Win.

"I'll show you where we make the slaves work" was the money quote.

I'm still partial to:

Andy: I'll be the number two guy in Scranton in six weeks!


That...is the greatest ambition.

The G.I. line was ruined for me because it was in the promos...but the look on Karen's face was still priceless...

Also, the full version of Lazy Scranton is up:

Scranton...the Electric City...they call it that 'cause of the elec..tri...city!

Jesus, Dwight wearing the Rock 107 t-shirt they would give away for radio contests and the Montage Mtn shout out? If you are from Scranton this show just constantly makes you smile for the inside references.

Not to get Dank's panties in a bunch with over-analyzing... and I might have missed this.. but does Jim know the wedding was off? Or shall we assume he found out somehow (in the phone conversation with Pam, or whatever..)

I'd seen the "Was your dad a GI?" line in previews and commercials, at least 3 times before Thursday's episode, and it was hilarious every time.

What they didn't show in the previews was Pam's amazing shocked and appalled look of disapproval. That was the icing on the cake.

I personally enjoyed Toby's attempt at being cool and trying to do that knuckle-five thing instead of shaking Jim's hand, then realizing how lame he came off and shaking his hand instead. He's totally the anti-Michael Scott, with his acute self-awareness of just how uncool he is.

I think Michael told Jim at the Convention. Pretty sure he did.

Loved the last episode. Kevin, Creed, and Stan were amazing. And could Toby be more socially awkward?

Jim's buddies with Kevin and talks to him on the phone about fantasy football stuff. It's been heavily implied that SOMEBODY from Scranton (likely Kevin) told Jim, because when Michael told Jim that Pam was available at the Convention, Jim replied "I know."

Do I count?

It's unreal...even the Coopers references!

Actually it was Michael who told Jim. When Dwight, Jim, Josh and Michael were standing around at the convention Michael got a phone call from Pam and then mentioned the double-date she was doing with Ryan and Kelly. The camera cut to Jim in the background with a "Uh....what?" look on his face. Later on Michael told Jim about it and Jims "Yeah, I know" was referencing Michaels own stupidity at not thinking what Pam being single would mean to Jim.

I totally forgot about the Jim/Pam stuff on the Convention ep. Thanks.

I'm still excited that Wayne Wilderson is a new employee. Mr. Show represent.

I love how Pam has become this season to Michael and Dwight. I can't believe no one mentioned the beginning segment where Pam fucked with Dwight and then felt compelled to explain herself before waltzing back in. I loved the fact that it was a freakin' thermometer.



Toby rules. Nuff said. I can't wait till they do a full episode with Toby vs. Michael.

"Was it something Toby said, because he can be really..."

"Actually Toby was very helpful and understanding."

What's so great about that shot is that they frame it so you can see Toby's reaction to someone finally calling Michael on his Toby bashing...but because it's Toby he has none...

I am amassing more and more favorite Toby moments...he almost rivals Stanley for me...but not quite...In the same way that no matter how cool a game "Dunder Ball" is, it will never be as much fun as "work real hard so my kids can go to college."

YES. That is it. Thank you.

Nothing Stanley has done will come close to Toby trying to give Jim a pound or Toby explaining why he didn't invite the kid and ending in "Is that it or do you need more?"

"Actually I didn't think it'd be appropriate to invite Boy Scouts because there's alcohol being served and it's in our dangerous warehouse. And it's a school night and Hooters is catering.....is....is that enough.....should I go on?"

All of that is great, but it is all defeated by Stanley screaming at Ryan after Stanley's daughter was flirting with him.

"Why are you looking out there? No one out there is going to help you!"

"Today, Stanley yelled at me, which was the most terrifying moment of my life."

and let's not forget the epic tale of the two toasters...

Or Stanley's reaction to the Pretzel Day announcement.

"Whatchoo lookin' out there for boy? Jesus could come in here and he ain't gon' help you!"

"Costa Rica will still be there.... when I'm sixty five."

Toby's expression after that was exactly the same as John C. McGinley's expression at the end of Platoon when the character finds out the entire command element of the platoon has been wiped out and he'll be taking over.
Sort of hopeless acceptance.

and that is where the two become one...Stanley's reaction was existential...It was like he was saying in his mind:

"I can't go on. I'll go on."

I don't know if it's possible for me to be more excited about a show...

"All-new! Which employee is an ex-con? Written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant"

Creed is waaaay too obvious of a guess at this moment. I'm going with Angela or Karen.

I'm saddened by someone not saying "How is Creed NOT an ex-convict?" or something along that line.

Really good episode. Well Jim is dating Karen, don't some of you feel foolish?

Kevin was great in this.

EDIT: Fixed my typo.

OH DANG! Guess I wasn't paying attention

I really hope you mean Jim is dating Karen because if he is dating Kevin, I missed something.

Michael's line about Toby being a convicted rapist was so random and awesome.

PRISON MIKE! made this episode awesome. Michael's actions forcing him to quit will certainly have ramifications, and I think they'll combine with issues stemming from the fat dude being fired, and eventually Michael will be fired. Kevin was indeed great, as was Angela "as a 90 pound woman in a dimly-lit corner, I'm fine with this" and "Don't encourage him, Dwight". Toby's few moments were great tonight, especially him coming to save Michael's ass at the end.

Yes, that is correct. That is why you should never have two characters with similar names on the same show. It makes me look bad.

I thought you were just referencing Jim saying he'd do Kevin since he'd be loveable and they could just go bowling afterwards.

"I've gotta delete a lot of stuff. A lot. Of stuff...".

I was a bit underwhelmed tonight. I'm thinking it was because of a serious lack of Dwigt.

I mean Dwight.

CREED!

Karen: "Don't do that, he'll swallow one of them!"

Creed: "That's OK, I've tons of paper clips!"

Am I the only missing the Angela-Dwight arc :(

They've been slowly bulding towards something involving them throughout the season, although I do miss their overt flirting in the second season.

Dwight naming 'halvesies' as a race/ethnicity was the best part of the episode. Admit it to yourself.

And in the black people better than white people game, I was shocked Michael didn't snap 'Jesus wasn't white, he was Jewish' after Karen nominated him.

Who are you to doubt Michael's excellent pick of Apollo Creed?

Michael and Jim reversing roles is definitely something I can see happening before the season is over.

Andy rockin' "Rainbow Connection" at the end on the banjo had me freaking out, as did Creed taunting the baby with paper clips.

Andy is making this show better, something I didn't think could possibly happen.

I was kind of underwhelmed. With the exception of the SUPREMELY AWESOME Rainbow Connection bit at the end, the Andy/Pam prank was just kind of there. I mean, yeah it showed that Jim knows everything Pam hates, and she was happy for Jim's attention, but the actual prank didn't really do it for me. Prison Mike was really funny, especially the questions, but the Office vs. Prison concept didn't really develop as the guys teasing Michael. On the other hand, I laughed my ass off at Michael locking them in the room. Still, somehow I was expecting him to bust out an episode of OZ after the Prison Mike skit bombed, which would have been all sorts of funny, been totally in character (like his Entourage thing a while back), and also been horribly inappropriate.
I also enjoyed the heavy Kevin presence this week, as he is my favorite side character (even more than Creed, and I thought his bit this week was too forced).
Right now, it looks like they're working on getting it back to just Scranton and Karen and Andy, which is fine as the lady with the baby does nothing for the show as far as I'm concerned.
I don't know, this was the one written by Gervais and Merchant, right? I didn't really care for the British version of the show, and I think having guest writers made for something of a filler episode in the middle of an amazing story arc.

-jlowe

I'm with you there, I thought Michael was going to show an episode of Oz, given that he was standing in front of the TV.

"It's just such a stereotype. I really wish Josh had made a more...progressive hire...like a white man...who...poisoned a black man's...lake."

I also thought he was going to show Ilsa,Caged Heat or maybe even The Big Doll Cage but no luck. It was still a very good episode though.

Am I the only one who loved the classic Stanley Hudson moment? Toby gets Michael to unlock the conference room, everybody exits the room one by one looking pissed off except for Stanley , who nonchalantly leaves *still doing his crossword puzzle* :)

If this was the one written by Gervais, then I'd have to say it was a major let-down. The episode wasn't bad, but I was also underwhelmed.

Still though, if you get underwhelmed by this kind of episode, what does that say about the whole series?

Time for deleted scenes:
http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/

Too much Michael and not enough Dwight for me. I started 'cringing' when Michael made the announcement of Martin's imprisonment. Ya just knew he had to tell everyone!