Grid Effect

Well, I guess two hour long episodes in one week would be over-doing it, so for the first time we got a “to be continued” stamp to conclude an episode. But for those who like to bitch and moan about the hour long episodes: this is the alternative. I hope you’re happy. Never the less, the only reason the cliffhanger pissed us off is we were excited to see what was happening next.

This episode wasn’t as nuanced or original as the Super Bowl episode but it brought just as many laughs per minute and continued there run of successful installments. Essentially, any time they can get Jim and Pam away from each other and with other people at Dunder-Mifflin we’re all for it. That is the one facet of the series right now that is really hit and miss for me. So any episode that actively avoids it is going to be considered fucking brilliant on this website.

“Lecture Circuit” was unique in the sense that there were about four different running plots with Kelly being pissed off, Jim and Dwight attempting to compensate for forgetting about her birthday party (”what kind of cake do you want, imbecile?”), Andy attempting to woo the saleswoman that I thought was going to be Stanley’s daughter when she first walked into the office and the main plot with Pam driving Michael all over the northeast for sales lectures to the other branches (which I think David is entirely too shrewd to let happen, but whatever). And all three worked on their own level.

Nice job, makeup and wardrobe.

I can’t recall an episode where Rainn Wilson and John Krasinski were paired off that I didn’t enjoy, and this was a nice call back to the episode where Kelly sabotaged their customer reviews because they didn’t attend her birthday party (which Jim pieced together because he doesn’t have any commemorative mugs). As contrasting as these two personalities are, they eventually meet from their ends of the road. And the middle is forgetting/not caring about Kelly Kapour’s birthday.  This episode was written by Mindy Kaling, and she played the pissy-ness of someone who feels slighted on her birthday expertly. It’s hard to imagine that someone like Dwight and someone like Kelly co-habitat the same office, but I’m sure it exists somewhere.

Andy being on the rebound could result in some great comedic B-plots if they keep this as an issue. Between him, Dwight and Angela, he’s shockingly the only one who could function in what most would consider “normal” surroundings. Like, at a bar or something. But he’s still abnormal in every conceivable way, if that makes sense. The woman wasn’t a recognizable actress, so you knew she wasn’t going to be recurring.  So the “we lost the account” to cap the story was predictable, if you thought she got in her car a little to understandingly.

"Time to move you into the writer's room, Paul. Stick to what you know."

And finally, Pam and Michael road tripping together felt a little unnatural, like they had her with Michael instead of Dwight so they could reunite her with Karen and squeeze in jokes like, “We’re going to say it anyways” from Jenna Fischer. But for those who liked the dramatic side of things and the more outlandish humor (Michael memorizing everyone in the office by their race or physical characteristics they’re likely to be self-conscious about). And while this episode did dovetail into Jim-Pam relationship drama (because it has too), it was worth it to get Michael’s reaction to seeing Karen pregnant at the Utica (sp?) branch. Just about every encounter he has there is some measure of awkwardness, but this was probably the most hilariously uncomfortable we’ve been watching him react to something unexpected.

Truth be told, and maybe it’s just because of the Amy Ryan factor, but we always found the Michael-Holly romance to be infinitely more interesting than that of Jim and Pam. Probably because, you know, it’s Michael Scott. His odds of finding a wife are slim to none, even if Jim and Pam split up — be it by choice or by forces beyond their control — they’re socially and attractive enough to find someone else. Too much of it is just boring, to be honest. I think with Michael, despite what a dipshit he usually is, ultimately has the audiences sympathy. So leaving us with a cliffhanger that promises more Amy Ryan is bittersweet.

Other notes:

-”Perfect boobs, of course I remember Holly” -Pam

-The cold open and the post-credits scene didn’t measure up to last week’s fiasco pre-credits, but the 3 dollar bill provided by Creed opened the door to so many questions about the mysterious coworker, and the phone PA gave John Krasinski a couple great lines with,  “A guy came in to show Michael that there was a PA system on the phone and just…left”, which said so much about his thought process while watching the phone guy talk to Michael, and  “That’s funny” when Michael gave him a stadium introduction when he walked into the office.

-When we saw the title of the episode, we thought this would be the introduction of Idris Elba to The Office cast. Between this and the “Prince Family Paper” episode, the office writers are really quite the teases.

-Another great callback from the “Diwali” episode with Pam forcing Michael to sit in the backseat of her car when they’re alone together.

-”Old hatreds dissolve into new friendships.” -Michael providing narration to Karen and Pam reconciling, as they uncomfortably look on.

-”It is your birthday”.

“Mose doesn’t know how to use a phone, so joke’s on you.” -Dwight, after Jim mocks him on the phone for not knowing who it is.

Definitely a top five episode this season and there is literally going to be a continuation to it. It will be interesting to see if they replace Andy’s subplot with something new or if they just occupy it with the birthday party and the reunion. My guess is the latter, as there should be enough source material there. And Kelly’s party provides an opportunity to get the peripheral characters into the episode.

Some links later to close out the week.