Monday, November 14, 2011

What I’m Watching: The Office


The Office: Season 8, Episode 7 “Pam’s Replacement” (B+)

I’m happy to report that this episode and its two sole plotlines were quite amusing and worked much better than recent installments have. The opening scene with Andy planning to have Erin come in to report an important call that he could deem less crucial than that specific meeting he was in was taken way too far, and it seemed that only Darryl knew that it was wrong. I highly doubt that a prospective client would be motivated to do business with someone who ignored his mother’s death to finish up a meeting. I’m glad that Darryl and Andy’s friendship is still strong, to the point that the two of them have a makeshift band with Kevin, hopefully not known as Kevin and the Zits. Robert’s response to Kevin’s offer of the tambourine was quite amusing, as was the instrument Andy was forced to play following the replacements of the core three members with three over-serious musicians. The closing drum battle wasn’t even a contest, and to see Kevin bored is saying something. Pam’s concern that Jim was attracted to Cathy wasn’t unfounded, but he’s the type of guy not to easily admit something, fully aware of the first test which she put him through and he passed just enough to theoretically not arouse suspicion. Dwight tripping and grabbing his crotch was a bit too overt, and his failure to understand that Jim was not necessarily lying but instead had high blood pressure was entertaining. Pam and Jim were always going to be just fine; sometimes they just have to test each other a little bit.

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