41 replies to this topic

[ReadIshmael]

Dwight faces his greatest professional shortcoming—selling to women. As a result, the lady staffers step up to give him advice so he can successfully sell to an important female client. Meanwhile, Angela suspects her paramour is cheating.

I actually really enjoyed the A-plot in this episode. I usually don't have much patience for Dwight, but I think this used him well. He was weird, and in a creepy, funny way, but it was more innocuous and less obnoxious than usual. His friendship with Pam is really rather sweet, and Nellie has a particular knack for taking the piss out of him that I enjoy.

Erin's whole run about how New Jim's mustache made his mouth look like an empty eye socket was hilarious.

I actually felt kind of bad for Angela. That's unusual for me.

[JerseyJenny]

My favorite moment of this episode was when Erin mentioned the Bob Marley song applicable to her situation, and it turned out to be "No Woman, No Cry"...but not. :)

[OhhhCocoa]

It was interesting to see Jan back, but Pam's clunky explanation of her character felt weird to me. Bringing up Jan's assistant from season 3 (in a scene which Pam was not actually present for) and weirdly sidestepping the Michael/Jan relationship completely? It was just odd.

I know they were going for the assistant angle to set up Dwight's pitch, but they could have used the same scenario by pointing out that Jan has a history of relationships with men who work for her. Do they purposely try not to mention Michael? Do they really think that many people have just started watching in the last two years and want to avoid confusing them?

Other than that weirdness, I enjoyed Jan's crazy being back in the mix. Definitely the strongest storyline of the three.

I got so frustrated with Jim - want a quiet place to take the call? Just go sit in your car, dude! Again, a contrivance used to bring up the issues with Jim not living in Philly. I know the writers can do better!

[Sister Magpie]

I got so frustrated with Jim - want a quiet place to take the call? Just go sit in your car, dude! Again, a contrivance used to bring up the issues with Jim not living in Philly. I know the writers can do better!

It was also ridiculous to start with because Jim's a salesman who makes business calls on his phone all day, so why would he suddenly be dealing with co-workers who think they can walk up and interrupt the conversation?

I mean, it was ridiculous that he hadn't just started out by going to a quiet place like his car or an empty office to talk because obviously he doesn't want to be overheard, but Kevin isn't actually a toddler interrupting Daddy on the phone in the kitchen while he works at home. They wound up again setting something up where it's presumably supposed to look like Jim's situation is making things impossible, but instead it looks like Jim's incompetent and nobody would want him working for them.

[Misslindsey]

Other than that weirdness, I enjoyed Jan's crazy being back in the mix. Definitely the strongest storyline of the three.

I hate what they are doing to so many characters on this show, but I have always loved Crazy Jan. I loved her song over Astrid's slideshow. I also, loved that her candles made an appearance.

I haven't watched as closely as I once did, but is Pam still the office manager?

I am glad that Angela is finally clued in that the senator is gay. I did kind of feel bad for her when she realized that he was calling Oscar.

[queenelvis]

"Smile if you love men's prostates!" Oh Toby. That and his, "We have the dopest time back in the Annex" made me giggle like crazy. He's so happy without Michael and Andy around.

No Andy = Pretty good episode. Sorry, Ed Helms. Andy really is the weakest link on the show. And I liked New Jim shaving off his mustache for Erin.

I loved the ending with Dwight and Pam. I've always liked the way those two characters play off each other. And Nellie's questions to Dwight were funny too: "1. Have you ever killed a woman? 2. How many women have you killed? 3. Please, sir, will you not kill me?" I absolutely despised Nellie last season, but she's getting more and more tolerable with each episode.

[Cerpintaxt815]

I mean, it was ridiculous that he hadn't just started out by going to a quiet place like his car or an empty office

Seriously! When people in the office want to talk alone they usually go to the break-room or the stairwell, not to mention ANDY'S OFFICE WAS EMPTY. Sure it's understandable that Jim would have trouble moving his business plans along when he's separated from everyone else involved, but they could have portrayed that difficulty in a better way than Jim not being able to find a quiet spot for an hour

[utti]

It was interesting to see Jan back, but Pam's clunky explanation of her character felt weird to me. Bringing up Jan's assistant from season 3 (in a scene which Pam was not actually present for) and weirdly sidestepping the Michael/Jan relationship completely? It was just odd.

I feel like the show was afraid to show Michael because they didn't want the show to still be in Steve Carrell's shadow, but to ignore him completely made his absence even more noticeable.

Seriously! When people in the office want to talk alone they usually go to the break-room or the stairwell, not to mention ANDY'S OFFICE WAS EMPTY. Sure it's understandable that Jim would have trouble moving his business plans along when he's separated from everyone else involved, but they could have portrayed that difficulty in a better way than Jim not being able to find a quiet spot for an hour

Yes I hated this. It was funny at first when the guy was comparing Jim's voice as Batman's or trying to seduce them, but the continued inability of Jim to find ANYWHERE quiet was too unbelievable.

Toby has veered a little too odd this season. It's funny but just seems a bit out of character. And Nellie, who I hated last season, I find really funny this year.

[pennben]

Other than that weirdness, I enjoyed Jan's crazy being back in the mix. Definitely the strongest storyline of the three.

Jan is fantastic. Also, someone this year figured out how to write for Catherine Tate, shame that they wasted her last year.

There is nothing funny about Oscar cheating with the Senator on Angela. There was nothing funny about Angela cheating with Dwight on Andy.

I'm sorry they've wasted time on "development" of Dwight for a series that was not picked up.

I'm angry because I hope they can find a way to bring a series I really enjoyed for many years in for a graceful and satisfying landing, and I just keep getting frustrated thinking I should have given this up a few years ago.

[RustbeltWriter]

This was a nice strong episode. Nellie is growing on me so I hope they keep he interesting. I really enjoyed the wide eyed reaction of Pam and Dwight to Jan. They knew immediately it was going to be crazy but Dwight rebounded and scored. Very nice. I like it when they work together.

Why didn't Jim just use Andy's empty office? At our place we duck into empty offices all the time to make calls.

Andy can stay on that boat all season and I would be fine with it.

[PJWatcher]

The best salesman in the branch can't sell to women? I mean, I know it's Dwight we're talking about, but that still rubbed me the wrong way.

Funny thing is, I didn't recognize Jan in the skydiving poster. I did recognize the Serenity by Jan candles the second before they showed her Warholesque painting. I noticed, too, that they tried very hard not to mention or show Michael in those clips.

Odd thing, yes, that Jim the Salesman, whose co-workers must know the importance of not bothering him while on the phone, can't find a quiet place to take this phone call. But Jim tends to lose his sense when put in an unusual situation.

Finally, I agree that I hate that Oscar is having an affair with Angela's husband. He's supposed to be her friend.

[HyeChaps]

Dwight saves the day!
"Now give me something hard to sell."

[lz1982]

I loved Pam's horror when she saw the candles and realized they were selling to Jan. I didn't like how crazy Jan became over the years, though. But that was still the strongest storyline.

Angela's expression when she realized her husband was having an affair with Oscar made me feel so bad for her I temporarily forget that she cheated on her then-fiance Andy.

[Zerah]

Can someone summarize the endcap for me? I missed it due to an Amber Alert interrupting the program.

Nellie is really growing on me. Jim had me rolling my eyes. I LOVED Jan's song and video.

[desertflower]

The best salesman in the branch can't sell to women? I mean, I know it's Dwight we're talking about, but that still rubbed me the wrong way.

Agreed. I know Dwight has had plenty of weird moments with the women in the office, but they've always shown him to be a competent salesman who knows how to turn on the charm when it's time to sell. And besides, if they were so worried about him selling to a woman and Jim was not available, why not send Phyllis? That made no sense. But all that being said, the ladies trying to train him to be normal was pretty funny, especially his creepy head bob.

I'm pretty much on the same page as a lot of you in that I think 1) Nellie is much funnier and more likeable than last season, 2) Andy is so NOT, which makes me sad because I loved him for a while there, and 3) the whole Oscar/senator thing is not funny to me, and it just doesn't seem true to Oscar's character that he would betray Angela like that.

Great seeing Jan again. She is very comfortable in the cougar role, isn't she? (I hate that term but it definitely applies to her.) She is playing that role in the new show "Wedding Band", too. But was it mentioned before that her assistant Hunter was only 17? I don't remember him being quite that young but I thought I heard Pam say that.

Agreed the Jim thing was stupid. He has never had trouble talking business on the phone before.

[Westy8283]

They wound up again setting something up where it's presumably supposed to look like Jim's situation is making things impossible, but instead it looks like Jim's incompetent and nobody would want him working for them.

Exactly. In this ep Jim at one point started to say something vaguely intelligent and strategic, and then the noise issue happened again - and he walked by a flippin parked car as he was apologizing for the noise (duh, dude, clue?). I actually fast forwarded through those bits because they were so stupid.

What irks me most is that this *should* be about Jim finally pursuing a dream, after supporting Pam as she chased hers, and instead this will be Jim failing after being moronic. Pam will probably be mad at him for making her deal with his dream.

Last night's Parks and Rec handled the dream angle much better with Leslie's boyfriend, whose names escapes me.

I didn't find anything about the Erin or Angela plot lines funny. Well, I did enjoy hearing Erin yell at Stanley in the bathroom in the background.

Edited by Westy8283, Nov 16, 2012 @ 10:46 AM.

[tardisrider]

Maybe with his anger management issues, Andy is the Scranton Strangler--they'll find some evidence while he's away on his boat and he'll just keep sailin' on...thus writing him out completely

[Brandi Maxxxx]

Last night's Parks and Rec handled the dream angle much better with Leslie's boyfriend, whose names escapes me.

Ben Wyatt (Human Disaster). Jim should take a lesson from Knope 2012: Catch your dream and shackle it to your heart.

[MsSweatpants]

New Jim didn't look too bad with his moustache, in a weird 1970s kind of way. It's not really in fashion for a young guy anymore, but it suits some people more than others.

I hate the Erin/New Jim storyline, though. Original Recipe Jim pined for the receptionist--- and hey, so does New Jim! The difference is that the rehash has none of the heart of the original, and Erin is so incredibly stupid. I can see her with Andy, if only because she's too dumb to realize what a dolt he is.

It was interesting to see Jan back, but Pam's clunky explanation of her character felt weird to me. Bringing up Jan's assistant from season 3 (in a scene which Pam was not actually present for) and weirdly sidestepping the Michael/Jan relationship completely? It was just odd.

Weird not to mention Michael at all, but that's been consistent almost since he left and Andy was named manager.

They do know about Hunter, though--- in that horribly awkward dinner party episode, Jan played her music, including a song about Hunter, right? Or it was Hunter's music, singing about how Jan made him a man? I forget exactly how it went, but I thought it was pretty clear that everyone realized Jan was involved with her assistant.

[jopatura]

My biggest problem with New Jim and Erin is that throughout Season One, we knew exactly why Jim was in love with Pam and what made them tick, together. The only evidence that the show has given us with New Jim is that he thinks Erin is hot and he invited her out for drinks... they don't really hang out and they don't really share scenes other then moot flirting. I know they are trying to wrap up everything by May, and there will probably be a similar scene to Casino Night for New Jim and Erin some point during the season, but they would have been better served ramping up that storyline after the holidays.

When they panned to the skydiving picture, I knew it looked somewhat like Jan, but I was hoping they were just trying to sike out Pam and Dwight... although if she is back in the picture for good, that might be pretty hilarious. I'm still catching up on watching the older episodes, but should Astrid really be that old? She looked at least six or seven in the movie and she was born during the 2008 season. That threw me out of the flashback.

[NiceGuyEddie]

should Astrid really be that old? She looked at least six or seven in the movie and she was born during the 2008 season. That threw me out of the flashback.

As far as not being able to spell her own name though, a seven-year-old and probably a six-year-old too would be able to spell it. A four-year-old (if she was born '08) I could see not being able to spell it.

Kid's age appearances look misleading sometimes. I know an 11-year-old who looks closer to 8.
That said, they do have a casting director, so they could've picked one who looked younger, but the plot-points do suggest continuity of being born ~2008.

[draiocht]

But was it mentioned before that her assistant Hunter was only 17?

That was bizarre. I thought it was pretty clear Hunter was mid-20s. Pam must've been gossiping. ;)

[NiceGuyEddie]

Last night's Parks and Rec handled the dream angle much better with Leslie's boyfriend, whose names escapes me.

Ben Wyatt (Human Disaster). Jim should take a lesson from Knope 2012: Catch your dream and shackle it to your heart.

Started watching it after TO last night but turned it off when they shouted Jerry out of the room. The mean-spiritedness of how they treat that character makes me unable to watch that show.

[OhhhCocoa]

They do know about Hunter, though--- in that horribly awkward dinner party episode, Jan played her music, including a song about Hunter, right? Or it was Hunter's music, singing about how Jan made him a man? I forget exactly how it went, but I thought it was pretty clear that everyone realized Jan was involved with her assistant.

Ah, you're right - I'd forgotten. Jan DOES play Hunter's music at the dinner party, but I don't remember if there is a specific song played. I do remember it being a sore spot for Michael, though. I still find it more awkward to completely avoid Michael than to just mention him in passing when it comes to Jan - I couldn't even finish this post without doing it!

[MsSweatpants]

I found it on another site--- Hunter's album was called The Hunted. The song was called "That One Night," and here are some lyrics:

You took me by the hand

Made me a man

That one night (one night)

You made everything all right

That one night (one night)

You made everything all right

So raw, so right, all night, all right, oh yeah (x2)

Ewwww.

[HickoryColt]

I thought this was one of the better episodes in awhile.

Toby looks like a 70s porn star with that mustache. Creepy as always.

Didn't see jan back as the twist coming

Dwight's sales lessons were funny. I like the British chick more this season

[wheeler]

I'm sorta psychic! Just the other day I was thinking about how it would be cool to bring Jan back for an episode. Only in MY version, she would show up looking for Michael, and be shocked to find out that he had left town without asking her if it was OK. And, when she found out that he had left to be with Holly (and after Jan remembered who Holly was) she would say "But I told him he couldn't date her!"

But that could never happen since they all worm-holed to a new universe where Michael never existed. Plus, I only wrote that particular plot in my head because I wanted Jan to be unhappy; I never liked her...

[karra]

Nellie is more like a Catherine Tate character this season. That is good. Its almost like she is playing someone else entirely. I would not even recognize this Nellie as the one from previous seasons.

[Madmarsha]

Finally, I agree that I hate that Oscar is having an affair with Angela's husband. He's supposed to be her friend

Affairs are icky. But I think of the "pillow talk" and while I hate Angela, that's a double betrayal. Tho, while Angela certainly has no social filter (she tends to just say whatever's on her mind regardless of mean or insensitive), I really don't imagine her and The Senator actually having conversations of a personal nature, ya know, that the senator might spill to Oscar. But Angela certainly shares a lot with Oscar and I wonder what he tells the Senator. In many ways, that's worse than the betrayal of just sex.

I never got the impression before that Hunter was THAT young. Jan is a sick cookie in addition to being sadistic.

[Sister Magpie]

What irks me most is that this *should* be about Jim finally pursuing a dream, after supporting Pam as she chased hers, and instead this will be Jim failing after being moronic. Pam will probably be mad at him for making her deal with his dream.

The thing that gives me hope is that I feel like they might be setting it up more as a sort of...emotional metaphor? Than something that makes sense. Meaning that Jim is flailing desperately in part because Pam isn't on board and therefore he has no confidence. This aspect they've played pretty consistently and they've been building on it from the beginning. No way it's a coincidence that in the ep where Jim is "excited to come to work" for the first time in his life (and it turns out horribly) Pam has nothing to do with the story and he's completely alone--he might as well still be keeping it a secret. So I hold out hope that it's moving towards something interesting about why Pam's against the whole idea. Everybody keeps saying Andy's the new Roy (for obvious reasons) but Pam's kind of being Roy too.

Not that Jim's idiocy is literally Pam's fault, obviously, but the support thing making him cringing and apologetic when he needs to be the opposite has got to be a thing. Unfortunately they just can't seem to write that with Jim still being believable. Because really, why didn't he just take off from work and drive to Philly for the meeting, given that his boss is sailing around the sea on a whim? Unless Pam forbid him to do that or something. But that doesn't explain his not going into Andy's office or a parked car. The man should have expected Dwight to be sitting next to him, after all. He's not going to conduct that call in front of Dwight.