Officers, “Secret Santa” was a holiday gift just for us: a silly, surprisingly earnest ensemble episode. I was excited for this going in — holiday episodes are an Office strong suit, and Mindy Kaling writes many of my favorite group stories (“Ben Franklin,” “Diwali,” “The Injury,” “Golden Ticket”…). This didn’t disappoint. It was a throwback that played to the show’s strengths, drawing out the dorky but begrudgingly loving moments between many of the characters. I’m giving this episode five golden rings….
Part of what I loved here was that everyone got his or her moment to shine. Dwight joked that he put his “diabolical plot on hold for Christmas,” and then had a sort-of throwaway line — “I don’t know, maybe I’m depressed” — that wound up exemplifying what I loved about this episode (and what I love about this show generally): In that moment, Dwight seemed like a person. Dwight! Of all characters, maybe the weirdest and most unable to function in normal society! He had this moment of normalcy that sounded like regular people just shooting the shizz, generically bemoaning whatever. Sure, it was immediately followed by him declaring the pathetic “unveiling” of an undecorated artificial tree a success, but still. Phyllis got to be Santa, Angela enthusiastically clapped at the “true meaning of Christmas,” Pam got to go all Yenta on Oscar, who in turn got to play it cool. Creed, Kevin, Meredith, Ryan, Kelly, Toby, even Darryl — everyone was there and everyone got a punchline.
Michael’s obsession with being Santa, just another symptom of his pathological and paradoxical need to be beloved, went on just long enough to create some tension (and have Kevin sit in his lap) without having the story really be about that. If anything, his rude and candid narration of the party was far more important, especially because it momentarily made Michael the voice of reason. Yeah, Dwight doesn’t have friends (miss U, Mose), Angela does dress conservatively, Stanley did cheat on his wife. It was inappropriate and unwelcome, but it wasn’t the kind of debased, humiliating behavior Michael sometimes displays. All it took was one dejected call to David Wallace, though, to change things around: Dunder-Mifflin was being bought out. Staring solemnly into the camera, Michael declared, “Earlier today, this office needed a Santa. And then it needed a second Santa. And then it needed a Jesus. And now, it needs a Michael.” And it did.
In classic Office fashion, we got a conference room scene and an ill-conceived pep talk. Michael raved that his coworkers were like his family: “Ryan, you are my son. Pam, you are my wife. And Jim…. And Angela and Phyllis, you are my grandmas, and Stanley, you’re our mailman,” he said, trying to brace people for what he thought was the company going under. It turned out only executives people were getting the boot, though I wonder if Michael and Jim are actually in danger, too.
Which brings us to the cutest, and cutsiest, parts of the episode: Andy and Erin’s courtship, here conducted via Andy’s wrongheaded if romantic overly literal “12 Days of Christmas” secret santa present, is so sweet it’s almost debilitating. But it stops shy of being nauseating or simply recreating the Pam and Jim story of flirtation-through-obstacles. Andy and Erin are their own goofy obstacles here, but they’re so innocent and perky they could practically be a St. Olaf story from Rose on Golden Girls. Holy crap do I want those two to get together. Andy’s 12 drummers drumming might have been “a little much” per Erin’s assessment, but it’s hard to stay mad at a dude who can so joyfully smash cymbals together.
Other highlights:
++ “We don’t have a North Pole branch, idiot!” — Dwight
++ Michael giving Dwight his gift piece by piece, and declaring part of it “space garbage”
++ Phyllis calling Andy “sweetie”
++ Michael saying that Jesus healed “leopards” and claiming that Phyllis “uslurped” his power
++ Jim getting Kelly an Edward Cullen Twilight poster, and Ryan getting Toby a (gay pride) kite because he’s reading The Kite Runner
++ Michael’s PIN is YMCA
++ Bob Vance coming to Phyllis’s rescue
++ “It’s Meredith. By the way, your wife is a very lucky woman.”
This season has been one of departures for the show as it inevitably tries new things and to push its characters in new directions, which is why it felt especially nice to have a more typical, old-school episode to remind us that The Office can still be itself.
What’d you think, PopWatchers? Will you be putting clams through your mechanical nutcrackers anytime soon?
Photo credit: Chris Haston/NBC
You miss Mose, I miss Todd Packer.
I am going to miss David Wallace. They have to find a way to keep him around.
Mose and Packer and Wallace are all fine, but who I miss most is Jan.
Agreed! I love David Wallace! Every phone call Michael has with him cracks me up. I hope he gets to be the one Executive team member who gets to stay.
Loved this episode too. I really enjoy when everyone has their moments.
Maybe “David Wallace” had to go back to his real job. On last season’s commentary (on The Injury, I think) they say that he’s actually a consultant for, like, Morgan Keegan or something.
He moonlighted (moonlit?) as David Wallace on The Office.
Agreed! David Wallace is one of the best parts of this show! I’m always soo happy when he’s on. As soon as they said he was fired, my heart broke.
I will definitely miss David Wallace. I always loved his mentorship of Jim, and I think his normalcy and humanity bring a much needed balance to a show with so many outrageous (but wonderful) characters.
David Wallace is Jim’s guy–they have dinner at his house! Who is going to listen to the in-fighting between Michael and Jim now? Who is going to come audit their office and decide that they don’t need a big picture AND a small picture manager in the same office? YIKES!
I want some more Packer too! He creeps me out and makes me laugh out loud all at the same time …..
“what’s up M’nerds!” classic!
I want some more Amy Adams!
I think you mean Amy Ryan.
Amy Adams was also on the show. She played Katie,
Jim’s girlfriend. I agree, though, Amy Ryan”s Holly was a hoot!
Actually, Amy Adams was in the Office in the first few years as the salesgirl and became Jim’s girlfriend. So both Amys have been on the show, although Amy Ryan had the bigger and funnier impact.
I was sort of excited at the Marge sighting. I’d forgotten that the warehouse existed.
I really wanted to see the 8 maids a-milking. Oh well.
Hah, I wonder how Erin responded to the 9 Ladies Dancing…
I missed last night but laughed at the recap! Thanks!
I really cannot handle the idea of David Wallace leaving. It just can’t be. I did love Dwight naming off all the nuts he can crack now and how happy he was about it. Weirdly precious…
…and clams & snails! Only Dwight.
I liked Stanley’s reindeer sweater.
That highlight list is INCOMPLETE.
When Darryl busts Oscar when he’s handing out the paychecks and then looks at the camera = TOP HIGHLIGHT
I couldn’t agree more.
Yes, when Darryl makes the comment of how Matt (or is it Mark) is a pretty attractive guy and Oscar’s reaction. I liked how Pam got them talking as well.
I was hoping for some lovin’ for Oscar, but I didn’t really get the vibe that warehouse guy was digging Oscar.
when did oscar and his boyfriend break up? i totally blocked that from my memory
Oscar dumped Gil at some point(sorry, I don’t remember what ep), and Oscar said he was going to try women-encouraged by Angela! Guess that didn’t work out…
great episode — I agree – I like that EVERYBODY had a moment — but why didn’ Jim (or someone else) stop Michael sooner when he had the microphone??
I totally agree. The eps don’t have to be believable, but a little common sense would go a very long way on the show.
THIS WAS A CHRISTMAS CLASSIC! I laughed the entire time. When Michael said that Jesus healed leopards, I couldn’t quit laughing!!
If the microphone was taken away from him, who knows what he would have done? Everybody there knows him and knows to ignore him, so it was probably the least destructive thing he could have been doing.
Michael is too mean this season.
Finally a worthy episode. It reminded me of seasons 1 – 3. Loved Michael channeling Jim Jones with the microphone.
me too. i was hoping for some drink the punch/koolaid moment.
They couldn’t drink the punch because Michael put his Santa hat in it!
I find it hard to believe that David Wallace doesn’t know by now that he can’t tell Michael any secrets. He has told them time and time again.
I think maybe he’s just tired of being under the gun all the time…he didn’t seem too mad when Michael called him with all the employees standing around. He might have just wanted to get it out there!
He might have been hoping that someone would call the new company and demand that he stay on with the company–David Wallace at the Scranton branch would be yummy.
What a wonderful episode! Kind of reminded me of being away and going to see family at Christmas, with all the familiarities and the quirks. The Office is one of the best shows on TV.
This show has been over a long time ago but just hasn’t realized it yet. ther is a reason the funnier UK version only lasted a few seasons..because they knew there was not enough material to run as long as this show is going. This show needs to be put out of its misery. I use to love watching this show and now, like the sopranos, I watch just to see how this show will end.
Last night was great. And lets face it- a bad night on the Office is still better than most of the rest of it. I’ll be sad when it eventually does end.
Totally with you on this. I keep thinking it’ll get better, but then you get weird, bi(north)polar episodes like last night. I don’t think it was a classic at all compared to holiday eps of the past — the first half was too mean and stupid and unbelievable to save the second.
Ditto that.
No one is making you watch it. I said the same thing about “Heroes” two seasons ago, and I stopped watching it. No problem.
Ditto…Heroes is literally the first show I have ditched after being REALLY involved in the first season…I just couldn’t watch any more, and now I use my Monday nights for catching up with Sunday shows!
Eric – maybe your faux Scandinavian name is what’s causing an Ingmar Bergman-like funk this Yuletide. Snap out of it.
Wow. That’s telling him, Elli. Don’t be such a beyotch.
I still love the Office! I look forward to it as much now as I did 3 seasons ago. I don’t think they’ve gone down in entertainment value at all (although, I’ll be honest, it was rough getting through the Michael Scott Paper Company).
I love that Jim and Pam are happy and I’m stoked about Andy and Erin’s storyline – I felt so bad for Andy after the Angela debacle! And I’m totally still hoping Dwight and Angela get back together.
Eric you’re a douschebag…shut up and back to watching reality tv
What a ridiculous post. “How dare you constructively criticize this show!!! You must be a moron!”
Totally disagree. I loved the UK show as well, and appreciate where they the cut it off. But I also love the US show, it’s a totally different vibe and I like how it’s continued and think it still holds up as well as it has since day 1. Always look forward to it and am hardly ever dissapointed… Good, all-around show last night…
After last week’s fiasco, this was a much needed return to everything I love about the Office! Merry Christmas to me, indeed!
I agree completely redeye!!! It was a return to form for The Office & I loved every minute!
I agree too, fans needed this! I was really pleased with it.
Yes, I was thrilled to hear Dwight’s Diabolical Plan was put on hold for Christmas and we just got a funny episode with the entire gang together.
I agree also! Best episode in a while.
I love that Kelly is Team Edward!
So did I, JM! I am too, so don’t anyone get mean about it – but I loved it. It was perfect.
That was completely fitting. I laughed my head off. My boyfriend just looked confused and said, “Is that Cedric Diggory?”
Juniper – that is hilarious! I loved kelly’s way of saying Jim over and over.
Juniper – that made me laugh out loud! Thank you! That’s great!
I adored this episode. I love Andy and Erin, maybe because I have such a softspot for Andy after all the Angela stuff. He’s just been waiting to fall in love. He and Erin have this wonderful miscommunication that’s so adorable. Plus, Ed Helms is awesome.
Is wondering whether the corporate layoffs will shake up the unpleasant co-managing situation with Jim and Michael. Maybe one of them will be promoted?
I hope so- I don’t like the co-manager thing at all. Michael should be in charge of Jim.
Oooh, I was thinking maybe there would be a shift and Jim would lead Michael. I mean, Jim has already kind of assumed that role, keeping Michael’s shenenigans in check.
Michael can’t really be Michael unless there’s someone telling him he shouldn’t be (Wallace then, now Jim)
Someone will take Wallaces job- Michael will never be 100% in charge of anything.
My off-the-wall guess is that the company (whoever they turn out to be) will try to return to just one mgr, tenions ensues, they decide on Michael, and Michael will fight to keep Jim as co-manager. Just a thought.
I agree! I’m totally rooting for them… they’re an adorable trainwreck together, and Andy deserves someone nice after dating Angela!
I loved this episode, although I do wish they would bring back sweet, funny, exasperated Jim…instead of boring, bossy exasperated Jim. I loved how gleeful Phyllis was at being Santa!! More episodes like these, please!!
I totally agree and would like to see the old Jim back. Maybe with the company being sold they will cut his position and he can get back to being livelier and funny again. But, I can understand the flip-side of the situation being that he is married and has a child on the way, which would compel most people to become more serious and mature.
Agree 100% Erika. And if Jim’s attitude toward his job hadn’t changed after the pregnancy and the wedding, then there would have been complaints about how “unrealistic” it is for him to continue acting the same way. While reasonable people will disagree on how his maturation impacts how funny he is now, the bottom line is you can’t please everyone.