Grid Effect

The Office went back to its roots a little last night. Nice rebound from the previous episode. But, ummm, does anyone think Michael Scott is that idiotic? I mean, I am all for accentuating the absurd for the sake of comedy, but usually Michael’s antics have been cringe worthy, not life threatening. I may be bias, since I was hoping for more Andy related hijinks, but it seemed to ask too much of us to suspend this much disbelief.

It is good to know everyone’s pecadillos are well understood by everyone in the office, so at least we know the perspective the jokes are being delivered from. Like Creeds palate being shattered from drug abuse or Kelly’s inane obsession with pop-culture. One would think the fact that since seemingly every character short of Andy/Drew is aware of these things, Kelly and Creed would be a little more self-concsious, particularly Kelly.

As implausibile as I found the Michael non-suicide plot to be, the buld up to it was hysterical, especially Michael’s ultimate rationale for deciding to jump: “We can’t keep doing these tests they’re going horribly…This isn’t a demonstartion about thinking this is a demonstration about acting.” That was his case when applied to residential Yes-Man Dwight, whom enables Michael to act absurdly with his constant approval.

Also pivotal in that non-suicide scene, Darryl dissuading Michael from jumping (just the fact alone that they had to talk him out of jumping because it was a death fall, even if he didn’t realize it). Again, I rwealize Michael is dimwitted, but when someone is being so blatantly backhanded (So much so that it’s essentially a kick in the balls) and he didn’t even rea;ize he was trying to kill himself, and he is the guys boss, doesn’t it seem a little over done? I mean, what Darryl said was true, but doesn’t that make it all the more offensive? I guess it actually worked, as Michael proclaimed himself a hero afterwards. (His requisite “I want my present, Pam” was preictable, but hilarious in its predictability).

Other notes:

-Lonny verbally derailing Kelly after she called him a sea monster. Kelly is probably the worst kind of girlfriend. That is, the kind that is socially obnoxious and expects her boyfriend to defend her obnoxiousness when people confront her about it. I liked Ryan’s refusal to do so.

-Loved the watermelon splattering the car; just the visual effects of it reminded me of the vegan episode of The Simpsons where Lisa stole the dead pig set to be roasted and it was eventually shot into the air.

-Oscar calling out Kevin’s paltry jelly bean estimate was astute, “10? You’re a professional accountant and you’re gues is ten?”

-Is Toby ever going to retaliate and berate Michael in front of everyone in the same manner he does to him? I think it is more pity complacence than anything else, but if not Toby, can’t someone run interference?

A stellar episode, all things considered. Back with a Sopranos recap later today.