKellan.”
It looked like Dwight died laughing too. Rainn broke character a little.
The best was the smirk on Dwight’s face when Michael thinks Angela’s gay and says “Can you imagine her with another woman?” Creepy/priceless.
I’m excited about the Phyllis/Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration engagement. I could see Pam getting a bit jealous (like the Valentine’s day episode) when comparing it to her non-engagement.
Also, I thought it was funny that they began the season the same way they ended last season: with a shocking kiss!
Ali- That was a good point about Jim’s sandwich! I didn’t pick up on that, but it’s true. Maybe he wants to change because he feels like he wasn’t good enough for Pam. AWWW!
“They don’t call it a gay shame festival.”
Anyone notice at the end that Mr. Brown was back doing his HERO lecture in the Stamford branch for Diversity Day?
“i thought it was interesting how Jim usually has a ham and cheese sandwich, but since he moved to the scranton branch he’s actually trying new things, etc (i pick up on little things)”
He’s had tuna before. In this outtake (about half way through the clip, Jim complains about Dwight throwing out his tuna sandwich
http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/video/office_dwight.shtml#video