Episode 10 - The Chair Model
4 January 2009
Review
Synopsis: Michael is going to buy a new chair but has become fixated on a model from the catalogue. He is looking for someone new after leaving Jan. He instructs everyone in the office to set him up with someone. Kevin and Andy meet with the other bosses from Scranton Business Park to try and retrieve some lost parking spaces. Jim tells Pam he is going to propose to her.
The Good: It’s nice to know that Michael is leaving Jan after the events of the previous episode. His search for a new love has its fun moments. His grilling of Phyllis about whether her friend is fat is funny as is referring to Oscar’s homosexuality as his “condition.” Both selfish and offensive things to say but delivered within a believable context where Michael can’t see anything wrong with them.
Pam wanting Michael to pick a chair because she will get his is a nice sensible motivation for her. But even better is Creed who says that once he has Pam’s chair he will have two. “Only one to go.” Without clearer character definition Creed is much funnier being mysterious.
The best joke of the episode comes when Michael meets Pam’s landlady (see Comic Highlight). It is very similar to a joke which appeared in the final episode of the British Office, where David Brent acted relieved that a large lady was not his blind date. It is not quite as exquisite as that joke was but it is still very good.
Kevin carries the secondary plot really well. He is ideal as the narrator acting like “the five families” or the five bosses of Scranton Business Park really are heavies from a mafia movie. Andy helps him sell it by acting so respectfully during their meeting. The context of Kevin needing something good after breaking up with his fiancée is a lovely touch which helps you care about him. Michael adds a nice malapropism when he comforts Kevin with “you don’t deserve her.”
Speaking of caring, Jim’s revelation about wanting to propose to Pam is similarly well handled. His admission that he bought the engagement ring a week after they started dating is spot on. It fits with his love for Pam and the years he spent having those feelings that he could be so sure. The joke at the end where he fakes a proposal is funny.
The Bad: There is a line that Michael shouldn’t cross with his employees. Demanding that they set him up with women or get fired is ridiculous. For the plot to work he didn’t need to say that, they could have just grudgingly gone along with his request. The threat to fire them should have brought Toby out to tell him that the company would get sued if he did something like that.
Michael’s obsession with the chair model and Dwight’s glee at her death is all a bit weird. It is in keeping with their characters for Michael to be obsessed and self absorbed and Dwight to be blunt and matter of fact. But it is difficult to see the humour in two people having such abnormal reactions.
Comic Highlight: Michael is excited to meet the woman that Pam has set him up with (Margaret). He knows she has straight brown hair and will be wearing blue jeans and a black top. He spots an attractive blonde and says “I give her a 10 for looks and a 3 for her ability to describe herself.” Then Margaret walks in and asks if he is Michel Scott. He looks thoroughly disappointed and tries to say he isn’t. But then the coffee house waiter calls out his name twice as his order is ready. Michael glances guiltily at the camera.
That’s what I said: The Office seems to produce its best humour when it makes good use of its secondary characters. Kevin really adds something to this episode with his story. Having said that Jim and Pam play up their romance really well and Michael is more funny than not. An enjoyable episode which blends the serious and the silly very nicely.
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