We understand that Dunder Mifflin’s employees had to mature over the course of seven seasons, but change can really suck sometimes. Some people – and we’re going to try not to point fingers – were a whole lot more fun before they decided to act like adults. These unnamed individuals were way cooler when they were playing pranks and making puppy-dog eyes. Hm, maybe that last hint gave us away. We’ll just come clean – yes, Jim and Pam Halpert, we think marriage and a baby have made you tragically dull.
So you should understand our relief that last night’s episode showed Jim and Pam behaving like, well, Jim and Pam, and not “The Halperts.” Jim reunited with Dwight, reminding us that they actually might be the best (odd) couple in the office, and Pam recalled that ambitious streak that made her so adorably, awkwardly relatable in the show’s early seasons. They can’t necessarily turn back the clock, but we’re thrilled to see the mischievous duo back in action.
In case you forgot to set your DVR, here are the highlights from last night’s episode:
Pretty Woman
The office staff compared Dwight’s makeover to this Julia Roberts flick, but we actually prefer to picture Dwight as My Fair Lady’s Eliza Doolittle. Either one of those tramp-to-lady scenarios could be used to describe Dwight’s transformation after he gets spurned by an “appearancist” storeowner. Being a real stand-up guy, Jim realizes that he’s the only person allowed to torment the local salesman/landlord/beet farmer. Kelly mentions Pretty Woman (you can always count on that girl for a pop culture reference), and Jim runs with it. And – lucky us! – we get to revisit the classic yellow-on-beige-on-brown ensemble that by now has entered into Halloween costume infamy.
But there’s a new “Dwight” look on the market, if you want to pay homage to The Office but still keep it classy this October. The necessary components? A pipe, a cravat and a pocket hanky. Chicks dig this look (if Angela represents all of womankind).
Once Jim and Dwight (and Andy, but no one really notices him) make it back to the store, we get to see the object of Dwight’s desire: a pewter wizard. And he must have it. But first, Jim has to see the storeowner get Pretty Woman-ed, so Dwight breaks out his pipe and a Cockney-ish accent (“I think he’s got it!” says Andy – My Fair Lady, for any Office viewer who isn’t up on their Audrey Hepburn trivia). But it turns out that the storeowner was scared, not rude – a man brandishing his bloody hands can look like a major security threat. In the end, Dwight learns a life lesson: Wash beet juice off your hands before going to the mall.
The Pam Scam
Truth #1: Pam is not a good saleswoman. Truth #2: Saleswomen work on commission, and bad saleswomen don’t bring home the bucks. As much as we resent Cece Halpert, we don’t want to see the kid starve, so we don’t blame Pam for seizing an opportunity to con her dim-witted and/or spineless coworkers.
In the Pam scam (we had to do it), Pam invents a fake promotion to office manager. Of course, this promotion comes with a pay increase. Funny how all of the paperwork got lost, but hey, everyone’s willing to trust Pam’s word that she has had this new job for ages. Gabe is the only person who questions Pam, but this Southern gentleman is far too chivalrous – or way too intimidated – to call this little lady a liar. We just hope Pam’s con last long enough to pay for Cece’s college education.
Michael + Toby = BFFs
Michael has to endure six hours of mandatory counseling with the most loathsome counselor imaginable: Toby. Obviously, Michael isn’t going to make this experience easy on anybody. Sprawled out on a couch like one of Freud’s patients, Michael recounts the his life story: getting probed by Alf, eating his penis – oops, pees, becoming a werewolf… A childlike performance, but Toby caters to his audience and whips out Connect Four and Go Fish to bond with his “patient.” Michael + Toby = BFFs? Not quite, but we enjoyed the truce while it lasted.
So yeah, they may be “professionals,” but the Dunder Mifflin employees are a whole lot funnier when they embrace immaturity.
