The Office: Season 8, Episode 1 "The List" (B+)
I'm happy to welcome this show back to my weekly lineup of series, and even more excited to report that, minus Michael, the show seems to actually do pretty well for itself. Robert California having talked Jo out of her own job may seem far-fetched, but he is quite a character, and having James Spader's odd, somewhat creepy stylings on board has thus far been an asset for the show. Having him lurking in the conference room making the rest of the employees nervous is an appropriate function, since most viewers are likely similarly uncertain about how the show will do without its fearless leader Michael Scott. Aside from Spader's humorous deadpan delivery of his lines, it turns out that Andy is actually a perfect boss for the time being. He's completely different from Michael in his management style, considerably more timid but still a little off. What really made him stick out in this episode was his determination to stand up for the so-called "losers" by working up the courage to list their attributes to Robert. That's exactly the right response to Robert's "Winners, prove me right; losers, prove me wrong" challenge. Everyone saying goodnight to Andy on their way out was an unusual show of quiet respect for the boss that we've so rarely seen on this show up until now. I'm thrilled to see both Pam and the newly married Angela pregnant, and I think this planking business took up just the right amount of time in the episode. Toby's realization that he was in the wrong group when he was placed with the winners was very funny, and I'm excited to see where this show goes next.
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