The Office:
Night Out – good episode or GREAT episode?
Here I sit at work, trying to avoid doing actual work. And I’m doing it quite successfully, I might add. I’ve done everything in my power to not do a single ounce of work today, although before I leave – half an hour early, no less – I will do some actual work. Just not much.
For the record, I work in an office. Although we don’t sell paper supplies, it’s very amusing to see how much the office I work in parallels the office from the US re-envisioning of the UK classic. I find the US version more tolerable – the UK version is funny, don’t get me wrong, but Michael Scott is much more likeable than David Brent.
Anyway, I have a sexually inappropriate boss, clueless co-workers, a passive aggressive front desk worker, and I just sit in the back, trying to keep to myself.
So it pains me when the television program actually goes OUT of the office and into the real world, because half the humor I derive comes from the fact that it’s so freaking similar to the life I lead. The other half comes from the brilliant writing. The other half comes from the brilliant performances. The other half comes from my inability to grasp a simple concept, like... Math, for instance.
On The Office last week, we were treated to a nonsensical episode about Michael Scott falling in love with someone that was modeling a chair in a catalog. It was funny enough, but despite taking place in the actual office, I didn’t relate. The script seemed... Half finished. Overall, it was an okay episode, which is fine, because even an ‘okay’ episode of The Office is better than most shows on TV.
When I found out Wednesday that Thursday’s episode of The Office would be taking place OUTSIDE of the office, I wasn’t feeling it. Plus, Scrubs came on right before it. If there was ever any way to kill the funny, it would be to put Scrubs on – a show that is a classic example of “should have been cancelled three years ago” right before a show that is starting to kind of show its age.
I was fussy, because LOST was coming back on at 10:00 and I’m an old man, and 30 Rock was moved – once again, I like my funny in order. Scrubs can go to hell. Earl, Rock, Office is how it should be.
Anyway, going into the episode fussy, I surprisingly left it feeling as if my faith in the series had been restored. All it took was one episode.
On the Michael Scott front, he decided, again, that he needed to get laid. What better way than to visit Ryan, proprietor of the half functioning Dunder Mifflin Infinity website, in New York to go clubbing with him? That’s a sure fire way to get some. But only if you bring your dorkish, Lord of the Rings obsessed best friend with you. And that’s just what happened – Michael took Dwight to New York... To get laid.
I know, I know, not a lot makes sense in that equation, but bear with it. Michael and Dwight are both clueless, which made it all the funnier that Ryan seemed genuinely happy to see them. It left me puzzled, thinking that Ryan must be on Prozac or something.
... I wasn’t far off. In a dark twist, it turns out Ryan is addicted to cocaine.
I mean, at the office, we have Toby Flenderson, who has admitted to smoking pot, Meredith, the alcoholic, Creed, the chronic impulsive thief... You would think that there would be someone back in Scranton that would have this kind of problem. Or that they wouldn’t write in another huge drug/alcohol/thieving/rage type character.
I digress. Creed is funny, anyway, and it’s not like stealing is a real problem.
Back at the office, Jim convinced everyone to work late – the half functioning part of DMI meant that the workers would have to come in on Saturday to fix some errors on the website. Everything went according to plan, until they reached the parking lot. Jim failed to tell the security guard they were staying, and thus, they were all locked in the parking lot. Despite the fact that all of their cars were there. Must have something to do with the fact that none of them tipped Hank last Christmas.
Creed was the only person to remember the security guard’s name, which is odd. Everyone, myself included, dismissed Creed when Jim asked for his name as he frantically called on Toby’s cell phone – where the guard was listed simply as “Security Guard – Home.”
The guard agreed to come in, and Pam somehow ended up nailing Meredith in the face with a football.
Back in New York, Ryan was busy thrash dancing while under the effects of ze cocaine, and Dwight was somehow making out with a six foot tall basketball star from New Jersey. After being kicked out of the club – Ryan getting his ass handed to him by a bunch of women for dancing too violently, Dwight promises her that she’ll call before confirming with Ryan and Michael that he won’t.
Dwight, his heart must still belong to Angela. Who can forget Angela, her pasty white skin, her small stature, her completely backwards and irritable ways. They were meant for each other.
When Ryan half-heartedly admits to Michael that ‘his friend has a drug problem’, Michael was surprisingly cavalier – before going on a tangent about busting drug dealers. Good one, Scott.
They all ended up crashing at Ryan’s New York apartment, a trashy single room studio affair, which just hammers in the point that Ryan, while being a douche, is a douche that should be pitied. And I say this because I pity him, and if you don’t, then go to hell.
Speaking of pity, man oh man, Toby... Why did you have to grab Pam’s knee? Everything was just starting to look up. Everyone was cracking jokes, everyone was having a good time... You were funny in front of a group, and then, when you had the spotlight, you grabbed her knee... And just would NOT let go.
Good save, though, by scaling the fence and running away. Reminds me of the fifth grade, except I was too fat to scale fences and girls would routinely hit me for even getting close to them. But it’s really the same situation.
So, Dunder Mifflinites, what did you think about this last episode? Back to formula? Was there nothing wrong to begin with? Was it, say, weaker than you expected? What do you think about Toby moving to Costa Rica, presumably to become a surfer? What do you think about Ryan and his devilish coke problem, or Pam’s inability to play football?
Night Out – good episode or GREAT episode?
Here I sit at work, trying to avoid doing actual work. And I’m doing it quite successfully, I might add. I’ve done everything in my power to not do a single ounce of work today, although before I leave – half an hour early, no less – I will do some actual work. Just not much.
For the record, I work in an office. Although we don’t sell paper supplies, it’s very amusing to see how much the office I work in parallels the office from the US re-envisioning of the UK classic. I find the US version more tolerable – the UK version is funny, don’t get me wrong, but Michael Scott is much more likeable than David Brent.
Anyway, I have a sexually inappropriate boss, clueless co-workers, a passive aggressive front desk worker, and I just sit in the back, trying to keep to myself.
So it pains me when the television program actually goes OUT of the office and into the real world, because half the humor I derive comes from the fact that it’s so freaking similar to the life I lead. The other half comes from the brilliant writing. The other half comes from the brilliant performances. The other half comes from my inability to grasp a simple concept, like... Math, for instance.
On The Office last week, we were treated to a nonsensical episode about Michael Scott falling in love with someone that was modeling a chair in a catalog. It was funny enough, but despite taking place in the actual office, I didn’t relate. The script seemed... Half finished. Overall, it was an okay episode, which is fine, because even an ‘okay’ episode of The Office is better than most shows on TV.
When I found out Wednesday that Thursday’s episode of The Office would be taking place OUTSIDE of the office, I wasn’t feeling it. Plus, Scrubs came on right before it. If there was ever any way to kill the funny, it would be to put Scrubs on – a show that is a classic example of “should have been cancelled three years ago” right before a show that is starting to kind of show its age.
I was fussy, because LOST was coming back on at 10:00 and I’m an old man, and 30 Rock was moved – once again, I like my funny in order. Scrubs can go to hell. Earl, Rock, Office is how it should be.
Anyway, going into the episode fussy, I surprisingly left it feeling as if my faith in the series had been restored. All it took was one episode.
On the Michael Scott front, he decided, again, that he needed to get laid. What better way than to visit Ryan, proprietor of the half functioning Dunder Mifflin Infinity website, in New York to go clubbing with him? That’s a sure fire way to get some. But only if you bring your dorkish, Lord of the Rings obsessed best friend with you. And that’s just what happened – Michael took Dwight to New York... To get laid.
I know, I know, not a lot makes sense in that equation, but bear with it. Michael and Dwight are both clueless, which made it all the funnier that Ryan seemed genuinely happy to see them. It left me puzzled, thinking that Ryan must be on Prozac or something.
... I wasn’t far off. In a dark twist, it turns out Ryan is addicted to cocaine.
I mean, at the office, we have Toby Flenderson, who has admitted to smoking pot, Meredith, the alcoholic, Creed, the chronic impulsive thief... You would think that there would be someone back in Scranton that would have this kind of problem. Or that they wouldn’t write in another huge drug/alcohol/thieving/rage type character.
I digress. Creed is funny, anyway, and it’s not like stealing is a real problem.
Back at the office, Jim convinced everyone to work late – the half functioning part of DMI meant that the workers would have to come in on Saturday to fix some errors on the website. Everything went according to plan, until they reached the parking lot. Jim failed to tell the security guard they were staying, and thus, they were all locked in the parking lot. Despite the fact that all of their cars were there. Must have something to do with the fact that none of them tipped Hank last Christmas.
Creed was the only person to remember the security guard’s name, which is odd. Everyone, myself included, dismissed Creed when Jim asked for his name as he frantically called on Toby’s cell phone – where the guard was listed simply as “Security Guard – Home.”
The guard agreed to come in, and Pam somehow ended up nailing Meredith in the face with a football.
Back in New York, Ryan was busy thrash dancing while under the effects of ze cocaine, and Dwight was somehow making out with a six foot tall basketball star from New Jersey. After being kicked out of the club – Ryan getting his ass handed to him by a bunch of women for dancing too violently, Dwight promises her that she’ll call before confirming with Ryan and Michael that he won’t.
Dwight, his heart must still belong to Angela. Who can forget Angela, her pasty white skin, her small stature, her completely backwards and irritable ways. They were meant for each other.
When Ryan half-heartedly admits to Michael that ‘his friend has a drug problem’, Michael was surprisingly cavalier – before going on a tangent about busting drug dealers. Good one, Scott.
They all ended up crashing at Ryan’s New York apartment, a trashy single room studio affair, which just hammers in the point that Ryan, while being a douche, is a douche that should be pitied. And I say this because I pity him, and if you don’t, then go to hell.
Speaking of pity, man oh man, Toby... Why did you have to grab Pam’s knee? Everything was just starting to look up. Everyone was cracking jokes, everyone was having a good time... You were funny in front of a group, and then, when you had the spotlight, you grabbed her knee... And just would NOT let go.
Good save, though, by scaling the fence and running away. Reminds me of the fifth grade, except I was too fat to scale fences and girls would routinely hit me for even getting close to them. But it’s really the same situation.
So, Dunder Mifflinites, what did you think about this last episode? Back to formula? Was there nothing wrong to begin with? Was it, say, weaker than you expected? What do you think about Toby moving to Costa Rica, presumably to become a surfer? What do you think about Ryan and his devilish coke problem, or Pam’s inability to play football?