Episode 14 - Special Project
6 March 2012
Synopsis: Andy tells an excited Dwight that he is to lead a team down in Florida. Dwight carefully selects his team but Andy wants to change things. Dwight announces the revised team to the office in order to create dissent. It works and everyone is invited to make a pitch for why they deserve to go. Robert California also texts Jim, telling him to come.
The Good: As an unexpected setup episode this left me intrigued. If my memory is accurate we haven't had a division of the office staff like this since the Michael Scott Paper Company arc in season five. The final few minutes of the episode set up several individual stories, something that has been missing for some time.
The new excited Dwight was something of a nice change. I certainly prefer watching him with a purpose than sniping from the sidelines. His choice of team was logical and fit his prejudices. His attempts to cause dissension and force out members of the team he didn't want all made sense. I enjoyed seeing the team actually working well together. On a show that refuses to let us see competence that was a very refreshing moment.
The team Dwight ended up with includes Erin whose claim that she won't come back is tenuous. Given that the Erin-Andy story has been dragged out this long I imagine this is just another tease. However I still enjoy her naive persona enough that I can hope. Cathy's attempts to hook up with Jim should be entertaining too despite her complete lack of characterisation. This trip should also leave the office less crowded and give other stories some time to breathe.
The Bad: Despite the positives I didn't think the episode worked comedically. I just don't feel the writers adequately set up the emotions and motives of their characters. Dwight's machinations were fairly straightforward but we got no clear sense of what Andy's criteria were. He seemed to be easily impressed by Ryan's b.s. and gave Erin blatant favouritism. All his "guys guys" babbling was annoying and the pitch meetings fell flat.
The Jim story was yet another instance of his irritating lack of backbone. Robert California texted to say "bring your golf clubs to Florida." Couldn't Jim have replied "I didn't know I was on Dwight's team, does he not have discretion to choose who he wants?" Instead we got Jim looking like a coward and wording mealy-mouthed texts. As mentioned above, Cathy's lack of a character doesn't make that story as intriguing as it should be.
Darryl's story was passable but I didn't think it was as effective as it should be. The writers keep giving him Jim or Andy stories where he looks foolish or scared. Then Val blows off the existence of her boyfriend despite Daryl having spoken to him. So I guess we conclude that she is just dating people and it's nothing serious. Daryl seems very happy but shouldn't he have asked her out then? I guess it was ok to just have them acknowledge their mutual availability in a subtle way but now there is no conflict. Either he asks her out or he looks like a chicken for delaying right?
Comic Highlight: The opening tease was very good. The writers have spent years on the Angela-Pam tension but they haven't nailed a punch line like this in a long time. Pam is welcomed back to the office after a couple of months of maternity leave. Then Angela waltzes in within a week of giving birth. Of course this makes Pam look bad by comparison but then Angela takes off her coat to reveal her immaculate figure and then offers the office some brownies. Pam senses she is being set up but still wants one and then confesses just how delicious it is. "I wouldn't know" Angela replies "I'm watching my weight." She turns away, her victory total and complete. Pam is left desperate for a response and Jim cuts her off to put an end to it.
That's what I said: The meat of the show is still overwritten and not defined well enough. There were some positive signs on the fringes though and the trip to Florida will hopefully give the show a boost.
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