The Office: Michael Scott Paper Company, 5.23
Thursday, April 9th, 2009 | 124 comments
W: Justin Spitzer, D: Gene Stupnitsky
Summary (NBC): Dwight and Andy strike up an unlikely friendship and plan a hunting trip. Regional Supervisor Charles (Idris Elba) asks Jim for a “rundown,” and Jim spends his day trying to figure out what that is. Michael hosts a Paper & Pancakes luncheon.
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Favorite quotes
Michael: It’s Britney, bitch.
Jim: Love the hair.
Jim: You realize you’re not actually talking to me, right?
Kelly: Yes, Charles. You wanted me.
Kevin: I thought Rajani Ghanda was a boy’s name.
Michael: 788 ‘not yet replieds, but of that group, 782 have viewed it.
Pam: The worst part is, I like making copies.
Ryan: She’d probably be a six in New York, but she’s like a seven here in Scranton.
Jim: What the hell is a rundown?
Toby: Hey, you been watching Damages this year? It’s so good.
Ryan: You could be hot, too, if you made any effort at all.
Michael: Mom, I’m going to have to call you back. P is being a giant B.
Andy: The last thing I want to do is step on your funk, man.
Ryan: I wish my iPod could make phone calls. No, I don’t want an iPhone. I know what an iPhone is.
Michael: I should go and start my own paper company. That’ll show ‘em.
Michael: Who would have thought that the thing that would save this company would be work? And pancakes.
Rating
In a poll conducted April 9-13, Tallyheads rated this episode: 8.27/10
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i loved pam refusing to make a copy
Great Episode. One of my favorite this season, the pancake and paper luncheon was great. Ryan still has not made a sale. It’s Britney, bitch. Brilliant.
10/10.
The MSPC is the best thing to happen to The Office since Jim went to Stanford and Andy and Karen were brought into the mix.
I loved this episode, one of my favorites ever.
I LOVE the MSPC! This storyline is so hilarious, especially for people, like me, who have followed the characters since Season One. I envision Jim, eventually, joining the MSPC, since he and Charles just do not mesh. The funniest parts: Michel’s opener with Lady Gaga music, “It’s Brittany, Bitch! And, I am back!”; “I have egg in my crocks. . .”; The telemarketer’s line, “You know him better than me. You don’t suppose he’s in there bowling, do you?”; and Ryan’s, “She’d probably be like a 6 in New York, but she’s a 7 in Scranton.” Loved Dwight and Andy’s dueling instruments and Michae’s “presentation” to Nana, and the “Investment Club”. This episode, as well as the last, made me laugh out loud. I have watched it twice, since every time I watch, I see something I missed, before. The Office isn’t for everyone, but it’s the funniest thing I’ve seen since All in the Fsmily!
One of the best episodes this season…just loved the Andy and Dwight dueling banjo/guitar.
Got to wonder if eavesdropping in the bathroom/closet/MSPC office will play a role later.
I’m so super glad they brought Ryan back and I really hope he gets a decent storyline.
i really dug these episodes. A lot of people are pissed about this season but I think it’s doing wonderfully. I do think the older seasons were funnier but season five was taken in a different direction and I do still love it.
My first favorite part was Michael having to listen to a phone conversation up above in the DM men’s room. Of all people, it sounded like Toby. Talk about insult to injury!
And then my second favorite part was, of course, their first sale. Pam proved she could do it. The art school experiment didn’t quite work out, so maybe she’s on her way to finding her niche after all.
I wonder how this will be resolved. I think what will happen is DM will get nervous and offer to buy the MSPC. Michael will be dumb about it and Pam and Ryan will have to show him what he should do. Part of the deal will be everyone gets their old job back. Just a hunch.
This episode was incredible! I thought it was one of the best episodes this season! It was full of hilarious laugh out loud moments, the characters were shown to be a lot more complex and vulnerable (notably Jim), and the story development is taking a turn for the best! I was terrified that Michael’s paper company would kill the dynamics of the show, but I am so glad to see that it’s actually making the show a whole lot better. Kudos to the writers, kudos to the actors, and kudos to everyone who works on this show because I am in love again!
phyllis*farm (113), I disagree. While Jim isn’t the most motivated worker, I think he just has a disconnection with Charles. It’s funny to watch.
Dwight’s never been 100% loyal to Michael. After he left Dwight in charge, Dwight shut off his tape player with his exiting sound as soon as he left, and didn’t seem to care one bit that Michael, (in his own mind), had left the office.
#111:
Dwight was “loyal” to Michael only because Michael was in charge. All Dwight cares about is power.
Also, Jim isn’t stupid, but there are some people who you just don’t get along with. No matter what you do, you can’t manke things better. He isn’t perfect.
Jim isn’t an idiot, he finally has a boss that wants real work done in the office with no funny stuff. Jim isn’t used to it so he’s finding himself in unfamiliar territory. I think Dwight summed it up best in his talking head “Oh no, the new boss doesn’t like Jim…(smile). I’m kind of glad that Jim is being pushed a little because, honestly, I was getting a little tired of Jim always being cute and sarcastic so he could get away with doing mediocre work. This is bringing out more of his character that we haven’t seen before. Kudos to the writers!
I can’t believe some of what I’m reading. This is the most character development we’ve seen for Jim since his aborted Season Four story. He’s being challenged for the first time in his Dunder Mifflin (dare I say) career and we get to see him react. And the bottom line is this: Jim Halpert doesn’t react well to those with real authority. Even his interview with Wallace showed hints of nervousness only broken when David joked around with him. Charles intimidates Jim like we’ve never seen and I’m enjoying seeing another side of him, even if it’s one he’d prefer be kept out of the documentary.
As for him and Dwight being different…guess what: people change. We’ve known these people for nearly four years now. Are you the same person you were four years ago? And yes, Dwight loves him some Michael Scott, but he’s not an idiot. He knows what’s going on in the economy and how ridiculous it would be to quit his job for a startup company.
@111: I couldn’t say it any better. That’s exactly how I feel about these episodes and this season. :)
Ugh, so I’m going to have to disagree with the majority on here and say that I really don’t care for the MSPC. I really enjoy the classic Office antics at DM and I don’t like this change. I feel like this season was fine until Charles Miner came on and screwed everything up. I mean what happened to Dwight’s loyalty to Michael? He doesn’t even care that he’s gone…wtf? And I hate what they’ve done to Jim, he is NOT stupid and had the opportunity to have the same job that Charles now has. Please bring Michael & Pam back to DM soon!!!
Did anyone else find it completely typical of Michael when he pulled up, top down in the Cruiser, to say “It’s Britney, b****” when in fact it was Lady Gaga??
Favorite moment: The guitar/banjo duel in the break room between Dwight and Andy.
Most cringeworthy: Dwight accusing Andy of having blood rush to a certain part of his body after their encounter with the new receptionist. “Don’t worry, because I did as well.” Love them together!
#108. Shannan
“Since when does Dwight have confidence with women?”
He seemed pretty confident during last season’s “Night Out.”
“Or have any musical ability except playing the recorder? ”
Since Season 2, at least. He played the guitar in “Take Your Daughter to Work Day.”
I’m sorry, I love the Office, but this episode was too weird. Since when does Dwight have confidence with women? Or have any musical ability except playing the recorder? The opening credits are good for this episode, but I have such a soft spot in my heart for the original credits. I hope they don’t change it. I felt like this Office episode was an April Fools prank or something. It just felt weird. The Office is a great show and it makes me happy every time I watch it. But this episode made me sad. It was like seeing a really good friend after a long time and realizing how much they have changed, but not even in a good way. Please please please have the show back to normal soon.
@ 95: I don’t like Jim being dumbed down, either. He’s always been an unmotivated slacker, but he’s also very smart. I think he’s been shunted to the side concerning character development.
It was interesting seeing Ryan back. I think it’d be interesting if there was a storyline introduced that portrayed him as being more human and in need of some sympathy, since he hasn’t had that kind of storyline yet. It’d be interesting to see how it would play out.