Watching The Office

Before I do any recapping, I have to say that I loved Pam in this episode. She was great and even if she never gets Jim, that’s okay, because she is becoming her own character it seems and that’s wonderful.

Okay, now onto “Beach Games”

We begin with Michael and Dwight trying to self-diagnosis Michael by using some online medical site. We learn from Pam that…
Pam: “About forty times a year, Michael get really sick but has no symptoms. Dwight is always gravely concerned.”
Coincidently, the sickness comes with paper work. Hmmm.

Michael gets a call from David Wallace from corporate.
Michael: To what do I owe this honor David Wallace?”
David: “Michael, I am calling to…”
Michael: “And Grommit.” (Snickers)
David: *Sigh*
Michael: “Jan? Is Jan there?”
David: “Jan is out of town right now.”
Michael: “Oh. You sigh like Jan. I broke Jan’s heart, David. And I feel awful. It was never my intention to ruin a life, but you know what? Sometimes…”
David: “Michael?”
Michael: “Sometimes you just gots to get your freak on.”

David goes on to tell Michael that he wants to interview him for a position at management. Michael immediately starts thinking about who should replace him as regional manager.

As the office workers get ready for the big beach day, we learn that Toby will not be going. Someone has to stay behind and who does Michael dislike the most? Toby. Toby offers Pam his sunscreen (SPF30), and is crestfallen when he learns that Pam is going to be wearing a two-piece. Michael goes around the office to make sure everyone is ready.
Michael: “Oscar, you’ve brought your speedo I presume.”
Oscar: “I don’t wear a speedo, Michael.”
Michael: “Well, you can’t swim in leather pants.”
I wonder if Michaels knowledge of the gay culture comes entirely from watching The Village People.

Michael also approaches Pam.
Michael: “Hey, Pam. I have a very important job for you today.”
Pam: “I though we were just having fun at the beach.”
Michael: “We are. We are. But I would like you to take notes. And I want you to find out about people’s character. Now, not their hotness persay, but their humor and charisma and the indefinable quality that makes you all glad to follow me.”
Headshot of Pam: “I have the most boring job in the office, so why wouldn’t I have the most boring job on beach day?”
Sounds like Pam is going to have a GREAT time.

On the bus, Kevin breaks into song. The rest of the gain joins in on a rousing rendition of “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers. Mmmm….chicken…..

Once at the beach, Michael sets up a survivor-ish atmosphere and calls on teams captains, Dwight, Jim, Andy, and Stanley to pick teams.
Dwight’s team names theirselves Griffindor, and likewise, Jim names his team Voldemort. Stanley’s team is the Blue team and Andy’s team is Team America.
Michael: “Very good. Pam take a note. Andy is patriotic.”

In the background, Creed catches a fish with his bare hands.

The first event is an egg race. Participants will have to walk a race blind-folded carrying an egg on a spoon. Andy leads Kelly, but she gets freaked out thinking she might hit a huge rock. Dwight leads Ryan by screaming at him and Ryan flips out at Dwight. Jim leads Karen to water. Phyllis takes two steps for the Blue Team and drops the egg.

Next event, Michael had Pam cooks up hundreds of hotdogs for a hotdog eating contest. No one is really keen on the idea and in his frustration Michael finally reveals his plan. Whoever excells at these challenges will be the next regional manager. Stanley starts stuffing his face.
Stanley: “I would rather work for an up-turned broom with a bucket for a head than work for anyone else in this office besides myself. Game on!”

Creed walks up, “No one told me we were having hotdogs.” The fish he caught earlier is now only bones.

Meanwhile, Michael takes toll of his candidates so far.
Michael: “Jim Halpert. Pros: smart, cool, good looking. Remind you of anyone you know? Cons: Not a hard worker. I can spend all day on a project and he can finish the same project in 30 minutes. What does that tell you?”
He continues.
Michael: “Andy Bernard. Pros: He’s classy, he gets me, he went to Cornell, I trust him. Cons: I don’t really trust him.”

Anyway, we next join Dwight and Angela having a secret meeting.
Dwight: (Whispers) “Sabotage.”
Angela: “What? What are you saying? Did you say sandwich?”
Dwight: “No, I was saying that before, not now. Now I am saying, (whispers) sabotage. The ancient Dutch art of screwing up your own team.”
Angela: “I know you were saying sabotage. I was giving you an example of it. I will misunderstand everything that Andy says until he goes insane.
Dwight: “If Michael organizes some sort of support group, stand next to me.”

Well, wasn’t that a delightful and completely normal exchange.

Next event, sumo wrestling.
First up is Stanley and Jim. Stanley, with the possibility of taking over Michael’s job, rushes toward Jim with a crazed look in his eye. Being smart, Jim runs as fast as the fat suit will carry him and face plants it in the sand.
Next, Andy vs. Dwight. The battle goes on for a bit and during the match we hear a bit from Oscar as he looks on.
Oscar: “If either of these guys are put in charge, I will transfer to Albany. Bill can come if he wants. I’ve been looking for a way out of that relationship anyway. I think I might try girls for a while.”

Andy loses to Dwight twice and waddles down to the shore in the fat suit. He falls in and like a beetle on its back, he’s helpless. Angela walks by as Andy floats away, but uh oh, she can’t hear what Andy wants.
Angela: “Bye Andy!”

The last event is walking on hot coals. No one wants to, surprise surprise. Jim challenges Michael to do it if he’s going to ask his replacement to do it. Michael is unsuccessful and Dwight comes forward.
Dwight: “I will walk and stand on these coals until you award me the position of Regional Manager.”
Dwight ends up badly burnt.

Fed up with his crew, Michael gathers the troops in a circle and says that whoever can demonstrate his humor and leadership the best will get the job. He asks Jim to go first and this is when Michael learns that Jim will be interviewing for the same job as Michael. Michael doesn’t believe him however. Dwight comes forward with a rather confusing story about aristocrats. It is supposed to be humorous.

Meanwhile Pam gets up the courage to walk across the coals. She does it successfully and runs over to the group to tell them. This is the moment now, that a lot of fans have waited for. Pam finally stops being a mouse and she’s tells the group all of her feelings and Jim gets an earful.
Pam: “Hey! I want to say something. I’ve been trying to be more honest lately and I just need to say some things. I did the coal walk…just…I did it. Michael, you couldn’t even do that. Maybe I should be your boss. Wow! I feel really good right now. Why didn’t any of you come to my art show. I invited all of you and it really sucked. Like sometimes some of you act like I don’t exist. Jim, I called off my wedding because of you. And now we’re not even friends, and things are just weird between us and that sucks. I miss you. You were my best friend before you went to Stamford. I really miss you. I shouldn’t have been with Roy. There were a lot of reasons to call of my wedding. But the truth is that I didn’t care about any of those reasons until I met you. And now you’re with someone else and that’s fine. It’s whatever…it’s not what I’m…I’m not…okay my feet really hurt. The thing that I’m just trying to say to you, Jim, and to everyone else in the circle I guess, is that I miss having fun with you. Just you, not everyone in the circle. Okay, I’m going to walk in the water now…okay…good day.”

Bravo Pam! However, Michael insists that he needs someone will more a sales background.

We end with the whole gang back on the bus singing the theme song from the Flintstones.

Credits roll.

Don’t forget the hour long season finale next week!

The Office, Office episode recap, Beach Games Recap, NBC

-Anna