The Office: Training Day, 7.20
Thursday, April 14th, 2011 | 107 comments
W: Daniel Chun, D: Paul Lieberstein
Summary (NBC): The new manager, Deangelo Vickers (guest star Will Ferrell), has everyone hoping to make good first impressions: Andy finds himself awkwardly typecast while Jim and Pam worry that they’ve come on too strong. Only Dwight is apathetic about the new leader.
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Rating
In a poll conducted April 14-18, 2011, Tallyheads rated this episode: 6.68/10
The Office Training Day quotes
Michael: Kahlua sombrero, please.
Deangelo: To beginnings and endings.
Michael: And to middles. The unsung heroes.
Deangelo: Colorado. Sunshine State.
Michael: Don’t mess with Colorado.
Michael: I don’t want to end up like Sony Bobo.
Deangelo: Everyone I know who skis is dead.
Michael: I would like to try the luge, though.
Deangelo: Try it once, you’re hooked.
Deangelo: I actually tried to get an animal Olympics going.
Michael: Really. What happened?
Deangelo: You know, life happened.
Deangelo: What are you going to miss most about Scranton?
Michael: The mountains, where things are.
Deangelo: Bartender, let’s get some vodka up in this cranberry, and one for my friend.
Deangelo: She’ll do. Oh she’ll do just fine.
Deangelo: We should write a movie or something. I’m serious.
Oscar: That’s a lot to process. Paperwork-wise.
Kevin: No, it’s not Ashton Kutcher, it’s Kevin Malone. Equally handsome, equally smart.
Michael: As you know, one of my favorite things is fanfare for its own sake.
Deangelo: I love the American Southwest, for starters. You may call them Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah. I call them heaven. I have a peanut allergy, something I live with. It’s a part of me. I’ve learned to cope with it.
Dwight: Did I want to be made manager? Sure. A great opportunity squandered? Absolutely. A crushing blow? Yes. Will I get over it. No. But life goes on. Not for me.
Kelly: And that is what they call a “meet cute.”
Michael: I happen to like the hilarious hijinks that I get myself into.
Michael: This is Jim and Pam. AKA, JAP.
Pam: We just have the one, but she poops for four.
Michael: Now I’m going to have to go online and look at turtles or else I’m going to be off the whole day. BIG BIG BIG
Darryl: It’s cool that you like the Southwest. That’s one of my favorite regions.
Darryl: I love the desert. It’s one of my favorite ecosystems.
Erin: Dunder Mifflin, this is.
Andy: What do African Americans call the…
Michael: Shave me.
Michael: Looks like we’re going to be shaving buddies.
Michael: I mark it Urgent A, Urgent B, Urgent C, Urgent D. Urgent A is the most important. Urgent D you don’t even really have to worry about.
Michael: Don’t shave my lips.
Deangelo: Ten-gallon hat. Technically, it only holds about three quarts. Little factoid.
Michael: I love the guy, but I’m not sure he’s a good fit for the office. And also, I’m not sure if I love the guy.
Deangelo: Drink some soap. Drink some hand soap.
Andy: I guess this is my life now.
Michael: It’s the witching hour. It is the sandwiching hour.
Deangelo: I need a wide berth from those nuts.
Deangelo: I missed the OJ verdict, had to read about in the newspaper like an idiot.
Deangelo: You’re getting nut particles, all in the air!
Michael: You might want to develop a couple of characters.
Deangelo: It is too bad for this place that you’re leaving.
Michael: Why did you have to be so damn good?
Deangelo: I, I’m adequate.
Deangelo: Get your senioritis on. It’s Lake Havasu time!
Michael: I guess I’ve been working so hard, I forgot what it’s like to be hardly working.
Deangelo: What is the Native American girl’s name?
Deangelo: That baby could be the star of a show called “Babies I Don’t Care About.”
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The problem with the Jim/Pam storyline was that it was too crammed in. They jumped from him telling them he had four kids to them randomly assuming that gave them some secret rapport to Pam trying to use this and finally him ruthlessly shooting them down. Maybe done over two or three episodes it might have worked, but here it seemed like an idea that never got beyond the outline stage.
Man, you would’ve thought Ferrell was reprising his role as Mugatu with some of the reactions here! I think he is just kinda clueless, not mean. When he told Jim and Pam to stop talking about their baby, he said something like “I know exactly what you’re doing” AKA, he knew they were just shamelessly trying to suck up, and guess what? He was right! Haha. And the Andy thing was absolutely hilarious. I didn’t get the sense that he was some evil dictator making poor Andy shame himself to show his allegiance or something, he just genuinely thought what Andy was doing was funny, and thought if he ate soap it would be even funnier. I think the real reason people didn’t like the episode was because they’re afraid of the change. Ferrell was hilarious in a totally goofy but relatively understated way.
It was one of the funnier ones of the season. DeAngelo was one of the best characters they’ve come up with in a long time. Brilliant and hilarious!
I can’t believe all the negativity surrounding this episode! I mean it wasn’t the best episode, but far from the worst. I liked Deangelo, I don’t see why everyone thinks he was a jerk. Andy was absolutely hysterical in this episode, especially the sad face he has on after he bumps into the door on purpose, and his “I guess this is my life now” comment. The only thing I didn’t like was Jim & Pam using the baby as way to get on Deangelo’s good side. But as for everyone acting “out of character, everyone in the office was sucking up because they wanted to start on the new boss’s good side. I’d say this episode was an 8/10.
“Training Day” failed as a comedy. DeAngelo’s character isn’t funny, just menacing. Michael’s a shell of his former lovable self, as are Pam & Jim. Andy’s now pathetic, Darryl’s kiss-up act is out of character . Dwight of course hates DeAngelo-big surprise.
What exactly has happened to The Office?
Greg Daniels and Michael Schur left in Season 5!
These two gave The Office life, heart, continuity, and laughs. Michael, Pam, and Jim were the heart & soul of The Office.
Now, in “Training Day”, one is leaving, and Jim & Pam have lost their mojo.
Life without Michael will be difficult.
Life without the old Jim & Pam will test the patience of true fans.
I don’t much care for Will Ferrell so this was actually better than I feared. Although a downside is that Jim and Pam were maybe at their worst. They were like the cliche of obnoxious, and clueless, new parents. I think they’ve reached the point it’s clear they’re flawed and occasionally foolish so the writers don’t need to underline that quite so much.
I don’t get all the negativity about this episode. I thought it was fantastic! Will Ferrell surpassed my expectations and I’m happy he is doing three more episodes. There’s so many things that I enjoyed about this episode. I absolutely loved the cold open, Erin’s telephone scene, Dwight’s TH, and Michael’s TH. I don’t understand why so many people are upset about JAM’s behavior. They weren’t acting like themselves because they were just trying hard to impress the new boss. Everyone else wasn’t acting like themselves either; what’s the big deal? The last scene where Michael goes into his office while everyone is in the conference room made me sad. It felt weird seeing that.
I agree with #55! The B plots should have been about Michael’s imminent departure. I don’t want to wait until the end to see everyone’s reactions. Did Deangelo really have to change Michael’s office already? He’s not gone yet; can’t he wait until he’s gone? I don’t want to see these little changes happen until Michael leaves:(. What happened with the scene where Michael calls Dwight a retarded owl? I was very disappointed this wasn’t in the episode because I thought it was very funny.
Not so good. And it wasn’t due to Will Ferrell, he did a good job. It’s the character writing. Jim and Pam especially, what’s happened there? Together and apart they’re just not right. I’m cool with growth but that’s not what that was. I never knew Darryl was such a suck up. Only Dwight seemed to keep his backbone, but if it means making him the boss, please don’t go there.
Worst episode ever!!! The opening scene was good but other than that the episode was terrible. The writing for Pam and Jim in this entire season has also been terrible. It has gotten to the point where I turn on the office for a new episode and I am excited before watching the episode and afterwards I am disappointed. If episodes continue to be as bad as this one I think the office’s run will shortly come to an end.
This episode was not funny. The regular characters acted like morons. Will Ferrell added nothing to the mix. Please, Office, stop with the stunt-casting. It is annoying and unnecessary. I hope Michael gets a proper send-off. The show is looking tired and old. I’ve got a bad feeling about Seaseon 8.
I love Will Ferrell and his role in movies, but think the 4 episode arc here is probably for the best and can’t really envision him being their permanent boss. But then again, I’m not sure I can envision anyone else but Michael (sniff) being their permanent boss. My concern is that Ferrell’s character will steal Michael’s thunder in his goodbye episode and really hope the writer/director give Michael a deserved center stage and respectful exit.
Watching Andy was just downright devastatingly painful. I think I felt more helpless for him than I have for Michael at times.
Completely agree with post #58. The thing about this episode is that there were a few BRILLIANT office moments (Erin answering the phone and then shaving Michael, Michael’s reactions to his shave, “JAP”, Michael trying to pronounce Feng Shui, Stanley’s very subtle death stare when Andy’s telling the african american joke, and of course Kevin: “What do you think of bald people? I HATE them.”). They all had me rolling.
But then there were moments that almost made me forget the show I was watching. this was quite possible the worst episode ever in terms of Jam. Not likeable at all. Ferrell’s a talented actor who did well enough here, but not only do I hate his movies, but I hated his character here. Went from nice to a jerk to nice again way too fast, and I got angry at him when he made Andy drink the soap (even Michael wouldnt do that). Worst of all may have been the phone gag at the beginning. Unrealistic (how did it take them a minute to realize what was happening?), lazy, and pretty sure it’s been done countless times before.
Overall: funny at times, terrible at others
73. Totally agree. I liked the episode but don’t like what’s become of Jim and Pam. Michael, Jim and Pam are the main reasons I tune in. Didn’t like Jim and Pam sucking up and using the baby to gain brownie points. Darryl – what happened? So totally not in character. Bring some romance back to Jim and Pam – bring Jim’s humor back – and good luck replacing Steve. Like others here, I’ll keep watching but in hopes of some glimmers of what we saw in PDA.
I thought this was a terrific episode. I couldn’t keep it together during the shaving scene and have no idea how the cast managed to cram into that small room and watch Michael get a shave (or shaving cream smear and scoop) from Erin without howling. DeAngelo Vickers is a great combo of being a bit off and a bit mean. Looking forward to seeing what happens next!
I wasn’t really a fan of this episode. It felt sort of rushed for one thing, and felt really fragmented, especially with the way it ended abruptly. it certainly made Michael leaving a reality, but I just didn’t buy Vickers’ character, nor how people reacted to him. I don’t have high hopes for the next few episodes.
The phone gag in the cold open was EXACTLY like a sketch from family guy. The whole episode overall seemed very forced. Yes, there were a few good one liners but that’s not what The Office used to be about. The comedy used to come from the dialogue, not forced one liners. Darryl was probably the only good character this episode (favorite region, favorite ecosystem.)
I’m optimistic about DeAngelo, but as a single episode, it dropped the ball.
jjsally–I agree about missing old Jim. But, I guess, characters have to grow as they do in real life. Sometimes, the old Jim comes back. We saw it in a few episodes this season in defending Pam. Stanley and Meredith are pretty much the same. I do think that the writers do need to find a way to capture The Office of old with focusing on what viewers love–Jim-Dwight pranks, Jim–Pam relationship, funny boss–whomever they choose, and laugh out loud jokes:)
I didn’t like DeAngelo at all. I think the producers made him like this so we could appreciate him more. I can’t wait to see him get fired. Also, where was Holly?
When Michael entered the office to show Deangelo around, the wide angle view of the office got me a little choked up. Michael has been the boss of that office for years, and it’s coming to a close. I liked the opening. It was funny. But, as the episode wore on, Deangelo got kind of mean. Michael is very blunt with people. But, it always came across funny, partly because everyone knows that Michael is clueless! But, this guy just seemed mean. But, I will continue to watch. So far, the writers seem to pull everything together when the time is right. So, I still trust them…for now:)