The Office: The Surplus
By fred | December 5, 2008
(S05E09) It’s funny, because while I didn’t find this episode to be the most hilarious one of the season, because while very funny it also didn’t had as many laughing out loud moments as previous episodes had, I felt, I still ending up absolutely loving this episode, to the point where I could call it one of the best ones of the season. Because overall, it was really funny, from beginning to end, and it was everything The Office can be, all those things we’ve come to know and love over the years.
We had things that couldn’t take place anywhere else but on this show, because I’m not sure someone like Dight could exist outside of the world of Dunder-Mifflin and the area, and we also had things that felt so truthful to the usual daily life of anyone working in an office, as per the very premise of this show. And while most of the episode took place within the office, let me start be what happened outside.
I’ve been complaining about the whole love triangle with Andy, Angela and Dwight because it seemed to only exists to exists, but to go nowhere, and this episode didn’t really do anything to help me with that. Sure, the trip on the Schrute farm was a lot of fun and offered many great lines, I’ll admit to that, but I’m also pretty sure we all saw it coming, as soon as they walked in we knew Dwight had been planning something else.
Before he even told Andy that he would be playing someone else while Dwight would be playing the groom, we knew this was going to be for real. It was so obviously Dwight, and the only reason Andy couldn’t suspect that is that he is, well, Andy. In fact, I was trying to listen to whatever the German minister was saying, trying to catch Dwight’s name someone in there, because I knew this was for real.
And I could find amusing that Dwight played it very well – so well that in the end Angela came to realize she didn’t want to marry Andy, she realized and admitted she made a mistake, she did want a wedding but the man she wanted to be standing up there with was actually Dwight - but that with his stupid move to have them really be married now, something that Angela couldn’t have possibly reacted to any other way that how she did, and not just because she’s Angela, he actually pushed her away and right into Andy’s arms.
But I don’t, because it still continues to feel, to me, like this is just to keep things going. So now we still have Dwight in love with Angela, who’s really in love with him as well and yet more than ever determined to say yes to Andy, for all the wrong reasons. I really don’t like the direction this is going to, but it seems inevitable so I guess I should probably try not to think about it, and instead focus on the good stuff. You know, like Andy stepping into manure, twice, the second time in the kitchen (!) like Dwight planned the whole thing so well he planted that here just for him !
On to the office. The end of the year is coming, and it turns out everyone has been a good soldier this year because they have a surplus. Of course, you need to explain this to Michael in ways he could understand, and talking to him like he was 8 isn’t enough, you need to lower the bar some more. But he’ll eventually start to get it, and the question becomes what do we do with this extra money.
I gotta say, I was impressed when Michael came out to make his first announcement, and was willing to go with Oscar’s suggestion to get a new copier. Silly me, I actually thought Michael would have gone for something else completely, something crazy, like a giant Christmas party or something. But no, our very own Michael Scott was willing to get the office a new copier, something they apparently really could use.
But that was without counting on Pam. Or should I say, new Pam, because ever since she came back from New-York, she’s been different, she’s showing a lot more confidence in herself and is willing to stand up for what she believes in and wants more than ever. And Pam, while using the copier probably more than anyone else, Pam also has to sit in her chair all day long, and that seems to be a bigger issue for her.
Posted in Reviews
Shows: The Office
yeah i think the love triangle should get lost now. it feels like its time. Personally this was my favorite episode of the entire show. it is defenitely my the best that i can remember. i’d like to point out that that was really funny when Oscar invited Michael to lunch and Jim said he was coming along. I think everyone felt like there was a powerhouse going with them because everyone knows he loves Jim (and Ryan) :)
Yeah, when Jim joined in the look on Michael’s face was great, “best lunch ever!”
After all those years, they all know exactly what to do make Michael happy!
The German minister was just holding the traditional German wedding speech, which doesn’t include the names of the bride and groom… So it really was a legitimate marriage ceremony.
I agree that the episode was incredibly good, my favorite moment was when Pam threatened Jim “Mafia-style” :D