|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
jossifer
LITO Forum Admin
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 1540
Location: in cahoots
|
 Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:46 pm Post subject: S07E23 - The Inner Circle |
 |
|
| 5 MAY 2011: New office manager Deangelo picks favorites among the staff, revealing his true management style. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
Bob
Most Medium Suspected
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 3180
Location: 2780 miles from home (Scranton)
|
| Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 9:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Ann and I laughed a lot at "The Inner Circle." Deangelo's "juggling" act was a highpoint. The ending felt abrupt, but overall the first post-Michael Scott episode was pretty darn good. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bob
Most Medium Suspected
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 3180
Location: 2780 miles from home (Scranton)
|
| Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 1:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
... (ahem)... While I am honored to be included in the LITO "Inner Circle," I feel I must point out that if the actual, physical inner circle gets any smaller...  ... then we'll have to start referring to it as the LITO "Inner Micro-dot."
Picture a suddenly inspired Michael Scott speaking into his tape recorder here:  "Good name for a rock band, or something: The Empty Inner Circle."  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kgreene
Koi Story
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Posts: 2179
Location: New York/New Jersey
|
| Posted: Sun May 08, 2011 1:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Sorry, Bob, busy last couple of days. Good episode. Silly, funny, all around dopey. Rainn Wilson has top billing now, huh? Guess that will change depending on who the new boss is.
In the absence of Steve Carell this show will definitely need to be even more of an ensemble show. There are enough wacky characters to generate fun storylines, especially if you mix and match them together. I know I'm not supposed to mention Parks and Recreation here but that show has done a fantastic job of matching up different characters in fun situations, truly utilizing the ensemble approach, though being headlined by Amy Poehler. It's been really good this season and it's always fun to see which characters will interact in an episode. The Office will have to do more of that. They have been trying to do that a bit this season, perhaps preparing themselves.
I'm glad to see that the DeAngelo Vickers/Scranton Strangler rumor didn't come to pass. It would've been kinda funny but I'm not sure how I really feel about it. Maybe it would've been better than how he actually did leave the show... lol.... It was clear in that final scene where Jim is helping DeAngelo out that John Krasinski is trying very hard not to laugh. I love stuff like that. I hope an outtake shows him having a hard time getting through that scene.
Speaking of the Scranton Strangler, it's really funny how he was created for the sole purpose of helping the character of Michael Scott leave the show. The Strangler is the reason Toby ended up on jury duty thus allowing Holly to return. So, they planted that seed last season, knowing Steve Carell was leaving. But you know what? I've been thinking about this. They knew this was Steve Carrell's last season a long time ago. A, his contract was up after this year and, B, he was doing a ton of movie work and really didn't need the show anymore. So I am willing to bet that Holly Flax was really created for the sole purpose of writing Michael out of the show. I remember complaining about "Company Picnic", the season finale from two years ago. I didn't like how Michael and Holly's relationship just sort of stopped there with Michael doing nothing to try to save it. He says that he believes that they will together one day. But in hindsight I now see that they were setting this up. It's been there all along. I also bet that Pam's pregnancy was rushed so that it wouldn't be a part of the seventh season, interfering with Michael's goodbye. If Steve wasn't leaving I bet they would've had the wedding and the baby in two different seasons. And they probably weren't sure how long they left with the sshow to get the baby in there so they didn't want to wait. Instead, they had to put it together because this whole year was about Michael leaving. I give them credit, they had some time to work towards this and they did it very well.
_________________
"You gotta get out there and EARN, son!"
Kevin Greene-Illustrator-
http://kgreene.deviantart.com/
http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=2807146
Office Fan Fiction-
http://mtt.just-once.net/fanfiction/viewstory.php?sid=2609
http://mtt.just-once.net/fanfiction/viewstory.php?sid=2781
http://mtt.just-once.net/fanfiction/viewstory.php?sid=1724 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bob
Most Medium Suspected
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 3180
Location: 2780 miles from home (Scranton)
|
| Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 8:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
| kgreene wrote: |
...I know I'm not supposed to mention Parks and Recreation here...
|
There are no hard and fast rules about not mentioning "Parks And Recreation" here. Like the board game "Dallas," LITO is way past rules. We have been for some time now. We start having rules now, everything we've built collapses. 
The phrase "hard and fast" struck my funny bone, so I just looked it up:
This is a nautical term. A ship that was hard and fast was simply one that was firmly beached on land.
KG, file "hard and fast rules" away for a future cold opening. It has... possibilities.
Kevin, I sure enjoy it when you ramble on about the show. Your analyses and speculations are very well thought out and provocative. You belong at the Office writers' table.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donna
King of the Stupid Universe
Joined: 21 Dec 2007
Posts: 1317
|
| Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 9:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
Ooof, totally dropped the ball here. Sorry guys. I had a sneaking suspicion that Inner Circle was my ep to recap, but I haven't even seen it yet. Am taking the time to look at the main LITO site now and I see that yes indeed, it was my ep. Sorry!  
I will watch now and get to my very late recap asap!
_________________
"Sandals Jamaica Mon" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bob
Most Medium Suspected
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 3180
Location: 2780 miles from home (Scranton)
|
| Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 1:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Donna wrote: | ...Ooof, totally dropped the ball here....
|
Donna, there are no hard and fast rules about posting a recap. Like the board game Dallas, LITO is way past rules. We have been for some time now. We start having rules now, everything we've built collapses.
I am really anxious to hear your final take on the Deangelo Vickers story arc. We know you have a vested interest; Ann and I did a side-by-side photo comparison of your husband and Will Ferrell, and it looked like this: ... like they were separated at birth! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donna
King of the Stupid Universe
Joined: 21 Dec 2007
Posts: 1317
|
| Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 8:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks for understanding guys! I will make sure I'm more prompt my next turn at bat. I know we all have busy lives and that sometimes our recaps aren't the #1 priority, but we still manage to make them timely. I'll do better next time!
I finally saw the ep and finished the recap. Here's the link. http://www.lifeintheoffice.com/2011/05/10/the-inner-circle-donnas-recap/
Overall, I liked the ep. It will be interesting to see if they use this to quietly get rid of Vickers or if the rumors will be correct about the identity of the Scranton Strangler.
Speaking of the SS, did Kev mention in the main page comments that he had heard more about those rumors? if so, link me please!
_________________
"Sandals Jamaica Mon" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donna
King of the Stupid Universe
Joined: 21 Dec 2007
Posts: 1317
|
| Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 8:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: | | Ann and I did a side-by-side photo comparison of your husband and Will Ferrell, and it looked like this: Confused Confused ... like they were separated at birth! |
Ha, ha! Yes, they do look like they could be related. Lucky for me, I'm firmly in Alex's inner-circle. As long as I don't call him sexist that is! Then, who knows? 
Something I really enjoyed about the episode was the bit on Ryan/Kelly. We haven't heard much from these D-characters lately and I just loved their banter. I am not a Ryan-fan overall, but his callous treatment of Kelly (and her acceptance) is hysterical to me for some reason and this episode really showcased that.
I am glad Vickers is not a regular on the show despite resemblance to my husband. Unlike Michael Scott, he is not endearing, just annoying. Probably on-purpose to further a possible rumored story-line, but that's neither here nor there. But even though he's awful, I liked how the rest of the staff played off him in this episode. The boss may be stupid and crazy, but he still pulls the strings and therefore must be kissed-up too. It was fun watching everyone squirm for his attentions.
This is off-topic for Bob, I finally read your recaps from last week and commented if you're interested. After all, you took the time to write both of them. Great stuff as usual.
_________________
"Sandals Jamaica Mon" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bob
Most Medium Suspected
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 3180
Location: 2780 miles from home (Scranton)
|
| Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 8:41 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Donna wrote: |
This is off-topic for Bob, I finally read your recaps from last week and commented if you're interested. After all, you took the time to write both of them. Great stuff as usual. |
Thanks, Donna. Your "kama sutra" comment cracked me up.  Back when we lived in Wyoming, Ann and I took a "country swing" dance class. The instructor was a grizzled old cowboy, and in the last session he showed us his most intricate move on the dance floor; he called it the "kama sutra of country swing." That has become a favorite "inside joke" of ours, and now you lucky LITO-ites are "in" on it! 
| Donna wrote: | But even though he's awful, I liked how the rest of the staff played off him in this episode. The boss may be stupid and crazy, but he still pulls the strings and therefore must be kissed-up too. It was fun watching everyone squirm for his attentions.
|
I really liked Deangelo's "act." It was as if he wrote down every cliché about management styles, put them in a hat and mixed them up, and just pulled them out at random. And watching the Dunder-Mifflin crew try to respond to this "moving target" with the appropriate suck-up was hilarious. Losing Steve Carell is a big blow, but The Office has good writers, and a lot of talented actors. They just might pull this off. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donna
King of the Stupid Universe
Joined: 21 Dec 2007
Posts: 1317
|
| Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 7:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: | | Losing Steve Carell is a big blow, but The Office has good writers, and a lot of talented actors. They just might pull this off. |
First of all TWSS!
Second of all, I absolutely agree, The Office is still wonderful, even without Steve. I'm just not digging Vickers. Even though I know that's the whole point of him.
I love how we know the characters so well that we don't need tons of dialogue to move the plot along. Just a few well-placed looks or expressions will do nicely, thank you! That's one of the things that keeps me interested in the show. It's like being with friends.. We know them and get a giddy little thrill when their personalities shine through in the different scenes.
Best example by far is Jim. JKras facial expressions are legendary to the fans at this point. He can lift an eyebrow and finish a scene, no sweat! This episode was no exception. I love the look Jim gave when Deangelo re-admitted him into the inner-circle and he decided he'd had enough. He never actually said this, but it is so strongly implied by his facial expressions that you feel as if he did. Or, at least I did!
Jenna Fischer is also a master when it comes to facial expression. They make a good couple!
_________________
"Sandals Jamaica Mon" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bob
Most Medium Suspected
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 3180
Location: 2780 miles from home (Scranton)
|
| Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 7:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Donna wrote: |
Just a few well-placed looks or expressions will do nicely, thank you! It's like being with friends... |
Ya know, I never thought about this until now, but you're right. All Jim and Pam have to do is look at the camera, and we get it. (Jim and/or Pam  ) That is exactly how it is like when you're with a close friend. Not a lot needs to be spoken.
... ... Now I'm thinking about those Office fans out there that, uh... closely identify with Creed. Would they say "All I have to do is look at his face, and I know what he is thinking."  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bob
Most Medium Suspected
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 3180
Location: 2780 miles from home (Scranton)
|
| Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Donna wrote: | | Quote: | | Ann and I did a side-by-side photo comparison of your husband and Will Ferrell, and it looked like this: Confused Confused ... like they were separated at birth! |
Ha, ha! Yes, they do look like they could be related. Lucky for me, I'm firmly in Alex's inner-circle. |
Hey, here's an off-the-wall idea: Donna, how about a quick youtube video of Alex "juggling" no balls, just like Deangelo; then, you would come in at the end, saying "Look, I'm juggling eggs and bowling balls... one hand... no hands... " That would be a hoot. A video like that could go viral. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donna
King of the Stupid Universe
Joined: 21 Dec 2007
Posts: 1317
|
| Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 12:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: | | A video like that could go viral |
I don't know if I would be a big a draw as Jenna Fischer, but it's a funny idea nonetheless.
I am sure I told you guys about how when we were on a cruise sitting in the hot tub the people in there with us pointed out Alex's resemblance to Will Ferrell. At the time, "Old School" was a hot movie and they kept calling him "Frank the Tank".
They were asking him to repeat lines from it. Sounds stupid yes, but remember this was a cruise, so there was copious amounts of alcohol involved. Which, as you all know, makes everything funny to the person drinking it. Not so much to the bartender though I hear.
Below is a clip from "Old School" featuring Frank the tank.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiPb50D9G1w
_________________
"Sandals Jamaica Mon" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
