'The Office' vs. the Michael Scott Paper Company

Tonight's for-all-intents-and-purposes hour-long "Office" saw the launch of the Michael Scott Paper Company -- and just as Jim said of Kevin's receptionist skills, it went about as well as you might have expected.

The spoilers are shaped like paper.

The fact that things played out kind of how you thought they might, at least in the broad sense, doesn't mean that the details weren't enjoyable. Particularly in the second half-hour, which gave us the spectacle of Ryan and Pam trying to coexist in a small room, it was on a roll.

For instance, we know that Michael and Pam yield good comedy when they're paired together, and we had a couple of good bits spoiled for us in promos (Michael's casual attitude toward pajama bottoms, for instance). Even Pam staying calm in the face of Michael's frightened procrastination and french toast tower was something we've seen variations on in the past.

But the way Michael talked her off the ledge? OK, sure, it didn't make much sense -- "In high school, my math teacher told me I was going to flunk out. So you know what I did? The very next day I went out and scored more goals than anyone in the history of the hockey team." But the point, I think, is that Pam needs to have a little faith.

And she does -- a little. At least until she spends most of a day in a 165-square-foot closet/office with Ryan, whose fall from grace, trip to Thailand and subsequent employment at a bowling alley has, if anything, made him even douchier (the blond hair doesn't help). And in fairness to her, I don't think I could take more than 30 minutes or so in confined space with that guy either, so I get why she went back to Dunder-Mifflin and asked for her old job back.

But then, as dark as things seemed -- so dark that Michael talked to the camera about leaving the Michael Scott Paper Co. to form his own paper company ("That'll show 'em") -- Russell, the guy from the pancake lunch with the big, square, paper-shaped pancakes whom Pam gave not a business card but a scrap of paper -- calls and buys something. Granted, the Michael Scott Paper Co. doesn't technically have a supply, and the order is for less than $1,000, but that's really not a bad little start. And Pam's excitement at making her first-ever sale, proving she's not just the girl who makes copies, and also kind of showing up Ryan's sorry butt? That was pretty cool.

Things upstairs were a little bit rockier. I still can't quite decide whether I like what "The Office" is doing with Charles Minor -- although after tonight, I kind of wonder if he's just screwing with Jim for sport. I had a feeling that the rundown and the distribution list were just things he was doing to prove that he could. And watching all of Jim's usual charms and coping strategies utterly fail is kind of amusing, in a sadistic sort of way.

But I'm still not entirely sure that's what's going on; I could pretty easily be convinced that Charles is just a hardass. And if that's the case, it's not as funny for me.

However, everything that Dwight and Andy did tonight in re the new receptionist Erin? Gold. Dwight's line to Andy -- "I noticed that your pupils dilated and your skin flushed ... and I'm assuming a small amount of blood rushed into your penis" -- may have been the most audaciously squirmy/hilarious line on the show this season, and their duet on "Take Me Home, Country Roads" ("Now in German!") was just brilliant (a tip of the hat to Rainn Wilson on guitar and Ed Helms on banjo too).

So, yeah, somewhat predictable doesn't necessarily equal boring, especially when "The Office" fills in the details so well.

More thoughts from tonight's doubleheader:

• I don't think I quite understood the level of Pam-Ryan animosity until tonight. But then again, I've never had someone refer to me as "probably a six in New York, but a seven here" while I was within earshot.
• I'm kind of sorry we didn't get to see more of Vikram, the successful telemarketer who briefly joined MSPC before discovering that their potential investor was Michael's Nana. "Confidence is the food of the wise man, but the liquor of the fool," he notes. Yeah, that pretty well covers it in this situation.
• Loved the brief cutaway to Phyllis, Stanley and Creed staring at Charles: "I've never seen him drink or eat." "I don't even think he goes to the bathroom." "Oh, he does. He does."
• Loved the redone titles on the second episode.
• If the paper business doesn't work out, I'm thinking Michael could open a breakfast place. That was one impressive pile of french toast he had going.
• It's a small thing, but I really love it that Stanley can't help but laugh every time he sees Ryan.
• It's bad enough that Michael, Pam and Ryan have to hear every flush from the Dunder Mifflin office above, but the ultimate insult? Listening to Toby yammer on about "Damages" and whether blue goes with tan while he's in there. Also, Toby? I like you, dude, but cut that out.

What did you think of tonight's "Office" two-fer? And what's your forecast for the future of the Michael Scott Paper Co.?

E-mail

• Digg
• Facebook
• Fark
• Yahoo Buzz
• Stumbleupon