5.10: The Surplus
Thursday, December 4th, 2008 | 218 comments
W: Lee Eisenberg & Gene Stupnitsky, D: Paul Feig
Summary (NBC): Oscar informs Michael that the office must spend a $4300 surplus or lose it in next year’s budget. This leads to factions breaking out and officemates squaring off against one another to get what they want. Meanwhile, Dwight takes Angela and Andy to Schrute Farms to work on wedding plans.
Icon by pessimistreader
Favorite quotes
Michael: There’s the “X-Axix.”
Michael: Why don’t you explain this to me like I’m five.
Oscar: Next summer …
Michael: … I’ll be six.
Pam: Oscar, no. This is not the time for one of your principled stands.
Michael: You are the silent killer. Go back to the annex.
Creed: The balls on you, man.
Michael: I swallowed all your ideas. I’m going to digest them and see what comes out the other end.
Andy: “Walk until you hear the beehive.”
Dwight: We’ll dig a trench. As long as it’s downhill from the well, we should be fine.
Angela: Nana Mimi cannot squat over some trench.
Andy: I am not losing another deposit.
Pam: But I really think you should reconsider.
Pam: I’m not threatening you. I love you.
Angela: Do you have to slaughter on our wedding day?
Andy: If we pay extra, could you slaughter the entrees the day before?
Pam: It is on! It is SO on.
Pam: How is it possible that in five years, I’ve had two engagement rings and only one chair?
Jim: I got you some tiramisu. No hard feelings.
Michael: Check out these pants. $9. The boys department.
Pam: See ya later … Hot Tie Guy.
Dwight: Cats don’t make butter.
Andy: Damn, why is that in the kitchen?
Pam: There’s that ass! Aww, don’t take it away!
Dwight: Although born just minutes from here, he speaks only German. Closed society.
Hank: You know I hustled up the stairs.
Angela: I made a mistake picking Andy.
Michael: Some of the chocolate powder just went down my throat.
Michael: I love Burlington Coat Factory.
Michael: It is erkel-nomically correct.
Michael: They sit on big piles of garbage.
Michael: We throw out perfectly good tiramisu because it has a little tiny hair on it.
Michael: Mother …
Rating
In a poll conducted Dec. 4-8, Tallyheads rated this episode: 8.42/10
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A reminder to please focus comments specifically on this episode. Thanks!
I feel that Pam changing a lot and Pam completely altering at a finger-snap are two different things.
It’s an objective, founded criticism.
Does anyone know what pam said when she was making copies and the copier is not working right? She pushes down on the top and mumbles something. What was it??
First Office episode I couldn’t stand the premise of. It has gotten ridiculous. All the characters are just becoming insane and have no personality differentiation any more. Any of them might do any thing at any time, which I don’t enjoy.
I love the office but ever since the strike the episodes were not as good as season 2 and 3. This episode brought me back to season 2 quality it was the best by far in the last 2 seasons.
great episode, i wish andy dwight and angela were at the office instead of schrute farm, they could have contributed greatly to the shenanigans that were going on in the office, enough with that love triangle already, so stale. pam seemed out of character in this episode as well. other than that, a great great episode.
Smudgy- It was a little bit of both.
she was joking, but she meant it, in a way, too. Anyhoo, that part was great. Literally one of the best scenes of the season!
Ok, so Pam was joking when she threatened Jim? I’ve always loved Pam, but I didn’t like that side of her. I thought it was out of character. But if she was joking, then it was totally in character and I’m fine with it! And I loved how Jim got back at her with the copies.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Jim returning from lunch and being so obviously fake laughing at Mike’s joke. They were obviously pushing the limit in the little competition they had going. Just a little one ups manship.
Oh and John and Jenna, watch out, if the writers give you more little kisses like those two, you two will be in trouble. Those look WAY harder to fake than the big wrap around kisses.
I like Pam’s hair, it’s adorable.
I loved this episode. I rated it a ten. The dynamic between Pam and Jim was fun to watch.
favorites:
Jim getting chills from Pam’s threat
Michael choking on the tiramisu twice
We take this show so SERIOUS as of lately.
All I can say about Pam is — Damn, she needs a new hairstyle!! Those ridiculous, tight bologna curls hitting her in the face every time her head moves is very distracting. It’s sooooo frumpy and unflattering!! Definitely time for a makeover before the wedding!
I DVR’d the show and watched it over the weekend. It was shown full screen, was it not? Bugged me at several points because people were half in the frame. I tried to figure out if I had done something to my remote, but all my saved episodes were fine. Anybody else notice this?
Not a strong episode for me. It was the first time since “Branch Wars” that I actually longed for it to be over. I know I’m in the minority so I won’t go into details. The recap at ew.com echoed many of my frustrations.
I just watched the first deleted scene and it was brilliant. If the others are as well, maybe it will change my thoughts about this episode. Here’s hoping…
Pam’s not really a bitch guys…her and Jim used to do this kind of stuff all the time just messing around with Michael and their stupid competitions.
This was a great episode because it reminded me of all the old episodes…focused in the office (except something on Schrute Farms), Michael just wanting to be loved, Stanley with his looks, Creed being weird…all amazing!
Thought this was more like the well-written shows of the past. The manure in the kitchen joke was perfect. Interaction of the characters seemed right on target. I can see how people are not happy with Pam’s character. Personally, I think the show should have kept the secret love of Jim for Pam throughout the show, that was the most interesting part of that plot line.
I totally agree with you #66. I might not tune into the show next week after this episode, and I’ve been a die-hard “Office” fan for years. It’s just not the show I fell in love with anymore. And where oh where has my beloved Pam gone? It’s like Jenna Fischer is guest-starring as Jenna Fischer each week instead of playing Pam.
I can’t believe Pam told Jim to “Suck it” that was awesome…
After careful consideration, I’m going to have to agree that Pam was not acting out of character. When I first saw this episode, she seemed to be a bit off, but now I understand that she just knows exactly what Michael needs to hear from her. It feels awkward because it is awkward and Michael still believes it. Everyone else had their own tactics. Jim’s 4 copies at the end was perfection.
Other awesomeness:
1) Michael: You are the silent killer. Go back to the annex.
2) Kevin thinks Michael is a math genius after everyone else knows what is going on.
3) Hank, Mose, and David Wallace
4) Oscar when Michael tries to demonstrate that they don’t need a new copier: That’s the original
5) Creed: The balls on you man. (Jim just shakes his head)
6) Dwight’s directions to Schrute Frams