First, let me say that it was a great game. I started watching it thinking: OK, let's speed this thing along and get to 'The Office.' But it really turned into a fantastic game, and what an ending.
I've read a lot of reviews on this episode, and they really vary quite a bit. A lot of them said it was the best episode of the season -- and one of the best of the series. I'm not ready to go that far. At all.
I'm going to watch it again tonight and see if anything changes my mind, but here are my thoughts after watching it once:
The quick recap: Dwight sets the office on fire, Michael has a roast of himself, Jim and Pam have a problem ... or do they?
What worked: The opening was flat-out hysterical. Oscar climbing into the roof, Angela tossing her cat up there -- and seeing it come crashing down, using the copier to try and crash through the door, Kevin smashing the candy machine, Michael yelling "Calm the &*(^ down!!!" It really might have been the best opening they've had yet. Including the Halloween opening, so that's saying something. ... A lot of the CPR stuff was pretty good. I loved Michael's line about how the Red Cross' ABC is confusing because in sales it means 'Always Be Closing'. I also liked Creed's line about recognizing the woman from the parking lot. ... A few of the lines in Michael's roast of the office people were funny. Meredith's line about sleeping with so many guys that she looks like one made me laugh. ... I also liked Dwight's line after Michael returned to the office after going missing. "Why are you wearing a turtleneck!?!?!?" ... A small dose of the Jack Black movie was funny.
What didn't work: The Pam and Jim stuff kinda bothers me sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I like Jim and Pam and their relationship. BUT, I'm not sure why the writers always feel compelled to make us think that they're about to have this big problem. Or a big blowout. ... I think the Jack Black movie bit went on too long. And I coulda used more Jessica Alba (this is a test to see if my wife reads this). ... I love when there's stuff that goes on in the office that's realistic. OK, so maybe I could see Dwight starting the fire, but the stuff at corporate with David Wallace ... I could take or leave it. The second time Dwight went back, there's no doubt he would've been fired. How many times has been summoned to corporate in the series? Twice in a couple of days ... Stanley had a heart attack -- a HEART ATTACK! -- and was back at work in a couple of days, and they're back to their shenanigans?
Like I said, I'm going to try and watch again tonight and see if my thoughts change at all. But a lot of this one seemed hit-and-miss to me. The hits were great. And the misses just kinda, meh. The opening was so strong that it still made it overall a decent episode. But I'd still take the weight loss premiere over this one.
