Friday, November 13, 2009

Last Night's "Office": A Microcosm of this Season?



I know it's been a while since I updated on here; stuff has been incredibly packed. I found some time this afternoon, and last night's episode of "The Office" prompted me to put some interesting thoughts together.

"Murder", which aired last night was, for me, the season's second-best episode behind Jim and Pam's Wedding. Lots of laugh-out-loud moments and delightful awkwardness that has been missing for most of the last two seasons, what with the relationship drama and the like.

For those of you who haven't seen it, the episode revolves around a role-playing, murder mystery game Michael has everyone play to distract them from troubling news from Corporate. In the clip above, Jim and Pam fret over their future, Michael pushes Jim over the edge and they have a brief confrontation in Michael's office, wherein Michael says this profound line:

"They need this game, Jim. Let us have this stupid little game, alright?"

Jim applies this lesson by choosing to continue with the game after hearing even more depressing news from David Wallace.

Now...

Isn't this a grander metaphor for the show as a whole? In the midst of all the drama with the Jim/Michael dynamic, romantic relationships and the economy on "The Office" for the last two seasons, these kinds of episodes are fewer and further between. This episode was a breath of fresh air, but can't it happen more often?

In other words, can't we have these stupid, random episodes?

1 comment:

  1. The silly antics of "The Office" are when the show is at its best. Especially when everyone gets a little something to do. I know every episode can't be like that, but yes... bring more of it!

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