Sigh. Andy is still manager since David Wallace wouldn't let him go for…some vague reason.
Pam visits Philadelphia for an interview to be an office manager meets Michael Scott Mk. II (Bob Odenkirk). The writers just had to get some Michael Scott material out one more time. "Michael" even mentions Gangnam Style. Pam learns that the position is in reality the receptionist job. Pam declines.
Andy finds out about Erin and Pete and plots revenge by first firing Pete (refused by Toby since Andy can't act on personal grudges) then hiring Pete's ex-girlfriend from college as a consultant and Gabe. In the conference room, the ex-couples bicker and Andy smiles at the head of the table.
Dwight and Angela visit Dwight's Aunt Shirley to tend to her. Animal clean-up gags abound. Dwight couldn't convince Angela to leave the governor. But, but, this sets up the NBC's newest hit series failure, The Farm.
Toby visits the Scranton Strangler in prison. The Strangler chokes him. Catherine Tate's character drives him home (?) so I guess those two are now bonding. Yawn.
Andy's monologue in the cold open also seemed Scott-like to me. Wow, the writers were letting their frustration about reliving the old days. I can't stand Andy at this point. The descent into unfocused mediocrity didn't make me enthused about "Michael," either.
Brian Baumgartner (Kevin) is in a Subway ad speaking in his normal voice. Odd to see him amongst all the star athletes and Jared.
In the tag, The Office: An American Workplace, ten years in the making, is coming out in May.
Originally posted by JALmanPam visits Philadelphia for an interview to be an office manager meets Michael Scott Mk. II (Bob Odenkirk). The writers just had to get some Michael Scott material out one more time. "Michael" even mentions Gangnam Style. Pam learns that the position is in reality the receptionist job. Pam declines.
Odenkirk was terrific. This may have been my favorite 'circumstance' in the last 4 seasons, and actually made me want to see some kind of spin-off with Odenkirk in that role. Everything he does lately, he just knocks out of the park.
Originally posted by JALmanBrian Baumgartner (Kevin) is in a Subway ad speaking in his normal voice.
I met him once - he just happened to be hanging out at a bar in Santa Barbara. Super nice guy - and not at all like his character on The Office.
I loved the New Michael and wondered if maybe the show should have just gone with him as a replacement. It was a perfect tribute to the character-writing and performance. He would so be into "Gangnam Style".
Originally posted by JALmanBrian Baumgartner (Kevin) is in a Subway ad speaking in his normal voice.
I met him once - he just happened to be hanging out at a bar in Santa Barbara. Super nice guy - and not at all like his character on The Office.
I hope not! I'm not implying that the ad's a bad thing, but Mr. Baumgartner is placed in the middle of the ad so his mini-segment is sandwiched between the typical Subway endorsers. If Subway & NBC wanted a decent promotion, they could've placed him next to Michael Strahan or somebody at the beginning.
Also, I think that the episode's the first time the name "Michael Scott" have been uttered since his departure.
Andy calling the meeting with Clark and 'Plop' to console him by feeling like one of the young dudes felt very Michael Scott-ish, and then Odenkirk basically got to relive the character right in front of us. Very well done. I guess without Steve Carell making a surprise appearance in the finale, this is the closest we'll get to a series finale curtain call for that character.
I feel like the writers on this show hate relationships. I get that they need to manufacture drama (even though this is a comedy), but between Jim and Pam struggling with his job and the boom mic guy, Erin and Pete struggling with the fallout from Erin and Andy, and Angela and Dwight struggling with Angela's sham marriage, it feels like the concept of fidelity is lost in that writer's room. The Andy-Erin-Pete love triangle is especially confusing to me, because, while I get why they are putting New Jim with the Receptionist (didn't someone call her New Pam when she first took the position?), I remember sitting through the Andy-Erin relationship and effectively rooting for the two of them to make it. To see Jim and Pam struggling, the rocksolid heart of the show (look at how their kiss took the 'manager-fumbling-at-desk spot in the opening for the last few weeks) is especially concerning. If those two kids can't make it, what hope do any of us have?
I'm not sure what the end game for any of these relationships is. How many episodes do we have left to tie all this up? I want to see a happy ending for everyone, but I feel like everyone's going to fall apart except Erin-Pete, and Toby-Nellie.
The Office premieres in May? I guess we know what the series finale is going to entail.
Originally posted by BigDaddyLocoThis has been one of the better seasons in years ... and then Andy showed back up.
Right on. I was enjoying this season more than I expected until Andy came back.
At this point, the Office should be abut tying up loose ends and putting a nice bow on its long run and leaving their long time faithful viewers happy. And it starts with Jim and Pam working it out and staying together and hopefully ends with Jim becoming the Manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton.
The final scene should be Michael and Holly watching the televised version of the show from Denver and Michael remarking "That's what she said".
I did see the Campaign. As a big fan of Will Ferrell (and to a lesser extent, Galifianakis), I thought it might be good. It was okay, nothing special, to the point that I'd completely forgot that I had seen it until I saw commercials for the DVD.
Thread rated: 6.42
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