I absolutely love how they are handling Roy. In the first season, they were making him out to be a complete dick, and now......

You know, that's just it. I don't think Roy ever was really supposed to be a dick, if anything, he's much more toned down than the UK version (I don't see Roy ever slamming Jim into a wall.) He's a decent enough guy, he just wasn't right for Pam. Hell, you could make a pretty good case that Jim is a bigger dick than Roy.

Even money says Stamford gets downsized by Christmas.

Heck, they could even do it AT CHRISTMAS. SNAP!

As great as Michael's gay embrace was, I must say that Dwight trumped it. His awkward, yet aggressive attempt at hugging and kissing Oscar was the funniest thing, on TV or in real life, that I have seen in quite some time. I laughed so hard that I lost my breath.

Roy's mugshot was a highlight as well.

If it comes to that, I hope they move Ed Helms down to Scranton.

I am thinking that Scranton will be downsized. From living there and actually working in an office that was downsized, it would be true to local form.
Just to basically repeat what everyone said, this was fantastic. The show didn't seem like the type to start the new season right as Jim pulled away from Pam, and it was great how all the new developments didn't get thrown down our throats even though there were not any questions left unanswered from the finale last season. It even took me a few seconds to wonder why the camera panned down to Pam's hand until I saw her face. The conference room scene was beyond brilliant and had me laughing harder than anything on TV has ever made me laugh. This continues to be the only show I will drop everything to watch.

If they downsize Scranton that would mean no more show, the Stanford office will get downsized which will be the reason Jim comes back.

Not really. They've already got the cameras at the other branch, so moving everyone over to Stanford wouldn't really be a big deal. The main drawback would be Michael not as boss, but that wouldn't be too hard to get around.

David Brent: I don't look upon this like it's the end, I look upon it like it's moving on, you know. It's almost like my work here's done. I can't imagine Jesus going 'Oh, I've told a few people in Bethlehem I'm the son of God, can I just stay here with Mum and Dad now?' No. You gotta move on. You gotta spread the word. You gotta go to Nazareth, please. And that's, very much like... me. My world does not end within these four walls, Slough's a big place. And when I've finished with Slough, there's Reading, Aldershot, Bracknell, you know I've got to... Didcott, Yately. You know. My... Winersh, Taplow. Because I am my own boss, I can... Burfield. I can wake up one morning and go 'Ooh, I don't feel like working today, can I just stay in bed?' 'Ooh, don't know, better ask the boss.' 'David can I stay in bed all day?' 'Yes you can David.' Both me, that's not me in bed with another bloke called David.

Making Roy more sympathetic is a brilliant move on the part of the writers, it makes Pam's choice that much more difficult and interesting.

Do you think they'll use the angle from the British Office where David Brent talks himself out of a job wearing the ostrich rider costume?

I could also see Jim getting promoted and going back to Scranton as Assistant Regional Manager, charged with the task of keeping an eye on Michael and trying to turn the branch around.

No, he's Assistant TO the regional manager.

I haven't seen all of the second season, but I can almost see them doing something like a bizarro UK Office. Scranton branch gets shuts down, Michael gets demoted, and people get transferred to Stamford. But on the first day, the Stamford boss does something stupid and gets fired (despite the fact Michael has yet to be fired) and Michael ends up as the boss as a result.

I could also see Jim getting promoted and going back to Scranton as Assistant Regional Manager, charged with the task of keeping an eye on Michael and trying to turn the branch around. I think it would be interesting to see Jim the prankster having some responsibility and having to take his job serious. As I type this, I realize that becoming like Michael could very easily be in Jim's future.

I thought the Roy mugshot was a Mel Gibson goof.

Great episode. I love the possibilities of Jim in Stamford, it allows the writers to allow the Jim/Pam romance to simmer for a little while, and gives them a good excuse not to go back to it. I think it's obvious that at some point, Jim winds up back in Scranton. My guess is, right as he comes back to Scranton, Pam and Roy get back together, and we're back to where we started before last season. Just a guess, though.

Just watched a good chunk of the Office season 2, and I don't know...

Is it just me or are the writers laying down the groundwork for a Roy/Angela tryst (the webisodes, the Fire episode with the "who would you do" game)? As good as the Roy/Pam/Jim triangle has been, a Roy/Angela/Dwight one has comic potential galore.

I think by the time Jim comes back to Scranton, he'll have a steady girlfriend, which might make a nice role reversal situation.

It's all speculation at this point, but in any case, expect poignantcy and hilarity... probably not in that order.

So, was Ed Helms being brought in a move to possibly keep the show going if/when Steve Carell leaves to make movies full-time?

Just caught a commercial for next week.

"Why do they call him The Bus?"

"Because he's afraid to fly."