“Double Date” brought an end to the Michael/Helene love story, which was obviously not going to last but I thought would be around for at least a few more episodes, but we saw another relationship bloom and grow: Dwight and Andy’s. Oh, those two. Punching, naked photos, and a taco lunch ahead, Officers!
It’s another beautiful (?) day in Scranton, and Dwight brought bagels — and a pumpernickel one just for Stanley — so the Dunder-Mifflinites would all “owe” him one in his quest to depose Jim. He also got off one of the best lines of the season: “Fish sticks are not an aphrodisiac. You’re thinking of deer penis.” Truer words, etc etc.
Michael continued to brag about his relationship with Helene, particularly because it was her birthday, and they were having lunch with Pam and Jim. “There’s no way out,” sighed Pam, even as she tried to sneak out of it with a hokey fake phone call. And who could blame her? This lunch was obviously going to be a level of fresh hell both for them and for us. Sure, there was the predictable level of awkwardness, but things got especially tense and strange when Michael found out that Helene is a cool 58 years old. “The only time you should care about a woman’s age is if she’s too young for you,” he confessionalized, trying to convince himself. “I’m not robbing the cradle,” he said. “If anything I’m robbing the grave.” Yeowch. The Helene-is-old train made its next stop at the “grandma vs. nana” nomenclature discussion, and Michael wigged out even more.
Back at DMHQ, Dwight and Andy “helped” each other and did “favors” for one another: Dwight brought breakfast, so Andy bought everyone a taco lunch. (Bagels and tacos in one day? Best day ever!) Dwight cleaned the office freezer, so Andy shined Dwight’s briefcase. They tidied each other up, offered each other comical advice, and so on. These two are so obsessed with protocol that they can’t resist the siren song of etiquette. “Do not test my politeness,” Andy reminded us. Oh, we won’t.
As always with The Office, the more Michael boasts, the harder he falls. This week, it was the childish scrapbook he made for Helene for her birthday, complete with lines from a Shel Silverstein poem. The whole lunch was awkward, but the pages of this scrapbook almost turned my stomach: Michael is so, so pathetic. Also, paging Dr. Mommy Issues.
Michael decided that Helene wasn’t right for him after all and the time to tell her was right then, as they were finishing birthday cake. He tried to pin it on Pam, but she dodged, and so he had to launch into the full-on dumping spiel. Helene needs someone who gets her references, he said. “Who is Kafka-esque? I don’t know him,” he bumbled. He wants kids, a life that includes bungee jumping and going to Italy — and Helene’s sort of past that phase in her life. Oof. The best part of this whole scene is Jim and Pam’s reactions, going from confusion to disbelief to oh-no-what-now.
Back at the office, Michael offered Pam a raise — bribe — and jokingly offers to let her hit him, which she way too readily accepts. “After work. In the parking lot. In front of everyone,” she said, slowly smiling. “As hard as I can.”
It’s the threat heard round the office: Ryan and Kelly rushed in to see if Michael was scared (“never”), Toby tried to make sure it would happen off company property and offered some punching advice, and Kelly made popcorn. It seemed for a moment that Pam wouldn’t go through with it, but after Michael says that Helene came on to him, Pam whips around and slaps him as hard as she can. “Holy crap,” said Phyllis, for all of us.
Michael later told the camera that right before the hit, his whole life flashed before his eyes, and he liked what he saw: “I have four kids, I have a hover car and a hover house, and my wife is a runner, and it shows. and Pam and Jim are my best friends, and our kids play together, and I’m happy, and rich, and I never die.”
“Double Date” had some awesome lines, but I wished the A story and B story had overlapped or at least reflected each other a little more, plus the Great Slap of Oh Nine could have been an episode unto itself instead of tacked on at the end of this one. I love Dwight and Andy, though I was surprised that Angela didn’t come up at all in their one-upsmanship, but again, where did their little routine go?
Other highlights:
++ Dwight: “Oh right, you’re a woman and need to refuse food the first time.”
++ Ryan has a naked photo of Kelly
++ “What if Dwight dies and I still owe him something? That is a recipe for a ghost!” Andy is the best.
++ Jim grabbing the phone and hanging it up was hilarious. “Hello? Well that’s great.”
++ Jim: “Feel better?” Pam: “No, you were right.” Aaaargh, that killed me.
PopWatchers, it’s time to start the Bring Back Holly campaign in earnest. What’d you think of “Double Date”?
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I really liked this episode! Dwight and Andy are pure magic together. The recap was good too.
Totally agree and marvel at how well the writers as well as the actors took the initially viscious relationship (that looked like Andy’s character was going to be around for a season at most) and grew it into this awesome dynamic that it is now. Viva Nard Dog & Dwigt!
was gorgeous last night. She looks radiant with very little make-up.
She’s supposed to be “playing” pregnant? What do you call that..a PILF?
I didn’t think it was the greatest ep, but I’m always happy for my half hour in Scranton each week. And you had to LOVE Toby showing Pam how to punch for maximum effect.
Toby showing Pam how to punch harder with Michael watching had me laughing out loud. Good episode.
I loved Michael’s facial expression in the background.
Agree. His reaction made the moment that much more hilarious.
what can I say? I LOVED this episode!!! Okay, maybe the stories could have overlapped, but still – just great! So many good little moments: Toby teaching Pam to box while Michael looked on, Michael suddenly realizing that he’s dating a much older woman, etc etc. Maybe next week we see Michael suffering from salmonella from the raw chicken being on his face. And I’m sorry, you bring me a bagel, I DON’T owe you anything (of course I realize that Dwight would think that I did).
My favorite part was when Pam asked her mom what birthday she was celebrating and she said 49. Pam then said something like “We’ve been celebrating it for 9 years, it’s our longest family tradition.”
Meanwhile, you see Michael scribbling some addition on a napkin and somehow comes up with 54 for Helene’s age (which already freaked him out). When she corrected him that she was 58, he freaked out even more.
It was hilarious that he can’t even do simple addition.
I was going to say maybe Michael assumed she was his age (45/46) before coming up with 54, but I just rewatched the episode where he clearly wrote down 49 – oh well.
I thought that was a great moment. Pam revealed her mom’s age deliberately. Mother-daughter dynamics!!
With each passing episode, I’m really not liking Pam anymore.
I know! And if she is aware of her bad attitude why doesn’t she work on changing it? You can blame only so much on being pregnant.
She reminds me of my old manager. Super sweet before pregnancy, total jerk during, then more mellow and/or happy towards the end. I know not all women are like that but I still think Pam is relatable.
Totally agree. Pam’s now a shrill, rude, elitist crazy person. We saw a glimpse of her when she talked up Andy to Erin, but that’s it. SO unlikeable.
But she really made an effort to accept the relationship because it made her mother happy. And she had every right to be mad at Michael for first dating her mom and the dumping her on her birthday
I can’t believe they had Pam hit Michael. Who IS Pam now? This is crazy, and unbelievable, and not in a good way. And Jim is just this annoying, un-funny boss type now who has no inside jokes and is trying to keep Pam from losing it. Ugh.
I do love Kelly though .. “Oh my God, I love it.” *shakes head at camera*
It’s really noticeable when you go back and watch past seasons how much Pam has changed. She’s so bitter and cynical. So far in these season she has screamed at Michael like a 5 year old and now she’s hit him. I know people change but damn, some of the appeal of Pam was that she kind of had to put up with Michael’s nonsense because he was her boss, but now she’s super defiant. She’s becoming Stanley and Jim is becoming Michael.
That’s actually pretty realistic (in an unrealistic show).
The longer somebody works somewhere, the more crap they’ve seen, and the less they’re willing to put up with.
@EL, I know, you’re right, its more realistic. It’s just not as funny or likeable. I don’t want another Stanley.
Michael was dating her mom! That would make me pretty cranky, not going to lie.
awww cut Pam some slack…she is prego. You can’t control your hormones…and if my boss (god forbid)dated my mom and then dumped her on her bday…I’d be b!tch slapping him too!
I’m 37 weeks pregnant now, and I’m not out of control. Lord knows I’m not defending Michael, I just miss the old meek Pam.
But….is your boss dating your mom LOL…probably not. I think Michael is just pushing her buttons and she just doesn’t have the BS tolerance to put up with it anymore. I say – good for her. But I agree I miss the old Pam too.
I agree completely Ang…I think that it was a combination of things that caused Pam to go off last week and to smack Michael this week but primarily she was angry about Michael dating her mom-who wouldn’t be?!?! lol Plus, I like the new assertive Pam much better than the old doormat Pam!
But the problem is, it’s totally out of character. Pam’s meekness is an integral part of the story and always has been. People don’t change like that IRL. Only after very sloppy and inconsistent sitcom writers get ahold of them.
But think of it, she is in a secure relationship and has more confidence about her abilities. She was probablly always that person, but with Roy, learned how to be a dormat as not to rock the boat. I like it.
Wow. God forbid a woman go from being meek and quiet to being confident and assertive. Apparently, to be well-liked, women are supposed to be doormats.
Lovely commentary on today’s society, people. So glad to see so much has changed.
@KCatty: I know! I can’t believe how turned off people are from Pam finally growing a pair! I thought she was hilarious! Michael was beyond douchey tonight – he deserved every bitch slap he got, lol.
Good episode last night. But is it just me, or does ‘The Office’ seem hit or miss so far this season. It only really picked up steam AFTER the wedding episode
Once again, Creed was the most funny in his brief moment on camera.
I also was wondering about the raw chicken muck left on Michael’s face.
It was also funny that Dwight would even have a raw chicken in the freezer at work!
I actually thought chicken was too conventional for Dwight. Wasn’t he bragging about horse patties a few episodes ago? I know…yuck!
I wondered who had raw chicken at work too! That was funny. I also loved the look on Kevin’s face when Michael told him he was fired and then Jim’s slight shake no. And I loved how it was Creed who called Pam with the fake emergency. It’s little moments like that that keep me coming back as I haven’t really been enjoying The Office much this season. Although it is still better than anything else on TV – but now I watch Project Runway and then watch The Office on nbc.com. It used to be the other way around.
The best part was Creed’s relief upon hearing Jim say the paper got delivered all right, then saying something was up because it was not supposed to get there at all
LOL yea that was great!
I completely agree that jim and pam are becoming less likeable. I wonder what the writer’s motivation is? Perhaps to highlight the other characters more?
Was it just me or did Ryan’s suit look weird? Like it was too small or something.
I noticed that too, but they’ve had Ryan doing some weird outfits (the fedora, and I think a cardigan too)so maybe it was intentional?
PS I really didn’t like how much Pam was whining about Michael dating her mom for the past few episodes but after Michael broke up with the mom on her b-day I realized that perhaps Pam truly did know best. However, that doesn’t explain why she left her stable job to work for Michael Scott Paper Co….but that’s another story!
First, any episode of the Office is better than anything else(comedy wise) on TV. remember the episode where no one(not counting Roy & his brother) BUT Michael showed up to Pam’s “art” show, it showed such a tender moment between Pam & Michael… now Pam is being turned into “worst case scenario” pregnant/ newly married woman, Pam’s whole charm was being the cool girl… Oh well
I really disagree… aside from The Office, I follow Community, Parks and Rec, and 30 Rock and right now they’re all way funnier than The Office. Seasons 1 – 3 were hard to top, but lately it just hasn’t been as good. Pam annoys me now, and the show lacks the energy it once had.
I hated this episode. Pam has been a really damp character lately. Jim had nothing NOTHING to do. I thought the parking lot punch business was stupid- a desperate cry to save an episode that had been flat all the way through. The lunch was boring, Michael dating Pam’s mom was a waste of time, I see. No good material came from it and it’s already over. None of the one-liners worked (except maybe Creed’s “That paper should have never arrived. Something’s wrong”)
Wow. Just wow.
I love it but it’s becoming too much of a self-parody these days.
I wish they would/would’ve ended it on a high note.
Great episode … Dwandy had me rolling. And the buildup of the ‘punch’ with Michael running around becoming increasingly worried and paranoid was a return to a familiar arc for Michael (a la the urine drug test, the fake surprise he promised everyone at the end of the day). And you know the eventual slap by Pam was something all Officers wished they could have done themselves…
Solid episode. I’m happy to see the Michael/Helene storyline end since we all know it wasn’t really going to last and maybe now Pam will lighten up. (I was REALLY happy to see the character acknowledge her crappy attitude, which tells me that it’s intentional and not something the writers are unaware of.)
Also, “that’s a recipe for a ghost” is FANTASTIC.
Yea I was also happy that Pam even said out loud that she has a bad attitude. The fact that she knows she’s being a b**** makes her b****y attitude a little more enjoyable.
And I like that Pam has the worst sales of the branch. It’s more realistic that way. If she were to just go from receptionist to salesperson and instantly had amazing sales, it would have been unrealistic. So I’m glad the writers are smart enough to add in a little detail like that.
What is the name of the Shel Silverstein poem michael put on the card?
I think it’s called “Sick”. It’s in Where the Sidewalk Ends, if that helps.:)
My favorite line was from Andy – “Don’t test my politeness” (or something to that effect). He and Dwight kill me.
you mean the line quoted in the recap? yeah.
I think it’s interesting to see Pam’s character evolve. Remember, she was stuck in a dead-end relationship with an unsupportive boyfriend, had pretty low self-esteem and self-confidence for the longest time. Now (maybe with the help of pregnancy hormones), she’s just starting to find her voice, and she’s not quite in control of the process yet.
That would be fine if the writers had actually showed some evolution taking place over the course of time. Instead, it’s like someone flipped a crazy switch and Pam is an entirely different person.
They have shown her evolution. It’s all there…telling Jim off after he returned to the Scranton branch, deciding to go to New York for art school, returning on her own terms, leaving DM for the MSPC, coming back to DM as a salesperson, etc. Her self confidence has been building all along, she’s found her voice, but right now it’s mixed up with pregnancy hormones. I find her character very believable at this point.
The best bit was after Michael described his life as it flashed before his eyes (and death defiance!) he said something like “It may not be much, but it’s enough for me.” I was rolling on the floor with that one!
I thought that was fabulous too. Every once in awhile I’m reminded why I am still watching this show.
Did anyone catch Kelly’s look at the camera when she said “oh that looks good” about someone’s outfit, I can’t remember, but it was one of those tiny, almost imperceptable little Office moments that I love.
Yup I caught it and I loved it, Kelly is so funny!
She was commenting on the necklace Michael gave to Helene. I love Kelly more and more.
I like Pam more than ever.
The name of the poem is “Sick”
i’ve always just watched reruns of the office when i happend upon them and found them so funny. this is the first season i’ve made a point to watch it on Thursdays. can someone tell me how ryan ended up back at scranton from the ny office?? tks!
He lost his job in NY due to taking drugs and ended up back in Scranton working at a bowling alley. Michael and Pam tracked him down to recruit him for the Michael Scott Paper Company. Somehow when that folded he ended up being a temp at Dunder Mifflin again.
oh yeah…Michael secured him a job back with Dunder Mifflin as part of the deal he made with corporate (when he agreed to shut down the Michael Scott Paper Company).
Thanks! the michael scott paper company?? i guess i have some dvds to rent!
Yea yoshi, The Michael Scott Paper Company lol. It was a story arc that lasted for a handful of episodes last season. I really enjoyed that storyline! Check out the DVDs.
I am so glad to see that I’m not the only one that’s not liking Pam anymore. I’m pregnant too and I don’t think that’s an excuse for her to be such a shrew lately. She and Jim have become so elitist and seem to have both lost their senses of humor. The writers seriously need to cheer these two up. They just seem miserable.
@yoshi – Michael hired Ryan for the Michael Scott Paper Company last season. When his company was purchased by Dunder Mifflin, Michael there were only enough clients for one salesperson position. It went to Pam, so Ryan was demoted to temp (again).
Questions that are haunting me – Where is Roy? Surely he would have gone to the wedding at the very least (not to mention Karen). What happened to Toby’s crush on Pam, and why wasn’t he at the wedding? What happened to the Dwight-Angela-Andy thing? What happened to Phyllis thinking Bob Vance was cheating on her? Where is Jan? There is so much comedic potential going untapped while exceedingly stupid plots are being stretched to the breaking point…
Why on earth would Roy be invited to the wedding? After he found out that Jim was the reason Pam called off their wedding, he went nuts and attacked him and got fired for it, remember? He and Jim later ran into each other and made amends, but it’s highly believeable they’d never become friends. Same with Karen. Toby was at the wedding. He offered to share his room with Michael. Also, the Dwight-Angela-Andy thing was resolved. They all moved on from it, but Andy is now lonely and interested in pursuing Erin.
Exactly. Those questions are out of left field. Karen despises Jim, why would she be there? Who cares where Jan is? She’s not a part of DM and not a part of Michael’s life, why would the cameras follow her?
Haven’t you been to 9 million weddings where the ex is invited and ends up making a scene? Whereas I have been to precisely zero weddings where anyone punctures their scrotum with a set of car keys.
What year are you in? Jan and Michael broke up long ago and she had a baby – I’m guessing she’s moved on in life. Also, the Phyllis thing was resolved in the very same episode. You may as well ask what happened to Katie.