For the second week in a row, The Office split its time between the Scranton branch and an off-site location. This time, though, Michael's sojourn away from the branch was more meaningufl, as he was giving a deposition in Jan's suit against Dunder Mifflin.

Yeah, it didn't sound like a good idea to me either.

(I keep the spoilers under my own side of the mattress.)

As Jan notes on the way to New York for Michael's deposition, the two of them have gone over Michael's testimony in detail, because "we wouldn't want to leave anything up to chance or Michael's judgment." And, oh yeah, there's the rub.

Thanks to Jan's coaching and his own mnemonic devices ("My friend Diz Ray has new specs"), Michael performs well at first -- until Jan's lawyer asks him if he was directly under her for the entire six-plus years she was his boss. Of course, he said "That's what she said."

"She told you she was your direct superior?" the confused attorney asked. Michael, equally confused: "Why would she say that?" The stenographer reads back a lengthy exchange -- all of it brilliant in a Who's on First sort of way -- and all Michael can say is that she's ruining the delivery.

And yeah, things come crashing down. Michael sees a bad evaluation from Jan, after they were seeing each other, and hears another deposition from Wallace about how he wasn't seriously considered for Jan's job. But Jan brought his diary into the proceeding -- and dear lord, I darn near peed a little when the attorney read the "More tomorrow, XOXO Michael" closer -- and, well, that was beyond the pale for him. He couldn't bring himself to say the company mistreats its employees.

I don't know whether to laugh or turn away in shame from that final scene, though, as they bicker about what to eat while they're driving home. It was like watching two friends fight -- fascinating and incredibly uncomfortable at the same time.

I'm also sad because it'll apparently be a while before we see the next episode, where Jan and Michael invite Jim and Pam to dinner not long after the deposition. Yes, folks, this was the last original Office finished before the writers went on strike, so we're in rerun territory for the foreseeable future.

Fortunately, the show left us with the indelible image of Kelly adapting Avril Lavigne lyrics to talk smack -- not trash, which is totally hypothetical, but smack, which is happening right now -- over Jim's lack of ping-pong prowess. I was figuring Pam would find a chance to talk some smack of her own at some point, which would send Kelly off crying into a corner, but that's not the way the show chose to go. Instead, Pam challenged Kelly to their own game of table tennis, which is probably still going on. If I were Jim or Darryl I would have gone upstairs to play too.

Other notable moments from Thursday's episode:

• Honestly, I don't know why Toby even tries anymore with Michael. Here he was trying to empathize with Michael, telling a painful story about his parents' divorce, and Michael just shoves his tray of food off the table. That's got to be among the dickiest things he's ever done; I really would like to hear a real explanation of the really deep, dark animosity Michael feels toward Toby. It can't just be because Toby thwarts his "cool" ideas.
• So yeah, Toby laughing at Michael's diary stuff about Ryan? Completely justified.
• Jan's lawyer: "How long have you known the plaintiff?" Michael: "I haven't seen it, but I have seen The Firm and The Pelican Brief. I plan on renting it."
• Every bit of Dwight's table-tennis awesomeness, from his trip to the hall of fame (there really is one) to the poster he used to have on his wall to his complete nonchalance as he was smoking Jim on the conference-room table.
• Michael: "How'd you even find [my diary]?" Jan: "You keep it under my side of the mattress." Michael: "I don't like the lump."

Your turn: Favorite moments from this week's Office? How messed up and co-dependent are Jan and Michael?

Comments

For the benefit of the America-centric audience, table tennis really is a serious sport (and not just for 12-year-olds... thanks for that, Pam).

tacitus | Nov 15, 2007 9:50:18 PM | #

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The best part was the epic Mose vs. Dwight table tennis battle during the final joke!!!!!

Brian S. | Nov 16, 2007 1:10:35 AM | #

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haha, i loved how Michael pushed Toby's tray off the table. haha. I don't know why, but I totally think the guy deserves to get bad attitude from Michael.
The ping pong storyline was kinda lame.

edgar | Nov 16, 2007 3:03:17 AM | #

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Damnit, I missed the final joke! (Mose v. Dwight was it?)

Ah, the episode was good, but the funnier parts were either from the attornies at the meeting or the entire DM office during ping-pong season.

I consider the previous episode (where Jim turns into Michael) the peak of the Office this season though, so I feel a bit slighted by this one.

*sigh* Oh I hope the DM team gets paid.

pakopako | Nov 16, 2007 7:21:25 AM | #

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This was quintessential Office. Lots of painfully funny moments, and some moments just painfully true. Great acting by Steve Carell when confronted with Jan's backstabbing. I enjoy how they're making Ryan a twerpy little creep. "You've been with us, what, ten years?" I hope Michael makes him miserable (like calling him a--hole on the online conference party was great!)

JT | Nov 16, 2007 7:35:58 AM | #

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To paraphrase Stanley from a previous episode, I don't know if Micheal is brilliant or (well Micheal, can't remember what Stanley said). What he did in the deposition was "brilliant" from the standpoint of his relationship with Jan. Had she one her lawsuit and gotten the $4 million, she'd be gone, goodbye. By sabotaging her lawsuit he has gained a slight measure of control over her and more fully bonded her to him. That , I thought, was the point of the scene between them in the car - especially when she defeatedly murmurs, "Chinese was my inexpensive option".

Kelly was great in this episode. That trash talk soliloquy was comedy gold. And when she forces Pam to back down while going through a door. The girl has got her 'tude on.

sac | Nov 16, 2007 7:38:55 AM | #

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Did anyone else see the table in the lunch room with all of the "Ryans"? A table full of little guys with beards and blackberrys. Very funny.

mlc31 | Nov 16, 2007 8:20:42 AM | #

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I love the Office, been with it since season 1 and the BBC version, but this week I think I forced a laugh once. I wasn't feeling it like the past few weeks. Can someone please explain how/where there was humor. I disucessed with my friends at work and we all were feeling a let down so to speak.

Johnny | Nov 16, 2007 9:12:46 AM | #

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Great episode. Does anyone know why Pam has been wearing the same blue sweater for the last several weeks?

SchruteFarmer | Nov 16, 2007 9:28:20 AM | #

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Johnny, the humor was during the deposition scenes. I know it seems really serious, but really listen to what they're saying and the reactions.

Kevin | Nov 16, 2007 10:09:47 AM | #

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Is there any way that Dwight can get Mose a job at the office? He's been in only a few episodes but he has to be the funniest thing about the show!

New Guy | Nov 16, 2007 11:41:30 AM | #

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The part with Pam and Kelly at the bathroom was great.
And all parts with kelly talking smack.

? | Nov 16, 2007 4:09:39 PM | #

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