Watching The Office

This week’s episode had three story arches involving Michael and Stanly, Dwight and Andy and lastly Pam’s ugly glasses. But before we get to that… I’m with Stanley when he said that Michael’s a professional idiot. Last week it was peanut butter on hair, this week it was this:

Michael thought it was a brilliant idea (from Jim no less) to leave his face print on the business park’s went cement.

I don’t really think I should be surprised anymore. From Day 1, Michael has always acted like an idiot. It’s just surprising that, as Stanley said — he does always find ways to top the stupid things he has done before.

MICHAEL and STANLEY

While I agree with Stanley on this, the “sass” he displayed on this week’s episode was really a display of disrespect. Sure, he’s got an idiot for a boss but if considers himself as a professional, then he knows better than to stoop down the idiot’s level.

Michael had called an emergency meeting to his staff for ideas on how to energize sales. To Michael’s credit, this scenario really did look like a legitimate ongoing among corporate people (first time I’ve seen Michael handle such meeting, right?). When he asked Stanley for his suggestion, he acted indifferently as usual and proceeded with his crossword puzzle. Michael pressed him on and on until Stanley snaps at him and shouts, “Did I stutter?!” leaving everyone else feeling awkward about what they just witness (I did feel the same, too!)

Michael lets this one go but Toby later sat down with him in his office to tell him that Stanley displayed a classic case of insubordination. But not wanting to look like the bad guy, Michael dismisses Toby and seeks advise from Dwight who suggested that based on his organization chart, he has an authoritative cloak over everyone in the office, if Michael gives him the power. Michael also went to Daryl at the basement who suggested the “fluffy fingers” technique, which involved gang members tickling each other till they end up hugging each other. It sounded gay.

So Michael comes up with his own solution — fake firing Stanley. Jim thinks it’s a bad idea and Toby tells him he can actually fire Stanley. But Michael would hear none of it…for after all, (sarcasm) all his ideas work in this office.(/sarcasm)

And as expected, Stanley’s public fake firing did not pan out and was met with a threat — Stanley was going to sue the company. He was very angry. Michael set him off and he comes back lashing at him until Michael himself got very angry, too. He asked everyone to leave the room except Stanley….who everyone thought was going to get it this time.

But as soon as the room empties, Michael cries and wonders what it is that makes Stanley hate him so. Stanley tells him outright — he has no respect for his boss. Hard as it was to hear it, Michael accepts it but still tells Stanley he cannot talk to his boss that way. It’s safe to say that this two have agreed to disagree. In a way, Michael as boss, was man enough to face a conflict and resolved it himself.

That rarely ever happens with him.

Now, he’s got a little bit of my respect.

DWIGHT and ANDY

You can tell how much of a brilliant salesman Dwight is when he convinces Andy to sell him his car for 1500 less than the asking price and then…

… resells the same for a higher value that very same day.

Dwight earlier witnessed how much Angela and Andy were enjoying each other’s company and perhaps to stroke his ego, he proves to himself he was a better salesman than his ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend.

PAM’s UGLY GLASSES

Earlier in the season, spoilers hinted of a disgusting secret about Pam. So was this is it? Her granny glasses? Nothing disgusting about that. Although, I agree that the look doesn’t suit her. But Creed doesn’t think so. He still thinks Pam is hot and would like to see her naked. Kevin, too — who we learned that all his girlfriends wore glasses.

There was a moment of another fake proposal by Jim, by the way. I think, like Pam, we’re supposed to expect this every episode to let our guard down. So that when the actual proposal happens, it should be magical. I hope.

Speaking of Jim…Ryan came by the office to meet with Toby. He sees Jim from outside the conference room and calls him in on the pretense that he was gonna ask him about the Eagles. And then Ryan swoops in, the ass that he is, and warns Jim about his slacking at work and his performance. Interestingly, is Ryan even aware that Jim could be having Ryan’s job back then, but instead he chose to stick to Scranton? I see a conflict about to get deeper and deeper….

The Office, The Office Season 4 Episode 12, The Office Recap, The Office Did I Stutter