“Job Fair” ~ Donna’s Recap

Here we have it folks, the last episode before the season finale. And, I’m happy to say, it delivered the goods!

The Cold-Open finds Michael in dress-down clothes, preparing to head out to local Valley View High School (Pam’s alma mater)for their job fair to recruit interns for the summer. But I think Michael says it best when he says, “We’re gonna go get some fresh blood, euthenize this place”. lol With him are Oscar, Pam, and a very dapper-looking Darryl.

Kelly must also think Darryl looks hot because when she sees him in his dress shirt and tie, she squeals, “OMG, you look like Barack Obama! Everybody, I am dating Barack Obama!”. ha ha, I just loove her character! Who in their life hasn’t known (or currently knows) a “Kelly”? Just so great…

The next scene finds Jim, Andy and Kevin out on the golf course, trying to woo a potential client, Mr. McGuire. Jim, in his talking head, gives us a little background into why he’s going the extra-mile on this one. Apparently, Ryan has put Jim on probation. Or, in Jim’s words, “You remember Ryan, he was the temp. here. *wait a beat for sarcastic effect*..Yeah” lol

Now, old-Jim wouldn’t give a hoot about being put on probation for a job he doesn’t take seriously. But new Jim?! Well, new-Jim is in love with Pam and is working toward a future with her (hello?! Engagement RING!!!). And that future doesn’t include being fired from his job. So, Jim sighs and tells us his plan, “I’m about to do something very bold with this job that I’ve never done before. Try!” Ah, it warms the heart to see their young love in bloom…Sorry! I had to wax-poetic for a little bit there….I’m done now. I appreciate your patience with me…;)

On the golf-course, Andy is his usual self. He starts off by offending Mr. McGuire’s college alma matter, and then shows him his absolutely disgusting blistered hands. Apparently in preparation for the golf outing, he his 12,000 balls, and his hands are now a mass of bloody, crusty, blisters. Ouch and eww!

Kevin is also his usual self. At the mention of a “friendly wager” by the client, Kevin rambles off a litany of obscure gambling terms. At least I think they’re obscure! (ha ha I’m not much of a gambler myself.) It’s all, “Acey-Ducey” this, and “Bingo-Bango-Bongo” that! I had no idea what he was talking about. But, it was funny! And, you gotta feel for Jim here. He’s finally putting some effort into his job and he’s got tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumb out on the golf-course with him doing their darndest to make things uncomfortable. Ah, but such is The Office, no?

At the job fair, Pam reminises about her old high school, “My old gym. So many memories. Pretending I had PMS so I didn’t have to play volleyball. Pretending I had PMS so I didn’t have to play basketball. Those were the days!” Loves it! I had almost that same exact gym experience when I went to high school. Pam and I are almost like twins! If only I had her boyfriend….;)

Back at the office, the gang is grumbling because they want to leave early. And, why not? Michael and Jim aren’t there, so why should they be?! I think Creed says it best when he says, “I finished my work months ago!” I’ll tell you why they have to stay until the bell tolls 5pm, in one simple word. Dwight.

Dwight is horrified that his co-workers would leave early. Always a stickler, he can’t even fathom why they would want to go. While he’s droning on about “the rules”, Stanley grabs his coat and leaves. Poor Dwight is flabbergasted, and tells the remaining people that there will be consequences if they leave as well. Phyllis inquires, “what consequences?” Dwight replies, “I will tell on you”. lol 

Back at the job fair, Pam is chatting up an interested young man named Justin. Michael takes one look at him and decides he’s not right for Dunder Mifflin, “only the best and brightest Pam!”, all in full earshot of the poor young man of course! Michael then tries to make Justin feel better (which you know is never good). He tells him, “A handsome, funny, smart, funny…looking kid like you shouldn’t limit himself. You could do whatever you want to do. You could be a classy janitor, a cashier with dignity, or a migrane worker. Maybe for you, paper should be more of a hobby”.  Yep! That’s a hard one to top (twss). That is easily my favorite quote from this episode! And, of course, the poor kid scurries away in embarressment. Who wouldn’t, right?

But, before he left, Justin wrote on Michael’s one blank sheet of paper. Now, all the other job fair booths have a “draw”. Some have basketball hoops, or elaborate displays, not Dunder-Mifflins! Michael thought one sheet of paper made “a statement”. And now, that unwanted kid wrote on it! How dare he?! lol Michael immediately sends Pam away to find another “statement-making” blank sheet of paper. When she leaves, Michael explains in his talking head, “Yeah, I am trying to lure kids into my booth. Kids are very wary about being lured these days. Thank you Dateline!” Poor Michael! That line reminded me of his internet dating site user-name, “Little Kid Lover”. ha ha

Back at the office, Dwight takes a bathroom break, and the gang makes a break for it. Creed calls Angela on the phone, “Hi ya Pumpkin, it’s Creed. We’re gonna ditch this bitch, you in or out?” Angela (looking very pregnant in this episode, I might add) looks at him in disgust and of course replies with a firm, “No”. Creed, doesn’t bat an eye, just hangs up the phone and says to the other co-workers, “Pumpkin’s out. Let’s go gang!” Pumpkin?! You know he called her that because he has no clue what her name is! ha ha Creed is the best…Everyone scurries out. When Dwight comes out of the bathroom, it’s just him and Angela. hmmm…? Were you thinking what I was thinking at this point in the episode? Yeah, that’s what I thought! lol Dwangela!!!

Pam finally finds another sheet of paper in her high school’s old art room. But, it’s not good enough for Michael because he needs it to be Dunder-Mifflin paper. So, Pam takes off for the office.

On the golf-course, Jim’s cell phone rings. It’s Pam. She’s wondering how he’s doing. So, one can infer that she’s aware of Jim’s anxiousness to win this client, and she shares his concern. Her call is just the inspiration Jim needs. He tries again to broach the subject of business, and again is brushed off. Poor Jim!

Pam comes back (again) with a blank sheet of white paper. But, Michael is not pleased. He is just getting madder and madder. No one (except poor Justin) has shown any interest in interning at his office. He sees Oscar and Darryl shooting hoops at another companies booth and his inner third grader takes over. He grabs their ball and throws it away. Another classic Michael-tantrum. Shortly after that, Justin walks by. Michael just about attacks the boy. He now must see him as his “only hope” in the job fair, so he “turns on the charm” to try to woo the kid. Which for Michael means he becomes even more annoying and offensive. He actually offers him Pam…sexually. Saying, “She’ll do you. She’s dated two guys at the office, that we know of.” Ouch! Pam walks away in disgust, and Justin is not woo’ed by Michael.

Back at Dunder-Mifflin, former lovers Dwight and Angela continue their work in silence. Except for a few niceties, like when Dwight sneezes, or they have to share the copier. It’s subtle, curt and stiff, but one can see the ice starting to melt in Dwangela-land.

Jim, not one to give up when it comes to Pam and his future, continues to bug potential client Mr. McGuire, until he agrees to become his current client. His strategy works and he lands the account.

The golf game over, the guys head back to Dunder-Miffin to celebrate with a few beers. The job fair crew heads back to the office as well. Pam sees the guys having a beer and comes to the logical conclusion that they landed the client. She’s so excited that she runs into Jim’s arms. They hug, and then realizing the camera is capturing it all, pull away awkwardly.  Then our boy Jim  says what we’re all thinking, “You know what? Screw this!” and kisses her. Hurray!!  So cute, so romantic. So JAM!! And, in the background, Kevin and Andy look on and make porn music noises. lol

Michael watches them kiss and instead of joining in on the childish antics of Kevin and Andy, waxes on about how great it is to work at Dunder Mifflin. He’s still clearly rattled that no one wants to intern at his company. He says, “Jim could work anywhere, but he chooses to work here”. He wants to reassure himself that even the “cool guy” in his mind, Jim Halpert, wants-to and likes-to be at Dunder Mifflin. And somehow in Michael-world, that makes it all ok.

Now, we have the extra minute scene. What you say?! Well, in case you didn’t notice, this episode ran 31 minutes instead of the usual 30 minutes. Why you say?! Well, I’m not sure really. I will say this though the scene must have been kept in because it’s important to the set-up of the finale. And that my friends, makes me a little nervous. Here’s how it went down….

Pam is at the job fair and wanders over to the graphic design booth. She begins to ask questions about entry-level positions with the company. The guy manning the booth begins to rattle off all the basics she will need to know, like Photoshop, Dreamweaver, etc…all these computer design programs. Pam has to admit that she isn’t versed in any of these programs. So, the man tells her to go to either Philly or New York City, because “that’s where you need to go to learn everything about the graphic design world”. Hmmm!!! I ask you, why was that scene so important that it pushed the show another minute?! Again I say…hmmm!! I guess we”ll find out next week. Same bat time, same bat channel (but an hour longer! ha ha)

Thanks for reading, and you know I love the comments! ~Donna