My girlfriend has gotten me to start watching this Show, at the start of this 3rd season and damn am I glad she did. I LOVE this show. This was such a great half hour of television, oh if only at least 50 % of TV shows were this smart.

Sorry to derail this thread, but does anyone know where I can get the GIF of Kelly Kapur quickly shaking her head "no" after she tells Ryan that she's pregnant? I need it for a PPT presentation for work and am not talented enough to do it....

Nobody touched on Michael writing "hehe" in his diary? I was rolling when they read that part...

ultimoDANK

Well, we're (FINALLY) getting a new episode this Thursday. Pam, Jim, Andy, and Angela head over to Michael and Jan's for a dinner party. It sounds to have a lot of potential for funny and awkward moments.

Yes, thank god that the show is back and i checked into the board and saw this topic brought back.

I like the fact that it seems that they will come back from the strike with comedy in lieu of getting really story heavy; it feels better to start off slow from the last episode, which was really heavy and dark.

OH MY LORD.

This is the most cringe-inducing episode I've ever seen.

JUST. WOW.

Wow, that kinda sucked.

Maybe it’s that I haven’t been treated to a new episode in months or perhaps my feeling is accurate that this episode was spectacuallarly hilarious. It went by quick, almost felt like a “short” and with the 4 hour-long episodes the season kicked off with it’s no surprise. Although I would have liked it to actually take place in the office itself. I would think a 50/50 mix of the setting of the episodes would be a great move, but that’s kinda how it is already.

There was the worked phone call where he just picked up the phone and started talking with no dialing. Then Jan referring to Pam’s artwork as “doodles” and accusing her of wanting Michael-just classic. The tripod camera aimed at Michael and Jan’s queen bed was ok, but I would’ve enjoyed it more if no reference to it was made, or perhaps just awkward looks the show is so known for. The table that Michael built out of pine with a candle on it seemed like a real fire hazard. Andy harmonizing during Hunter's CD was fun too.

Even though I am an ordained deacon now, I found the Angela’s reaction to joking about hell the funniest moment of this episode, although a scene involved saying grace would have been a good idea. Michael’s CORE exercise machine was a nice reference to earlier in the season, and the police coming for the disturbance was a good reference to when Scott was originally looking at the condo. Dwight showing up with 2 glasses and a “date” who hasn’t yet discovered the internets and then showing no compassion when she left and driving past her at the end is keeping the character true to it’s roots while developing it further. I thought Dwight was going to get arrested for assaulting a police officer when he put his hand on the officer’s shoulder.

wow, I don't even know what to say about that episode...

I love how this show can almost switch back and forth from utter hilarity (Michael splurging on a tiny plasma, and it's mounted to the wall~!) to sheer cringe with total seamlessness.

I guess this works, as the entire season has been both dark and also funny that this one had to fit the style. I'm not sure how long this series will run ( i know that they got another season i believe), but if they know that this show will be ending sooner than later I forsee them just ending it in total destruction for everyone involved.

I'm kinda in the same boat as one of the posters above, I'm not sure if I liked it so much because it's been so long, but I thought it was great.

One of the funnier moments for me was the police officer knowing Dwight. I took that as he just bugs the hell out of them like he does everybody else.

Ohhhhhhh......I forget about Dwight's involvement with the popos! Now it makes sense! I dont know if this board allows personal questions but if so BAN ME MODS, because ignorance is no excuse....or at least a lame one. Anyway, is the name your'e using a play on Rum and Coke?

My wife insists that Dwight's date or ex-babysitter...was actually in a past episode where she was a homeless person.
Was she in a previous episode? I don't remember...

An ordained minister shouldn't want to know anything about beverages that contain the demon alcohol. They're called "spirits" for a reason!

P.S.,

The shot of Jan trying in vain to glue Michael's Dundie back together was brilliant.

Great episode, funny stuff as usual while also moving the characters along, I really don't know what anyone else could want from the show.

Anyone who thought that was a "light" episode after the deposition, missed the boat somewhere. I thought it was almost too cringe inducing, but there was some good stuff....

Honestly, the mockumentary format is almost out the door...outside of the whispering talking head interviews in the bathroom (unrealistic?), which were funny, I think they could leave the format behind and just do kind of a 3rd wall kind of show, but that's just me....

How about Dwight and his "date" eating turkey legs at the table, while everyone else was still waiting for Jan's food.

Lines of the Night:
Michael: Can I go home with YOU Jim?
Jim: My house is on fire

Jan: I'm the Devil
Michael: I'm in HEEEEELLLLL!!!!!!

Jan: No Rhyming or first names
Michael: Stop it, your in my head...

Best. Office. Ever.

It was the perfect blend of hilarious and cringe-inducing moments. Some of the highlights were Jim's gag-face when he walks into Jan's workspace, Jan's erotic dancing to Hunter's song, and Michael sleeping at the end of the bed on the little bench because Jan has "space issues." Honestly, I was laughing as much as I felt awkward. I missed this show so freaking much, I'm glad it's back.

- KSM

I'm going to have to disagree with Mike Rose and say that I think breaking the 4th wall would be horrible.

I'm sort of on the fence on this one - parts of it were way too over the top and way too painful to watch, and parts of it were absolutely bust a gut hilarious. I think the charades set piece was one of the best the show's ever done, and I almost cried when Jim answered "Tom Cruise". Still, there was something a bit...off. I don't know. Maybe the whole thing was just a bit much.

Anybody else disappointed that they didn't acknowledge the ping-pong stinger from the last pre-strike episode?

I don't think Mike was saying break the 4th wall, I think he was saying it the show could pass with the typical sitcom format now.

That's exactly what I meant...I'm not saying, laugh track and the whole nine yards. But who are we trying to fool with the talking head segments. It's almost ridiculous. I am splitting hairs, because this is my favorite comedy ever, but..you know...

The talking head segments still work perfectly fine. They work in this instance because all throughout that dinner party Michael and Jan were clearly in their own little worlds where all that mattered was the party, issues involving them, and if their guests tried to leave. They also work because it still fits in with the faux documentary aspect of the show, and I really don't see how they were unbelievable at all. Those cameras follow them everywhere, as they do in most reality shows, so it wouldn't be absurd in any way for them to try and get quick jibes in to the camera when they felt they were alone and could.

Yeah, the show has officially gone generic. I'm sure by next season we'll get the episode where Michael becomes a Big Brother to a troubled teen.

I can't help but think you are the perfect person to write it...

Yeah, it's definitley getting more and more generic. Next year we will probably get an episode where Michael goes up to the roof and jumps a shark tank on a motorcycle. That would be awesome.

Didn't they just do that on Reno 911? It wasn't on the roof but still. Jim Dangle and Michael Scott are pretty similar so you never know.

Yes, it's a play on rum and Coke.

I think the show would lose something if they got rid of the talking heads. A lot of the funny moments and one liners are from those parts of the show.

Also, somebody nobody has mentioned from last nights show is that Jim was completely ready and willing to leave Pam at the party when he had the opportunity. I thought that was pretty funny.

How exactly was this show generic? Was it in the way that they managed to avoid every possible cliche ending to a story like this, or avoid the cliche interactions between characters that usually take place in a story like this one?

Really good episode, it's been way too long since new episodes of The Office. But I hope they stay in the office for the next bunch of episodes.

Dude, look who you're probably entering a painful argument with... Just saying is all.

Also, I liked this episode quite a bit. I agree with most that it was probably one of the most cringe inducing episodes ever. Despite that, I was rolling with laughter every time Jan shot a jealous look at Pam. Dwight slowing to a stop by his old babysitter, only to speed off without her was pretty classic too.

And to whomever asked if the babysitter had been in a previous episode, I do believe the answer is yes. I'm 99% sure of it, however I can't remember the exact episode.

Finally, I can't wait for the DVD for this season to drop. I'm really interested if there will be any insight on the commentary to how Jim's character isn't written like he was in the past (ie always being the one to outsmart someone, always keeping it cool, etc.).

I don't know if it's just me, but does anyone else have Hunter's song stuck in their head? I've caught myself singing "You took me by the hand, made me a man..." quite a few times today.

Consider the source.

I don't know about anyone else, but Michael becoming a Big Brother to a troubled teen would be an awesome episode in my opinion. Perhaps it would lead to the return of Prison Mike.

This whole episode was just...awkward, and in a good way. Jim's expression when he saw the camera in front of the bed was classic, as was Pam's sad reaction to Michael sleeping like a dog in front of Jan's bed. The party showed some insight into Jan and Michael's incredibly disturbing relationship, but the episode kind of ended on a sweet note with Jan trying to fix the things she'd broken in her rage.

My favorite part of this exchange

was
Pam: ....flooded...
Jim: FLOODED!

I liked that Pam was trying to help Jim out there, even though he was willing to ditch her earlier and leave her to suffer on her own. And really, he made the right move by staying - Jim just hearing about the insanity from her wouldn't do it justice.

Am I the only one to get the vibe that the song they kept playing from Hunter's CD was about him sleeping with Jan, hence Micheal's added discomfort?

Jim was trying to get both of them out of there - she was supposed to help him deal with the flooding, and Michael asked them "doesn't that only need one person?" and both Jim and Pam looked stunned. I don't think Jim was trying to leave Pam behind at all, and I think his talking head inferred that he would get both of them out. Then again, I might be remembering it wrong.

His original intention was to get both of them out of there. But, once Jan and Michael jumped all over the "it shouldn't take two people to deal with your apartment being flooded" angle Jim was all about leaving Pam there by herself. That was why Pam started arguing that Jim should really stay at the party and Michael and Jan ran with that.

Rainmaker, I think the Hunter singing about boning Jan was pretty obvious throughout the episode and was supposed to be pretty well known as the reason why that song was making Michael so apprehensive.

I was wondering the same thing, I just didn't know if it was too obvious to mention.

- KSM

I got that vibe too, Jan dancing to music about her past bedroom rendezvous' with Hunter.

After reading that I actually said "are you kidding me?" the way Mark Jackson does. The dinner party is such an overused concept, and the way Michael/Jan pretended everything was fine while things slowly deteriorated is so typical. How is the show generic? Because from Seasons 1-3 they managed to come up with original storylines ever week while only leaving the office in a few episodes. Now pretty much every episode is some overused plotline that's not even in the office anymore. Such a disgrace to what Gervais and Merchant originally made.

I don't feel like checking th NBC store, but if they were selling cure for rabies wristbands, then there's a good possiblility that this CD is being sold there as well.

I really think Jim wasn't ditching Pam in a disrespectfulful way, but more as one of his signature practical jokes, which Pam in turn was one step ahead of him. Remember during the buildup to the relationship the incident where Pam stuck Jim with Kelly during a period where he was "jinxed" and could do nothing about it and had to listen to every word. I think Pam is probably better at practical joking than Jim. Jim puts a lot of planning into his pranks. Pam is able to prank spontaneously in a quick-witted way.

I feel like they got away from the original show that Gervais and Merchant did a long time ago. And that's almost what makes it better, it has spawned into it's own show that was at one time based off something else. I don't think they're really trying much to be just like the original show like they were when it first began.

As I completely forgot when I made my initial post on the topic, this is Kevx we are dealing with here. The only man I know that manages to be a complete idiot in every single forum he posts in.

I feel discredited by this statement ;)

Don't hold back Cell, let me know how you really feel.



Yeah, I know they got away from it early, but even my favorite episode, Product Recall, I could see them doing in the UK version, with a few slight changes. It just seems like they're trying too hard to add all these layers and personality distinctions to the characters instead of relying on the format that got them their cult fanbase.

The one good thing about Season 4 is that Ryan's role is severely down. But come on, how can Creed not even get a line in the majority of the episodes?

I thought the layers and personality distinctions of the characters were how they got their cult fanbase.

I'd argue the format of Michael being the eccentric boss, Dwight being irritating and Jim and Pam playing jokes on him was what made the show popular. I guess you can only do so much with that, but Season 4 has just had a lot of things that aren't needed like Dwight playing the computer simulation game and running the bed and breakfast (which now ruins the Jim and Dwight argument about Dwight's wildest fantasy). Eventually they had to do some things to keep it fresh, but I just think the show isn't as creative as it once was.

The only thing that bugged me was the ending with them showing everyone in their cars and Hunter's song acting as the soundtrack. That's the only place where I felt they went too sitcommy.

The ep was so awesome, though. Anyone else burst out laughing as soon as the bedroom door was opened because you saw the tripod and camera? I think Jim's plan A was to get both out of there. His plan B was to call Pam and tell her that HER apartment was on fire... flooded. Some excuse to spring her too, although he'd probably leave her squirming there for a bit just to be funny.

"Bon fire! James bon fire! Michael Scarn!"

How you haven't realized yet that everyone here thinks the same of you is beyond me. Are you really that oblivious?

Concerning the show being generic I don't think Kev will quit watching the show whether it is or is not. Generic doesn't have to be negaitve. I LOVE the Office and while I get heated in serious topics concerning politics, current events and wrestling, unlile those things The Office has the potential to unite all of mankind and end all conflict in the world. I do respect everyone's right to type whatever they want on here, not ignoring the mods right to issue discipline whether just or not. I just want everyone to realize the potential of this program. I don't even consider it a television show, it's more like catalyst for world peace.

I watch about 35 current series, so I'll definitely continue watching as it's not as if I have a shortage of time on my hands. College sucks because only about 15 people out of 5000 actually watch TV, and only 2 of them watch The Office. Maybe you're right and that's why the world is in the state it is in.

Wow, my brother, who ironically is also named Kevin also goes to college and almost everybody is into the show. Of course, it must be noted the college in question is the University of Scranton. You are quite the passionate television watcher!