The Office, NBC, Airs Thursdays 9/8c
Synopsis: The company picnic offers a chance for Michael (Steve Carell) to win back Holly and the Scranton branch to go for volleyball glory.
Review: The Office finished an incredible 5th season by dividing the lines between corporate and the Scranton crew. Is there anything that gets the competitive juices flowing more than the chance to kick your bosses’ ass? What’s sad is that I have seen uber-competitive douchebags like Dwight (Rainn Wilson), Charles Minor (Idris Elba) and Andy (Ed Helms) at picnics that should be for fun.
Amy Ryan and Steve Carell’s chemistry as Holly and Michael has been missed greatly, even if their Slum-Dunder Mifflin Millionaire skit bombed. It happens. All that matters is they went for the gusto. If the Buffalo branch can’t accept that, that’s their loss.
The Office, when it wants to be, can be one of the most charmingly romantic shows on television. Company Picnic was a perfect mix of drama and comedy, appropriate since Michael aspires to find the perfect match. Holly seems to be that woman.
I’d give up a month’s pay to see Amy Ryan return to the show for good, by the way. She has become one of my favorite actresses.
I finally feel bad for Michael’s romantic futility, but love to see how much he’s grown. When has Michael ever shown restraint? Yet this time, he didn’t spoil the chance at a future reconnection with his typical impulsive stupidity. As Michael grows, so does the show.
Jim’s (John Krasinski) reaction to Pam (Jenna Fischer) pointing at her chest and saying, “You don’t grab these for balance,” was classic. This summer, Jim Halpert stars in Vertigo 2.
What an exceptional choice to have Pam’s pregnancy revealed through silence. For a show that makes its name on raucous behavior, it is nailing the little things. Give credit to John Krasinski for being able to handle the subtleties of such a heavy moment. Quality work, good sir.
We all could use a Rolf (James Urbaniak) in our lives to get back at the jerk ex-lovers, right? Where do you sign up for that?
What an incredible ending to a season that has turned all the members of Scranton into more than two-dimensional characters. It had been a while since we got to the heart of our favorite characters, but The Office has returned to what made it a must see in Season 2. These are honest and passionate people looking for happiness and we get to laugh at the awkward journey they embark on to find it. If Season 5 isn’t the best volume so far, it’s right there with the best.
Up Next Week: Summer time and the living’s easy. No new episodes for a while, ladies and gents.
Read More: Office Recaps
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