What I’m Watching: The Office (Season Finale)

The Office: Season 8, Episode 24 “Free Family Portrait Studio” (C)

Let’s call this one and a swing and a big miss. Andy has embarrassed himself enough lately that for him to spend an entire day dressed up like a janitor and spilling soup all over himself just to predictably bust out a fancy suit and reclaim his own job is entirely ineffective. Andy was boss for only a dozen or so episodes, and therefore his return is nowhere near as glorious as Michael’s since he’s hardly the best man for the job. When Erin has to be the one to point out that he’s doing something questionable, it’s not a good sign. The episode’s final moments serve also to keep Nellie around, which may or may not be a good thing when she’s supposed to be blending into the ensemble. Starting the episode off by poking fun at NBC’s “It Gets Better” campaign was off-color and, more importantly, unfunny, and things only got worse from there. Robert’s self-identification of himself as someone different was strange, and you’d think someone from the office would speak up, or David Wallace, unless he was really as clueless as he was when it came to naming his invention, might have done the tiniest bit of research and would know that the CEO of Sabre was actually Robert California. His idea to educate international gymnasts was preposterous, but I guess that man can talk his way into anything. Dwight staging an entire family portrait studio just to get a bit of Angela’s child’s poop was typically over-the-top, causing Jim undue stress since he thought it was a prank aimed at him. Having Mose drive a fake getaway car was somewhat entertaining, and I suppose that, now, several years after their relationship peaked, Dwight and Angela may finally be able to reconnect as Oscar gets a much more definitive pickup from the Senator. The show has in fact been renewed for a ninth season, and I do suspect that this will be the last one given the gradual decline in quality every year that reached its low point this season.

Season grade: B-
Season MVP: James Spader as the peculiar Robert California