I decided to start a new blog completely devoted to reviews. I'm sorry this first review is very late, and I won't be surprised if this is never read, but I'll write anyway.
Even a partial fan of The Office has heard of the issues the series is facing. The writers seem to have lost track of the characters, and, even worse, the concept of the show itself. In the earlier seasons, The Office reinvented so many widely-used devices of sitcom. It masterfully employed awkward silence and captivating facial expressions, it subverted and parodied the typical roles of romance, and it balanced wonderfully between the absurd and the relatable. To pull off such subtly intricate elements as these, the show utilized a keen, firm grasp on its characters and setting. Sadly, the show has recently begun to lose this grasp, and the characters have started to shift to extremes (the downfall of many shows, like Weeds and, arguably, Dexter.) The once relatable Jim and Pam become whiny and unreasonable, Michael is now overly idiotic, and Andy and Erin (who were initially capable of rivaling Jim and Pam) turned into one-dimensional caricatures.
Thank goodness for "but"s though, right?! Last Thursday's episode,"WUPHF.com," seems to be reversing this decline, and I am ecstatic.
Summary: In Plot A, Ryan tries to establish his WUPHF company by manipulating the office--especially Michael. Plot B has Angela finally moving on from Dwight for a new love interest. Plot C covers Jim's dissatisfaction toward a newly-instated commission cap.
Plot A: After a plethora of episodes that had me asking, "Since when is Michael that crazy?", we finally have one where we can fully understand and believe in Michael's actions. We can see how Michael's compulsion for admiration and love would lead him to fall for Ryan's manipulation. But that's nothing--that could have also happened in the terrible episodes that started the season. No, what really sets this episode apart is the ingeniously heart-breaking "second mortgage" conversation with Ryan. Similar to his depressing revelation to Jo Bennett in "Whistleblower," and his "engaged ain't married" speech to Jim during "Booze Cruise," this moment is an example of what makes Michael a lovable, multi-dimensional character. Somewhere deep inside his buffoonish exterior, Michael does have potential for insight and tact, and it's great to be reminded of that.
Plot B: Who saw this one coming? I certainly didn't. It seemed like the Dwight-Angela relationship, by being so shockingly ludicrous, permanently barricaded Angela's character from realistic storylines. Thankfully, Kinsey and Jack Coleman's terrific chemistry proved me wrong. The intertwining of Angela's trepidation and excitement is wonderful; I actually had goosebumps at the end of the hay bale scene, when Angela's eyes hectically scattered in four different directions within a moment--a terrific portrayal of the turbulence she's experiencing. However, I doubt Coleman, busy with other acting jobs, will remain in the crew for long. I wonder where this is heading. Thoughts?
Plot C: Obviously the weakest plot, but it's still nice to see Jim go back to his smartass days, when his only solace from the office's monotony comes from amusing pranks. And I think it's safe to say that Gabe is a fun target, giving a refreshing change from Dwight.
Overall:
The main criticism I have of this episode is that it wasn't that funny in terms of individual moments. But the great thing about The Office is that the concept as a whole makes the show quirky and entertaining enough to allow die-hard fandom, and this episode returned to that addictive concept. It was a breath of fresh air, to say the least.
I'd discuss how humorous the plotlines are themselves, but I feel like this review is already a book. This episode had a lot to talk about, but I promise I'll be more concise in the future. Please comment and feel free to give me criticism, constructive or not.
Favorite parts of the episode:
"Do you want to know your prize? Nothing. Life lesson? Some tasks are not worth doing."
- Dwight to the girl who found the needle in the haystack. It's just classic Dwight
"If I can make mushed carrots seem better than a boob, I can pretty much sell anything."
- Jim
Pam expertly knowing that Michael is not actually taking her comment seriously, and only wants to burst into song in the corny fashion Michael's known for.
"Yes, I have a dream... I want to own a decommissioned lighthouse. And I want to live at the top. And nobody knows I live there. And there's a button I can press and launch that lighthouse into space."
- Stanley. It's almost too strange for Stanley, but his deadpan still had me rolling!
Ryan's ambition for a Girls Gone Wild-esque marketing campaign was epicly ridiculous on so many levels. Also Kelly revealing that Ryan stole her idea was very fitting.
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