The Office: "Training Day"

The Office has finally returned, and it's time to start bidding adieu to our dear Michael Scott. To Oscar, Michael's departure may be nothing more than "a lot to process, paperwork-wise," but to me it's the end of an era. I've heard mixed reviews about the first leg of Michael's race out of Scranton, "Training Day," but I was more happy than not with the episode.

The Good:

• Deangelo Vickers. I truly feared the day that Will Ferrell would tread on the hallowed grounds of my beloved Office set. I've never liked the guy (no, not even in Anchorman), and I was dreadfully afraid of the frown lines I might develop after having to endure his antics for a four-episode stint. However, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the way Mr. Ferrell played his cards. I thought Deangelo was a perfect combination of quirky and straitlaced and definitely not overly Ferrell-ized. If The Office is going to be causing me permanent facial indentations of any sort, at least it won't be a result of a bad guest star.
• Darryl's sister! Not since Dwight and Toby mistook her for Darryl and told her to eat dog food have we seen the warehouse-upgrade's baby sister. I'm glad that she has nothing better to do than deliver cowboy paraphernalia to aid in Darryl's brown-nosing, but I'm even more glad that I was reminded of one of the most hilarious hijinks people other than Michael have gotten themselves into.
• Ellie Kemper. It takes a lot to get a role on a well-established show like The Office and become a standout, but that's exactly what Ellie Kemper has done. She usually gets more screen time than some of the show's veterans, but she certainly doesn't squander her chances to become a star. I think Ellie is so great at playing the ditz in a believable yet lovable way. The expression on her face when Deangelo corrected her phone greeting ("oh, assist") was key, and it proved to be one of the episode's most entertaining vignettes.

The Bad:

• The office funny guy. As much as I love Ed Helms and as well as he did with the physical comedy, I hope Andy's stint as the office funny guy doesn't last for long. There's only so many times you can see a guy pour hot coffee on his crotch and not be tempted to change the channel.
• Holly. Where was she? In the absence of his voice of reason, Michael was back to his usual antics. I'd have to think that if Holly was present, there was no way Michael would have attempted to trigger Deangelo's peanut allergy just because he was feeling a bit jealous of the new guy. Holly is the angel on Michael's shoulder, and it seemed a bit odd that, after making such a life-changing decision when we last saw the pair, she was nowhere to be found this week.

The Ugly:

• Jim and Pam, AKA JAP. Someone tell me because I tend not to remember little details about shows I watch: were Jim and Pam always this annoying, or is it just recently? Maybe it's a true-to-life scenario where parents become so absorbed in their child's "cute" activities that they lose a grip on what's actually funny and entertaining, but Jim and Pam have become almost intolerable to me lately. I could totally sympathize with Deangelo when he told them to "just stop."

Quotable quotes:

One of the best parts of this episode was the abundance of one-liners. Here are some of my favorites:

• "Everyone I know who skis is dead." - Deangelo
• "One of my favorite things if fanfare for its own sake." Michael
• "I happen to like the hilarious hijinks that I get myself into." Michael
• "Are you kidding? I'd come anywhere to see a turtle." Michael (again)

What did you think of "Training Day"?

Teen Mom 2: Finale

As the curtains closed on the first season of Teen Mom 2, we were reminded that old habits die hard and old dogs can't always learn new tricks. Though one of our Moms showed some growth this season, one didn't really need much growth and the other two just stayed true to their ways.

Since this was the last real episode aside from the Dr. Drew after-school special, I'd like to give each of the girls a "grade" for their performance throughout the show, rather than breaking it down into the more episode-specific Good, Bad and Ugly.

The Good:

• Leah. Leah has been and still remains the most centered Mom on the show. I don't mind that MTV is giving her attention because she's a positive role model and doesn't seem to be letting the show go to her head. As I've said before, I think the support structure that Leah has in her family has a lot to do with her being so well-adjusted, but even good families can have bad seeds, and Leah definitely isn't one of them. The season culminated in her taking a leap of faith into a marriage that will hopefully last a lifetime (unless, of course, she has to take Corey "for poorer," which is apparently a hilarious concept). Leah has got a good head on her shoulders, and as long as she keeps up the way she has been, it looks like sunny skies ahead for this Teen Mom.
• Chelsea. And Teen Mom 2's "Most Improved Award" goes to....Chelsea [BLEEP]. MTV is so protective of its stars' last names, but for what reason, I'm not sure. It's not like it's hard to find them on Google or if you stand in the line at the grocery store without wearing a blindfold. But regardless of Chelsea's mystery surname, she has changed for the better since crying on the toilet toward the beginning of the season. She still has a long way to go, what with the amount she still relies on her dad for just about everything, but the important part is that she seems to be free and clear of the nasty Adam virus. Now all that's left is for Chelsea to buckle her seat belt and head down the road to a high school diploma.

The Bad:

• Kailyn. I know Kailyn works hard and has the right goals in mind, but I think a lot of her decisions are selfish and not made with Isaac's best interest at heart. I still can't figure out why she likes Jordan. I know it can't be his killer Spanish skills or his ways with the baby, so I think it's more out of a need to feel liked by someone. If Jo is going to act like a moron, then Kail has to find a way to fill her love tank elsewhere, to borrow a phrase from another of my favorite reality shows. It also really bothers me that, during her fight with Jo at mediation, she said to Isaac, "your dad's an asshole." Obviously Isaac doesn't understand what she's saying, but will the badmouthing really stop as he grows older? The worst thing two separated parents can do is put their child in the middle, and it seems like poor Isaac is destined to be fought over for the rest of his life. Maybe they should just let Junior adopt him and call the whole thing a wash.

The Ugly:

• Jenelle. Jenelle definitely had peaks and valleys throughout the course of the season and even the episode, but in the end, she's always singing the same tune. She throws away her chances at redemption over and over again and for what? A cocaine-snorting hustler? I know I'm starting to sound like Barbara, but I can see why she's frustrated to the point of tears over trying to parent the stubborn mule that is Jenelle. Jenelle says she just wants to be loved, but what she means is she wants to be loved by a particular person, in a particular way. I will shamefully admit that I occasionally read OK! Magazine and follow the current Teen Mom news, and Jenelle has gotten nothing but negative press since the show started airing. From smoking at a gas pump to backyard brawls, the philosophy that any press is good press does not hold true for Jenelle. I almost want to petition MTV not to continue to feature her on the show because, as much as her trainwreck of a life is addicting to watch, putting an unstable person on reality television is like throwing gasoline on a fire. I can only hope Jace doesn't get burned in the process.

I'm really looking forward to the reunion with Dr. Drew to see what everyone is up to, but I hope MTV will do it justice since they're already pushing the new season of 16 and Pregnant pretty hard (though not quite as hard as Teen Wolf). As much as I enjoy watching the Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant series, I can't help but feel slightly afraid of the message these shows convey. Sure, they flash a 10-second graphic about how "teen pregnancy is 100% preventable," but at the rate MTV is churning out new teenage girls, eager to find their spot in the limelight, it may not be long before teen pregnancy shows go the way of the Real World and devolve into nothing more than a bunch of drunks hooking up in a hot tub.

*Miscellaneous tidbit: did anyone notice that Isaac's name was spelled wrong on one of the cartoon things that they do in between segments? It was written "Issac." Dear MTV, I am a great proofreader. Please hire me to keep you from looking like idiots in cases like these.