The Office: Get The Girl, 8.19

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The Office: Get The Girl

Writer: Charlie Grandy, Director: Rainn Wilson

Summary (NBC): Andy takes a road trip to change his life — Andy makes a life altering decision and drives across the country to get Erin. Meanwhile, Nellie shows up in Scranton and tries to claim the manager position. Guest star: Catherine Tate.

The Office Get The Girl extras

The Office Get The Girl rating

In a poll conducted March 15-19, 2012, Tallyheads rated this episode: 5.65/10

See all The Office Season 8 ratings.

The Office Get The Girl quotes

Manually transcribed by tanster :)

Pam: Everybody, the balloon is falling!

Kevin: When that went up there, I had hair like Rapunzel.

All: Kill the balloon! Kill the balloon!

Nellie: Do you call that a King James breakfast pie?

Toby: Welcome. I’m Tony.

Nellie: If the seat is open, the job is open. It’s how I came to briefly race a Formula One car. The three slowest laps ever recorded.

Erin: Listen to me. Bragging away.

Andy: My heart is my map.

Andy: Thanks a lot, B.P.

Robert: Sometimes the flowers arrange themselves, Jim.

Jim: What is going on? And where’s Andy? And what is going on?

Irene: Where’s the ring, Lancelot?

Nellie: Hey, this is messed up, bro! Who is this weird lady?

Nellie: I’m very good at intuiting names. Is it… Chumbo?

Robert: Kevin ate someone’s lunch, Phyllis has a new necklace, who is this woman?

Glen: Erin, you really nailed the hot dogs today.

Erin: You didn’t even stop to pee? Gross.

Dwight: Those who can’t farm, farm celery.

Dwight: There’s no limit to what I think I deserve.

Dwight: Money isn’t real ever since we got off the gold standard.

Robert: Take the family to Disney Town?

Robert: Would you prefer a nature metaphor or a sexual metaphor?

Robert: All life is sex. And all sex is competition. And there are no rules to that game.

Robert: There is one person in charge of every office in America. That person is Charles Darwin.

Dwight: Well fought. I accept the outcome.

Creed: Touch me and I’ll sue.

Erin: You broke my heart more recently and more often.

Andy: I am so sorry that we have not loved each other at the same time.

Pam: I like consistency in the manager’s position. No weird silent coups.

Nellie: Dreamt I could breathe underwater like Jacques Cousteau.

Nellie: When you wake up, you will earn more money.

Pam: I think… you’re a witch.

Irene: Glen’s going to sue Home Depot. He got his foreskin caught in some lawn furniture.

Nellie: I’m Tinkerbell.

Nellie: Now who here believes in Tinkerbell?

Kevin: C’mon, Jim, you’re killing her!

Andy: It’s biodegradable. Animals will eat it.

Andy: How do you not have a toothbrush?

Nellie: Most of my ideas are either unoriginal or total crap.

Nellie: That’s the American dream right there. Anything can happen to anyone. It’s just random.

Icon provided by pessimistreader.

162 comments

  1. I’m also guessing this episode will involve the wilting and tiresome Andy/Erin storyline. You know if the writers spent time actually finding chemistry between characters as opposed to forcing it, more people may actually want to keep tuning in. Novel concept, I know.

  2. It doesn’t sound like the name of an Office episode, don’t you agree?
    It’s a little odd and unusual for The Office!

  3. I bet it centers around who Val wants to be with, whether or not Kelly wants Ryan, and Andy/Erin or Erin/Ryan..

  4. @1, It’s a good possibility this involves Ryan, Kelly, and the Indian doctor. But could the title also refer to…

    …Andy chasing after Erin who stayed in Florida?
    …Robert and Nellie, hinted at a few months ago?
    …Darryl and Val?
    …Angela revealing her baby daddy to her husband?
    …Jim and Pam, after Cathy’s hotel visit comes out?
    …all of the above? Can’t wait for the synopsis!

  5. @1 threatlevelmiddwight: I’m guessing it’s more Andy/Erin, considering the previous episode’s subplot is “Andy learns Erin is staying in Florida”.

  6. It’s going to involve Pam chasing Cathy with a baseball bat while the rest follow behind with pitchforks.

  7. I bet the episode title has a few different meanings. Can’t wait to see the synopsis! And @fancynewwhatever, I’d like to see that for sure!

  8. Totally agree #7! They have been building up sooo much Erin/Andy relationship this year. I just hope that it is not.

    They are not JAM, Dwangela, or Molly … those relationships people like to watch. Andy/Erin is so forced.

  9. I bet the title refers to Andy getting Erin back from Florida, which makes me excited b/c I love Andy and Erin. My favorite thing about the show is those two.

  10. Of course it is about Erin and Andy! I am a fan of Val but it is just that I am a bigger fan of Erin.

  11. I’m praying this is referring to anyone but Andy and Erin. I just don’t like them together and it definitely feels like a story that has run its course.

  12. I hope this is Val/Darryl. Ugh, I do not like Andy/Erin at all. She just seems so much younger than him and Jessica and Andy seemed so right together. It seemed he was growing up and it was a mature and great relationship. Let Erin find someone younger! I like Erin and I like Andy, just not together! I also hope this is Kelly/Dr. I’m so excited Kelly finally gets to dump Ryan and find someone right for her – hot, successful! Incidentally, Mindy’s book is excellent – highly recommend!

  13. I know I might be in the minority here but I’m a huge fan of Andy and Erin. If this revolves around them, I’ll be extremely happy. Haha!

  14. I don’t care about Andy/Erin, and I haven’t had enough Ryan/Kelly in…years, unfortunately. So fingers crossed!

  15. I am optimistic about this episode based on the title alone. It’s pretty non-generic for this series, and that’s been a good omen in the past (see: THREAT LEVEL MIDNIGHT).

  16. What I think it may be is involving several love triangles/squares. The Office has had several episode titles that refer to more than one story line, and “Get The Girl” just doesn’t sound like a single plot that would be used as the A plot. It will definitely involve several people; The only one I doubt is the Ryan/Kelly/Doctor one, as I don’t know if they have filmed that yet.

  17. No more Andy and Erin. In fact, less Erin in general would be nice. Getting tired of the whole Erin’s an airhead and Kevin’s a moron bits.

  18. Don’t understand the hate of Erin. Andy and Erin should get at least the same treatment as Jim and Pam.

    I like Kelly/Ryan but please make this a huge Erin/Andy episode and add Erin to the main cast in Season 9.

  19. I’m also betting that this episode is about the culmination of all the romantic sub-plots – Andy and Erin, Darryl and Val, Dwight and Angela, as well as Ryan finding out that Kelly met someone else while he was in Florida, and maybe also Pam finding out about Cathy. I’m also guessing that not everyone will be successful in “getting the girl”!

  20. The soapy stuff is dragging this show down something awful. Not as bad as Parks and Rec though.

  21. Does anyone else like the Darryl/Val romantic pairing more than Andy/Erin? I think that Andy and Erin are more of a forced couple, where as Darryl is kind of like Jim from Season 2. I feel as if that couple is the more interesting, as Darryl is pushing his way to try and be with Val, and she has a boyfriend, like the Roy-Jim-Pam triangle.

  22. @#24 The Darryl/Val thing feels much more forced to me. At least we got to know Erin as a character before they stuck her in a “will they or won’t they” thing. I couldn’t tell you anything about Val, other than she works in the warehouse and Darryl wants to date her. They just need to stop trying to re-do Jim and Pam. It gets less interesting every time they try.

  23. #24 I agree with you, I like Val/Darryl way more than Andy/Erin. I just wish the A/R romance would end already. They’re boring as a couple. Erin is unbelievably dumb. How can a 31 year old woman be so naive and clueless ( her comment about staying up late and watching rated R movies had me rolling my eyes). At times her lines are almost interchangeable with Kevin. TO doesn’t need 2 morons, one is quite enough. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Kelly and Ryan and the doc, and Dwangela, of course! Dwight and Angela need to reunite before TO ends its run.

  24. Erin and Andy is much more interesting to me, and I never thought of Erin as dumb. She may be innocent, inexperienced, and uninformed but she is definitely not stupid.

  25. Please, PLEASE not Andy/Erin. I was never on board with this storyline and the fact that they’ve dragged it out since Season 6 is beyond me. lol @8 fancynewwhatever I love that idea :)

  26. Nellie at Scranton branch? Hmmm. Not loving this idea. I like her so far but enough is enough. She will soon be another Robert. How bout some Dwight/Angela/Phillip subplot instead?

  27. To be honest, I’d rather see an Erin/Ryan hookup than Erin and Andy getting back together.

  28. I really dislike the Erin hate. Did everyone forget how sweet her relationship with Michael is? That was one of the best on the show.

  29. The Andy and Erin storyline needs to be put to rest already. I’ve never thought they had an ounce of chemistry and I really just don’t care about them any more. I get that they are trying to make them Jim and Pam 2.0, but it’s not working. They were a special case…

  30. I think it will be a multi-arc story centered around Erin and Andy.

    Andy needs to become a man and stop living under the shadow of his parents.

  31. I kind of see both sides. I mean, it’s almost like JAM to me, I loved them when the show wasn’t about them. When they had little things in the background, and it wasn’t TOTALLY about Jim wanting Pam or visa-versa. I mean, little B or C stories involving them were better than making it the main part of the episode.

  32. @Daniel, I totally agree! That’s what I love most about JAM too. I’m not looking for big storylines and whole episodes revolving around them, just little moments between them, like in the deleted scene from last week. This season, between Pam’s maternity leave and Jim being in Tallahassee, I’ve felt really starved of those moments! I’m really hoping for a few when Jim gets back from Florida!

  33. Also, while I like most of the other couples on the show, and find them really funny to watch, none of them affect me the way Jim and Pam do. Andy and Erin are sweet, but they’re also very weird, and both of them are slightly unstable, so I see them mostly as a comedy couple, like Dwangela and Ryan and Kelly, and Michael and Holly. They all make me laugh. Jim and Pam make me emotional!

  34. To tanster and all, do not search for promotional photos for this episode. They should have called them “spoilerific photos”.

    [ from tanster: thanks for the warning! ]

  35. @39 Chris K, it is a spoiler only if it spoils anything. Did anyone really think Erin would stay in Florida? :-)

  36. Jessie, that’s how I see E&A as well, as secondary characters that provide comedic relief in the background, with an occaisional spotlight moment. Erin and Andy are being shoehorned into the JAM role, but as I see more of them, the less charming and believable their romance is.

  37. I have been expecting Erin and Andy to emerge from the background into a primary mover of the series since season 6.

    I see enough differences between JAM and this couple to make them unique.

  38. I like Andy/Erin. What I don’t like is the writers create artificial reasons for them to be apart. They could be a couple but a totally different couple from JAM to be refreshing.

  39. @43 I can’t believe that anyone still thinks of Andy as a “secondary character”. Oscar, Angela, and Kevin are secondary characters. The stars of the show are Rainn, John, Jenna & Ed.

  40. There’s still hope we’re putting the whole Andy/Erin thing back together. But I’d wish Andy weren’t demoted of his manager position because of Nellie. Let’s not forget Andy stood for most of the office that were called “losers” by Robert, including Pam. And I don’t forget the strange reason why Robert chose Andy.

  41. Andy and Erin get back together. Look at the photos, and then the episode after that says that the two of them think of how Andy should break up with Jessica.

  42. I saw the latest promo for Get the Girl (Unwelcome Visitor). JF as Pam is still very heavy. JK as Jim walks in to the office ahead of Pam, and talks to everyone without a sideways or backwards glance at Pam. It was uncomfortable. Made me think that someone like Cathy would have a chance with Jim since Pam is temporarily unattractive. What happened to for better or worse? To helping your life partner overcome major problems–like significant weight gain during a pregnancy. They could exercise together. I could imagine that couple divorced. This promo made me sad. I hope that the episode proves me totally wrong.

  43. There’s another way to look at the Unwelcome Visitor promo … what if Jim is drawing a line for Pam, refusing to enable her unhealthy eating habits any longer. What if she ordered the extra breakfast sandwich? Then, his behavior is a good thing… giving the high calorie thing away. He’s not going to let her be stuck with this new pattern of unhealthy eating which would leave her overweight forever. If Pam can’t stop herself, then he’s stepping in firmly. If that’s the case, then Jim’s behavior is a sign of love. She’s in trouble, and he’s helping her out.

  44. I’ve liked Erin since S5 with the fake firing & cafe disco, she’s been my favorite female character since S6 (Pam is close 2nd). But she’s one of the most inconsistently written. Yeah, she shouldn’t be so ridiculously dumb, in fact in S5 she was quite competent. She was always funnier when her cluelessness was more from being a little slow off the mark or socially inept, but having good intentions, rather than being a moron just for a cheap laugh. When written with some depth she’s a great character and could be used more.
    To me, Andy & Erin has been a lot of contriving ways to not have them a couple, they’ve had a lot of good chemistry together. I’ve got some friends back to watching TO again on the basis I told them something is finally happening here… so I hope it is.
    I honestly find the Val story completely forced, she only exists as a plot device, it’s join-the-dots, and it feels more soap than comedy. But I like Darryl so it’s OK for some variety.

  45. @52 ascribe, perhaps many writers do not know how to write Erin well. BTW, as I have mentioned earlier, Carrie and Mindy wrote great Erin moments.

    Erin is actually a rather complex character with intricate idiosyncrasies and dynamics with other people.

    I actually think that Erin is the best female character on TV right now.

  46. I have to say the main reason I watch The Office is because of Jim and Pam. I also missed Pam on maternity leave and Jim going Florida. It sucked. More JAM please.

  47. I really like Erin too and think she and Andy have a really genuine chemistry based on their sweet natures and kinda’ underdog status (erin: orphan; andy: not-favored son).

  48. @pete

    Your belief and optimism with the Erin/Andy couple is admirable. I’ve seen so many people (Mostly on forums or blogs) complain about them. I’m something of an Erin/Andy fan. They’re not like my all time favorite Office couple but I don’t completely oppose the idea of them getting back together. Their relationship, I find, is more awkward and humorous than the JAM relationship. What annoys me, is just how everyone says that they’re “dragging out” the Andy/Erin relationship, yet nobody had any complaints about waiting three seasons for the JAM relationship to finally come to fruition. I think the Andy/Erin relationship has been going on for two or three seasons now, which was the amount of time before JAM actually got together. Not trying to start any fights here, I admire and respect all opinions, I’m just saying, that it’s nice to see someone actually positive about this relationship. Thank you :)

  49. @Becca, I understand what you’re saying about Andy and Erin taking the same amount of time to get together as JAM, but what I would say to you is that there is a difference in how the two stories were treated. The JAM story was much more dramatic than comedic, and quite emotionally charged, so there was a real tension there that kept fans interested, whereas, as you point out, Andy and Erin are more humorous and awkward, and there’s not as much emotional drama, so the obstacles to their relationship can sometimes feel a little contrived and less organic to some people. Not arguing, just explaining! I’m a big JAM fan, but I also like Andy and Erin, and I respect everyone’s right to support the relationship they love!

  50. I should also add, while we’re talking about the show’s relationships, that my husband ‘ships’ Erin and Mose! He thinks they’d be a perfect couple. And he’d rather see Andy with Oscar!

  51. Since I don’t have anything nice to say about Erin/Andy, it’s best i not say anything at all at the moment.

    I’m glad that Jim is so loyal to Andy, though.

    I see SO many similarities between Jan and Nellie, I can’t be the only one.

  52. I thought this was a great episode!!
    The Andy/Erin romance showed that the writers have dulled down all the negative aspects of their relationship and made it tolerable to the fans
    Nellie…I doubted her ability to mesh with the show, but I actually thought she shone in this episode, much more than in every other episode! Looking forward to the Andy-fallout. But not gonna lie, I wouldn’t mind seeing Manager Nellie for a few more episodes
    and on another note, great Creed moments, and good to see Pam back in form. Robert/Jim dynamic was top-notch! basically nothing to complain about!

  53. I loved the Erin and Andy storyline~! They’re such a cute couple. A lot of people compare them as a new Jim and Pam, but they’re nothing like that at all. They’re their own cute story.

    The Nellie storyline however… I really, really, really don’t like Nellie at all. I only liked how Jim and Pam acted. But I hope Nellie leaves soon…

  54. Love that Andy and Erin are together again. (Finally.)
    I don’t like Nellie. Never did.

  55. Nellie is the worst new character on the office since Charles Minor–in fact I missed Charles while watching this episode.

    However, I can’t wait for Andy to be happy with Erin.

  56. I am tired of the back and forth between Andy and Erin. I accepted that they loved each other at different times but when Erin decides to go back to Scranton, I groaned. I like Erin and Andy, but I don’t know if the relationship will work. Also I can’t stand Nellie! It’s the not funny trying too hard bits all over again! I thought that would leave with Michael.

  57. I still do not like Nellie in the least. I loved the Jim/Robert scene…they have really good chemistry together.

  58. I liked the episode. I can’t say I loved it. I liked the Andy and Erin storyline. But Nellie was just annoying!

  59. Please, please Jim/John accept the lead in THE OFFICE.
    Jim is the only sane one with Pam . It would be so funny if he would have to be the boss of all these screwballs. Please bring back reality to THE OFFICE. I cannot relate my office to the way it is now. Years ago it would hit the mark. Watch THE old OFFICE and how you could relate to it. Please get rid of the Nellie. Like Andy, but he is too weak.

  60. I hate Nellie so much! Enough with the new characters, why can’t the storylines be about the characters we already know and love?! Andy and Erin were great, but everything else was just embarrassing.

  61. Did anyone notice the inspirational talent it took to write this latest episode? It was a commentary about our historical and present-day political climate. Bravo, writers! Bravo!

  62. Geez, I can’t believe the negative feedback on Nellie , I thought she was great…outlandish, but with a purpose, and more aware of her own persona than we thought at first…

    Reminds me a bit of a former manager of D-M, and not Ed Truck.

    and one of the best uses of Robert California all season

  63. I didn’t like this one. From cold open to tag. Creed’s poaching of Dwight’s desk is about the only thing good. Nelly was just brutally bad. Pam turning on Jim/Andy was brutally disappointing. At least Jim stood by Andy all the way through. Almost impossible to imagine I’ll ever watch this one again.

  64. Aw, Andy and Erin! :)

    Would everyone (bar Jim) really be so disloyal to Andy though? Nellie is obviously unhinged.

  65. The Andy/Erin relationship doesn’t touch my emotions the way Jim and Pam did. When they finally got together, I couldn’t help but cry and I am not a crier. I don’t have any strong feelings about Erin and Andy at all. I can’t see anything they have in common, and it seems as if Erin could have gone either way and been just as happy. But the episode was good, and I enjoyed it.

  66. Great episode once again. I am a huge fan of Andy and Erin. What would their couple name be? Anyways, I agree that Nellie was awkward, which may have been unfunny, perhaps due to the way she delivered her lines, but the way Jim felt so uncomfortable by her was what I really found funny. Also, I like how the writers used Nellie to narrate the ending just like Michael would often do, I actually believed she could be the boss then and there.

  67. Finally Andy and Erin are together but there is no surprise there. Andy’s expression when he thought Erin didn’t want him was great as it made me sad.

    Although I think Nellie’s character was too over the top, I think the episode was great. I am great that Jim is loyal to Andy as Andy was to Jim in “Jury Duty”. They have come along way since Season 3.

  68. Another great episode, IMO. Can’t wait to see where this goes. I actually thought the Andy/Erin story in this one was really sweet for one of the few times, and not forced. I liked Nellie. I like what they’re doing with her character. Robert hasn’t made any sense. Her craziness has a rhyme and reason to it.

  69. So was this the plan all along, to have James Spader holding fort until Catherine Tate was contractually available? By all indications they wanted her way back when, but she was tied up.

  70. @fablest, Arguably there are similarities. The thing about the Nellie/Jan thing is that so far, I think they’re both ambitious and tend to be disconnected, though for Jan, that was not quite as true during the first three seasons. I think Jan was a little more cold than Nellie, though Nellie is at least as manipulative if not more so. I just see differences. I’ve seen Jan command some respect from those around her at one point. Nellie, not so much. Though Nellie is more lovable of the two. Due more to the fact that Jan is colder than a Russian winter.

  71. Both Ellie and Catherine were GREAT tonight!!! I hope that both of them get promoted for the next season. While I am a big fan of Erin/Andy as a couple, I think Nellie will be a more interesting manager.

    Mind you it is not easy to be a funny woman. You cannot just tell dirty jokes or rely on physical humor (except in Bridesmaids, which was incredibly excellent). It is even harder to play dumb while being funny AND adorable at the same time. This is why Erin is such a great character.

  72. As an English person, I am finding it odd indeed to see Catherine Tate in my favourite US comedy. Catherine Tate is very well-known in the UK, but she is quite divisive. You either love her or hate her. It would seem that the US is having the same response to her too!

    Anyhoo, I think Andy’s job is safe in the long-term. Nellie is going to end up as CEO, surely? I don’t think I could handle Nellie being in every episode, but if she just pops up once in a while like Robert California, I could live with that. #amIbovvered

  73. Well, it wasn’t as bad as Gettysburg. Andy and Erin were surprisingly ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

  74. I liked this episode it was nice. I think Nellie is doing a great job. What happened to Cathy? Is she gone?

  75. @Robert Pam didn’t really turn on Andy. She denied the pay raise Nellie originally offered. You can’t really blame someone who is exhausted as her taking an opportunity to sleep. She still called Nellie a witch and didn’t clap at the end when Nellie asked who believed in Tinker Bell.

  76. Loved tonight’s episode. Great job by Rainn Wilson. And I’m so happy about Erin and Andy. They’ve been kept apart for way too long. Catherine Tate continues to kill it. She’s just brilliant. I loved her “inspirational” speech at the Sabre Store opening and I continue to love all her speeches and line deliveries on the show. Nellie rocks!

  77. I like Catherine Tate and wouldn’t mind her being manager.

    I would LOVE a scene with Jan guest starring, they would have a funny confrontation.

  78. So, is Cathy gone?

    It said that Lindsey Broad was going to appear, but she didn’t. Also, Cathy’s desk looked cleaned out.

  79. I really liked the Andy/Erin storyline in this episode. Hopefully they will stay together this time around. I don’t want them to break-up again. I think they make a cute couple.

  80. I cannot stand Andy and Erin so this was a painful episode for me because hey, Andy and Erin.

    Nellie wasn’t too bad. Honestly, so much better than Andy so the contrast was pleasant. I like that she’s so out there.

  81. I’m fine with Andy/Erin. After all, the writers have said The Office is just a story of “Boy Meets Girl”, and other stuff happens in an office. Andy/Erin is the best available option… And maybe it’s time for Dwight to find someone (I want more of the Angela-baby storyline).

    Now, as for Nellie, she needs to go. Quickly. Her rambling, incoherent, hard-to-understand lines may be considered comedy across the Atlantic, but here in the states, she just comes across as annoying. Her character would fit the British Office crew, but she has no place among our Office favorites.

  82. @Limey I agree with you that Nellie is going to end up being CEO instead of regional manager. We know James Spader is leaving the show so that will leave the CEO position vacant. I think Nellie would rather be CEO than regional manager; therefore, I think in the end Andy’s job as regional manager will remain safe b/c Nellie will become the new CEO.

  83. It’s great how Dwight claims to be a martial arts expert, and all Darryl has to do is grab hold of his hair to drag him out.

    What exactly was Irene’s grandson doing on the roof?

    Erin at least had her other clothes back at the house.

    The way Nellie maneuvered herself into the manager’s job… I wonder if that’s how she became Jo Bennett’s good friend, by inserting herself into Jo’s life at every conceivable opportunity, never going away, until Jo came to consider her one of her best friends by default.

  84. The only complaint I have on this episode is that it does not have enough Erin/Andy even though the title is “Get the Girl”. I guess Nellie makes up for it, but I really expected a bigger Tallahassee story.

  85. Honestly, huge disappointment. Andy/Erin drama has gotten so old that I don’t care about it anymore. Someone make Catherine Tate stop talking, please and thank you. And throw James Spader in the mix and all of the funny was sucked out of the entire episode. One of the worst episodes to date I think. :(

  86. Though I have been waiting for this episode since Day 1 for Andy and Erin to get back together, this episode was weird, but in a good way. But man, Erin and Andy are so cute together! You’ve got to love these two. Nellie/ Cat Tate was hilarious.

  87. Well done. I’m glad Erin got some decent lines that made sense.
    Sure, it’s no Jam, but they’re a nice match. There’s only room for one JAM anyway.

    Nellie…. I’m torn. I didn’t like her in prior episodes, I’d say this was probably her best episode, but the show’s dynamic changes with her, so I’d rather see her as CEO so she wouldn’t have to be around all the time.

  88. How can anyone stand Nellie ?

    This show is getting worse and will soon be off the air if they keep having rambling nonsense characters like Nellie and Robert.

    This and Gettysburg were by far the two worst episodes of the season.

  89. To borrow a Michael Scott’s phrase: “Noooo God! No. God. Please. No. No. No! Noooooooooooooooooo!”

    And that summed up my feeling regarding Andy and Erin.

  90. 1. I miss Cathy! I feel that there should be a follow-up storyline for her & Pam afer the whole incident. I really like her character in general & I think she’d be a great addition to the cast.

    2. I’m happy for Erin & Andy, finally! But I hope the writers realize they can’t ever break up now. They need to be together all the way till the series finale cause I’m sure every fan out there will be sick of them 2 for sure if this tug-o-war happens again.

  91. P.S. Did anyone notice that Erin’s talking head in the beginning was green screen’d .. ?

  92. Andy’s job as Regional Manager is very safe..no two ways about that(the writers just initiated a new twist between him AND Erin AND Andy’s current Girlfriend)…and Nellie,to me, is like the female version of David Brent (Ricky Gervais) in the UK Office AND also a female UK version of Michael Scott in the sense that she’s always trying to please others and win hearts… she just needs a humorously bad sense of humor and I think she’ll be CEO.

  93. I just can’t believe Robert let Nellie takes Andy’s job. It’s out of his character. Jim is the only one who makes sense.

  94. I might be in the minority, but I loved this episode! And I really like Catherine Tate, “Nellie” however has to be fine tuned a bit.

  95. Second least favourite episode this season behind Gettysburg. I LOVE CT, I just don’t think the Americans are getting her like we do over in the UK. Also, I see NO chemistry between A&E. WE NEED MORE Jim, Pam and Dwight :(

  96. Nelly is evidently the female David Brent. Like Brent, Nelly would be much better in smaller doses.

  97. What was the deal with Ellie Kemper in front of a green screen at the start of the show? Not great. Otherwise liked the episode much.

    [ from tanster: I noticed that, too! reminded me of the garbage dump scene from The Season 6 episode, New Leads. ]

  98. I was a little annoyed with Nellie at first, but she has grown on me. Really, how much longer can the kind and accommodating Andy as manager play out? It got old after the first few episodes. Nellie mixes it up a little and brings back the outrageous boss that made me fall in love with The Office in the first place. I hope they keep her for a little while; there are so many potential story lines.

    As far as Andy and Erin goes: Meh. I want to like them as a couple, but I just can’t. It has been too much of a roller coaster ride (and an unbelievable one at that) and too much of a focus. As someone else has already mentioned, it has been in the foreground for too long and, if it needs to continue, be placed in the background where it belongs.

  99. A really interesting episode that really, really makes me wish we weren’t having to wait a month to see what happens next! Nellie’s a great character and, yes, much more in the British comedic tradition than the American, so I am curious to see how American audiences react.

  100. Not my favorite episode. Cannot stand the Nellie character as a main – hope she gets shipped off to CEO-land and that we see her only from time to time. Enjoyed her during the Florida arc, not so much at “home”. The Andy and Erin part was okay, hope they finally quit waffling with their relationship. The best part of the whole episode was the scene with Dwight in Darryl’s office and the subsequent Creed at Dwight’s desk.

  101. I pray that Nellie actually gets to keep the manager position. She’s made me more excited for this show than I’ve been in years.

  102. Nellie may be the female counterpart to David Brent, but I don’t think he was mean like her. Didn’t like her last season, don’t like her now. Keep her in Tallahasee and in small doses.

  103. The whole thing with Andy and Erin in FL and Nellie taking over may be a way to get rid of Andy and Erin since Ed and Elle are getting bigger in movies, in essence, a Steve Carell move.

  104. Catherine Tate needs to go. She is not funny. She needs a studio audience so people know when to laugh. I do worry that Ed and Ellie will be out soon because of their movie careers, like Steve. I personally enjoyed Stanley’s revived character in FL as “vacation Stanley.” More of him and more Dwight and Jim pranks would be ideal. But overall, was not moved by last night’s episode.

  105. Ditch Nellie! She adds absolutely nothing to the show and, in fact, detracts. And Robert California’s character is wrong for The Office (sorry James Spader – you are great, just not in this role).

  106. Thank God they finally got Erin and Andy back together. They are the best comedy couple on TV besides April/Andy on Parks and Rec. This episode didn’t have enough Erin/Andy. The Nellie-Scranton storyline was boring and unbelievable. Also, bring back Cathy!

  107. I can’t stand Nellie! I have loved this season a lot, but she is going to ruin it if she sticks around.

  108. @78HowTheTurnTables: Andy and Erin’s couple name would be Andrin!

  109. Wow. I hate Nellie, and hate her about 100000000000x more because of this episode, but I still thought this was great. Although last time I checked, Andy is the one being paid to be manager, not Nellie. Based on that tag scene, I think Nellie might be mentally ill. The ep reminded me of Arrested Development in a weird way, the scene with Andy in Irene’s house seemed a lot like Michael Bluth in his mother’s apartment, and other things. The episode just had the feel of a documentary, and of course the humor and plot development were good.

  110. I don’t get the Catherine Tate hate and I never will.
    She’s the type of zany office manager we need, Ed helms is better as a member of the office crew not the leader. This woman is funny in her tactics to win people over. I’m all for this.

  111. I really hate to just voice such simplistic criticism, but Nellie is the worst thing The Office has ever done. I realize that sounds like hyperbole, but I sincerely mean it. What a broad, cartoonish character.

    I miss when the show had some degree of nuance and subtlety.

  112. I thought this episode was pretty good.
    It was necessarily the best of the season, but it was one that kind of needed to happen in order to move the plot along.

    As for Nellie, I’m not entirely sure how I feel. I’ve liked her a lot so far, but in this episode she kind of started to annoy me.

    I have to say I’m pretty interested to see where they go with this.
    This is one of the better story arcs that they’ve had in a while I think.

  113. Jim was great in this episode. Andy was good. Whatever happened to Cathy? Is she in Florida?

  114. Excellent episode!!!!! I loved to see Andy and Erin coming back together again. But, I hated the moments of Nellie taking over the manager position, she doesn’t deserve it.

  115. I thought Rainn did a nice job directing this episode — the pacing was good. Nellie is a bit strange and needs people connecting with her — and I think they pulled it off. I’m thinking it’s probably a good idea that the characters Robert California and Nellie have an expiration date.

  116. surprised on how many of you dislike nellie! i’m really enjoying this nonsense… loved the episode, cracked up with creed and kevin… andy and erin was just meh… they have zero chemistry

  117. This episode was lacking… Andy and Erin are NOT compelling enough to hold up an entire show. They can be funny at times but they don’t have the chemistry needed to be an iconic couple (At least not as the main plot). Be together or not- whatever. Try to be funny at least. Also- I think it is quite inconsistent and outrageous to buy into the idea that Andy, who has in every pre-existing episode, made it his priority to impress Robert California (and his parents, co- workers) by proving he has a successful career. Now he blows off Robert’s repeated calls for Erin who he rejected many times prior? Come on. I think there is a missing episode of Andy having an epiphany about his life before his drastic actions can be believable.
    As for “nellie” – small doses only. The mild brief laughs she gets will end if she becomes a main character.

  118. I’m really glad that Andy & Erin are back together, though the handling of it was a bit weird and the script a little clumsy. It lacked the feeling of when they first got together (‘Delivery’, ‘St Patricks’), or more recently the ends of ‘Pool Party’ & ‘Christmas Wishes’. Maybe someone like Mindy Kaling might have been more suited. But I hope they finally stay together now, I’m looking forward to some other writers’ takes on them.

    But please, stop making Erin so unbelievably DUMB! It’s ruining the charm of the character. I would think they would put more effort in with these two given Helms and Kemper seem to be among the few cast with much recognition beyond this show.

    The Nellie plot was just too silly and the character is too much for a show of this style. I honestly think CT will be the death of this show (think S9 mid-season cancellation) if she stays as boss. Use Dwight, Andy, Jim, anyone else!

    High score for Andy & Erin together. A lesser score for the actual script and humor.

  119. Great writing. I think that Nellie is my favorite boss after Michael Scott. I found her manipulations very funny. Andy as boss has been a little blah for me.

  120. Ugh. Do not think this Nellie character is funny….just like Robert California is not funny. Ed Helms is my fave. Hope he doesn’t go anywhere!

  121. It wasn’t a bad episode, just… kinda boring. I liked it, but I did feel it dragged on a bit.

  122. Thought the episode was very funny but I am pretty much over Andy and Erin.

  123. On behalf of all UK fans of The Office, we apologise for Catherine Tate’s Nellie. The Office is at its best with small dramas that create big storylines. Subtle scripts, wry jokes… Nellie is the opposite of this. Tate plays herself and has exhausted her opportunities to do so in Britain as her role on Doctor Who was well received…now she’s the US’s problem!
    Why are the producers persisting with her? It’s fine in the Florida eps but to bring her to Scranton is a big mistake.

  124. Yes – Erin’s green screen scene standing in front of the house was so immediately obvious and distracting. Something like that totally ruins an episode for me. Any reason they did that? Did they add the talking head scene later and couldn’t go back to the house they were using previously? Yuck!

  125. I can’t stand Nellie!! I was so disappointed to see her appear in Scranton. I don’t like the Robert character either and wish he was on less. They didn’t need to add a bunch of new people. The cast is amazingly talented and we don’t see enough of Creed, Meredith, Darryl and the Warehouse as it is! I hope they finally boot her off. I’m just sorry we have to wait so long to find out. Ugh!!!

  126. I have enjoyed most of this season, but I have not liked one moment of Nellie Bertram. I liked that with Robert California they made him eccentric. They didn’t make him one of the main comedic characters rather leaving him to be odd, but for the most part normal. Now they bring on Catherine Tate and she tries so hard to be funny that it is painful. If her character was coming from a more realistic place, and she wasn’t so in the audience’s face trying to be funny, it might have been a good character and worked…but unfortunately that train has now left the station!

  127. If Catherine Tate’s character Nellie is in season nine, I won’t be watching, I don’t think I can even get through season eight with her in the show.

  128. I wasn’t very impressed with today’s episode. I don’t, at all, understand the dislike of Nellie Bertram, though. She’s a good and zany character with occasionally funny lines, the sharp British accent only making it better. I hope we can see more of the elderly lady (Irene) later in the season, she’s nice.

    Andy and Erin do not have nearly enough chemistry to be the subject of an entire plot, and quite frankly, I found the Scranton subplot to be significantly funnier.

  129. Nellie is the kind of funny, unpredictable manager that’s necessary to the office! Stop criticizing her! Andy as manager was extremely boring and there needs to be someone else in charge.

  130. I have never been so compelled to rant about something than I was with this episode. I can understand Nellie’s character in Florida, but I agree that taking her back to Scranton was just a terrible idea. Though I don’t include myself in it, I understand that there is a small percentage of people attracted by Nellie’s type of humor, but even those people will mostly get turned off if she becomes a main character. I understand that something definitely needs to change in the show with the gap that Michael left, but this will ruin it.

  131. Why is Nellie in Scranton? What would she have done if Andy hadn’t been conveniently absent for the day. Why was Robert California hanging around again? Is there no need for any sort of realism to the show these days?

  132. I have thought most of this season has been disappointing while many of you have liked it, so it only makes sense that I would enjoy Nellie in this episode while many of you did not. I do agree, though, that Andy and Erin just isn’t doing it for me… when are we going to find out more about Dwangela and their lovechild?

  133. i am definitely done with the office if nellie continues to be a part of the show.

  134. I’m sorry, but it seems obvious the writers have lost their direction. What are they thinking with this Nellie character? She is NOT. FUNNY. It’s not the same awkwardness that Michael Scott had – he was likable and also awkward – she is just awful in so many ways.
    And the Erin/Andy reunion? Wasn’t it supposed to feel good? Why was it so rash and unromantic??
    Writers, please, get it together.. I still love these characters.. :(

  135. I wish the writers would stop adding big new characters. It just dilutes the brilliant main ensemble for me. Yes, Michael Scott is a tough act to follow, but fans of The Office obviously love Jim, Pam, Dwight, Andy et al too. They are The Office, not Nellie or Robert. Let them tell its stories.

  136. I have to agree with the majority here. I love Catherine Tate, but dislike her character here. It does feel that she is trying too hard and it’s sometimes difficult to watch. As much as I don’t really care about Erin and Andy, in fact sometimes it is actually “cringe-worthy”, I can see some fun situations down the road to make if worthwhile. I’ll keep watching, as on the whole this show is still the best thing out there!

  137. I haven’t read everyone’s comments, but the ones I have seem to agree. Nellie is a dud; get rid of her! She is like a cheap imitation David Brent, and not a funny one. And why is Robert California so weak all of a sudden? We know James Spader is leaving the show, but that doesn’t mean the character has to take a total left turn. I hope the powers that be are monitoring this site and will take their passionate viewers’ input to heart! Still love TO, just not Nellie.

  138. Couldn’t agree more about the direction and adding new characters. It doesn’t make much sense to be introducing new characters at the tail end of a show with an already large cast.
    RC was OK sometimes, but he was never actually needed and always seemed apart from everyone else. Nellie is horrible and does not fit the show, and I honestly doubt I can watch a S9 with her in. Maybe The Office crew should watch that Poochie episode of the Simpsons. Nellie is Poochie.

    If the series is heading to an end most viewers who have stuck with the show probably just want to see more of the characters they know before it goes, rather than a few seconds each and CT’s horrible in-your-face blathering taking up half the episode.

    There are still good things in this show. I really think just toning down the more exaggerated characterization and plots, and get back to concentrating on the character moments more, would help get it back on track. And Nellie going the way of DeAngelo.

  139. I don’t mind either Nellie or Robert, I think they’re both funny, but I’d prefer to see them more occasionally. I watch TO because I love the regular characters (like they’re my own family!)and I absolutely agree that the show should feature them more, instead of bringing in new people. That being said, I would also like a lot more Nate! I think he really fits with the show and the cast. I’m really hoping he’s a regular next season.

  140. The writing for this episode was unforgivably sloppy. Nothing made any sense. Besides the fact that Nellie is abrasively unfunny, what is she suddenly doing in Scranton? Why is Robert California suddenly spineless after having no issue doing the store smackdown just one episode ago? And how does somebody taking the day off equate to having their job up for grabs? Jim said it best- WHAT IS GOING ON?

    As for Andy and Erin, it’s impossible to care. The actors have zero chemistry. Erin is ridiculously stupid. Oh, how funny, she’s mixing up an old lady’s pills, boiling Gatorade for tea and re-using hot dog water. This is not “naive.” This is STUPID. Worse than Kevin stupid. It’s Homer Simpson with a crayon in his brain stupid. What does Andy see in this idiot? For that matter, when exactly did Andy “break her heart”? Ugh. Just, ugh. But at least now they’re together so this painfully horrible will-they-won’t-they can be brought to an end.

    I love this show, and wish they would stop fooling around with unnecessary guest stars and focus on what made the show great – the original cast!

  141. I love Andy and Erin, but the writers let them down. There was no build up, no tension, who cares about the old lady’s grandson. Give Andy and Erin the resolution they deserve…!

  142. @callisto nailed it! Andy and Erin are not believable as a main characters. They cannot sustain an entire episode. I liked them much more when they were second tier. I realize that they are more like Ryan and Kelly. They are funny and cute in small doses, but the more time devoted to them, the more apparent their lack of chemistry. I used to enjoy A/E when they were in the background, but now that they are front and center, their romance is uninteresting and unexplainable. Erin is beyond dumb. She’s like a female version of Kevin, minus a couple of brain cells. I have always liked Andy, but he is much more effective in a smaller role. Keep him as a manager, but do not give him the same amount of lines as MS had.

  143. They completely misused Nellie. The best chance for The Office to re-invent itself was with either a no-nonsense female boss or a competent-but-nutty female boss. Speaking of which, the worst decision the show ever made was writing off the Jan character.

  144. Loved the episode! Hope the writers,actors and directors don’t pay too much notice to these negative comments and keep doing their creative thang! gettysburg was epic – i don’t understand my fellow office fans at all.

  145. Did Arline Golonka who played Millie on the Andy Griffith show guest star on this episode? Wondering if she was Erin’s boss in Florida. Reminded me of her.

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