Grid Effect

Just a quick word about last Thursdays The Office, I love the concept of demonstrating the sales department “in action” so to speak. Considering the series takes place inside a place of employment, I can only help but let curiousity get the best of me and wonder how these eccentric personalities actually have jobs.

The basic premise of the episode, in case you missed it, was the eight members of Dundler-Mifflin paper sales all went out on sales calls in four teams of two.

Michael and Andy made up the first team, while Michael (who is apparently a decent salesman) made decent headway with potential clients, Andy continued too chime in and deter a customer from whatever repore Michael was establishing. When in the car and outside of varying businesses, Andy, for whatever reason, made it his personal vendetta too disparage Dwight and diminish whatever laudatory opinions Michael may have of his overly-loyal protege. As transparent and pathetic as the attempts were, they eventually worked when Andy found a parking ticket

Karen and Phyllis made up the lone female team. Not much emphasis placed on them, other than Phyllis’ sales approach is too design her hair after the customers spouse. In this case, it was an 80’s Goodfellas motif straight out of the catalog of northeastern stereotypes. Also, she brought Karen up to date about Jim’s former/current infatuation with Pam, too which Karen later grilled Jim on, and extracted what can be at best labeled an uncomfortable response.

Ryan got paired up with Stanley, and was a nice contrast between the embittered, disinterested, veteran salesman and the up and coming, somewhat impressionable rookie.

And the highlight pairing of the episode, Dwight and Jim, who despite all of their differences, actually work well as a team. The bit with the customer service followed by Jim hanging up on Kelly and Dwight going for the jugular was one of the better scenes in the three seasons of The Office.

Of course Dwight is coming back, but how long will the hiatus be?

It seems like I resort to this all too often, but this was certainly one of the better episodes of the season. It focused on work oriented, office peccadillo’s and relegated the inter-office relationships gimmick as a side bar (i.e. Dwight sacrificing his job to keep his relationship with Angela a secret and the Jim/Pam/Karen triad).

This was one of the more quotable episodes as well:

“It’s like we’re touring The Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory and falling off the boat one by one… well guess what? I am not falling in the chocolate river.” -Andy, explaining the quick demise of the Stamford people in Scranton.

“Wow, that is a long story, but quite well told, Michael. The part I really found interesting was the part about Dwight going behind your back and being an awful person.” -Andy, After Michael explained the back story to why Dwight is doing his laundry.

“Schruted it … I don’t know where it comes from though. I think it comes from Dwight Schrute in sales.” -Andy, describing his botched sales attempt.

“Thats got my pager number, my cell number, my home number and my other pager number. I never take any vacations, I never get sick and I do not celebrate any major holidays”. -Dwight, closing the sale with one customer.

“You seem so happy, I bet you wish you were like this most of the time.” -Pam to Angela

“Fool me once, Strike one. Fool me twice, strike three.” -Michael

“My girlfriend is attractive and intelligent. She could be a model or a professor. Most guys find her intimidating.” -Dwight, describing his girlfriend, though unbeknownst to Jim, it is Angela.

“It is me leaving today, but in the end, we’ll all fall.” -Dwight, in his parting words too the office.

“One of my dreams was to die at this desk.” -Dwight, on his discontentment with being fired.

Back with thoughts on last nights Aprrentice and the second season premiere of Extras.