Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Review: 'The Office' - 'Garden Party': The host with the most

A beloved recurring character returns, but is Andy carrying enough of the comic load as the new boss?

By Alan Sepinwall Friday, Oct 14, 2011 9:44 AM

Mose (Mike Schur) made a triumphant return to "The Office."

Credit: NBC

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A review of last night's "The Office" coming up just as soon as I tell you about the Goat Package...

"Garden Party" offered more laughs than some of this season's other episodes. Mike Schur was somehow press-ganged into reprising his role as Mose, and was as strange and hilarious as usual(*) as Mose attempted to play Evel Knievel through his role as party valet. Jim's prank on Dwight, while perhaps more elaborate than you might imagine from a guy with a pregnant wife and baby at home to spend time on, was amusing, and gave Rainn Wilson the opportunity to do some good physical comedy. Ryan's toast to the troops ("Both sides!"), the return of Kevin's toupee, and Darryl and Oscar's debate about the meaning of Rosebud(**), Gabe cursing himself for chatting up Stanley's mistress were all good jokes.

(*) Question: was his greatest comic contribution yesterday his work as Mose, the "Parks and Recreation" episode that preceded it, or his anguished Grantland piece about the Red Sox turmoil?

(**) Straw poll: you with Darryl or Oscar? I'm with Darryl; this is another case of Oscar going too far to demonstrate his smarts.

That said, I'm starting to think that the biggest problem with Andy as the branch manager isn't how much he's like Michael, but the most significant way he's not like him: where giving Michael Scott power made him a funnier character than he would have been were he just another salesman, Andy has somehow become less funny since the promotion.

Andy is socially clumsy, but only a little. He's desperate for the approval of the rest of the branch, but the ways in which he attempts to get that approval are rarely that silly or surprising. Though he was once upon a time smug, rageaholic d-bag, he'd been softened so much in the years since he arrived in Scranton that we already understand how much everybody likes him. While it's a sweet moment when Darryl offers him a cheeseburger and Oscar calls him Nard-Dog and tosses him a drink, it's not surprising. Asking the staff to come to a garden party to ostensibly impress Robert California - but really to impress his parents - is a mild inconvenience, but not notably worse than your average real-world boss might ask you to do. With Michael, you were sometimes asked to feel sorry for him, but only after he had done six or seven ridiculous things that usually (though far from always) made you laugh hysterically. With Andy in an episode like this, you just feel the pity without the humor. And with Robert being turned into more of a wry observer of the oddness of the Scranton branch rather than a crazy man who instigates stories, with Jim still being sane and relatively settled, etc., the comedy on the show seems to be existing entirely on the margins with characters like Mose or Kevin or Meredith.

And short of undoing multiple seasons of character growth for Andy and the people around him, I'm not sure how you fix that problem. The Nard-Dog's a nice guy, but so far he's not working as the central character of a comedy.

What did everybody else think?

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: The Office, James Spader, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Rainn Wilson, BJ Novak, Ed Helms, Alan Sepinwall

Next 90 Comments

Adam B.

Nard-Dog remains too much Scott-lite. I fear they made the wrong choice.

Re Rosebudy, Dwight's correct -- Rosebud doesn't really explain anything, and given that Kane died alone it's unclear how anyone even heard him say it.
October 14, 2011 at 9:56AM EST Reply to Comment
- Omagus Do you mean Darryl? Either way, that's who I side with on the meaning of Rosebud.
  October 14, 2011 at 11:07AM EST
- Adam B. I meant Darryl. Duh. Oops.
  October 14, 2011 at 11:28AM EST
- Codywheeler Reply to comment...
  October 14, 2011 at 11:51AM EST
- Codywheeler Adam B - how about a little spoiler warning? i would have skipped your post had i known you were going to give away the ending to a movie i haven't seen yet.
  October 14, 2011 at 11:53AM EST
- John Adam B actually didn't spoil anything. Kane dying is the very first scene in the movie. Don't scroll down though, because what Rosebud means (which would be a spoiler) is in later comments.
  October 14, 2011 at 12:06PM EST
- Adam B. Given that Citizen Kane begins with a viewing of the newsreel announcing Kane's death, telling you that Kane dies at the end of the movie spoils absolutely nothing.
  
  Also: Malcolm X is assassinated at the end of Malcolm X. Gandhi dies at the end of Gandhi. And Thirteen Days does not end in nuclear war.
  October 14, 2011 at 12:11PM EST
- Col Bat Guano Can a movie over 60 years old really be spoiled? What is the statute of limitations on spoilers?
  October 14, 2011 at 12:36PM EST
- Adam B. More, via my co-blogger Isaac Spaceman:
  
  They mount a successful comeback. They fall short. He loses the split decision. He knocks him out. He gets a sack. It's wide right. There's a dude down there. She was conning them. It was the name of the guy who got blown up. It was Tessio, he was always smarter. It's the future. They have the bomb. He didn't know he'd go to starboard. He's a god-damned robot. She's an android. Uh, that was Kevin Bacon's penis. They never looked behind the poster. He does or does not get whacked. Their weakness is water. His weakness is water. He switched the addresses. He's not who he says he is. He is the guy in the Hawaiian shirt. He is the other guy. He dies, and his sidekick dies, and she dies, and the balloon dies, and the dog dies, and the shark eats him, and he was dead the whole time. He's his father. She's his sister. She's her daughter and her sister. It didn't really happen at all. It was a dream, or a hallucination, or Hell. It's a sled. It's a dude. It's the best friend. It's the boss. It's Kevin Costner. It's people. It wasn't him at all. It was him all along.
  
  http://throwingthings.blogspot.com/2009/01/spoiler-alert-they-mount-successful.html
  October 14, 2011 at 12:38PM EST
- Jane Codywheeler, I really hope you are joking and that you are being sarcastic. Given how long ago the movie came out, that is taking a spoiler request to the absolute extreme. Rediculous and idiotic.
  October 14, 2011 at 12:40PM EST
- Tedd Rosebud's so well known it's probably moot (like the 6th Sense and a few others), but the fact that the movie is 70 years old is irrelevant. After all, I'M not 70 years old.
  
  People always seem to overlook this; take Fight Club for example. Yes its been out 12 years, but I was 9 when it came out. I've only been able to see R-rated movies for about 5 years now (I'm 21). Now I've seen it (more than once), and Citizen Kane too for that matter, but would it really be that outrageous if I hadn't?
  October 16, 2011 at 12:25AM EST
- Kmarko Well, Fight Club is awful, so anything that prevents viewing of it would be good.
  October 16, 2011 at 1:57PM EST
- Col Bat Guano Any movie that has been out for over a year is fair game in my book.
  October 16, 2011 at 11:22PM EST
thehova

I liked it.

I'm surprised that so many people seem to still rave about Parks and Rec and complain about The Office. It's like they are just in a rut of doing so. But IMHO, The Office has been much stronger thus far.
October 14, 2011 at 10:05AM EST Reply to Comment
- Bobin Blasphemy. I mean, I've been pleased with every episode of The Office this year, but Parks is miles better. The premier was a bit clunky, every other episode has been laugh out loud hilarious. It's the best show on network TV. Without a doubt.
  October 14, 2011 at 11:29AM EST
- noclist Community >>>>>>> Parks >> Office
  October 14, 2011 at 12:01PM EST
- John @noclist how about:
  
  Parks>Community>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Office?
  October 14, 2011 at 12:29PM EST
- Col Bat Guano Yeah, I think The Office has improved this season, but it isn't hitting the quality of either Parks or Community.
  October 14, 2011 at 12:38PM EST
- filaphresh The Parks and Rec v. Community debate has been much less this season than last, I imagine because Community fans were worried about the first few episodes. I think it's an apples to oranges debate, and there's no need to say which is better, but personally, I much prefer P&R. But that's just me.
  October 14, 2011 at 1:31PM EST
- Joseph Matz I think John nailed it.
  October 14, 2011 at 5:00PM EST
- asarael The episode was alright, I'm just so tired of these "need to impress the boss" storylines. I mean, first there was Stringer Bell/Charles, and then Will Ferrell's character, and now Robert California -- there has to have been at least 10 episodes where the story is "people awkwardly trying to impress the new boss". Please, just stop it with those.
  October 14, 2011 at 11:06PM EST
- Kmarko I've never chimed in on these comparison posts, but the idea that Community is in the same ballpark (or in the words of Pulp Fiction), even the same $#@! SPORT as the Office is absurd.
  October 15, 2011 at 10:49PM EST
Jeff G

I don't have a problem with Andy as the new boss, but this was a perfect opportunity to shift the show's focus off this role and onto the cast as a whole. Michael Scott / Ricky Gervais - two performers you could center the show on. I just assumed without someone like them, they wouldn't concentrate on the manager. But, it seems like they're just trying to sub in for Michael and have it go on like it did. Even with Michael, the show was having a tough time with a lot of his storylines. They should evolve and use the talents of the entire cast to go in new directions. How about an entire episode around Creed? Have they ever done that?
October 14, 2011 at 10:10AM EST Reply to Comment
- Jim "a perfect opportunity to shift the show's focus off this role and onto the cast as a whole."
  My sentiments exactly, including the lack of Creed in a big ensemble-y episode. I was a little bothered by the fact that Andy and Angela's engagement has been erased from the historical record, but we did finally see how Andy could be both an Ivy League trust-funder and a loser stuck in a rinky-dink paper company. And I hate stunt casting, but I think the singer didn't do a bad job, and wasn't overused. Overalll, the best episode in a while, I think.
  I'm not a big Ed Helms fan, I don't think he or the character has the weight to carry the show. I wonder if they can rebuild the show as a battle between the Team Jim (Pam, Darrell, Oscar) and Team Dwight (Ryan, Angela, maybe Meredith) for the soul of Andy and the Office. I also think Kathy Bates' combination of Paula Deen and Jack Donaghy would've been better than James Spader.
  
  October 14, 2011 at 10:22AM EST
- kronicfatigue I think this has been the best season in the past 3ish. Maybe I've set my bar for this show lower, but I'm okay with it being a bit less funny, but a lot more grounded. I perfer Andy's Michael-lite vs. Xtreme-MicHaEl-to-the-Max! Yes the plots have centered around Andy, but I think that makes sense because of the transition. I'm more than happy with the comedy being on the margins.
  October 14, 2011 at 11:33AM EST
- Jaxemer11 I have never been an Ed Helms fan. However, I think I have liked him in the regional manager role better than any other role he has played (in The Office or in other projects). I'm not sure it is the best choice for the show (I think Darryl might have been better, or even someone like Pam), but I do think it was a very good choice for his particular character.
  October 15, 2011 at 3:14AM EST
gsmith140

After last season, I was not expecting much from the main storylines this year. (Actually, to be more specific, I feel the show's creative series finale was Pam & Jim's wedding, but I know they couldn't stop there, it's their only real Thursday hit. I digress.) Is Andy as manager really working? Who knows. Is James Spader sort of disorienting? Definitely. But at least this year I'm actually laughing. There have been some good gags so far. I thought the cold open last night had a great payoff and the Dwight/Mose stuff was funny throughout. I even laughed at Andy singing for a couple seconds before it deteriorated, because that is always good for a laugh.

My point is, I don't expect much from the plot of this show going forward. I mean how can you when the center of the show leaves? Last year the plots were awful and the show just wasn't very funny. At least this year it feels like there are some laughs to be had.
October 14, 2011 at 10:10AM EST Reply to Comment
anthony_c_reyes

toating the troops...on both sides...killed me
October 14, 2011 at 10:10AM EST Reply to Comment
noclist

Write a comment...I don't understand any of the Office hate as of late, I love it. Thought this episode was great. My favorite scene was Mose peeling out down the dirt road and into the cornfield with Toby's car.
October 14, 2011 at 10:14AM EST Reply to Comment
D-man

I like Andy as the regional manager because there is more heart behind his goofy managerial style than there was with Michael. Michael and Andy both exhibited cringe-worthy moments, but with Michael some of the antics simply stopped at making you feel uncomfortable. With Andy, there is some payoff. Michael was, most often, just too pathetic. Andy has heart.

I realize that Andy's character has changed since he was first introduced, but I really don't care. He's a better character now than when he was the d-bag with an anger problem. I'm happy to forget that he even existed as that character. I'm much happier watching the show now.

And Darrell is correct re: Rosebud.
October 14, 2011 at 10:15AM EST Reply to Comment
Blaze Domingo

I really can't disagree with any of Alan's points. I just know that I laughed quite a few times last night. Which is kind of the point. This show used to be smart and funny. If it can't do both anymore, I'll settle for funny.
October 14, 2011 at 10:16AM EST Reply to Comment
- Col Bat Guano Yeah, funny is my standard these days. I didn't mind the idea of the garden party because it's just a take off on the standard "boss throws a party for the group." taken to the Andy extreme. I laughed a several things in the episode including Jim's prank, but thinking about it later it seems much too far to go for a joke. As for Andy, I don't hate him as manager, but they need to find a different plot line other than him getting into trouble and the gang rallying behind him. We've had three out of four episodes end that way and they need to find something else for him to do or shift the focus away.
  October 14, 2011 at 11:07AM EST
Kevin

I did love the Dwight stuff and some of the other "on the margins" gags, but the construction of each episode so far this season has been exactly the same. First, Andy struggles to get the group to get behind something he wants, then, he gets humbled by someone or something, and at the end, the office feels sorry for him and realizes they like him after all. It's really annoying because the moments at the end don't carry over to the next week at all. It's like he has to re-earn their respect/sympathy every week. The writers need to find a new way to construct an "Andy as boss" episode.
October 14, 2011 at 10:45AM EST Reply to Comment
- Chris Exactly! Every week seems to end with either showing a.) how competent Andy really is, or b.) how much everyone really loves him. It's just a weaker version of Michael Scott, with more hugs.
  
  What I liked about this episode, though, is that it seemed to actually have a storyline suited to Andy's quirks--his preppiness (the New England casual, the "Mabel, Mabel, elbows on the table)...whereas Michael Scott would have tried to impress California with a huge blow-out, this was more suited to Andy's characteristics.
  
  I think Andy's weak as a boss because they're just turned him into a more eager Michael Scott. The character has potential--they could exploit his perfectionist tendencies, by having him try to work the staff harder; they could find a little more humor in his positivity; heck, they could bring back his anger management issues. He's not a boring character, but they've not yet explored anything unique--then again, it's only episode four.
  
  Funny episode, though, mainly due to Mose and Dwight. Also, is it just me, or does Kevin seem to steal every scene this year?
  October 14, 2011 at 11:40AM EST
Ed Johnson-Ott

Help me work this out. Jim gets invited to the garden party, with probably two or three weeks notice max. To prank Dwight, he then writes a garden party book and publishes a single copy? Let me repeat that - he WRITES A BOOK and publishes a single copy. How does this work? I'm willing to go along with the writers for the sake of fun, but really, how far do they get to carry it? What happens next week? Will Jim invent a time machine to pester Dwight in high school?
October 14, 2011 at 10:54AM EST Reply to Comment
- Col Bat Guano Not exactly a stapler in jello is it?
  October 14, 2011 at 11:07AM EST
- noclist Before you complain about something like this, ask yourself: Was it funny? If yes, stop typing.
  October 14, 2011 at 12:05PM EST
- Col Bat Guano Or you could stop reading.
  October 14, 2011 at 12:40PM EST
- gsmith140 If you go back through the history of this show and remove the pranks that Jim wouldn't have had the time/resources to pull off in the real world, half the series would be missing.
  October 14, 2011 at 1:32PM EST
- wjmtv I'm still trying to figure out how he got all of Dwight's stuff into the vending machine.
  October 14, 2011 at 3:20PM EST
- Frank Ed Johnson-Ott is right, Jim's prank was a bit too elaborate as to preparation time and printing cost too be real. Speaking of time machines, I preferred Jim's inexpensive faxes from "Future Dwight" in season 3. But once you have settled with a touch of surrealism in a fake reality show - it is still very funny. For they are all fine actors, and the gags are just opportunities to display their talents.
  October 14, 2011 at 4:19PM EST
- Dwight does say in a talking head he's been trying to diversify into the lucrative party-hosting market, so it's possible Jim had already prepared the guide and was just waiting for Dwight to volunteer up Schrute Farms for some office occasion.
  October 14, 2011 at 5:52PM EST
- Bob I was unaware that "Garden Party" was a thing, let alone a thing Dwight would have heard of.
  October 14, 2011 at 7:04PM EST
- It's not unrealistic. I could use iPhoto and create a book and have it here by Wednesday (today is Saturday).
  October 15, 2011 at 4:37PM EST
- Chrissy I think the DVD commentary for Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking has spoiled me for the mockumentary format. I can see all rhe seams now. Take this subplot. While completely ridiculous, the scenes where Dwight was acting out the book's suggestions were very funny. But every time they had to cut to Jim smirking, telling you that that was in his book. They needed one of these. Every additional one made me groan and took away from the scene before it.
  October 16, 2011 at 11:14AM EST
Stef

Except for The Lotto I've really been enjoying this season of The Office. So far I am enjoying Andy as the new RM, but they now need to start developing scripts with a focus that is not "poor Andy" or "Andy is really doing a great job". It would be great to start focusing on different character's stories each week since Andy is now established in the manager's job.

Another positive for the season in my household has been James Spader's Robert California. We are really anxious to learn more about how this guy ticks and some of his backstory. Liked RC's glasses in this episode; I hope Spader continues to wear them for show
October 14, 2011 at 11:12AM EST Reply to Comment
Stef

Except for The Lotto I've really been enjoying this season of The Office. So far I am enjoying Andy as the new RM, but they now need to start developing scripts with a focus that is not "poor Andy" or "Andy is really doing a great job". It would be great to start focusing on different character's stories each week since Andy is now established in the manager's job.

Another positive for the season in my household has been James Spader's Robert California. We are really anxious to learn more about how this guy ticks and some of his backstory. Liked RC's glasses in this episode; I hope Spader continues to wear them for show.
October 14, 2011 at 11:15AM EST Reply to Comment
chip_christian

Rosebud is just a sled ;-)
October 14, 2011 at 11:15AM EST Reply to Comment
- Peter Griffin It was his sled. It was his sled from when he was a kid. There, I just saved you two long boobless hours.
  October 14, 2011 at 11:23AM EST
- KJ fantastic pete griffin quote. well played sir, well played
  October 14, 2011 at 4:02PM EST
Stef

Except for The Lotto I've really been enjoying this season of The Office. So far I am enjoying Andy as the new RM, but they now need to start developing scripts with a focus that is not "poor Andy" or "Andy is really doing a great job". It would be great to start focusing on different character's stories each week since Andy is now established in the manager's job.

Another positive for the season in my household has been James Spader's Robert California. We are really anxious to learn more about how this guy ticks and some of his backstory. Liked RC's glasses in this episode; I hope Spader continues to wear them for the show.
October 14, 2011 at 11:15AM EST Reply to Comment
- Stef Sorry for the duplicate posts! It kept indicating it wasn't accepting my post. :(
  October 14, 2011 at 11:17AM EST
Karen

I enjoyed last night's episode, but agree with Alan about Andy's character. I'm ready for them to move away from him being the center of the show.
I'm just enjoying this show for what it is now. It will never be the smart, subtle show it once was but I still laugh and am entertained. So it's all good.
October 14, 2011 at 11:21AM EST Reply to Comment
NJMark

I don't think anyone has EVER had Oscar's view of Rosebud, which was probably the point of the exchange. Oscar feels the need to engage a debate that has never taken place.

October 14, 2011 at 11:22AM EST Reply to Comment
Matt W

Mose was the best part of the episode. Between driving Toby's car into the cornfield, parking cars so close to each other that he had to climb out of the sunroof, and running across the cars Evel Knievel style, Mose had me in stitches.
October 14, 2011 at 11:23AM EST Reply to Comment
- Ver Mose is instantly the best part anytime he is on the screen.
  October 14, 2011 at 12:54PM EST
Bryan

I don't doubt that Rainn Wilson is a nice guy and everything, but Dwight jumped the shark for me several seasons ago when he thought the internet was talking to him. There was more of that impossibly credulous behavior tonight behind the party etiquette book: Dwight really thought there was one copy in existence, and no other possible substitute resource? I get it as an engine for the dancing and loudly announcing party guests (which also annoyed me), but not in any other way. With other comically dense sitcom characters (Coach & Woody from Cheers come to mind, but also Andy on Parks and Rec, maybe Bull on Night Court) their credulity in the face of obviously-ridiculous makes more sense because there's a consistent character logic behind it. Like, it might be impossible for me to believe someone's as dense as Woody, but his density is consistent. It comes and goes with Dwight, and I can't buy it; there's nothing about him the rest of the time that makes me think he'd really fall for Jim's etiquette book prank. The rest of The Office has evolved into such a dryer kind of comedy (and sadness) that he kills everything for me.
October 14, 2011 at 11:25AM EST Reply to Comment
bmcmolo

I'm with Oscar on Citizen Kane. (Actually...) :-)

Loved seeing Mose again. (And I think it Michael Schur's Grantland piece, particularly the footnotes that won the day for him, yesterday)

Besides Jim's garden party prank, and some of the other jokes you mention, last night just annoyed me. Andy brings nothing new to the manager role, and every episode has this obligatory "hey Andy we really like you" scene from the cast. Do the writers think if they keep scripting people saying "Hey Andy we really like you," we the audience will say, "Oh, right! We really like him, too! Thanks for clueing us in." He's just been annoying, and it brings nothing new to the show. My two cents. Like you say, so far, it's just not working.

Community and It's Always Sunny are the best things about Thursday night for me, now.
October 14, 2011 at 11:39AM EST Reply to Comment
Timm S

Undoubtedly, Ken Tremendous's best work was the Grantland piece. I like to think his (literal) car jumping sequence was a way to deal with his rage. Mike Schur is greatness.
October 14, 2011 at 11:43AM EST Reply to Comment
Miles

Alan, the correct answer re: Mike Schur is C.) the blog, "Fire Joe Morgan"
October 14, 2011 at 12:03PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall But he didn't do anything for FJM yesterday, unless you consider the Grantland piece a legacy FJM post.
  October 14, 2011 at 12:24PM EST
- Brian I went on FJM, yesterday and re-read this article...
  
  http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2008/09/holy-cow-does-jon-heyman-hate-vorp.html
  
  It won the Schur battle.
  October 14, 2011 at 1:35PM EST
- Freddy Haha. Amazing stuff. Ken T is the best...
  
  "VORP has some value. But like all other stats, it doesn't replace watching the games or following the season."
  
  I have never watched a baseball game, so I can't speak to this. I'm not even sure what it is. What I can tell you is: watch live baseball all you want. I'll be in my grandmother's attic (following a legal dispute over squatter's rights with my mom w/r/t her basement), staring at my computer, looking at a little thing I like to call "data." That's all I care about. Data. Raw data. Baseball is good for one thing only: the production of data. That's what I believe. If I and my friends had it my way, the games wouldn't even be "played," but rather "simulated" by 1000 PCs, and the results would be downloaded directly into my brain through Optical Quanta Resonance (OQR), and instead of "discussing" the games the next day, my friends and I would just await the Retinal Scans and then text each other brief congratulations, depending on whose favorite "team" won, and then we would all go on with our lives, grateful that the annoyance of actual "baseball" had been removed from our lives, allowing us to spend more time writing code for our start-up social network site, which we are I think going to call "Together-ing!"
  October 14, 2011 at 1:40PM EST
The Noble Robot

How is the title of this post *not* "The host with the Mose" ??
October 14, 2011 at 12:04PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall Yeesh. First I blew the chance to go with a "Crisis in Infinite Earthas" headline for Community, and now this. #SepinwallFail
  October 14, 2011 at 12:14PM EST
Matt S.

So is every episode of the Office this season going to be Andy trying to prove himself to someone? Booooooooring. It's unfortunate, the writers don't know how to take advantage of Ed Helms' comedic talents. If you want to go for depth and complexity in the branch manager -- Jim would have been the better choice, although I'm kind of enjoying him as the guy watching all this stuff happen around him.
October 14, 2011 at 12:08PM EST Reply to Comment
Dan

Darryl is right about rosebud.

I thought it was a very enjoyable episode. Probably the funniest one this season.
October 14, 2011 at 12:09PM EST Reply to Comment
isulaura

Thanks Alan. Great review. Awesome episode last night. Re: Mike Schur - I choose (c) Grantland piece as well.
October 14, 2011 at 12:20PM EST Reply to Comment
Bob

I liked this in retrospect better than while I was watching it. It may be because my favorite part, when Darryl offers Andy the burger, after Andy made a mess of the day, or should I say his relationship with his haughty Dad made a mess of the day, came at the end of the episode To me it showed a depth and complexity to Darryl's character. And while the plausibility of Jim publishing a book, getting it on Amazon and Dwight buying the only copy is ridiculous, it did provide some laugh out loud moments.
October 14, 2011 at 1:57PM EST Reply to Comment
dylanfan

I don't think I'm ready for another Walter Jr.
October 14, 2011 at 2:00PM EST Reply to Comment
Haik Mendelovich

Alan, I think that the way to make the main characters funnier without undoing their development is to introduce a good foil.

I think that foil should be Robert California.

When introduced, Robert was some sort of management guru who also happened to seem insane.

Bring back the insanity. Make Robert a boss whose behavior is unpredictable and stressful. Think of the officer corps in Catch 22.

Insane demands from above can push everyone's buttons. Who would blame Andy for regressing, for example, if Robert's work plan made Dwight Schrute's short reign seem normal?

I thing the writers are missing a wonderful opportunity by softening RC...
October 14, 2011 at 3:03PM EST Reply to Comment
Kevin

Helms was great as an Ivy League under achiever and barbershop singer, but this isn't working. Is having him as the boss even in his wheelhouse? It's been almost boring to watch this season without Steve Carell, and even his last 2 seasons were up and down, I don't see how they can milk 1 or 2 more seasons out of this.
October 14, 2011 at 4:38PM EST Reply to Comment
Eric

I was very pleasantly surprised with this episode; this season thus far is way better than last season which had horrible story lines and delivered very little laughs. I think this season will end up being better than last season just because of all the momentum they have built up right now. Mose and Dwight were hilarious especially Mose driving Toby's car into the cornfield and then trying to run over everyone's cars with the dirtbike had me rolling. Dwight's "Mr. Jim Halpert" intro at the end was classic. The low point of this episode was Gabe please get rid of that downright mean psycopath who's definitely on a path to destroy Andy's life or something. I definitely want to see something really bad happen to him this season like him being outed as the Scranton Strangler or being fired for some a-wall behavior against Andy. Why Robert California decided to bring him back from Florida is beyond me.
October 14, 2011 at 7:38PM EST Reply to Comment

Next 90 Comments

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Review: 'The Office' - 'Garden Party': The host with the most

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'The Office' - 'Garden Party': The host with the most

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'The Office' - 'Garden Party': The host with the most

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Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Adam B. Nard-Dog remains too much Scott-lite. I fear they made the wrong choice.Re Rosebudy, Dwight's correct -- Rosebud doesn't really explain anything, and given that Kane died alone it's unclear how anyone even heard him say it.

Omagus Do you mean Darryl? Either way, that's who I side with on the meaning of Rosebud.

Adam B. I meant Darryl. Duh. Oops.

Codywheeler Reply to comment...

Codywheeler Adam B - how about a little spoiler warning? i would have skipped your post had i known you were going to give away the ending to a movie i haven't seen yet.

John Adam B actually didn't spoil anything. Kane dying is the very first scene in the movie. Don't scroll down though, because what Rosebud means (which would be a spoiler) is in later comments.

Col Bat Guano Can a movie over 60 years old really be spoiled? What is the statute of limitations on spoilers?

Jane Codywheeler, I really hope you are joking and that you are being sarcastic. Given how long ago the movie came out, that is taking a spoiler request to the absolute extreme. Rediculous and idiotic.

Kmarko Well, Fight Club is awful, so anything that prevents viewing of it would be good.

Col Bat Guano Any movie that has been out for over a year is fair game in my book.

thehova I liked it. I'm surprised that so many people seem to still rave about Parks and Rec and complain about The Office. It's like they are just in a rut of doing so. But IMHO, The Office has been much stronger thus far.

Bobin Blasphemy. I mean, I've been pleased with every episode of The Office this year, but Parks is miles better. The premier was a bit clunky, every other episode has been laugh out loud hilarious. It's the best show on network TV. Without a doubt.

noclist Community >>>>>>> Parks >> Office

John @noclist how about: Parks>Community>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Office?

Col Bat Guano Yeah, I think The Office has improved this season, but it isn't hitting the quality of either Parks or Community.

Joseph Matz I think John nailed it.

Kmarko I've never chimed in on these comparison posts, but the idea that Community is in the same ballpark (or in the words of Pulp Fiction), even the same $#@! SPORT as the Office is absurd.

anthony_c_reyes toating the troops...on both sides...killed me

noclist Write a comment...I don't understand any of the Office hate as of late, I love it. Thought this episode was great. My favorite scene was Mose peeling out down the dirt road and into the cornfield with Toby's car.

Blaze Domingo I really can't disagree with any of Alan's points. I just know that I laughed quite a few times last night. Which is kind of the point. This show used to be smart and funny. If it can't do both anymore, I'll settle for funny.

Col Bat Guano Not exactly a stapler in jello is it?

noclist Before you complain about something like this, ask yourself: Was it funny? If yes, stop typing.

Col Bat Guano Or you could stop reading.

gsmith140 If you go back through the history of this show and remove the pranks that Jim wouldn't have had the time/resources to pull off in the real world, half the series would be missing.

wjmtv I'm still trying to figure out how he got all of Dwight's stuff into the vending machine.

Dwight does say in a talking head he's been trying to diversify into the lucrative party-hosting market, so it's possible Jim had already prepared the guide and was just waiting for Dwight to volunteer up Schrute Farms for some office occasion.

Bob I was unaware that "Garden Party" was a thing, let alone a thing Dwight would have heard of.

It's not unrealistic. I could use iPhoto and create a book and have it here by Wednesday (today is Saturday).

chip_christian Rosebud is just a sled ;-)

Peter Griffin It was his sled. It was his sled from when he was a kid. There, I just saved you two long boobless hours.

KJ fantastic pete griffin quote. well played sir, well played

Stef Sorry for the duplicate posts! It kept indicating it wasn't accepting my post. :(

NJMark I don't think anyone has EVER had Oscar's view of Rosebud, which was probably the point of the exchange. Oscar feels the need to engage a debate that has never taken place.

Matt W Mose was the best part of the episode. Between driving Toby's car into the cornfield, parking cars so close to each other that he had to climb out of the sunroof, and running across the cars Evel Knievel style, Mose had me in stitches.

Ver Mose is instantly the best part anytime he is on the screen.

Timm S Undoubtedly, Ken Tremendous's best work was the Grantland piece. I like to think his (literal) car jumping sequence was a way to deal with his rage. Mike Schur is greatness.

Miles Alan, the correct answer re: Mike Schur is C.) the blog, "Fire Joe Morgan"

sepinwall But he didn't do anything for FJM yesterday, unless you consider the Grantland piece a legacy FJM post.

Brian I went on FJM, yesterday and re-read this article...http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2008/09/holy-cow-does-jon-heyman-hate-vorp.htmlIt won the Schur battle.

The Noble Robot How is the title of this post *not* "The host with the Mose" ??

sepinwall Yeesh. First I blew the chance to go with a "Crisis in Infinite Earthas" headline for Community, and now this. #SepinwallFail

Dan Darryl is right about rosebud.I thought it was a very enjoyable episode. Probably the funniest one this season.

isulaura Thanks Alan. Great review. Awesome episode last night. Re: Mike Schur - I choose (c) Grantland piece as well.

dylanfan I don't think I'm ready for another Walter Jr.

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The Office is updated

Adam B.

Nard-Dog remains too much Scott-lite. I fear they made the wrong choice.

Re Rosebudy, Dwight's correct -- Rosebud doesn't really explain anything, and given that Kane died alone it's unclear how anyone even heard him say it.

thehova

I liked it.

I'm surprised that so many people seem to still rave about Parks and Rec and complain about The Office. It's like they are just in a rut of doing so. But IMHO, The Office has been much stronger thus far.

John @noclist how about:

Parks>Community>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Office?

anthony_c_reyes

toating the troops...on both sides...killed me

noclist

Write a comment...I don't understand any of the Office hate as of late, I love it. Thought this episode was great. My favorite scene was Mose peeling out down the dirt road and into the cornfield with Toby's car.

Blaze Domingo

I really can't disagree with any of Alan's points. I just know that I laughed quite a few times last night. Which is kind of the point. This show used to be smart and funny. If it can't do both anymore, I'll settle for funny.

chip_christian

Rosebud is just a sled ;-)

NJMark

I don't think anyone has EVER had Oscar's view of Rosebud, which was probably the point of the exchange. Oscar feels the need to engage a debate that has never taken place.

Matt W

Mose was the best part of the episode. Between driving Toby's car into the cornfield, parking cars so close to each other that he had to climb out of the sunroof, and running across the cars Evel Knievel style, Mose had me in stitches.

Timm S

Undoubtedly, Ken Tremendous's best work was the Grantland piece. I like to think his (literal) car jumping sequence was a way to deal with his rage. Mike Schur is greatness.

Miles

Alan, the correct answer re: Mike Schur is C.) the blog, "Fire Joe Morgan"

Brian I went on FJM, yesterday and re-read this article...

http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2008/09/holy-cow-does-jon-heyman-hate-vorp.html

It won the Schur battle.

The Noble Robot

How is the title of this post not "The host with the Mose" ??

Dan

Darryl is right about rosebud.

I thought it was a very enjoyable episode. Probably the funniest one this season.

isulaura

Thanks Alan. Great review. Awesome episode last night. Re: Mike Schur - I choose (c) Grantland piece as well.

dylanfan

I don't think I'm ready for another Walter Jr.

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