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RSS'The Office': Listen, all y'all, it's sabotage
Any episode of "The Office" that begins with a perfectly executed triple cheez-ball toss and features comparing paper sales to both "Highlander" and the Civil War is a good episode of "The Office" for me.
That there was also lots of good stuff in between all that made it a very good episode.
To see Dwight turn on his mentor/hero, and to see Michael give as good as he got in their little client-poaching battle made for just a very good episode. It was also important, I think, to remind us that as poorly thought out as launching the Michael Scott Paper Company may have been, it could potentially be saved by the fact that when he wants or needs to be, Michael is a pretty fantastic salesman.
Still, after Dwight steals his Rolodex (along with all the other stuff on his desk), puts a dead fish in the heating vent and purposely orders a bad meatball parm sandwich knowing Michael will eat it, you figure that Michael will cave, right? No -- instead he leaves Dwight on the line while he goes in to steal a big publishing client. Dwight reacting to what he hears on the phone ("No!! Manure! Paper is the manure in which the seeds of business grow. ... On-time delivery is the soil!") was one of Rainn Wilson's best moments this season, with the change his restrictive long-sleeve shirt to the more Schrute-like short-sleeved number on the way into the publisher's office adding a perfect Dwight touch.
I also enjoyed the fact that neither guy went too far over the top in trying to win the client over. But Michael's Rolodex notes may have won the day for him. As he explained in a talking-head following Dwight's massively inappropriate "How's your gay son?," he color-codes the personal notes about each client: "'Gay son' was in green. Green means go, so go ahead and don't say it. Orange means orange you glad you didn't bring it up? Most of them mean don't say it."
By having Charles appeal to Dwight's career-climbing side, and then having his insane competitiveness kick in, the show gave us a slightly different wrinkle on the Michael-Dwight relationship. It was just a lot of fun to watch.
Other thoughts from "Heavy competition":
- Jim's day-long effort to mess with Andy by seeming overly emotional didn't seem like it was going anywhere, but I did like the payoff. Both Jim's "You will find someone else, I promise you" and Andy's subsequent talking head about getting got and then wanting to talk for several hours about what he'd learned were quite good.
- We now know that it's not just poorly honed fashion sense that makes Dwight always wear short-sleeve shirts. He's apparently literally chafing at the new office dress code that mandates long-sleeve shirts. "Not enough blood is getting to my hands. Doesn't Charles know he's compromising my attack readiness?"
- Michael, discussing how to approach a particular client: "... and try to mention how you distrust women." Pam: "I'm not going to do that." Michael: "That's smart; it wouldn't seem genuine. Ryan?" Ryan: "I can get there."
- Hey look -- a non-toolish Ryan moment, as he expresses admiration for the way "the old man" is working the Rolodex. Pam: "I spent a month putting that Rolodex on his Blackberry, which he now uses as a night light."
- The show went back to its regular credits this week. Boo.
- We'll end with the aforementioned "Highlander" and Civil war references. Dwight first: "The master and the apprentice, pitted against one another for the fate of the greater Scranton area paper market! So it's not exactly like 'Highlander,' but it's close."
- And Michael's closing statement, which is vintage Scott: "I wanted to start a company, not a war, because in a war you end up fighting those closest to you. The great tragedy of the Civil War was that it pitted brother against brother, and what purpose did that serve? [Pause] Other than abolishing slavery. So in that case, war was the right choice. This doesn't feel as important, though. That's just how the world works, I guess."
What did you think of "The Office" this week? Could your co-workers accurately toss a cheez ball into your mouth from 10 feet away?
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Zap2it Twitter Talk 
Yes, a home run with The Office and 30 Rock tonight. Best hour of comedy on TV.
Gosh, I loved this ep! The cheeseball opening was so simply, so perfect, and ultimately so amusing. I wonder how long it took them to shoot that little scene.
And I utterly LOVED seeing great-salesman Michael. The entire competition with Dwight was hilarious highlighted by the "I'm going to let you hear me take your biggest client" to "How's your gay son?" Bravo, Michael!! I'm gonna have to watch this again it was soooo good.
Loved it. Every minute of it. Loved that Pam/Ryan had to write notes to Michael to indicate what Dwight was so obviously talking about. Loved Jim kicking his lunch across the breakroom and the reaction on Andy's face. Great episode.
For me, this was easily the best episode of this season (or last). I haven't laughed that hard at an ep in well over a year. Loved everything about it!
I must be in the minority. I didn't think it was very funny at all. Neither did the folks that I watched it with. We all thought it was weak, and that 30 Rock was even weaker tonight.
And I never feel that Michael is a great salesman, nor do I ever have any confidence in him to get anything done.
In any real world or company, he would get fired every single day. He has no talent, intelligence, tact, or social graces of any kind in any situation.
If the Michael Scott paper company succeeds, it would be a terrible case of going against common sense and wisdom by the writers.
And why are Pam and Ryan just employees instead of full partners? How is Michael the Boss of the new company? I still haven't figured that one out.
I'm still trying to get over "Holy Crap! These people are competent!"
Tall. Beets.
I love how they make it look like Michael's about to be his incompetent self ("let me give you another date" and "tell him I have two tickets to the Wilkesbury Penguins this weekend") when he's actually being a little bit genius. It's nice to see that balance. Great episode!
hhdppres, I respectfully disagree with your ***essment of Michael. Firstly, he comes across very well in the one-on-one sales environment (as he did last night). Second, and this is as much a shock to me as it might be to you, but no, Michael wouldn't be fired. I work in a sales division with people are lack drive, competance, intellect, grace, etc. and who are monumentally lazy to boot, but because they bring in the sales - though, in reality, our product is fine and sells itself - they get away with it. I'd personally like to know how one of our sales people could get fired. Sorry to babble, but in truth, so many companies only care abou the bottom line that they'll accept virtually any type of idiocy from staff.
I found it funny but, more than that, it was just nice to see a competent side of Michael and to see him kicking Dwight's backside. Perhaps more fun than funny.
i also enjoyed seeing Michael's more competent side. yes, we've periodically gotten clues that it's there. remember the business dinner at Chili's (i think it was there)? where he and Jan were selling the client but it was ultimately Michael that landed the sale. we've seen glimpses and bits of his competent side throughout this show.
but that being said, this epi did fall a little flat for me. not sure why either. somehow i think it was something to do with dwight's role. even though i did like the short-sleeve/long-sleeve thing. maybe it was something about those michael/dwight parking lot meetings/competition? and maybe it was jim being a little too self-righteous/too much at times? not sure...and anyway i did like the cheeseball stunts too. ryan and pam--funny. so who know's?
but anyway, even epi's of The Office that fall a little flat for me are still VERY enjoyable. there's always tons of little bits of high-larity that make it worth the watch. :)
hsdppres,
why would we need or want common sense and wisdom out of a sitcom? This show thrives on absurd and ridiculous moments. That stuff is funny. (common sense and wisdom aren't).
This was probably one of the best Office episodes ever. If you didn't find it funny, maybe this show just isn't for you.