Grid Effect

What a satisfying episode of The Office on Thursday, it really had a second season vibe too it plus Ed Helms and Rashida Jones (Andy and Karen). They are assimilated with the Scranton branch in every way as Andy is now Michael’s closest confidante, Karen is dating Jim and has befriended Pam, if “A Benihana Christmas” was the first Office episode you had ever watched, you probably couldn’t discern they just joined the branch.

One of the underlying factors of what makes The Office so great is the humanity that the characters embody. Everyone on the show is flawed and most are irritable but well-intentioned, which really personifies the personalities the inhabitants of an everyday office. Michael is a clown, Angela is a witch, Dwight is psychotic, but the viewer is eventually allowed too sympathize with every character at some point. If they find this feat too daunting, then someone in their own office resembles a character on this show, either way all of them bring a unique brand of comedy too the table. In an hour long episode it served as a showcase for almost every character.

Michael was pathetic and abrasive. (”Keep it up, Stanley, and you will lose New Year’s… Jim take New Year’s away from Stanley”)

Dwight was strange, or “individualistic” as Angela would say. (”No, Toby, this is different… he’s already dead”)

Angela herself was embittered and hostile. (”I think you should leave”)

Toby was world-beaten and downtrodden. (”It’s a dead animal in an office”)

Kevin was jovial. (”Then why are there two flyers”)

Meredith was drunk. (”No thanks, they’re too sweet”)

Ryan was annoyed. (”I miss the days when there was only one party I didn’t want to go to”)

Kelly was smitten. (”We belong, we belllonngg togeeettthhherrrr Ryan”)

Jim was observant. (”It’s a bold move, to photoshop yourself into a picture with your girlfriend and her kids on a ski trip with their real father, but the again Michael’s a bold guy”)

Andy was obnoxious. (”Nagasaki’s: one part eggnog, three parts Saki, Some places won’t serve it though, because eggnog, is seasonal”)

Creed was off-setting. (”And a happy holiday to you”)

Pam was understanding. (”I think one of her (Angela’s) cats did once, she came in with scratches all over face”)

Karen was vindictive (”I don’t think we are taking things far enough”)

Those are just half the notable quotes, not too mention all of the physical, non-verbal humor from the episode. Michael marking the Japanese waitress and his constant “hold back the tears” face, Jim’s facial reactions to Karen and Pam bonding, Toby feeling the bathrobe, Andy singing, his mannerisms, and everything else that culminated this episode, it just flowed.

After this I am convinced they could extend every episode to a full hour and it wouldn’t get tiresome. Though it will never happen. The Office is on hiatus for the holidays, until then i’ll be contemplating who Michael went too Jamaica with. My money is on Todd Packer.