"Dinner Party"
I always knew Michael and Jan's relationship would end badly, but I could have never imagined that it would flatline with the cops showing up to a domestic disturbance and telling
Michael to stand up for himself and press charges against his abusive girlfriend. Of course, I am assuming that these two are broken up for good this time, and that fixing his beloved Dundie and replacing the world's smallest flatscreen TV isn't enough to convince Michael to come crawling back to Jan. But maybe I'm giving him too much credit. Low self-esteem and inertia might reunite them yet again.
It's hard to believe it's been almost five months since the last episode of
The Office, but thankfully they've made up for the long absence with an episode that absolutely nails both the comedic and dramatic aspects of the show. On the one hand it's a hilarious, brutally awkward look at the relationship (and apartment) from hell, a train wreck that you just can't keep from staring at. But it's also a study of four couples: one hideously dysfunctional (Michael and Jan), one loving (Jim and Pam), one mismatched (Angela and Andy), and one, ahem, "purely carnal" (Dwight and babysitter). The venom of Michael and Jan's arguments is countered by Jim's devotion to his own girlfriend, and his realization that he can't abandon her to take care of his "flooded apartment." He tries to take her with him, but when Michael shoots that plan full of holes, Jim briefly considers making it every man and woman for himself and escaping solo.
Pam isn't having any of that: if she has to suffer, so does her boyfriend. And perhaps influenced by Pam practically blinking out in Morse code that there will be consequences if he leaves, Jim agrees to stay. And that's the moment every relationship comes down to in the end: are you willing to sacrifice for the other person and maybe share the misery together, or will you just cut and run during the bad times? That's a tough call when commitment means having to listen to how many vasectomies Michael has had.
Andy remains out to lunch as usual, taking about two seconds to decide to invest ten thousand dollars in Jan's noxious candle-making business. And he needs to wise up and realize that dating Angela is a dead end, although hints like her slamming the ice cream against his car door somehow sail right over his head. Can you believe that she and Dwight managed to stay together for so long? No wonder he's still stuck on her there's nobody else compatible with either one of them.
Give Dwight credit at least for always being there for Michael and offering his beet ranch to stay at after he has to leave the condo. How can it get any scarier for Michael than being whipped by Jan all day long to a soundtrack of bad coffee shop tunes? Four and a half words from Dwight: "You're sleeping with me."
If I do have one concern though, I hope the writers shift the focus away from inter-office relationships and have the main characters occasionally dating someone they meet outside of work. Yes, I realize that the show is called
The Office and it's tough to spend a lot of time away from Dunder-Mifflin (although this episode accomplished just that), but I think the writers have reached the limit of how many people at the same workplace can end up in real relationships or even just casual dating like Kelly and Darryl.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Dundies:
Best Jim and/or Pam Look of Horror: I'm going to have to make this a five-way tie. There's Pam reacting to the video camera in the bedroom, Jim and Pam both looking like they're about to scream when they're told how long it will be until dinner, Jan trying to dance with Jim, Jim smelling the candle, and Pam freaking out when the cooking isn't even close to being finished.
Best Jim and/or Pam Look of Joy: Pam looks like she's a drowning woman being offered a lifesaver when Dwight unexpectedly shows up to crash the party and maybe interrupt the non-stop bickering between Michael and Jan.
Most Emasculating Moment for Michael: He sleeps on a bench at the foot of the bed.
On a bench.
Best Angela Could Lighten Up Moment: Her response of "No. No." when Michael attempts to hug her.
Overall Favorite Moment that Makes Me Thrilled The Office is Back: Either Dwight insisting Michael crash at the farm or everyone eating dinner under the florescent glow of a tasteful St. Paulie Girl's sign.
Sorry if there's fewer Dundies this week it's harder to come up with a lot of them when there are fewer cast members featured (no
Best Michael Abusing Toby Moment this time I'm afraid). Until next week, remember everyone to learn from Jim and Pam's example and only date your co-workers if you're sure your feelings for them are real. Otherwise you'll just end up awkwardly avoiding each other every morning on the way to the coffee machine like Dwight and Angela. And nobody needs that.
Check out full-length episodes of The Office
and more at our online video guide.
