I read that Ed Helms was signed for a specific number of episodes, so it’s not like the writers weren’t planning on getting rid of the character.
Ryan never really struck me as being cool with respect to Jim anyway, always sort of distant and preturbed. I mean he clearly thinks the place is enough of a circus as it is.
Lots of great small moments, as usual.
Andy: “I made it on my computer. It took me forrrrrever…”
Jim: “Well done.”
Andy: “Thank you muchly.”
Jim: “…are you going to answer it?”
Andy: “It was me calling. I just wanted you to hear it.”
Jim: “Yikes.”
Michael, looking at Oscar’s Lexus SUV: “Nice! German engineering, eh? How many pesos did that run you?”
I figured it was so she could turn the ringer volume all the way up.
I came in here to comment on that. Andy’s freakout was foreshadowed way back in his first appearance, the season 3 premiere, where we first saw Jim at the Stanford office and met Karen and Andy. Jim put Andy’s stapler inside a Jell-O mold (just as he did to Dwight in the series pilot*), and Andy threw a tantrum, kicking over a trash can and demanding to know the culprit. Jim’s bemused, astonished face was priceless there too. So we already knew (but may have forgotten) Andy had a short fuse, and that he could dish it out but couldn’t take it.
*Yes, I’ve seen the entire British series, and I know Tim put Gareth’s stapler into a “jelly” first.
Ryan has always clearly regarded Dundler-Mifflin as beneath him. He gets along with Jim, but it’s obvious that he doesn’t think very highly of him. In one episode when Jim was going on vacation, he bet “Jim will end up spending a weekend in Philly”. He ended up with the desk because “Jim’s a nice guy…that’s why I go the desk”.
To a certain extent Jim IS Ryan plus about five years. At the beginning of the show, Jim made comments about how much useless paper knowledge he had and how he couldn’t handle moving up any higher since that would mean D-M was now his career. Now he’s the number 2 guy in the office. Ryan, like it or not is on the same track.
“Can I join too?”
“Never”
“I’m pretty sure none of that’s real” - Jim
“YOU’RE NOT REAL MAN!” - Creed
There’s still time for that sort of confrontation, I hope. I think Ed Helms has done a superb job of being a world-class prick and making me hate him. It takes talent to be the bad guy.
Jim’s admission to Karen that he still has feelings for Pam was also a very large admission to himself, methinks.
Andy has been sent to anger management training in the producer’s cut, which is supposed to keep him out of the office for 10 weeks, although he thinks he will finish in five.
Did you guys notice that Andy has now dubbed Ryan “Big Turkey”?
Oh yeah, one more.
Andy: “TGI Wednesday”
Andy: "Gonna go home and get my drink on. Get my Lost on.
So Andy is a Lostie? I pegged him as more of a CSI: Miami kind of guy.
I noticed that. I assume he saw Ryan eating a turkey sandwich once and the rest is history. 
If you haven’t watched the producer’s cut yet you must, just so you can watch Phylis shake her maracas for Michael. Good god this show is awesome.
They need to expand it to an hour. It’s the shortest 30 minutes in television history.
Okay this is confusing…I am in Denmark, so I buy them from iTunes as they come out. However, I remember all the stuff from the producers cut being in my episode. Also I noticed that it was 28 minutes long instead of 22. I must have that then. Boy I’m glad I got my iTunes account before I moved here!
Re: Pam and Jim prank
I guess Jim wouldn’t really have a reason to have Andy’s cell number. It makes sense that Pam could get it since her desk blocks Andy’s view of her hands. Good call.
I too think the show should be an hour. It’s over way too quick.
They show the producers cuts on NBC’s website. They’re free. You just go there and click on them.