The Office: Grief Counseling, 3.04

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the office the coup hug it out

Writer: Jennifer Celotta, Director: Roger Nygard

Summary (NBC): After learning that the former regional manager has tragically died, Michael attempts to compel an appropriate show of grief from the Dunder Mifflin staff as he searches for the right way to honor a company man.

The Office Grief Counseling extras

The Office Grief Counseling quotes

Pam: The warehouse coffee tastes so much better.

Michael: I’m like Bette Midler in “For the Boys.” Gotta keep the troops entertained.

Michael: Attention everybody! I just received a call from Corporate with some news that they felt that I should know first.

Michael: Well I’ll be in my office, in case anybody wants to drop by. To cheer me up.

Michael: So’d you hear the news?
Pam: The news that you just announced? That Ed died?

Michael: He was almost seventy. Circle of life.
Pam: Yeah.

Andy (coughing): Suck up! Josh, did you hear what I said?

Karen: Damn it.
Jim: What’s up?
Karen: Oh nothing. I’m just out of Herr’s Chips.
Jim: Oh.
Karen: But don’t worry about it. My snack food doesn’t fall under the umbrella of your authority.
Jim: Mmm, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m your project supervisor today, and I’ve just decided that we’re not doing anything, until you get the chips that you require. So I think we should go get some. Now, please.

Creed: It’s a real shame about Ed, huh?
Michael: Yeah. Must really have you thinking.
Creed: About what?
Michael: The older you get, the bigger the chances you’re going to die. You knew that.
Creed: Ed was decapitated.
Michael: What?
Dwight: Really?
Creed: He was drunk as a skunk, he was flying down Route 6, he slides under an 18-wheeler, pop, it snaps right off.
Michael: Oh my god.
Dwight: That is the way to go. Instant death. Very smart.
Creed: You know a human can go on living for several hours after being decapitated.
Dwight: You’re thinking of a chicken.
Creed: What did I say?

Michael: That is just not the way a Dunder Mifflin manager should go, I’m sorry. Alone, out of the blue. And not even have his own head to comfort him.

Dwight: Hey.
Angela: Hi …
Dwight: If my head ever comes off, I would like you to put it on ice.
Angela: I do not want to talk about this.

Dwight: When I die, I want to be frozen. And if they have to freeze me in pieces, so be it. I will wake up stronger than ever, because I will have used that time to figure out exactly why I died, and what moves I could have used to defend myself better now that I know what hold he had me in.

Michael: I don’t understand. We have a day honoring Martin Luther King, but he didn’t even work here.
Jan: I understand how you feel, Michael, I really do. So would it be helpful to give everyone the day off?
Michael: You really don’t get it, do you. You don’t understand these people. That is the last thing that they would want, is a day off.
Jan: Well, what would you suggest.
Michael: A statue.
Jan: Of Ed?
Michael: Yeah.
Jan: I’m not sure that’s realistic.
Michael: Well, I think it would be very realistic. It would look just like him.
Jan: No, that’s not …
Michael: We could have his eyes light up, we could have his arms move …
Dwight: That is not a statue, that is a robot.
Michael: I think that is a great way to honor Ed.
Dwight: And how big do you want this robot?
Michael: Life size.
Dwight: Mmm, no. Better make it two-thirds. Easier to stop it if it turns on us.
Jan: What the hell are you two talking about?

Dwight: Look, I gave him a six-foot extension cord so he can’t chase us.
Michael: That’s perfect.

Jim: Wow. Never pegged you for a quitter.
Karen: I am not a quitter. I will do this all day if you want.

Andy: Hey! What are we doing? What’s the game. I want in.

Andy: Did you check the vending machine?
Karen: Oh the vending machines, how did we miss that?

Andy: Did you check your … butt.

Michael: WHAM! His capa is detated from his head!
Stanley: You have just spit on my face.

Michael: There are five stages to grief, which are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. And right now, out there, they’re all denying the fact that they’re sad. And that’s … hard. And it’s making them all angry. And it is my job to try to get them all the way through to acceptance. And if not acceptance, then just depression. If I can get them depressed, then I’ll have done my job.

Michael: I lost Ed Truck. And it feels like somebody took my heart, and dropped it into a bucket of boiling tears. And, at the same time, somebody else is hitting my soul in the crotch with a frozen sledgehammer. And then, a third guy walks in and starts punching me in the grief bone. And I’m crying, and nobody can hear me. Because I am terribly, terribly, terribly alone.

Pam: I was mainly focused on the cupholders.

Jim: What is my store number … six.

Dwight: When my mother was pregnant with me, they did an ultrasound and found she was having twins. When they did another ultrasound a few weeks later, they discovered that I had resorbed the other fetus. Do I regret this? No. I believe his tissues made me stronger. I now have the strength of a grown man and a little baby.

Ryan: A few years ago, my family was on a safari in Africa, and my cousin, Mufasa, was um, he was trampled to death by a pack of wildebeests, and um, we all took it really hard. All of us, kind of in the audience, of what happened.
Michael: Do you want to talk about it anymore?
Ryan: Oh, it would probably take me like an hour and a half to tell that whole story.

Dwight: Michael, get him away from your head! He’s covered in germs and bacteria!
Michael: You can’t get diseases from a bird!

Michael: That is what you do when things die. You honor them. Toby killed this bird. And now we’re going to honor it.

Kelly (crying): I mean, how many times do I have to confirm plans with Ryan, for him to know we have a date tonight?

Michael: What is the matter with you? Is that the beak?

Dwight: I’m sorry. I grew up on a farm. We slaughtered a pig whenever we wanted bacon. My grandfather was re-buried in an old oil drum. It would have fit if he had given me another minute.

Pam: Did I wake up this morning thinking I’d be throwing together a bird funeral? You never can tell what your day here is going to turn into.

Ryan: When I was five, my mom told me that my fish went to the hospital. In the toilet. And it never came back, so we had a funeral for it. And I remember thinking, I’m a little too old for this. And I was five.

Pam: What do we know about this bird. You might think, not much, it’s just a bird. But we do know some things. We know it was a local bird. Maybe it’s that same bird that surprised Oscar that one morning with a special present from above.
Kevin: I remember that, that was so funny.
Pam: And we know how he died. Flying into the glass doors. But you know what, I don’t think he was being stupid. I think he just really, really wanted to come inside our building. To spread his cheer, and lift our spirits with a song.
Dwight: It’s not a songbird.
Michael: Sshhhh.
Pam: An impression, then. Lastly, we can’t help but notice that he was by himself when he died. But of course, we all know that doesn’t mean he was alone. Because I’m sure that there were lots of other birds out there who cared for him very much. He will not be forgotten.
Angela: Amen.

Michael: Society teaches us that having feelings and crying is bad and wrong. Well, that’s baloney. Because grief isn’t wrong. There’s such a thing as good grief. Just ask Charlie Brown.

Icon courtesy un_den_iable.

234 comments

  1. things i liked:
    when creed mentioned he was decapitated
    dwight absorbing his twin in the uterus

    i feel kinda wierd about jim and karen

    overall only a so-so episode, i think. kind of a wierd plot. i think they could have done better.

  2. Dunno…I agree w/DTemp. Weird episode. Funny in some parts, but not what I was hoping for.

  3. Best episode of the season so far! So many laugh out loud moments:

    “Did you check your butt?”

    “I had a cousin named Mufasa…”

    “…like being hit in the crotch with a frozen sledgehammer.”

    Hilarious! Loved it.

  4. Best quote was about making Ed Truck’s robot 2/3 size and Creed saying “what did I say?”

  5. wow… surprised by these reviews! i thought it was so funny. the scene in the conference room where they all described movies had me on the floor. it was so great.

  6. This episode left something to be desired. I was more interested in the plot in the Stamford office than Scranton, does that say anything? Besides, Pam is so last year. Karen is fine as hell – Jim made the right choice!

  7. May well be my new favorite episode. Some absolutely hilarious lines and managed to get a genuinely excellent serious moment out of a bird funeral.

  8. great, great episode. Hopefully it’s on iTunes quicker this time, so I can watch it again.

  9. My favorite!
    My gosh! Everything about this episode was perfect.
    And the Karen thing….why oh why am I likeing it! But I am!
    Though I guess my heart is still Jamifide do to the fact I didn’t like Roy talking to Pam…though he sure has changed…I don’t know;)

  10. I really like the Karen character. She’s like a combo of Jan and Pam personality wise. And she’s really cute. Pam’s got some serious competition there.

    This episode was okay. I have to watch it again. I’ll write more about it once I see it again. But I’m definitely liking the Karen Jim thing. KAJIM lol.

  11. not one of my favorites, but a pretty solid episode none the less. i agree about jim and karen…it feels a bit weird. pam is warm and brought that quality out in him. karen’s nice, but kind of chilley.

    loved pam pulling the bird funeral together, if only to see her singing along to dwight’s recorder. dwight talking about absorbing his twin…classic schrute.

  12. I felt a bit nostalgic when Pam was making the funeral arrangements for the bird. That’s the type of thing she and Jim would have done together back before she broke his heart.

  13. Decent episode.

    Dwight’s grandfather was reburied in an oil drum? So is that when he grabbed the tux?

  14. This episode was wonderful. Absolutely hilarious, and with the sweetness that’s been a little absent this season. I was so impressed with the writers through and through, especially with them giving the explanation for how Dwight got his grandfather’s suit! Brilliant. Loved this episode.

  15. Okay here is my theory on the JAM:
    Next episode Pam is helping Michael. How long do you guys think it’s going to be before Michael tells Pam what Jim told him?
    So, Pam calls Jim, and then the screen clicks off like it did last may. And they leave us in the dark for 2 weeks. I don’t know how plausible it is… but I think it has it merrits.

  16. I’m with you, Sean and Patrick. Really enjoyed this episode. Very funny and also very touching, and dare I say it? I might be ok if Jam becomes Kajim!!!!!! The chemistry works for me. Maybe John Krasinsky can create great chemistry with anyone. Amazing actor.

  17. I liked this episode…it wasnt my favorite but strong all the same. But I definitely cant wait til next thursday…i think B.J. Novak is one of their best writers and I am really looking forward to see the beet farm

  18. I realized I didn’t put anything about this episode in here.
    It was very funny. I loved when Ryan was telling the Lion King Story.

  19. i don’t even care about jim/pam……..things are not the same with the is 2 office setup. i hate jim in stamford. it dulls the whole scranton office for me.

  20. Not my favorite episode, but it was good. I loved the whole robot thing and dwight talking about his twin.

    haha

  21. WOW! This was probably the funniest episode of the year. Touching even at the end with Pam’s eulogy. Great episode all around. The first episode I scored a 10 this year.

  22. I was disappointed. No soda came out of my nose during this episode. You can definitely notice the different styles of the writers. I look forward to seeing next weeks episode.

  23. Defnitely the best all season and maybe in my top 15 ever. Ed Helms’ line “Have you checked your butt?” I was crying. I almost literally fell on the floor. Changed my mind about the show going downhill for sure.

    Also, Jennifer Celotta wrote the episode.

  24. Boring. Unfunny. This used to be my favorite show, but now there is just TOO much going on, and none of it seems to be funny. I really don’t think that the writers are in tune with their audience, and I find the writing in general lackluster. The second season was so perfect! And even the first season episodes were a lot funnier than these. What happened to this show?

  25. Oh, my gosh. When Dwight was stuffing the bird into a soda can… “Is that its beak?”

    I almost died.

  26. I thought it was really great of Pam to help so much with the funeral for Michael. It seems as if she was the only one who really got what it was all about for him. I mean, he did not like Ed Truck.

    Also, I thought that the Jim/Pam issues were supposed to “bubble up” in the third episode. No sign of that yet.

  27. This episode had the heart the others this season seemed to be missing. It was a great Pam episode and a great Jim episode. Jim and Karen have great chemistry, but I’m not buying Pam and Roy’s chemistry. The writers have done too much to get us to dislike Roy already.

  28. Such a hilarious episode!

    Ryan’s faces…lol. “My cousin Musfasa got trampled by a heard of wildebeast…”

    Pam singing. Fantastic!

  29. jim likes to buy chips for all his special ladies, doesn’t he?

    funniest laugh-out-loud moment for me was the made-up death stories… the recognition in ryan’s face of what pam was doing was almost jim-like.

    :)

  30. This was a GREAT episode. My friends and I have been trying to put our finger on what has been missing this season, however I think this episode showed me what… heart.

    Season 2 could always make you genuinely feel for Michael after he was being such a jerk, but this season they haven’t been able to do this as effectively. Ex: Gay Witch Hunt – Just because Michael looked at his shoes because Oscar yelled at him just didn’t cut it… and oscar pushing Angela. I know he didn’t really, but that never would have happened last season.

    Don’t get me wrong, I’ve watched the episodes again and laughed a little more… and they started to get back on track last week, but this episode was classic Office.

    Just an opinion: I LOVE Stamford!!! I think the characters are great. If anything, it just goes to show you that no matter where you go there are just as many similarities to places you’ve been as there are differences.

    It’s almost like watching a new show. Season 1 was nowhere as good as Season 2… Just give them a chance, change CAN be good!

    : )

  31. I really enjoyed this episode. Pam comforting Michael during the eulogy was very touching. It reminded me a lot like the ending to Office Olympics. Dwight was classic Dwight in this episode. In fact, all the characters seemed to be at the top of their game. Great episode!

  32. I am torn on this ep. It’s so hard to see Pam doing these hilarious things when no one else is there to laugh with her, the eulogy and the singing etc. It seems more sad than anything. No one else seems in on the joke. I loved how Ryan got in on the story telling. That was histerical. Michael covering Ed Trucks head while on the phone with Jan….brilliant!

  33. indeed he does! chips are so…romantic.

    yeah with things being split between scranton and stamford, there seems to be alot of ground/characters to cover in just 30 minutes. when’s that branch merge going to happen?

  34. There were more than a few moments during this ep that I actually could not stop laughing and even this show doesn’t normally do that to me. And the way Pam organized the funeral bc she knew Michael needed it was really sweet. I even strangely didn’t mind the flirting going on between Jim and Karen, but there wasn’t that much of them in general. great ep.

  35. I liked this ep. more than I liked last weeks episode. Pam singing was a nice suprise. I don’t know how the actors kept a straight face during the conference room scenes and Dwight playing the recorder.

    I feel stupid asking this, but what movie was Pam describing? Million Dollar Baby? (I don’t get out much)

  36. I agree. Too much ground to cover in 30 minutes. Why can’t they make The Office an hour? Take time from Deal or No Deal It is getting old.

  37. For me tonight was one of the funnier episodes. We all have such high expectations for this show that I think that colors our view of each new episode. Tonight I also realized that in my mind I am starting to rate the episodes in two catergories: Season 1&2 vs Season 3 purely because the loss of Jim makes it seem like a totally different show. It is a perfect ensemble cast that to change any of the main 4: Michael,Jim,Pam,Dwight takes it so different.
    One last comment..the reason that I thought this was a funnier episode than the previous this year is because a little bit of “jimness” was there when Pam,Ryan,and Kevin mocked the grief exercise. SOO Jim and that is what I miss.

  38. There was no Jam! None! But there were some pretty funny parts. Like Kevin talking about Weekend at Bernies.

  39. OMG! Pam singing! Dwight trying to stuff a dead bird into a can! Karen speaking perfect french! OMG! Wow…just…wow. No other words. Anyone absolutly jumping outta their skin waiting for it to be next thursday? :P

  40. decent episode, not the greatest. best part was michael/dwight discussing ed’s statue!!! i’m gonna have to say 6 out of 10

  41. What we have seen happening and what will happen is the death of Jim/Pam and a new birth of Jim/Karen and Pam alone. I am glad to see Jim has not only pursued a better job but that he is moving on with his life. It is too bad that this can’t turn into something like Law and Order or CSI were we can have The Office and The Office: Stanford. Only in my dream world but I hope the continue the current trend and we see Jim/Karen hook up and rub that in Pam’s face!

  42. Sorry for double posting, but I have to strongly disagree with BMoney. If Jim picks Karen over Pam (Like, for certain) I will totally stop watching the show. No! Wait! Forget I said that! LOL! I will just totally scream my head off. :P

    (P.S. sorry for all the exclemation marks)

  43. Fact. Another great episode. I wish that everyone would just be patient. This show, even though it is lacking the element that has made it so great because Jim is not in scranton. All I read on this site and over at northern attack is how disappointed everyone is in this season. Its all apart of the story, its what has to happen for Jim and Pam to really happen. You still cannot find a show this funny or interesting or real, on tv today. That is all.

  44. Great episode, It had a great mix of jimness and roy and pam were cute. I like the Karen and Jim thing, she seems more upfront with him than pam. she knows what she wants, unlike pam.

  45. I really liked this one. I’ve enjoyed the first 3 episodes of Season 3, but they’ve had a very different feel to them than the episodes did in Season 2 for the most part. Tonight’s episode reminded me a lot of some of my favorite episodes from Season 2. It was simple, funny, uplifting, and we got to see a lot of different characters. My favorite part was probably either when Michael explained the stages of grief while stealthily glacing at the computer monitor or when Pam told the group about how her “aunt” died. I also liked how things moved forward without seeming excessively plotty – between Jim and Karen, Roy doing something nice for Pam for a change, and Michael once again examining his life now that he’s in a relationship (7 dates!). I think it’ll be interesting to see if the death of his former boss changes Michael at all. Also, I hope we find out soon whether or not Jim went to Australia.

  46. I laughed out loud a lot on this one. What happened to Toby and Pam? I’m not really liking Karen anymore, and Roy hasn’t won any points either. Jim is just a sweetheart always no matter where he is but I do wish that we didn’t have to jump back and forth, I just want Jim back and the rest can stay behind. I’ve grown to love the Scranton crew and I feel I’m being forced to like the Stamford branch, but I don’t aside from their few funny moments. Like…”Have you checked your butt?” hehe

  47. One more thing. What’s up with Jim giving the gals chips. He did this with Pam in The Fight as a little make up gesture. He is being so underutilized.

  48. You guys who think Pam needs it “rubbed in her face,” seem so pissed at her. Geez. She cancelled a wedding at the last minute to the guy she’s been with for nine years. Give her a little break! She loves Jim. She just needs some time to realize she can make the choice. Sure, some competition might help her get there faster, but some of you guys act like she deserves it, like she really screwed Jim over. That’s not fair.

  49. So, I’m guessing that the reason this episode was switched and aired before next week’s “Initiation” is because there was actually a bit of plot development in this episode with Jim/Karen and Pam/Roy. Perhaps the powers-that-be over at NBC read all of our complaints and thought they’d throw us a bone.

    If my theory is correct, that means that next week’s episode (which, with BJ as the writer is sure to be hilarious)probably won’t have much of what we want to see in it.

    Just a thought…

  50. As usual, I was rolling with laughter. But–I just can NOT warm up to the Karen/Jim thing. There was absolutely no reference on Pam or Jim’s part about each other and that made me so sad!! Where are the wistful little looks and memories from the first episode? I miss those….

  51. I can break this episode down into two parts… everything leading up to the second commercial break, and everything after it.

    Before the second break gets a 10; after the second break crashed and burned worse than the Yankees in the playoffs (it was tempting to say “…worse than Cory Lidle,” but that would be tasteless, now, wouldn’t it?).

    Very, very funny episode. Pam is the best television character. Ever. I wholeheartedly disagree with kely (41)… the Pam/Roy chemistry was awkward, but there somewhat. The Jim/Karen “chemistry” and every scene involved was so forced it was just about nauseating. It wasn’t just the characters, it was the actors. And because of that, Rashida Jones loses any respectability, for it seems damn near impossible not to have chemistry with John Krasinski.

    Everything at Stamford is moving at quadruple speed, as though they’re trying to cram 28 episodes (seasons 1 and 2) into seven episodes (before the reported “The Merger” episode). That’s why it feels forced. That aspect is very frustrating, and is really starting to feel unnecessary.

    I gave this episode a 6, but just for the comedy bits. If it’s not careful, The Office will devolve from the best show on television down to the best comedy on television.

  52. I can’t believe that there are actually people out there who are okay with Jim hooking up with Karen! If you own the second season, watch the finale and tell me that Jim should be with anyone but Pam! Tonight’s episode was okay… It was funny, but my sister and I were too mad about Jim to really enjoy the comedy. Although Ryan’s story about his “African safari” was totally hilarious!

  53. I personally loved this episode. I laughed out loud a few times. I’m a little surprised that there are so many people out there who feel differently but hey to each his own. For me though, it was hilarious.

  54. People who thought this was hilarious…go and re-watch The Dundees or Booze Cruise. Then if you still think this was hilarious, so be it. Funny moments, yes, but overall just okay.

  55. Let’s all have some patience and enjoy the ride! I trust the writers to continue the show in the best direction. Not every episode can (or should) leave us satisfied. Reminder: this show is not a teeny-bopper romantic comedy!

    But I miss Daryl and the warehouse guys nonetheless!

  56. I understand those who want some JAM interaction, but I gave up on that after last week’s episode. As much as everyone likes to talk about how realistic this show is, the writers have a whole season of episodes ahead of them. Last season was perfection; I’m going into each episode this season with much lower expectations.

  57. Just an idea:

    Maybe their buying time by putting Jim in Stamford because he’s making movies in real life?

  58. Brian—Circle of Life would have been hilarious! Maybe to much of a stretch for Dwight’s recorder skills.

  59. I really liked seeing Kevin play along with the grief stories. His mischievous, immature humor has been missing lately.

    I definitely laughed out loud at Creed and Andy tonight. It was just a fun episode. Nothing earth-shattering, but just fun.

    I’m glad Michael will settle for just depressing them.

    I wonder who’s idea the “going down to the warehouse” thing was. There’s gotta be a story there.

  60. This episode was quite possibly the best of the season. The movie references were HILARIOUS … “My uncle Mufasa…” … yeah, I nearly died laughing. Plus Michael and the bird … good stuff.

  61. gotta comment again after reading some of these posts. let’s start off by saying 6 out of 10 at best for me.

    first of all, why was pam acting that way? totally out of character from everything we know about her. secondly, the jim/karen bits in the coup i liked but this thing with the chips just made it seem like they couldn’t really come up with a story line for them so they just settled on chips.

    dwight discussing the “statue” for ed was hilarious but other than that, this episode was very different.

  62. ok people now I understand that some people are upset with the show because its not doing this or that or whatever. But really do you think this show sucks now or somthing? i mean i have never seen writers take chances like this in a show ever. seriously watch anything…watch grey’s antanomy….watch csi….or the 50 other csi’s out there….its always the same everyweek. and another thing…last year the show that opened up the whole season and made it great for me was the booze cruise…that was nearly half way through the season…we are all so impatent and want everything to happen now….but it won’t and we will just have to watch paitently as the genius of this show unfolds…so really i respect everyone’s opinions but unless you are a writer of a television show i suggest you sit back relax(which also isnt’ being done while watching this show) and enjoy the ride. or watch Ugly Betty…which ever.:)

  63. I thought that this was a great episode. And it seemed to have many great Pam moments. It really seemed like it was her episode to shine. Especially after the first two episodes where we see her all depressed that Jim itsn’t there, it was nice to see her be like her old happy self again!

  64. This episode was okay. There were some funny moments – the conference room scene where Pam, Ryan and Kevin describe movie scenes; when Kelly is crying and Michael thinks it’s because of the whole death thing but it turns out it’s because of Ryan; Stanley refusing to participate in grief counseling; Michael’s bit at the beginning where he goes “down” to the warehouse (and how Pam asks him to get coffee… with cream and sugar!

    But there were parts – namely Jim and Karen that were making me go ho hum. It reminded me a lot of Jim and Pam scenes (which is okay when it was them, but now it’s like been there, done that).

    I miss the classic The Office… I think the season premiere was the best out of the 3rd season thus far. This would be the weakest.

  65. The chance they are taking is taking a major part of their storyline and just wrecking it. Too different from season 2. Watching Ugly Betty is exactly what people are going to start doing. Not me. It meets expectations for me in that it makes me laugh. It just doesn’t exceed expectations, as it did last year.

  66. I lost my 14 year old (101 dog-year old) doggy yesterday (RIP Clarky), so grief counseling was a very timely episode. That aside, I loved finally getting a little Kevin in this episode. This season has been severely lacking in his coarse jesting. Is Ryan turning into Jim, pro tempore? I couldn’t stop laughing when Pam started describing Million Dollar Baby. Then Ryan with Lion King (which went over my head) was amazing. Another good episode. Plus, I finally dont hate the Stamford branch.

  67. Loved:

    “Did you check you butt?” Ed Helms is really growing on me – he’s had some of the best lines last week and this week. He’s like a slightly more sophisticated version of Dwight.

    JIM, JIM, JIM – This man is completely adorable and how can you not just LOVE him? I am okay with Karen because at least we get to see Jim interacting with someone.

    Kevin going into the Weekend at Bernies thing.

    What was Good:

    Pam acknowledging Michaels fears in her Eulogy Speech.

    The whole robot thing

    Creed

    Stanley yelling “no”

    What sorta sucks:

    Still HATE Jim being away from everyone else. Still think the dynamic is off with him away from Dwight and Michael. Just MERGE already. Seriously.

    Everyone who keeps defending the show saying it’s still as funny keeps saying things like, “lets trust where the writers are taking us” and “give them some time, all the episodes can’t be favorites”. Okay granted. BUT we are now into this 4 episodes and none of them would even make my top 20. That is not good. I can see exactly what the writers are trying to do but in the mean time it is loosing something in the process.

  68. This was my favorite of the new season!

    I like how Pam has stepped up to the plate to be an unoffical leader in Jim’s absence. If Jim were there, he would have been the one to say a few words at the funeral and ask Dwight to play recorder, and Pam would have just been giggling in the background. But with Jim gone she is taking on a whole new role.

  69. Pam was definantly amazing tonight, but its not the same for me without JAM. karen’s good, but i cant help thinking that karen would be better with ryan.

  70. Everybody wants Jim and Pam to be together now……… But it’s impossible at the moment. If they had kept Jim at the Scranton branch, there were only two places that it could have gone. They get together and the show dies…….. Or they don’t get together and it gets really weird (And every Office fan runs to burn down the NBC building). The writers are doing a good job implementing new characters and are developing the old ones (Pam is going to be totally different – Stronger and more independent). When they decide to bring Jim and Pam back together, they’ll be different people, it’ll be a different situation……… But they will be together eventually. And we’ll all be anticipating it even more than the kiss at the end of season 2.

    And just on the topic of this episode, Steve Carrell continues to show why he got robbed of an Emmy. Jim/Karen are not going to have the chemistry that Jim/Pam. That’s one of the things that is going to seperate the two couples. All in all, it was a really good episode. I like where they’re taking the show this season. It’s great. :)

  71. Just a good episode in my mind. Many laugh out loud moments, and it was kind of weird and random and that’s why I like the Office. Dwight’s twin, Michael “chopping” off Ed’s head, the recorder, and Charlie Brown were all great moments. Oh, and whatever it was Andy said about checking (pause) your butt. Good character development for Pam, too. That poor bird.

  72. I don’t think I can take another episode; it’s torture! Honestly, it doesn’t even feel like the same show anymore! I realize that they’re trying to merge the two and then Jim will interact with Michael/Dwight and Pam again..but still. During season 2 I laughed through entire episodes and now I’m lucky if I laugh twice. :C
    But oh well, I’ll keep watching until the end! I have faith that it will revive itself.

  73. I loved it! I haven’t laughed that hard all season. Dwight’s robot of Ed Truck, Pam and Ryan’s death stories, and Dwight stuffing a bird into a coke can, that’s all genius! Oh yeah, and I guess we now know how Dwight got that tux from his dead grandpa.

    I was all prepared to root for Karen this week, but the chemistry did seem a bit off at the beginning. I think they found it once Karen started to play along with Jim, but it was a little forced. I definitely think Jim is trying to recapture what he had with Pam. But it’s different-as it has to be; Karen is a different person. Ed Helms fell sort of flat, which was disappointing. Creed was funny this week compared to last week.

    Now if we could just get funny Creed from this week, Jim/Karen chemistry from last week, Ed Helms from GWH, Michael from the convention, and Dwight on the top of his game, and put it all into one episode, I might spontaneously combust.

  74. I loved it. As always, i look forward to next week’s and the rest of the season. I really love how they are developing Jim and Karen’s relationship. And the Roy appearance is really keeping me on my toes!! UNTIL NEXT WEEK! =)

  75. Well, on the OFFICE board people really loved this episode after some not so great reviews of the first three. On here, some people seem more inclined to say it is good, but in comparison to last year, still not as good as we were used too. That is probably my opinion. Funny, but not the same at all, maybe moving characters around changes things for me, but Pam seemed out of character so her jokes seemed kind of empty. I like Jim and the new characters in that office, that seemed more like the old office to me, but overall, I can’t compare this to Dundies or the Client or many from last season that got me so hooked on the show. But there is time.

  76. Just a quick question: why did they think it was a good idea to not have Mindy Kaling and BJ Novak, who wrote the best episodes last season, to do any of these Season 3 episodes?

    Season 3 isn’t nearly as funny as Season 2 or even Season 1, but this episode was by far the best so far of Season 3. For people complaining about the lack of “JAM,” are you serious? If you want drama, watch a soap opera. The Office is a comedy, with bits of drama as an added bonus. I personally found the Pam/Roy and Jim/Karen stuff to be interesting.

  77. Well, this just occurred to me and since I can’t sleep tonight I might as well make a post. Maybe last season the show was more driven by the humor and the oddities of the characters…and the storyline was carried along by the humor. This season the storyline is what everyone is concerned about and the humor is trying to catch up to what is going on with the characters? Oh well…I need sleep I guess.

  78. Michael came off a little more weird then usual tonight, but overall a good episode. I think people aren’t use to the two office setup. I don’t think that’s going to last much longer though :)

  79. Barryman: “Initiation” next week is written by B.J. Novak.

    Excellent episode. 9/10, and Ryan had me laughing more than anyone else for the first time ever.

  80. third and final post!
    i agree with amanda, i used to just absolutely belly laugh thoughout entire episodes and i think i laughed like 5 times total in grief counseling. i mean, the show is still amazing but the direction it’s going is wierd. i’m counting on b.j. to revive it next week.

  81. deleted scenes are up…not as brilliant as we’ve seen in the past weeks, but still good

    oh and the episode was great!

  82. i loved the urgency with which michael ran out to the bird that “toby killed.”

    karen looked so worn out and tired at the beginning of the episode, but by the end she was practically glowing. but i guess that’s just what jim’s attention will do to a gal ;)

  83. i forgot to ask, how did creed know how ed died? or did he just make it up? :p

    also, it seemed like dwight and angela were still together? it’s hard to tell the nature of their relationship, and in a way you don’t really want to know..

  84. This was the best of season 3 so far. Funny moments (“is that the beak?”), belly laughs (“my cousin Mufasa was trampled by wildebeests… we all took it really hard”), wacky humor (Dwight’s twin?!)… it was a great episode.
    But the best part of this episode was the return to character driven plots that hooked me so much in season 2. You can see Pam developing into a completely different person. Her compassion toward Michael, subtle as it was, was great to watch. She even brought in Dwight (willingly!) to help her out. We could see that Michael really was affected by death, and Pam was the only one who realized how he needed to deal with it. Those are the moments that i love about this show: seeing the truly human traits that lie beneath the surface of these fictional characters. So… keep it up.

  85. You are right Nate, it was a funny episode, and I thought Dwight’s twin was esp. funny. I loved how Michael threw the ball to Phyliss and Dwight snatched it and said, I’ll take that….classic Dwight. But you are right, Pam is very different. She took the lead in playing the pranks…and getting Dwight involved with her is way out of character isn’t it? It is almost that you had the same moments, but the characters had changed and that made it less funny for me, but still interesting. It is the human interest that makes the humor even more funny. For me, it is when they say something funny and then when you think about it, it is deeper and more meaningful t the characters than just the joke they said. I guess the characters are just getting deeper and different in ways as the story changes.

  86. I don’t think Michael was really sad for the death of his old boss, but rather worried how those in his office would respond to if he died. Pam’s speech at the end was pretty much telling Michael he’s not alone. Dwight absorbing his twin, priceless.

  87. Jennifer Celotta is the Practice Squad QB of The Office, way more drama and less laughs when she writes an episode, and like it was stated on the DVD of Season 2…Lieberstein usually throws in the biggest laugh lines.

    This episode was a HUGE letdown, especially after The Coup which Carell put on an Emmy winning performance with his wide eye, tight lipped, revenge filled Michael to Dwight’s takeover.

    Jim’s character went down big time this episode…I mean the same approach with Karen as with Pam? Can’t this guy stop trying to date IN the office with the only woman with a sense of humour? Even if he got with one of them, he’d cheat on them with the next office employee who was witty.

    The ending? A little too heart pulling
    The Roy and Pam scene…I mean ???

    Dwight went OVER the top this episode, seemed like a barely functioning mental patient

    A couple of lines I laughed at but when it ended, one of the few episodes I said “That’s it?”…the other ones were drug testing, email survelliance, Michael’s birthday and The Convention….the former 2 written by Celotta. The latter by the horrible duo of Stupnitsky and Eisenberg…who really put an overly Jewish humor style to the episodes…which I just don’t find funny (sorry Mel Brooks)

    I am pretty sure the good lines were written by Lieberstein…which of course were

    Creed: You know a human can go on living for several hours after being decapitated.
    Dwight: You’re thinking of a chicken.
    Creed: What did I say?

    Michael: WHAM! His capa is ditated from his head!
    Stanley: You have just spit on my face.

    Ryan’s story and the Good Grief Charlie Brown quip

    The robot lines….and the bucket of tears/sledgehammer/grief bone…were so force fed, it was not funny at all

    Then of course the “your butt” joke in which my GF and I just looked at each other and wooried if Jessica Simpson and Dane Cook were gonna show up with the guys from Jacka$$ for more low brow un-office guffs.

    So far this was probably the 2nd worst episode I have seen only beating Michael’s Birthday, which ironically the only thing I bust a gut at was my all time favorite office line “The cookie” and Ryan’s shocked face afterwards…and that was the only time I did laugh at that episode

    Grief counseling is a 3/10 IMHO

  88. I loved the stupid gitty look on Dwights face when Michael was doing the stair bit.

  89. Nate is so right about Pam. She is growing into a stronger person, and her compassion for Michael was actually kind of touching. I think when Jim comes back and gets to know the new Pam the show will be back to normal. The love triangle with Karen should be interesting. Just 3 more episodes till the merger.

  90. I think I need to watch the episode a second time to learn to love it. I’ve had to do that with 3 out of 4 epiosdes so far this season. I want to love season 3…I am actively laboring to like it…but I am starting to think I shouldn’t have to work so hard at it. I can’t help but think they made a serious mistake taking Jim away (and not just for the whole Jam thing…for many reasons that have been illustrated above).

    I am trying to trust where the writers of going, hoping it will ‘get better’…but as this is a comedy sitcom, and not a soap opera…each episode should really be able to stand on its own. It should be funny all by itself, independent of the plot. The fact that each episode of season 2 was stand-alone funny, and drove ahead such a wonderful and poignant plot is a testimony to its brilliance.

    Now I am trying to look at things this way: Season 2 was brilliant, almost perfect, to me, the best TV show ever. This gave me possibly unattatinable expectations for season 3. Maybe I need to stop comapring season 3 Office to season 2 Office..maye it will always fall short. However, if I compare season 3 Office with some other random show on television…I will still think the Office rocks…and thinking of it that way…yeah, the Office still rocks.

    Some funny lines in this epdisode. I did think Pam was great. 6/10 for me, probably in my bottom 3 of all episodes.

  91. I wasn’t as “taken” with this episode as in the past. Agree with the comment that this season hasn’t been as funny. I like the developing new relationships. There were definitely some funny moments, but I didn’t come away thinking “what a great episode”.

    I DID have to watch (over and over) Michael make a hysterical dash to the front door of the building to check on the bird. Steve Carell is a god.

    How sweet is Jim? He always manages to infuse some humour into a situation and appease the people who are upset with him… well, those people he LIKES.

    Does anyone else want to punch Kelly? She is SO annoying.

    Everyone is expecting the offices to merge (including me), so I hope the writers don’t decide to go a different direction. I believe (and it’s just my theory) that Jim and Pam still won’t get together when the branches merge. If they play it right, there will still be that tension between them.

    Ed Helms/Andy is a dork and I LOVE him.

    I miss seeing the warehouse guys from time to time. That office-warehouse dynamic is fun.

  92. ok so is anyone else not totally upset about the Jaren (jim + Karen) situation??? though i do miss the Jam moments…oh how fickle is am.

  93. I (somewhat against my will) really enjoyed the Jim/Karen moments from the Coup. The whole chip thing in this episode didn’t grab me at all though. Like many others have said, it felt forced…and for me, didn’t ring true…lacked the sweetness and poignancy of similar Pam/Jim moments.

    Since I am emotionally inclined to dislike Karen though…It almost made me happy that those parts of the show fell flat.

  94. I’m telling you….the writers are really maturing Pam here in the beginning of the season to set her up for something big…I really think that there will be a JAM time when she has to be agressive and make the move to get Jim’s attention…especially since he’s got the Karen thing going…I love how this is playing out…couldn’t have been any better.

  95. I don’t think I’ll know until season’s end whether I’m as fond of season 3 as season 2. Cumulative effect and all that.

    I still find it odd that “JAM” has essentially been eliminated from the show aside from the occasional nostalgic moment (there didn’t seem to even be any of that this episode). I only say that cause most places (not fan sites, but newspapers, magazines etc.) that reviewed season 2 DVDs found the “JAM” relationship the heart of the show and what made it special. So I remain perplexed they’ve removed it from the show entirely (even if John Krasinski thinkgs its a “genius way” to do things) and tried to build a different relationship (“JAREN?”) from scratch.

    Still, I dash back from work to catch the show, and I don’t do that for any other show on TV. :-)

  96. I was thinking earlier… at one point, both Jim and Pam professed that the other was their best friend. Has that just disappeared? Why have we not seen Pam address the Jim issue? Jim talked to Michael about it, but who does Pam talk to? I guess after all of that, that maybe their relationship is strained and hopefully on the mend.

    I’m not at all emotionally attached to Karen. If she winds up being a the office smartass, that could be an interesting dynamic with Michael (if they ever meet). I really don’t know who she is.. smart, funny, competitive, incompetent, etc.)

    As previously mentioned, I DO love Mr. Ed Helms and hope he stays with the show FOREVER.

  97. I agree with John Krasinski that what they’ve done is genius in that it’s realistic. If they went on the way they were going, it would be wonderful, but it would be expected and might turn into a situation where fans are starting to say, “when are they going to get them together already?”. I think they have to prolong the Pam and Jim story. And it’s realistic the way they’re doing it in that both of them are trying to have their own lives right now. I think it’s appropriate that the Jim/Karen thing seems a little forced because maybe Jim is forcing himself to move on. I thought this episode also showed how Pam is coming into her own as well in how she sort of took charge of the bird funeral and made Michael feel better about being alone. I think Pam needs some time to be alone and do some thinking.

  98. I agree that this show is more realistic in it’s approach of Jim and Pam. And to the person asking why they aren’t best friends, I professed my love to a girl I considered my best friend and she threw me out of her house. I have not talked to her since. It happens sometimes.

  99. Thought it was great. I watched with a bunch of friends and we all enjoyed it. Michael was perfect, if I can just get them depressed and “good” grief. Pam is back! She can torment Michael with the best, love the coffee request. Still, she recognizes genuine suffering, instead of the hug at the desk or the perfect movie death scene (have to add, of course, Michael would recognize a Kevin movie), and fashions together a moment that brings out the best in everyone, even Dwight. I also loved the fact that you could see Kelly hanging on to Ryan at the bird funeral, oh, the humanity. The Jim trying too hard and looking for some sort of snack thing was lame, so doubly offensive. However, the big shock was when Karen spoke French, everyone in the room busted out laughing. We’ve decided she is now Officially Sexy, however, some of the guys held back because she needs to lose the shirt, so, Catch-22.

  100. I have to agree with everyone else on the Jim/Karen situation… where’s the JAM!? But on the other hand,I could see the writers using this sort of hiatus of communication between them as being interpreted as an awkwardness after both of them showed their true feelings on Casino Night. But part of me loved seeing the hunt for the chips because it showed a glimmer of the Jim we saw in saeson two.

    As for the rest of the episode, I think there was some classic Michael Scott action going on with the whole “warehouse” thing and overdramatizing the death of the bird. Brilliant.

  101. I loved this episode. I was starting to wonder if the show had lost its touch after last weeks episode. I now know that this isn’t the case. Second best this season.

  102. There’s a lot about the episode that I loved. I absolutely loved how they showed Pam as being just as funny with Jim not around. Last night her action were very reminiscent of Jim, everything that she did I could see him having done. Jim always seemed to be the one making her laugh and being the leader in their pranks, it’s nice to see her takes the reigns. It speaks to me as her gaining more and more confidence and independence. It seems like the writers want to show her as OK on her own before putting JAM together, so that it seems plausible and real. I think they are doing a great job, even with the Karen/ Jim scenario. It’s nice to see him as something other than a lovesick puppy.
    I also love loved how Michael reacted to Ed Truck’s death. How he kept emphasizing “alone”. We all know that is his big fear, being alone. So you could just feel how his anxiety in ending up the same way- “without even his head to comfort him”.
    The movie stories in the conference room were priceless. I must admit that I didn’t catch the joke until Ryan was telling the Lion King story. I’m not a big moviegoer- can someone tell me what movie Pam was summarizing? I must seem so out of touch and clueless, but if anyone could clue me in it would be great. =)

    Best laugh out loud line: “Now you have spit on my face”

  103. The movie stories were the best. Pam’s Million Dollar Baby, Ryan’s Lion King, and especially Kevin’s Weekend at Bernies. Bad choice by Kevin being that Weekend at Bernies is probably one of Michael’s all time favorite movies, so easy for him to spot.

  104. I think the part that made me laugh the hardest was the fact that they waited to start the grief counseling until Pam got back from the parking lot. Subtle, but outstanding comedy.

  105. I’m kinda glad that Kevin picked Weekend at Bernie’s. The joke was the highlight of the episode, and they made sure to deliberately not grind it into unfunny-ness (is that a word?).

  106. I did like this episode more than the past few but I just can’t get past Jim not being in Scranton. I can only imagine what he would’ve come up with in the room telling death stories.

  107. I’m much more excited about next week’s episode, Initiaion. I agree with OpalArk…and couldn’t agree more with what they said.

  108. 125 | Elizabeth – It was Million Dollar Baby….it was about half through her story until I realized what she was doing….so funny

  109. What did you guys think of the Roy/Pam scene? I think it showed some flirting that I didn’t like. I hope the writers aren’t abandoning JAM………..

  110. Did I actually read someone say “too much Michael”?? There can never be too much Michael! I thought he was brilliant as ever in this episode. And it really showed his greatness as a character. He can just be so stupid and infuriating, like thinking Dwight’s robot idea was perfect or accusing Toby of killing the bird, but he is also such a vulnerable, lonely, and often sweet person at heart. And I love how sensitive Pam was in picking up on that, as she always is with Michael.

  111. In response to Julia, I think it’s just increasing the obstacles to Jim and Pam getting together eventually. Pam spent a lot of years with Roy, and now he’s only just beginning to really appreciate her. He said in the premiere he was going to try to get her back, didn’t he? I think it’s refreshing to see a sweet side of Roy. Very rare. But it doesn’t seem to me like Pam has any real feelings left for him. Maybe they’ll be friends.
    In a way it was also sort of sad cause it was kind of a Jim move, wasn’t it? Coming up with an excuse to make Pam’s day more fun? Sadness.

  112. I can’t believe the reaction of some people to this episode. This episode was brilliant. Easily one of the top 10.

    The worst thing that could happen to this show right now is for the writers to give in to the teeny-boppers who only watch the show for JAM.

    What they are doing is absolutely true to life. Just be patient for JAM. Them seeing each other again will hit a whole lot harder after they’ve both convinced themselves they’ve moved on–and suddenly realize they haven’t. Talk about awkwardness.

    This show is brilliant.

    Zorro

    P.S. It’s StaMford. Not StaNford. I can’t stand that.

  113. Good episode…I think the best shows are the ones when they are in the office doing hilarious things. Dwight cracks me up!

  114. Great episode! Kevin describing Weekend at Bernies was hilarious.

    I agree with Liz and Mark’s comments about the whole JAM thing…it will be addressed when it needs to be. I’d rather the show didn’t turn into a soap opera.

  115. One of my favorite episodes of the series. The opening was classic. I loved the way Ryan decided to “go ahead and play that game” so Michael would quit bugging him. And then in the conference room, when they were telling stories, ah :)

    Overall, I think it had a great mix of each character and the interaction between them all. Some great moments!

    btw. what movie was Pam talking about?

  116. Well True Question, I wouldn’t totally discount the Jim/Pam storyline would you? I mean, I know people blow it so completely out of proportion, but I think people who love the entire show can admit that their story is a great one. I think the Booze Cruise has some of the funniest moments that aren’t even related to Jim and Pam (Sorry, but I simply can’t stand anymore name combining-Bennifer, Brangelina, TomKat…can’t do it anymore!). Like Dwight taking the fake steering of the ship so seriously, Meredith’s drunkeness, and absolutely everything to do with Michael. His attempts at being the captain for instance, telling everyone the ship is sinking, and of course his dance, which is still one of the most ridiculously hilarious things I’ve ever seen.

  117. Katie: i agree that it’s only a matter of time before Michael spills the beans about his convo with Jim at the convention.
    also, i realize that Pam broke Jim’s heart, but what was she supposed to do? she was ENGAGED. as romantic as it would have been, it wouldn’t have been in Pam’s character to do that to Roy. but now that’s she’s single…
    i think the flirtation with Roy in this ep is just a red herring to throw us off course for when the offices merge.
    also, i agree with David. for sure, Pam is changing, and i think she’ll be the better for it. the Jim and Pam dynamic will be different when the offices merge but in a way that will finally allow for Jim and Pam to be together. i think it’s appropriate that there’s not much JAM stuff right now cuz Pam needs to figure out who she is outside the context of JAM.
    i thought Pam was amzing in this ep. showed her heart and compassion, even for someone as annoying as Michael.
    Liz: i agree that Jim/Karen feels forced because Jim is forcing himself to move on. although on Karen’s side it is genuine so i feel bad for her. but it’s just not in the cards ultimately. in the end, it’s gotta be Jim/Pam.

  118. What an incredible episode! I loved it. And I tell you the more I see of Andy the more I love him. I could NOT stop laughing at the “Did you check your…butt?” line.

    Also, the look on B.J. Novak’s face when Kevin started into the Weekend at Bernies thing, where B.J. starts subtley shaking his head trying to get Kevin to stop, was hysterical.

    This is such a great show. I love they way that it is going. They are wonderful writers. And while it’s certainly painful to watch Jim flirt elsewhere, it makes the story so much better. We kind of get to hurt with Jim and Pam this way. While still retaining the soul of the show which is the comedy at Dunder Mifflin. They couldn’t have written it better!

  119. Survivor has been killing a lot of shows for years in the ratings. I would be willing to bet money that NBC prizes The Office more than any show that they have had in the last couple of years. Look how long Scrubs has been on. That show doesn’t get the ratings The Office does but it does get good reviews. That seems to be important to NBC.

    Only threat of The Office going away is a big cast departure or a significant drop in viewers over a couple of years.

  120. Another great one.

    I really love that Pam isn’t just moping around and is totally making up for Jim’s absence. She’s still able to be sarcastic and fun (i.e. “with cream and sugar?” and the bird’s requiem). And she started the whole movie death scene-ball tossing game. Good for her!

    Also, I’m surprisingly looking forward to something happening between Jim and Karen, only because I’d really, really like to see how Andy would react to it.

  121. First off, I want to say I’m glad I found this site. It’s the perfect fix between new episode’s of The Office. I call myself a huge fan yet I haven’t bought season 2 on dvd yet, but I will.

    That said, I like this episode, but I thought it dragged on a little with death/funeral stuff. My favorite line had to be Michael’s “capa is detated” outburst.

  122. I think that season 3 is really missing the core of the show, and that is Jim’s character interacting with the Scranton office. He was the heart of the show, the audience, the empathy, the “everyman” for people to relate to. All of the great comedy played off of him. It feels a little lost with him not interacting (especially with Dwight). Michael and Pam are still brilliant, and the writers are as great as ever, but I really think they need his character back.

  123. My best friend’s grandpa is the owner and founder of Herr’s potato chips! Just thought I’d throw that out there.

  124. Classic style episode.

    Everything takes place in or around the actual office. Michael’s emotions are all over the board, Dwight is super weird and super funny, Jim and Pam have similar storylines of being sidetracked, and another conference room scene.

    I can’t wait for the real warehouse workers to get some speaking scenes this season, last night was such a tease!

  125. It’s disheartening to see many people bashing the show, because it is taking risks. Last season, everyone was applauding the show for not falling into the stereotypical “sitcom” traps, but are now wanting it to be a typical sitcom and stay with the “if it works don’t change it” policy by bringing Jim immediately back to Stamford.

    Yes, the tone of the show is different this year. Yes, the Scranton office isn’t the same without Jim. It isn’t supposed to be the same. It is real life. When a good friend moves, there is a void that isn’t filled right away. It takes time to grow and find someone else to take there place. That is what the past few episodes are showing.

    These past 4 episodes have been hilarious (you can’t compare them to the classic booze cruise/Dundies episodes, because they are only 2 of 30 episodes with Jim there), and they are building strong plot points (Stamford crew, Pam becoming a strong and independent woman), so that when Jim returns to Scranton (and he will) the dynamic will yet again be different. If it were the same dynamic as season 2, it would get old.

    As for JAM, Jenna Fischer said on her blog a while ago that JAM would have some development come episode 3 (well Initiation, was originally supposed to be the 3rd episode). So I’m thinking there will be a little bit of JAM this week. Then 1 week break before “sweeps” I’m thinking the merger will occur during sweeps. Anyone with me?

  126. I completely agree with “This gal”. I’m really concerned because it seems like a lot of fans are jumping ship on what I deem to be a fantastic show. This show is just as funny as it has always been just with a little bit of a different tone. If The Office were to get cancelled, I would seriously just turn off my tv. Television just wouldn’t be worth watching anymore. This show is the best thing to happen to television in years but for some reason people like to stick with a formula they know. How many versions of the same show can we have? We have 3 CSI’s and God knows how many medical shows. We should be glad to actually have something a little different and with some intelligence behind it. It’s not often you find that on television these days. That’s just my opinion.

  127. Loved the episode.

    I haven’t read all the posts so someone might have mentioned this, but I enjoyed that it was Ryan shown first “getting” Pam’s death story…especially after his last “what?” when Pam turned to him smiling in the other episode. I’d like to see more Ryan/Pam interaction. Just not on double dates.

  128. I have to say that I think this is the funniest, most Office-like episode, yet, of the season.

    I still don’t like Jim being so far away. And the scenes in Stamford feel so rushed! I love how Pam is coming into her own, though. Very refreshing to see!

    JIM, COME BACK!!!

  129. Yes, I totally agree, *this gal* – I love that they are taking risks and there seems to be so much negativity toward developments this season. It’s not the same without Jim there, but I like that they were willing to take the risk and get him out of there for a while. Otherwise he could have seemed pathetic, and that’s just not our Jim. I really feel that they are setting us up for some very interesting developments later in the season, and in the meantime, I’m just enjoying the ride. I wouldn’t have found it believable if they had gotten together right away, altho I do hope that happens at some point (and I think it will). I don’t care if it takes a long time, as long as they make me laugh in the meantime. The writing is so awesome that I think they could find ways to keep that interesting if and when it happens, but it’s interesting to see Jim out of his element and to see Pam grow on her own.

  130. Regarding This Gal’s comment: ‘Yes, the Scranton office isn’t the same without Jim. It isn’t supposed to be the same. It is real life.’

    It isn’t real life, it’s television!! Very smart television, but still, t-e-l-e-v-i-s-i-o-n. And that’s the point. Not only Booze Cruise and Dundees, but any other episode from season 2 tops this season. It’s not that it hasn’t had its moments…but overall it feels different. Is this a build up to better things…we can only hope. But hilarious? I don’t think so.

  131. definitely the funniest episode this season,thus far.Alot of great lines.Michael was hilarious w/Truck’s death.I really think he reacted the way he did because he was thinking how people in his office would react if HE died suddenly,and when people didn’t show much sadness or do much crying,he was really disturbed by that.Regarding Jim,he has definitely moved on,that is clear.When Karen spoke French on the phone,you could clearly see how smitten Jim is w/her.Kevin was hilarious as usual.As always though,I find myself wonder how Jim would react to Michael and what he would have done last night.Still feel a void in the Scranton office,and it has nothing to do w/JAM.

  132. responding to “not Karen”

    Well since The Office is just Television, we might as well only watch shows like 24 or or Desperate House Wife’s. Those aren’t real. We all know in 24, Jack Bower can’t save the world 24 times in a day, and in Desperate House Wife’s there is only so many people to sleep with on one block.
    The Office changed what the viewers were used to. Was this done in a more realistic way, yes. Does this have us yearning for moments of JAM….for some people, yes. The point is, this is Television, and they have decided to be different.There is no TV book saying they can’t be somewhat realistic. The Office was different from the beginning, just by the way it’s filmed. Did people not like that? I’m not sure what people wanted from this season. People would complain about the JAM relationship if they teased us for another year, yet people complain that Jim seems to be moving on. I mean come on, Jim walking into Dwights room thinking he hired a hooker is not funny…

    I think the dual Offices won’t last through the year, to many hints how either Scranton or StaMford will merge or something of that nature.

    Hilarious? I think so.

  133. I agree that the void in the office takes time to adjust to. Sure, I like the idea of Jim and Pam together, but wouldn’t it be interesting to see if we eventually get used to the idea of Jim and Pam with other people? It could happen. If they’re normal, attractive, dateable people (and they are), it WILL happen at some point.

    Mergers often result in job losses, so it will be interesting to see who remains if and when there is a merger.

    As an aside, if Michael gets fired, I will be devastated. I did NOT like the way it was handled with David Brent’s character. He came off as SUCH a pathetic and angry man. Josh is okay, and probably a better employee/manager, but he doesn’t have as many “interesting” traits as Michael.

    It’s the emotion, the disappointment, the thrills, the laughs, the sadness and the devotion that keep us coming back to see what’s next. And that’s what helps make this a brilliant show.

    It’s still my favorite comedy on TV. I have a Smallville addiction, but it’s in a totally different category than The Office. Thursday nights are great for me!

    Even if I may be unsure of the direction of some of the episodes, it still rocks my socks off. I will never “quit”. I’m just so glad it went past what they did in Season 1, which was wayyy under-par.

  134. One more thing. People have commented on Pam’s sensitivity to Michael’s feelings. Jim is very in tune with that, too. It makes all three characters more likeable/believable.

  135. ok, did anyone else notice that Pam drives a GTI?? How cool is that!!! She just scored uber points.

  136. What are you guys talking about? Karen and Jim don’t ahve good chemistry… Karen is… Cold. And Jim is warm. Pam is warm and Jim is warm. Good match? I think so. :D

  137. Wonderful !!!!!! It just gets better and better. I can’t wait to watch that one again and again. 10 out of 10

  138. What is it with this Jim and Pam thing? One reason Ricky Gervais’ office was brillant was the fact that he knew that 2 passive aggresive submissive personalities would NOT get together unless happenstance occured, and even then…I doubt it would last very long

    Same thing with character of Jim and Pam, both have the same traits…and a REAL relationship usually works when one person is a dominant personality and one is a submissive one. One reason the Karen and Jim thing seems more real…more likely to happen.

    and I am sick of hearing the cutesy puke inducing acronymn JAM…ugh

  139. I didn’t watch most of last season till late in the year and caught up on ITunes, watching much of the season over the span of a couple weeks. I think I’m just responding to the show a little differently now that I’m watching it every week with a week between episodes.

    And like some people I’m responding a bit to Jim and Pam not interacting anymore because it was a favorite aspect of season 2 for me (obviously not everyone feels that way). I’m sure the writers have some long term plan in mind, and I’ll watch every step of the way regardless of any reservations I have about their relationship being abruptly “amputated.”

  140. This season has slowly but surely been growing on me. And this past episode did not stop that trend. For the first time this season, we got to see the whole office get involved in something, and that is why this show is so great, because of that ensemble cast and their dynamic. Michael having everyone gather around in a circle, regardless of the reason, is hilarious.

    And it also seems like Pam is finally doing okay. But I noticed something else too. Roy got her out of that grief counseling session, that’s something Jim would have done. Ryan recognized and contributed to Pam’s movie-set death stories, that’s something Jim would have done. And even Pam having Dwight help out with the funeral stuff, that’s something Jim would have done. (Maybe not the recorder haha, but you get the idea.) People in the office, even if it’s unintentional, are being Jim for her. She still misses him.

    And Karen is a sad excuse for Pam. Pam is Karen 6.0. Watching her flirt with Jim is like having my soul getting hit in the crotch by a frozen sledgehammer.

  141. awesome episode….and damn Karen is kinda hot…but yet so is Pam…..man sucks to be Jim doesn’t it.

  142. Karen is awesome. She is winning me over with her sexy french linguistic skills and her Call of Duty fandom.

  143. It looks like this seasons is finally warming up! Still, I can’t wait for BJ’s and Mindy’s eps to air (next week for BJ’s, yay!). Okay, I’m not about to abandon the JAM love, but I thought Roy was being really sweet to get Pam out of that meeting (not that it worked). I like the interaction between those two more than I’m liking the Karen/Jim scenes right now.

    Does anyone else think that Stanley looks like a muppet in a really cute way? A friend told me that last season and that was all I could think of when he said, “you have just spit in my face” (well, that and what Jim would look like impersonating him).

  144. mrwright: that was not a GTI…i’m pretty sure it was a toyota yaris. so did her points go down? heh.

  145. Watching her flirt with Jim is like having my soul getting hit in the crotch by a frozen sledgehammer.

    Goin Mach 5, that is priceless.

  146. Listen to you guys! You’ve got it soooo wrong. Karen might be cute and funny and all, but look back at all the great Jam moments. Pam is freaking AMAZING! She’s really quite something. Look back on it, and compare the Jam moments to the Jaren moments. They just don’t compare.

  147. Loved last night’s episode! Pam was so sweet to do her little speech for Michael. I liked seeing her stepping out of her box and leading things without the help of Jim. And Jenna Fischer’s singing debut!

    I hate to say it but I’m a definite Jaren fan. Jam is great, but Jaren isn’t all that bad either. They both have that cute, just starting out crushing thing going on.

  148. Oh I so agree about this season getting better and better. This episode was the FUNNIEST so far, i think. Ahh Dwight’s comment about the statue/robot “if it turns on us” or something –that was the best.

    Wow i really didn’t realize BJ Novak had written all those episodes (Brett -159- posted)! Those really are the funniest ones (Diversity Day & The Fire are my favorites)

    Ohh how are you guys not into the Jim/Karen situation? Pam is so last season, commmon! And Karen’s not cold! Obviously she’s different from Pam…but aren’t you guys just a little bit sick of Jim & Pam blahblah unrequited love blah. Yeah it’s cute & all, but it’s so tiring waiting for something to happen!
    Yay Stamford branch

  149. Wow. This episode wasn’t as funny as the last three, but still really good. I loved all the Jaren moments, but I think its time for Jim to at least ‘bump’ into Pam. That’s going to be an interesting scene.

    Well, I can’t wait for the next one! The Office keeps me alive!

    -jahmagic

  150. Anybody notice the vending machine at the beginning had massive amounts of Herr’s, including S&V?

    Okay episode, better on the second viewing when you can skip the singing…

  151. after what happened in season 2, how can you ever expect things to be the same in season 3?! you can deny, get angry/depressed, bargain, etc. but you gotta accept the fact that things are different.

    boohoo jim is not in scranton… what did you expect? he’s been thinking about transferring since conflict resolution, so accept it. the pain you’re feeling right now is exactly what the writes wanted you to feel, and you falling for their bait.

  152. Wow i tried to give this episode a 9 rating but it said I gave it a 6. This is very upsetting.:(

  153. Great show. Loved the way Pam helped to make Michael be able to show his emotions about his friend dying. Hated what Dwight did to the bird. That was uncalled for. Sometimes he is heartless. Then yelling at those guys to clean it up. Very rude. They should have told him to clean it up.

  154. All future comments which attack others’ viewpoints, either directly or indirectly, will be deleted.

    All past comments which contain personal attacks will be edited as deemed necessary.

    Please y’all, behave yourselves.

  155. Some people (myself definitely included) have said that they did not enjoy this episode. They have done this without calling out anyone who has said that they enjoyed this episode. Simple expression of differing viewpoints.

    If I dislike an episode, I expect to be able to say that much and give my reasons.

    I’m fine with venturing away from the formula from last season; I’m not fine with the formula they’ve switched to. It just doesn’t work for me.

    It’s a tv show. It’s not a math problem with a definite correct answer. It’s not a political issue with global ramifications. IT’S A TV SHOW. Opinions are to be encouraged, not discouraged.

  156. Wow this was definitely the best episode so far.

    I do think they’re getting better and better. Last week’s was great and this was just amazing. I was laughing out loud the whole time.

  157. oh, whoops. i guess i was out of line. heat of the moment i suppose heh (and since my message got edited like crazy). basically, what i wanted to say was, change was bound to happen, and consequently it should not be consistently compared to something it’s obviously different from, because no matter what, it won’t be the same… and we should just keep an open mind to change.

  158. …well, at least we now know how dwight got his grandfather’s tux from casino night!

    …and the fact that his grandfather’s reburial in an old oil drum inspired dwight to attempt to stuff a bird in a soda can… kind of creepy in an oddly humorous way…

  159. I got so into Jim and Pam, and now there’s nothing. The show is just different… it’s still hallarious, i just want things back the way they used to be

  160. This was a top 10-12 episode for me, and that’s saying a lot because I think this is the greatest comedy ever… it’s like Seinfeld with a conscience.

    It’s fascinating to read all of the different interpretations of JAM, Karen, etc. The way I view it is that I know that Jim and Pam are soul mates in the truest sense of the word, so it really doesn’t matter to me when or how (or even if) they end up getting together. I am equally compelled now by how they move forward in their lives (relationships, personal growth, etc.) as I was last year when they were a couple in substance but not in fact.

  161. Let me rephrase that. I care. Of course I want them to get together. What was I saying?

    You are such an idiot, Dwigt.

  162. Good episode, as always. My two favorite parts would be: 1) Ryan’s story about his cousin Mufassa being killed by wildebeests, and 2) Jim calling some warehose for the chips and saying his store number was 6. Haha, it was a small but cute moment with him and Karen.

    …But I’m still waiting for an episode where Jim and Pam encounter each other.

    P.S. – I’m really excited for the Diwali episode (Nov. 2). That’s gonna be interesting. :)

  163. Just checked out the deleted scenes for this episode on the NBC site. It is basically just one scene from the conference room. But I noticed that it’s labeled “Clip 1”. Does that mean they will be posting more? Or am I missing where the other clips are located?

    Michael is so unbelievably hard on Toby!!

  164. I found this episode hilarious during the begining… the last 10 minutes we’re pointless though.

    Mostly, I was on the floor when Dwight told us about how he has the strength of a grown man AND a little baby. Pretty gross.

  165. How ironical…

    Today I go outside and find a dead bird in the driveway, but at first I didn’t think it was a dead bird. The first I thought was I “should check it’s breathing.” It was obviously dead since it was headless when I found it. But remember, you can’t get diseases from a bird.

    Anyways, it was an awesome episode. The only think I thought it was lacking was some JAM, but instead of that, we got treated to RAM.

    Best Quote of the epiosde (in my opinion): If I can get them depressed, then I have done my job.

  166. I’ve rewatched this a dozen times on YouTube and I cannot help but cry myself to tears when Michael talks about how he feels about Ed’s death.

    Grief bone? Boiling tears? Frozen sledgehammer to the crotch?

    This was too much fun. And how cute is Jim with Karen? I’m still pulling for Jim and Pam, obviously. But you cannot deny their chemistry. It’ll be quite interesting to see where they take this.

  167. Yeah. Wow. Learn to proofread, English Major…

    “Laugh myself to tears…”

    So, I’m going to go now.

  168. When Pam was talking about the death, what movie was that from? I know Ryan’s was ‘The Lion King’. haha. My cousin Mufasa. I laughed so hard. I loved that episode. Great. Along with Pam’s “But the warehouse coffee tastes so much better.” And the “with cream and sugar?”

    great episode.
    thanks for all the great quotes.

  169. I’m really upset that people are drifting away from the show. Jim didn’t leave! He still has roughly as much airtime as he did in the first two seasons! *I fully expect that comment to be ripped apart by people* But, I know that the Scranton Office seems too have lost a little of it’s spark. But I think that’s it’s starting to light it’s own fire. (strong feeling I pushed that Metaphore a bit far). And we all know Jim comes back, so don’t jump off the bandwagon just yet. And I really wish people would stop getting mad at the JAMMERS. The show has pumped us up for this relationship, and they seem to be letting it drift away. But I think they are fooling us.

  170. Did anyone else notice that as Michael talks to Jan about Marting Luther King Day he is looking at the picture of him and Ed Truck and covers up Ed’s head with a peice of paper……as if to see what he looks like without his head. Nice.

  171. “I lost Ed Truck. And it feels like somebody took my heart, and dropped it into a bucket of boiling tears.”

    That was my fav line of this episode. The whole conference room scene was just great. I also really liked that Michael didn’t recognize Million Dollar Baby or the Lion King, but he instanly remembered Weekend at Bernies. Classic stuff.

    I think overall this was probably the best episode from beginning to end so far this season. It is still not quite up to the level of season 2 but this was probably the most consistent of the eps so far this season. I really enjoyed the second half of the convention episode but overall this was a better episode.

    I know some people are hating KAJIM and don’t see any chemistry, but I think there is definitely some chemistry. The chips thing didn’t seem forced to me, it was Jim being Jim. Very good episode not quite season 2 status but very good.

  172. Ben,

    I notice Michael picturing what Ed looked like without a head on the second viewing and it became my favorite part of the episode…classic!

  173. If you have the episode in your computer, go to the 16:26, the Kelly crying scene, look, there’s a woman with grey hair… who is she?

  174. Because the first four episodes aren’t as good as anything in the 22 from last year? Not saying this is so…I’m just saying this may be what some people think. And people can think whatever they’d like. For myself, I’m finding second viewing better than first.

    Agus, good eye. Perhaps this is someone filling in while Oscar’s on vacation. She apparently wasn’t invited to the bird funeral. Notice Ryan while Pam is singing “on the wings of love”. The look on his face, with Kelly clutching him, is priceless.

  175. (Especially considering they were in the one department, with three people, doing the work of two. See Halloween.)

  176. I take it like a mistake or like a.. i don’t know, cleaning lady for example. I really don’t belive she’s gonna be a character. (sorry for my english)

  177. I took it as though Pam maybe used some of her wedding savings to buy her car. I know they were saving up and she only mentions that they had to pay for the food (which they are eating now), so I would assume she got some money back from location/DJ, etc. It’s not a flashy car. I called off an engagement (after graduating college…I was too young), and I took the money I had been saving and went to Europe to start a new chapter in my life. I would think Pam is trying to do the same, but with a car.

  178. Yes, true… She could have used wedding money to get the car. BUT- sorry to harp on this- as a receptionist she still realistically wouldn’t be making much money, unless they pay much better in Scranton than where I live- haha. Jim had a roomate- and logically he (as a salesman) would have been making more money than her… I know I’m nit-picking. Sorry everyone.

  179. It isn’t that unbelievable that Pam was able to buy a car. She’s single and while taxes take out a big chunk of your paycheck when your single you also get a lot of chances to save quite a bit of money. Plus assuming that while she was living with Roy she split a lot of the costs she probably saved up quite a bit of money that way. I don’t know how the housing prices are in that part of the country but the car is not that unbelievable. It’s not like she got a benz or some fancy car. She also might have financed the car.

  180. Pam’s driving a Nissan Versa. This car starts at $12,500 + she’s probably leasing it. I’d like to think that she can make enought to afford a car like that

  181. Thanks littlekidlover!

    Well, I guess what it all comes down to is that television isn’t reality, right? She is pretty much leading every woman-who’s-engaged-to-a-dud’s dream. So good for her.

    I do actually have a life believe it or not, and honestly The Office is the only show on TV right now that I absolutely refuse to miss on a weekly basis. My husband and kids knew not to mess with me on Thursdays at 8:30 or else!!!

    Speaking of characters changing, try watching season 1 again. Unbelievable how much everyone has changed- most notably Kelly.

  182. Hey,it is so American to buy something we know we can’t really afford,such as a car,and then be in debt for years and years.So I think it is very realistic about Pam getting a new car.And, it’s not like it was a BMW or something.

  183. WOW! – Jenna (Pam) just updated her myspace blog. She gives her take on why Pam and Jim aren’t together, and why they haven’t contacted each other. its pretty interesting (check it out @ blog.myspace.com/pambeesley)

  184. is the itunes contest done randomly or by best comment?
    Because it doesnt say wut its judged by in the page…

  185. Does anyone else think that Creed made up the story that Ed was decapitated? I mean come on, its Creed! Its not like Jan confirmed it or anything.

  186. Does anyone have a link to that “old,” picture of Michael with Ed Truck. The pic where he has the long hair. That picture is hilarious.

  187. More mediocrity from a mediocre Season 3. I guess the Krasinki chemistry cemented the cast together. Think about it, he organized most of office antics that made the show so funny. The writers took a big risk moving Jim to Stanford and so far I hate the results. Am I alone? How are the ratings?

  188. I just looked up some receptionist jobs in PA, and all of them start at about $10 – $15 an hour. Here $7 an hour would barely be minimum wage, so I’m sure she would get more than that (although, I’m sure their minimum wage is also lower). $15 an hour would almost double her salary from the numbers you had originally estimated…

    And Kelly has totally changed so much since season 1. It’s crazy. It seems to me it started when she shared the office space with Jim for an episode, that’s when I noticed it…

  189. aww its so sweet how Michael cries at the end, thats one thing I love about Michael and his crazy jokes.

  190. This episode has my favorite line in it:
    Ryan: A few years ago, my family was on a safari in Africa, and my cousin, Mufasa, was um, he was trampled to death by a pack of wildebeests, and um, we all took it really hard. All of us, kind of in the audience, of what happened.

  191. hahaha! i could not stop laughing when michael said:WHAM! His capa is detated from his head!

    that was too funny! this episode was really good!

  192. So Ryan and Kevin make their stories from movies. Is Pam’s story (about the female boxer) a movie/story too? If anyone knows the movie/book/story, reply please! :)

    [from tanster: the movie is “Million Dollar Baby” with Hilary Swank.]

  193. 5 years too late but only got introduced to US office 6 months ago… Has nobody made the link that Creed made this story up. Ed truck, Head (‘Ed) taken off by a TRUCK.

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