It's been pretty obvious for quite a while but The Office really has changed a lot, and they dealt with it head on. In the weirdest way they could, with a lot of key action happening in the city dump.
Michael and Dwight finally had it out, in the sequel to their season two karate fight. Dwight has changed substantially, but whenever I watch Office repeats, I do miss the weird supplicant role he played to Michael in the first three seasons. Michael even pointed out how much Dwight has changed before their fight in the dump. Without Dwight enforcing Michael's power as General Manager, he's been more or less impotent. I'm glad they're back on the same page.
I do feel like The Office has peaked in its original form and the show is struggling to reinvent itself. The Sabre storyline hasn't really translated to big laughs or been as interesting as the Michael Scott Paper Company while Charles Miner ran Dunder Mifflin.
Dunder Mifflin Divided was pretty good though, and I found myself siding with the non-salesmen. The sales staff were being real assholes, capped off with them getting away with not sacrificing a percentage of their commissions.
I liked Michael's clues and scavenger hunt. "The first President. Lincoln!"
The biggest laugh for me was Darryl's bizarre reaction to Michael inviting him to the dump: "You know I can't!"
Second biggest laugh for me was the weird tussle between Andy and Darryl in Darryl's office. The Hangover vs. Hot Tub Time Machine mano e mano.
The peripheral stuff continues to seem much more interesting than the main storylines to me: Andy and Erin, Ryan and Kelly's constant fights, Creed's glasses. Especially Creed's glasses.
This is the kind of office politics stuff people say has been missing from the newer shows.
Jim having Pam interpret Michael's clues was funny, as was Kelly and Ryan rewarding Stanley for agreeing with each of them during a debate. There was a "That's what she said" and even Darryl is getting caught up in the mix. Creed has been so well established that he doesn't even need to speak for laughs.
I like Pam, but the show is fine without her even having to be there.
I thought last nights episode was great, and You can really notice the changes that the show is going through, and I can't wait to see where it's going.
Originally posted by John Orquiola
The peripheral stuff continues to seem much more interesting than the main storylines to me: Andy and Erin, Ryan and Kelly's constant fights, Creed's glasses. Especially Creed's glasses.
I thought they were implying that Creed stole the glasses out of the lost and found (Which he has)Because when they showed him they were talking about the lost lost and found. Weren't they the glasses Ryan was wearing earlier this season? If so I hope Creed keeps showing up wearing the lost objects of everybody else in the office.
Really good episode, best in a few weeks. I felt like maybe they could've stretched the Salespeople vs. non-salespeople over a few weeks though, rather than establishing it, showing the tension and then ending it all in 22 minutes.
I'm almost always a fan of the random stuff that actually happens in the office as opposed to the storyline arcs.
Dwight and Michael really needed to have it out, and hopefully it helps both of them fall back into original character forms and less outlandish.
Great to finally get some Stanley back on the show and any Darryl time we get is always a big bonus.
The little headsets for the sales people was a great touch. Michael calling Stanley (last second swith to Jim) uppitty was also a good under the radar moment.
411mania posted a story from force.net which states that George had the ILM team working on the prequels to sign no disclosure contracts about Episode 7,8 and 9. It could be something that may never happen, but I don't know.
Thread rated: 5.08
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