I’ve been a fan of NBC’s The Office since the inception of the show. The story arcs are more entertaining than most dramas and the uncomfortable comedy is almost always rock solid. During the WGA strike, it was certainly the show that I craved the most. Last week’s return was filled with laugh after laugh about Michael & Jan’s deranged living relationship and I expected the same for this week. While I didn’t laugh half as hard last night, it was one of the more down to earth episodes I’ve seen in a while.
My favorite parts of the episode weren’t any particular jokes, but rather the exchange between Jim and Pam after Michael returns from his blind date, Kevin’s heartfelt victory speech and Jim’s coy “proposal” at the end of the show. I’m truly enamored with their innate ability to switch gears on the fly and blend the comedy / drama into such an irresistible package. It’s one of the few shows that can do it effectively.
I also appreciated the toned down nature of Michael’s gaffs. Too many times this season, the writers have painted Michael differently than previous seasons. He’s certainly an incompetent boss, but having him drive his car into a lake due to a GPS or smashing company property in a moronic prank war was bordering on buffoonery. The writers let the character slip away early on in Season 4 and I can only hope that he’s reigned back in. By comparison, his obsession with a deceased chair model was a decent first step back to normalcy.
