The Office: "Garage Sale"

[Singing to the tune of "The Dog Days are Over"] The Office drought is over no-o-ow! We had one glorious week in Scranton after four weeks of reruns and March Madness. After such a long wait for new material, I was on heaven while watching this episode! Now we have another three weeks to process Michael's pending departure, but The Office can have all the time in the world if it continues to churn out quality viewing like "Garage Sale."

The Good:

• Dwight's bartering skills. He told us that the Schrutes are farmers by hobby and traders by trade, so I don't know why I had any doubt that Dwight would play an excellent game of Bigger and Better at the Dunder Mifflin garage sale. Sure, his last trade was a little ill-advised (a telescope for Professor Copperfield's Magic Legumes), but Dwight proved his skills when he managed to convince Kelly that a half-burnt candle was the key to her romantic bliss. The next time I have some extra dryer lint that I'd like to turn into a new car, I know who I'm going to call.
• Kevin's long con. Who would have thought after he eagerly pulled out his wallet to get in on the board-game betting that Kevin would be the one pulling the wool over Andy and Darryl's eyes and not the other way around? Despite Andy's J.R. Ewing impression sounding more like molasses sort of spilling out of his mouth than Texas oil baron, I would steal his money, too, if he shot my imaginary board game persona. I think Kevin is the most charming when he turns out to be smarter than he looks, so the scene of him standing there with Andy and Darryl's cold hard cash, saying, "And that is how you play Dallas" has to be one of my favorite Kevin moments in a long time.
• BJ Novak. BJ was one of the only cast members that I did not get to meet when I visited the Office set, but he was one of the only cast members to thank us for the gifts we brought them, so he will always hold a special place in my heart. But I'm not making him a Good this week for purely selfish reasons. Mama Sally's Pesto and Hot Cha Cha salsa were clearly the best (and funniest) items at the garage sale (yes, even better than the very cute squid that Erin happened to have).
• The proposal. Thank goodness Pam was able to talk Michael down from words spelled in flaming gasoline to a room filled with innocuous white candles. Not only was Michael's proposal safe and responsible and realistic and doable, it was absolutely perfect for the show and the characters. Those buffoons on The Bachelor should really take a page out of Michael Scott's book. From the walk down memory lane to the gang peering through the blinds to Holly's acceptance in a Yoda voice, no one says "will you marry me" better than The Office. I loved that the proposal gauntlet gave us some comic relief, but even a little humor and a whole lot of sprinklers couldn't water down the love that Michael and Holly have. If Michael was so adamant about his engagement being an event that everyone talks about always and forever, I can only imagine how epic his wedding will be. I just hope we get to see it. Series finale, anyone?

The Bad:

• Missing pieces. I'd be willing to bet that a lot of "Garage Sale" action was left on the cutting room floor. I would pay at least three years' salary to see what Creed was selling at his table, and I found myself actually missing Erin and Gabe, whose presence was notably lacking, as well. But I suppose that's what deleted scenes and DVD extras are for, right?

The Ugly:

• Bye-bye birdie. All season long, we've been wondering how Steve Carell will make his exit, and now we know. I'll let you in on a another little secret from our set visit. When we visited Claire (I think that was her name) in the editing room, we asked if she had any idea how Michael was going to be axed. She told us that no one really knew just yet, but that her theory was that Michael has always treated his coworkers as his family, and the only way he could truly leave Dunder Mifflin would be if he found a family elsewhere. So either sneaky Claire was lying when she said she didn't really know the answer, or her years of working on the show have left her quite in tune with the vibes of the writers. Either way, I was relatively sure this is how Michael's departure would go down. But that doesn't make it any easier. I love the supporting cast of The Office, but I can't imagine that the show will ever be quite as good without Michael Scott. Quick, let me browse through Phyllis's box of bras to get this terrible subject out of my mind!
  

Miscellaneous Tidbits:

• John Krasinski can do a mean heel click!
• How funny was it that Michael had the foresight to ask for Holly's dad's permission to marry her, yet, in true Michael Scott style, he left the entire conversation on an answering machine?
  

Quotable Quotes:

• "If it's a problem with the neon, I could have my neon guy take a look." - Holly
  
• "I should have burned this place down when I had the chance." - Michael
  
• "We're moving to Colorado!" - Michael
• "All of us?" - Kevin
  

The Office: Threat Level Midnight

A short while ago, a friend challenged me to write a blog post with just Goods -- no Bad or Ugly. I poo-pooed the idea, mainly because I didn't think I'd ever watch a show and have no bones to pick with it. That was before I saw last night's amazing episode of "The Office." So, in order to stay somewhat on-theme, I'm going to give the Good, Great and Awesome from "Threat Level Midnight." I only hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. And if not, well, "go puck yourself!"

The Good:

• Blasts from the past. Roy, Karen, Jan, Helene. How fun was it to see the people who have been in Michael's life over the past 11 years? I have to admit, I didn't notice Madge or a few other obscure characters, but I did notice that Carole Stills, Realtor, sold Michael Scarn his mansion. "Threat Level Midnight" was like an Easter egg hunt for seasoned Office viewers, and the rewards were plentiful.

• Michael and Holly. I really liked that Holly was underwhelmed by Michael's movie. Home movies are always more entertaining for the people who are in them, so it made perfect sense that she really wasn't enjoying the viewing party. I also liked their spat/Michael's hissy fit and their subsequent reconciliation, even though it did involve a small amount of PDA.

The Great:

• Threat Level Midnight. The actual movie was deliciously cheesy. It had everything Michael claimed it did -- action (gun fights on skates, exploding hockey pucks), heart (the death of Cherokee Jack, Michael Scarn's ability to fight back against all odds) and symbolism (well, I'll let you figure this one out on your own). The special effects, or lack thereof, were so appropriate for a do-it-yourself blockbuster, and the amateur acting was delightful. Whether it was Jim's evil laugh or Oscar blinking after being strangled, I thought the actual actors' bad acting was perfectly well played.

• The Scarn. Since the Cha-Cha Slide, Part Two never came to fruition, I'm predicting that The Scarn is the next big wedding line dance. It's got a beat and you can dance to it -- what more can you ask for?

The Awesome:

• If I had to pinpoint one reason why I'd give this episode two thumbs up, I think it'd be because of the way each Office character shined through in their role in "Threat Level Midnight." First, you have Michael, who sees himself as invincible yet vulnerable. He can dodge bullets at point-blank range, but the death of his mentor will bring a single tear to his eye. Then there was Jim who, even in his role as Goldenface, couldn't resist taunting Dwight. You can't tell me you didn't laugh when Jim kept saying, "hm?" after Dwight said his line. And speaking of Dwight, not even a sophisticated robot could rid itself of the mannerisms of our friendly neighborhood beet farmer. He went rogue and dove in front of Michael to stop a bullet, despite the fact that it wasn't in the script. And he used his signature move, the high leg kick, to knock down the gate and save the hostages. From Jan's lounge act to Andy's overcompensating bartender to Angela's conservative bachelorette party outfit, every bit of "Threat Level Midnight" rang true to form.

I could honestly go on and on about all of the funny moments from this episode, but instead I'd recommend that you go back and watch it again yourself. Trust me, it only gets funnier!

Quotable Quotes:

• "After three years of writing, one year of shooting, four years of re-shooting, and two years of editing, I have finally completed my movie, 'Threat Level Midnight.'"
  
• "Heads I do it. Tails I don't. Best out of seven."
• "It's going to take a lot more than a bullet to the brain, lungs, heart, back and balls to kill Michael Scarn" (I almost thought he was going to say, "...to kill the Loch Ness monster"!)

The Office: PDA

Upon first viewing, I walked away feeling like this was one of the worst Office episodes in a long time. This could have had something to do with the fact that I was exercising while watching (and I hate exercising more than Stanley hates it when someone does his Sudoku), but my second viewing didn't prove much different. I laughed a little more, but I still felt that "PDA" was irritating, unappealing and largely lacking in humor, much like PDA in real life!

The Good:

• Gabe. Zach Woods was possibly the saving grace of this entire episode. Though his relationship with Erin is kind of like a benign (B-9) tumor, growing but not really serving a purpose, seeing Gabe plan an intricate treasure hunt (not to be confused with a scavenger hunt) for Valentine's Day was quite entertaining. For any other girl, this would probably be a great Valentine's gift, but for simple-minded Erin, a copy of Shrek 2 and a shiny object would have been more appropriate. And not only did we get to see Gabe dominate Valentine's Day, but he played a major role in the Michael/Holly storyline, too. Apparently when the HR rep is breaking all kinds of HR protocol, the corporate lackey steps in. I don't know what Gabe's title actually is, but if Holly elopes with Michael and Toby gets killed in a freak jury accident, I would like to see him take over in Human Resources. After all, he may not have a clue when it comes to his own love life, but he can be quite insightful about other people's relationships.

• Andy & Erin. As much as I like watching Gabe struggle romantically, I really want Andy and Erin to get back together. It's got to happen eventually because they're clearly perfect for each other, so I wish they would stop dragging it out so much! I was glad that Erin's inability to complete a fifth-grade-level jigsaw puzzle served as a reason for Andy to escort her through the treasure hunt. Now buck up and tell the girl how it is already, Andy!

The Bad:

• The cold open. How much longer will I have to wait to get a decent laugh before the opening credits? I haven't liked a cold open since "Classy Christmas," and this was the worst one yet. So, let me get this straight: Darryl's 97-year-old grandma dies, and Pam has everyone sign a card. Somehow everyone thinks they're signing a birthday card, so their messages are clearly inappropriate, but WHY would Pam ever give it to Darryl? I'm not even doubting the chances of something like that happening because I could see Stanley, Oscar and crew just blindly signing without realizing what the purpose of the card is, but to think that Pam would actually hand over the dud is just stupid. Maybe I could have accepted this opening if the birthday greetings inside the card were even remotely funny, but they were just generic celebratory messages. Are these the same people who signed Meredith's birthday card back in season one?

The Ugly:

• Michael & Holly. I, much like Sabre, am 100% tolerant of Office romances. But when romance crosses the line into booby-honking, butt-honking, all the honkings, the one where you start in a crouched position, then you leap -- I can't handle it. Holly may suddenly find Michael irresistible despite his DayGlo goatee made of cheeseball powder, but I would have preferred her response to his animal magnetism to have been a little more subtle. We went from zero to 60 in the Scott/Flax relationship in one week, and, if this is what we have to look forward to, it may have been better had it crashed and burned. There are a lot of times in the show when the things the other characters may find annoying or disturbing are entertaining for the viewers, but this was a case where I felt like I was one of the cast, creeped out and annoyed at Michael and Holly's extreme lack of tact. No matter how many times I cleared my throat, I couldn't get them to stop being so ridiculous, and it really took a toll on my enjoyment of this episode.

Miscellaneous Tidbits:

• Did it seem like Darryl's facial hair was in various stages of growth at different points in the episode? At the beginning and then later, he has a normal, subtle goatee, but in the conference room it looks like he is clean-shaven.

Quotable Quotes:

• "Blue Wasabi is so good, but get the cheeseburger. They say they won't do it, but they will if you make a scene." - Phyllis
  
• "It goes to show that everything you want in life, you get. And you can't work for it. It just comes to you." - Michael
  
• "Boner Bomb, starring Jason Statham. Or we go against type with a Jesse Eisenberg or a Michael Cera."
  

"The Search": Good, Bad, Ugly

The day was finally upon us, folks! What day, you ask? The day the episode that I got to watch them film when I visited the set of "The Office" airs! I have to admit, I had a hard time focusing on the ins and outs of "The Search" because, in my head, I was going through all of the things that changed and were cut out from what we saw them filming. But after a second viewing this morning, I'm fully prepared to give you the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. So, it is on like Genghis Khan wearing Sean John in Bhutan*!

The Good:

• Michael. I'm still in denial that Steve is leaving the show. When an episode is Michael-centric, it can't go wrong, and I don't know how they're going to do it without him. From his rant in Jim's "precious" car to his moral inability to dine-and-dash, every moment of Michael's trek gave me something new to laugh about. I especially loved his Dr. Doolittle routine at the pet shop. It's possible he relates to animals so well because, according to Dwight, his face type is "marsupial," but it would be great to see Michael settle down some day with a wife and a dog and a family. Or maybe he could build an ark and collect pairs of animals in preparation for a great flood. Nah...we all know how that turned out.

• Amy Ryan. Her ears may only be a seven and a four, but I think Amy Ryan's acting is a perfect 40. I get frustrated sometimes with Holly being portrayed as a bit too spacey (more later), but I think Amy Ryan manages whatever she is given just superbly. The way she had tears in her eyes and sucked in her cheek a little bit when she reunited with Michael on the rooftop could have fooled me into thinking she was meeting Tom Hanks on the observation deck of the Empire State Building. Amy Ryan really deserves a role on a hit HBO series or something.

• The caption contest. Unlike the uncomfortable resolutions scenes from a few weeks ago, it's nice to see all of the paper pushers united behind a common cause. A strange caption from Creed was notably absent, but almost everyone else was given a chance to shine when Gabe read through the list of increasingly disparaging remarks. Each character's caption was so fitting to their personality, and their pride at what they had created was adorable. I also loved when Phyllis got caught red-handed when she couldn't close her instant-message screen. Scenarios like this may be the key to the show"s success after Michael's departure.

• Gabe. I think it's great that Zach and the writers are able to develop a character who is increasingly annoying to the other characters on the show yet increasingly endearing to the viewers. You can't help but feel a little sorry for Gabe being the brunt of his coworkers' jokes. After all, he probably can't help being so anal retentive. A man who oozes excitement over shaped post-it notes and goes gaga for powdered seahorse was probably just born that way. If he can manage to stay likable to us while providing a scapegoat for the office's tension, I'm all for it. Gabe is to the rest of the Dunder Mifflinites what Toby was to Michael, no?

The Bad:

• Pam's jokes. An "Ask Pam Beesley" -- sigh...
• Princess Nincompoop. I stated above that I appreciate Amy Ryan's acting, and I do, but what I don't like is when Holly is portrayed as a dunce. Yes, the woman is in love with Michael Scott. Yes, she does a lot of bad character impersonations. But I just can't believe that Holly Flax, a successful HR rep for a large company, would sign up for a cellphone contract under a bogus name (Fanny Smellmore, no less) just to get a free stress ball. Holly's goofiness has always been tempered by a dose of rationality, and being completely absorbed in an egg roll advertisement on a city bench does not smack of rationalism.

The Ugly:

• John Krasinski has perfected the "act-and-dash" since we've come back from Christmas break, but this week's was especially painful. Not only was the "leave Michael at the rest-stop bathroom" situation completely absurd (he really couldn't have waited one more minute for Michael to come out?), but John's bumbling, nervous parent act was cringe-worthy. Whatever he's filming in Alaska, let's hope it ends soon because it doesn't get much worse than being an Ugly for two weeks in a row.

Miscellaneous Tidbits:
Ah, so much to say about this one since we were there for Day 6 of 9 on the shooting schedule. We watched them film the cold open with Kelly and Ryan. We also watched Erin do a few talking heads (most of which did not make the episode), Michael & Holly arriving back at the office (which also did not make the episode), and Holly, Dwight and Erin going out on the search party. There was another part we watched them rehearse with Kevin telling Pam that her doodle was on the fridge -- essentially the same thing you saw Jim do in the episode that aired. I'm not sure if they decided to change it from Kevin to Jim initiating the caption contest or what, but I was surprised to see Jim doling out the clues for where to find the doodle.

• Dwight's line, "You drive. My car is full of fox meat," was different when we watched them rehearse (and in the script we had for the day). When we saw it, he said, "You drive. My car is full of scarecrow heads," which I actually think is funnier than fox meat.
  
• In the script, Creed's picture was supposed to be on the "Thief" board three different times, all showing him at different ages. I don't know why they decided to nix that -- maybe it was too hard to make Creed look younger?
• The cold open actually had a lot more dialogue than they showed. It was really pared down from what we saw them do (which is probably the case with pretty much every scene, I'm guessing). There was also a line from Kelly which was quite confusing, in my opinion. I pointed it out to the people in the green room, and I also heard Rainn on set saying that it didn't make sense. I was happy to see on the episode that they cut it out. Here's how it was written in the script:

Pam: Back it up. What's the story here?
Kelly: Look, this wasn't one of those "we got drunk, let's get married on a whim" things. We were having a beautiful weekend in the Poconos...
It contradicted what she says two lines later when Andy asks when they got married and she says, "Like a week ago, we got hammered and it just felt right." So I was glad to see that my opinion was spot on, as usual. :)

• *Funny enough, Rainn was not yet wardrobed-up when we had our picture taken with him, and he was wearing a shirt that said, "I heart Tehran." It went perfectly with Andy's rhyme scheme for the day.
  

If you haven't seen the pictures from my trip, you can view them by clicking here.

Quotable Quotes:

• "Instead of throwing them all away later, why don't you just throw one away now, into my mouth?"
• "You have no money, but you dined. And you dined so much!"
• "Why does the sun rise in the morning? Why do magnets stick together? Because everybody says so -- everybody."
• Michael, to the snake at the pet store: "You are disgusting. You will never find love."
• Pam, to Jim, on the phone: "Did the phone cut out?"
  

"The Seminar": The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

An episode centered around the Nard Dog -- just what the doctor ordered. I think Andy is my second-favorite character on the show, next to Michael, and it's a close second. But rather than gush about my love for the well-dressed harmonizer, I will move on to my Good, Bad and Ugly for "The Seminar." Ready? 1-2-3, Creed!

*Hover over the pictures. You know you want to.*

The Good:

• Andy. Okay, so I'm not done gushing yet. Master of Ceremonies Bernard just strikes a chord with me. Not only is he super flexible when he's nervous, but he's just so darn endearing. We know Andy would never lose his job at Dunder Mifflin, but seeing his name below Madge, Glenn and Hidetoshi on the sales list, you can't help but feel a little pang of sadness. If this were "Curb Your Enthusiasm," Andy would be Larry. If this were "Seinfeld," he would be George. Nothing ever goes right for the guy...until today. The seminar was a minor victory for our lovable salesman and a well-deserved one at that. Andy Bernard, I jlp you!

• Creed. Yet again, Creed's bizarre nature came through beautifullyThe blank stare on his face before he went to speak to the seminar attendees was great. And his Loch Ness monster anecdote? Well, all I can say is that I think he and Michael need to team up and enter the movie tagline business. "He had two eyes, two ears, a chin, a mouth, 10 fingers, two nipples, a butt, two knee caps, a penis. He couldn't see, hear or speak. This is how he led a nation." That Oscar is so close I can smell it (and I'm not talking Martinez).

• Darryl pulling a "Wilson" from behind the newspaper and protecting the oh-so-naive Andy from the "jackals."

• Mikinos's gyro recipe (Michael's pep talk). I love when Michael shows some semblance of wisdom, and if there's anything he's good at, it's sales. My heart just gets a little bit warmer when I see Michael looking out for his ducklings.

The Bad:

• The cold open. I know I'm going to catch some flack for this since Ricky Gervais/David Brent's appearance was so highly anticipated, but I thought the cold open was a bit of a letdown. Maybe it's because I only watched the first episode of the British "Office." Maybe it's because a Brit speaking quickly might as well be speaking Chinese to me. I couldn't understand half of what Michael and David said, let alone laugh at it. I'm not putting this in the ugly category because I do think it had its moments ("Comedy is a place where the mind goes to tickle itself."), but I was hoping for more.

• Michael & Holly's communication skills. I guess the barrage of voices Michael & Holly went through upon her return to the office was foreshadowing for the way they would communicate to each other, well, indefinitely. I like a good impersonation as much as anybody, but I'm hoping Michael and Holly will have a heart-to-heart as Michael and Holly soon.

• The Scrabble subplot. Erin is an airhead. We get it. Gabe is lacking in social skills. We get that too. Having to watch them compete in Scrabble over a cellphone for the entire episode was not enlightening or exciting. Even Oscar's righteous anger could save it.

• Jim's absence. John Krasinski, if you're out there, hear this: your movie career is hurting the show that made you who you are! The "avoiding an old classmate" story was just another lame excuse for Jim to be out of the office for the episode, and I honestly didn't enjoy seeing Jim berated by another frenemy, just like he was by Dwight in "Classy Christmas." Last week it was Pam who was the helpless puppy, and this week it was her husband. Those Halperts need to get their groove back!

The Ugly:

• Kevin's motivational speech. He was off to a good start. I actually laughed out loud when he waited for the right part of "Crazy Train" to begin his laps around the room. But this gag could have been cut wayyyyy short and still had comedic effect. Did we really need to see (and hear) Kevin barfing in a trash can? This scene made me feel worse than the time in high school I got mono and had my first period ever in the same week. Writers, editors -- have some restraint, if not for my sake, then do it for Lu Peachman.

Miscellaneous Tidbits:

• Did Michael say that Holly's Greek name was Necropolis? That's just funny, I don't care who you are.

• If Kelly hadn't coined the term first, Andy would make a great Etiquette Bitch. He was even polite when he told Dwight, Phyllis & Stanley to take their offer and shove it!

Quotable Quotes:

• "Thank you so much, Tuna Turner. You are simply the best."
• "I like 'Grease,' or, as we call it, home."
• "The only way that I'm Jim is in the movie version when Jim sees what his future would be like if he never met Pam."
  

"The Ultimatum": Good, Bad, Ugly

This Thursday, "The Office" returned not with a whimper, but not what I would consider a bang, either. I'm not going to recap the entire episode, so if you haven't seen it, you should get on that. Instead, I'm going to share with you what I considered to be the good, the bad and the ugly from the episode, otherwise known as the gummy worms, the gummy bears and the...black licorice? "Otherwise-otherwise known as a living, breathing angel." Okay, let's get on with it. *Hover over the pictures for an added bonus*

The Good:

• Michael & Erin. These two need to start fighting crime together. I doubt they would ever actually catch a criminal, but they have a dynamic that Michael & his "solid seven," Pam, never had. I love that they think on the same level, as juvenile as it may be ("snot," anyone?), and it's clear that they care deeply about each other as well. I hope that when Michael & Holly end up together, it doesn't take a toll on his relationship with the lovable redhead (brunette?). At the very least, we need another champagne-spraying, Kelly Clarkson dance party (prerecorded Michael is optional).

• Darryl. The writers gave him some great one-liners in this episode, and I think Craig Robinson pulled them off perfectly. Despite the fact that wanting to eat a PB&J on the way to the bookstore was a lame excuse to bring Dwight & Andy along for the ride AND the fact that these guys spent their entire work day at a bookstore and a rollerskating rink (I guess when Michael Scott is your boss, you can get away with some things), I liked this subplot and thought that Darryl really shined. I laughed out loud when he was shocked to the point of cursing at the realization that the e-reader can hold not 10 but 10 thousand books. Darryl is level-headed enough to be believable ("The day shift at a strip club? You can't un-see that") but relaxed enough to allow for some entertaining story-lines. No one can replace Michael Scott, but if someone has to, Darryl would be my top choice. Let's keep our fingers crossed that he was right when he said 2011 is coming up all Darryl.

• Creed. I thought "The Ultimatum" showcased Creed's quirkiness perfectly. The fact that his resolution was to do a cartwheel but he was having trouble motivating? Genius. His reaction when Erin one-upped him? Priceless. His tombstone should read, "Here lies Creed Bratton. Genius. Priceless." Oh, wait -- his tombstone is already made, thank you.

• Gabe trying (and failing) to intercept the Sabre frisbee. I love that character immensely. See how I did that, Erin?

The Bad:

• The cold open. After weeks of absence, I was hoping "The Office" would come back stronger, but this opening just didn't hit the spot. Though it had its good points (John Krasinski looking adorable in sweater & scarf, the back of the Knights' shirts reading "we are unarmed"), the cold open came off almost like a game of flashlight tag -- slightly nerdy and not at all exciting.
• Pam's resolution board. It couldn't hold a candle to Sue's construction-paper wonder at Vance Refrigeration. Plus, I'm tired of the writers waffling between putting Pam in a place of empowerment and making her a Debbie Downer for whom nothing ever goes right. She ventured out on her own to art school...and then dropped out. She tried to make it as a salesperson and failed. She needs Dwight Shrute to stop her child from reverse cycling. Now she has strong-armed Gabe into creating this role of Office Administrator, but the only things she's done with the position are landed herself in a war of wits with Dwight (and won only because of his essential surrender) and tried, unsuccessfully, to motivate her coworkers with preschool craft time. I'd really like to see Pam achieve something legitimately for once. Another Michael Scott replacement candidate, possibly?

• Jim's absence. I know these things happen because of actors' movie schedules, but it's still weird to me that Jim is conspicuously absent from the entire episode. Something tells me that Kevin would not have been force-fed broccoli had Jim been there to stop it. Which leads me to...

The Ugly:

• The broccoli scene. I know many people considered this hilarious. I personally couldn't handle it. Not only was it awkward and stretched out way too long, I just can't fathom that Kevin has never seen broccoli before. Is this the same guy that prides himself on his chili recipe and has "cooked his way through Julia Child"? Surely he can't be this misinformed or foreign to all things green and leafy. While I'm all for a good gag once in a while, I think "The Office" walks a fine line between silliness and believability, and, in my opinion, the broccoli stunt just crossed into "too silly to be funny" territory.

Miscellaneous Tidbits:

• Phyllis went to Portugal over Christmas break?
• When Amy Ryan un-mittened her hands, I totally thought they were fake! I was expecting Holly to drop her prosthetic arms and show a real hand with a ring on it. I don't know if it was the way she was holding all her fingers together or the coloring of her skin or what, but they just looked plastic to me.
• Did Greek Gods have rollerskates?
  

Quotable quotes:

• "If she's engaged, I'm going to go crazy and I'm going to start attacking people. If she's not engaged, in all honesty, I may just burn this whole place to the ground out of happiness."
• "My resolution? Never to make Holly cry again...unless it's from laughing too hard or making love too beautifully."

What did you think of "The Ultimatum"?