Ooh, I completely forgot to mention that I did love during the dinner how one of Jim's brothers looked at the camera in a weird way, immediately followed by Jim doing that as well. Nice way to show the whole brothers thing. Subtle, yet good.

And I liked the episode. It had a great sense of direction to it and it sets up the rest of the season pretty well.

Ok, so this was kind of funny to me. I'll start by saying that I'm kinda in the "PB&J are getting boring club". Well, me and my best friend always like to "dish" on Fridays after we have both watched The Office. I told her how I felt about the Pam and Jim storyline, and she proceeded to rip me apart, and told me "we'll see how happy you are when Michael and Jan get back together"! I really had no comeback for that, because it was such a bizarre thing to say to me.

It is funny how we can't accept a tv couple being together though, isn't it? I mean we root for Jim and Pam for 3 seasons and then the show puts them together and we do nothing but bitch about how boring it is. Before someone goes off on me, I'm including myself in this too. I like that they aren't doing the usual sitcom convention of "get together, break up, get together, wash rinse repeat" but their storyline this season has been dragging.

Watch it a second time, because the gag is sooo much better. Jim's bald brother in the background does his Jim face, seconds later the one with hair does his, cut to Jim and he does his. I saw exactly what you commented on the first time around.

Pretty much the whole premise of both versions of The Office is making awkward and uncomfortable situations incredibly funny. Pam and Jim are the happy couple now, and thusly, there isn't anything particularly awkward or uncomfortable about them anymore. It looked like they might have been heading that direction with Jim's neurotic trip to New York, but then his coolness set in.

I don't think "bitching" is the right phrase. It's just kind of a no-win situation for the characters. If Jim and Pam were STILL pining for each other after four years, I think there would be just as many complaints. And nobody wants to see a "break-up, get-back-together, break-up" storyline either.

I think the problem is that they are focusing too much on them, with nothing happening. I don't mind them being the happy couple, but the relationship probably shouldn't be a main point of the show right now. I really wouldn't mind them taking the Turk/Carla route, and just saying "these two characters are together", but not beat you over the head with it, and once in a while have a conflict pop up that gets resolved. Maybe this will happen when Pam comes back to Scranton.

I totally agree with this. It worked in Scrubs with Turk/Carla. It worked in Friends with Monica/Chandler. I think you can keep couples together on shows without the constant break ups, there are other conflicts besides breaking up that can arise. Plus, just planning the wedding could be the entire season six arc. Bring Roy back for a few episodes for something, have a couple issues with the wedding, it's easy.

The part with THE DUDE FROM NEW YORK at the end made me feel very, very uncomfortable. I'm actually kinda scared now...ugh.

This was alright, I liked the bit with the coffee cups. Dwight's constant questioning of the Bluetooth was pretty good, and I liked Andy finally choosing SCHRUTE BEET FARM for the wedding...and Angela advocating it. Ooh boy, this isn't going to end well.

The phone scene with Michael, Dwight, and Jim was like an ode to the second season when this show was so great. And it ruled tonight too.

This episode was awesome. Jim and Pam had the awkward moments, Andy is slowly bringing back the disturbed anger management character, Dwight was once again phenomenal, and there was no Phyllis. Only gripe is the lack of Creed.

Loved this ep, best of the season so far with everything we love about the Office epitomized, as others have pointed out.

Was the color scheme all messed up on any one else's (NBC HD) feed?

So is Pam going to get a job at Sterling-Cooper? I never realized that was Harry Crane from Mad Men.

Agreed. Easily the best episode of the season.

"Don't do it, Michael."
"But it's a million dollar sale!"

Well, things are finally picking up with Jim/Pam. It was a matter of time before some tension would come around. The guy from NY didn't really say anything too sleazy, he just suggested Pam try out NY more for what she's trying to do. I can understand that. He didn't come on to her yet, so it has a nice somewhat-slow build to it. And I can't wait for Andy/Angela's wedding at Schrute farm. That's going to be hilarious.

Dwight inevitably taking over as wedding planner will be even MORE awesome.

I laughed hard at Dwight talking directly to Angela, and Andy continuously putting his face into dwights view. I thought that was tremendous.

What that guy in NY said was totally something Jim would have done in Season 2, as Pam's "friend."
Why didn't Jim say anything if he heard the whole thing?

Jim never had the stones to do what NY guy did until he thought he was leaving forever.

Yeah, it was a case where he was going anyway, so why not take a good shot at something, knowing he had nothing to lose, and to him, the distance between the two would heal whatever rejection wounds he would suffer.

Except for NY guy didn't do a thing except for try and hide behind wanting Pam to stay in New York because of her "art" instead of actually admitting he had the hots for her. Jim did the same exact thing in season 2 with Pam, and he didn't have stones when he did it either.

I agree with this a little, but if we are treating these characters like real people, then it probably should also be pointed out that NY guy has some class, and doesn't know how to deal with the fact that she's engaged. Does he go for it, or doesn't he, because Pam is engaged to someone that she obviously is very much in love with. NY guy is obviously deluding himself into thinking he's got a shot, so instead of going for a homerun like Jim, he ends up with a check swing. What I really love about this storyline is that the position Jim is in, is very much the position Roy was in. It's also the position a lot of young couples find themselves in. I don't think any fans of the show should sweat the NY guy, because coming from someone who earned a fine arts degree and spent much time with someone taken, NY guys doesn't have a shot. I just hope the writers continue to defy the conventions of the sitcom/romcom and just have Jim deal with things instead of getting Ross/Rachel part 2.

Definitely the best episode of the season - Jim screwing around with Dwight was classic, and I liked the stuff with Kelly as well since she's been pretty under-used over the past season. The Pam/NY Guy scene was uncomfortable but in an amusing way, and was made even more painful for Jim since he had to hear it all go on in real-time. Tough shit for him to deal with, but I think his love for Pam, and her love for him, will win out. Plus, she could still stay in New York at some point since Jim seems to have a gig there in corporate if he wants it since he's so good and since David Wallace likes him. Dwight as the wedding planner is going to be damned awesome.

He said "Don't." Directed at Pam, not at Dwight trying to take the bluetooth out of Jim's ear.

I'll have to rewatch, as maybe I missed something, but I don't see how his "don't " would have applied to Pam and not to Dwight who was trying to take the phone out of his ear.

I didn't pick up on that either, but I think it's entirely possible that was the intended meaning.

I really liked tonight's episode, easily one of my favorites of the entire season. In fact, I'm sure the scene where Andy and Oscar are drunk and call Angela on the phone is the hardest I've laughed all season.

Honestly, I wish Pam would have stayed in New York for another 12 weeks, just to see how they would handle having her gone a whole season. I'm curious as to how Pam didn't realize she was failing a class, but it could be easily played off as if she wasn't paying attention to her grades with her hard-partying college ways (at least, it always appeared she was goofing off at school). Of course, my wife is thrilled she's back, but I'm curious to see how they would potentially stretch it out another half-season.

Too much to love tonight. I was laughing uproariously at times. Great episode.

I didn't quite get all the love for last week's episode, but tonight's was easily one of the best of the season. Andy comes off as the coolest he has been the whole series (which will make his downfall all the more excruciating) and Michael grows a pair. His speech at the end might be my new favorite Michael moment. I just love how they have completely abandoned his one-dimensionalness from last season and just made him a realistic sad sack loser who can't catch a break. Even when he finally tells his boss off, it's only because he'd already hit rock bottom anyway.

I'm not sure what direction they are going with Pam. I have to believe Pam realizing that she doesn't have the talent to make her dream a reality is going to play heavily. But my boredom for Pam and Jim has come to a halt for now.

And maybe it's just me, but Jim kinda bugged me tonight. The staff trashes his fiancee's artwork and he not only sits there and takes it, he just meanders off like a dink.

The drunk call to Angela was incredible. And vaguely hearing Dwight in the background made it even more incredible. Also nice to see Kelly get a little face time.

I am totally intrigued at the potential of a Michael/David Wallace one sided feud. Especially considering...



and just how huge Michael will flip the fuck out if that happens.

Jim has definitely been the least interesting he's ever been this season. I was really happy to have Pam back in the office though and I don't think it necessarily has to be a huge deal -- a lot of us have gone to school for something and ultimately decided it wasn't for us. The entire New York/graphic design deal could just as easily be seen as Pam changing majors (changing dreams) than some humongous monumental setback. But who knows.

Definitely a five star episode.

I'm pretty curious where they're going with the Michael/Wallace feud. Because Michael is always so loyal to Wallace and Dunder Mifflin (see the episode where Jan was suing Dunder). I was pretty shocked he just hung up on him, so I definitely think there will be some type of consequence. Maybe a suspension or something with Michael trying to find something to do with his time or break his way into the office. It'll be kind of nice to have the entire original cast back in the office with Pam, Ryan, and Toby (hopefully) all coming back.

I laughed when Pam said something like "They switched the Flash to Acrobat and I got it confused with Quark." None of those programs have anything to do with each other. Being a designer, my wife would rib me about how it was so cute that Pam was going to be a designer after a mere three weeks of training. A lot of people think being a designer is really cool but in the end, realize it is not always much different than being a glorified receptionist.

I also liked how how at the beginning of the episode you think Michael has no chance with the geisha... sorry, concierge, but in the end, scores only to be thrown out when over... Does she live the hotel or was that his room? Darrell's strut was pretty amazing too.

Jefe, I totally got that program reference. I laughed.

I didn't see the whole episode yet. I turn it on and right off the bat I see Kelly kissing Ryan, Andy and Oscar bonding over a drunk call, and Michael deciding to man up to Wallace. I can't wait to catch the rest of it, but what a fun few minutes. Oh, and I'm glad to see Pam back at the office, but I sure sense Jim will be all like "You really fucked up, Pam" sometime down the line.

Funny to see Michael hook up with Clemmy...I can't see her as anything else.

Does anyone think David Wallace won't do anything to Michael for telling him off, just because he genuinely likes/pities Michael and he knows he ruined his love life?

"Do you like apples? How do you like them apples?"

Weird to see the office not caring/being indifferent to Jim/Pam's engagement announcement a few weeks back to all of a sudden making "goo goo" eyes at him and feeling his pain when Pam's gone.

ML

That WAS Clementine? Holy shit, I thought it was, but at other points I would doubt myself. Great episode too, by the way.

Definitely enjoyed Ryan looking extremely uncomfortable when he realized he was back with Kelly. I think he just wanted the challenge of the chase, haha, that should be extremely entertaining.

Also, when Andy called up Angela drunk, was that Dwight in the background talking?

I would assume so. I can only hope Dwight says "monkey" again at the wrong time to trigger Andy's subconscious.

Realistically I don't think he would do anything. If it was in public, yes, but if Wallace is a reasonable boss who doesn't want to go through the hassle of replacing a perfectly good and loyal manager, he's not going to let one private emotional outburst get under his skin, especially since he sort of saw it coming, and more so since it was clearly a one-time pent up event where Michael just hadn't let himself vent over the relationship...not to mention that he just 1) took a miserable trip no one else would take and 2) in doing so stopped a big client from jumping ship.

Unless they're going to make Wallace into yet another unreasonable whack job...but I don't see them needing him in that role.

Andy's look when he remembered the phone call was amazing...and was I the only one wondering if Oscar and Andy weren't going to hook up?

I also like that Michael Scott is the only man in the world for whom the sex is the least interesting part of a hook-up. For him, that's the boring part and all he's looking forward to is hanging out all the next day. He must have felt so used.

I'm just glad they didn't make Pam the bad guy in the Jim/Pam thing. They really need at least one competent, sympathetic woman on the show. Every time they need to turn one of the unsympathetic men into someone people can care about, they do it by teaming him with an abusive woman. Michael, Dwight, even Andy are now "likable" almost solely because, as horrible as they all were, women are horribler. If Phyllis starts berating Bob Vance...

Yeah, I thought that's where they were heading as well. Oscar seemed to be enjoying Andy way too much.

Rob

Andy's look of absolute terror when he found out the call was real was amazing, but I loved his look after stating that he had to go to Canada to bond with Oscar - that ruled even more. This was a really good episode as far as setting things up for the future - the Michael/David feud could be really good, especially if The breakdown of Angela and Andy's relationship was amusing, as was Pam giving up on possible greater glory to return to the person she loved (just as Jim did in the S3 finale), while Darryl's strut was amazing, and Dwight and Pam's "I want five copies of this... no...Okay, first thing in the morning then." was excellent too.

I could be wrong, but after finishing this episode just now I think this show is coming back to the greatness of season 2. Slowly but surely I find myself finding more great things in these recent episodes than not-so-great things. This episode by far was my favorite. I can't decide which part I liked best. Andy was in top form in this, yet Michael growing a set against Wallace was quite the attention-getter as well. It's nice to see Pam back and as someone who went to graphics school only to get not much out of it I can relate to her saying "Fuck it" to the school and trying to make something out of it.

Great episode. Loved the drunk dial and Deputy Clementine Johnson making a cameo.

I was about to say something about that, but its not a spoiler, is it? I mean its in the official previews being shown to millions of people watching football right now. Either way it pretty much guarentees that this weeks episode will be awesome.

Eh, I've heard people bitch about it so I thought that since the episode didn't happen yet, I'd spoiler tag it.

Am I the only one who wants Holly back? Michael deserves some happiness for a change.

I think we're gonna get there by the end. The return of Toby tonight, he's getting squeezed from all sides, here. There's got to be some type of vindication coming for Michael.

Lets all hang out at the quarry and throw stuff in it. Sounds fun to me.

Another awesome ep. This show is hitting it out of the park this year

I think Pam was horrified about the house until Jim revealed the garage art studio. I mean, there was no roof terrace! Also, it had some really horrible features, was probably in disrepair, and it has to be beyond weird to do it in your parents' bedroom. I think everyone thinking she was snooty over the microwave note (which I think she was well within her rights to do, at least in an office of normal people) lead to her loving the house.

Creed freaking out over the cops ruled, Dwight's story in the tag ruled, and the whole bit with the caprese salad ruled; although I wonder how there were no repercussions for Michael or Dwight for calling the police under false pretenses. Michael buying weed off the Vance Refrigeration guys was awesome deleted scene continuity.

I feel like Neve Campbell in Scream 2.

Dwight didn't call the police. ANDY BERNARD DID. Remember?

What is Toby's deal? He should have snapped at the end there.

Rob