42 replies to this topic

[ReadIshmael]

Money problems plague Andy's family. Meanwhile, Dwight guests on a local radio show, so the staffers harass him with outrageous phone calls; and Kevin unearths a big secret about Oscar.

From a comedy standpoint, I enjoyed this episode. It didn't make much sense for Jim, Pam, Nellie, and Darrell (and Phyllis, though she had nothing to do) to spend all that time on such an elaborate prank with no planning, but the result were really enjoyable. And the Oscar/Kevin story really highlighted how badly they write Kevin and how much of an ass Oscar is really being, but watching Kevin struggle was funny.

The Andy/Erin thing was more problematic. If I still liked him, the story would have been a lot more interesting, but as it is, it's only interesting in light of Erin's growing disillusionment with Andy.

[Sighandeyeroll]

Catherine Tate does an awesome American accent!

[Gajic]

It looks like the writers are re-opening the possiblity that someone at Dunder Mifflin is the Scranton Strangler. I for one don't think they started that plotline for no reason.

I wonder who it could be. Oscar? Meredith? Kevin? Or will it be Andy completely out of the blue?

[Madmarsha]

Will Andy and his brother sink the boat or will they be lost at sea ... considering that dim bulb Erin realizes that Bermuda and the Bahamas are not the same thing as Cornell grad Andy does?

My list of suspects are either Meredith or Toby as the strangler. Creed would be too obvious because it would explain so so much.

Oscar and the senator will end up happily ever after and Angela and Dwight will live unhappily ever after.

[ikar]

I don't think the team of writers for the last few years have been able to write characters or plots consistently, let alone have a McGuffin like the Strangler have any actual meaning in the arc of the show. (Besides, the Strangler should have been Kelly.)

I hate what they've done to Kevin, but that quick shot of him in the break room with Dwight, where he had taken off his shirt and pants like Dwight had, made me laugh.

[Cerpintaxt815]

Catherine Tate does an awesome American accent

I liked the voice Pam did too. And Darryl's reaction to Jim's voice was pretty funny too

Are they making Andy unlikable on purpose?

My working theory is that the Scranton Strangler is David Wallace. In "Secret Santa" Wallace loses his job, 2 episodes later in "Sabre" Michael visits him and we see he is unemployed and depressed, and then another 2 episodes later in "The Delivery" we get the first mention of the Strangler. Maybe Wallace losing his job drove him to murder? I just think making the Strangler any of the main characters in the office (other than Creed, maybe) would just be too dark for this show, so I think it has to be a side character, and Wallace is one of the few recurring side characters who is still around. Plus if Wallace is discovered and sent to jail, that would leave the Dunder Mifflin CEO position open for someone in the office to step into, probably Dwight. I think that'd be a good end for Dwight's character

[miz liz]

I hate what they've done to Kevin, but that quick shot of him in the break room with Dwight, where he had taken off his shirt and pants like Dwight had, made me laugh.

Yeah, I laughed at that too.

I loved Pam's accent, I wanna hear more of that!

[Skittl1321]

My list of suspects are either Meredith or Toby as the strangler. Creed would be too obvious because it would explain so so much.

It can't be Toby, he was on the jury- so he'd know for sure if he sent an innocent man to prison. If he had done that, I seriously doubt he would have brought it up.

I like the David Wallace theory.

The Dwight prank was completely unrealistic, but it was funny. I loved all the accents.

[NiceGuyEddie]

I just don't buy that Andy could be so oblivious that he wouldn't think to invite Erin on the boat trip with him. Not inviting her to McDonalds, yeah, not inviting her on a boat cruise? What?
Yeah it's a sit-com and it's not real life but this is just an example of poor lazy writing to me (and an excuse to have Erin spend time with the new guy, what's coming up is so predictable it's painful).

I did like the ultimate Dwight prank.

[MsTaken]

I've been trying to grade this season's episodes on a generous curve and find at least something to enjoy about them before we bid farewell to the series, but for some reason I really hated this one. I thought the prank on Dwight seemed endless, drawn out and exaggerated past the point of being amusing...and that was the default highlight for me. This show and nearly everyone in it is just so unpleasant now. I realize the show always had a cynical, dark edge to it, but there's something about this recent incarnation of the Office to me that's just depressing and thoroughly uncomfortable to watch (and not uncomfortable in an interesting, thought-provoking way). The senator stuff is terrible and not the least bit funny IMO and very, very few of these characters are root-worthy or even mildly amusing to me.

Andy can drown on his ridiculous boat trip as far as I'm concerned; it would go along with the bleak core of this show and maybe even improve the upcoming episodes because, god, Andy is so awful...and this is coming from someone who used to enjoy the guy!

Edited by MsTaken, Nov 9, 2012 @ 8:46 AM.

[RustbeltWriter]

I really enjoyed Oscar's dilemma. Of all the people in the office to know about his affair with the senator, Kevin is probably the worst. I laughed out loud at Angela's unintended innuendo, especially the bit about the senator "having a little Mexican brought in." Kevin stole the scene.

[lz1982]

I enjoyed the whole Dwight/radio storyline, but thought the rest was lame. So the boss is sailing away to the Bahamas for three weeks? Maybe Nellie *should* have gotten his job!

[queenelvis]

I actually liked this episode, except for the Andy scenes. I love Ed Helms, but his character really drags the show down. The writers never really knew what do do with him, did they? I do love Erin though, and I appreciated how she tried to cheer Andy up with her watermelon teeth. Aesthetically, her and Pete make a better looking couple, and Andy's been such a dick this season, I can't help but hope they wind up together in the end.

Meredith asking Andy about his brother made me laugh. And I always thought the Scranton Strangler was Gabe. I liked him, but he was a pretty creepy guy.

I thought there was supposed to be a little more to the Dwight prank, at least from the promo I saw (Phyllis making a phone call, Darryl doing gunshot noises on his keyboard) and Toby asking the guys to grow a mustache for Movember. I would have rather seen this stuff instead of Andy's boat plot.

[Critic55]

Gabe make perfect sense as the strangler. He was into horror flicks.

[Shanna Marie]

Although I wanted to join the crew guy in slapping Andy's hands, that whole plot line was worth it for the surprise Josh Groban cameo. I'm a fan of his music but had no idea how funny he could be. He just about stole the episode with those few moments as the drunk brother getting his relapse out of the way early.

I don't picture that voyage going well, but I fear Andy will be back at work next week, so we won't get to see the adventures of the idiot Bernard brothers getting lost from not knowing whether to go to Bermuda or the Bahamas, and what are the odds that either of them really knows how to sail that boat? Andy seems to know how to do one thing. His brother is the favored one and therefore may have been allowed to do more, but he'd have to sober up first. I'm picturing the Coast Guard finding them drifting off the coast of Virginia, both of them drunk and singing at the top of their lungs. And I want to see that episode.

Loved the prank on Dwight and especially Jim's panicked run into the room to talk to him, during which he struggled to keep a straight face.

It would be nice if we ever got to see what Jim's doing with that sports marketing company because if he ever turned the creativity and enthusiasm he shows in pranking Dwight toward actual work, he could do amazing things. I don't think he can do that within the D-M structure because there seem to be things in place to keep people from really succeeding (like the surprise sales cap Sabre had), but if he ever really got the nerve to try somewhere, he's got some potential.

[braggtastic]

This episode was supposed to air before election day, right? Talk of the Senator's re-election campaign fell flat. They should have started this season earlier in Sept.

[smithwicks]

I think it got bumped because of Superstorm Sandy.

Loved the prank on Dwight and especially Jim's panicked run into the room to talk to him, during which he struggled to keep a straight face.

I loved this part too!

I hope Pete and Erin work out because Andy sucks lately. I used to hate Erin, but now I've transgressed. I like her, hate Andy. I also liked the part when Pete said, "Isn't Andy like, 40 or something?" and then Erin said she didn't know but thought he was in his late 30s... I've always thought that Andy was way too old for Erin. Not just mentally but chronologically.

[reggiejax]

It would be nice if we ever got to see what Jim's doing with that sports marketing company because if he ever turned the creativity and enthusiasm he shows in pranking Dwight toward actual work, he could do amazing things. I don't think he can do that within the D-M structure because there seem to be things in place to keep people from really succeeding (like the surprise sales cap Sabre had), but if he ever really got the nerve to try somewhere, he's got some potential.

I see it the other way, that while Jim certainly does put a lot of effort into pranking Dwight, he simply cannot do the same when it comes to his career. The mere fact that he is wasting any time at all pranking Dwight for the umpteenth time, rather than devoting every spare second to a business he has essentially sunk his life savings into, shows me that Jim will never be more than the moderate success he has been at Dunder Mifflin. Of course the show will no doubt end with this sports marketing thing being a huge success, despite Jim seemingly not doing all that much to make it happen. But then again, I long ago gave up on this show ever remotely resembling real life when it came to business.

Speaking of lack of realism, it must be nice for Andy to just up and leave work for 3 weeks to sail to the Bahamas, or Bermuda, or wherever the hell the brothers Bernard think they're going. I know it won't happen, but I would love it if they ended up vanishing within the Bermuda Triangle. Then Erin and Plop could ride off into the sunset. Erin is simply way too good to be saddled with a loser like Andy.

I must have missed the mention of the Scranton Strangler. Can anyone tell me what exactly the reference was?

[Bunny LaJoya]

I tried to watch this one twice and couldn't get through it! It was unbearable.

[ChipBach]

I think the Senator will turn out to be the strangler. I'm guessing Oscar will find out the "hard" way... He has motive and is a great liar. Angela would obviously be oblivious.

I thought the epi was a tad tired too.

I think Andy is over Erin and is looking for a clean way out. You could see it in his eyes with the stupid teeth deal. It's not that it didn't occur to him to take Erin on the boat, I felt like he was running from her. The more she talked, the faster he throttled the boat.

I have tried to like Erin but she is just... so... pathetic... It's painful to watch. I think Pete would tire of her too.

I am watching out of pure habit at this point.

Edited by ChipBach, Nov 9, 2012 @ 4:16 PM.

[kathrynann]

I am really, really confused about what is happening with the writing for Andy. If they're making Andy unlikeable on purpose (which if so, EXCELLENT job), what exactly is their reasoning for that choice? I've enjoyed Andy through his many incarnations but he's just unbearable now. And why on earth did we spend what seemed like eons setting up Andy and Erin only to demolish that relationship and put her with a brand new character? I just don't get it.

[DrLar]

Andy is becoming prime candidate to be killed by the "strangler", really hoping he bites it first, then Eric (even if I love her) for being so naive..

Jim's prank was OK, nice accent by Tate and Fischer.. I think Jim did the worst there...

Some Kevin bits had me laughing..

[Shanna Marie]

I see it the other way, that while Jim certainly does put a lot of effort into pranking Dwight, he simply cannot do the same when it comes to his career. The mere fact that he is wasting any time at all pranking Dwight for the umpteenth time, rather than devoting every spare second to a business he has essentially sunk his life savings into, shows me that Jim will never be more than the moderate success he has been at Dunder Mifflin.

He has the potential, with some intelligence and creativity. His problem is drive and fear -- like he's afraid if he actually tries and then fails, he really will be a failure. If he never tries, then he has that as an excuse.

I am really, really confused about what is happening with the writing for Andy. If they're making Andy unlikeable on purpose (which if so, EXCELLENT job), what exactly is their reasoning for that choice?

I really don't think Andy's that different this season. He's always been volatile and self-centered. But him being the boss and the one supposedly over them rather than being the underdog has a lot to do with why he's being portrayed more negatively, I think. You're not going to have a show like this with a good, competent, likeable boss. Whoever takes that job turns into a bit of a jerk. Even Jim became awful when he was assistant regional manager.

Edited by Shanna Marie, Nov 9, 2012 @ 6:33 PM.

[MethodActor05]

I also liked the part when Pete said, "Isn't Andy like, 40 or something?" and then Erin said she didn't know but thought he was in his late 30s... I've always thought that Andy was way too old for Erin. Not just mentally but chronologically.

Well, according to the Glee episode, Andy was in college in 1995. If he were 22 or 23 in 1995, he should be about 39 or 40, so him being late 30's/just turned 40 should be about right.

Man though, it's weird to think that the college kids of the early/mid-90's are now all middle-aged now. That point got driven to me when I was at a Stone Temple Pilots concert last year and I was one of the few people under 35 there.

Edited by MethodActor05, Nov 9, 2012 @ 6:55 PM.

[Mystery]

I must have missed the mention of the Scranton Strangler. Can anyone tell me what exactly the reference was?

After Oscar admitted that he'd tried to set up Kevin, Toby mentioned that after his Scranton Strangler jury duty he'd always felt like'd been pressured into convicting an innocent man.

[Toomanyblondes]

Well, I liked it. Kevin pulling at his butt as he ran into the building to go to the bathroom was great.

I think Ed Helms is filming Hangover 3 so he may well be gone for at least 3 weeks.

[Mibbitmaker]

I think one of the reasons Andy is being written more unlikeable is that the writers are trying to make "Plop" and Erin the new Jim and Pam (more overtly than the other Jim and Pam immitations they've forced on the series), so Andy's supposed to be the new Roy. The overall idea is not a good one - Jim and Pam worked, but shouldn't be immitated so much.

I love the idea of Gabe being the Strangler, since I really hated that character. And he did show everyone that creepy "art" film last Halloween. However, they may be doing the more predictable thing and having it be Creed. There was a joke last week that could set Creed up to be a murderer: his blood-spattered shirt not being a costume was strongly suggested.

Kevin's indeed being badly written these days. He's always been a bit of a fat joke, but that has been way exagerated and overused as the series goes on. He's become such a insensitive fat joke that it's like he's being written by Michael Scott.

Regardless of the above, I did enjoy this episode, including the unrealistic but funny prank on Dwight.

[Lazlo]

I had to roll my eyes at the heavy handed comment about Andy being too old for Erin (chronologically speaking) when there is almost exactly the same age gap between them as there is between Jake Lacy (Pete) and Ellie Kemper. I can buy Erin being younger than her actress but she has to be several years older than Plop.

Even if I wasn't an Andy fan (and embittered about his character assassination) I still couldn't get behind Pete/Erin because the show did it before and better.

[karra]

Gabe can't be the Strangler. He lived in Florida during most of the stranglings.

[NicoleMN6]

So I guess Andy's not afraid that randomly leaving the office for weeks AGAIN (not even counting his Outward Bound trip, which was sanctioned by David Wallace) is going to get him demoted/fired? Especially now that his family's finances are a mess?

Bad writing.