Tori’s Review: Night Out
Friday, April 25th, 2008 | 52 commentsThis episode was strange.
It was dark, but I don’t mind dark. “Money” was dark, and it is my favorite episode of Season 4. This was just a little strange.
“Night Out” begins with Ryan making a visit to the office to, once again, try and get the employees of Dunder Mifflin, Scranton, to embrace the website. The only people who have embraced it so far are not allowed to live near schools or playgrounds — or are named Creed.
Much like Jan, the pressure of corporate life has affected Ryan. He was hyper, paranoid, and let Michael make full-body contact with a hug. It also probably doesn’t help that he is now a coke head. Good job, intern.
I’m not sure why this character twist caught me so off guard. I know better than to ever think there is anywhere The Office won’t go. We have been laughing at Meredith’s alcoholism for 4 seasons. I am never above laughing at someone with a problem.
The difference is Meredith has always been presented to us as a drunk. She hid vodka in a Big Gulp, slept with the Captain of the Booze Cruise, and took her shirt off at the Christmas party. When we see her lick hand sanitizer to get a fix, it is awesome — not sad. (Okay, maybe a little sad.)
But with Ryan, we have watched him grow up. He started out as a little, wide-eyed, pompous, ass, and has now gone all “Bright Lights, Big City” on us. It is a little strange.
I can only hope this will eventually lead to a Michael Scott version of A&E’s Intervention. But, that’s the thing about Michael: he calls his mother from a nightclub, and he doesn’t understand The Wire. Ryan could act out the last scene in Scarface (I’m really dating myself now, aren’t I?), and Michael still wouldn’t get that he has a drug problem. Dwight might figure it out.
Drugs aside, in the long run, I think I am more worried for Jim than Ryan. When Michael and Dwight aren’t around; he completely loses his cool. It is like he needs them in his universe to stay balanced. And, now it is spreading to Pam.
What if Jim and Pam are only cool in comparison to Michael and Dwight? What if on their own they are both as awkward and weird just in different ways? If they ever leave Dunder Mifflin, they are going to have to keep Michael and Dwight chained in their basement so they aren’t total idiots. We might need two interventions.
As awkward as it was, when Pam hit Meredith in the face with the football, it was my one laugh-out-loud moment. (Maybe things are just funnier when they happen to Meredith?)
And now Jim has a reason to hate Toby just as much as Michael. Pam definitely has power over men. She caused one guy to cry and move to Connecticut, and another guy to throw himself over a fence and move to Costa Rica. All while wearing sensible shoes! Girl has got some super powers. Sorry, Toby.
Unlike Jan, Michael cannot be held responsible for Ryan’s downfall. As much as he may have wanted to, I’m pretty sure Michael never slept with Ryan. Ryan did this to himself. Michael may not be the smartest guy, but he has made it to 40-something without ever waking up next to Dwight, covered in cocaine sweat, in a 150 square foot apartment.
I’d like to think the overbearing mother on the other end of that cell phone had a hand in that.
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Tori Weber is a Web Producer and writer for a television news station in Orlando, FL. Writing keeps her sane, and ice cream makes her happy. Dogs are good too. Visit her here.
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This is a brilliantly dark episode, it’s good to see some insight into Ryan’s life. To be honest, I was relieved it was only a drug problem. When I saw his short friend I thought Ryan had gone gay, and I don’t think I would have been able to stand that. Ryan is too much of a pimp to go to the gay side ;).
I also love Dwights make out session, then how he just leaves her in the club – idiot. Keep em coming!
Can anyone enlighten me on Ryan’s friend at the club? Was it just a random choice to have the “hobbit” guy or what? If Ryan is so cool and going clubbing everywhere in the city, how come his only friend that night was a strange man of short stature?
Sadly, the Office has gone the way that all decent sitcoms eventually go..”dumbed down!” Since the strike, nay since the beginning of season four, The Office has shifted from it’s subtle ironic humor, clever characterizations and hilarious plot set-ups altogether. WHY??? Apparently, the writers are catering to the idiots that generally watch TV. Gratuitous dark humor is a complete departure!! You lost me!!!!!
Ok. After further review (2 additional viewings)…I have decided that for me, this was the best episode since the strike. This one…come on….Meredith’s football head, Toby freaking out…The hobbit….Dwight’s make-out session…HI-freakin-larious! And let’s not forget “Then bring me two glasses. One filled with olives and the other with marachino cherries!” Hooray Office!!
Personally, I thought the episode was darkly hilarious. Particularly since I have friends who have taken high powered jobs in NYC and subsequently turned into cokeheads. Is it kind of awful if you think too much about it? Well, yeah. But at the same time, Ryan has always been exactly the kind of guy who would buy into the cokehead finance guy lifestyle. And the stuff with the website was hilarious. I like that they’re showing that Jim and Pam aren’t perfect (although still right for each other).
I think people are looking into Ryan’s addiction way too much…It’s not like he has lost control of his life, he just has that egotistic complex where he thinks he is living the high life and is allowed to party however he wants.
For some reason there have been a few times this season where Jim has come off like a jerk. What was with his racial profiling this episode? Once when on the phone with the guard & then again with Oscar to the maids (the latter was actually funny). I think they’re making Jim look like an ass to set up some drama for the proposal. Perhaps Pam will start to see another side of him.
She is so right and it is so funny.
Thanks for your two cents Tori! I was kind of thinking the same thing. I feel bad for Ryan.
It’s been three days, and this episode is still wrapped around my head. I thought there were many funny parts to this episode, but I didn’t really get it. It took me watching the episode three times then reading about it to finally grasp the whole episode.
jbklover-
#6 was referring to the city Stamford, not Stanford University.
HAHA, yes. I don’t really think they are total idiots. I also don’t really think they would keep Michael and Dwight chained in their basement. Unless they move to Wisteria Lane.
Thank you for all of the comments!
Hey, #6, where did it ever mention Jim went to Stanford? In real life, John went to Brown.
I can’t believe you didn’t think that this episode was that funny – I LOL’d about 8 times! First of all, the whole intro with the gum in the hair and Pam yelling at Dwight (“not the good peanut butter! people are gonna get mad”) – loved it. plus Dwight being such a mack and making out with that girl then ditching her, Ryan being excited to see Michael and Dwight at the club (um, knew something was up right then), Kelly asking Ryan “How dare you?”, Ryan being such a tool (“Keep it real, Scranton. Peace.”), and Toby hitting on Pam then jumping the fence! I could keep going. Yeah the coke thing’s a bit odd for “The Office,” but I didn’t think it was at all out of character for Ryan…
And I think Jim is still cool, he just forgot to tell the security guy (who should have noticed all the cars!) not to lock up.
Poor Meredith needs to stay out of that parking lot! She’s either getting hit by Michael’s car or Pam’s errant football! At least the vodka probably dulled the pain.
I think there was quite a bit of subtlety in here. There were things I didn’t catch until a second time around and things I thought were hilaaaaarious when I first watched it. We have to keep in mind that our beloved characters are changing and going out of the Scranton bubble… In terms of Jim and Pam being cool or not, there are reasons why so many are smitten with their characters. Perhaps previous episodes need a glance-over to recall what makes them so great in the first place?
I loved the episode myself. Best since the strike, I think.
I don’t understand how you can claim that it is “out of character” for Ryan to turn to drugs. One of the best things about The Office is that it can approach a serious topic (drugs, drinking, racism, etc.) and let the audience laugh at it, while not necessarily making light of the subject. Anyone can get caught up in drugs whether they are big city guys or small town folk. I liked the episode. Ridiculous means hilarious to me.
Am I the only one who noticed that as all the Scranton people were waiting in the lobby, Pam had her head on Jim’s shoulder? I thought it was a cute callback to Diversity Day.
i agree with #34
Very interesting review and discussion.
As far as Jim and Pam go, I have to admit that I do not mind them not having it all together, as some of you have said. I certainly don’t, and I like to see that in their characters. I don’t particularly see what Jim did that was so “bad” in this episode anyway, other than forgetting to tell security that they would be staying late. As Jim probably did, I would assume that the idiot security guard would see a parking lot full of cars, as well as an office with the lights on, and say, “Oh, maybe I should check before I lock them in with a rusty padlock.” I don’t see how Jim can be held accountable for that. And his idea to stay late on a Friday was merely making the best out of Ryan’s request to work all day Saturday.
As for Ryan’s addiction, I thought that was way too dark for the show, and not something to laugh about. While I love the dramatic moments in the show, I look forward to 9 oclock on Thursday nights because I love to laugh. Unfortunately, as this season continues with its awkward, dramatic, and over the top storylines, I find I am laughing less and less.