# The Office 10/16/08 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 17, 2008, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301 "2008-10-17T01:23:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [October 17, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/41 "2008-10-17T20:52:53Z")
I must be crazy. I admit, I’m an Office fan. There are three shows on television now that I absolutely MUST catch, and this is one of them. Not only that but most of my friends from work, (all 23 to 28 year old, both male and female), come over to my place to hang out and watch it. All five, (I make six), agreed this was an excellent episode. Yes it’s a comedy, but it’s also a drama. It’s often light on the drama, but some of my favorite episodes are the that focus a little more on the trials of these characters. Then I think about the episodes I hate, like the one where Michael gives out gift baskets and drives his car into a lake, which are intended more to be "comedic. The Jim and Pam drama’s sad, but also sweet. It’s as if they were talking to each other at the end, even though they weren’t. It will make their reunion all the more enjoyable. It’s like Jim said; “that part will suck”. When I talk to other fans of the show, the complaints often revolve around the things of the show that are there to create tension. I love how tender Michael and Holly’s hug was. I was pissed at Michael for saying such bad things about her, but in the end he redeemed himself. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/42 "2008-10-18T00:01:08Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I really would have liked to see a scene where the $1,200 stroller got through Dwight’s abuse unscathed. See him give the stroller a nod of respect. That’s exactly where I thought it was going too. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/43 "2008-10-18T02:47:53Z")
No shout-out yet to Jim’s org chart? ---
**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:** [October 18, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/44 "2008-10-18T04:33:37Z")
A very weak episode, I thought. The “golden shower” line was just dumb, and I could swear they’ve used it before. Too much slapstick Dwight. Meredith is back to being the most underused character on the show; if I remember right, she got to say exactly one word (“Astird?”). The mock-Geddes baby salad was cute. The funniest line in the show was “She smells like old tomatoes and dirt.” ---
**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:** [October 18, 2008, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/45 "2008-10-18T04:41:45Z")
Could the baby have been Angela’s real life baby? I forgot when exactly she had one. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/46 "2008-10-18T07:42:24Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > EDIT: I honestly can’t think of a worse Office episode. Can anyone come up with at least a contender? So long as _Did I Stutter?_ from s4 exists, this episode can rest easy as ‘not-the-worst’. ---
**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:** [October 18, 2008, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/47 "2008-10-18T14:16:07Z")
I liked this episode a lot. The only flaw was that stupid bit with Dwight and the stroller. Actually, Dwight giving birth to the melon was bad too. Bad week for Dwight. Parallel messages, Michael and Holly, great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/48 "2008-10-18T15:18:48Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > A very weak episode, I thought. The “golden shower” line was just dumb, and I could swear they’ve used it before. Too much slapstick Dwight. Meredith is back to being the most underused character on the show; if I remember right, she got to say exactly one word (“Astird?”). The mock-Geddes baby salad was cute. The funniest line in the show was “She smells like old tomatoes and dirt.” Well, Ryan got to say nothing. And yes, **Frostillicus** , that was funny too: Jim explaining that the baby was related to Michael through “delusion.” ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/49 "2008-10-18T17:46:02Z")
Does everyone 100% think that Jan was being malicious asking Michael not to date Holly? I wondered if she was trying to be “nice” in order to get him to move on knowing she could manipulate him …not saying so just “I wonder if” ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/50 "2008-10-19T02:58:37Z")
I’ll be one of the odd ones out and say I liked the episode. I think it was meant more for character development than humor for this week. That being said, it probably would have worked better as the premise for a season premier after a cliff hanger like Michael about to ask Holly out and just as he does, seven month pregnant Jan walks in. Someone earlier mentioned Meredith. Look at “The Office” [deleted scenes](http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/video/categories/deleted-scenes/28287/) at NBC and you’ll see they’re cutting out the minor characters in favor of the main ones. A huge mistake IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Atomicflea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Atomicflea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomicflea)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/51 "2008-10-19T04:49:31Z")
I just caught it on [nbc.com](http://nbc.com) and I liked it. I had several laugh-out-loud moments, and I enjoyed the character development. I think it would get stagnant if things always went well for everyone. Where’s the fun in that? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/52 "2008-10-19T14:23:10Z")
> [@CaveMike](#): > > Dwight’s stuff was a little overdone (the birth scene and especially the car seat scenes). There really wasn’t a pay-off for the car seat scenes was there? I liked this one a bit better than last week’s, but I’ll admit that I might not have been in a receptive mood. The birth scene was overdone until Michael dropped the butter-covered watermellon baby on the floor. The stroller bit was funny but no big payoff. I’m so happy Michael finny stepped up and asked Holly out. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/53 "2008-10-19T14:34:12Z")
I missed this episode (except for the birthing of the watermelon). What was the Jim/Pam thing? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/54 "2008-10-19T14:43:45Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I missed this episode (except for the birthing of the watermelon). What was the Jim/Pam thing? You can watch the whole episode any time for free at [NBC.com](http://NBC.com) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/55 "2008-10-19T14:45:36Z")
“If a baby was the President there would be not taxes… …it actually would be pretty horrible for everyone…it’s really a better idea for a screenplay than something to actually do.” > [@jimmmy](#): > > Does everyone 100% think that Jan was being malicious asking Michael not to date Holly? I wondered if she was trying to be “nice” in order to get him to move on knowing she could manipulate him …not saying so just “I wonder if” Yes, Jan is self centered and malicious. It would not be past her to string Michael along even though she doesn’t want him. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/56 "2008-10-19T15:43:56Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > You can watch the whole episode any time for free at [NBC.com](http://NBC.com) I was hoping for the nickel tour. I don’t have time to watch it today. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/57 "2008-10-19T15:48:16Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I was hoping for the nickel tour. I don’t have time to watch it today. Jim and Pam tried calling each other to chat and tell each other about the crazy things going on. The first time, Pam was telling some long convoluted story about several people Jim doesn’t know and Jim kept getting confused. At the end, Jim thought it was supposed to be a funny story, but Pam’s point was that the events she were describing were worrisome. Later, Jim tried to tell Pam about how insane Jan was behaving, but Pam was in a laundromat and couldn’t hear him. At then end of the show, they called each other exactly at the same time and left very similar messages on each other’s voice mail systems. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/58 "2008-10-19T16:03:13Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Jim and Pam tried calling each other to chat and tell each other about the crazy things going on. > > The first time, Pam was telling some long convoluted story about several people Jim doesn’t know and Jim kept getting confused. At the end, Jim thought it was supposed to be a funny story, but Pam’s point was that the events she were describing were worrisome. > > Later, Jim tried to tell Pam about how insane Jan was behaving, but Pam was in a laundromat and couldn’t hear him. > > At then end of the show, they called each other exactly at the same time and left very similar messages on each other’s voice mail systems. Thanks. Sounds kind of forgettable. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/59 "2008-10-19T16:13:37Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Thanks. Sounds kind of forgettable. The phone calls? Not a laugh riot but true-to-life and funny. We’ve all tried to follow (or feign interest in) a SO story about people we don’t know. The messages showed just how in tune and connected Pam and Jim are. It was really sweet. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301/60 "2008-10-19T18:34:01Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Thanks. Sounds kind of forgettable. The phone message part at the end was very sweet and touching. The other calls set that up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16-08/468301.md?page=4)