Episode 26 - Whistleblower
23 May 2010
Review
Synopsis: Someone leaked the news of the Sabre printer fires to the press and Jo arrives in Scranton to find out whom. Michael soon discovers that several people leaked it and he doesn't want to turn anyone in. Meanwhile Dwight looks to buy the business park.
The Good: I actually liked a lot of what happened despite yet another string of plot holes which undermined the episode. In that sense it was an episode which reflected the whole season.
I actually liked Jo's character for the first time and not just the sympathy she generated. The way she acted like a big shot business woman and a mom to the employees suited her very well. I liked her method of discovering guilt (and the connection to her upbringing) and the way she began offering all of her employees advice on their personal business (see Comic Highlight). In the end of course she revealed her desire to be an admired business woman and how this product withdrawal would humiliate her. It all humanised her and began to draw out some nice humour which could work well in the future. I'm sure I'm not the only one who smiled when she yelled "Speak!" at Michael and one of her dogs barked.
Michael enjoying the fame of media scrutiny was predictable but fun. As was Andy thrashing around and turning on Jim, the only person defending him. Michael claiming "My new favourite restaurant sucks" is just the latest in an impressive list of one liners which work so well coming from his un-analytical mind. If Holly were to return in any capacity it would be good for the show and it's nice to acknowledge that that relationship is the best thing which ever happened to Michael. If Dwight buys the business park we could have a lot of fun, though probably plenty of nonsense too.
The Bad: It's so much easier to suspend one's disbelief and laugh when the Scranton Branch is run in a manner which reflects how companies operate in the real world. Comedies aren't immune to logic problems and all the management changes this season has undermined The Office. Here we have a leak coming from a Sabre employee about faulty products. Jo strongly implies that they will lose a lot of clients and therefore money over this media storm. Both facts are pretty serious and Jo, being a serious CEO, would doubtless come down hard on the guilty party. Michael may have saved her personal blushes but that doesn't change the fact that someone 'told' on her instead of reporting the malfunctions within the company. Gabe knows it was Andy, everyone knows it was Andy. Yes other people were also responsible but why isn't Andy fired? It makes no sense for Gabe not to tell Jo, it makes no sense for Jo not to fire Andy. It's annoying when a story implies something is serious and then blows it off.
I liked the fact that Jo talked to the camera when defending Sabre printers. It makes sense, there is a documentary crew present so she wants to go on record with her defence. But then later Michael arranges a secret meeting with Pam, Darryl and Kelly and the cameraman gets in the van with them. That doesn't make much sense if you are trying to protect their identities. I accept that the cameras are ignored now by the Scranton branch but if Jo addresses them and then Michael ignores them it creates inconsistency. It would be nice if they could be acknowledged one way or the other. It wouldn't take that much effort to rewrite a few jokes.
I didn't like Nick the IT guy getting crapped on by everyone and then giving them the finger. The way he and Gabe have been treated very much makes the branch look like a clique who reject outsiders which isn't how they normally behave. I understand that only Dwight was directly rude but it still came across as an unnecessary meta-joke about how extra characters get treated on the show.
Comic Highlight: In order to find the leak Jo has everyone's hard drives examined. She finds Toby's mystery novel and says she skimmed the first chapter. She asks him a question about the story and then gives her own complicated explanation for one of the characters motivations. Toby smiles gently and nods encouragingly. We then cut to him back at his desk saying "Write your own damn novel."
That's what I said: The Office has lacked direction and control all season. Michael dominated the show like never before and it began to grow tiresome. The united front of Jim and Pam became less interesting to watch and Dwight began to run amok in increasingly implausible ways. NBC will doubtless attempt to keep the show running and running. If they do then they need a firm plan for next season and to stick to it, not jump from one poorly planned management story to another.
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