As someone who arrives at work every morning at 7am to an almost empty parking lot, we can’t quite appreciate the inconvenience the Dunder Mifflin employees are dealing with as this week’s episode begins. They’re being forced to park down the block and walk to work, because one of the other businesses in their building, W.B. Jones, is renovating its offices, and construction vehicles are taking up precious parking spots. And while we can’t exactly empathize, one look at a post-walk Kevin convinces me that the situation is serious.
Not as serious, however, as Michael’s crush on a chair model in an office supply catalog he’s been perusing lately. Pam’s been pushing him to pick out a new chair because he promised she could have his old one when he replaces it. Pam’s old chair would then go to Creed, so he could have two — leaving only one to go. (Wait … what?) Lusting after the chair model leaves Michael feeling amorous, and he asks — or, more accurately, demands — that his employees set him up on blind dates.
Phyllis recommends a feisty friend, but Michael seems to be holding out for jolly or sassy. (Actually he’s just asking a long line of questions to determine if Phyllis’ friend is fat.) Kevin suggests a “hot and juicy” redhead named Wendy, which really makes me want a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger. Dwight vows to track down the chair model – which he does. The only problem is, she’s dead. Car accident. (Maybe she and Michael have more in common than we thought; he did hit Meredith with his car.) Michael’s getting desperate. After all, he’s a catch and he doesn’t want to be the one that gets away. (His words, not ours). Pam sees that he’s serious and offers to set him up with her landlady, and his response is, “I don’t think I’m ready. Is she hot?” Turns out she’s more of a sweet old lady on the bus, which Michael feels obliged to mention during their date. You’re a smooth one, Mr. Scott.
Back at the office, Jim remarks that setting Michael up with her landlady is a good way to get kicked out of her apartment. The conversation innocently turns to the possibility of Pam moving in with Jim, but she says she won’t move in with anyone until she’s engaged. No problem, says Jim. That’s coming. Pam assumes he’s joking based on, well, just about everything Jim has ever said up until this point. But he’s not and, unbeknownst to Pam, he’s got the ring to prove it. At least for now, Pam is going to have to wait for a proposal. We’re guessing the wait ends in the season finale.
While all of this is going on, Andy and Kevin have staged a mafia-style meeting of the five bosses: Michael Scott, Bob Vance (of Vance Refrigeration), badass W.B. Jones, cool guy Paul Faust and a very old Bill Cress. Michael doesn’t show up, shorn’t. (What part of shorn’t do you not understand?) Andy and Kevin arrive in his place, and within a matter of minutes, the parking situation is solved. That leaves Michael’s grief over the chair model’s death as the only unsettled issue. Dwight suggests that he needs closure. Michael doesn’t want to wait for next year’s catalog to come out so he can find someone who isn’t dead, so he and Dwight visit the model’s grave … and proceed to dance on it. Nice.
Mike says
Best Quote: “Would an average size rowboat support her without capsizing?” – Michael, asking a very important question before allowing Phyllis to set him up on a blind date
Best Moment: When Michael and Dwight, seeking closure after the death of the chair model, dance on her grave while singing a not completely accurate version of the Don McLean song “American Pie.”
Employee of the week: Jim. I haven’t been really big on the PB&J romance since they started dating, but when Jim says he’s going to knock Pam on her ass with his marriage proposal, I believe him. And the dramatic shoe-tying fake-out on their walk back to the car was classic.
Ryan says
Best Quote: “There’s nobody I hate enough to write her name on this card.” — Stanley, on filling out Michael’s “Love Card”
Best Moment: The coffee barista bringing out Michael’s large hot chocolate with caramel and a shot of peppermint with impeccable timing.
Employee of the week: Andy. Despite losing a penny from his loafers and leaving his cell phone in his car, Andy persevered to help Kevin restore normalcy to the parking lot. He won a victory for the common man, the little guy who wonders how he’s going to fill up his car with oil and pay his kid’s orphanage bills.
johnnysweeptheleg says
Best Quote: “Oscar Mayer Weiner … Lover. I bet you have a bunch of very liberal girl type friends who trust you implicitly because they know you’d never touch them because of your condition …” — Michael to Oscar
Best Moment: Jim’s faux proposal. For 1.9 seconds, every viewer thought he really was going to pop the question. But his shoe-tying reveal was perfect. How many guys will be stealing this with their girlfriends who have been on them to commit already?
Employee of the week: Kevin. How couldn’t you be happy for Kevin finally winning one? The poor guy was almost becoming a giant teddy bear version of Toby, what with his fiancé leaving him and the turmoil with his band(s). And did his eyes well up a little bit when he was talking about this victory?
Photo: © NBC Universal, Inc. Credit: Chris Haston
