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'The Office': I don't get no respect
What an odd, slightly disjointed episode of The Office we had Thursday. It was long on uncomfortable and even disturbing behavior (I'm talking about you, Dwight), and only out-and-out funny in a few spots, yet I found myself respecting it a fair amount at the end.
(You want to read the spoilers. Just do it. Read them. Five. Four. Three. Two. Just do it.)
Here's why: For all Michael's buffoonery, it's good to be reminded occasionally that he can, if he has to, do his job. As he and Stanley -- and that was some pretty fine work from Leslie David Baker -- had their climactic face-to-face, I was cringing a little bit in anticipation of Michael trying to pull Darryl's "fluffy fingers" on Stanley. But no, that didn't happen. Instead, Michael calmly and rationally explains that even though Stanley doesn't respect him, he can't have his employees mouth off at him like that, and he did it with only one or two tears choked back.
I think I actually may have said "wow" out loud at that. Did Stanley deserve something harsher than a little talking-to? Maybe (even though nothing in his rant was off-base). But if you're not going to fire someone -- and Michael seems almost fundamentally incapable of doing that, so desperate is he to be liked -- this is maybe the best possible way to handle things.
And let's talk about Stanley for a minute. His prickliness is nothing new, so neither his initial smackdown of Michael nor his explosion after the fake firing came out of nowhere. Baker clearly relished his increased screen time, though, and delivered a really strong performance. I felt as uncomfortable as everyone else (Pam: "I can't find my glasses!") after an angry Michael finally cut him off. It wasn't really a comedy gem, but it was good. (OK, this was pretty damn funny: "It's like I used to tell my wife -- I don't apologize unless I think I'm wrong. If you don't like it you can leave. [Beat] I say the same thing to my current wife, and I'll say it to my next one too.")
And in the end, Michael is still Michael. His final talking-head segment was a tour de force, for both its willful refusal to self-examine and the mangled comedy stylings of, by my count, at least six different comics. He started off name-checking Rodney Dangerfield, then segued into: any hacky comic who does airline-food jokes (mixing that up with a why-don't-they-build-the-planes-with-whatever-they-use-for-the-black-box joke); Henny Youngman; Jeff Foxworthy; Borat; and Jerry Seinfeld, before ending back on Dangerfield. Brilliant.
Other thoughts from "Did I Stutter":
- Dwight stepped into some frightening territory tonight with his badgering tactics (which made me think of that guy on Mr. Personality who said he would win Flawless Hayley by using mind-control techniques. Had he only used the technique to get Andy to sell his car and then torment him by flipping it (and did you notice Angela raising her eyebrow at Dwight's skills?), that would have been fine. But when he tried to fluster Michael into giving him control of the office, well, that's just weird.
- Speaking of that: Any thoughts as to Ryan's apparent vendetta against Jim? Clearly it stems from Jim having brought up the failure that is Dunder Mifflin Infinity to David Wallace, but during his time in Scranton, they never really had much conflict. I guess all that coke is making Ryan paranoid too. And, given Toby's post-warning talking head, I kind of wonder if our favorite put-upon HR rep wasn't more receptive to Ryan's action than he might otherwise have been. Pam's kavorka may just be that strong for Toby.
- Darryl is picking low-hanging fruit every time he messes with Michael, but Craig Robinson's delivery is so fantastic that those bits never get old for me. Take his recitation of the gangs he was in tonight: "Crips? Bloods?" Michael asks. "Both," Darryl answers. "And the Latin Kings. Warriors. Newsies."
- Angela: Worst Mad Lib player ever?
- The Pam-in-glasses subplot was kind of a throwaway, save for this brilliant Creed line: "A lot of jazz cats are blind, but they can play piano like nobody's business. I'd like to put a piano in front of Pam and see what happens. [Pause] I'd also like to see her topless."
- Another disconnected pre-credits bit, but this one, with Michael immortalizing his face in cement, was a good deal funnier than last week's, from "Mark Greg Sputnik" to Michael's muffled "That's what she said."
So, yeah: Not vintage Office, but with the glimpse of Competent Michael and the end and other assorted weirdness made it worth my half-hour. What did you think?
I feel that some of these episodes since the strike have a certain meanness to them and that's why I haven't liked them. In the past seasons there was always an underlying sweetness to the show and the characters. Michael and Dwight might upset you or make you cringe, but you knew that they were still good guys. With Ryan and to a lesser extent Jan I don't feel that way.
The shortened season hasn't helped either, but that is what we're stuck with. The show hasn't had the sense of direction that it had last year. The hour long episodes at the beginning of the season seemed very forced and also hurt the show. I hope that next year they can get back on track.
Stevie G | May 1, 2008 9:13:45 PM | #I too feel that this weird season has been somewhat hurtful to the show. That being said, I think the actors have tried so damn hard that it has made this "come-back" worthwhile.
I disagree on the Ryan comments. I actually tried to get into business school and failed (how incredibly lame?) and know what Ryan went through and is now going through in realizing his self-deprecating "dreams". I ended up still pursuing a management major in a different field (re: Agriculture) while realizing how shallow and useless an education in business really is and that is why I feel what Ryan is going through. It's probably the only reason I don't hate him. So if any of you Office fans dislike Ryan wholeheartedly, think of his education and what he is coming to terms with in the "real world". I was smart enough to expect it but I think Ryan is the kind of person who really believed that a "business education" would make you a star in any field.
As for Jan...well, I'm a female and can honestly say I don't understand any of the decisions she makes. What I can say is she is hilarious.
Krista | May 2, 2008 12:02:42 AM | #It's not that Ryan is coming to any realization, it's that Ryan is an arrogant brat who's always thought he's too good for the small little people of scranton and he's realizing that his ridiculous website is an absolute disaster. (favorite line from last week: "why does our paper site need social networking")
All of Ryan's "microsoft model" BS doesn't help because he can't realistically apply it. Also, how good could his business school have been (Wallace said he had an MBA) if he gets bumped a full letter grade for bringing in his boss. Sounds like the University of Hotmail to me.
Jay | May 2, 2008 3:01:40 AM | #The only thing I felt was wrong with the opening bit was that it seemed obvious to me that what Micheal should have put in the cement was the comment, "That's what she said". But I guess it fits his cluelessness that he'd miss that.
Also, I was so anticipating some fluffy fingers action that I'm not sure if I'm disappointed it did not happen or hopeful it will in the future.
Thought the episode was reseemed by the understanding Micheal and Stanley came to along with the follow-up of him having another meeting, asking Stanley his thoughts and getting the, "That just might be one of your most brilliant ideas ever" comment (which was Stanley being true to himself and still respecting Micheal) folloew by Phyllis makining a negative comment and Micheal immediately ordering everyone out except Phyllis.
sac | May 2, 2008 5:48:32 AM | #Why does Creed need 3 chairs?
Sideshow Bob | May 2, 2008 7:00:14 AM | #I enjoyed last nights episode, but Stanley scares me now. I don't know if I can laugh at him anymore.
The funniest line was during the end credits, when Phyllis calls Michaels idea "the Dumbest thing I've ever heard." The look on her face was priceless. I couldn't stop laughing. I had to pause the start of 30 Rock. =)
Angela is getting a little chucky in the face from being pregnant. Was it very noticable to anyone else?
Matt | May 2, 2008 8:18:18 AM | #I thought it was obvious that Toby dropped a dime on Jim about hanging out too much at the receptionists desk, and Ryan was happy to jump all over it. Toby's crush on Pam isn't going away.
Sue | May 2, 2008 9:16:48 AM | #Toby was sneaky.
I agree with the first post, the post strike episodes have not been good. Ryan's storyline about him being in over his head and implimenting failed business school ideas was fine, but making him a cokehead is over the top. All it does is gives them an opportunity to write him out of the show.
Clark | May 2, 2008 10:14:19 AM | #Wish I had seen the episode...
Sexy man lips | May 2, 2008 1:30:45 PM | #I didn't understand why Stanley was being such a prick. Michael has been incompetent for a long time, there's no reason to snap now.
Dwight's tactics were lame, I can't believe Andy fell for that. Even Michael was smart enough to say no.
Agree with Matt about Angela and Toby, and with Jay about Ryan. Those glasses on Pam were really awful.
AC | May 2, 2008 3:57:54 PM | #The Ryan-Jim-Toby subplot was perfect, especially the way Ryan acted as if he was just grabbing Jim in passing, yukking it up with him for a moment, and then dropping the hammer. And Toby is at his best when he catapults from soft-spoken, sulking mess to sneering schemer. And while I've cheered so many of Jim's pranks and work-shirking endeavors, it seemed oddly fitting that it would catch up with him at a moment when he seems to have toned down his adolescent menacing. We glimpse over his shoulder in one scene to see that he is playing Solitaire at his computer... and even though Toby had his motives and Ryan is only too eager to assert his influence over the Scrantosphere, Jim has had this coming for a long, long time.
Goph | May 2, 2008 4:01:57 PM | #This was the first post-strike episode I didn't like as a whole. I agree with Rick...at the beginning it was very uncomfortable & I wasn't sure where they were going with it, but by the end, it was better. But, I thought the Pam subplot was funny. Creed gets the best lines...he is so creepy, but awesome!
I thought Dwight flipping Andy's car was great.
The Jim/Ryan/Toby scene bothered me though. I felt it was Ryan trying to bully Jim and Toby was more than willing to play along because of his crush on Pam. And Goph, I made the same comment about playing Solitaire after last week's ep, but I said it about Creed. Everytime he is shown at his desk, he has a game of Solitair up. Why not pull him into the conference room & give him a warning? Oh, because he isn't dating Pam & Ryan is probably afraid of him.
Diann | May 3, 2008 1:36:30 PM | #I wasn't surprised at Stanley snapping at Michael. Michael has a tendency to badger people, and you know how he is always asking for Stanley's help with all things "ethnic" or "urban".
I also thought the way Michael handled it (in the very end) was very good. It was direct and Stanley accepted it.
Pam and her glasses - that was hilarious, especially all of Michael's comments about it.
Ryan and Toby - ugh, don't know what to say. Toby seemed especially... dunno. Like he is the one who pointed out to Michael that Stanley was being insubordinate, he also told Michael that he could actually (rather than fake) fire Stanley and then the part with Jim...
But I don't worry for a second that Jim will be fired or anything... doesn't Michael handle personnel at the Scranton branch? And I think David Wallace likes Jim enough that one poor performance evaluation wouldn't end his "career" at Dunder Mifflin.
JC | May 3, 2008 9:10:59 PM | #don't like the way this show is getting more and more exaggerated. but, still good for a lot of laughs and still one of the best shows on tv.
hey guys, ryan isn't a real person.
dl | May 4, 2008 1:24:46 AM | #
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