Super Duper Summary: Season 4 Episode 6: Branch Wars

Look at how timely I am this week…I think it’s because I’m so darn excited about how amazing this episode was. I think the appropriate word is FANTABULOUS!!

Well, we open up on Karen at the Utica office of Dunder Mifflin and apparently she’s regional manager (“which is an easy job when your boss isn’t an idiot and your boyfriend isn’t in love with someone else”). It seems like she’s trying to recruit a member of the Scranton branch. How diabolical!

Back to Scranton, where Michael’s new harebrained scheme involves a dummy that looks like him (think his Halloween costume in Season 2 but whole body included) and a snoring soundtrack so that he can play hookie with…Dwight? Nope mostly with either Ryan or Darryl if Michael has his way. Stanley enters, asks how a sleeping Michael is any better than a “not there” Michael and then he lets his leader know he got an offer to go to Utica for more money and he’s taking it. Michael proceeds to tell the branch the sad news and to his dismay, everyone applauds and is happy for him. Michael is hurt and tells the branch that obviously Karen is trying to get back at them for Jim breaking her heart. But why Stanley? His sales record? Nope, she wants the “hilarious black guy”. With his smile, the crosswords and his watery red eyes…it’s like when Colin Powell left George W. Heartbreaking. But Michael is not putting up with this. He has a powwow with Stanley…why are you leaving? Money. But Michael tells him there’s no money in the budget for a raise. Stanley wants Money…and MONEY!!

To Pam. It seems she, Oscar and Toby have founded something called the “Finer Things Club”. They get together once a month to discuss books, art and culture. No work talk and it’s very exclusive. According to Oscar: “Besides having sex with men, the Finer Things Club is the gayest thing about me.” Also Jim is not allowed to be in the club because people think he tries to monopolize the conversation by being funny…poor Jim.

Michael decides to contact Karen and tell her she can’t take Stanley, he offers Toby, but he just can’t pull it off, the hate gets in the way. He then threatens to steal one of her employees. The winner is: Ben Nugent, who takes the offer, smashes it to pieces and then proceeds to mock the Scranton branch intensely: “Aren’t you the guy who ran over that lady?”

Michael and Dwight attempt to convince Jim that the best way to get back at Utica is to make a “monster sale”. Michael, Jim and Dwight (from now on MJD) are going to jump into Michael’s PT Cruiser and get it done! Oh and then he mocks Toby’s classy bow tie…it’s why people are leaving the branch.

Cut to MJD in the car…and guess what? They missed the exit for the sales call…they’re going to U-TI-CA!!! U-TI-CA!!! U-TI-CA!!! Jim tries to call Karen to warn her and then gets his phone thrown out the window, but it had the pictures of his brother’s new baby on it so they turn around and try to find it. They find it and Jim decides to take a cab back to Scranton. Michael says “Alright but you’re gonna miss the best prank ever…” This statement obviously sets off little alarms in dear Jim’s head and he finds out that the trunk is stocked with warehouse uniforms, silly string and stink bombs. He resigns himself to going, but in exchange for Dwight not blowing anything up, Jim has to wear the uniform…and a mustache.

Michael asks is the sex is the reason Jim and Karen broke up, Jim distracts him with the alphabet game but Michael is interrupted by a pouring sound…oh don’t fret, it’s just Dwight peeing into a soda can in the back seat. Hysteria and an almost car crash ensues.

Back to the Finer Things club, which Andy attempts to crash, but Pam denies him…aww. So he decides to read his book at the adjoining table, which happens to be the same book they are reading. Toby denies him again.

Apparently, the car trip was not long enough to subdue Jim’s incredulity. Here’s Michael’s plan: Michael and Dwight are going to sneak inside and silly string the bejesus out of the place. Dwight swears that “if they have to defend themselves from security guards, he will stab them in the eye with the giant chalk” Jim vetoes that. “Then I’ll grind up the chalk and blow it in his eyes.” Why the eye obsession?: “The eyes are the groin of the face.” Oh Dwight how wise you are.

They then see Karen leaving the office and Michael and Dwight are off…and Jim hides in the car.

Poor Pam, Toby and Oscar. Their Club meeting gets interrupted by Kevin violently attacking the vending machine and Phyllis attempting to make popcorn. Why can’t she use the microwave in the kitchen? Cause it needs to be cleaned, it smells like popcorn.

Then to a tender moment where Andy tells Stanley he’s going to miss him, he’s been like an uncle, a kind uncle Remus. And he wants to stay in touch. I don,t think Stanley is cool with that.

Dwight and Michael are communicating step-by-step with Jim on the status of the mission. They get through on the pretence of being warehouse workers and Dwight fought the urge to do something to the security guard’s eyes. Michael and Dwight have decided to take the industrial copier, it’s huge but has wheels and they try to bring it down the stairs…that does not go well. They are now stuck in the stairwell…possibly beneath the photocopier and Dwight may have a broken hip. Jim is still in the car, listening to all this on the walkie-talkie. But Karen’s back!! Jim dives to hide…he’s freaking out. Jim tells Michael she’s back…and Michael tells him to offer to get back with her or to sleep with her…he tells Jim to do it for Michael: “the host of the Dundies.” But Jim didn’t hide well enough and Karen finds him out. “Hey Karen.” Then follows a very awkward conversation: What are you doing here Jim? “Oh I’m checking on other branches” but then comes Dwight on the walkie-talkie “Don’t tell Karen about the industrial copier!”

Poor Karen, she tells the camera that she cried for weeks over Jim. But finding him hiding in a car wearing a Ladie’s warehouse uniform made her feel pretty good.

So Karen has MJD in her office and Dwight and Michael maintain their right to defend the Scranton staff…if Utica hurts Stanley, they will burn it to the ground. They leave, but Karen wants to talk to Jim. Karen says that if he had wanted to see her, he could have called “like an adult”…but Jim adamantly tells her he did not want to see her…then he stutters out that he’s happy to see her but Pam and he are dating and it’s going really well so he didn’t really want to see her. Understandably Karen did not want to hear that…she thanks him for coming to Utica and telling her how happy he is with Pam.

Back to Scranton and Michael tells the branch they failed and tells Stanley he may go, even giving him a box for his things…though he doubts the box will be able to contain all the memories he has of the place. Michael then asks Pam for help writing a want ad: “Wanted: Middle-aged black man with sass”. Stanley then lets Michael know he isn’t leaving. In a talking head, he tells us he just wanted a raise, that’s all, but somehow Michael called his bluff… “is he some sort of secret genius…hehe…sometimes I say crazy things.”

Jim visits Pam, she feels pretty bad about the whole Utica thing and offers him a place in her Finer Things club…Andy is appropriately outraged.

Jim unfortunately is not made for the Finer Things club, opening the discussion of Angela’s Ashes with a tremendous Irishman impression “Angela’a Ashes, top of the morning to it. Frankie’s prose is better than a pot o’ gold” and then drowning as he thought it was a “fun read” (which part? When the twins died?) and doesn’t even know who the main character of the book is: “Angela? Nope. Ashes?” Pam then mouths sorry to the other club members. THE END

I LOVED this episode and have high hopes for the next one. If you missed I highly recommend you watch it on the net, either on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tIZzaccl7w) or NBC (www.nbc.com/The_Office) …it was fan-freakin-tastic!!

Thoughts on Branch Wars

First, I would like to apologize to our avid blog readers, both of you. Due to an increasing rehearsal and work schedule, I have not had much time to watch The Office, let alone blog about it. That aside I would like to discuss a couple of the things I noticed in this week's episode.

First off: I miss the non-situational, funny cold open. These past couple weeks have let me down. Remember how funny the DVD box bouncing around was. Get back to that. You don't need to throw bits of the plot line into them. However, if you stopped after Karen spoke, that would've created great tension through the opening that maybe she was speaking of Jim.

Aside from the cold open, this episode was fantastic. I found myself asking the question I'm sure many of you have. Did The Office lose a step in the fourth season? This episode proves that The Office can still bring it for a full thirty minutes. Another supporting actor got some attention in the episode, Stanley, however this didn't distract from the leads bringing some serious comedy.

Michael + Jim + Dwight = hilarious, always. John gets to show a full spectrum of emotions in this episode. When Karen found Jim in the car I literally dropped the S-bomb at least eight times consecutively. I laughed my butt off while I curled into a ball.

Karen is clearly the jealous ex-girlfriend who still has feelings for Jim. I still think that Jim has some feeling for Karen. We need to remember that Karen was an appropriate and almost equal girlfriend for Jim. Pam is just perfect, that doesn't mean that Karen isn't a very close #2. Don't be surprised if you see Karen a couple more times this season.

So, those are my thoughts. Looks like I'll be remaining pretty busy until next year. However, I will still give as much as I can. Anyone who lives in or around Evansville, IN and wants to come see my show and chat a little office feel free to e-mail to our account ustheofficeca@gmail.com . Also, anyone please e-mail us. We're chomping at the bit to talk to people and post their e-mail on the blog.

Season 4 Episode 6: Branch Wars

Hey all, let's get into it...

So Karen is back and in Utica…I still hate her….hmm, who is she trying to recruit?

Umm, does Michael really think that dummy will trick people? Did he get it from the Halloween costume place?

It’s Stanley!!! Don’t leave Stanley…does Utica have pretzel day? Does it??

Well, the branch is not as sad as Michael that Stanley got a job with better pay.

The hilarious black guy? The smile? Oh, Stanley is Michael’s Colin Powell!

Oscar, Toby and Pam…the finer things club…that is adorable! THE BERETS!!! She did wear one in high school!

So Michael barters Toby for Stanley? And he can’t even sell it…poor Toby.

Michael decides to poach one of Karen’s men…Ben Nugent…How does Utica know about Michael running over Meredith?

I love how defensive Michael is over his branch.

OMG…Michael changed his car!!! PT CRUISER?!?

Oh and Toby’s bowtie is so classy!!!!

I love the car scenes…wow, Michael and Dwight TRICKED Jim into going to Utica (and Karen)…his face…he is freaking out…awesome.

Jim has basically been taken hostage…no outside communication allowed!

Jim…you have to go…they may kill someone!!

Jim looks hot even with a porn star moustache…

Dwight…I LOVE YOU...and I hope your penis is ok.

Andy is crashing the finer things club…and gets DENIED!!

I think it’s kinda mean their club is so exclusive…fascists!

Silly string…wow…

Yeah, ok Kev can’t be in the finer things club…or Phyllis

Who doesn’t love their uncle Remus?

Michael and Dwight were super prepared…walkie talkies?

“The eyes are the groin of the head” Dwight wisdom for the ages.

Oh wow I am actually crying…Jim’s spastic hiding, the cries of help and the moustache…all combined to make THE GREATEST SCENE OF THE LAST 2 SEASONS and possible my FAVORITE SCENE EVER!!!! I CRIED!!!

AWKWARD!!!

Dwight’s moustache is ridiculous…he looks like Yosemite Sam.

Aww, Michael is like a love terrorist.

Poor stuttering Jim…but I can’t say I blame Karen…it would SUCK getting dumped by that man, moustachioed or not.

Michael is just so sad to lose his “token black guy” but I’m pretty sure he’s going to be sued for the racist ad.

I can’t believe Stanley wasn’t going to leave.

Aww Jim gets to join the club…but Andy is still denied!!

Well, i don't think Jim will be allowed back into the Finer things club...but he looked darn hot in that hat.

All in all, that was a GREAT EPISODE and may actually be one of my faves. There was so much awesomeness...and so much Jim!! It was amazing and i'm gonna give some credit to the director Joss Whedon for some of the ridiculous fantabu-losity of the episode. I mean, the dynamic of Jim-Dwight-Michael in a car is killer, as witnessed in the "spraying scene" of The Injury. They are the comedic core of the show and they each shine when brought together...it's incredible. Let's just say i was pleasantly pleased!

Super Summary Season 4 Episode 5: LOCAL AD

Alright, here’s the summary of last week’s Office episode: Local Ad. I know it’s a little late but once you see that I transcribed Darryl’s Dunder Mifflin jingle and provided a link for the branch’s ad (Michael’s director’s cut), I’m sure I’ll be forgiven.

Ok, so our Office pals are in the Conference Room brainstorming about what their local ad will contain: dancing babies? All DM branches will be running personalized ads in their cities and Michael is very excited, and shockingly, so is everyone else. HO is sending up actual professionals to help out.

Andy decides to sing his favourite ad ever: “Gimme a break, Gimme a break, break me off a piece of that…oops” he blanks out. Applesauce? Chrysler car? Football cream? Jim of course, is not helping.

Pam is taking a computer animation class and will help out with the ad too…so cute, she’s really blooming…all talented and stuff!

In come the pros, and Michael is full of ideas: fast cuts, young, you know, Michael stuff or as he puts it: MTV on crack.

He introduces the pros around: Andy, the NARD dog, gives great back massages, and cue a rare fart joke as Andy mentions he also does aromatherapy *rolled my eyes on that one* Stanley provides the Urban vibe…Phyllis is Mrs. Butterworth…the accountants are like the 3 bears, Poppa (Kevin), Mama (Oscar), Baby (Angela).

Jim think the ad is a great idea, because when he says he works at Dunder Mifflin, people think he sells mufflers, mittens or muffins, and as those sound better anyways, he lets it slide.

Dwight has entered full on depression by becoming obsessed with Second Life. He signed up a while ago, because since his life was so great, he literally wanted a second one. In it he is Dwight and a paper salesman, everything is the same, oh! except he can fly!

Here’s Michael’s commercial proposal: little girl, in a field holding a flower. Zoom out, she’s in an oasis in a desert. Zoom out again and the desert is just a sandbox in the world’s largest resort hotel, zoom out again and the hotel is actually a playground in the world’s largest prison and then… nope the ad guys stop him and show him their idea, which is some dude in a big box paper store running around trying to find some help and unable to find any…and then he goes to Dunder Mifflin and then end on a shot of the branch waving. And apparently, this is the only part the branch itself has a say in: the branch can be waving or, ummm, clapping? Michael is disappointed.

Ah Andy decides to let Dwight be his confidant with regards to his relationship with Angela. He’s stuck at the necking phase, literally necking: neck rubbing…hmmm. He wants to know how to move on to first base. Dwight can’t discuss it due to the danger of being overheard…the solution? CODE WORDS! Dwight proposes this: Angela will be code for Angela, and Dwight code for Andy…oh Dwight!

To corporate! Ryan has a call from Eddie Murphy, nope, just Michael, doing quite the awesome impression of Donkey. Michael has a problem with the ad…they locked him in a creative box. Ryan says that’s good as it’s not Michael’s job to be creative, just because one can cook does not mean one should open a restaurant. Michael CAN cook and he IS opening a restaurant, “Michael’s Cereal Shack”…brilliant. Cut to talking head, it’s Michael childhood story time: When he was 5, he imagined there was such a thing as a unicorn, before he knew or saw there was such a thing…imagine, he drew a horse that could fly and had a spike in its head…and he was 5! He couldn’t even talk yet!

Well, Michael tells the pros that he can’t film that commercial and tells them to leave. He calls up David Wallace and somehow convinces him that he can film one and if corporate doesn’t like it, they can send the pros back and they will film the original commercial, on his dime. Although Wallace affirms: “This is weird” he lets Michael run with it. “And thus Michael Scott sealed his own destiny…in a good way.”

Back to conference room…Michael tells the troops just how creative they are, in fact “you are so much more creative than the other morons you work with”…to which Jim responds: “Who are you talking to?”

In a talking heads: Kev lets us know that he’s quite familiar with commercials…his nickname in high school was Kool-Aid Man. Oscar always wanted to be an actor in commercials, then he realized he had a brain. Meredith is excited, she’s not used to making videos with so many people around…ew.

So, Michael delegates. They have scripts to write, soundtracks to compose! Kelly: Make-up! Oscar: Wardrobe design of course! And Phyllis gets to search the town for a celebrity to appear in the ad. She’s on it! Sue Grafton is signing books at the mall! Go get her Mrs. Butterworth!

Andy wonders whether they should let Sue Grafton in the commercial…is she even hot? Creed says she’s “super hot”. Andy thinks they should just use Angela and make her pretend to be Sue Grafton. Absolutely not! Angela hates the mystery genre…she hates being titillated.

Dwight is still playing second life…pretty sad.

Darryl has gotten out the synthesizer and is composing music with the help of Kelly, Creed, Kevin, and Andy:

“Out of paper, out of stock,
There’s friendly faces around the block
Break loose from the chains,
That are causing you pain
Call Michael and Stanley, Jim, Dwight, Creed
Call Indian Kelly for your business paper needs
Dunder Mifflin
The people person’s paper people…
Dunder Mifflin
The people person’s paper people…

Michael doesn’t like it…he wanted a rap…

Andy has an update for Dwight on operation “Fallen Angel”.

Jim is still feeling bad for Dwight so decides to go see Pam about it. She’s busy animating. Too bad, he needs to show Pam Dwight’s second life…in it Dwight has created Second Second Life, for people who want to be further removed from reality.

Then follows what may go down as one of the weirdest scenes in Office history. Pam discovers Jim’s Second Life character, which he spent a lot of time designing as it looks quite like him, but he’s a sport’s writer in Philly, and plays guitar. Pam is kind of mocking him, and Jim is genuinely embarrassed, so much so he’s fidgeting and fingering his tie. It’s odd. It made me wonder if he used Second Life previously to try escaping from his reality of not being with Pam…it was weird.

Back to Darryl the composer, same song, different tune…Nope, Michael is not having it. It’s not “his(Michael’s)” music…Darryl agrees it better than him, it’s them. Darryl walks off.

Outside to film Andy…who is in full running gear (minus nipple protectors mind you). And in comes a weeping Phyllis (which is always funny). She was in line for the book signing and asked Sue Grafton to come, she refused. But Phyllis wasn’t supposed to take no for an answer so she kept trying…until they threw her out of the store in front of all of her friends. Aww…poor Phyllis! What a blow to the commercial.

Jim tells Pam not to work too hard on the animation, as it’s probably already good enough for Michael. Pam insists that it isn’t good enough for her yet. Jim offers to stay late with her and is rebuffed. Unfortunately, Pam is Jim’s ride and now he has to go home with Meredith who calls to him from the van to come now! and to “piss or get off the pot”. Delightful!

So Pam fell asleep at work…but not to worry! Jim brought her breakfast, which is cute except Creed stole her potatoes. Pam worked until 2 am then had to decide whether to stay and watch Michael edit and watch Dwight watch Michael edit or to go home and probably fall asleep at the wheel…she fell asleep deciding.

Andy finally gets to make out with Angela and he tells Dwight….they were getting busy and Angela closed her eyes and said “Oh D! Oh D!” Now Andy took this to be short for Andy, but we know, as well as Dwight, that all of this just proves how much she misses Dwight. Yay!

So Michael is sending the ad to corporate and is now awaiting their response. He tells Pam to clear his phone lines, which she pretends to do by making bleep bloop noises until he is satisfied. Well, ten days pass and we find out corporate refused his ad so now he is at Poor Richard’s to watch the “brain dead” version. “Welcome to corporate crapfest”! And there they are waving in all their glory!

But fear not, Jim brought the ad they made and asks the barman to play it. It is friggin’ awesome! Watch it here as I can’t describe it well enough: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMu30GygZak

It’s a shockingly great ad, and everyone is so proud of their cameos! And Pam’s animation is great…and Jim is so proud of her. Jim is so proud in fact, he brags to the barman, who then proceeds to ask Pam if she’s ever been on a motorcycle…Jim responds by putting his arm around her.

Last shot is Andy trying to figure out that damn jingle “Claude Van Damme?” “Hair for Men?” “Nutrasweet” Wait! It has to rhyme with piece…”Fancy Feast”…“nailed it!!”

That's All Folks!

Natascia