Breaking Up is Hard to Do
Michael, refusing to let his old clients go, tries to woo them back with gift baskets. Rainn Wilson and Steve Carell by Ron Tom/NBC
Episode Recap: Dunder Mifflin Infinity
My favorite thing about this episode was the sly parallel that connects the three love stories (well, two of them are technically deeply dysfunctional break-up stories, but you get what I mean) and Michael's obsession with sticking to his old methods rather than learning to change and embrace technology: in both cases, everyone in the office would rather go crawling back to whatever or whoever makes them feel comfortable, rather than move on after it's over. This episode really reminds me how
The Office works not only as a comedy, but also as a drama as well. I mean, it's not exactly Tony Soprano strangling a guy in the witness protection program while he's touring colleges with his daughter, but this show isn't afraid to add plenty of moral ambiguity until we're not sure how much we like some of these characters.
Case in point: Ryan, who's let his new sense of power go
way to his head. He's clearly embarrassed by his time as a temp and wants to throw his weight around to show how far he's come. Not that Kelly is acting any more mature about his arrival. I almost did a spit-take when she told Ryan she was pregnant, and then the camera cut to an interview of her just shaking her head to let us know it was all a scam (although I admit I was pretty sure her pregnancy claim was fake when they revealed it in the episode's preview that's way too big a plot twist to spoil beforehand). Can you blame Ryan for being angry? But then just when it looks like the show might cast him in a sympathetic light, he tries to get Kelly fired and hits on Pam in the cruelest, sleaziest possible way: by making her think she has a shot at designing a new corporate logo. He needs to find a good razor and take his ego down a notch or two immediately.
And while we probably all saw it coming, Dwight and Angela's relationship bites the dust. If Dwight had any real social skills whatsoever, he would have realized they were doomed when Angela demanded that they eat at a crowded restaurant. Dude that's code for "I want people to be around us so you can't make a big scene." Nor did his attempts to win her back with the loveable replacement pet Garbage help. Hint: next time pick a cat that isn't named after its habit for eating the trash. But as crazy as Dwight is, I felt sorry for him the moment they broke up. Something tells me it's going to be a long, hard search to find another woman willing to tolerate him.
Thankfully, Jim and Pam are still going strong, even after being outed as a couple by Toby in front of the entire office. But I wonder how much Jim thinks about the fact that he sacrificed his professional career in order to be with Pam. He could have had Ryan's job though hopefully not his new personality if he had wanted. The scene in the break room where Andy and Kevin suck up to Ryan while Jim sits in a corner and pretends not to notice is based on a painful truth: for most people, how much money you make and what you do for a living are the only standards by which someone should be judged. Jim might be the only guy in the office still in a happy relationship, but it's come at the high price of giving up the corporate job while Ryan is treated as the coolest guy ever for taking it instead.
All this - and Michael drives the company car right into a lake because the navigational system told him to! And how does Michael not get fired for insulting a former client and stealing back a thank-you gift basket? Sometimes it's a little hard to believe that he can get away with such obnoxious behavior without any ramifications. The scene where he and Dwight march into the building to demand it back reminded me of the scene from last year when he kept interrupting Phyllis's wedding: I was cringing almost as much as I was laughing.
Once again, I present to you this episode's Dundies:
Best Facial Expression by Jim: His faux-smug look as he gestures towards Dunder Mifflin's impressive former website, which brags that it will be operational by Christmas of 2002.
Best Disconnected-from-Reality Dwight Moment: His terrible sales pitch for Garbage the cat (and subsequently abandoning the poor feline in someone's office).
Best Insensitive Michael Moment: Shoving the founder of Dunder Mifflin out the door after he starts to ramble, and then refusing to call him a taxi.
Best Andy-is-a-Sycophantic-Creep Moment: Saying that Ryan "smells like I think Pierce Brosnan must smell."
Best Creed-is-a-Creepy-Old-Man Moment: Dying his hair an unconvincing jet black and telling Ryan how much he loves Red Bull in order to look young and hip.
Best Overall Moment: Dwight and Michael abandoning the flooded car as the navigational system tells them to "make a U-turn if possible."
So another great episode with a ton of perfect character moments. Until next week, let me know what you thought and suggest your own nominations for future Dundie categories I should add.
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