lol... i get it now. definitely didn't strike me while i was watching the show.

Some of the simple stuff amused me ("Mr. A. Knife"), but I didn't think the B plot was amusing at all. Jim struck me as kinda dumb for suggesting his alternative b-day celebration plan. Which seemed really strange to me since he always seemed like one of the more competent ones in that office. His alternative plan, the way he seemed to be in cahoots with Pam regarding it .. it all seemed like it was leading to some of brilliant other plan that he had all along...

it's getting cool, so i've refashioned my hat into my pants.

Well, a bittersweet episode of the Office tonight. I thought it was equal parts touching (Michael being torn between his two loves, only to be betrayed by both) and hilarious (Kelly's smack talking to Pam).

Season 4 continues to hit all the right notes for me. The writing, the plotlines are all so much better and funnier than last season. I really think this season has been so awesome, and it really pains me to think that tonight we could have seen the season finale, if they don't sort out the writers strike. Which would be so, so sad.

I liked last nights episode. I think my favorite part was when they were reading excerpts from Michaels diary and Toby couldn't contain himself started snickering. Also how he requested an 11th copy for himself. Kelly is the character I love to hate. So obnoxious.

that deposition was the epitome of awkward. no show does uncomfortable like The Office

on the heels of an episode that i didn't enjoy very much, comes probably one of the best in recent memory. a hilarious episode all around -- the whole deposition plotline was simply brilliant.

office continues this Thursday! get ready! I'm really hoping for a great comeback! the overall season has been ok but not surprising yet.

Thank goodness. I really resent the dominance of reality television these days.

30 Rock's back too!

Hooray for starting this thread up again! Yes! The Office is BACK. So there will be six episodes, including an hour long finale. There will be a cliffhanger, Jenna Fisher has indicated, and some major changes are in store for the main characters, including Jim and Pam.

Some of you will have heard that there is also an Office spin-off in the works, which will be debuting after the Superbowl, next February! I, personally, am worried about it because I'm afraid it'll take writers and cast members away from the original show, thereby diluting the talent. But we'll see.

Anyway, The Office is back! Yes!

And I should put another plug in for an Office dedicated forum I visit frequently to discuss The Office. It's called NorthernAttack, (taken from a Michael Scott quote from S1 I believe, "Abraham Lincoln once said, if you are a racist, I will attack you with the North",) and it can be found here...

http://forums.northernattack.com/

Yay! Office!! I was wondering when it'd return. Hopefully that spin-off won't ruin things. Maybe it'll just take all of those newbies they acquired from the Stamford branch... I'm not so much a fan of them.

I'm so excited to have The Office back! Thursday night can't come soon enough.

THERE'S A US VERSION?

How does Ricky Gervais feel about it?

...and my life has meaning again. :)

A pretty solid return!

Overall that was a funny episode. Michael's flat screen tv that folds all the way into the wall, Jim's willingness to abandon Pam to save himself, and Dwight. "It's strictly carnal and that's all you need to know" Overall a solid, albeit awkward return.

Well, he's a writer and executive producer for the show, so I'd guess he's pretty happy with it. :)

Anyway... last night's episode seemed really short to me. The humor of the show is so subtle and the jokes take a while to set up... so while I enjoyed it, I really think the show works better when it is an hour long. Glad it's back, though. :thumbsup:

i'm not sure if this is sarcasm or what but the us version of the office is fucking awesome. Watch it from season 1 on and you'll get it. I saw the UK, France, Quebec and US version and it is still the best one. UK and France were pretty similar. Quebec's version was terrible.

Oh, Jan - that woman is a psychopathic lunatic. A lunatic who has her own budding candle company. The show gets better and better...

You know, this episode was a little too agonizing even for me.

As agonizing as the 3 vasectomies Michael has had?

I'd put this episode among the top for me. Brilliant all around.

I'm glad that most of you felt the same way about this episode that I did! I thought it was fantastic. I really think that it was the best episode of the show since season two. I was really very happy with it. I've seen it about 5 times already, and loved it more each time.
Favourite line: oaky afterbirth.

NICE avatar, Daoust.

It's been there for over a year, but thanks for noticing, ratbastid. And yes, she's very very pretty.

I guess I only really noticed in the context of this thread. How bout that!

So, lotta folks saying last night's episode Chair Model is in their Top 10 favourite shows of the series. Pretty high praise. I gotta say, I liked it a lot, and even moreso on the second and third viewings (which are not uncommon for me. I watched Dinner Party at least five times).

- Michael Scott was at his best. Cringeworthy scenes, but not unbelievable that he would do/say what he did/said.
- The JAM engagement talk. Wow. That had more than a few Office fans on the edge of their seats. It was good. I gotta say.
- Great scenes with Kevin, Andy, Phyllis and Creed.

All around good stuff. Season 4 is kicking ass! Can't wait to see what the next few eps bring us.

Honestly, for me last night was the worst episode of the entire series. I thought the first 2/3 of the show was absolutely unbearable, way beyond mere cringeworthiness. The last third was good, but getting there was tough. I think it's a little soon for engagement talk, but it was funny when Jim asked Pam to wait while he tied his shoe.

What the hell, folks? I go away for a couple weeks and this thread doesn't get touched. I missed at least two episodes and no one commented. So Night Out, Did I Stutterand Job Fair go by without so much of a whisper from the Office fans here. Disappointing folks. Disappointing.

The finale is called Goodbye, Toby. There's been a fair bit of buildup around Ryan's character and there are more than a few question marks around Jim and Pams future. I'm looking forward to a great episode.

I actually just got around to watching Did I Stutter and Job Fair on nbc.com yesterday. I'm looking forward to seeing what goes on with Ryan's character. He is in so far over his head, but you'd never know it from seeing the size of his ego. And I don't think giving Jim a warning helped him any. I'm interested to see what a motivated Jim can accomplish. Although I have to admit hearing engagement talk kind of turns me off. Just too soon. Although I'm sure there is something good in the storyline coming up about that. One hour season finale, should be good.

the stutter episode was average at best. I think I miss the jokes pulled on dwight the most from the older seasons.

Night Out was kind of lame, I thought. Ryan's in trouble--it was sort of sobering and sad, and I'm surprised even Michael didn't pick up on it and get concerned.

Did I Stutter was funny, especially the face-off that turned into bargaining.

Job Fair was classic Office, desperate Michael ending up getting rejected by the ugly kid. Jim closing the damn sale was pretty awesome.

The Office Season 4 finale is up in 10 mins. Hope you'll be watching, fans.

3min and it plays. i'm there!

wow! what a great episode! I'm impressed. it had everything it needed for a final episode: party, surprises at the end, unexpected moments...

the only reason I knew jan was in that episode is because i saw her name in the credits at the starting... but ya. it was great.

Kevin being a "special" person in that episode was classic!

I also thought it was a great great episode. It had just about everything. I didn't even care that the big surprise at the end didn't materialize. There was a lot of funny in this ep. I'm currently on my second viewing.

I enjoyed the episode as well. Kevin as mentally handicapped was humorous as was the office party. I also enjoyed when Michael restrained himself on the Ferris wheel. That said, I'm not sure that I would watch the show at all if my wife wasn't so interested in it.

I think this episode was fantastic. If Holly stays, she'll balance Michael out greatly. I loved Angela's ending, perfect perfect.....

Michael going back to Jan pains me greatly, especially when his obvious soul mate just started working in the office....

I know I'm stating the obvious here. It's supposed to pain me greatly. And it does.

So no one was pained greatly that Jim and Pam didn't get engaged? Did you buy the Andy jumping in plot device?

I did. There are a LOT of royally pissed off fans on the communities I frequent who were very upset that a JAM engagement didn't happen. I wasn't that bothered by it. I would have liked to have seen it, and I hope we don't have to watch the engagement on a flashback in the premiere of S5. But we'll have to wait and see.

Quabity Assuance.
I am Captain Bruisin.
The real crime was the beard.

So many hilarious lines in this one.

the engagement with JAM didn't bug me at all. if they did, then the series would be over for me. They're happy and now they're forever happy. bleh. the Dwight and Angela getting together really makes me happy because that means: they wont get maried, Andy will go fucking insane again, and that the office will be totally fucked up in season 5.

I think it was a LOT funnier to have Andy jump in and inadvertently steal Jim's moment. Especially with the "(sheepishly) ok... / speak into the mike, honey / I SAID OK" dialogue. That was hilarious. And it sets up a lot with the Andy/Angela/Dwight triangle for next season. Should be great to watch.

Instead of having a Pam and Jim engagement occur on a totally predictable episode, like a finale or during sweeps, it should just happen when no one expects it. That way they can have their sweet moment and move on.

So are they totally done with Ryan's character? Is he going to federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison or some white collar minimum security resort? Is he going to come back somehow? Does anyone know?

I just got done watching this episode and it was a good one. Jim's Bluetooth headset prank on Dwight to open the episode, Kevin being "special", and the treatment that came from that, Michael's present to Toby, Ryan's collapse, Jan's pregnancy and the awkwardness of explaining she went to a sperm bank while she was with him, and Andrew stealing Jim's proposal moment. I think this is my favorite episode of the whole series.

And no I'm not at all disappointed about the JAM non-engagement, it would have been too obvious for this episode and I think there will be a lot to milk out of that storyline next season when (if?) Pam goes to NY. Plus the awkward proposal by Andy with the fantastic ending of Angela and Dwight will lead to a great storyline next season.

I was surprised that Ryan got busted on fraud charges rather than drug charges... I wonder if that will effect his future on the show at all. If it had been drug charges, I could have seen them sending him to rehab and then giving him a second chance in a reduced capacity. Now... I kinda doubt he'll be back at all. So who gets his job?

I wasn't too disappointed with the JAM situation, but then I remembered that Pam is moving away for design school. The non-engagement is very significant considering that fact and gives me doubts about their future.