Life In The Office

Sorry to be so late with this, guys! Been very busy. But enough excuses, let’s go!

Last week, some fans were upset with all of the rampant cutthroat back-stabbery that was “New Leads”. Well, this time we get The Office the way we generally like it; crazy co-workers as big dysfunctional family, along the lines of “The Dundies” and “Casino Night”, with the requisite romantic entanglements. And it was pretty good… although I’m gonna need somebody to explain Pam to me. Would YOU try to set up someone who dumped your own mother???

But that’s later. The Cold Opening was the start of the big family hi-jinks. As it opens MIchael is completing 26 push-ups (well… 25 regular push-ups and one girl push-up, according to Dwight) and challenges everyone to do likewise. When told that they will get Michael’s respect as a reward, no one budges. But when the ante is raised to leaving early, everyone hops to it. All wash out except for Stanley. As his co-workers cheer him on ( doesn’t anyone remember that Stanley had a heart attack last season?), the big fella completes his task and proudly leaves.

As the first act begins, we see Oscar trying to strike up a conversation with Matt early one morning. Poor Oscar. He just can’t seem to get it going with this guy. After realizing that he is locked out until someone else shows up, Oscar apparently has time to dream up a reason to hang out with Matt after work; An office night out. So he sidles into Daryl’s office and, with about as much subtlety as a brick, tries to run his plan past Daryl, who sees right through it. “Look, just be straight with me. You can be gay with Matt but be straight with me.” Daryl says. I love Daryl. You can always count on him to be right on target.

So plans are made and Jim tries to use the baby as an excuse to not go. “This baby is amazing. She gets me out of anything.”, he says in a Talking Head. But he is foiled by Pam who is suffering from extreme cabin fever and wants out for the evening. Reluctantly he agrees. Credit goes to our man Bob for picking up that Jenna Fischer says “Brian” instead of “Kevin” during Jim’s Talking Head. It’s funny that they left that in. Also we see Andy and Erin covertly make plans to go, though they don’t want anyone to know that they are seeing each other (but if it’s obvious to Kevin then it must be obvious to everyone, right?). Andy invites Michael, who mistakenly thinks they are leaving right at that moment. Nope. Gotta hang on to the end of the day, Michael. Later, at the hangout spot we see that Pam has suffered some sort of brain aneurysm and has decided to hook up her friend Julie with Michael. What? Ok, let’s recap, Pam. You tried this already with your old landlady. Michael was a complete jerk. Michael, without you knowing, started seeing your MOTHER. After freaking out you finally warmed up to the idea right before Michael became a complete jerk again and dumped her. So naturally, you try this AGAIN. That is completely delusional. I love you Pam but you’ve apparently gone insane.

So insane that she greets Kevin excitedly, only to have him wail like a baby until she and Jim leave, embarrassed. Kevin explains his master plan. New mothers, upon hearing babies cry, will have their “you-know-whats” fill up with “you know what” which will seemingly lead to nipple leakage and a wet blouse. Kevin apparently will find this hilarious.

Inside, we have four separate stories start to play out. Oscar anxiously awaits the arrival of Matt, Angela has her evening with Dwight interrupted by the arrival of Isabelle (Dwight’s fling from the wedding), Andy is overthinking trying to keep he and Erin hush-hush and Michael is having a nice time amusing Julie who “laughs at everything”, according to Pam. Julie is starting to loosen up and like Michael when Jim makes Michael aware that this is sort of a date. Uh oh. Enter “Date Mike” , an even jerkier, more crass version of Mr. Scott. Basically Michael in a backwards Kangol, after watching multiple episodes of “Jersey Shore”. Now, should I shout down my inner cynic that says the only reason he’s called “Date Mike” is because Steve Carrell has a movie coming out called ‘Date Night”? Still trying to decide.

Going way too far to try to impress Julie, the “Date Mike” persona is a disaster, practically wrecking the joint trying to be cool. Michael is asked to leave by the manager and Michael gives up the Date Mike persona and apologizes, much to everyone’s embarrassment. I just don’t understand why Jim and Pam didn’t try harder to stop Michael from making an ass of himself but I guess they were partly distracted by Kevin, who comes over and wails at Pam’s breasts again. “What is happening?!?” asks Jim, one of my favorite lines from the episode.

Meanwhile, Dwight is catching up with Isabelle, who I stupidly didn’t realize, is a fox. And she has got the physical attributes (blood type and height, i mean) that appeal to him in a prospective mother. But Angela has got that pesky contract… so Dwight pulls “Monkey” aside after interrupting a spirited game of Whack-a-Mole and gives her the heave-ho. This may be the first time I actually felt sorry for Angela. Sort of.

Michael, angry at having been dressed down by the manager, goes to confront her. But while the two semi-argue, the manager inexplicably starts to dig him. Huh? I guess I wasn’t prepared for the dopey, kinda lovable Michael becoming the completely over-the-top (and from left field) Date Mike and then transforming back to the original “DKL” Michael Scott. I guess they are trying to show us that Michael, when just being Michael, is actually ok. I’m not sure if any of the previous women we’ve seen on this show would agree. But after an upset Julie leaves Michael faces a half second of remorse until it’s clear that the manager wants to see him again… then all is right in the world.

Andy is trying to convince Erin ( who gets cuter with every episode) that they should throw everyone off the trail and talk to other people. But when Erin gropes some guy at the bar Andy lets loose a spit take (a little broad for this show but… I guess they’ve earned it after 6 seasons) and the two argue in a photo booth, capturing it all for posterity. After Andy sees the pictures and the unhappy Erin, he comes to his senses and announces to everyone through an open mic that the two are dating… and will continue to date. Very cute. And a bummed out Oscar finally sees Matt at the bar. The two play one of those mechanical booth basketball games and Oscar almost kills himself with rebounding balls… which probably should be re-phrased. It’s a funny sight gag.

Outside in the parking lot (always gotta be a parking lot scene!), Dwight and Isabelle are pounced on by Angela, who seeks to ruin Dwight’s new relationship by revealing the baby contract and serving Dwight with a summons. But the plucky Isabelle seems to not care and plays an impromptu game of Whack-an-Angela, which is absolutely hilarious. Dwight… is in LOVE.

Also in the parking lot, a crying Kelly, who spilled her drink apparently, finally activates Pam’s breasts, much to the delight of Kevin. And Michael once again becomes Date Mike for Jim and Pam, makes a stupid face and dances off jerkily. If I were in that scene they would’ve had to shoot it a million times ’cause Steve Carrell made me laugh with this nonsense. How they act with him and not lose it is beyond me. In fact, unless I’m mistaken, it really looks like John Krasinski had to stifle a laugh at the end. Then, for the capper we have a bizarre but funny scene of the Japanese warehouse worker Hide,who was boring Oscar earlier, telling his life story after being prompted by Daryl. His story of being a noted doctor in Japan, killing a Yakuza boss in surgery and fleeing to America is, for some reason, funny. Don’t ask me why.

So, a good episode, almost marred by the abrupt appearance of Date Mike but saved by the interaction of the other characters on a night out. Makes you almost forget that they were all unlikable last week.

-Kevin