Episode 12 - Pool Party
20 January 2012
Review
Synopsis: Robert is trying to sell his house. He bought it to be a bachelor pad but ended up sharing it with his wife. Kevin suggests that they use it one last time to have a party. The whole office is invited and brings their swim gear. Andy's mum really likes Jessica and gave him a family ring to propose to her with. He doesn't plan to use it yet and then loses it at the party. Meredith tells Erin that Andy might still care about her. Erin enlists Dwight to make Andy jealous. Jim tries to leave early.
The Good: Darryl overcoming his insecurities to go for a swim was just fine. I also don't mind Robert as a catalyst for storylines in this way. I can see that having a rich eccentric boss gives the writers freedom to take the characters to places they wouldn't normally go.
The Bad: I feel so flat after watching this. I'm having trouble finding a way to express what The Office has lost. The characters just don't have any bond with the audience any more.
Jim's story was fine but after eight seasons of being in slightly awkward situations I don't sympathise with him anymore. He could have just refused to go to the pool party or insist he had to be home at a certain time. I know sit coms are built on such pretences but the he has been through this so many times now that our bond with him has gone. If he had just excused himself to go to the bathroom and never come back I would have found it more satisfying. It would have fit better with a guy who should know better than to get sucked into this nonsense.
Andy is another who it's difficult to feel anything for. I always liked him when he was struggling to achieve things but now that he is the boss with a nice girlfriend it feels like his story is over. I felt tired seeing him unable to just take his ring back. We know nothing about Jessica and have no indication that she is bad for him so the ongoing Erin tension doesn't feel like it has much purpose (have I mentioned that it's also been going on for 70 episodes?!).
Erin is a character it should be so easy to like and yet the writers have done nothing with her. We knew so much more about Pam's ambitions and frustrations back in the day that her successes meant something. We know nothing about Erin (though apparently she's working in an Italian restaurant now?) by comparison and she flits back and forth between bold and nervous in an inconsistent way. Her pursuit of Andy here was inappropriate and really needed a scene where she explained to Dwight why she likes him so much. The fake flirtation was meant to show him realising what a catch Erin was so that when he calls Andy an idiot (for not wanting her) it would have some resonance. But I don't think she showed anything (determination aside) that would win fickle Dwight over.
Elsewhere Oscar mistakes Toby for a wine connoisseur and Toby tells a few lies to keep the charade going. I just shrugged at this. It didn't feel like a whole hearted attempt at comedy and just faded into the background. The idea that Gabe and Ryan are so pathetic that they will go to any length to impress Robert is fine. There was no subtlety or nuance to it and their creepiness is unappealing. I can't say its bad television because it achieved its purpose but I don't see much value in their degradation. As for Robert, he continues to morph into a different version of Michael Scott. I know the two share few traits in common but his role has simply become the eccentric boss who makes others uncomfortable. Each time we learn something weird or unsuccessful about him the further he travels from the 'genius' who became CEO in two days.
I know it's futile to complain about the presence of the cameras at this point. But one was underwater when Dwight almost drowned which shouldn't have happened.
Comic Highlight: The teaser sequence was unexpected. With no Pam around Jim begins to use Stanley as his audience for pranks on Dwight. Stanley doesn't laugh at much though until Jim begins using meatballs. As that's the only thing Stanley will laugh at Jim goes all out with meat ball related gags. Later though Stanley and Dwight reveal that they are working together to scam free food. I wouldn't say it was especially funny but it was certainly a twist.
That's what I said: Episodes where the office would all party together used to be a lot of fun. This felt flat and dull by comparison.
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