Thu, 17 May 2007
Well folks, here it is... the season finale. Will all of our hopes and dreams for JAM come true? Will Jan bear Michael's love child? Will Karen ride off into the sunset? (seeing as how her FOX show got picked up, it seems pretty darn likely). Can the writers top CASINO NIGHT? What will Matt & Ian do now?? Only a few more hours until we find out.NBC describes the episode like this: ------------------------------- THE JOB
One-Hour Season Finale 8/7c TV14 05.17.2007  THE
FINAL REVIEW - In a special one-hour finale, the office is still
buzzing from the events of their day at the beach. A job opening in
Corporate pits coworker against coworker as Michael (Golden Globe
winner Steve Carell), Jim (John Krasinski) and Karen (Rashida Jones)
all head to New York for final interviews. In Scranton, Dwight's (Rainn
Wilson) new regime institutes sweeping reforms, Pam (Jenna Fischer)
plays an interesting role, and Jan (Melora Hardin) comes in with
exciting news. B.J. Novak, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery,
Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Phyllis Smith, Paul Lieberstein and Creed
Bratton also star.
------------------------------ And once again, REMEMBER-- this is an HOUR LONG episode, and it starts 30 minutes earlier than usual. BJ Novak and Greg Daniels are doing a LIVE BLOG on NBC.com immediately following the Eastern/Central airings, which is cool, but you can also stop by the TWSS chat room if you so desire. Ian won't be there, but I will be. See if "Thursday Matt" was pleased, or if he has murder in his eyes! :)
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:25am EDT
Comments[44]
|
-
Has anyone ever been anayoed that B.J. Novak is billed as a star in the credits. Nothing against Novak I think he\\\'s pretty funny and a great writer some of my favorite episodes are written by him, but I\\\'m pretty sure that Angela Kinsey gets more screen time then him every week not that that\\\'s a bad thing. Plus it would not surprise me if Ryan got the job. Dunder Mifflin seems like the type of company that is trying to reninvigarate itself and hiring a guy fresh out of collage could bring in a lot of fresh ideas.
-
Loved the episode (pretty much for the same reasons as everyone else). Stanley\'s unicorns to leprechauns retort just killed me. And \"It\'s a date\" still makes me grin like an idiot. There is one thing that really nags at me. I\'m willing to suspend my disbelief quite a bit for this show, but it\'s so hard to believe that Ryan would get the job at corporate (or that he would even manage an interview). Perhaps I\'m projecting my own job search frustrations onto the show, but has anybody ever gotten a job offer because of a degree alone? Ever? Ryan\'s work experience seems shaky at best. The whole situation rings incredibly false with me. I hate nitpicking in an otherwise great episode, but it seems like they\'re going to use Ryan\'s promotion as a main storyline in S4, so I guess I wanted it based in some sort of reality. Other than that, what a satisfying end to the season.
-
i am full of warm fuzzy feelings! i admit, they had lost me in several of the episodes this season... but illbedamned they got me back. i about fell off my chair when i saw that gold medal and note, and jumped up and down when jim interrupted the talking head. oh happy day! old jim is back!!! i\'m more excited for the new TWSS than i have been all season. i can\'t wait to hear what you guys are going to say about all this!
-
I wondered about the Ryan-Karen hookup as well. I think there is some deliberate ambiguity on the writers\' part here. This give a lot of flexibility for next season. It could be Ryan or Karen at the corporate office (or someone else)... they definitely built both of them up as jerky, self-focused, a--holes that would fit in great at corporate. Jan was one of these... but as soon as she softened up... they drop her. Oh.. and I think that Karen could definitely have an MBA (or Ryan could have finished his as well). A friend of mine keeps insisting that the girl who hailed the cab in new york (in front of Karen and Jim crossing the street on their date) was Katy (hot girl... who sold purses) and that she called and asked out Ryan at the end (since he had previously shown interest in her). Far-fetched... by why not speculate on another possibility for the summer.
-
Did anyone else pick up what the CEO was saying while the camera tuned in on Pam\'s good luck card? He was trailing off on this rant against their office\'s HR guy. I just thought that was hilarous. What is with Dunder Mifflin management and their despise for Human Resource representitivies?
-
I thought Wallace going off on their HR guy was histerical too -- although I didn\'t pick up on it until the second time I watched the episode. As for Ryan... I always kind of thought of him as sort of a weenie, sort of spineless. This is the first time he really seemed like a jackass to me.
-
I\\\'ve been thinking in recent weeks that Ryan is pretty much the most useless character on the show. In the early days when he was the temp and Michael\\\'s man-crush, it was kind of funny(love him in the injury with the grinding up the aspirin in the pudding cup), but this season he\\\'s really only had a handful of funny moments (I did enjoy the expression on his face when Kelly didn\\\'t know who Bob Hope was in Beach Day). I had never really thought he was a real snake before last night, but I guess he kind showed his true colors in the Business School episode. In any case, I\\\'ve never really understood what he was doing in the regular credits -- he\\\'s never seemed like a main character on par with Michael, Dwight, Pam and Jim. Maybe they\\\'ll give him something more to do next year with this new job.
-
After watching the episode again, I have a new theory... Ryan isn\\\'t talking to David Wallace at the end... he is talking to Karen. I think Karen was dumped by Jim, and now has called Ryan to see if he is interested in going out. All Ryan says into the phone is \\\"I\\\'m excited too, O.K, bye.\\\" So I think he is talking to Karen who said \\\"I just broke up with Jim, would be interested in going out?\\\" We learned a couple weeks ago that Ryan was interested “hooking up? with Karen, and now she is going to give him the opportunity. I think it is all an editing trick, and the David Wallace side of the conversation is him talking to someone else about the job.
posted by: Mike - Lets Speak Italian podcast on 2007-05-18 21:44:00
-
Just finished watching the episode a second time. The first time I cheered. The second time, somehow, I actually teared up a little. And something else that I was thinking that a second viewing confirmed for me: Ryan\'s kind of a dick. He didn\'t man up and admit he had applied for the job (for those who are speculating that he actually took a DIFFERENT job, I can\'t imagine they would do that over the summer hiatus, it\'d be too big a switcheroo over that length of time), and the way he treated Kelly just sucked. He NEVER had the guts to break up with her when he knew he\'d have to see her at work every day, but when he thought the branch was closing, he jumped on it. Then, when it turned out they were keeping their jobs, he crumbled and went right back. Then, when he found out he WAS going to leave, he didn\'t even TRY to be nice about it. \"You and I are done.\" Dude. That\'s harsh. Entertaining as hell. But harsh.
-
It seems that nobody took Pam\\\'s \\\"outburst\\\" at the beach seriously. Everyone at the office teased her, Kelly even called her pathetic. Why are they treating her so cruelly? If Jan hadn\\\'t been performing well for two years (according to her boss), why wasn\\\'t she let go much sooner and why didn\\\'t she read the signs of being fired? The big boss should never have told Michael that he was applying for Jan\\\'s position. That was so tactless. But Jan\\\'s flighty professionalism should have been brought up much much earlier. Long live JAM! I hope they get busy on their date.
-
Johanna -- Yeah, I felt like all the making fun of Pam stuff was a little off. Felt forced to me. As far as the what you\'re saying about Jan -- yes, of course, it\'s ridiculously unrealistic. But I think that kind of stuff is part of the suspension of disbelief that we have to give them cause it\'s a comedy, akin to Michael keeping his job endlessly (or ever even having gotten it) when he\'s insanely incompetent as a manager. It\'s a strange balance, though. Sometimes that kind of stuff does interfere and you can\'t help thinking \"wait, that would never happen.\" They go too far a lot, but they usually, I think, manage to pull it off even if imperfectly.
-
I wanted to say too I just watched it again (2nd time) and I realized that a small moment that I\'d only half noticed the first time was kind of a big moment -- near the end when Pam answers the phone and they\'re shooting her from the point of view of Jim\'s old desk and she says \"Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam.\" Am I wrong, or have we hardly heard her say those words this season? Was it not a huge fuzzy throw back to season two? Bruce -- They sell bras that do pretty much what they did to \"enhance\" Jan. They\'re more than wonder bras; they have a high tech falsie in the bottom half that melds into your real pushed up stuff. So, yeah, her \"boob job\" was a little on the subtle side. A real one would often look more fake and obvious, especially if it were being shown off like that.
-
I just watched the episode for the second time since it aired and I am still shocked by the ending. They wrapped it up perfectly and Matt I agree if Jan were pregnant I seriously may have stopped watching the show. The look on Michael\\\'s face when Jan was talking about living with him was priceless. If Ryan is really Michael\\\'s boss next season it\\\'ll be great. I hope you guys recap the entire season on the show this week and talk about what your top five episodes of the season were. Here\\\'s my top five and I\\\'m sure everyone else will disagree with me. 1. Women\\\'s Appreciation 2. A Benihana Christmas 3. The Job 4. Product Recall 5. Safety Training
-
Nice way to end the season. I can\'t decide if they ripped off the British version of \"The Office\" or made a homage to it. I tend to think it was the latter. Here are the parallels as I see it: 1) Michael/David interviewing for the corporate job and thinking they are a shoe-in before the interview, only to not get it, yet still be able to back to the branch office and claim they rejected it. In the UK Office, it was offered to David, and then quickly withdrawn when he couldn’t pass a physical. In the US version, it’s never offered to Michael, but he gets to withdraw his name from consideration. They both go back to the branch claiming they didn’t want the corporate job after all. 2) Dwight/Gareth becomes the office manager and does things very differently. 3) Jim/Tim and Pam/Dawn. In the UK Office, its Dawn who leaves, and comes back (still engaged) for a party and then leaves again. Tim places a drawing of him that she did along with his gift for her, an art kit. Dawn finds it as she’s driving away and ponders. Then she comes back and surprises him with a kiss and announces she’s no longer engaged. In the US version, it’s Jim who leaves (to Stamford), comes back but not available, and then metaphorically leaves again by interviewing for the job. Pam puts in a sweet note along with a gold foil medal which makes him think twice about the job. He rejects the job, rejects Karen and comes back and suddenly surprises Pam, just like Dawn suddenly surprised Tim. I’m not taking anything away from either show; I’m just enjoying the parallels. I think the Pam/Jim combo is much stronger than the Dawn/Tim pairing, but that’s probably just a cultural thing. It’s nice to see that there really isn’t any cliffhanger here. It appears that the Scranton branch will have everyone back except Ryan and possibly Karen. I don’t like the new Jan though – I liked her more when she was in control of Michael. To see her all mushy around him is wacky. The actress had a wonderful bit in the car, from maniacal laughing to sobbing. No surprise that Ryan dumped Kelly. The bit where Angela said \"So long Kelly…\" when she thought Dwight was going to be the manager was priceless. Well done!
-
I knew the jig was up with Karen when she actually got upset about Pam. And she said it outloud, too, not just looks and gestures to Jim. So I knew she\'d be gone. And then the gold yogurt lid...man, I just fell apart! I bet that was one delicious dinner! I watched it twice last night, and I couldn\'t sleep afterwards (TWSS!). I may be overinvested in this show, but I don\'t really care.
-
Fantastic! Took a while to get going, but it was a very good episode! They really showed Karen\'s inner bitch coming out, which set Jim up perfectly to ditch her in the city. Oh yeah - here\'s Creed\'s \"blog\"... http://blog.nbc.com/CreedThoughts/2007/05/13-week/
-
Awesome finale. I totally appreciated the continual growth of Pam\'s confidence this episode. First, she wished to Karen\'s face that she got the job. She did it super politely, but Karen totally got the message (\"Pam\'s kind of a bitch!\"). Then when Michael returned from NY, the first thing she asked was if Karen got the job. Pam isn\'t hiding what she wants anymore. Love that. When I saw Jim driving back alone, I thought--he\'s dumped Karen! Then I thought to myself, wait--this isn\'t Lost, not every camera angle means something significant. So I talked myself out of it and started to get disappointed. When he appeared in the doorway during Pam\'s talking head at the end, it was pure glee. GLEE!
-
wow, amazing episode..one of my favorites Did we just travel back to season 2 or something? Cause this episode felt so much more complete and more thought out and funnier than anything in season 3. WOW I really could not help but smile when jim said it\'s a date. I was honestly expecting him to say it\'d be just as friends or something. So does jim think karen got the job and that\'s why he asked pam out? That\'s my theory. And there\'s gonna be some fireworks in the premiere of season 4. GREAT EPISODE!
-
Oh wow! I absolutely loved it. It felt like a season 2 episode again, and besides, the pay off for the whole season was absolutely incredible. Isn\'t it amazing that something so \"simple\" as a date can be the most glorious thing ever? The writers made it really WORTH it! My absolute favorite episode of the British Office was the Holiday Special and it was because at the end, the Pam character\'s (Dawn) boyfriend is being really crappy (of course) and makes her leave the party super early. He grabs her Secret Santa present for her and off they go in the taxi. While riding back to their hotel, Dawn decides to open the gift and finds it\'s from the Jim character. (Tim) It is an art set with a card with the inscription: \"Don\'t give up!\" Dawn breaks down and we cut to Tim attempting to have a fun time at the party. Dawn appears in the doorway in the background. She walks in and kisses Tim. And it is an absolutely fabulous moment. Anyway, I mention this because I loved the mirror story line -- Jim goes off to interview, Pam secretly stashes an incredibly symbolic and sweet note that makes Jim realize exactly what he\'d be giving up, Just when Pam has given up, in walks Jim. Perfect.
-
Yes! Melonie - that was exactly what I was thinking - the payoff felt just the one in the BBC Holiday Special one. Awesome, just awesome. They left no ambiguity about it with the \"it\'s a date\" line. And Pam was so adorable in this whole episode! The whole thing with her being Dwight\'s secret Assistant to the Regional Manager was hilarious. When Jan first showed up, I was actually thinking she had quit her job. Melora is really great. They haven\'t mentioned Ryan\'s schooling in quite a few episodes, but there actually are a lot of one-year and 18-month MBA programs, so it is possible that he\'s finished with it. I guess we\'ll have to see what happens with that. Love that Thursday Night Matt and Martin BOTH liked this one. Martin, I read every post of yours this time! Kudos to the writers! This season has been strange and had a lot of ups and downs, but they really went in some directions that I didn\'t expect, and they did a beautiful slow build with the characters and plotlines.
-
Oh yeah, Martin -- I think you\\\'ve finally finally outdone yourself after months and months of um, underdoing yourself. \\\"This episode like...did mostly all things right,\\\" is undeniably several notches more laudatory than \\\"this episode is officially not a piece of shit.\\\" I would advise you to tread lightly; this much sudden gushing can be a shock to the system.
-
OMG! I\'m so sorry *Matt* - I was typing Matt but it somehow came up as Mark. I am so sorry and I didn\'t even realized it until the third or fourth read through of your comment. Anyway, great to hear that you two will be doing at least some retro episodes. I caught only the last 10 minutes of tonight\'s episodes but either way, I am a happy camper. Can\'t wait until they release it on iTunes. On another note, maybe the issue with Jim and Karen will be resolved in the deleted scenes...
-
Matt: \\\"Well, let\\\'s get right to it. Ian, what did you think of the episode?\\\" Ian: \\\"I liked it. I thought it was very enjoyable.\\\" Just looking ahead to the podcast! What a great episode, great ending with JAM, and my favorite laugh out loud moment: SWING LOW SWEET CHARIOT! PURE COMEDY GOLD BABY! I was thinking about the way the writers have taken Jan into this demented, screwed up place that I certainly couldn\\\'t have imagined in Season 2. What do you think about that? Melora Hardin is really outstanding. She was great tonight. Can\\\'t wait for the podcast guys! Great job!
-
I\'m comfortable enough with my masculinity to admit that after Jim said \"It\'s a date.\" ... well, let\'s just say the room got a little dusty. Such a great episode. If Jenna Fischer isn\'t nominated for an Emmy it will be a crime. Loved Steve Carell\'s \"motorboat\".
-
I hope the Emmys recognize Jenna Fischer\\\'s amazing performance tonight! Tonight is just another reason why we should season five to be the hour long office. They chickened out this year but with an active campaign- who knows. Can\\\'t wait for this podcast- hope to hear some retro podcasts this summer. Maybe one where you guys comment on the pilots of both the American and British Offices!
-
The only problem? For us Toby-lovers, he was in the background in one scene, and that was it! Apart from that, I loved it. I clapped when Jim showed up and said \"It\'s a date,\" and Ryan\'s \"We\'re over\" was cold-hearted. Is he lying about the MBA? He\'s not finished business school yet, has he??
-
I\\\'m sorry to be a snitch... but seriously guys... It\\\'s not okay to hijack other people\\\'s handles on a blog. So, whoever wrote that \\\"Martin Tsang\\\" was gushing, excited, and whatnot... it\\\'s not funny, it\\\'s rude. Seriuosly guys... not cool. and Martin\\\'s gonna be pissed when he reads this.
-
Okay, so maybe I\'ll concede that it\'s the real Martin Tsang... but one of the following must\'ve happened: 1) lobotomy 2) heavy medication 3) endorphines or \'other hormones\' have been released in the body Those are the only options. Martin, in his right mind, gushes not. Thursday Martin is a liar or a lunatic... I concede nothing else. (except that I am being facetious... boo on me.)
-
Okay, I\'m going to need to watch it again to totally absorb that episode, but on first reaction: my god. Best ending ever. No schmaltz, no cliffhanger, just pure promise. And if the look of pure joy on Pam\'s face at the end didn\'t melt your heart, I don\'t even wanna know you.
-
Great episode! What a way to end the season. My only question is, do you think the job that Ryan and David were talking about was the corporate job in New York? I was thinking that the conversation might be a fakeout for us to ponder all summer. hmmm..... (this is going to be anouther long summer)
-
I can\\\'t wait! Oh the suspense. I really don\\\'t want to spoil it for myself, so I\\\'ll have to wait the extra two days (gulp) for it to air on iTunes here in Taiwan. Being 13 hours ahead never felt so long before (double gulp). I am excited, but sad the show will be over until this fall (tear falling slowly down cheek). I don\'t know what I\'ll miss more--the actual Office or your podcast. What will we do without both? We all love you!
-
It\\\'s Thurday 9.18pm here so if I weren\\\'t a Brit, I would already have seen the season finale! The suspence is killing me! I have to wait until tomorrow morning to download (cough*illegally*cough) and will try and avoid all office related sites until then. I hope everyone enjoys and I can\\\'t wait for the podcast next week Matt and Ian. Go Jam!
-
Yes!!! I am *extremely excited*! I can\'t wait! I live in California so we still have 6 hours to go. I\'ll be watching The Office tonight, then download it on iTunes tomorrow (*hopefully* since last week Beach Games didn\'t come out until Saturday at noon). Sorry, \"Ugly Betty.\" You\'ll have to wait until I stream you online this weeked. Mark and Ian - I\'ll miss your podcasts as well. They\'re witty and insightful and never fails to make me laugh. Are you guys planning to do any retro episodes over the summer? Please do (at least a couple)!.
Adding comments is not available at this time.
![[Valid RSS]](http://static.flickr.com/81/247458026_2d6cc2cec1_o.png "Validate my RSS feed")