# The Office 10/16 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 16, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033 "2009-10-16T15:18:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ShadiRoxan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@ShadiRoxan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadiRoxan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/1 "2009-10-16T15:18:35Z")
What did everyone think? I could barely watch it, it was just making me cringe too much. Jim and Pam can’t leave at the same time. There’s not enough balance to the show. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/2 "2009-10-16T15:34:52Z")
> [@ShadiRoxan](#): > > Jim and Pam can’t leave at the same time. There’s not enough balance to the show. I like how they played that. The ‘axis of reason is weak’ or whatever was the line of the show. Also enjoyed Jim’s screwing with Michael on the phone. I think it was a decent show, but not awesome. I wish they’d explored Kevin’s ‘identity theft’ angle some more. I also enjoyed the battery boost and all the fake engine parts. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/3 "2009-10-16T16:00:25Z")
I found the ‘identity theft’ bit a little weak. Why would Kevin pretend to be Jim in the first place? But using his office for farting, that was funny. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/4 "2009-10-16T16:06:14Z")
I missed the last 10 or so minutes, but I did like how Oscar had to become the voice of reason. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/5 "2009-10-16T16:34:07Z")
I missed the first 5 or so minutes and thought Kevin was trying in an odd way to help Jim. Years ago a friend of friend came up with a credit card… well, fraud- it was fraud. He gave his credit card to a friend who taking a trip. He said his friend could use the card for afew days to pay for food. Then he would report his card stolen and with fraud protection he wouldn’t have to pay for it and his friend would have gotten free food and the amount wouldn’t really have been enough for the CC company really investigate it too much. He could easily prove he hadn’t been to any of the places. A criminal win/win. It worked. I thought maybe Kevin was trying to do something like that without Jim knowing. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/6 "2009-10-16T16:36:41Z")
I now hate Kevin. The show is repeatedly hammering the idea that Kevin smells bad, so anytime he is onscreen, I get an intense feeling of revulsion. It angers me that he would intentionally fart up someone else’s enclosed office and when Kevin laid on Jim’s desk, I envision him inadvertantly rubbing his nasty toxic foot sweat everywhere. To me, this is a violation on par with leaving a bowel movement on the carpet and shutting the door so a terrible surprise awaits someone a week later. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/7 "2009-10-16T17:23:39Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > I thought maybe Kevin was trying to do something like that without Jim knowing. I think you’re reading into it too far. Kevin reflexively answered the phone, and tried to cover up the fact that he wasn’t supposed to. He figured, “Hey - I can pretend to be Jim for a few minutes, hang up, and get out of here.” Once he realized it was backfiring, he couldn’t undo the damage. Notice that he tried to come clean at the end of the phone conversation? If he was trying to pull that stunt, he wouldn’t have done that. ---
**Author:** ![ProfessorX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@ProfessorX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProfessorX)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/8 "2009-10-16T17:54:18Z")
Kevin has been on fire lately, these last 2-3 episodes he has been totally killing it. The credit card things was great. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/9 "2009-10-16T17:56:51Z")
I figured Kevin was trying to help Jim. In his mind, he probably thought that someone had actually stolen the card, and he could help Jim out. At the time, he probably didn’t realize that charges in Puerto Rico might look suspicious. And, like he said, it was all happening so fast he didn’t have time to think. I like that he asked Oscar if there was anything they could do “accounting-wise.” ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/10 "2009-10-16T17:57:38Z")
What was the ending scene? My DVR cut it off. It looked like Kevin was in Jim’s office again talking to someone on speakerphone. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/11 "2009-10-16T18:33:01Z")
The main plotline with the Mafia angle was just. . .stupid. This show is rapidly heading towards cancellation if they can’t come up with better material. ---
**Author:** ![Waffle\_Decider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/77aa72/32.png) [@Waffle\_Decider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waffle_Decider)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/12 "2009-10-16T18:35:22Z")
> [@Electronic\_Chaos](#): > > I like that he asked Oscar if there was anything they could do “accounting-wise.” And of course, the best part of that conversation was Kevin thought Oscar would LOVE prison! Poor Oscar… ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/13 "2009-10-16T18:43:00Z")
> [@Electronic\_Chaos](#): > > I figured Kevin was trying to help Jim. In his mind, he probably thought that someone had actually stolen the card, and he could help Jim out. At the time, he probably didn’t realize that charges in Puerto Rico might look suspicious. And, like he said, it was all happening so fast he didn’t have time to think. Except the conversation didn’t give ANY indication of what it was for. It was “Mr. Halpert - could I confirm your address? Can you confirm the last 4 digits of your social security number?” THEN they informed him what it was for. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/14 "2009-10-16T19:15:05Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Except the conversation didn’t give ANY indication of what it was for. It was “Mr. Halpert - could I confirm your address? Can you confirm the last 4 digits of your social security number?” THEN they informed him what it was for. No - just watched it on Hulu. The woman started off saying “Mr Halpert? I’m calling from the Identity Theft dept. of Capital One. We’ve detected some unusual activity on your credit card.” THEN asked for the identifying info. Kevin should just have said he wasn’t Jim at that point. Instead he tried to be helpful by finding Jim’s address & SSN (since he works in accounting I guess), and once she “confirmed” he was Jim and wasn’t in Puerto Rico, she cancelled the card. I thought it was a dull episode, except for Creed and Toby. Creed’s list of small talk topics: “Peas, ball bearings, dimes.” was great. ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/15 "2009-10-16T19:20:34Z")
The best part of the episode was the beginning. Michael: Notice Fundamental has a mental in it, as in your insane if you don’t enjoy it. Toby: Yeah, but FUN is in it. Michael: Get out. Toby: Yeah I know. Michael: What topics can you use for small talk? Creed: Peas, ball bearings, dimes. Michael: What you guys don’t know about business I could fill a book with. Ryan: Then do it. Write a book. > [@Munch](#): > > Except the conversation didn’t give ANY indication of what it was for. It was “Mr. Halpert - could I confirm your address? Can you confirm the last 4 digits of your social security number?” THEN they informed him what it was for. The conversation went: > [@](#): > > Rep: Mr. Halpert, I’m calling from the identity theft department at CapitalOne. We’ve detected some unusual activity on your credit card. > Kevin: Oh man! Do you think it was stolen? > Rep: First, would you mind verifying your home address? Kevin was pretty clearly trying to help Jim and by “helping” screwed him over. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/16 "2009-10-16T19:27:45Z")
Meredith: I caught my son taking dump on the uppert part of the toilet seat. He likes to call it an “upper decker”… ---
**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:** [October 16, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/17 "2009-10-16T20:54:34Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > No - just watched it on Hulu. The woman started off saying “Mr Halpert? I’m calling from the Identity Theft dept. of Capital One. We’ve detected some unusual activity on your credit card.” THEN asked for the identifying info. Kevin should just have said he wasn’t Jim at that point. Instead he tried to be helpful by finding Jim’s address & SSN (since he works in accounting I guess), and once she “confirmed” he was Jim and wasn’t in Puerto Rico, she cancelled the card. I think Kevin panicked and was afraid Jim would get mad about him being in his office. And then he thought he was being helpful. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/18 "2009-10-16T21:10:14Z")
Doesn’t Pam have any credit cards of her own? :dubious: Or did she just cancel them all the moment she got married to use Jim’s credit? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/19 "2009-10-16T21:37:35Z")
Maybe they called Pam’s desk and Angela “helped”. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033/20 "2009-10-16T21:37:45Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > I think Kevin panicked and was afraid Jim would get mad about him being in his office. And then he thought he was being helpful. I honestly thought at first that it was really a phishing scam and Kevin was gonna give away Jim’s info to an identity thief. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-10-16/514033.md?page=2)