# The Office 12/4 "The Surplus" (spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2008, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800 "2008-12-05T02:47:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/61 "2008-12-07T17:45:14Z")
> [@CaveMike](#): > > I was expecting Jim would surprise Pam by buying her a new chair himself. That would have been lame and the actual episode’s resolution was much better. A week or so ago I remember some posters saying they thought Jim was always doing too much to try to make Pam happy without her doing much in return. I don’t totally agree with that, but their relationship this season has sometimes seemed imbalanced and with Jim worrying much more about what Pam was thinking/feeling than she was about him. I’m happy this episode showed that Jim doesn’t just do whatever Pam wants and that their relationship can withstand disagreement and a little friendly competition. Pam is clearly much more willing to stand up for herself than she was before, which is great, but she’s not pushing Jim around and that’s great too. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/62 "2008-12-07T18:53:13Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > In an earlier season, Ryan set up a Word document that Creed believes is an online blog; I’d like to see Creed writing in it sometime, partly just to see how he types. I’d guess two-finger, and hitting the keyboard really hard. Maybe his poor typing skills explains why his [blog](http://blog.nbc.com/CreedThoughts/) has been inactive lately. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/63 "2008-12-07T19:42:50Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > I face the direction of Wegmans when I pray. 😉 Wegmans rules. Fifthing the Wegmans love! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to move someplace that doesn’t have a Wegmans. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/64 "2008-12-07T22:41:01Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > \ > The scene where Michael phones David and asks him to make the decision “so I won’t be the bad guy”, I wondered momentarily (not for the first time) how David can possibly keep Michael on as a manager. Then again, I can believe in the home office just not caring, as long as the numbers coming out of Scranton are still good. There was another great line this episode during this scene - Michael is choking on the cocoa powder, and David asks Michael at one point if that is what he called him about. I think David has a good idea about Michael. 🙂 ---
**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:** [December 7, 2008, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/65 "2008-12-07T23:44:09Z")
Wow. I don’t know exactly how to respond to the Wegmans love. Umm… trying my best for you guys, like… most of the time. I’m nice and work hard. Not sure I want to do it forever, but now I guess I should just be happy I have a pretty stable job. So… I don’t speak on behalf of Weggie’s but, thank you…? ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/66 "2008-12-08T00:05:14Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Fifthing the Wegmans love! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to move someplace that doesn’t have a Wegmans. Don’t do it. It’s horrible. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/67 "2008-12-08T00:19:35Z")
> [@carlb](#): > > When I heard him on the phone with David Wallace, I almost screamed, “You idiot! You don’t tell the boss you have a surplus. That negates the effect of spending it - he’ll know it was there anyway.” The bonus was an interesting twist. This just adds more evidence to my “nobody at Dunder-Mifflin is good at their job” theory. Apparently it extends far beyond the Scranton branch. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/68 "2008-12-08T01:06:37Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > This just adds more evidence to my “nobody at Dunder-Mifflin is good at their job” theory. Apparently it extends far beyond the Scranton branch. Not really. It’s actually a good idea in that you’re giving your branch manager encouragement to come in under budget. If Michael had known about the bonus before telling the rest of the branch about things, DM would have saved $3850 or so. -Joe ---
**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:** [December 8, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/69 "2008-12-08T02:12:06Z")
> [@carlb](#): > > Count me as a fan of the episode. When I heard the set-up, that Michael had to spend $4,300 by the end of the day, I was sure that it was going to turn into another of those totally over-the-top episodes where Michael come up with some hare-brained idea that, in the real world, would get him fired and expose the company to huge liability. Instead, it stayed kind of realistic, albeit exaggerated. Exactly, me too. Oscar offered the balance that has often been missing. > [@carlb](#): > > I also love that _every_ time we get a shot of Creed’s desk he’s got a solitaire game running. This week had consecutive shots of Meredith and Creed – both with solitaire on their computers. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/70 "2008-12-08T03:48:22Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Not really. It’s actually a good idea in that you’re giving your branch manager encouragement to come in under budget. > > If Michael had known about the bonus before telling the rest of the branch about things, DM would have saved $3850 or so. > > -Joe Except taking the bonus would not only piss off the staff, it would send the message that they themselves have no incentive to save the company money in the future. Besides, this is the guy who, whenever Michael comes to him with a dumb question, never wonders, “Why haven’t I fired him yet?”. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/71 "2008-12-08T04:34:32Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Not really. It’s actually a good idea in that you’re giving your branch manager encouragement to come in under budget. > > If Michael had known about the bonus before telling the rest of the branch about things, DM would have saved $3850 or so. > > -Joe You also have to wonder why Oscar knew about the bonus, but Michael didn’t. I can’t speak for all managers, of course, but I suspect that all the managers I’ve know knew **very well** about their bonus structure. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/72 "2008-12-08T13:26:33Z")
> [@carlb](#): > > I also love that _every_ time we get a shot of Creed’s desk he’s got a solitaire game running. I’m waiting for the day they put something else on his computer, just to see who’s paying attention to the backgrounds. SDMB, maybe? I didn’t see this, but apparently during this episode, Meredith had Television Without Pity on her monitor. The TWOP boards were squeeing mightily. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/73 "2008-12-08T13:48:18Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > You also have to wonder why Oscar knew about the bonus, but Michael didn’t. I can’t speak for all managers, of course, but I suspect that all the managers I’ve know knew **very well** about their bonus structure. I’m sure Michael has been told. I’m willing to bet it’s clearly outlined in his Managerial Procedures Handbook, that it was discussed during their annual budget meeting, and that it’s brought up now and then in the memos and e-mails from corporate. In other words, there’s no way Michael had any clue about it. * * * “Now what’s _that_ doing in the kitchen?!” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/74 "2008-12-08T13:55:25Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > The scene where Michael phones David and asks him to make the decision “so I won’t be the bad guy”, I wondered momentarily (not for the first time) how David can possibly keep Michael on as a manager. Then again, I can believe in the home office just not caring, as long as the numbers coming out of Scranton are still good. That’s what boggles my mind–how can they possibly have a surplus, even a small one? All those salespeople, paper sales declining… And the security guard…“Your parents give you $10 for a lemonade stand..” “I know what a surplus is.” “Lemme see the copier again.” ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/75 "2008-12-08T14:28:16Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > I’m sure Michael has been told. I’m willing to bet it’s clearly outlined in his Managerial Procedures Handbook, that it was discussed during their annual budget meeting, and that it’s brought up now and then in the memos and e-mails from corporate. > > In other words, there’s no way Michael had any clue about it. Not to mention, he didn’t even know what a budget surplus was at the beginning of the episode. So any mention of a “budget surplus bonus” Michael may have heard about in past meetings or memos might as well have been in Greek. ---
**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:** [December 8, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/76 "2008-12-08T19:13:56Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > You also have to wonder why Oscar knew about the bonus, but Michael didn’t. I can’t speak for all managers, of course, but I suspect that all the managers I’ve know knew **very well** about their bonus structure. But Michael doesn’t work at D-M for the money. If all he cared about was money, he’d be a doctor, or a professional athlete. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/77 "2008-12-08T19:17:13Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > But Michael doesn’t work at D-M for the money. If all he cared about was money, he’d be a doctor, or a professional athlete. True enough. (I know accountants and salespeople are natural enemies, but not even being able to understand a budget surplus? That’s a special kind of “not good with numbers.”) ---
**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:** [December 8, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/78 "2008-12-08T19:49:11Z")
I can’t believe I’m defending Michael, but I think he understood what a surplus is, just not the concept of having to spend it or your budget next year is reduced by that amount. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800/79 "2008-12-08T21:58:56Z")
> [@LionelHutz405](#): > > I can’t believe I’m defending Michael, but I think he understood what a surplus is, just not the concept of having to spend it or your budget next year is reduced by that amount. I agree with this, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he had no clue whatsoever what does and doesn’t get him a bonus. Remember, Michael is god-awful with money. He went so long without a raise at D-M that Darryl laughed at his salary, and he was totally baffled by Jan’s negotiation tactics designed to get Michael a better deal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-12-4-the-surplus-spoilers/475800.md?page=3)