# The Office 4/30 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 1, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981 "2009-05-01T16:07:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [May 2, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/21 "2009-05-02T01:01:22Z")
I liked that a lot of people stood up for once: Michael, Toby, but also Andy, when the sales people called Michael out for giving away their clients. Andy actually stood with his fellow salespeople and told Michael he was wrong. First time I’ve ever seen Andy stand up to Michael. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/22 "2009-05-02T01:28:24Z")
Meredith’s bit was hysterical and worth watching the episode. ---
**Author:** ![ShadiRoxan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@ShadiRoxan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadiRoxan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/23 "2009-05-02T03:39:10Z")
Dwight’s “casual” clothes are the same as his everyday work clothes. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/24 "2009-05-02T04:27:30Z")
> [@ShadiRoxan](#): > > Dwight’s “casual” clothes are the same as his everyday work clothes. Except he wasn’t wearing a tie! That makes it a completely different outfit. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/25 "2009-05-02T04:53:30Z")
I liked the Jim-Creed stuff, and seeing Michael show a little backbone. I thought the sales staff was being more dickish and entitled than they had to. Phyllis’ comment about “family” was especially manipulative and disingenuous. It’s not like anyone there has ever once reciprocated those sentiments except maybe Pam and Jim. “I’ve been sitting here all day with Creed…playing chess…Creed is winning. I feel like I’m describing a dream I had.” ---
**Author:** ![Diz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Diz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diz)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/26 "2009-05-02T06:53:21Z")
I was waiting for Michael to counter Phyllis by asking why, if they were a family, did none of them go with him when he left. But I suppose that would have made it more difficult to jump to Michael saying he was wrong… ---
**Author:** ![mshar253](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@mshar253](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mshar253)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/27 "2009-05-02T07:05:43Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Meredith’s bit was hysterical and worth watching the episode. Well, it would have been, had it been uncensored. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/28 "2009-05-02T10:57:05Z")
> [@Diz](#): > > I was waiting for Michael to counter Phyllis by asking why, if they were a family, did none of them go with him when he left. You mean, why they didn’t leave their stable job and run off with their whack-job boss to his non-existent paper company that he decided to start up because the CIO wasn’t treating him nicely enough? Maybe they have actual financial obligations like a mortgage to continue paying. Phyllis was right, Michael’s company did nothing but steal their clients by offering impossibly low prices. Then he wants the staff to welcome back the thieves with open arms. Sure, Phyllis and the others don’t share Michael’s “family values” but Michael is supposed to, and he didn’t. When he was taking away DM’s clients, he was also harming the sales staff, and taking their money away too. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/29 "2009-05-02T15:39:44Z")
He didn’t “steal” anything. He took those clients fair and square. They don’t have any spcial entitlement to them. He should have let them all walk. They acted like babies. It’s called “business,” not “preschool.” ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/30 "2009-05-02T15:43:24Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > I liked that this episode showed Michael playing hardball with the staff. It was a nice change from “I just want everyone to love me no matter what” Michael. > > -Joe “You need to go down there and bust some heads Chiklis style” “The Commish” “Yeah…more like The Shield.” I thought it was pretty funny how everyone kept including Jim in on their plans, even though he’s engaged to Pam and clearly “Strongly painted picture?” Dwight seems like he might find himself on thin ice soon. First betraying Michael to Charles and then leading a mutiny. That’s not even counting crap he pulled from previous seasons. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/31 "2009-05-02T15:43:51Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > He didn’t “steal” anything. He took those clients fair and square. They don’t have any spcial entitlement to them. He should have let them all walk. They acted like babies. It’s called “business,” not “preschool.” Yeah, that’s fine attitude for a competitor. Not such a good stance for someone who’s back in the position of being their manager. This is one of the few instances in which Michael has made a mature and reasonable management decision. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/32 "2009-05-02T15:53:07Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Yeah, that’s fine attitude for a competitor. Not such a good stance for someone who’s back in the position of being their manager. This is one of the few instances in which Michael has made a mature and reasonable management decision. Though he did keep Pam on, so some of them are going to lose some clients, and that’s only fair too. Wallace allowed him to hire two new salespeople, so there was some official acknowledgment that clients were going to be redistributed. What happened, happened, and they can’t just demand that everything go back to the way it was pre-MSPC. That’s unrealistic and it’s not going to happen. I hope Pam kicks ass as a salesperson. ---
**Author:** ![Rainbowthief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4bbf92/32.png) [@Rainbowthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rainbowthief)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/33 "2009-05-02T19:36:58Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I liked the Jim-Creed stuff, and seeing Michael show a little backbone. I thought the sales staff was being more dickish and entitled than they had to. Phyllis’ comment about “family” was especially manipulative and disingenuous. It’s not like anyone there has ever once reciprocated those sentiments except maybe Pam and Jim. Exactly, I was hoping Michael would show some self-awareness and counter with something along the lines of “And when did any of you act like you were my family, or even my friends?” > [@Rubystreak](#): > > Though he did keep Pam on, so some of them are going to lose some clients, and that’s only fair too. Wallace allowed him to hire two new salespeople, so there was some official acknowledgment that clients were going to be redistributed. What happened, happened, and they can’t just demand that everything go back to the way it was pre-MSPC. That’s unrealistic and it’s not going to happen. Agreed. It’s hypocritical of the Dunder Miffling sales staff to complain that Michael, Pam and Ryan took clients by trashing Dunder Mifflin when basically the whole DM sales pitch, whenever we’ve seen them woo clients, is about how they can’t match prices with the big chains but their service is far better. Very good episode and as stated earlier by someone else, it was impossible for this episode to match the greatness of “Broke” or even some of the other episodes in the MSPC arch. Jim was really good again and I’m glad they’ve fixed his character because I was really tired of Jim being the prankster who thought he and Pam were too good for everyone else. The confused look on Creed’s face when he asked “You wanna play a game?” was priceless. I hope for the season finale Michael reinstates the party planning committee so we can see Jim and Dwight plan another party, maybe a birthday party for Erin that they completely fuck up because they don’t know anything about her and Dwight insists on making it very “Schrutesque.” ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/34 "2009-05-02T20:49:52Z")
> [@Rainbowthief](#): > > Jim was really good again and I’m glad they’ve fixed his character because I was really tired of Jim being the prankster who thought he and Pam were too good for everyone else. The confused look on Creed’s face when he asked “You wanna play a game?” was priceless. I’m playing chess with Creed…and he’s winning…I feel like I’m describing a dream. Fact of the matter is that to restore harmony in the office and give Pam and Ryan (or just Pam now) credibility as salespeople, they are going to have to demonstrate they can develop their own clients and not just poach other salespeople’s existing clients. It’s pretty well established that Phyllis is a hateful passive aggressive cunt. She knows to keep her mouth shut in front of Michael but she never misses an opportunity to be spiteful to the other women in the office - Pam, Angela, Jims old girlfriend. Actually reminds me of my old boss. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/35 "2009-05-02T22:25:57Z")
Honestly, in this economic environment, I can’t imagine salespeople taking such a strong stand that they’d even threaten to quit because they lost a couple clients. I think most sales people are happy to have a job and ANY clients right now. (I know, cuz my dad’s one of them.) When they threatened to walk out, Michael could’ve easily said “Don’t let the door split ya…I could have a stack of resumes on my desk a foot high by the end of next week if you all don’t like the way I’m running things.” ---
**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:** [May 4, 2009, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981/36 "2009-05-04T00:35:42Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Honestly, in this economic environment, I can’t imagine salespeople taking such a strong stand that they’d even threaten to quit because they lost a couple clients. doesn’t seem like it wasn’t an easy decision: > **[The Office - NBC.com](https://www.nbc.com/the-office)** > > The Office is a hilarious documentary-style look into the humorous and sometimes poignant foolishness that plagues the world of 9-to-5. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-4-30/494981.md?page=1)