Watching The Office

The Alliance opens with Dwight asking Michael about the possible downsizing. He is concerned, perhaps even threatened, that someone else would be chosen to stay over him. Michael tells him that it is something he shouldn’t be worried about. To the documentary crew, Michael says he takes no pleasure in firing a staff.

Dwight notices that people are mingling by the water cooler and gossiping. He suspects everyone is talking about the crisis that is looming in the office. Because he is excluded from this, he brings the water cooler by his table, so that he has more access to the office grapevine.

He approaches Jim for a possible secret alliance and Jim goes along for a ride. Jim tells Pam about it, but Dwight calls on him, reminding him that their alliance is supposed to be just between them. Jim reasons out that he is using Pam to get information, since she has access to Corporate, whenever Michael has meetings with them. Dwight buys Jim’s reason.

So Jim and Pam starts messing around with Dwight. First Jim tells him that there is also another alliance in the office and that they intend to have Dwight get the boot. Then Pam approaches Jim with an intriguing story, all within Dwight’s hearing and satisfaction. Next Jim tells Dwight there’s going to be a secret meeting in the basement and he volunteers to spy on that by hiding in one of the boxes.

Sensing that morale is down, Michael plans to hold an office birthday party for Meredith, who is actually celebrating hers the following month. Michael tells Pam to go ahead with the party today, at least it will really be a surprise for Meredith. A big birthday greeting card for Meredith is passed around and Michael agonizes over what to put. He wants his message to be the funniest, because his staff expected this from him. In the end, his message did not turn out to be funny and instead of bringing their spirits up, everyone is even more reminded of the possibility they could lose their jobs.

Towards the end of the day, Jim approaches Pam and excitedly tells her that he has convinced Dwight to spy on the Stamford branch wearing a blond wig. Jim nonchalantly grabs Pam and they are laughing, just as Roy, her boyfriend, walks in and sees them. He accuses Jim of making a move on Pam. Jim tried to explain to Roy saying that this was all because of his alliance with Dwight. But when Roy asked Dwight if this was true, he denied about the alliance.

Dwight: Do I feel bad about betraying Jim ? Not. At. All.
That’s the game, convincing we’re in an alliance, get some information, throw them to the wolves.

That’s politics, baby. Get what you can out of someone then crush them.
I think Jim might have learned a very valuable lesson.

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