The Office Season 5 Episode 6 Open Thread
by royalsreview
on Nov 6, 2008 5:45 PM EST
(Sorry about not posting one of these last week... I was scrambling on Thursday and totally forgot.)
I've spent the day trying to write about the Anarchiad, a collaborative federalist satire from 1786-7 and am looking forward to taking a break tonight in time for tonight's episode.
Customer Survey: Dwight and Jim are shocked when they get back the results of a customer survey.
I thought last week's episode was maybe the strongest of the season and a return to the odder, darker, emotional waves that some of us "enjoy" more than the zany side. That being said, the B story with Dwight applying to Cornell was fantastic as well, and was superior to some of the more nonsensica/slapstick side-plots we've seen. Further plusses for involving more Darrell and showing off what I felt was good acting by Carrell. (Who was basically just a writer seven years ago, but clearly has some dramatic talent.)
So... if I had to predict this will likely be a goofy episode, with Holly either magically back with Michael or somesuch other diffusing device.
1 recs |
63
comments
Read Related
Email
PrintComments
Although last week was a good episode
I have to say i was a bit let down when they didnt have the whole episode on there halloween celebration.. the costumes were so funny1!
ugh.
by focs on Nov 6, 2008 5:58 PM EST 0 recs
although that is weirdly appropriate
since they always have parties for non-holidays on the show
by royalsreview on
Nov 6, 2008 6:59 PM EST
up
0 recs
Agreed
The three Joker costumes was probably the biggest laugh I’ve had all season.
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
by RoyalsRetro on
Nov 7, 2008 10:58 AM EST
up
0 recs
second-biggest for me
The whole “Dumbledore Calrissian” speech by Jim still takes the cake.
by DarthYoshi on
Nov 7, 2008 12:10 PM EST
up
0 recs
tremendous
nothing tops the Katie Couric interview, though
oh, right
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 12:12 PM EST
up
0 recs
last week was great
just watched it today… personal history with “life is a highway” made it better (always hated that song… had a friend in college who played it over… and over…)
loved Dwight pulling a “quasi-Jim” on Andy
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on Nov 6, 2008 6:34 PM EST 0 recs
The Cornell running gag had run its course
but then the Office writers (like with TWSS) found a way to take it to another level. Well played.
The payoff worked on the Michael-Holly break up at the end, but it felt rushed and uneven, and they missed a great opportunity by recounting — but not showing — the conversation where each wants the other to quit their job. I hope Holly returns as a recurring character (or are they going to save her for the series finale?). I guess this paves the way for Toby’s return.
The Jim and Pam story line should have been edited out of the episode.
by Gopherballs on Nov 6, 2008 6:43 PM EST 0 recs
Jim and Pam
it’s like the writers know they need to do something with it, but can’t decide what, so they just throw something out there.
Cf. Moore, Dayton, offseasons 2007-2008, 2008-2009
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 6, 2008 6:46 PM EST
up
0 recs
sorta agree
not sure what the point of dragging out this pam & jim thing is
but then again, pam isn’t compelling as an artist/designer living in NYC, she’s compelling as a frustrated receptionist
so they’re stuck
by royalsreview on
Nov 6, 2008 7:00 PM EST
up
0 recs
They are just killing time with a plot device to keep them apart (like the pre-merger episodes)
because nothing kills a romance plot line quicker than keeping the characters happily together. The best friction to her charachter development is probably giving Pam a taste of life outside of Scranton, but then taking it away from her to move back to Jim. She could totally be a character from any random independent film comedy from the 1990s.
by Gopherballs on
Nov 6, 2008 7:23 PM EST
up
0 recs
The Cornell thing cracked me up
“Dan Ford is having a decent season…wait a minute!!!!”
“Andy, someday we’ll be in Comstock Hall laughing about this….”
The dueling interviews was great.
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
by RoyalsRetro on
Nov 7, 2008 10:59 AM EST
up
0 recs
agreed on the dueling interviews
The mock customer phone call this week between Jim and Dwight in front of Michael was reminiscent of Andy’s interview with Dwight. I liked both scenes a lot.
by DarthYoshi on
Nov 7, 2008 12:31 PM EST
up
0 recs
Soooo....
what happens now… 1) does Jim tell Pam just to stay in New York and but she comes back anyway, leading to unhappiness and end-of-season breakup; or 2) Pam comes back, but then there is obvious discontent, and Jim tells her to “follow her dreams” at the end of the season?
A nation holds it breath.
Why is Ryan on the show again?
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on Nov 6, 2008 9:50 PM EST 0 recs
to annoy you.
A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.
by NHZ on
Nov 7, 2008 12:20 AM EST
up
0 recs
cuz he's the lead writer
This space intentionally left blank.
by marbotty on
Nov 7, 2008 3:56 AM EST
up
0 recs
I like having the Ryan character on the show
He’s an asshole who has had his very undeserved ups and very well deserved downs. He’s an overly ambitious rung-grabber. He’s mean-spirited and manipulative. There’s a lot of comedic potential and the possibility for many directions for him. He could try to take down some people in the office so he can start moving back up the ladder. He can try to exact revenge on Jim for the conflict they had just before his arrest. He’s a good character. Not likable, but useful.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by NYRoyal on
Nov 7, 2008 3:58 AM EST
up
0 recs
I agree that he's useful
He just isn’t really serving any purpose at the moment… he might as well be Stanley or Creed or whatever. A fun cog in the machine that can serve a purpose, but hardly deserves top billing. The show could go on without him.
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 9:55 AM EST
up
0 recs
Cf. Leo Nunez, Ron Mahay, Esteban German
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 9:56 AM EST
up
0 recs
+1
Except that Stanley and Creed are, you know, funny. The last time Ryan really made me laugh was when Michael and Dwight roadtripped to New York to go clubbing with him.
by DarthYoshi on
Nov 7, 2008 12:25 PM EST
up
0 recs
more creed please
I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me
by LeoBloom on
Nov 7, 2008 2:21 PM EST
up
0 recs
He's just one (fairly minor) part of a large, ensemble cast
He’s back to something like the role he had when he was “the temp.” He’s a very minor character. Hell, he was a pretty minor character when he was an exec. at the corporate office. But the possibilities of the character have increased. But they can’t fully recognize every character’s potential all the time. It’s a 30-minute show and a big cast. The show could go on without him, or Crede, or Meredith or several other characters. But it wouldn’t be as good.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by NYRoyal on
Nov 7, 2008 5:51 PM EST
up
0 recs
I think (1)
The show is all about how we don’t achieve our dreams and end up working for a paper company in a rinky dink town. (1) seems like the obvious answer. In fact, if she stays in NY and Jim transfers to corporate, I’ll be quite upset. Jim and Pam deserve to live in Jim’s parents house, pop out a few kids, with Jim becoming head of sales and living the rest of their lives in boring Scranton, Pennsylvania wondering what could have been.
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
by RoyalsRetro on
Nov 7, 2008 11:01 AM EST
up
0 recs
yea...
maybe Jim’s statement about buying his parent’s house was a tell
by royalsreview on
Nov 7, 2008 11:29 AM EST
up
0 recs
This episode
Was not very good IMO, although it suffered from following up the best episode in some time. I liked that they highlighted “Pam’s choice”, but Jim and Pam’s storyline is not funny at all and I was pretty annoyed with their bluetooth talk. Its like when your college roommate talks to his sweetheart back home all night and you want to shout at them “GET OFF THE FRIGGIN PHONE!!!!”
I loved the coffee mugs. I seriously want to get one now with my face on it. Surely NBC will start selling those soon.
The show works really well when they engage rivalries. Like Andy vs. Dwight in the Cornell episode. Last night the Jim vs. Dwight in customer satisfaction training was hilarious.
“Buttlicker? Is that a real name?”
“I am outraged! My family BUILT America!”
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
by RoyalsRetro on Nov 7, 2008 11:05 AM EST 0 recs
The Andy/Dwight Dwight/Jim parallels must be deliberate
and did anyone else catch Jim/Pam using Bluetooths (Blueteeth?) the week after Michael and Holly talked about it?
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 11:12 AM EST
up
0 recs
I actually thought this was a decent episode...
…considering that most of the secondary characters I like the most were nonexistent after the cold open.
The one thing I really didn’t like was the party as Kelly’s motivation to cook Jim and Dwight’s customer service reports, it just felt like an excuse a kindergartener would use. I was really hoping that Jim’s poor customer service reports were true, simply because he’d be a little more fallible and a little less golden boy.
I am also starting to get tired of the “Pam in New York” plot device, it just is another variation of the “will they or won’t they” writing that we’ve been subject to for four seasons now.
by DarthYoshi on
Nov 7, 2008 12:20 PM EST
up
0 recs
agreed 100%
or that it was some new Kelly+Ryan alliance…
by royalsreview on
Nov 7, 2008 12:21 PM EST
up
0 recs
I don't think it is, though
if it were only Jim, I might agree with you. But targeting Dwight as well seems a little extraneous to the Jim versus Ryan rivalry.
by DarthYoshi on
Nov 7, 2008 12:23 PM EST
up
0 recs
Remember Dwight's crush on Kelly in season 1
but then he rejected her when she kissed him at the Christmas party in season 2. Payback!
by Gopherballs on
Nov 7, 2008 12:25 PM EST
up
0 recs
In fairness
Kelly is extremely immature and has showed this quite often
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
by RoyalsRetro on
Nov 7, 2008 12:38 PM EST
up
0 recs
It's like Carebears!
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 12:43 PM EST
up
0 recs
I realize it is Kelly...
but even still, that sorta represented a new low, even for her.
by DarthYoshi on
Nov 7, 2008 12:51 PM EST
up
0 recs
meh... seems consistent... pretty funny
I’m just remembering the Dawali episode where Dwight was able to explain the Hindu pantheon and holidays better than she (who was, of course, clueless. She much have majored in Cultural Studies or something).
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 12:55 PM EST
up
0 recs
an excuse a kindergartener would use
Are you familiar with Kelly’s MO?
Also, the (albeit falsified) reports of Jim being “smug(de)” and “arrogant” are obvious “shout-outs” to critics of his character.
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 12:40 PM EST
up
0 recs
thogh the party was like three months ago
would kelly hold a grudge that long?
I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me
by LeoBloom on
Nov 7, 2008 2:22 PM EST
up
0 recs
(insert sort-of-sexist but also sort-of-true comment here)
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 2:35 PM EST
up
0 recs
For someone as immature and self-centered as Kelly, she'd definitely hold a grudge that long, and longer
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by NYRoyal on
Nov 7, 2008 5:53 PM EST
up
0 recs
Yeah, she should be more mature and let thing go, like me
Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks Jose Guillen sucks Mike Jacobs sucks
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 8:22 PM EST
up
1 recs
I agree
Kelly is a LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER LOSER
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by NYRoyal on
Nov 7, 2008 9:20 PM EST
up
0 recs
wild and crazy Friday Night at RR, a crazy, crazy, CRAZEEE night, one might say
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 9:31 PM EST
up
0 recs
F'ing geek, man. You need to listen to some REAL music
Friday night, Friday night
I just got paid, no sleep ‘til Monday
Friday night, Friday night
Who cares it’s only money
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by NYRoyal on
Nov 7, 2008 10:18 PM EST
up
0 recs
wow... were ALL their songs about the weekend
I thought I was the (pseudo-) Canadian here!
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 10:29 PM EST
up
0 recs
I'm Canadian in spirit
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by NYRoyal on
Nov 8, 2008 12:25 AM EST
up
0 recs
We're going to a birthday party tonight
I’m going to have to resist the temptation, post-election, to pay back the baseless snotty “progressive” chauvinism shoved in my face for the last six years.
Who wants to take odds on my restraints?
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 8, 2008 11:50 AM EST
up
0 recs
so... is this just gonna get drug out for the rest of the season?
or will there be some earlier resolution of the Pams NY/Jims Scranton thing?
i’d hate to see this go on for another 12 episodes
by royalsreview on Nov 7, 2008 12:26 PM EST 0 recs
Look for a resolution at the end of sweeps (or the Christmas episode at the latest)
The Office is pretty about using the natural breaks in the schedule to set up and resolve story arcs.
by Gopherballs on
Nov 7, 2008 12:31 PM EST
up
0 recs
same
especially if the Jim and Pam plots end up being more and more like what happened in last week’s episode (fortunately, the Michael + Holly and Dwight + Andy plots made the episode good…that Jim and Pam subplot was awful, though).
by DarthYoshi on
Nov 7, 2008 12:32 PM EST
up
0 recs
Is it just me
Or does it seem like they got rid of Holly awfully quickly? I bet they never mention her again.
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
by RoyalsRetro on Nov 7, 2008 12:39 PM EST 0 recs
it will come up
everything does
Personally, I think the way the whole thing worked out with her turned out pretty well, development-wise.
I get frustrated with the pacing of some plotlines, but given the continually-expanding circles of parallels (Michael/JIm, Jim-Pam/Michael-Holly or Jan or Packer, now expanded to include Dwight/Angela/Andy, and so on), I imagine it’s tough to keep it all straight, especially when timing with sweeps.
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 12:42 PM EST
up
0 recs
It was an awful character
Maybe she didn’t test well in the focus groups. Or maybe the writing staff was smart enough to know that the She-Michael was just too much Michael on one show.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by NYRoyal on
Nov 7, 2008 5:56 PM EST
up
0 recs
So....
Who do you think is less intelligent?
a) Pam Beesley
b) Jenna Fischer
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on Nov 7, 2008 2:35 PM EST 0 recs
Correction
Question would be better as “who do you think is dumber?”
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 7, 2008 2:38 PM EST
up
0 recs
Born in Fort Wayne, IN (! — that’s where we sometimes stop at a Cracker Barrel after driving all night on our way home for the holidays), raised in St. Louis.
Obviously, I have a “thing” for her, but it really struck me during the whole “brothers” encounter that Pam, while she’s pretty cool and all, isn’t terribly bright. Not intelligence-wise, necessarily (although she ain’t exactly Madame Curie), just in general… Kind of a clue (although I generally look down on this sort of lay “psychoanalysis” of fictional characters) as to why she was with Roy — it helped her maintain her self-conception as an “artsy-intellectual” type. We’ve all met this young woman many times…
Some interviews with Jenna Fischer left me with a similar impression (minus the Roy thing, of course, yet that might explain her breakup with Mr. Pretentious Glasses), although it’s undoubtedly colored by my association of her with Pam.
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 8, 2008 6:05 PM EST
up
0 recs
I didn't see it as a lack of intelligence or brightness in Pam
She’s had a self esteem problem and some amount of social awkwardness. The former is why she was engaged to Roy and the latter is why she couldn’t adeptly deal with the weirdness of Jim’s brothers. Lots of intelligent, clever, bright, quick people get too deep into the wrong relationship and can’t get themselves out and/or don’t handle some social situations well.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by NYRoyal on
Nov 8, 2008 6:12 PM EST
up
0 recs
That's what I was trying to say
That’s why I picked “dumb” instead of “unintelligent.”
I’m just saying that she probably seems smarter and more “with-it” than she actually is when she’s around the office/Roy… and in real life I would suspect that’s part of the reason why she stays there.
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by devil_fingers on
Nov 8, 2008 6:22 PM EST
up
0 recs
That’s why I picked "dumb" instead of "unintelligent."
That might be an impossibly fine distinction.
I’m just saying that she probably seems smarter and more "with-it" than she actually is when she’s around the office/Roy… and in real life I would suspect that’s part of the reason why she stays there.
Yes, she’s definitely a “small pond” kind of person. She’s not the kind of person who is going to go to the big city and knock ‘em dead. She’s got issues. She’s much more Scranton than NYC. After some soul searching which leads to a significant bump in her road to marriage, she’ll recognize this and come home to Jim and Scranton where they will live happily ever after.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by NYRoyal on
Nov 8, 2008 6:37 PM EST
up
0 recs
i dunno...
I feel like she’s been sorta arrogant this season
i didn’t really find the jim’s brothers thing that realistic
i mean, wouldn’t they just both blatantly hit on her for an hour and act like they weren’t?
by royalsreview on
Nov 8, 2008 6:56 PM EST
up
0 recs
