Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Review: 'The Office' - 'Lotto': Warehouse louses

Darryl has a spiritual crisis when the warehouse staff wins the lottery without him

By Alan Sepinwall Friday, Oct 7, 2011 8:43 AM

Andy (Ed Helms) and Darryl (Craig Robinson) on "The Office."

Credit: NBC

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A quick review of last night's "The Office" coming up just as soon as I kayak to my job at the bike shop...

If there's been a consistent element to Paul Lieberstein's work on this show - first as one of many writers, now as the man in charge of steering this old battleship - it's that he understands what makes the main characters tick, and is able to use that for real emotional resonance, in episodes like "The Job," "Money," "Goodbye Toby," all the way up through last week's Lieberstein-scripted "The Incentive." When the show wants to give Jim, or Pam, or Dwight, or now Andy a quiet, emotional moment, it's usually still able to do so very well, and that includes most of Andy and Darryl's interaction here in "Lotto." Though for the most part the show seems content to use Andy as Michael Scott Lite, one of the subtle differences is that Andy and Darryl are friends in a way Michael only wished he and Darryl were, so the two of them could have a real conversation(*) down by the coffee bar, Darryl could express his frustration that he didn't get the manager job and Andy could finally pull Darryl out of his funk.

(*) Though even that had some Michael Scott overtones, reminding me a fair amount of the equally-strong, serious scene between Michael and Stanley at the end of "Did I Stutter?"

All of that stuff was good, as were some of the wistful moments of the staff (Jim and Pam mainly) trying to imagine what their lives would be like had they won the lottery.(**) Where the show has struggled a lot this season - and for big chunks of the last few seasons - is with the comedy. There are still some funny moments here and there (Craig Robinson's dry delivery of the monologue about the taco smell in his basement was hilarious), but for the most part we've seen these same characters in these same situations for a very long time now, and it's hard to keep wringing laughs from them without a very different dynamic (which the show steered away from in promoting Andy) or without selling them out for the sake of a joke. Pretty much every Oscar gag in the main part of the episode (in the teaser he was fine), for instance, required him to be pretty far-removed from the buttoned-down character he was much earlier in the series. And the antics in the warehouse, while giving John Krasinski a chance to direct various bits of physical comedy, never felt real. Whether or not you believe that Dwight would drive the forklift into the wall (that seemed much more of a Michael move), at a certain point either he or Jim would've gotten their acts together. There's a difference between illustrating what a warehouse guy knows versus what an office guy knows and just making the office guys seem like morons. (Though Kevin slipping in the grease while Jim and Dwight were doing a talking head was amusing, at least.)

(**) Not that a TV showrunner has tons of extra time, but I would love if Lieberstein would actually start doing The Flenderson Files true crime podcast. If nothing else, it might finally provide closure to the whole Scranton Strangler issue that a certain portion of the audience became fixated on late last season.

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

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robert_e._holley

I thought the episode was weak until the third act. I knew the guys hearing problem was going to pay off, and I laughed pretty damn hard when it did. Same of the warehouse antics. I've been mumbling "Por que es muy rapido" under my breath at people all day. That made me laugh pretty hard.
October 7, 2011 at 8:59AM EST Reply to Comment
- I also agree with you about the Oscar thing, but you have to remember (and I might be reaching here), to your Darryl point, Oscar was reacting to Andy who he is a lot closer to than he was Michael. A person who he was kinda repulsed by.
  
  Seems like Andy having a little more respect from the staff as opposed to Michael, might be a dynamic that's taming the funny.
  
  October 7, 2011 at 9:05AM EST
- sepinwall That's a good point, Robert. Michael reached a similar point late in his run where he perhaps wasn't as well-liked as Andy but was still relatively popular with the staff, and the show got sweeter but less funny. (The funniest Michael episode from last year, I thought, was "PDA," which was a rare moment where the entire staff was opposed to something Michael was doing.)
  October 7, 2011 at 9:22AM EST
Matt

I agree with you Alan. I've become distant from the show for the past several seasons, only really tuning in last year for Threat Level Midnight and Goodbye Michael. Other than those episodes I find nothing memorable or unique from those episodes. I believe things started going downhill following the creation of Parks and Rec. After that abysmal first season, Mike and Greg pulled writers away from The Office and now Parks and Rec is greater than The Office when it used to be the other way around.
October 7, 2011 at 9:02AM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall Actually, I'm pretty sure that Mike and Greg are the only Office alums to write for Parks and Rec. And Greg these days go back and forth. So either Mike Schur was singlehandedly making The Office great for all those years or this is just what happens to most comedies when they've been around a long, long time.
  October 7, 2011 at 9:07AM EST
- Col Bat Guano I do think Mike Schur had a big influence, along with Greg Daniels, in keeping the characters grounded. I think Paul Lieberstein can write some of the more emotional material, but I get the feeling he's delegated the funny to Mindy Kaling who seems to have a lot of influence in the writer's room. That warehouse bit had her fingerprints all over it regardless of who the credited writer was. The destruction of Kevin is almost criminal at this point.
  October 7, 2011 at 12:21PM EST
- LJA Oh, I openly give Mike Schur the credit for being the genius behind the golden days of The Office and the creative brilliance Parks is currently enjoying. I thought it was a foregone conclusion.
  October 7, 2011 at 12:46PM EST
- Ann H In addition to Mike Schur, the writing team of Lee & Gene Stupnitsky (The Secret, Michael's Birthday) as well as Jen Celotta (Drug Testing) have left. I agree about Mindy Kaling having too much influence for my taste. I have always felt she is the most willing to sacrifice character consistency for a (usually not very funny) laugh. She seems to be particularly fond of writing Jim as stupid and bumbling.
  October 7, 2011 at 7:11PM EST
- Ann H Sorry, meant Lee Eisenberg & Gene Stupnitsky.
  October 7, 2011 at 7:12PM EST
- Ben The best current writer on the show is easily BJ Novak.
  October 7, 2011 at 7:26PM EST
Jon88

Things that shouldn't bother me but they do: In the teaser, if they were able to pour liquids through the opening in the roof, why would the closed windows be a problem?
October 7, 2011 at 9:12AM EST Reply to Comment
- M Yeah, that annoyed me too. To the point that it made the entire thing really stupid and unfunny.
  October 7, 2011 at 9:44AM EST
- Yeah Thank you. That really irritated me too.
  October 7, 2011 at 9:52AM EST
- Robin Yep, I hated that whole sequence for that reason. Though I did laugh when Kevin hit the horn.
  October 7, 2011 at 10:04AM EST
- Andy I thought the same thing and it could have been saved if someone acknowledged the open sunroof (a look at the camera from Jim would have sufficed). The way they left it made it seem like an oversight.
  October 7, 2011 at 10:43AM EST
- Joseph I kind of think that was part of the joke. As in, all that drama for the open window but no one realized the open sunroof served the same purpose...
  October 7, 2011 at 11:20AM EST
- Randy R. THAT OPENING DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! It was so weird. They poked airholes in a piece of cardboard when the entire sunroof was open! Why make the sunroof open? That drink pouring joke was indispensable?
  October 7, 2011 at 11:39AM EST
- Johna Randy, did you even bother to read the reply that was directly above your own?
  October 7, 2011 at 2:27PM EST
- Durodude Yeah, the sun roof really should've been dispensed with. That made it all very unbelievable. The rest of that scene could've worked, but the sun roof was a step too far off the Cliff of Ubelievability.
  October 8, 2011 at 11:24AM EST
bigperm33

You always write that new comedies new several episodes to figure themselves out. I think the Office is in that same type of period. This is almost a new show without Michael, and as not only is Michael gone, the dominant personality on the show, but so many characters were at least partly defined by how they interacted with Michael. Each episode this season has felt uneven - some good parts, but not working as a whole. I am hoping that is just the writers figuring out what works now without Michael. If this uneveness drags on for too many more episodes, it will become a real problem - but for now, there has been enough in each episode I liked to keep me on board with the Michael Scott-less Office.
October 7, 2011 at 9:29AM EST Reply to Comment
- Durodude Well said. I agree that patience is a necessary virtue as we enter a new era of this show. We have to allow them a bit of a grace period to get firm footing. It'll take time along with trial and error, but they're off to a considerably good start. It could be a train wreck, but it's hanging in there.
  October 8, 2011 at 11:21AM EST
rexmism

Okay, it would be great to have an extra $100,000, but who quits their job after winning that? Even with modest spending, it's gone within a handful of years, and these idiots appeared to waste it mostly all at once.
October 7, 2011 at 9:33AM EST Reply to Comment
- Justin I think that was part of the joke. That they quit, and that Justine wanted the other guy.. for not that much money.
  October 7, 2011 at 9:45AM EST
- Lee I guess $100K goes farther in Scranton but I thought the same thing. After taxes, it would be around $60K and that's certainly not enough to support oneself and one's family for long. Though they seemed to be investing the money in their own businesses: fat kid's camp, floating strip club, etc., so maybe it would work.
  October 7, 2011 at 11:29AM EST
- Ben I really liked the fact that the big lotto win was both an awesome amount and...not something that middle-aged people (whom all of the warehouse workers except Hide seem to be) could plausibly use to live as men and women of unemployed leisure. I strongly suspect that Glen, Madge, and everyone else are going to return to the warehouse in the not too distant future--maybe for a storyline about Darryl's destiny bringing him great success?
  October 7, 2011 at 7:28PM EST
- Ben And I wrote "UNEMPLOYED" leisure because those business ideas were so asinine that they're going to only deplete their lottery winnings the way combat operations deplete the onhand fuel supplies.
  October 7, 2011 at 7:29PM EST
- JD If you've ever seen any of the programs done about real lottery winners,there are people that spend their winnings just as stupidly as these fictional ones.
  October 7, 2011 at 8:37PM EST
- DB Cooper @Lee, they did say it was $100k *after* taxes.
  
  That's 3 years' pay for theses guys, so I could see them quitting.
  October 7, 2011 at 11:18PM EST
- Durodude I understand why they quit. Granted, $100,000 will not sustain them indefinitely, but it is enough to change their lives for the better if they make the most of it.
  October 8, 2011 at 11:17AM EST
ed w

There were some good moments, most of which Alan mentioned, but there was also too much random running around, a kind of flop sweat silliness.

There was also little logic. They had established in previous season that the warehouse workers were well paid, and that in fact Darryl made more than Michael for a while. How are they going to retire on 100k each? That made no sense.

The cold opening was one of the dumbest in a long time, especially after the reveal that the sun roof had been open the whole time and the silliness of that cardboard cover, which was not silly enough to be funny or sensible enough to seem like something Oscar would do.
October 7, 2011 at 9:44AM EST Reply to Comment
LDP in Cincinnati

I thought it was a fairly good episode - not in the same league with Parks & Recreation, but significantly better than Community so far this seaon.
October 7, 2011 at 10:41AM EST Reply to Comment
Y

I know it's been for awhile, but I still don't like what they've done to Kevin. They've made him into a mentally handicapped caricature, which gets really tiresome. It was funny in Goodbye Toby way back in the 4th season when Holly thought he was "slow." But now they're trying to use it for cheap laughs and it's not working -- at least on me. I was rewatching the 2nd season recently and that Kevin compared to the current Kevin is like night and day. Sure, they reinvented Kelly, but I think that was actually a good move.
October 7, 2011 at 11:26AM EST Reply to Comment
- Col Bat Guano If they were only go to give a line or two, I might be able to overlook what they've done to Kevin, but to give him significant screen time and make him functionall disabled is just lazy.
  October 7, 2011 at 12:24PM EST
- Ann H Completely agree about Kevin. He's become so stupid I wonder how he dresses himself without help. I can't stand him anymore. Lazy writing is right.
  October 7, 2011 at 7:17PM EST
- Durodude I don't know. I watched an older episode of the show recently, and I was really bored by Kevin. They may have dumbed him down a bit, but he's WAY funnier now.
  October 8, 2011 at 11:13AM EST
- Col Bat Guano I just don't find jokes at the expense of mentally challenged people to be particularly funny.
  October 8, 2011 at 2:14PM EST
- Durodude I don't either. But since when is Kevin officially mentally challenged? There's never been any official confirmation that his character is mentally challenged. I know he acts a little slow, but not to the point of being (and I even hate typing this word) retarded. All I know is this. In my opinion, the new Kevin is funnier than the older one. That's good for me.
  October 8, 2011 at 3:49PM EST
- Col Bat Guano Obviously they aren't going to have an episode where they declare Kevin to be actually mentally challenged. That would make the cruelty to apparent for all to see, but can you point to a single scene in the since S6 that showed Kevin to be a competent, functional adult?
  October 8, 2011 at 9:51PM EST
- eyeball wit Remember that on Casino Night Kevin was shown to be a poker savant. Which was both funny and an opportunity for surprising little story lines. But it just feels like piling on at this point.
  October 9, 2011 at 5:12PM EST
- eyeball wit Remember that on Casino Night Kevin was shown to be a poker savant. Which was both funny and an opportunity for surprising little story lines. But it just feels like piling on at this point.
  October 9, 2011 at 5:12PM EST
djpal1

I'm really enjoying this season. I think Michael leaving has breathed some new life in the series. It's genius to have Andy as manager and I love that we're seeing some additional dimensions to Darryl and Oscar. I've grown tired of people blasting The Office for not being what it once was. It's still one of the most clever comedies on television that takes risks each season.
October 7, 2011 at 12:06PM EST Reply to Comment
- Kevin Thanks for your comment Mr. Lieberstein.
  October 7, 2011 at 12:47PM EST
- Durodude You know, it's okay for someone to NOT be oozing criticism and negativity every once in a while. Djpal1, I find your positive outlook on the show refreshing. I have high hopes for this show as well, and it pays to have a good attitude. I think you enjoy the show more going in to it that way.
  October 8, 2011 at 11:09AM EST
Jack

I was about to give up on the The Office this week. While Michael caused me to cringe, I was never so aware how important he was to the show until this season. However the episode went off-road and into high gear when Andy admitted to Darrell he was out of his depth with hiring warehouse people and then administering tough love.

For me, the weakest part was Pam and Jim. It's the same old same old with them.
October 7, 2011 at 12:06PM EST Reply to Comment
- Durodude I admire your bluntness, Jack. I actually was always a Michael fan, and I too notice a void left in his absence that I have yet to see filled. Whether you like him or not, there's no denying that he brought something special and quite frankly irreplaceable to the show.
  October 8, 2011 at 11:05AM EST
asarael

Does anyone find Nate/K-strass to be downright hilarious? For me, it doesn't even matter what he says -- it's funny. I wish the show would use him more. They definitely are lacking in the comedy department and that actor is really talented.

Rest of the episode? Not really funny. Meh.
October 7, 2011 at 12:32PM EST Reply to Comment
- Durodude Nate! Thank you!!! THAT'S his name! I forgot what it was for a moment there. Yes, I agree with you 150%. He is a VERY funny guy without looking like he's TRYING to be funny. It comes naturally to him. I could hear that ear thing of his a thousand times and not grow weary of it! LOL
  October 8, 2011 at 11:02AM EST
Eric

I thought this was the best episode of the season so far and Andy is starting to gel with the Office cast.
October 7, 2011 at 1:36PM EST Reply to Comment
Gang Green

it was a good premise that failed in execution. there was so much potential there. Andy trying to hire a new staff... office workers running warehouse.... those are good ideas but i was disappointed by the end. oh well, i enjoyed the first two episodes. try again next week.
October 7, 2011 at 2:53PM EST Reply to Comment
Scott Rosenberg

Agree with the first poster that this episode was weak until the final act, though my biggest problem was how horrifically cartoonish Andy was trying to deal with the issues head on, and then being even worse at the hiring meeting. Thought the teaser was ridiculous - the joke should have been that the roof was open, but it wasn't - and most of the B-plots just weren't at all interesting. On the plus side, the confrontation scene was extremely well done and is an example of the shade of competency that we should be seeing more regularly, and as with the other eps this season has made a much funnier, realistic use of Dwight than in the recent past.
October 7, 2011 at 7:47PM EST Reply to Comment
- Durodude No, the joke should've been that it was Robert California's car. ;)
  
  You are very spot-on about Dwight though. He has been nothing short of hilarious lately, and his interactions with Jim remind me of the good ole' days of "The Office."
  October 8, 2011 at 10:59AM EST
- lita Yeah, the joke in the cold open was not that funny except Kevin's fainting. I agree it would be funnier if it's the car of Robert California or some other guys they know.
  October 8, 2011 at 11:40AM EST
coleton_buck

Por que es muy rapido.
October 7, 2011 at 8:37PM EST Reply to Comment
bcstagg

I wasn't a fan of the first two episodes of this season due largely to the fact that they did make me laugh. IN this episode, I laughed. Whether or not we had seen these characters do similar things was inconsequential to me. I thought they did a great job of having two separate stories that dealt with one common task and then merging them at the end. Also, the teaser was great.
October 7, 2011 at 8:55PM EST Reply to Comment
Steven Payne

I think what is missing this season is not so much Steve Carell, but good comedy writing. This show had the potential to be hilarious, but few laughs were to be had. Too much time spent on despondent Darryl while mostly wasting the pool of applicants for the warehouse jobs. And Alan is exactly right, the notion that white collar workers become complete idiots when faced with a physical task was very poor, lazy writing.
October 8, 2011 at 1:09AM EST Reply to Comment
- Col Bat Guano Were we supposed to believe that neither Dwight or Jim had no idea what a hand truck is or that there might be a pallet jack somewhere around the warehouse?
  October 8, 2011 at 2:21AM EST
- Durodude Sorry, I disagree. That exchange between Jim and Dwight concerning the intelligence of warehouse workers was the most hilarious part of the episode!
  October 8, 2011 at 10:55AM EST
- thegoche I think the show has been missing great comedy writing for a few years.
  
  Good writing or not, though, Michael's character leaves a big void. It could never be as good without a leading character who drives the story like Michael.
  
  But it still certainly can be a very good show if the writing is consistently good.
  
  Few shows are ever as well written as Season 2 and 3 were, but it doesn't have to be THAT good to still be a good show.
  
  They've had good (not great) writing for bits and pieces of the last few seasons, but in between it seems like they've just floated by on the Steve Carell boat. Don't have that safety net anymore.
  October 10, 2011 at 4:06AM EST
- thegoche Let me add though, that while they don't need Michael to have a good show, they do need to find something to keep the energy up (and especially to do so without copying Michael).
  
  Michael always during the best work caused some amount of frantic uncertainty in the office.
  
  The first 3 seasons had lay-offs, Michael's (then relatively shocking) behavior, the Jan relationship (when she was still the boss), the branch closings, Michael handling Dwight's power plays.
  
  Starting with Ryan as the boss, they kind of lost out on how to consistently keep that nervous energy.
  
  The best work in the recent seasons (Michael Scott Paper Company, the Holly-Michael office romance, Michael leaving) all had a similar energy with a sense or at least a concern that there could be some upheaval or failure.
  
  The show struggled in later seasons even with Michael to keep up the energy and I feel like without Michael, they have no idea where it should come from.
  October 10, 2011 at 4:18AM EST
Tedd

I stopped watching halfway through when I realized I hadn't laughed--or even smiled--once. The teaser in particular was so incredibly vapid as that I thought for a moment that it was some sort of meta gag or something. The Kevin joke was especially inane and utterly ridiculous; that was something out of Peter Griffin's playbook.

As much as I loved the first few years of The Office, I think I'm done now. Alan, let us know if it gets funny again.
October 8, 2011 at 3:25AM EST Reply to Comment
- Tedd I apologize for grammar so thoroughly escaping me in that second sentence.
  October 8, 2011 at 3:27AM EST
lita

I think this episode is more drama with bits of comedy. In fact, I think the first 2 episodes are funnier than this (and not because of James Spader, just the interaction in general).

I have to disagree about Andy behaving like Michael Scott's lite in this episode. In fact, he asked them to go back to work (Michael usually would be the one to distract the staff), it made sense for him to ask Darryl for help, he also assigned some staff to work at the warehouse (his mistake is to ask Kevin), he was also annoyed they ruined the shipment at the end. I think all those actions reflected a good manager with common sense. Of course, his interviewing and recruiting part is very silly (Actually I like to squeeze bubble wrap as well so it sort of made sense) but that's to be expected, otherwise people would say Andy is too serious and competent. I still like Andy to be the manager, it seems he is a good manager. My favorite is him confronting Darryl directly, it seems he grew more spine per episode. If only he would sing soon and not acting mostly serious. It seems he couldn't catch a break 3 episodes in a row. First, the list, second, the incentive and scolded by Dwight, and now recruiting workers and confronting Daryl. Michael didn't have so much problem dumped on him subsequently.

I also like Erin in this episode, I don't usually dislike her but they wrote her to be so stupid sometime. Her grunting imitating Dwight and scolding of Kevin is so funny and unexpected.

I like Kelly's talking head about getting 1 dollar a year pay. Pam and Ryan's interaction is also funny.

The rest of the episode is "bleh". I agree what everyone said about Kevin. I think the cold open was average but I laughed when Kevin fainted after sounding the horn 3 times as I completely forgot about him.
October 8, 2011 at 7:04AM EST Reply to Comment
- Durodude Very well put, Lita. You hit the nail on the head with Andy. I am glad to see his character growth and all that, but I really do miss the singing Andy more and more. I don't want Andy to become SO good at his job that he loses his charming wackiness. Andy Bernard is doing great so far as the boss, but I want to see the Nard Dog cut loose and break free every once in a while. Like old times.
  
  I also agree with you about Erin. She was truly hilarious in this episode. The way she jumped at the chance to work in the warehouses, passionately told Kevin to stop talking (while secretly LOVING his plan), and throwing that box with a grunt all made her a stand-out in this episode. I've actually always liked Erin, so I'm glad she got a bigger part than usual in this episode.
  October 8, 2011 at 10:49AM EST
- lita Oh yes, I shouldn't use double negative. I like Erin. I think I am in minority but I want her to get together with Andy. I think we will see some of that in the Halloween episode.
  October 8, 2011 at 11:55AM EST
- Durodude I definitely agree there, Lita. I too really hope the two of them get together. They really are strangely perfect for each other! :)
  October 8, 2011 at 3:53PM EST
Durodude

Well, first of all, we totally have to just accept that, against astronomically high odds, the warehouse people won the lottery. This is a bizarre direction to take, but it may prove to be an interesting one. Let's be honest. We will probably not miss any of the old warehouse folk, as they always came off a little too obnoxious to be very likable. I admit that I laughed during the Christmas party when Madge (a.k.a. "Garfield") wiped out all that lasagna, but that's honestly about it. So, anyway, here is my take on various elements of this episode.

1) NO ROBERT CALIFORNIA: This marks the first episode since the addition of CEO Robert California where he wasn't present. Thus, the dynamic felt more like an older episode of "The Office" (minus Michael, of course). I had mixed feelings about Robert's absence. On the one hand, it was nice to see the cast on their own out from under California's intimidating gaze. There was a slightly more relaxed atmosphere, which was refreshing. The downside to this is that,to be blunt, I kind of missed California. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I found that to be the case. I don't want to be hit over the head with Robert, but a have come to really enjoy him in small to moderate doses. I look forward to seeing him again next week at Schrute Farm!

ANDY BERNARD: This is yet another "growth" episode for Andy. The first episode of the season we see Andy earn the respect of his employees by standing up to California and defending their honor. In "The Incentive," Andy bends over backwards (literally, in fact) to inspire his workers to double their sales. Say what you will about his peculiar tactics, but he definitely got that office working--if only for a day, but still. Now, in "Lotto," Andy faces what may be his most difficult trial yet--being the bad guy. In other words, he actually has to be like a real-life boss and deal with a disgruntled employee whose performance is suffering. It's complicated by the fact that the disgruntled employee Darryl is Andy's friend. Judging from Andy's admittedly amusing Mr. T impression at the beginning of the episode, it's pretty obvious that being the heavy is not Andy's forte. That being the case, Darryl is a formidable challenge for him indeed. Darryl can be quite intimidating at times, and Andy could've caved, but the Nard Dog kept his cool and lovingly yet firmly told Darryl like it was. I really appreciated Andy's insights into Darryl's character. It did seem like Darryl kind of became too complacent after Jo promoted him. Maybe now he'll have a little more fire under his butt. Andy's character is growing by leaps and bounds with every new episode. My only concern is that I don't want him to "grow up" TOO fast. Michael Scott never really grew up or matured massively, and that's part of what made him so funny and endearing. Not all of Andy's flaws need to be corrected. Sometimes it is a person's flaws that define them and make them who they are. I don't want Andy to improve at such a rate that he becomes "the perfect boss." Perfect is boring. I want him grow, of course, and I have enjoyed watching his growth, but I just want him to grow a bit more slowly. That's all.

DARRYL: This was pretty much a Darryl-centric episode and understandably so. We can certainly imagine how disheartening it must have been for his old warehouse buddies to win the lottery--a prize he too would've won had he not been promoted. That being said, I found him a bit too depressing at times. Sorry, folks, but that taco line just wasn't funny at all to me. His whining also wore a bit thin after a while, and I thought it wasn't very classy of him to demand that Andy quit his job and make Darryl the boss. He felt a sense of entitlement to that position which really wasn't all that warranted. I really liked how Andy stood up to him, and I hope Darryl can benefit from Andy's words. He's not my favorite character, but I'm glad he didn't quit. I will say, however, that this episode truly illustrated for me why Darryl would NEVER have worked as the boss. He's just not funny enough or capable enough IMO. Like Robert, Darryl is best used in small doses. That's where he shines.

THE CAR SCENE: I thought the opening car scene where they "rescue" the dog was funny but weird. I actually really enjoyed Oscar going postal for a minute there, and Kevin as always certainly added to the scene. What was sorely missing was any sense of resolution. Whose car was that?! They totally missed an opportunity here. Imagine if that had been Robert California's car! PRICELESS.

JIM AND PAM'S FANTASY: I found this back-and-forth fantasy debate funny at first, but I didn't really think it needed to be stretched out over the whole episode. I easily found Pam's incessant crying over the dog commercial or Jim's touching note to her at the end if the first episode MUCH more satisfying than this fantasy stuff.

JIM AND DWIGHT: More and more in this post-Michael era, I find myself laughing out loud at Jim and Dwight's antics. It was truly classic when Jim manipulated Dwight into volunteering for warehouse duty, and their discussion about the intelligence of the warehouse workers was easily the most hilarious moment of the episode. Paul Lieberstein certainly knows how to write their dialogue. I really like Andy as the boss and I am going to stay optimistic about that choice, but I can't help but think maybe it would've been best if Jim and Dwight were co-managers. That really could've worked, though I suppose it's hindsight and not worth dwelling on. Whether they're leading the office or not, they're HILARIOUS together.

NEW WAREHOUSE GUYS: Apparently Dunder Mifflin must be having budgetary issues, because we now only have three warehouse guys. This smaller number may be more preferable to the larger number we've been accustomed to, as it may allow for a greater degree of character development for those characters. I forget his name, but I laughed out loud at the guy with the "hearing problem," and I would not mind it one bit if that became a recurring joke beyond the confines of this episode. Truly very funny!

Well, that's about all I've got to say. This episode, like last week's, was solid though not great. It made me genuinely laugh a few times, though it could've been a bit more consistent in that department. Truth be told, I am anxious to move on from this episode and get to next week's episode, which looks VERY exciting. Schrute farm + Andy's star-studded family + Robert California = PURE AWESOMENESS!!! :)

October 8, 2011 at 10:35AM EST Reply to Comment
- lita About the warehouse workers, I think they intended to hire more but Andy couldn't find anyone else. I even wonder where he found Nate and the PhD guy. I think in the end, Darryl said he also hired more guys than Andy. I actually find Andy's question about "whether you have a master in warehousing" hilarious as it's all about education for him.
  October 8, 2011 at 11:51AM EST
- Col Bat Guano I really wish that they had cut the tag with Jim and Pam where they resolved their different fantasies with a feel good moment. There was absolutely nothing wrong with them having two different visions of what they might do if they won a huge lottery. Just leave it hanging. We don't think they're going to get a divorce because they don't agree.
  
  While I liked the Jim/Dwight stuff at the start, I found the entire warehouse story forced and over the top. Yes, being a warehouse worker requires some training, but just loading a truck doesn't need a PhD and the idea that they couldn't figure out how to move those boxes and decided a grease trail was the answer is something I'd expect from Homer Simpson.
  October 8, 2011 at 2:31PM EST
- Durodude Hey, you're right, Lita. I missed Darryl's line at the end where he said he was gonna hire more workers. That definitely makes more sense!
  
  Col Bat Guano, I totally concur with you about the Jim/Pam fantasy thing. It was all made too big a deal of. There was absolutely no reason to drag it out, and they certainly are entitled to their own individual fantasies. They're married, yes, but they are still two unique people. Marriage doesn't magically make two people agree on everything. SOME of this fantasy bit was indeed funny, but they just went too far. It should've been omitted from the tag.
  
  As for the warehouse thing, I agree it was slightly (okay, a lot) over-the-top, but I think a large contributor to that is the fact that you have Erin and Kevin down there. Jim and Dwight on their own probably wouldn't have come up with so outlandish a plan. That being said, I think I remember laughing more times at the warehouse scenes than I did up in the office, so I can't say that I disliked those warehouse scenes. Were they somewhat stupid and unbelievable? I guess so. But at the end of the day, I don't watch "The Office" to see everything make perfect, real-life sense. I watch it for the laughs.
  October 8, 2011 at 7:02PM EST

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Review: 'The Office' - 'Lotto': Warehouse louses

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Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

LJA Oh, I openly give Mike Schur the credit for being the genius behind the golden days of The Office and the creative brilliance Parks is currently enjoying. I thought it was a foregone conclusion.

Ann H Sorry, meant Lee Eisenberg & Gene Stupnitsky.

Ben The best current writer on the show is easily BJ Novak.

Jon88 Things that shouldn't bother me but they do: In the teaser, if they were able to pour liquids through the opening in the roof, why would the closed windows be a problem?

M Yeah, that annoyed me too. To the point that it made the entire thing really stupid and unfunny.

Yeah Thank you. That really irritated me too.

Robin Yep, I hated that whole sequence for that reason. Though I did laugh when Kevin hit the horn.

Andy I thought the same thing and it could have been saved if someone acknowledged the open sunroof (a look at the camera from Jim would have sufficed). The way they left it made it seem like an oversight.

Joseph I kind of think that was part of the joke. As in, all that drama for the open window but no one realized the open sunroof served the same purpose...

Randy R. THAT OPENING DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! It was so weird. They poked airholes in a piece of cardboard when the entire sunroof was open! Why make the sunroof open? That drink pouring joke was indispensable?

Johna Randy, did you even bother to read the reply that was directly above your own?

Durodude Yeah, the sun roof really should've been dispensed with. That made it all very unbelievable. The rest of that scene could've worked, but the sun roof was a step too far off the Cliff of Ubelievability.

rexmism Okay, it would be great to have an extra $100,000, but who quits their job after winning that? Even with modest spending, it's gone within a handful of years, and these idiots appeared to waste it mostly all at once.

Justin I think that was part of the joke. That they quit, and that Justine wanted the other guy.. for not that much money.

Ben And I wrote "UNEMPLOYED" leisure because those business ideas were so asinine that they're going to only deplete their lottery winnings the way combat operations deplete the onhand fuel supplies.

JD If you've ever seen any of the programs done about real lottery winners,there are people that spend their winnings just as stupidly as these fictional ones.

DB Cooper @Lee, they did say it was $100k *after* taxes.That's 3 years' pay for theses guys, so I could see them quitting.

Durodude I understand why they quit. Granted, $100,000 will not sustain them indefinitely, but it is enough to change their lives for the better if they make the most of it.

LDP in Cincinnati I thought it was a fairly good episode - not in the same league with Parks & Recreation, but significantly better than Community so far this seaon.

Col Bat Guano If they were only go to give a line or two, I might be able to overlook what they've done to Kevin, but to give him significant screen time and make him functionall disabled is just lazy.

Ann H Completely agree about Kevin. He's become so stupid I wonder how he dresses himself without help. I can't stand him anymore. Lazy writing is right.

Durodude I don't know. I watched an older episode of the show recently, and I was really bored by Kevin. They may have dumbed him down a bit, but he's WAY funnier now.

Col Bat Guano I just don't find jokes at the expense of mentally challenged people to be particularly funny.

Col Bat Guano Obviously they aren't going to have an episode where they declare Kevin to be actually mentally challenged. That would make the cruelty to apparent for all to see, but can you point to a single scene in the since S6 that showed Kevin to be a competent, functional adult?

eyeball wit Remember that on Casino Night Kevin was shown to be a poker savant. Which was both funny and an opportunity for surprising little story lines. But it just feels like piling on at this point.

eyeball wit Remember that on Casino Night Kevin was shown to be a poker savant. Which was both funny and an opportunity for surprising little story lines. But it just feels like piling on at this point.

Kevin Thanks for your comment Mr. Lieberstein.

Durodude I admire your bluntness, Jack. I actually was always a Michael fan, and I too notice a void left in his absence that I have yet to see filled. Whether you like him or not, there's no denying that he brought something special and quite frankly irreplaceable to the show.

asarael Does anyone find Nate/K-strass to be downright hilarious? For me, it doesn't even matter what he says -- it's funny. I wish the show would use him more. They definitely are lacking in the comedy department and that actor is really talented.Rest of the episode? Not really funny. Meh.

Durodude Nate! Thank you!!! THAT'S his name! I forgot what it was for a moment there. Yes, I agree with you 150%. He is a VERY funny guy without looking like he's TRYING to be funny. It comes naturally to him. I could hear that ear thing of his a thousand times and not grow weary of it! LOL

Eric I thought this was the best episode of the season so far and Andy is starting to gel with the Office cast.

Gang Green it was a good premise that failed in execution. there was so much potential there. Andy trying to hire a new staff... office workers running warehouse.... those are good ideas but i was disappointed by the end. oh well, i enjoyed the first two episodes. try again next week.

Durodude No, the joke should've been that it was Robert California's car. ;)You are very spot-on about Dwight though. He has been nothing short of hilarious lately, and his interactions with Jim remind me of the good ole' days of "The Office."

lita Yeah, the joke in the cold open was not that funny except Kevin's fainting. I agree it would be funnier if it's the car of Robert California or some other guys they know.

coleton_buck Por que es muy rapido.

Col Bat Guano Were we supposed to believe that neither Dwight or Jim had no idea what a hand truck is or that there might be a pallet jack somewhere around the warehouse?

Durodude Sorry, I disagree. That exchange between Jim and Dwight concerning the intelligence of warehouse workers was the most hilarious part of the episode!

Tedd I apologize for grammar so thoroughly escaping me in that second sentence.

lita Oh yes, I shouldn't use double negative. I like Erin. I think I am in minority but I want her to get together with Andy. I think we will see some of that in the Halloween episode.

Durodude I definitely agree there, Lita. I too really hope the two of them get together. They really are strangely perfect for each other! :)

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The Office is updated

Jon88

Things that shouldn't bother me but they do: In the teaser, if they were able to pour liquids through the opening in the roof, why would the closed windows be a problem?

rexmism

Okay, it would be great to have an extra $100,000, but who quits their job after winning that? Even with modest spending, it's gone within a handful of years, and these idiots appeared to waste it mostly all at once.

DB Cooper @Lee, they did say it was $100k after taxes.

That's 3 years' pay for theses guys, so I could see them quitting.

LDP in Cincinnati

I thought it was a fairly good episode - not in the same league with Parks & Recreation, but significantly better than Community so far this seaon.

asarael

Does anyone find Nate/K-strass to be downright hilarious? For me, it doesn't even matter what he says -- it's funny. I wish the show would use him more. They definitely are lacking in the comedy department and that actor is really talented.

Rest of the episode? Not really funny. Meh.

Eric

I thought this was the best episode of the season so far and Andy is starting to gel with the Office cast.

Gang Green

it was a good premise that failed in execution. there was so much potential there. Andy trying to hire a new staff... office workers running warehouse.... those are good ideas but i was disappointed by the end. oh well, i enjoyed the first two episodes. try again next week.

Durodude No, the joke should've been that it was Robert California's car. ;)

You are very spot-on about Dwight though. He has been nothing short of hilarious lately, and his interactions with Jim remind me of the good ole' days of "The Office."

coleton_buck

Por que es muy rapido.

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