The Office

[Three times a JD]

They strayed from the characters too much. Jim would never bail on Pam like he tried.

It was cringe-worthy, but there wasn't any payoff.

I think you're exactly right.  I also think they're trying to get a little too cute with the sitations and characters.  I watched some of the first and second season stuff on TBS.  It was much, much better.  They made much better use of the "documentary" type cameras back then.

[Mike Douche]

I liked it, ya bunch of complainin' pansies.

C'mon Dwight's date?  Who here thought it was his mom until Jim started talking to her (strictly carnal....ewww)?  Best part was Dwight made her take the bus home, and then he subsequently passed her standing at the bus stop, and you could see he also made her lug the cooler.

I loved the hand-wringing over Michael's two-hundred dollar plasma TV.  $200?  What was that a 6" plasma?

I also had this discussion with Thrill at the Shoutbox about Hunter.  I thought his song was about doin' it with a man, but Thrill pointed out that it was probably him doing it with Jan.

Not the best episode, surely, and surely a tad disappointing coming outta the strike.  But I still found it rather enjoyable.

[RV]

I liked it, ya bunch of complainin' pansies.

C'mon Dwight's date?  Who here thought it was his mom until Jim started talking to her (strictly carnal....ewww)?  Best part was Dwight made her take the bus home, and then he subsequently passed her standing at the bus stop, and you could see he also made her lug the cooler.

I loved the hand-wringing over Michael's two-hundred dollar plasma TV.  $200?  What was that a 6" plasma?

I also had this discussion with Thrill at the Shoutbox about Hunter.  I thought his song was about doin' it with a man, but Thrill pointed out that it was probably him doing it with Jan.

Not the best episode, surely, and surely a tad disappointing coming outta the strike.  But I still found it rather enjoyable.

The song was definitely about Jan. That's why she was actin' all sexy-like while it was playing.

And Dwight's date - for me she'll always be the Sparkle Motion coach from Donnie Darko.

"Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion!"

[Weebs]

I was extremely disappointed in this episode.  Not necessarily because it wasn't funny (it had its moments), but because it absolutely destroyed a few characters.  Michael and Jan were WAY too over-the-top.  It was a hard episode to watch with all the little, weird stuff.  For instance, Michael's "bed" was just stupid.  Yes, I could see him actually sleeping on that to make Jan more comfortable, but only for like a night out of the week.  No human would ever sleep on that every day, no matter how weird they were.  I also agree about Jim trying to walk out on Pam...that wouldn't happen.  It seems like this episode was just filled with bits the writers put in to get laughs, and not to actually stick to or further develop any characters.  I really hope they can go on almost pretending this episode never existed, because it just took the characters to places they should not have gone.  Also, stop leaving the office!  I think one episode this season has taken place almost exclusively in the office.

[cubbiebluestew]

The minority report.   You haven't lived until you have attended a dinnner party like that.  You don't know how to act when you realize that your host and hostess have invited you over to witness the breakup of their relationship.  I think that one of the writers had this story that he wanted to get off his chest and the others agreed to use the cast, only slightly out of character, to tell the story.  It reminded me of "Who Is Afraid of Virgina Wolfe?"

[Weebs]

The minority report.   You haven't lived until you have attended a dinnner party like that.  You don't know how to act when you realize that your host and hostess have invited you over to witness the breakup of their relationship.  I think that one of the writers had this story that he wanted to get off his chest and the others agreed to use the cast, only slightly out of character, to tell the story.  It reminded me of "Who Is Afraid of Virgina Wolfe?"

Oh I know what they were trying to do, but I think it was executed very poorly.  Michael and Jan were way too over-the-top, even for who they usually are.

[KD]

Nobody liked Jim trying to walk out on Pam, but it was a dick move, and it was nice to see the writers attempt to execute a dick move with Halpert for once.

It wasn't enjoyable, but it was needed. And the episode was like the first episode of a season: something that sets the stage for a series of call-backs as the season moves along.

[Weebs]

This episode was a lot like Phyllis' Wedding from season 3.  It was just filled with so many cringe-worthy, embarrassing moments.  It was really hard to watch.

[Taylor2]

The minority report.   You haven't lived until you have attended a dinnner party like that.  You don't know how to act when you realize that your host and hostess have invited you over to witness the breakup of their relationship.  I think that one of the writers had this story that he wanted to get off his chest and the others agreed to use the cast, only slightly out of character, to tell the story.  It reminded me of "Who Is Afraid of Virgina Wolfe?"

That's what I thought, except that it was trying far too hard to be cringe worthy and embarrassing as opposed to the utter emotional hell of George and Martha.

[Three times a JD]

This episode was a lot like Phyllis' Wedding from season 3.  It was just filled with so many cringe-worthy, embarrassing moments.  It was really hard to watch.

This episode coulda used a good fart joke.

[butthead]

I don't think this episode was as over the top as some of the previous ones from this season, or maybe I'm getting used to it. The time they raided the other office in disguise was ridiculous. The benefit race for rabies (it was rabies right?) was ridiculous. Yeah, the dinner party melt down was a bit extreme, but it's possible for an argument to get out of hand in front of other people. Hell, I've seen it happen. Maybe that's just my family though.

[Ivy6]

Michael and Jan were WAY too over-the-top

I'm going to blame that dynamic on Melora Hardin.  Her suckassiveness as an actress became painfully evident when they flipped her switch from "stern female boss" to "crazy beyond believable."

[Weebs]

Michael and Jan were WAY too over-the-top

I'm going to blame that dynamic on Melora Hardin.  Her suckassiveness as an actress became painfully evident when they flipped her switch from "stern female boss" to "crazy beyond believable."

Yeah, I think she was a big part of the problem, although I liked her for most of seasons 2 and 3.  She did a really good job up until they made her go batshit insane at about the last episode of season 3.  Steve Carrell really did play the whole thing pretty well, and after re-watching it earlier today, I realized the thing between Jim and Pam really wasn't that big of a deal.  He was trying to get them both out of it, and it backfired, so he had to find a way to keep the lie going.  It was understandable, and not that big of a prick move.

I just hope they actually bring episodes back to inside the office.  The best episode of this season, I thought, was the one where Michael makes the commercial for Dunder Mifflin, which took place almost exclusively in there.  Hopefully Jan and Michael break up and this show can hit its stride again.

[Mike Douche]

Michael and Jan were WAY too over-the-top

I'm going to blame that dynamic on Melora Hardin.  Her suckassiveness as an actress became painfully evident when they flipped her switch from "stern female boss" to "crazy beyond believable."

Were some of your observations  lost in the Great Ratto Purge (10/1/07--1/1?/08), or was September 28th really your last post prior to this?

Either way. glad to see you're alive, IV-VI.

[Ivy6]

Were some of your observations  lost in the Great Ratto Purge (10/1/07--1/1?/08), or was September 28th really your last post prior to this?

It's possible.  I nodded off for a while there.