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October 12, 2006: Grief Counseling
"There is such a thing as good grief. Just ask Charlie Brown." Oh, Michael, how can you be so dumb and so wise at the same time? I daresay you're a veritable Forrest Gump for the mockumentary generation. After the untimely death of Michael's ironically named former boss Ed Truck, our favorite Dunder-Mifflin regional manager goes to great lengths to figure out just how sad the office would be if his capa was detated from his head in a tragic car accident. And while no one's really on board with his various attempts at grief counseling (Ryan's sad tale of his cousin "Mufasa" and the wildebeest stampede in particular had me howling), Pam shows a little compassion and helps to put on a sweetly tender funeral for a bird who flew into the building, complete with a get-it, Michael's-the-bird eulogy and Dwight's recorder rendition of "On the Wings of Love." And here's the really cool thing that I noticed this week: In Jim's absence, Pam has taken over the responsibilities of office ringleader. She's making plenty of mischief (asking for Michael to "go downstairs" for coffee, starting off the movie-death game with her "aunt" from Million Dollar Baby...), and she's also stepping in to make Michael feel better when his painful awkwardness becomes too much to bear — just like Jim used to do (see: the closing ceremonies in "Office Olympics," the karaoke duet of "Islands in the Stream" in "E-mail Surveillance," and most recently the hotel-room heart-to-heart in "The Convention"). I like that as Pam's making these strides to become her own person post-Roy, her boost in confidence seems to be manifesting itself in equal parts silliness and warmth... like I wasn't already head-over-heels in love with her. And speaking of head-over-heels, I'm sure it wasn't lost on my fellow diehard Jim/Pam fanatics that Jim spent an entire day trying to find Karen's favorite kind of potato chips — echoes of the sour-cream-and-onion ones he bought for Pam in "The Fight," no? That's just hurtful, Halpert.
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Oct 13, 2006 3:16 AM
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I didn't think it would happen, but this show has replaced Lost as my must-see program this year! As Pam mentioned in her comments, you never know what to expect going to work each day. She's really growing by leaps and bounds as she adjusts to single life, while Roy's going all out to win her back (getting her out of the counseling session and praising her new car purchase). But you know he's the kind of dunce who would revert back to his dense boyfriend persona if she went back to him. I'm enjoying Jim's flirtation with Karen, even if he is using his old Pam moves, just to see more of Rashida Jones!
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Oct 13, 2006 8:31 AM
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I also didn't like the Jim/Karen potato chip quest - been there, done that. Did anybody else picture Jim mocking Stanley when he told Michael "you just spit on my head"? Kevin TRYING to tell the sad, sad, tale of his dead "uncle Bernie" and then cracking up midway through was so funny. Loved it when Michael was talking to Jan on the phone and he was looking at an old pic of himself & Ed and he covered Ed's head with a piece of paper to see what he would look like with his "cap detated"! So darn funny! Also, did you catch Kelly hanging on poor Ryan at the birdie funeral? Another great episode!
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Oct 13, 2006 9:18 AM
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My favorite part of the episode was Jim's interaction with Karen. Maybe because it makes me reminicent of the Jim and Pam days! But I do like to see that he's making friends in the new office.
And I noticed it too that Pam has taken over the reigns at Dunder-Mifflin as the "class clown". She's doing a great job. Her Million Dollar Baby story was priceless!
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Oct 13, 2006 9:19 AM
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Great episode, for all of the above reasons.
Once again, though, I feel like Chana's blog is too short and leaves out so many great moments from the episode. It is disappointing to read the blog that does not give my favorite show the credit that it deserves. This, to me, is an aberration, because every other TV Guide blog is awesome.
Maybe it's time for someone else to take over!! The best show on television does not deserve the worst blogger on TVguide.com!
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Oct 13, 2006 10:54 AM
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I agree with you Officedoc! How could she not mention Kelly hanging on Ryan during the funeral and Kelly crying over Ryan when Michael thought she was upset over the death or the fact that Michael held up the grief session while Pam went out to check on her car. Dissappointing recap.
I miss Oscar. I hope he's back from his vacation soon...he needs to fight with Angela, she's getting pretty feisty lately.
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Oct 13, 2006 11:32 AM
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I also loved this ep though I still wish they'd just let Jim come home already. I hate that feeling that a big something is gonna happen but we have to wait for it and weed through crap to get to it. I like Rashida Jones but it just feels wrong to see Jim having fun with another girl!
For the first time, I felt Dwight was used too much in this ep. I don't know why he had to follow Michael down to the little bird. Strange because Dwight is one of my favorite characters, hands down. I thought this was a poignant ep which seems to work best for this show. And Pam's home-made tissue box and pencil casket was an amazing piece of work! I'm starting to appreciate Steve's performance as Michael more and more because he leaves me torn between wanting to strangle him and wanting to hug him. He's got issues! The Million Dollar Baby thing was inspired and I'm loving watching Roy grovel - not that I think it will do him any good.
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Oct 13, 2006 12:24 PM
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If you watch the episode again, look closely at the expressions on Creed's face and ask yourself if Ed Truck really died by being decapitated by a truck or if Creed made the whole story up...
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Oct 13, 2006 12:26 PM
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Best line of the night..."You have just spit on my face". Oh how I love Stanley!
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Oct 13, 2006 12:47 PM
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Did anybody else picture Jim mocking Stanley when he told Michael "you just spit on my head"?
Yes! I totally did. I really liked this episode, it was much better then last week. I don't mind seeing Jim flirt with someone else, I mean Pam turned him down he shouldn't just sit around waiting. But I loved Pam saying she was just focused on the cup holders when talking about her car. Right now I am driving a non-cup holder car and I keep telling people that the number one thing I'm looking for in a new car is that it must have cup holders.
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Oct 13, 2006 1:22 PM
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I don't have a problem with the blog writing. The internet is big and wide and life is too short.
But why did Dwight have to stomp out the burning bird?
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Oct 13, 2006 2:52 PM
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I think Chana's blog was fine... it's highlights not a rewrite. If you liked something BLOG ABOUT IT.
I loved Ed Helms on "The Daily Show" so I'd like to see him get more to do. I get that he's the Dwight of Jim's new office, but he's being underused.
Anyone else notice Josh is the dude from "Who's Line?"
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Oct 13, 2006 2:52 PM
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Picture This...It's just like this great show on NBC.
I'm sitting just outside a group of cubicles at my office and am ready to answer the "What do you think of the Officedoc's comments about Chana's Blog?" question. I'll answer off camera, documentary style...
And here's what you would see and hear on screen...
"Officedoc is an ABERRATION. What a baby. Chana didn't give my show credit...
Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa.(I'm making crybaby faces and noises)
Every other TV Guide Blog is longer and better...
Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa (more crying faces and noises)
QUIT you're griping and offer some content of your own. STOP complaining about what others are and aren't doing and bring something to the table.
You said Chana left out so many great moments - but YOU didn't name one - not a single one".
You'd be a perfect character on the show you know. Maybe you should send your complaints into someone at NBC - have them work a character based on your interpretations of what aberrations are - and then you, and your show could get the credit that it deserves.
Maybe they'll even title the episode "The Short Blogger". It can be based on a brilliant writer that makes great, funny, well thought out and researched observations that open up friendly banter - only to find out whatever he or she does is never enough for this one character...hmmmm.
Everybody at home would have that same feeling all at once.
Anyways, Chana thank you for the quality of your blog - and not meaningless quantity. How many times did you have to watch the episode to catch it all?
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Oct 13, 2006 6:14 PM
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Wow, touched a nerve, have we? I think that it's clear that parashrute needs counselling just as much as Michael!
Dude, all I was doing was making an observation. I am not hung up about this nor am I obsessed by it. The point is simple; I follow a lot of tv shows, all of which have thoroughly well written blogs. I am not necessarily looking for quantity, just good quality writing with a touch of enthusiasm, which I think Chana lacks. The responses show that I am not the only one with this view.
Our comments are meant to supplement the blog and provide feedback, not fill in all of the blanks that were left out by an amateur TVGuide scribe.
No problem. I enjoy the show just as much as I always have. Paraschrute's comments are actually pretty amusing--the amount of time and effort put in clearly indicate the pathetic existence that you obviously lead.
Looking forward to next week's show, and hopefully a better blog.
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Oct 14, 2006 12:57 AM
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I thought the best line(s) of the night was when the other co-worker at Stamford asked Jim and Karen, "did you check the vending machine," and Jim's perfectly timed reply, "well let's see first we checked the copy machine...." Great stuff. Does anyone else remember from MAD magazine, "Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer"? Loved that bit, Jim and Karen's answer reminded me of that.
Not enough Ryan this week.
Michael's "downstairs" bit was funny, but if you can't also do the escalator and canoe like Mike Myers, then you shouldn't do it.
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Oct 14, 2006 2:32 AM
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