# The Office 1/24 - "Customer Loyalty" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 25, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321 "2013-01-25T15:02:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/21 "2013-01-26T16:38:05Z")
> [@BeeDubU2](#): > > Just spitballin’ here, but what if the real shocker is that Toby gets rejected by Nelly and then proceeded to strangle her? Outing himself as the strangler? Maybe? Love it ! re a Jim and Pam break-up… are there any examples of sitcoms that ended on a major downer like that after years and years of relatively happy times? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/22 "2013-01-26T16:42:12Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Love it ! > > re a Jim and Pam break-up… are there any examples of sitcoms that ended on a major downer like that after years and years of relatively happy times? Blackadder? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/23 "2013-01-26T17:02:16Z")
In the sitcom _Roseanne_: The last episode reveals that entire last season had been fictional, and that her husband had in fact died of a heart attack in the previous season. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/24 "2013-01-26T17:21:48Z")
Wasn’t the last episode of **Who’s the Boss** a little bit unexpected? I don’t remember much, but I think a lot of people expected a wedding but what they got was Tony moving away, only to come back to work for Angela again? I’ll have to look it up. edit: "…Angela tells Tony that she has to live her life and she does not want to stop him and moves back to Connecticut. As with the first episode Tony comes back and knocks on the door and Angela answers in her bathrobe, they get back together and he moves back. " ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/25 "2013-01-26T17:52:21Z")
Also, the last episode of The Wonder Years had a narrative bit that described the fate of all of the characters. Do I need to spoiler-box a decades-old show?The character of the father had died of a heart attack and the main character did not end up married to Winnie Cooper. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/26 "2013-01-26T18:02:01Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Also, the last episode of The Wonder Years had a narrative bit that described the fate of all of the characters. Do I need to spoiler-box a decades-old show?The character of the father had died of a heart attack and the main character did not end up married to Winnie Cooper. I don’t think that was really a downer ending. I mean, Kevin’s dad wasn’t going to live forever, and Kevin doesn’t wind up alone pining for Winnie or anything. He marries someone else, has kids, and remains friends with Winnie. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/27 "2013-01-26T19:10:09Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > In the sitcom _Roseanne_: > > The last episode reveals that entire last season had been fictional, and that her husband had in fact died of a heart attack in the previous season. Funny you cite that example. Please see my OP in this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=679199). ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/28 "2013-01-27T15:04:02Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Jim’s right, he just expressed himself and his frustrations uncharacteristicly jerky owing to his setbacks at work. Clearly he’s not just “doing it for himself.” Also, I think this is Pam’s character arc in this story. She will have to learn to see something through, not fear change, and break out of her safe rut. Jim’s only change will be to return to being nice, which is hardly an arc. I always hate how Hollywood portrays this dichotomy between family and career. As if having a successful professional career is some sort of bullshit hobby. A kid isn’t going to remember if daddy didn’t show up for some bullshit elementary school recital. They will remember daddy not being able to afford to send her to UPenn. Also, how does D-M let Jim work another job several days a week? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/29 "2013-01-27T15:14:41Z")
Do you not watch the show regularly? They explicitly addressed that earlier this season. He’s still getting his work done, and Stanley and Phyllis agreed to help him. (Remember when he took them out to dinner to ask for their assistance?) ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/30 "2013-01-27T17:56:54Z")
Yeah, and I’m pretty sure Jim got permission from David Wallace, as long as he was able to get Stanley and Phyllis to cover for him. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/31 "2013-01-27T18:21:34Z")
The best episode in quite a long time. I also loved the opening. Dwight cutting into the cushion was so … Dwight. But I’m puzzled how the object in the bathroom stayed there all that time. It was apparently someplace wet. But the Office toilets wouldn’t have tanks. Odd. Didn’t like the milkshake prank. I think showing this just encourages the idiots out there to do it. We don’t need more of that. (Now if they did something on the scale of the [Drive Thru Invisible Driver Prank](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVrJ8DxECbg), that’d be okay.) Toby and Nellie. The last time they were seen alone together, they were kissing. Some time has passed. And yet just now Toby is displaying affection towards her and she is now realizing what has happened. Also odd. … But funny. While I like Kevin, Meredith, etc., they can’t be given a lot to do in each episode. So it was nice that they were kept mostly in the background here. Meredith in a stupid blond wig. Nice touch. I think they are setting it up for Jim’s company to fold and he ends up back in Scranton trying to make amends. Darryl is going to be really unhappy. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/32 "2013-01-27T18:54:39Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Yeah, and I’m pretty sure Jim got permission from David Wallace, as long as he was able to get Stanley and Phyllis to cover for him. Also I’m pretty sure Jim isn’t still getting his full salary from DM. I think his moonlighting is going to become an issue and he’ll have to choose. > [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > In the sitcom _Roseanne_: > > The last episode reveals that entire last season had been fictional, and that her husband had in fact died of a heart attack in the previous season. Funny, I saw the wedding episode again last night on WE and just realized… …Darlene had to deal with her father dying on her wedding day, _at her wedding_. That never occured to me before. Her & Mark’s anniversaries must bring up some very mixed emotions. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/33 "2013-01-27T19:16:11Z")
> [@Fair\_Rarity](#): > > Having had that fight, it was really hard to watch. And having had that fight, Pam’s right. 🙂 Whoa, really? i feel bad for Pam but she seriously screwed up about something she was specifically told about and that she strenuously emphasized she could handle. Being more emotional about something doesn’t make you right. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/34 "2013-01-27T20:34:50Z")
Pam messed up but I’d say Jim’s overreaction was more wrong. Also, I’d say David Wallace would refuse Jim’s request to go part-time, or at least a severe reduction in pay. If they can get all the work done without Jim being there, why have him in the first place? I’d say it’d be more plausible for Jim to get Stanley/Phyllis to conspire to keep it from Wallace and bribe Dwight to keep his mouth shut too. No boss would keep Jim on in his current situation even in TV-land. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/35 "2013-01-27T20:52:56Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > Also, I’d say David Wallace would refuse Jim’s request to go part-time, or at least a severe reduction in pay. If they can get all the work done without Jim being there, why have him in the first place? I’d say it’d be more plausible for Jim to get Stanley/Phyllis to conspire to keep it from Wallace and bribe Dwight to keep his mouth shut too. No boss would keep Jim on in his current situation even in TV-land. Yeah, I feel the same way. It doesn’t make sense at all, unless he’s being paid part-time now. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/36 "2013-01-27T21:08:10Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Do you not watch the show regularly? They explicitly addressed that earlier this season. He’s still getting his work done, and Stanley and Phyllis agreed to help him. (Remember when he took them out to dinner to ask for their assistance?) No I get that. I just don’t think it’s realistic. No company would allow one of it’s people to work part time while moonlighting at a completely unrelated company in another city. At best it’s an unwanted distraction and at worst it’s just letting a valuable employee test the waters before he quits to pursue what he really wants to do. I know it’s a conceit of most workplace comedies that people can quit, get fired, go on long hiatus or whatever and their job is always waiting when they get back. But I think Jim’s situation is a bit much. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/37 "2013-01-27T21:14:36Z")
I don’t agree. In my experience, companies will bend rules for long-time, valued employees. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/38 "2013-01-27T21:16:52Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > Yeah, I feel the same way. It doesn’t make sense at all, unless he’s being paid part-time now. Which he is. They’ve mentioned that at least once. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/39 "2013-01-27T21:42:45Z")
Remind me, what exactly does Jim’s new company do again? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321/40 "2013-01-27T21:51:05Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Which he is. They’ve mentioned that at least once. That Jim’s making less? I don’t remember that, but I might attribute that to Office being extremely forgettable these past few years. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-1-24-customer-loyalty/648321.md?page=3)