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[2MuchTV]

"THE TARGET "

11/29/2012 (09:00PM - 09:31PM) (Thursday) : ANGELA DISCOVERS THE TRUTH—Angela (Angela Kinsey) discovers her husband's affair with Oscar (Oscar Nunez) and goes to Dwight (Rainn Wilson) for help. Jim (John Krasinski) needs a favor from Stanley (Leslie David Baker) and Phyllis (Phyllis Smith) who milk it for all it's worth. Pam (Jenna Fischer) begins painting her mural in the warehouse but gets distracted by Pete (Jake Lacy) who is building a tower of complaint cards. Craig Robinson, Ellie Kemper, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Paul Lieberstein, Creed Bratton, and Catherine Tate also star.

[ReadIshmael]

I quite liked the complaint card tower subplot. I was a little concerned by the utter lack of regard for the business they displayed when they needed that final complaint, but there was a moment of awareness that was really funny and won me back. It was a good story for Pam, it used a lot of the ensemble well, and it showed off how really likable New Jim can be.

Dwight was a bit too nice and normal and ethical in this episode to be believable, but it did help offer a pretty good resolution to the Oscar/Angela story, which I'm glad is over.

[braggtastic]

Athlead?

[Contralto]

Dwight's going to Toby was a nice callback. (At least by now he should know what the female vagina looks like.)

[Submarine]

This was a disturbing and unfunny episode. Angela hired somebody to kill Oscar? Really? This show has jumped the shark on this one.

Also, it felt strange and out of character for Dwight to be the sensible one of two people.

Edited by Submarine, Nov 30, 2012 @ 12:11 AM.

[daria405]

That close was...weird...

I was surprised that Oscar wasn't tipped off that something was wrong when Angela was being really nice to him.

I did like when Kevin pretended to be Oscar to get the sandwich. Oh, and was Creed wearing sweatpants with a blazer?

Edited by daria405, Nov 29, 2012 @ 11:27 PM.

[utti]

Yeah the whole "whack Oscar's knee" story got a bit too dark and unrealistic. I mean a real documentary crew would have stepped in at that point. Angry Angela is funny but that crossed a line. The only thing I enjoyed out of that was Angela's uncontrolled rage on Oscar's cookie and Dwight's sudden realization on who she was angry at.

I would like New Jim more if they didn't weren't trying to force a New Jim/Pam storyline with him and Erin. Although come to think of it I barely noticed Andy was gone.

Edited by utti, Nov 29, 2012 @ 11:29 PM.

[GilvearSt]

I loved this episode. I know that its dark, twisted and not always funny, but Angela, Oscar and the Senator is my ongoing plot at this point and adding Dwight and his creepy friend only made it better. The scene at the end when Angela confronts Oscar was fabulous, as was the following bit with Angela and Dwight on the bench. I also loved that Dwight pointed out that Angela cheated on her husband first. It was so well done. These are the characters that I've been watching for years. I enjoy these stories so much more than New Jim, or Nellie or even Erin. And I laughed when Kevin tried to get the lead pipe sandwich.

The other three plots were good counterpoints, plus you needed to get all the sales people out of the office before Pam would ever have been able to cost the company a client, so they complimented each other.

[niklj]

This was my first-ish episode I've really watched this whole season. Who's that new dude who's basically Andy from the earlier seasons (aka when he was awesome and not an a-hole)?

[queenelvis]

I thought the New Jim/Pete complaint card storyline was reminiscent of the Office Olympics episode, where Jim gets everyone involved in doing stupid stuff. I liked it a lot, but I would have LOVED to hear the complaints about Creed. That was one big stack of cards. And even though I knew his name was Pete, I blinked when Kevin called him "Peter", because in my mind he's New Jim. I like that the writers are fleshing out his character a little, especially if they're building up the Erin/New Jim/Andy triangle.

Since the Dwight spin off isn't going forward, I'm guessing the endgame will be Dwight/Angela? Not that I mind. Call me a sap, but I did "awww" when he called her "Monkey" at the end.

Meredith is still my favorite background character. Her desperation ("Yahtzee!") cracks me up.

After two episodes with no/minimal Andy, I can safely say that the problem of the show lies with his character (for me, anyway. YMMV, of course!). I love me some Ed Helms, but I don't think the writers ever knew where to take his character. It's such a shame, since Season 8 put the nail in the coffin of the show. I honestly think Dwight would have been a better choice for manager, even if the office would have turned into a totalitarian regime. All the best episodes of the past two seasons have been where Dwight is in the lead role (last year's Florida arc was the only bright spark in S8). Oh well, no use in complaining now, but I am dreading the return of Andy.

Edited by queenelvis, Nov 30, 2012 @ 2:06 AM.

[myriadphalanx]

That was one of the funniest episodes of The Office I've seen in a long time. Not only could I watch 22 minutes of Dwight and Angela telling Toby their misconceptions about homosexuality to Toby, but that scene when they're hiring Dwight's buddy is another one for the Hall of Fame. ("Did anyone see you get in?" "Well, there is a documentary crew that's been following our every move for the last nine years but I'm pretty sure we lost them.")

This was the first time that 'new Jim' has actually done something Jim-esque besides crush on a receptionist. Very fun Office project.

The other three plots were good counterpoints, plus you needed to get all the sales people out of the office before Pam would ever have been able to cost the company a client, so they complimented each other.

Very good point!

[horrorphile]

I loved this episode.
Pam trying to get a complaint filed against her was funny. Loved that Meredith and Stanley played Jim the way he plays everyone else.
Could we arrange for Andy to take a trip around the world on the boat? The show is much better without him.
Loved NewJim and his house of cards.

Dwight having to save Angela from her fury was funny. He was almost sweet, consoling, and reasonable. Won't last but Angela does bring out the funny in Dwight. Remember when he put her dead cat in the freezer?

Angela as the vengeful wife was true to her character. She has lots of bottled up rage that she used to release doing inventory with Dwight in the warehouse. I am surprised that she didn't try to shoot Oscar herself.
Toby dealing with the clueless Angela and Dwight might be the funniest scene on The Office this year.
Can we put Dwight and Angela back together, and make Phillip his son?

The new characters seemed to fit in this episode, part of the action but not dominating the show.
What happened to the guy they left with Jan? Should someone notify his parents?

[tominboston]

So will the reveal of Pam's mural be the final scene of the final episode?

[Westy8283]

So many things about Pam and Jim made no sense to me:

- Jim's partners named the company without input from their marketing guy? And Jim thinks he is still relevant, to the point he is endangering his "real" job with David Wallace to be more present in a job where his partners seems to leave him out of everything? You don't have to be physically present to offer counsel.

- Why exactly does Pam want a complaint against her? And if she is going to get one, why does she do it in a way that could lose a client? The add on about the mother being decesased and overweight was a small ha but speaking like that to a customer is nuts. At least pick a very small customer, if not a supplier or less important relationship.

- So is the joke about Pam's drawing ability that she actually does suck? The show has been inconsistent about whether Pam is any good at this. Clearly she has a confidence problem in any case.

Angela's reaction made sense to me within the context of a sitcom. And Dwight was the voice of reason for the episode, especially his reminder that Angela cheated on the senator before the senator cheated on her. I did like Stanly and what's-her-name having fun with Jim.

[FreakyBunny]

I hate what they've done to Oscar this season. He used to be the smartest, most ethical, and in so many cases the moral foil to other characters. Not this year. I don't like this Oscar. He knows what he is doing is wrong. What's more, I don't get the attraction to the Senator..er.. State Senator (remember when Oscar used to point that out?). There is no chemistry there whatsoever, so I can't even semi-buy in to some kind of forbidden love angle.

I think the way they have assassinated Oscar's character is different to what they are doing with Andy (whatever that is). Andy's been all over the map. He was angry, maybe gay, engaged to Angela, in love with Erin, heartbroken, in love with another woman, a jerk for breaking up with her the worst way possible, in love with Erin again, a jerk to her, and so it goes. Not to mention his out of character mean spirited attitudes towards and attacks on Nellie. Ed Helms' great acting chops aside, I never got invested in Andy because there never was an "Andy" per se, just a collection of plot driving versions of the character.

I enjoyed the complaints card thing, and I am glad Phyllis and Stanley were stringing Jim along at lunch. The show only has a few more episodes to go. I don't think it's too much to ask to have some kind of real closure on Michael and Holly and some kind of carreer/family satisfaction scenario for Jim and Pam. As for the rest of them? I will cheer if

Spoiler

Creed really does turn out to be the Scranton Strangler. That would make sense on so many levels :)

Edited by FreakyBunny, Nov 30, 2012 @ 12:04 PM.

[GilvearSt]

- Why exactly does Pam want a complaint against her? And if she is going to get one, why does she do it in a way that could lose a client? The add on about the mother being decesased and overweight was a small ha but speaking like that to a customer is nuts. At least pick a very small customer, if not a supplier or less important relationship.

New Jim turned the complaint card tower into a lesson about it being ok to make mistakes and grow from them. Pam realized that her issues with the mural was a fear of failing so she set out to fail on purpose. The thing is with all the sales people out of the office, there wasn't anyone there to stop Pam from making a huge mistake. No way would Kevin or Erin know which client would actually be an okay choice. All the same making a mistake and moving on allowed Pam to get over her fear and go for her goal of painting the mural.

[NicoleMN6]

Pam has always had an issue with being afraid to piss anyone off. That's why she stayed with Roy for so long and her art was always bland office-related stuff (staplers, the building), remember? She and Jim have that in common, so it's nice to see both of them doing something risky for a change. Too bad they're both so stupid going about it, though.

Do you suppose NBC got any complaints about that closing bit? Is this considered "a family show?"

[FreakyBunny]

Do you suppose NBC got any complaints about that closing bit? Is this considered "a family show?"

No complaints from us. I watch the show with my 10 and 7 year old and they thought the last scene was funny because Dwight and Angela's questions were so crazy dumb.

[Montavilla]

I like Oscar being in a moral dilemma, because he is the most ethical, thoughtful person in the office. With the exception of Toby, perhaps. It's never laugh out loud funny, but I find their moments touching and endearing.

I'm kind of a sucker for minor characters.

It's a little annoying to watch New Jim, because he's predictably Jim-like. But I'm not ruling out the possibility that there's some awesome twist coming up. I mean, the writers have to be aware of what they're doing, right?

I loved the final scene with Dwight, Angela, and Toby. This whole episode reminded me of how much I enjoy Dwight and Angela together.

Edited by Montavilla, Nov 30, 2012 @ 5:09 PM.

[LiberryLady]

It's a little annoying to watch New Jim, because he's predictably Jim-like. But I'm not ruling out the possibility that there's some awesome twist coming up.

Maybe HE'S the Scranton Strangler!

I did enjoy me some old school Dwangela. I really hope they end up together; they were always so weirdly perfect for each other, until Dwight stupidly became a Sprinkles assassin.

[Maddingcrowd]

I thought the ending was very crude and I don't shock easily. Also don't believe that two adults (even Dwight) would be so dense. Also don't like Oscar being involved with the senator. Oscar doesn't seem like he would be attracted to his type, or do something like that to a co-worker. It makes him look kind of desperate.

I did like the complaint cards and Dwight's goofy hit man though. I cringe at the Jim marketing subplot whenever it is on. It seems so obvious that the team doesn't want anything to do with Jim and Jim is just not seeing it. I would like to see Jim succeed at something in the end-not sure if this is it.

[NicoleMN6]

Is Athlead such a terrible brand name? Isn't the point of the business (from what we've heard) that they are getting athletes involved in their own marketing, as partners or something like that? I thought it was sort of clever. What would Jim have preferred? And what makes him think he "could have prevented that," given that he seems to be completely irrelevant to the business so far?

So David Wallace is OK with Andy disappearing again, and no acting manager? There should have been a line in there about how that's why he's especially reluctant to let Jim only be in the office three days a week.

Edited by NicoleMN6, Nov 30, 2012 @ 11:39 PM.

[Bunny LaJoya]

All I care about is Hiday (sp?). What did Hiday yell at Pam at the end of the show? "You can't paint faster"? Or just gibberish? Everything Hiday did is hysterical. The rest, whatever.

[HyeChaps]

Was Creed drinking from a demitasse cup? If so, then bravo writers.

[needschocolate]

My favorite part was when they were planning the hit and Angela and/or the hitman wondered if they were being watched --- Dwight said "Well, a documentary crew has been following us around for 9 years, but I don't think they are are here now."

[Jporr0121]

Am I the only one who's cringing watching New Jim? It's not a good cringe, either...

[Col Bat Guano]

While I think they have been a little heavy handed with the "New Jim" stuff, anything that takes away from the dull, tiresome Andy/Erin story is fine with me. These last two episodes without Andy around have the best of the past two seasons.

[Sunshine55]

I thought it was a pretty funny episode. But I agree with Col Bat Guanothat Andy's absence has made the last two episodes better than average.
I'm a big Ed Helms fan, but I think the writers have been stymied on what to do with him. I do like his scenes with Josh Groban, but that's not enough to undo all of the damage the writers have done to Andy's character these past couple of seasons.
I'd forgotten how much I like Dwangela; hope the show ends with them together. Even so, Rational Dwight was a little disconcerting. I still believe there was a mixup at the lab and that Dwight really is the father of her baby.

[HickoryColt]

I like Oscar being in a moral dilemma, because he is the most ethical, thoughtful person in the office. With the exception of Toby, perhaps. It's never laugh out loud funny, but I find their moments touching and endearing

Oscar likes to think of himself and portray himself in that way, but I am not sure its true. Many others I consider ethical and thoughtful. In a way this plot is a comeuppance for the two people in the office that think the highest of themselves, Angela and Oscar. I don't think Oscar is a bad person even for what he did, but he often seems to fall short of how he wants to be viewed by everyone else.

I thought it was a pretty funny episode. Dwight's friends are always funny to meet.

[HyeChaps]

First Dwight figures out a solution to the Jan problem, then he handles Angela. Looks like he might be turning into a mature manager.