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"!)