The Office: Stress Relief, 5.14-15

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Stress Relief

Writer: Paul Lieberstein, Director: Jeffrey Blitz

Summary (NBC): After Dwight’s fire safety seminar goes awry, he must make amends to the stressed-out office. Michael tries a number of ways to get his employees to relax before discovering that he is the number one stressor at work. So that people won’t feel afraid of him, he insists on a no-holds-barred roast of himself. While watching a pirated movie, Andy is convinced that Jim and Pam are film gurus. One-hour long, follows Super Bowl. Read more about this episode here. Guest stars: Cloris Leachman, Jack Black, Jessica Alba.

The Office Stress Relief: First Aid Fail

The Office Stress Relief extras

The Office Stress Relief rating

In a poll conducted Feb. 1-5, Tallyheads rated this episode: 8.89/10

See all The Office Season 5 ratings.

The Office Stress Relief quotes

Dwight: It’s my own fault for using PowerPoint. PowerPoint is boring.

Dwight: Today, smoking is going to save lives.

Angela: Did you bring your jerky in again?

Michael: Stay f*cking calm!

Dwight: Have you ever seen a burn victim?

Oscar: Stay alive, I’m getting help!

Angela: I only weigh 82 pounds!

Angela: Save Bandit!

Dwight: Use the surge of fear and adrenalin to sharpen your decision-making!

Dwight: It’s not real, Stanley. Don’t have a heart attack!

Michael: Stanley! Barack is president! You are black, Stanley!

Dwight: A lot of ideas were not appreciated in their time.
Michael: Electricity.
Dwight: Shampoo.

Dwight: I did not kill anyone. Stanley was attacked by his own heart.

Michael: I’m not a mind reader, David.

Michael: We should take a part of his pay and donate it to the charity of your choice. Something that Dwight doesn’t like.
Dwight: PETA.

Dwight: I am planning a bomb scare that should really get the blood pumping.

Michael: An office is for not dying.

Michael: An office is a place where dreams come true.

Stanley: If I can’t find a new way to relate more positively to my surroundings, I’m going to die. I’m going to die.

Michael: No rest for the sick.

Stanley: I feel like I’m working in my own casket.

Michael: C’mon, Stanley! You’re losing you!

Michael: No arms or legs is basically how you exist right now, Kevin. You don’t do anything.

Michael: I will divide and then count to it.

Creed: You were in the parking lot earlier! That’s how I know you!

Creed: He has no wallet. I checked.

David: Can you tell me why you had to cut the face off the dummy?

Michael: We start with the dummy, and we learn from our mistakes, and now Dwight knows not to cut the face off of a real person.

Andy: Hope you brought your appetitos, m’lady, m’tuna.

Pam: Jim’s been great. But I’m going to need to buy my dad a robe.

Andy: Jim and Pam are like, movie geniuses. They’re catching things that are totally going over my head.

Dwight (reading statement): “I state my regret.”

Phyllis: You almost killed Stanley.
Dwight: Yeah right. I filled him full of butter and sugar for 50 years and forced him not to exercise.

Dwight: Sign it! Sign it now!

Michael: My god, if you’re wearing a dress, please keep your knees together, nobody wants to see that, ohm …

Michael: That one makes me think of death. It’s kind of nice.

Michael: Racism is dead, Stanley.

Michael: Oscar? Would you reach over and touch his thing? That’s what he said!

Kevin: Michael, I think YOU’RE what’s stressing everybody out.

Michael: You never expect that you’re the killer. It’s a great twist. Great twist.

Michael: Those shoulder pads are really boss, man.

Michael: And I looked so good in a perm and shoulder pads.

Michael: But now ‘boss’ is just slang for ‘jerk in charge.’

Michael: Who here has the Comedy Central Roast Channel?

Oscar: I consider myself a good person. But I’m going to try to make him cry.

Michael: I have got to make sure that YouTube comes down to tape this.

Michael: Lower the mike for the midget!

Angela: If you ever put sunblock on a window, you might be Michael Scott.

Angela: I don’t normally enjoy making people laugh.

Meredith: Michael, you are the reason I drink. You are the reason I live to forget.

Michael: Nope. Friends only. Friends only!

Jim: The quote was “Cut off your nose to spider face.”

Dwight: You pathetic, short little man. You don’t have any friends or any family or any land!

Pam: If it were an iPod, it would be a Shuffle.

Andy: What I hate about you, you really suck as a boss …

Michael: And my thing isn’t tiny, it’s average, so …

Dwight: He’s either deeply depressed, or an icicle has snapped off his roof and impaled his brain.

Creed: What’s a text?

Sam: Lily! Push the reverse button! Reverse the button!

Pam: When you’re a kid, you assume your parents are soulmates. My kids are going to be right about that. I guess it also means that sometimes love affairs look different to the people inside them.

Michael: Jim, you’re 6’11 and you weigh 90 pounds. Gumby has a better body than you. Boom, roasted. Dwight, you’re a kiss ass. Boom, roasted. Pam, you failed art school. Boom, roasted. Meredith, you’ve slept with so many guys, you’re starting to look like one. Boom, roasted. Kevin, I can’t decide between a fat joke and a dumb joke. Boom, roasted. Creed, your teeth called, your breath stinks. Boom, roasted. Angela, where’s Angela? Whoa, there you are, I didn’t see you there behind that grain of rice. Boom, roasted. Stanley, you crush your wife during sex and your heart sucks. Boom, roasted. Oscar, you are… Oscar, you’re gay.
Oscar: Wow.
Michael: Andy, Cornell called, they think you suck. And you’re gayer than Oscar. Boom, roasted. Alright. Alright everybody, you know I kid, you know I kid. You guys are the reason I went into the paper business, so, uh, goodnight, God bless, God bless America, and get home safe.

Icon provided by pessimistreader.

The Office Stress Relief photos

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223 comments

  1. Wow, for what they were going for, having the Super Bowl audience and all, they nailed this episode. Really highlighted the strong comedic value of the Office, a bit of well built drama in Jim and Pam, and another shining Michael Scott performance. 9.5

  2. Possibly my new favorite episode. Dwight with the mask? I have never laughed so hard at a TV show. The sweetness at the end of the episode with Michael coming back and with JAM was wonderful. And the beginning was ABSOLUTELY insane. LOVED. IT.

  3. Good episode. After a bit of a lull in Season 5 The Office is back! Now they just need to keep it up ;)

  4. That. Was. Awesome.

    “Boom! Roasted.”
    Dwight/Hannibal
    Dancing to Staying Alive
    Michael wanting YouTube to come and film his roast

    Classic

  5. Amazing episode. Never stopped laughing. Such amazing writing too. LOVED it. Fabulous. My favorite so far. Kudos! You guys ROCKED it!!!!

  6. New intro footage! New intro footage!

    That was almost as fun as the episode itself.

    I’ve been wondering for a long time if they would ever change the original footage.

    love it like CRAZY!

  7. Though the Jack Black thing was incredibly lame, in EVERY other respect that episode absolutely lived up to its hype. Great Michael, great Jim and Pam, and great everybody else. One of the top 3-5 episodes this season.

  8. What an excellent episode! Truly one of the greatest in YEARS. I constantly laughed out loud, something I have not done in awhile watching The Office!!! Great acting, great jokes, amazing.

  9. I think it’s funny how last week I gave my lowest rating for an episode and this week I gave my highest. Great episode!

    “If it was an ipod, it would be a shuffle!”

  10. That was INCREDIBLE!
    So hilarious, the Michael roast was great but Michael roasting the rest of the office has to be one of the funniest things ever.
    And Jim and Pam? Does it even need to be said? Almost shed a tear. SO CUTE.

  11. This was a big step up from last week’s episode. But a little nagging part of me still feels that they need to work out some issues with the writing. Or maybe the editing, since the deleted scenes have almost all been great this season, including the one they currently have up for this episode. I think some of these storylines are suffocating the natural humor that comes from the characters (and the excellent actors playing them).

    It was better than the hour-long episodes at the beginning of season 4, though.

  12. So who was making out with the old lady in the end of the “movie”?

    Great show and I loved the teaser for the upcoming episode.

    Michael looked good in that turtleneck, he should wear them more often.

    I hope the new opening sticks around.

  13. That was by far my favorite episode of the season.

    I also thought the new opening was long overdue. It was starting to get weird seeing the temp with his gym bag…

  14. That was truly wonderful. Loved the Stanley stuff, the roast was funny and sad at the same time, Pam & Jim were just, wow… I could go on and on about this episode. Thank you Paul for writing a really fantastic episode!!

  15. I was so excited when I saw that they had changed the intro! OK yes…I was riding the high that was the cold open, but it’s about time in my opinion!

  16. boom roasted! such a great episode, i was laughing the entire time, i will now carry a knife with me at all times just in case i have to harvest…

  17. I honestly think this may be my favorite Office episode–ever. That Jim/Pam moment had my friends and I crying. Incredible. 10!

  18. Loved it! Definitely the best of this season so far! The cold open was to die for, of course. I enjoyed the Jim & Pam story line – it felt very real. The only part I could complain about was I didn’t feel that Angela’s roast was in character. Can anyone get a link to the new credits?

  19. This was brilliant. I had friends who are not Office fans laughing quite often, which I think means that the Super Bowl episode did its job. I loved Michael’s final “roasting” comments.

    #4: I think the new intro was to highlight all of the cast for the people who are not as familiar with The Office. I also liked the episode’s use of Stanley flashbacks!

  20. Wow – that was a great episode! The “guest stars” felt really forced, but that didn’t put a dent in the awesomeness that was this episode!

    BTW, Tanster… Off-topic. My 6 month old son, Logan, loves to play on the keyboard. So, being wireless, I’ll put it on the floor for him and he runs his hands across it – he loves the clicking sounds. Well today I had some website open and he opened my favorites and went to Office Tally – true story! I guess it runs in the family :-) (hubby and I LOVE The Office!)

    Here’s a picture:

    http://morlinos.com/pictures/IMG00287.jpg

  21. That was one hell of an episode. I loved the new intro. I hope they use that one from now on. Everyone in this episode was awesome. There were so many great lines. I was glad to see Stanley shine once again. I loved it when Michael kept trying to get close and his stress detector kept beeping. The Jim and Pam stuff was great as usual. I loved that last scene with them, very sweet.

  22. I love The Office but this show was my least favorite. I was very disappointed. It was disconnected and unrealistic. I love The Office for its subtle humor and wit. This show had neither for me.

    Steve Carell and John Krasinski still shine in the rough shows. I wonder if the actors have a sense of how an episode will do while they are in production?

    Looks like the other three people that commented so far liked the episode.

  23. Great episode! And the teaser for next week.. it’s impossible right? The time-line doesn’t fit at all.. right? That would be quite the obstacle.

  24. For me, in one word, PERFECTION. I adored this episode, I was laughing from the opening scene, great writing, great physical comedy! This is one of the best episodes I feel since season 3. Dwight and Kevin in the CPR training scene was hysterical!

    I loved Stanley’s performance tonight as well, and the Michael Scott roast was brilliant. Followed by his hilarious roast of almost everyone in the office. One for the books! Definitely reenergized the show for me.

  25. “Save Bandit!” Angela keeping her cat in the file cabinet…

    “The fire is shooting at us!” Would you keep your calm in a fire situation?

  26. Tanster….talk to me. Everyone seems to have loved this episode except me. Maybe I need to watch it again. Did you like this episode?

  27. Also, does anyone see this Dwight/Michael storyline that is starting to unfold? Dwight is getting really disenchanted with Michael – it’s only a matter of time before he turns on him. That was in the original British show, right?

  28. I feel like I need to give a compliment, and certainly there was a lot to compliment in this episode. And so I’d like to say it’s amazing how Steve Carrell can turn feeding pigeons into the most hilarious moment of an hour-long episode. That sounds like a diss to the rest of the episode, but it’s really not. It was just a really funny moment.

  29. The Jack Black/Jessica Alba/Cloris Leachman storyline was utterly pointless. The rest of the episode was gold. Best line: Andy you’re gayer than Oscar. Boom roasted.

  30. Hilarious! Best episode in a long time. My entire super bowl party laughed hysterically throughout.

  31. Besides the Season opener, this went above and beyond one of the funniest episodes of the season. Perhaps even the entirety of the show. I bet they get a ton of new viewers after this one!

  32. I loved this episode! You could tell the writers were stepping up. I think this is the best they could give us and they did a great job. My favorite moments were the cat through the ceiling proving again how poorly built the office is, Dwight in almost every part, Michael trying to feed the birds, and being very uncomfortable with seeing Cloris Leachman making out with Jack Black and the guy in the end.

  33. I’m going to have nightmares now of Dwight cutting off my face and wearing it as a mask..

    Jim/Pam, cute as always. :)
    Loved every moment!
    Heh

    Except for the bootlegged film storyline. It didn’t fit at all, and rather creeped me out. Ugh. We don’t need a female Hugh Hefner.

  34. Hey #34 (FUR-SHIZZLE), you’re not alone. The whole hour-long Superbowl-fueled event is so exciting that I don’t want to bring everyone’s spirits down, but I had a lot of problems with the episode too. Next week I might not be feeling so generous — but hopefully, I won’t need to be! I still think they can do great episodes, as opposed to “good” like this one or “pretty lame” like last week. I just think they’re focusing on the wrong things. The classic humor is there… somewhere.

  35. Absolutely brilliant. I swooned when the opening was updated.

    And that was the -best- Stanley montage ever.

  36. My new favorite episode of the season for sure! I loved it all! Hope we get more Paul Lieberstein written episodes this season. And they need to release an Andy Bernard CD on iTunes, because I would so buy it – I was dying of laughter during the Stayin’ Alive scene & I wanted to sing along during the What I Hate About You scene!

    Finally, 2 questions:
    1) Did anyone catch the 2 cameos tanster mentioned?
    2) Were the 2 promos posted earlier (Michael’s cup & Butt Slap) shown during the game?

  37. Okay.
    That’s it.

    Officially THE BEST office episode ever. Literally.
    There was seriously not one moment where I wasn’t begging for more. (that’s what she said?)

    I LOVE THE NEW CREDITS!

  38. Shame on Dwight!! He was just out of control in this episode! I loved the Jim/Pam storyline. It was so nice to see them interract and confirm their soulmate status. Loved it!! Michael was a busy bee — loved the ending where everyone had a really good laugh — especially Stanley. I love The Office.

  39. …if the guest stars have zero interaction with the normal characters, are they really guest stars? it’s like a paradox for me…

  40. SUCH an improvement from last week. Everything was great EXCEPT the pirated movie plotline. That was pretty pointless, unfunny, and a bit gross.

    But other than that, I thought everything was great. The JAM drama sorta had me for a second, but once again, love prevailed!

  41. I was really enjoying this episode. The bad news is that the superbowl postgame stuff ran 10 minutes long. See, my DVR did not know this was going to happen, so I missed the last 10 minutes of the show. Ahhhhh! I don’t see the episode available yet on NBC.com. Anyone know where I can see it right now? help!!!

  42. Yeah, I wasn’t really feeling it for the most part. It had its moments, but there really is something to be said for subtlety. And the Alba/Black/Leachman thing was more distracting than amusing.

    Gotta give Steve credit though–he did a brilliant job portraying Michael’s hurt feelings without being over the top. MVP of the episode, as usual.

  43. Wow!!! One of the best episodes in a really long time. I was beginning to lose faith in the show but that all changed with this episode. They’ve still got it.

  44. I absolutely LOVED LOOOVED this episode!!! And the new credits were awesome!! Are they gonna keep em like that?

  45. I loved it! Even the sad parts were wonderful. I do have to agree that the guest stars were kind of pointless. But there were so many great lines that I can forgive them for that!

  46. Everything in this episode was awesome except for that lame, forced Jack Black movie inclusion.

  47. Who was the guy that Cloris Leachman was making out with at the end? That had to a cameo by one of the staff, right?

  48. CPR in the conference room equals The Office at its best.

    The Jack Black/Cloris film was crEEpie with a capital E!

    Why did Pam’s bearded dad need shaving cream?
    Details people, details……plus that scene seemed to be inserted later since, in the phone call talking to her dad she has a brown sweater
    on, next she’s back to blue sweater, then back to brown all in the same day. It just takes you out of the moment, come on Office folks, if I’m paying that much attention you should at least be.

  49. Two words…

    BOOM.Roasted.

    I think this episode tops Weight Loss. So many lines, the physical comedy worked and wasn’t too over the top, and the cold opening was one of the best EVER. I guess the cameos were for those who don’t watch the office much because we really didn’t need them. Still, definitely one of the greatest episodes in all of the seasons.

  50. Wow. I’m really surprised by how much I LOVED this episode, because the last one was probably the worst one for me. The only thing I didn’t understand about this episode was, Dwight didn’t get fired or suspended. But, there were so many good things going on with Pam, Michael, Stanley, Dwight. And the talking heads! Kevin’s was my favorite, the one of him just laughing in that odd Kevin way. This one was definitely a true Office episode, reminiscent of season 2.

  51. Go Office! That was a fantastic episode (and I’m kicking myself for looking at all the spoilers). Great writing, great acting, attention to detail and so many laughs! I loved the opening, the CPR lesson and Dwight’s face mask, the insanely weird movie, the roast and the sweet lil’ romantic stuff. During the scene where the staff was laying on the floor, Pam’s reaction when opening her eyes to see Michael straddling her (right after Jim said, “Don’t open your eyes”) was one of the all time funniest moments.
    Someone here mentioned the shaving cream being out of continuity. My dad had a beard and he still shaved a bit around it (which I remember thinking was weird) so I think the shaving cream was A-Ok and not a mistake.

    [from tanster: it’s funny, on the version of the episode nbc sent out in advance, it wasn’t shaving cream but eggs. “yes dad we ran out of eggs because you ate all the eggs.”]

  52. Also, to some of the other comments;

    I think the intro was a special one for this episode because they had more time than a normal 30 minute episode and were able to use this without taking away from the episode too much..

    I liked the pirated film, not so much because of the guest stars, but because of Jim and Pam talking about her parents situation and Andy thinking them as movie critic geniuses. Pure genius. Best of the episode other than Boom, Roasted and that’s what he said, because of gay..

    and to whoever said it, my DVR isn’t smart enough to record an episode, but rather just time constraints, so I had to go over to my girlfriend’s to catch the last bit when I realized what happened.

  53. I really did love this episode! The cold open was one of the best EVER! LOVED it! And Angela with her cat – couldn’t have been any better! And Michael trying to push the chair out of the window – hilarious!

    I love Jim and Pam so much and when Pam was repeating what Jim told her father about her – well, that’s clearly just one of the sweetest things; it’s all you really need. But surprisingly sentimental and dramatic?

    Now I’ve been waiting for a couple weeks – the whole Dwight, Angela, Andy dynamic! For whatever reason Dwight and Andy both decided they didn’t want to be with Angela. Angela’s hurt. A week later she’s fine? And two and a half weeks later (tonight) still nothing. Dwight was even laughing during Andy’s song. Given everything that happened between Dwight and Angela I find it hard to believe that there wouldn’t be any more sparks or something. Ever since ‘The Duel,’ though, Angela seems to be slightly more at ease with herself and the staff. Like her big secret is out, there’s not much more to be afraid of or something.

    Lastly, OMG to next week’s episode! Just OMG.

  54. 49 DJ Jazzy Flax: My dad and I watched the commercials during the game (It’s the best part, we just skipped through the football, haha), and I didn’t see those two promos at all. Kinda weird, huh? They did, however, have two versions of the post-superbowl ep promo, one without the cat bit, and one with.

  55. I like every episode, but I LOVED this episode. Even the stunt casting, I would so watch that movie. :) I’m looking forward to rewatching a hundred times so I can catch every single detail. First time I’ve voted 10!

    Stanley montage
    Andy crying (and gay?)
    Dwight of the Lambs
    Dance party
    My kids will be right
    Michael’s star man
    Jim’s terror when he screwed up
    x1,000

  56. First 5 minutes: the last time I laughed that hard was for ” The Injury” ep.

    Paul Lieberstein is the best and my favourite writer.

  57. All I have to say is that I’m so happy for the supporting actors on the show like Kate, Angela, Brian, Leslie, Creed, etc. who finally made it to the opening credits! I’ve always thought they should be in there, especially when you consider that B.J. consistently gets top billing, even when he doesn’t appear for several episodes at a time. I’ve always considered The Office a true ensemble, so I hope the new opening credits stay!

  58. Great episode. “Meredith you’ve slept with so many guys you’re starting to look like one.” Classic.

    RE: Opening Credits. Anyone notice how every single character, even Darryl, is on there. I notice Melora Hardin (Jan) isn’t even mentioned.

    Tanster, any word on if Jan will EVER be reappearing or if they just dropped her and the whole baby thing after “Baby Shower?” I love Melora.

  59. “Why are you wearing a turtleneck?” Wow…This episode was awesomely perfect. I would go way over the 200-word limit if I talked about everything I loved! Michael was in top form, Dwight was painfully power-hungry (as usual), the Jim/Pam storyline was amazing, especially the last little moment. I thought it was an excellent way to introduce new viewers to the characters. I should be a TV Critic…that episode was good ; ) Seriously, way to go, Paul. Nailed it.

  60. Best episode since The Job. Also, if they can reference Harry Potter every week, that would be fabulous.

  61. Cat. The cat falling back through the ceiling tile was absolutely the funniest part of the entire episode. Okay, there were a lot of hilarious parts- but that one I laughed the hardest at.

  62. 66 – Dwight is Dunder-Mifflin’s top salesman. They’re going to give him a little leeway in this “current economic climate.” They can’t afford to lose him now.

  63. If this episode isn’t proof that Paul Lieberstein is a certified genius, then I don’t know what is.

  64. It was a really good episode!

    Favorite parts Angela with Bandit and at the end I was laughing and my eyes were watering… perfect ending!

  65. Best episode of the season. I loved Andy’s confusion, Michael’s roast and Angela’s cat coming through the ceiling.

    Perfect episode after an exciting game. Great evening.

  66. I thought that this was an AMAZING epsidode!
    The cold open was so over the top, my jaw hit the floor!
    I love the new opening credits! Please keep them.
    I haven’t read everyones comments yet but I loved the way Dwight got Phyllis to sign his statement of regret form. Classic.

    I thought the Jim/Pam storyline was very real and SO well done. Gave us some depth to both of them without doing a “will they or wont they” thing. Props to John and Jenna for a job well done there.

    Finally, I LOVED the ending when Michael roasts everyone back, it went from being so uncomfortable and then phasing into ending on a good note for everyone. Kudos to Steve Carrell and everyone for it!

    GREAT episode writers…keep it up! :)

  67. Great episode! The cold opening had me in tears from laughing so hard. My one complaint is that NBC was promoting the episode’s “guest stars.” That was just stupid. I’m sure this has been mentioned but if guest stars are not going to be on the actual show, then they’re not guest stars. I could’ve done without the creepy, awful, “movie” and would’ve preferred more time with the REAL characters.

  68. This was easily the best episode of the season and in my opinion was the best episode of the entire show, I was doubling over laughing, dwight was classic in this episode, and being a Jam fan I was a little worried but that played out perfect. Great episode.

  69. Is it just me, or was there no prank on Dwight this episode? For a Super Bowl episode, I wanted to see their best kept pranks! Still a great episode

  70. I loved when Toby was going to roast Michael, but he wasn’t allowed up there. “Friends only.” Haha.

  71. There were so many funny parts, and the Dwight/dummy carving was hilarious, but overall I didn’t enjoy this episode as much as I have other ones. I hope Thursday is better, because as much as I love The Office, I was kinda let down.

  72. I loved this episode SO much! It totally redeemed itself from Prince Family Paper last week. I laughed constantly, and I absolutely LOVE Jim and Pam. I feel like she was the “old Pam” again…sweet and vulnerable. And since we haven’t seen much JAM stuff in a while it was so nice to see their love for each other shine through.

    Watching Cloris Leachman and Jack Black make out made me vomit in my mouth a little.

    The roast was hysterical…I can’t wait to watch this episode again! :D

  73. “84. brucebat Mon. Feb. 2, 2009 | 6:46am

    Instant classic! Loved it! The roast rocked.

    P.S. Where is Ryan?”

    BJ is taping another project and will be back in March-April.

  74. Am I the only one who is having problems trying to watch this episode online – on nbc.com??

    There is a deleted scene posted for it and a highlight clip, but no episode!

    I’m sad, as I fell asleep during part of it and am DYING to watch it! HELP TANSTER!!! LOL

  75. Very fun episode. I would say this is my favorite hour-long episode even if you could still “feel” where they’ll cut it for syndication. The CPR stuff was a nice callback to David Brent taking over the training day. Dwight and the mask? Epic. Oh, and people with beards still shave their necks.

    Best line: “They are catching things that are going right over my head.” The guest stars thing was a bit much but totally saved by everything Ed Helms did around it.

    Best little moment: The SLAMCUT to Dwight’s second reprimanding. That was a hilarious bit of editing (though if they’re forcing Dwight to drive all the way to New York a second time you’d think the punishment would be quite severe (unless they’re wearing the same clothes and the doc crew “split” it into two events to add comedy – I’ll have to watch it again (yes, I think that much about this stuff))).

    Boom, commented.

  76. After 4 and a half years, something glorious happened…

    Michael Scott made the office laugh…

    Best. Night. Ever.

  77. Liked the episode generally, but the movie add in was not my favorite. The episode did not need that IMO.

  78. This, The Surplus and Weight Loss are now the top 3 of the season. This episode was pure gold. Once again Paul Leiberstein has not let me down as my favorite writer on the show. I love how everything was resolved in the end with the staff laughing and Michael finally relieving their stress, and the Jim/Pam bit. This is when the Office is gold, when it can start an episode and tie everything up perfectly in the end. I was also so happy to hear a voice-over by Pam at the end, I feel like they have not had a good voice-over JAM bit in a LONG time. Absolutely genius episode.

  79. has anyone seen an image of dwight wearing the cut out face anywhere? i must have it to be my facebook profile pic…

  80. I am still cracking up at Angela pulling a cat out of a file cabinet, am still kinda teary eyed when I think of Pam’s “my kids will be right” quote, and still giddy over the new credits.

    Instant Classic in my book. (so many good quotes I just can’t even pick my favorites for my Office quote board here at work.)

    Did we ever figure out the 2 cameos???? It’s actually driving me crazy here. Help!

  81. that was a great episode and had everything i love about the office. except for the jack black/jessica alba/cloris leachman thing. they could have just used regular actors and not done that stupid thing at the end.

  82. Thank you!!! I am able to watch it through your link Tanster on hulu…thank heavens for that!

  83. The cold open was amazing. When Angela threw Bandit into the ceiling and the cat came right back down through another panel, I almost died.

    Also, the Silence of the Lambs reference was absolutely ridiculous and amazing.

  84. To 97, for all the laughs in the episode that had to be my favorite part. That was both funny and heart warming. Great moment that reminded me for some reason of the moment between Mike and Jim at the end of Survivor Man (Which by the way was one of the best tags the show has ever had).

  85. When I saw the cold open, I thought, “Oh no…too broad.” But when Michael threw that overhead out the window – I laughed. I kept saying, this is a little too over the top, but hell, I couldn’t control the chuckles. This happened throughout the show. Uncontrollable laughter. The movie within the episode was cringey. Jim and Pam were lovely. Not too gushy – very realistic. Michael was silly as usual, but heartbreaking. He’ll never learn.

    One qualm. Ok, maybe two. 1) Dwight should be in jail. 2) I hoped Pam would have said something to Jim about how much he means to her – rather than it always being the other way around. Perhaps, in that moment, she said it in her eyes and in that hug. So sweet.

  86. The final JAM scene ranked right up there with the scene from Money (which is featured nicely in the credits). It literally took my breath away for a split second. And then I started breathing again and watched the scene another four times.

  87. Loved it when Kevin looted the vending machine!
    This episode was top notch! Bravo!

  88. Well, I’m one of the few who didn’t really like this episode. Maybe I need to watch it again. There were some funny parts, but the episode as a whole didn’t do it for me. I didn’t like the cold open at all. And it’s bizarre that the writers have completely ignored the Dwight/Andy/Angela thing.

  89. I don’t know if they could have made it any more obvious that Andy and Oscar are about to hook up…they sat next to each other in the CPR lesson, Andy crying during the cheesy movie, and he didn’t get mad at “you’re gayer than Oscar! Boom, roasted.”

    Overall, GREAT episode. I was ROLLING during the cold open! And I’ll never be able to look at an iPod shuffle the same way again.

  90. This episode was a 10 for sure. So worth the wait, and everything I was hoping for. Favorite Parts: when they go back to the break room and the vending machine is completely empty / the hallway scene with Jim & Pam.
    Tanster, Please help us out with the cameos, who and where? I missed them completely. I went back and looked and still couldn’t spot them.

  91. Love it but was confused over Andy’s reaction at the receptionist desk to Pam’s talking head outside the office at the very end? Can anyone explain.

  92. #115: It was ending the whole “Andy thinks JAM are movie geniuses” plotline. Andy saw the end of the movie, got really emotional and started writing down some of his thoughts, and then overheard JAM talking about Pam’s parents and thought they were discussing the film. He was feeling inferior.

    The weakest part of the episode, in my opinion, but now I’m betting that a lot of related scenes were cut to fit the time.

  93. I’m sorry, but I have to agree with the few people here who didn’t like it.

    Yes, it was sitcom funny, but it wasn’t Office-funny. That’s a huge difference. I’m sure all of the outrageous physical comedy appealed to the Super Bowl crowd, but I don’t watch The Office for outrageous physical comedy; I watch it for subtle, underplayed comedy. Might as well have gone to see that Mall Cop movie.

    The guest stars were absolutely terrible. The people at my Super Bowl party were laughing outrageously at everything else, but during the fake movie parts there was complete silence. It was pointless. It’s pretty clear that The Office completely sold out so as to attract more viewers with fancy guest stars. That’s something The Office never would have done in the past.

  94. @115:

    He was reacting to her line “I guess it also means that sometimes love affairs look different to the people inside them.” He thought it was more brilliant insight into the fake movie that he missed.

  95. that episode made me fall in love w/the office all over again…so funny

    yay new credits

  96. Am I the only one who thought that this was the worst episode ever?

    200 words is far too little to explain why I thought this episode was a disgrace. To me, it seemed like they wrote this episode to lure in fans of every other comedy on TV. I thought that they should have written this for Office fans. This episode is no where close to the original seasons of the show. The opening scene is the lowest moment in Office history for me.

    Out of loyality to the show, however, I will shrug my shoulders and give a face to the camera like Jim and continue to watch. I really considered boycotting after this episode.

  97. The new opening credits are great and they should absolutely stick with that. The cold open had me in stiches. I love Stanley’s character arc this season (trying to relate more positively to his surroundings). The Jim/Pam moment was so well done and tasteful; not overly distracting or forced. Many kudos, Paul & cast!

  98. Mose- When Jim and Pam were talking about Pam’s parents, Andy thought they were referencing the movie they were watching. So, when Pam said that last thing about her dad, Andy thought she was picking up on a hidden meaning in the movie.

    I love love loved the episode! It made me so happy, that I completely forgot the Cardinals lost the Superbowl. The scene where Pam was telling Jim what her dad told her almost made me cry. Ahh..I live for mushy Jam moments.

  99. I was a little bit wary about this episode because of the promos I’d seen and all the talk about guest stars… it seemed like it was going to be all over the place and way over the top. So I was a little surprised at how much I loved it– a perfect balance of sweet, serious, and funny. I laughed SO much!

    LOVED the cut to Dwight’s second meeting at corporate– hilarious! But I gotta think that in real life Dwight would be so fired, or at the very least suspended.

    I love the hour-long format, I feel like there’s just so much room to breathe. It really shows off the whole ensemble and makes room for more subtle humor.

  100. I want to say how good it was…but…I think I’m still in shock. Could it be that this is my FAVORITE episode of the show?

    No.

    Yes.

    Oh boy, I’ve got a dilemma on my hands.

    What a GREAT episode. Great. Awesome. Incredible. Hilarious. Touching. I don’t….wow….

  101. Brilliant episode. I laughed out loud several times. This season has been terrible and I was so worried The Office lost its touch. They looked like classic, season 2 Office last night. I have to believe we gained some new viewers with that fantastic episode! Well done!

  102. #115, 116 and 117: the easy answer is he was referring to the movie and I think that’s what the writers intended.

    I had an alternate meaning though too.

    This might be a bit of a stretch, but I think he could have been thinking about his and Angela’s relationship. Pam said something like “the affair doesn’t always look the same to the people outside of it.” Could be a nod to Andy realizing he and Angela were never as “right” as he thought.

  103. IMO, this was the best episode ever of The Office. So many great parts and LOL moments such as:

    Angela throwing her cat in the ceiling
    Kevin looting the candy machine
    Jim telling Pam not to look up when Michael was standing over her in the conference room
    and Michael saying “Creed, your teeth called, and you have bad breath! BOOM! Roasted!”

    This episode knocked it out of the park! I can’t wait to see what the ratings were.

  104. I’ve already posted but I’m giving the cameo thing a shot…was the messenger guy Warren Lieberstein? I saw his name briefly in the credits, but I didn’t see why it was there.

  105. The only cameo I caught was Jen Celotta…she was sitting at a table during the roast. I didn’t see anyone else…tanster! who was the other cameo???

    [from tanster: nope, that wasn’t jen.]

  106. Kind of a mixed episode for me. I loved the cold open–it was probably my favorite Office scene ever, but after that I thought it felt rather disjointed. It just felt like way too many plot lines were being covered.

  107. great ep

    one of my favorites for sure. lately there have been really bad ones, but this one was funny just like the ones in the first seasons.

    Jim: don’t open your eyes
    Pam: what? owww

    i really cracked when oscar was yelling in spanish, and also when dwight was wearing the dummy’s face

  108. True Office Fan (comment 120) – you’re not the only one. I think if anyone sat down and watched last night’s show and, say, “The Dundies” back to back, they’d be pretty ashamed at where the show’s going to get laughs nowadays.

  109. #120: You’re right, they did write this episode to lure in more fans. But to do this, I felt that they highlighted everything that makes the office great, which kept the old fans satisfied. Great strides were made to show off each character’s personality and quirks… x10.

    But I know how you feel. I’ve had some episodes where I’m left unsatisfied, but the things usually turn around for me a few episodes later. Don’t lose hope yet. :)

  110. to #120, of course they’re going to try to lure new people to the show, they’re the show after the super bowl! and was i the only one who caught the callbacks to previous episodes for us diehards? (i.e. dwight asking if you’ve ever seen a burn victim)
    and to those disliking the guest stars, the movie itself wasn’t supposed to provide the humor, it was our characters reactions to it, which were brilliant

  111. Because I was at a Super Bowl party with other people who wanted to stick around for the Office, this was the first episode I watched with other people since like season two. Afterwards, we all talked about how much more we laughed watching it together than watching it at home or online alone.

    So, I’m wondering if the reason I thought it was a great episode is because it was really a great episode, or because being in a group made it seem more fun. Based on the majority of the other comments here, I’m going with the first option.

  112. This episode was….AWESOME! The writing was superb.Steve is an amazing actor. The Jack Black, Cloris stuff gave me the creeps but so wonderfully off the wall, as is The Office! And JAM well…. their moments together say it all. This episode reaffirms why this show will go down in history as one of the best!

  113. Can someone explain what “talking heads” is? Just when they zoom in real close to the character’s face?

  114. I have a hard time with TV shows and movies that are unrealistic. I doubt Michael would ever be a manager in the real world, or he would have at least been fired by now. And Dwight definitly would have been fired after this. Is it me, or are they both (and the story lines) getting crazier? I miss that subtle comedy that someone mentioned before me.

    But as long as I can look past the fact that this show is unrealistic at times… this was probably the best episode of the season. I laughed out loud so many times! I have to give it a 10! Unfortunately, I fell asleep for 5 or 10 minutes around 12:30, so I will have to re-watch it to see what I missed. I’m from Pittsburgh, so it was a long night for me… GO STEELERS!!! (Sorry, had to throw that in there :D)

  115. #139: It’s just what office fans call the scenes in which the characters are being interviewed by the documentary crew. Yes they’re usually close ups (head and shoulders).

  116. #139
    A talking head is when they do their little interviews, usually in the conference room. One on one with the camera.

    Wow, that has to be the best cold opening, ever! Fantastic writing and great camera work. I laughed so much. What a great turn around from the last episode.

  117. #137, I watched it all alone and laughed out loud several times. It was just a fantastic, classic episode. I’ve been sitting at work all day dying to go home to watch it again!

  118. That was one of the best office episodes ever!

    The beginning was great, because we went from being on the edge of our seats from the football game, to being on the edge of our seats for the first five minutes of the Office.

    Felt bad for Michael, but I’m glad he got some “roasts” in for the other staff.

    Loved it!

  119. Loved this episode! Thanks, Paul Lieberstein! Yes, #140, Go Steelers! I grew up in southwestern PA, so between the Super Bowl win, Bruce Springsteen and THE OFFICE, it was the greatest Sunday ever!!!!

  120. Man! This was, in my opinion, one of the best episodes ever! The beginning was just pure chaos as only the Dunder Mifflin staff can provide!

    I wonder what Toby would have said had he’d been allowed to go up on the stage. My guess is he might have tore Michael up.

    All and all…I’m gonna have to watch it again!

  121. UGH- because of the stupid super bowl, The Office was delayed and my tivo got confused, so I just watched the first 30 min of it and now hulu isn’t working and i’m really depressed… :(

  122. I have no idea where to start….This episode more than lived up to the hype….I LOVED this episode soooo much….I laughed….I cried (like a baby)haha….I don’t even know where to start with what I liked best….because it was pretty much everything!!! Everything from the cold open (wow..haha)…to Jim & Pam (where I cried..haha)…and The Roast which is where my favorite line from the whole episode is from..(the line about the ipod/shuffle from Pam was the best!) And OH MY..I can’t wait for Thursday!!!!

  123. Ohmygoodness, this episode had me in tears!

    Loved every minute of it, especially Pam declaring the phones were dead and Michael throwing the projector. I’m actually a little surprised we haven’t seen him use a projector in an episode before. Am I wrong? Has he used one?

    Well done everyone!!

  124. I loved it!
    Dwight is on fire lately – lacking all humanity!
    Did anyone notice when Jim pulled out the copy machine, there was a fire extinguisher right there? Hysterical! Genius humor in the moment details. I can’t wait for another of Paul’s episodes.

  125. As soon as I saw Michael holding that candle during the relaxation in the conference room, I thought it was one of Jan’s candles! Hah.

    I love Oscar more and more as this season progresses!

    Is everything over with the Dwandy relationship[s]? I suppose things don’t need to be addressed again, which might be better.

    I’m really glad the JAM thing worked out in the end, good stuff!

    I’m glad Michael got his opportunity to roast everyone a little bit. I wish Holly could come back [I heard that she might!], just because I think it would make Michael exponentially more comfortable with himself.

  126. Great Episode! I hate to admit it, but I think it was the first one that I actually laughed out loud to. Loved the part where Dwight was taking apart the CPR dummy! Is it just me, or am I the only one who thinks that Jim’s character isn’t getting many good one liner or funny moments lately.. He’s just basically been giving facial expressions and dealing with dealing with Pam’s stuff. I for one would like to see him get a little more comedic action!

  127. I stopped reading the comments for episodes on here a long time ago because I found that people’s negative comments influenced how I enjoyed the show. I can only imagine how difficult this can be for Tanster who often sees the East Coast comments before she is able to see the show on the West Coast :) However, curiosity got the better of me and I am happy to see that the majority of the comments here are positive. As a die-hard fan of The Office, I loved “Stress Relief” and am sure there will be a lot more funny in the future!

  128. Best Episode of this season. I was in tears I was laughing so hard! I agree, I am beginning to like Oscar more and more as the season progresses!

  129. I guess I’m in the minority that found this one disappointing. There were just too many absurdities to overlook (I know it’s only a show, but it has always been somewhat grounded in reality before) Now you have Dwight getting a “strike” for deliberately starting a fire, locking all the doors, and causing a panic that led to a heart attack, thousands of dollars of damages, dozens of fire codes broken, etc. Jan gets fired practically without review or warning because she’s erratic and negligent, but Dwight is given a pass for almost killing a co-worker and causing general panic? Fired…he’d probably have been arrested for that (that would have been interesting…Dwight in jail!) CPR lady was just as unbelievable. When other guests spoke there, they have reprimanded Michael or other co-workers, often telling them to sit down and shut up, or just leaving in disgust. Here, we’re supposed to believe an instructor would let a heart attack victim perform strenuous activity, or have a guy destroy her cpr dummy. There were some funny moments, the JAM subplot was nice, and it paid homage to other shows, but this was not close to a favorite.

  130. Wonderful in every sense of the word. The first episode in a long time that I’ve wanted to watch again the second it ended.

    It recaptured so much of what the show has been missing. Jim and Pam was great, the first time I’ve liked what’s going on with them since the proposal. SO real, and her talking head at the end was great. I also loved that Michael redeemed himself at the end…we don’t see that as much any more, and really, that’s the heart of this show.

    Ed Helms was a superstar in this episode. His talking head about “Jim and Pam…are like, movie geniuses” was one of the greatest moments of the episode. And the crying at the end…wonderful.

  131. Loved it from beginning to end, but especially the roast, because of the skill it takes for funny writers to be semi-funny, and talented comic actors to deliver jokes so awkwardly! I especially loved Kelly’s list of who she’d rather make out with than Michael: an easy set up like that, and all she could think of were inanimate objects, reasonably hot young warehouse guys, and Kevin.

  132. Great episode! One of my favorites!

    Can anyone translate what Oscar was yelling at Michael in spanish during the roast? I’m very curious. Thanks in advance!

  133. I was REALLY REALLY happy to hear Pam speaking multiple sentences and expressing full thoughts… Look at how many quotes she has!
    What made this episode for me was the major Jim&Pam interaction, it’s been a while… Finally, the viewers got straightforward “we’re soulmates” talk out of Pam. I am still gushing.
    I liked the pirated video bits, a clever way to joke with the JAM & parents situation. Jim’s little reverse psychology warning to Pam when they were on the floor and Michael’s ‘Ipod Shuffle’ was directly over her was priceless.
    I am glad Original Pam is making a comeback, with some added confidence.

  134. My whole superbowl party was almost all-regular office watchers and everyone agreed that this was one of the best episodes in a long time. I think the real key was that everyone stayed in the office (with the exception of Michael for a short period of time) and all the characters got at least a little moment to shine – all interacting with everyone else. I think the episodes where those two things happen are the ones that are the best.

    Even if parts of this episode were waay over the top (ie. Oscar climbing into the ceiling .. really?) which generally bugs me some, I thought this episode was hilarious, at times sweet, and overall entertaining.

  135. Andy was great in this episode, “The fire is shooting at us!” had me rolling.

  136. I don’t know why, but whenever I see Kelly dancing I can’t stop laughing. Andy singing “Staying Alive” was funny in itself. But once they revealed Kelly, I lost it! Reminds me of the time in “Women’s Appreciation” when she starts dancing in Meredith’s van to Michael’s “My Humps” ringtone. You can barely see her, but it’s hilarious none the less.

  137. Someone mentioned a Glengarry Glen Ross reference..where was this in the episode? I think I missed it.

  138. Classic – easily one of the top 3 Office episodes. Ranks up there with the Benihana episode with Michael and Andy getting smashed. Stanley was classic, so many good lines. Oscar – I am going to make him cry. Dwight – you pathetic little man. You don’t have any friends or any family or any land … will have to watch this one again

  139. i was hoping so badly that michael was going to spill some hot wax on meredith or someone when he was walking around while everyone was laying down. that would have made the entire episode.

    it was an amazing episode though. so many things had me laughing hysterically!

  140. I’m so glad they updated the opening credits. Everyone else deserves to be in the beginning. I hope it wasn’t just a one time deal.

    The JAM stuff was great and very overdue. I like that the episodes aren’t focused around them all the time but I felt like once she got back from art school their story line basically stopped. Did the writers forget there’s a ring on Pam’s finger? Didn’t Pam specifically say she didn’t want a long engagement?

    One of the best episodes by far. I wish it could be an hour long all the time because everything seems too rushed when they only have 20 minutes. I hope there’s a few more hour long episodes this season.

  141. This was most definitely the best episode we’ve seen in a long time. Perfect balance between the story lines, LOTS of laughs, some sweet JAM moments, and finally some talking heads…just like the old days.

    My Steelers won, my Office was amazing…what a night. What. A. Night.

    Boom!

  142. i thought for sure there would be tons of negative comments because this episode was risky. glad to see everyone appreciated those risks!

    in terms of dwight being fired, i thought that at first as well but then i thought of david wallace’s talking head from the duel about not questioning unorthodox methods that work in these economic times. dwight is the top salesman and brings in a lot of money for dunder mifflin. my guess is that once they were confident that stanley wouldn’t sue, they figured they couldn’t really afford to fire someone bringing in money. and it’s a television show ;)

  143. to 154-
    I’m SOOO glad I wasn’t the only one to notice that! haha. I thought they were pulling out the copier to get the extinguisher….hmmmm….hehe

    omg! Best Episode Ever!!! Well…..at least in a while. (Sexual Harrasment was pretty awesome) Loved Jim and Pam story at the end and it’s really good to see how much they really love each other. I personally still thought it was mini-crush there for a minute but it’s good to see the love blossoming again. I could not stop laughing throughout the whole episode. Best part was when Dwight cut off the face of the dummy and put it on his own. We haven’t seen crazy serial killer Dwight since ‘Survivorman.’ There were just so many emotions in the cold open. Funny, scared, etc….
    10/10

  144. The show has a very different feel since the writer’s strike. Before the strike the show was one of the best shows ever, and since then, it struggles to be good.
    The characters are no longer believable but are just cartoons of themselves. It’s too bad, because it was soooo great and it seems the run is over.

  145. Guys, watch it on Hulu — there’s no way that’s Ed Helms in the ending scene with Cloris Leachman. I am 99% sure.

    In defense of Dwight, I think he purposely did a very controlled burn that wouldn’t have put the building in any serious risk, even though it was still a major violation. The main problem is that he caused a panic that gave Stanley a heart attack, which was not directly intentional.

    By the way, I appreciated Pam’s behavior in this episode. She was “Fancy New Beesley” and yet she was still Pam.

    [from tanster: it is 100% NOT ed helms. it IS a member of the office staff — one of the two cameos I mentioned in yesterday’s super bowl live blog. i will let paul reveal who it is in the q&a. :) ]

  146. Re: 162 Anthony…

    What Oscar said was:

    “You give me an ulcer every time I wake up and I have to come to work. I have to come to work for you, for you!!”

  147. #169, my thoughts exactly.

    I kept waiting for him to drop it, or almost drop it, but it never happened.

  148. Whew, finally watched it on nbc.com. It was so great, high up in my list of favorite episodes. I loved the return to JAM cuteness, as well as Michael’s insults to everyone. And the “movie” was hilarious.

  149. To Tylerdw, the Glengarry Glen Ross reference was when the CPR lady was talking about A-B-C’s – Airway, Breathing, Circulation, and Michael said it was confusing because ABC means “Always Be Closing”.

  150. When Pam says “sometimes love affairs look different to the people inside them”, is she referring to how her dad viewed his relationship with Pam’s mother?

  151. @179. Bob Vance,
    I am/was a huge fan and overall, I liked “Stress Relief”. It was better than most recent eps. (I must say however that the whole Jim/Pam/Andy movie theme was the low spot.) Still, it is my disappointed opinion, as I said above, that the quality of the shows since the writer’s strike has noticeably declined. I’m glad people are still loving it, but to me, the episodes since the writer’s strike are not very good as a group, compared to pre-strike episodes. Also as I said, the characters have become cartoons of themselves. For example, Dwight and Angela have gone from believably quirky to exaggerated flat versions of the once deep characters. The one bright spot is that Michael continues to be a quality character.

  152. They definitely stepped up the quality because it followed right after the Super Bowl. It needed to be done.

  153. 183- Jhony – I was wondering the same thing. Great question… you should ask it in the Stress Relief questions post. I’ll just ask it (I don’t feel like checking to see if you already have) but if you have then great!

  154. I loved this episode; this was an excellent ensemble episode and Ed Helms and Jenna Fisher were particularly fantastic; they both really shined in this episode. Andy is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters. Pam was just adorable giving her speech at Michael’s roast, Kelly dancing during the CPR training was hilarious and Dwight was awesome as per usual.

    While I loved the entire episode, the cold open was my favorite thing. Angela’s cat being thrown into the ceiling only to come out the other side was one of the funniest sight gags this show has ever done.

  155. I may be way off base with this, as it is a completely wild guess, but I am going to say the guy making out with Cloris Leachman in the closing scene is Gene Stupnitsky.

    Am I right, am I right!?

    [from tanster: nope. not gene.]

  156. Another classic, epiphanic episode. Although this season seems a little sadder overall, the characters are being developed in completely unexpected ways. Excellent writing/dialogue. One of Steve Carell’s greatest performances ever.

  157. This episode was okay- several funny moments, but I definitely agree with the person who talked about the characters being cartoons of themselves. Dwight’s character is just way too over the top- and he absolutely would have been fired. i know they were going for a strong cold open, but dwight not being fired was just too unrealistic- which is what i used to love about the office.

    i hope they didn’t end up having to pay the actors for the pirated movie because that addition to the storyline just wasn’t necessary. i watch the office to watch the office, not jack black.

    better, but still needs improvement. i still love watching no matter what!

  158. My guess for the 2nd cameo (if the first one is Jen Celotta) is either Nate Federman or James Kerry…I’m guessing it’s James Kerry, as I’ve heard his name more often.

  159. “If it were an iPod, it would be a Shuffle”
    Hahaha. Loved this episode. Especially the opening…I could not stop laughing :)

  160. This episode was great fun!! As always, The Office is at its best when it is slightly uncomfortable yet very funny. Best scene: Too many to choose. Best quote: Too many to list. I gave this episode a 9 and can’t wait until Thursday!

  161. #172 – I totally agree with you. People who make companies money do not get fired. This I know from personal experience.

    Great episode and I was so pleased to see all of the characters have their own little moments (especially knowing how many people were watching). The cold open was a fantastic way to draw people in right from the start. My favourite line: “He has no wallet. I checked.” (Second favourite: “What’s a text?”)

  162. Dwight not getting fired too unrealalistic? This is a comedy show, not reality tv. Michael would have been fired about 50 times by now if it were a real office.

  163. Dare I say this was the best episode since “The Job?” I think I shall. I laughed out loud numerous times and there were also touching moments. Steve was great and the Jim and Pam scenes were perfect. Keep it up!

  164. Any Repo! fans on here? Did Dwight putting the dummy’s face on his own remind anyone else of Pavi?

  165. Boom!Roasted! Need I say more….this episode was fantastic. I laughed out loud through the whole thing and loved the touching moments as well. Keep it up….TWSS! lol

  166. I enjoyed the episode as a whole, I especially loved how all the characters got a moment to shine. However, the cuteness with Pam and Jim at the end was just too much. I am a big fan of them but still….

  167. Jim and Pam are getting more and more ridiculous to me. I used to love them during seasons 1-3, but now they are almost painful to watch. Every PB&J conflict storyline is uneventful, only to end with the two of them making up in the same cheesy and boring fashion.

    I still do like Jim, but there’s nothing likable about Pam any more, really. Her comments about Michael’s penis during the roast were very out of character even for “Fancy New Beesley.” Pam may be more confident now, but she is still too timid to make an announcement about her boss’ penis in front of a room full of coworkers. In fact, I don’t think any of the women in the office would say something like that except maybe Meredith.

    And, am I the only one who thought it was absurdly funny that Jim and Pam’s love caused a divorce? I actually thought it was darkly comic when they were crying and hugging at the end.

  168. Although the entire episode was hilarious, I have to say my favorite part was when Pam noticed the smoke.

    “Oh my god! Uh… Oh my god!”

  169. This episode was hilarious and the past four episodes have made me love The Office again. I gave it a nine….but where is Todd Packer after all this time?

  170. THIS WAS AMAZING!!! The opening was so intense. I think that was the best cold open I have seen EVER! Everything was funny, it wasn’t stressed. We had weird awkward moments, small plot development with Jim and Pam, that essentially brought us back to where we like them, there was a hilarious boot legged movie and you barely noticed the guests stars. It was just AMAZING!! I have nothing to say against this episode unlike some other ones this season. OH THANK GOD FOR RETURNING OFFICE AWESOMENESS! I HEART PAUL LIEB!

  171. I think this has probably already been mentioned, but I rewatched the opening scene and when they go through the kitchen Phyllis says she forgot her purse and Stanley yells “Leave it, woman!”

  172. Did anyone else notice that Jenna was wearing her UGG boots in the CPR conference scene? Thought that was funny

  173. One of the best episodes in Office history. The opening scene was absolutely incredible. The CPR class had me laughing really loudly. The roast of Michael was spot on and his “boom, roasted” sequence at the end was classic. And, of course, the bittersweet moment with Pam and Jim. I am so happy 22 million people saw this show for what it is: the BEST show on TV.

  174. This was probably the best episode this season! The quotes list needs more from Kelly. Her lines at the roast were amazing!

  175. I guess I am in the minority here. I thought this was a hit and miss episode. Everything with Andy and JAM could have been cut. It seemed to me that NBC just wanted an advertisement to say ‘Here’s Jack Black and Jessica Alba’. It doesn’t seem like it’s an idea where the office writers went to NBC and said “we need two recognizable names for this script we are writing.” The Roast, and Michael’s stress relief ideas were very funny. They could have shortened this down to a perfect half hour episode.
    On the bright side, both Jenna and John show why they should be best supporting actress and actor.

  176. I loved this episode soooooo much!!! Opening was hilarious, i keep saying Boom Roasted every chance i get, Jam was amazing as always, but my favorite part was Creed saying “What’s a text?”

  177. Great episode! Did anyone else notice that Michael skipped Phyllis when he was roasting everyone? I wonder why…

  178. That was the best episode from season5! The Panic was fantastic, i had to stop playing the video, to laugh. (Bandit falls down, oscar stuck in, kevin broke the machine :D:D) and I loved Andy’s songs (What i hate about you, stayin alive)

  179. This episode was at least my favorite episode of any T.V. show ever. It was brilliant. The opening scene couldn’t have been more perfect. John and Jenna were amazing and I loved Michael feeding the birds that “flew west for the winter”.

  180. Wonderful episode, but… why wasn’t Dwight fired for almost causing a co-worker’s death and causing general terror in the office? Is it because David Wallace thinks Michael is some sort of “secret genius” and doesn’t want to mess that up?

  181. While I thought the episode was decent (and I haven’t been that impressed with this season so far) I want to know what was up with the Pam’s Father/Divorce story arc. Was this put in to kill time or foreshadowing or what? Is it me or does it seem like they are just trying too hard lately?

  182. I thought Dwight’s behavior, the effects of it, and his meetings with David Wallace were hilarious! That plastic mask was truly horrific! I loved it!
    I also really enjoyed the ridiculous and totally inappropriate movie with Cloris Leachman and Jack Black. It was so funny!!

  183. I have to add that the scene of Angela throwing her cat up in the ceiling was brilliant!

  184. Tanster, do you know when the “Stress Relief” Q&A with Paul Lieberstein is going to go up?

    [from tanster: no, haven’t received the answers from paul yet.]

  185. I, for one loved the pirated movie. Mainly b/c it gave Andy such an awesome way to shine. “This muffin is bad”. It also was a great parody to me of “serious” films that I usually find ridiculous.

    A little moment that I only noticed the second time I watched it. David Wallace says something about the CPR dummy costing thirty five hundred dollars. Michael replies, “wow, five thousand three hundred dollars” Wallace gives a classic double take. A very small moment, yet classic.

  186. Did anyone else notice after the first meeting where Dwight says “Well, I guess we papered over that pretty nicely.” Anyone? Cuz Dunder-Mifflin is a PAPER COMPANY :D bah ha ha. Favorite episode of the show, hands down

  187. I really like this episode!!!!! Michael, Pam, Jim, Dwight and Andy were all amazing there. Dwight’s “fire drill” was awesome, terrific and also, terrifying for his office-mates. Too bad for Stanley. The Jim/Pam storyline was touching and heart-warming. Andy’s reactions to the bootleg movie, specially when he’s crying, was pretty funny. But I enjoyed more with Michael’s roast; my favorite roasts were Pam’s (in reference to Season 4 episode “Fun Run”)and Andy’s (an alternate version of “What I Like About You”). I loved the way Michael roasted his employees, making Stanley laugh his head off. Awesome!!!!!

  188. A great episode that covers a lot of territory. My favorite moment is Michael’s line during the CPR demonstration: “No..Rose…they are not breathing…and they have no arms or legs. Where are they?” The way Carell delivers that line is hilarious. The roast was great too, although I would’ve liked to see Kevin, Phyllis, and Creed take a crack at Michael.

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