"Night Out": Worst episode of "The Office" ever?
I'm just going to throw this out there: I think last night's episode of "The Office" was one of the worst ever.
From the least amusing opener I've seen in a while - Dwight massaging peanut butter into Michael's hair - to Ryan's coke habit to Jim Halpert's racism and inability to do anything right (Michael Scott, anyone?) to Toby's molesting of Pam's knee and monkey-like scaling of a chain link fence to Stanley's "If I'm not in my bath with a glass of red wine in an hour, you're both dead" to Dwight's continued insistence that Ryan's smaller friend is a Hobbit - when did these characters become cartoon-like caricatures of themselves?
There were a couple of chuckle-worthy moments (Pam nailing Meredith in the head with a football was funny by default because anytime anyone gets hit in the head, it's pretty funny), but overall, I felt like I was watching a show that has gone off the rails.
Win me back next week, "Office." Win me back.
[Photo: NBC]
Comments:
You're trippin'. I liked it. Dwight was awesome last night. The whole thing with the basketball team, all the hobbit jokes, pouring out the drink, etc.
It wasn't the greatest episode, but I liked it.
Of course, I did also very much enjoy that Michael dropped "The Wire" in there.
Posted by: Mike Oz at April 25, 2008 7:56 AM
I'm with you H Mac. It wasn't that funny and a bit uncomfortable. The thing with Toby "massaging" Pam's knee just was creepy and if I was Jim I would have done something. I did laugh when Michael sent the pic of Dwight and the basketball player making out to the rest of the office. And I know Ryan isn't supposed to be a likable character anymore, but man they really made him a douche.
Posted by: Michael at April 25, 2008 8:41 AM
I have to agree with Mike Oz (and not you, for once). Dwight freaking killed it last night. For once, I was glad that they were out of "The Office"! How many times have you been out with friends and have seen other people's friends taking incriminating cell phone pics and sending them out to the world? You know you have been there.....
Pam and Jim.... yaaaawwwwnnnn
Posted by: Rachel #2 at April 25, 2008 9:38 AM
ryan is tight.
Posted by: floydy at April 25, 2008 11:15 AM
It seems I picked a bad time to start watching this show. The last two episodes were not that funny.
Posted by: Bryan Harley at April 25, 2008 12:46 PM
couldn't agree more. terrible and completely pointless.
Posted by: dinkle at April 25, 2008 1:01 PM
LOST was pretty good last night.
Posted by: mdub420 at April 25, 2008 1:27 PM
Bryan Harley: Definitely go back and watch the other seasons. Season 2 in particular is comic gold.
mdub420: I was so exhausted from hating watching "The Office" and "Grey's Anatomy" that I fell asleep during "Lost." I got the jist of it, but I'll have to revisit it to look for the significant details I probably missed.
I do feel a bit more sympathetic toward Ben, though. It appears he does have some feelings.
Posted by: Heather at April 25, 2008 2:18 PM
Yeah, that was the first time we ever seen grown up Ben almost shed a tear. I did love how he called The Black Smoke to wreak havoc. That's my favorite character in the show. Too bad we only see it 2 times a season.
Got to see Ben and Charles Widmore meet face to face in the future with Ben telling him that he's going to kill his daughter, Penelope. I don't think Desmond is going to be to happy about that.
Posted by: mdub420 at April 25, 2008 2:43 PM
Perhaps The Office's writers are still on strike...the last few weeks have been terribly underwhelming. After Pam breaks Jim's heart in the finale, at least we'll have the Bob Vance spin-off to look forward to.
Posted by: Erin D at April 25, 2008 4:21 PM
While it wasn't the best episode, I think HMac just didn't like it because they actually made Jim look human for an episode (or, a douche)- Jim can't be perfect all the time.
I agree with Mike in that Dwight was on top of his game! When he got that drink for the basketball player, poors it out and yells "NICE TRY!"...that was perfect.
Posted by: The Fresnan at April 25, 2008 5:04 PM
me likey...hmac need to re-watchy
Posted by: Brian at April 25, 2008 10:32 PM
I agree with you, Heather. It felt like a very awkward episode to me. Unfortunately, a lot of the Mindy Kaling-written ones in the last two seasons have felt that way to me.
I watched it again this morning. It has its moments, but it'll be one of the first things I delete from the Tivo when I need space for new stuff. Not a keeper like other eps.
Posted by: jentwo at April 26, 2008 11:18 AM
The only show I watch on TV is the office. Personally think it's one of the best commedies ever. I'd say that since they got back from the strike, the first episode (dinner party) was so-so (too much of Jan's craziness), last week's was hilarious (the gravesite scene was geniums), and the night club was somewhere inbetween. It's true that making Jim and Pam human (they make mistakes, get picked on_ just makes the show more real.
Posted by: chris at April 26, 2008 4:44 PM
i don't know h-mac, i thought it was pretty good. 3 things that stood out to me:
dwight dumping out the drink, and still scoring with girls
ryan getting beat down by girls
toby jumping the fence
Posted by: ed at April 27, 2008 9:27 PM
I watched the episode again last night in an effort to understand it better - which I think I do - but I still don't love it.
I finally get that because Jim was playing the role of Michael Scott, Toby felt free to play the role of Jim Halpert (the coming through with the phone number, the playing games in the parking lot, the joke telling), and that's how he took it too far with Pam.
I still think everything was taken way too far in this episode. Hopefully they go back to more subtle joke-telling in this week's episode. Two more until the season finale!
Posted by: Heather at April 28, 2008 8:44 AM
i thought it was pretty good. i still think the worst episode was the 1st one after the writers strike. I can't remember the correct name (dinner party?)
this episode was good, but the whole Ryan coked out thing was weird. it just doesn't fit into the feel of the show.
Posted by: bobby at April 28, 2008 5:21 PM
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