The Office: "Beach Games" (Open Spoilers)

Cafe Society
41

The “Watch out for snakes!” line is from Eegah!, but it became a running gag on Mystery Science Theater 3000, which is more likely the specific reference the writers were making. It only became funny after the *MST3K * guys called it out every time characters were about to venture into a forest, desert, or other wilderness.

We had a huge rainstorm last night that fuzzed out our satellite reception for several minutes. We think we mostly lost a commercial break, but I believe we lost it right after they showed Creed fishing by hand. We definitely didn’t see a gag paying that off – in fact, we couldn’t even tell it was him in the long shot. What happened immediately after that?

42

I don’t remember what happened immediately after, but the payoff came later during the hot-dog eating contest. After Michael announced Andy as the winner, Creed was seen walking up from the lake, the fish’s skeleton in one hand, saying something about how he didn’t know there was going to be hot dogs.

43

That, or a reference to Mystery Science Theater 3000 which did “Eegah” and used “Watch out for snakes!” several times during their run.

Oh, and I didn’t think it needed to be mentioned, but I think the ‘position open at corporate’ is definitely Jan’s job. Whether she’s out or on her way out is up for debate, of course.

-Joe

44

To me, it looked as if he’d eaten it raw, as well. The head and tail were still on it.

45

As to why corporate is considering Michael for the position, I was thinking it might be some CYA placation. They know that Jan and Michael have been dating. During contract negotiations, Michael basically offered to trade sexual favors for a higher salary (and we know Toby took notes on that :)). In the most recent episode, Jan ordered Michael to come up and service her, and when he balked, she told him she’d pay him and leave the money on the bedside table; later, Michael confessed to a group (which included Kelly, remember) that Jan makes him wear a schoolgirl outfit during sexual play, and so forth. I’d say it’s more than likely that corporate has a lot of this information, and now they presumably know that Michael dumped Jan. So, anticipating possible major litigation, they try to throw him a sop to keep him happy and on DM’s side.

Yes, I think about this show way too much.

featherlou, I think it would make sense for Jim to be terrified when Pam started talking. He’s sitting there with his girlfriend, and in front of the whole office, and it seems like she might be about to confess her love, or at least bring up his ongoing torch for her, and basically make public a bunch of messy, embarrassing, and potentially life-changing emotional baggage.

And personally, I think I’d read her speech as meaning, “I miss our time together. I’m OK with just being your friend, but I’m also open to more if you become available.” I mean, why mention the wedding thing (twice no less) otherwise. In it’s way it was bold, but it was also cagey.

I thought this episode was a little off, and not as funny as others, but clearly that’s because there was so much dramatic plot advancement to work in. Still the funniest show on TV though.

Andy: “I’m OK if I lose every single game . . . Mallard!” :smiley:

46

Yeah, but even the phrases that you bolded like “and now you’re with someone else” make it sure sound like “we were sort of together even though we weren’t really together and now I’m not the main object of your affections anymore,” which if I were in Jim’s position, would elicit an internal response of "with someone else? Since when was I ever really with you? You were engaged forever to a jerk and when I confessed my attraction for you, you rejected me…we were never “together” in the same way that Karen and I are “together.” So it’s like Pam assuming that because Jim liked her and she liked him (but rejected him for whatever reasons) that they were “together” at some point. She probably feels like he broke up with her, that he’s an ex, when in fact, he is a never was. If I were in Jim’s situation I would have taken her aside and asked her “What the hell are you trying to do, ruin my life? Get over it, move on - I did.”

47

But he hasn’t moved on. A few episodes ago Karen sat him down and point blank asked him if he still had feelings for Pam, and he admitted that he did. I don’t really think anything’s changed on his end, other than doing his best to make it look to Karen and everyone else that he’s moved on. But I bet Pam was saying “look- before, I was engaged and things were complicated. But now that I’ve adopted a new goal of really being honest with myself and others, I’m ready to admit that I loved you then and just say the word and I’ll be there again”, without coming right out and saying it.

And I bet he jumps at it in a heartbeat.

48

I don’t think that’s very significant and I think it has little to do with moving on. A few residual feelings for an old crush? So what? It’s not like he was ever in a relationship with her or anything. “Moving on” doesn’t mean you automatically delete all your old feelings. It just means you go on with your life in spite of them. At the end of the day, all he ever had with Pam was some superficial flirting. He’s had a more meaningful relationship in a few months with Karen than anything he ever had with Pam.

49

Huh, we missed the hotdog eating contest entirely. Looks like we need to go watch it on NBC’s website!

50

I think this show is top-notch, and is doing the job of creating suspense about what’s coming next about a hundred times better than The Sopranos is right now. That said, I think they’ve given short shrift to the Jim/Karen relationship this season. They’ve devoted a bunch of time to making her look like a bit of a scold, but in my opinion she’s every bit as cute, funny, and intelligent as Pam with a load more self-confidence (and, I suppose, a better job). I can see Jim still having strong feelings for Pam (for God knows how many years she’s essentially the only sane person he’s had to talk to all day), but I think he should be a lot more torn that they’re playing it.

Of course, since I found out Rashida Jones’ parents are actually Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton she’s like my dream girl.

51

They bonded over discussing Jim’s feelings for Pam all night every night for a week.

52

“Sabotage. The ancient Dutch art of screwing up your own team.”

And my favorite exchange (paraphrasing):

“It’s hard to tell who’s in the lead Michael - you’ve given 10 points, a gold star, and a thumbs up.”
“Check and see if there’s a conversion table in the notebook.”
“…I don’t think there is…”
“Just check.”

53

This week’s litigation value: $300,000 +.

54

It was more than superficial flirting; they were best friends. It’s one thing if you stop interacting with someone that you exchange banter with; it’s completely another when the person you most look forward to seeing and talking to every day is no longer there. Jim may have had a “crush”, but it wasn’t a superficial one–he loved Pam for who she was. He may have developed something more intimate and personal with Karen, but he was best friends with Pam for longer, so I’d dispute which has been necessarily more “meaningful”.

55

Oh, and this was one of the funniest eps I’ve seen in a very long time. I noticed that Harold Ramis directed this episode, which makes it the best thing he’s done since Groundhog Day. Absolutely terrific and hilarious.

56

One of my favorite lines from this one:

Pam, to Michael: “You want me to write down people’s indefinable qualities?”

57

Very good episode.

As it continues to move away from the awful predictibility of the British version, it just keeps getting better. But remnants of “I saw that one coming thru the Lincoln Tunnel” still remain. E.g., you knew that when Michael was listing the things he liked and disliked about Jim that the last “like” was going to be his main “dislike”.

Felt so sorry for Toby. First, he learns he can’t go to the beach, and then he learns that Pam will be wearing a two-piece suit. The downcast look on his face is priceless.

Angela has previously expressed hope that Oscar will “switch teams” for reasons other than religion. If Oscar knew that …

I strongly suspect Michael will suggest Karen as his replacement (using his own “special” logic) and that will lead to her getting the corporate job.

All these posts and no one has mentioned the best part of the whole episode? “The Aristocrats!”

58

Finally caught it on the DVR. It was all right, but could have been much better. In general, I think the better episodes are the ones where Dwight isn’t a complete moron, but rather just a horribly misguided (if sometimes ambitous) nerd. It’s less funny when he’s a brain-damaged git sucking up to another brain-damaged git - I already see that every day at work.

Andy playing up his anger management training was great. Loved the bit where he says he doesn’t mind losing, then chucks a rock at a duck.

Classic Michael in this episode. E.g. asking Pam to heat up 800+ hot dogs for an event in about 10 minutes. Pam complaining that there’s no proper way to document Michael’s arbitrary scoring scheme, so he suggests she find a conversion table in her own notebook. Awesome.

I like the increasingly self-empowered Pam. I think she’s too good for Jim, but that’s her choice.

What’s up with the camera crew abandoning Andy in the water? This really pulled me out of the episode. That camera crew is psychotic. Hopefully, the last episode of the series involves someone calling the cops on, or assaulting, the cameraman or his/her producer.

59

I was sure the next scene after Dwight’s rolling on the hot coals would be him getting taken away in an ambulance. How did he possibly just sit around after that??

“I have done it. I burnt my foot on a George Foreman grill.”

60

Eh, give 'em a break. For all we know, they shot him calling passing cars for help, then turned off the cameras and rescued him. Would a documentary director include footage of his/her crew saving one of the subjects anyway? It makes sense that they’d include the shot of Andy, at night, in the reeds, because it fits with the narrative of how the office people get along - that they would care so little, and that Angela is so evil, that Andy would wind up in that position. (Yes, once again I take this show too seriously.)