Thu, 29 October 2009
From Wikipedia: KOI POND | 10.29.09 It's Halloween and the Office plans a Haunted House for the kids in the community. At an important business meeting, Michael falls into a Koi Pond. Meanwhile, Pam and Andy go cold-calling to try to stir up some new business. ------ I mentioned on the podcast how odd it struck me that Reggie Hudlin was tapped to direct this episode, as nothing in his past experience seems to scream "The Office." Still, he worked on THE BERNIE MAC SHOW, and so did Paul Liberstein, so maybe that's the connection. In any case, hopefully Hudlin will bring something new to the plate. This is billed as a "Halloween" episode, but I'm guessing it's going to be EXACTLY like last season, with only the cold open having anything to do with the holiday. Michael falling into a pond has the potential to be as ridiculous as the "driving into a lake" plot line from season four, and once again they'll have to walk a fine line to keep the episode from being TOO ridiculous. Here's hoping. The Pam and Andy stuff has a great deal of potential. As always, leave your thoughts in the comments section below and join Kevin and me in the TWSS Chatroom during and after the show to share your thoughts (click on the green "chat" button in the right sidebar).
Category:general
-- posted at: 12:52pm EST
Comments[32]
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I see how putting together a whole Halloween episode would be difficult, but the first one wasn\'t all about Halloween. It was about a layoff, right? Isn\'t that the episode where Michael actually lets go an employee. I just remember it being so hilarious seeing Michael trying to make this tough decision with that ridiculous second head. Those costumes were pretty elaborate, but I would have liked to have seen them a little longer. BTW, Matt and Kevin, I think you guys have got a great podcast. Like I said, I only discovered it about a month ago, but I downloaded all the old episodes and I am already on episode #50. I have a huge lists of new podcasts to listen to, but I keep listening to your old ones first! I was so surprised how professional the podcast sounded even on Episode #1. You guys are doing a great job - I love the audio clips from the show, and I love to hear when either of you did not like an episode. We don\'t have to love every episode all of the time. As a fellow English teacher, I can almost always see your side, Matt! Keep up the great work!
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I have a friend of mine who owns a costume shop, and I\'ve helped out in store from time to time around halloween. I honestly don\'t think that most of the costumes are too professional. Over the years I\'ve watched hundreds of people spend well over $300 on a costume. For some people halloween is their christmas, they look forward to it all year, they spend waaaay too much money. At Dunder Mifflin Scranton its a tradition, and it seems that everyone wants one up the other. BTW isn\'t Creed wearing the same costume he wore in season 2?
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Well i suppose there goes another year where we have a \'cold open\' Halloween that has no relation to the rest of the epiosde. Thats not to say that i didn\'t enjoy the whole koi pond plot, even if we\'ve been there before with Michael and water. I completely see where your coming from Matt that they have done the Halloween episode before. But i think enough time has passed to revisit it for an entire episode. If anyone watched Community, i rest my case! It was probably the funniest Halloween comedy i\'ve seen in a long time. A senior citizen acid tripping on Halloween = comedy gold.
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Can someone please tell me the title and artist of the song played in the opening sequence of the show - \"suicide doors on my 57 chevy, roll around town like a hero, I got you on my mind, just like all the time, pedal down, nowhere to go\"? i want to hear the whole song. Thank you so much!
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The only disappointing thing about this episode was that it should have been two episodes. The great opening was probably the funniest thing that\'s been done all season. I could see so much humor in the characters trying to plan and set up the haunted house and it\'s been too long since they\'ve done a real Halloween episode. I enjoyed both the a and b plots this week. Something more low key is welcome after the cartoonishness of Mafia (most mediocre episode of the season) and the drama of The Lover (best thus far) and harkens back to season two when they would take something realistic and let it build. And for Kaiser, Erin\'s taboo subject was \"orphan.\" A wonderfully dark and hilarious easter egg.
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Loved Andy singing the business names. This co-manager situation is becoming absurd. They haven\'t come to an agreement on what Jim\'s and Michael\'s respective responsibilities are and in the real world this type of situation in a business would be totally disastrous. I totally agree with you(Matt)about the quality of the Halloween costumes. Like they always do on tv shows, they look too professional. I have been seeing alot of the season 1 and 2 reruns in syndication, and they had the Halloween episode on in the last couple of days. The whole look of the show is so different.
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Hey guys Im a long time listener, first time commenting:) I really basically loved this episode, I thought all the stuff with Andy and Pam was gold and I got a little tear in my eye when they all watched \"the video\" All-in-all it was a good way to spend my time cant wait to find out what you guys thought:D
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I hate it when the writers make Jim (this episode and with Charles Miner) and Pam (last week) look bad. If they\'re going to make Jim look less than perfect, then I prefer it like the episodes where he wasn\'t an effective fill-in manager. I\'m fine with Michael being the better manager. Besides, when Jim is back in sales, we have the eternal plot line of his underachieving. I know he now has responsibilities as a soon-to-be dad. But having him as a normal co-manager has no humor potential. They have David Wallace as the normal management person. Leave the managing (and therefore the potential for comedy) to Michael. Making either of them look mean goes against they way they\'ve been shown over the episodes. Jim\'s pranks against Dwight don\'t count. Dwight is a pompous (and sometimes evil) kiss-up who deserves a bit of pranking. Leave the badness to Michael (abhorrent behavior at Phylis\'s wedding, stealing Dwight\'s great idea for sales promotions), Dwight (evil and creepy), Ryan (fraud) and Kelly (fraud with the customer satisfaction surveys).
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Really enjoyed this episode, thought it did a great job with a premise that sounded really iffy. Loved the Halloween cold open, too -- I really don\'t care if they just keep cramming it into the cold open, I just like seeing the costumes every year, I\'m sorry if that means I\'m shallow or that I don\'t appreciate the show on as many complex levels as other people. Darryl\'s guesses at the costumes were hilarious. Can\'t wait for Matt\'s diatribe about how horrible Pam is for sounding insufficiently enthusiastic about the idea of carrying Andy\'s child! (Just kidding -- I hope.) Poor Andy. Seriously, though, in real life I think he could throw up an OKCupid profile and get ten dates in ten minutes. He\'s nice, employed, reasonably attractive, desperate to marry and have kids and willing to be a total doormat to achieve that. (And he went to CORNELL. And he sings!) If he could date women he doesn\'t work with, he\'d have no problem at all.
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A great episode overall. The cold open was very funny and enough Halloween for me. The koi pond plot was not ridiculous and it was better than a lot of the plots we have had in Season 6. Pam and Andy were good mainly because of Andy doing a great job. The episode even had a nice little twist. :) Out of the 8 (or 7) episodes that have aired I would put this one as second best right behind Gossip.
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Loved this episode. For me, this one showed what I think is a continuing theme in this season- the characters are swapping roles- Jim is the new Michael (bumbling, weak-minded, not in control of his emotions, needs to be liked), Andy is the new Jim ( so rooting for him- we want Andy to be happy!). Although I am one of those also who thinks that Erin simply cannot be as sweet and innocent as she seems. I want to see her snap! And finally, after his bitchin\' fedora last week, did I spy a very preppy-looking Ryan clutching a pair of seriously bookish specs in the \'do not mock list\' meeting? Cool accessory experimentation, Ry...
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Hey All Quick update. Having looked at the recent photos, Phyllis is actually a burlesque dancer (nice bit of meta continuity there). Still not exactly sure what Stanley is (and I\'m sure even Stanley isn\'t sure what he is and could care less). And in honor of Jim, I\'m going to ROCKY HORROR tonight as Book Face.
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This episode was a massive step down from last week. There was some good stuff (most of the Pam/Andy scenes), but I hated that they had to do exactly what I was so proud of them for avoiding by showing the video. Merideth\'s roommate is friends with the security guard? Oh, ok. Stupid. Still, some of the Michael stuff was really good, and I really didn\'t find anything too objectionable up until the part where Merideth conveniently obtained the video. The best part was seeing a half-naked Kelly, which isn\'t getting nearly the attention it deserves.
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I only discovered your podcast about a month ago, but I have been watching The Office from day one. I\'ve never seen an episode I didn\'t like, although I am occassionally slightly disappointed. One thing that is bothering me is why have they put Halloween as a cold open for the last couple of years?!?! I looked forward to those episodes. I had such high hopes for this episode after seeing Michael dressed as the \"Dick in a Box\" guy. Hilarious! Then pretending to hang himself - Classic Michael!! The rest of the episode was just so-so. I\'m ok when an episode is not plot driven, but this one didn\'t even seem character driven. I guess it was just a filler before November sweeps.
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I really enjoyed this episode, it was funny well written and a light touch of sweetness. Jim trying to help cover for Michael, Pam putting in a good word for Andy, it was sweet without being over the top and sappy. The Koi pond incident was more realistic than driving into a lake, but just crazy enough to be comedy gold. The only thing I could have done without was Dwights \"Friends/Enemy\" talking head and what Meridith wrote on the board, she should have written \"Slept with Creed\", or \"One night stand with Bob and Phyllis\" at least then we\'d have a call back to previous episodes as well as finally having an answer about Phyllis\'s one night stand
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Thanks, @Luke A. I was struggling with some of the references in the costumes. Does anybody know what was the subject Erin wouldn\'t like to be made fun at? I know there was something written under her name on the board but I couldn\'t understand the handwriting. At one point I thought it said \"orphan\" in there, but I\'m not quite sure.
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Umm what to say about this episode....o wait i got it i bunch of crap the cold open was the only good thing about it the rest was just crap...i got nothing to say about the pam/andy plotline(to weird to comment) but the micheal/jim plot line was just pure crap they should of showed t micheal falling in the pond that would be funny to see instede of the thing we saw anyways AFFLECK OUT
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That cold open was one of the best ever. Obviously, Michael\'s macabre antics take the cake but next in line: Oscar dressed up as Sarah Palin, which I\'m sure he considered the most ghoulish costume imaginable. I\'m a huge fan of the governor\'s (\"sympathizer\", perhaps, is fairer) but I found it to be very amusing once I spotted the gag on the second viewing. I\'ll have the watch the episode at least once more before I can share full thoughts, though.
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Also, for your enjoyment, here were everyone\'s costumes, or the list that Darryl needed. Michael- Andy Samberg from \"Dick in a Box\" short Jim- Facebook (or Book Face. Whatever works for you) Pam- Mia Farrow from \"Rosemary\'s Baby\" (I only figured this one out after four viewings) Erin- Princess Fiona Angela- Black widow spider Kevin- Paul Blart Kelly- Leeloo from 5TH ELEMENT Oscar- Sarah Palin (the most inspired of the bunch) Phyllis- Witch Stanley- Victim who I\'m guessing could care less since he\'s still doing a crossword Creed- Old school vampire Ryan- Rob Pattinson (yet another aspect of Ryan\'s douchiness) Andy- Michael Jackson from \"Thriller\" video Meredith- Hobo (should have gone with Gypsy woman from DRAG ME TO HELL) Dwight- Jigsaw (and if you hasn\'t noticed, Mose was in the background when Dwight came out) Not sure how these stack up against the previous Halloween costumes, but they were an impressive bunch.
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Not as hilarious or dramatic as last week\'s episode, but a solid one that set up some possible character development for the rest of the season. Jim definitely needs to start stepping up his game. Covering up that he didn\'t even try to catch Michael? That\'s cold. He really hasn\'t done much this season to show that he deserves his new co-manager position, and I hope that changes soon. Pam started out the episode as Angry-New-Beesly but at least she redeemed herself by the end. It\'s time she learned that she\'s not better than everyone else in the office and while they may occasionally annoy her she shouldn\'t look down on them or dismiss their feelings. I, for one, hope she continues helping Andy and Erin hook up.
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That was no fall...THAT WAS A PUSH. If you play it back at ultra slow-motion, it sure seems to me as though Jim pushed Michael into the koi pond!! Michael\'s feet seemed pretty comfortably planted on the walkway - albeit near the edge - before he gets an elbow from Jim. Jim might not have meant it on a conscious level but when you think about how much he wanted to make the sales call himself...hmm. On top of that, look how reluctant he was for anyone to see Meredith\'s video. It would be a little unusual for someone to feel so guilty about nonfeasance, just letting something happen; MAKING it happen is a whole different matter and better explains Jim\'s attitude. Other than that - I thought this episode started off slowly, at least after the cold open. It picked up a lot after the cold open and I wound up really enjoying it. Pam and Andy - funny and ultimately poignant. Originally I thought it was just a replay of Andy\'s heinous sales call with Michael a couple of seasons back, but it became so much more. The reason he knows about Miss Janet?? Curious if and how that ever comes up again... And of course it wound up on such a high note, with Michael\'s insight that Jim is jealous of him. Lovely. Incidentally, I don\'t think Erin is so innocent. I may be alone in this but I keep expecting someone to scratch away her skin and find one of the lizard monsters from \"V.\" She\'s just too much butter-wouldn\'t-melt-in-her-mouth Melanie Hamilton to be real. She\'s gonna blow...
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Well, that was kinda boring. Maybe I have to watch this again. I did like how they used the theme of lost opportunity and loneliness on the part of Andy and Michael, but it wasn\'t executed well IMO. We were reminded again that Michael is the horrible, goofy, attention seeking pain in the ass that he is due to a lifetime of being the butt of jokes and the center of mocking. Ok, message received. Michael has had some hard times. Andy wanting to pretend he was indeed Pam\'s husband and father to her child was also a heart breaking. Ed Helms is always fantastic. He said something to her stomach like \"Hi there soy bean\" which melted my heart. But still, it bugged me how they were confused as a married couple on these sales calls. Why would clients assume this? Perhaps they heard that Pam married one of the salesmen and they figured that Andy was him? Jim is a wimp. He better start gaining some level of testosterone soon, or else I\'m going to start thinking that someone else impregnated Pamela. Wow, way to be a friend, Jim-bo, letting Michael fall in the pond...whether you wanted to take over that meeting alone or not. On a side note about that music video with Kelly and Erin: Call me a bummer, but I don\'t buy into the funny here. First of all, I still haven\'t cottoned to Erin being a character on this show much less want to see her in something like this, and second - whenever a show starts playing around with goofy music videos, it feels like a device to take your mind away from the fact the show isn\'t good anymore. (And I feel bad about this because Ellie Kemper is part of UCB, and that\'s where my peeps are).
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This episode continues the upswing that started last week. It had good A & B storylines that have been the hallmarks of the best episodes. We got a classic Michael Scott meltdown as well as some more insight into his tortured psyche. The Andy/Pam (Pamdy?) plot was pretty funny and dare I say bizzarely sweet. I think Erin may be the one for Mr. Cornell.
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While not the home run last weeks episode was, \"Koi Pond\" is certainly one of the better episodes of this season. Didn\'t mind another Halloween only cold open since it had Michael\'s most inappropriate costume yet and Darryl\'s sarcasm which made the whole thing work. The Michael/Jim plotline was in turns funny, dramatic and touching in a complex manner. Andy playing with Pam\'s belly is a new entry in the OFFICE Awkward Humor Hall of Fame. And for all you Pam-haters out there, the Pam we all love finally returns in the closing credits to a Brando-oblivious (shudder) Erin. All in all, an incredibly satisfying episode.
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As predicted, the Halloween stuff is left for the cold open. And an uncomfortable one at that. When writing Darryl\'s line \"What the hell is wrong with you?\" don\'t the writers think it may not be the best idea? Remember, the Lincoln assassination only recently became funny. The rest of the episode was pretty meh. A few laughs, but nothing fantastic. Mostly I was just disappointed that the whole episode wasn\'t Halloween. Oh well. Here\'s hoping for some other holidays...
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I enjoyed the episode a lot. The thing I loved most about this episode was that fact that it managed to be funny without resorting to people acting cartoonish. It\'s been a long time since I actually believed that the characters in the Office were almost real people and not just sit-com characters in a fake documentary.
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I had the impression after \"Mafia\" that from then on this season could only go uphill and I was right. \"The Lover\" was a strong episode and \"Koi Pond\" was even better. It wasn\'t only good, it was Season Two good. Cold open was hilarious from beginning to end. Octopus, Burn Victim, Old Man, Goth Dude? It\'s Darryl in the right amount. Michael hanging himself? I rolled on the floor laughing my ass off. The main plot line was classic and there was something in there for everybody. Michael doing something stupid, funny meeting room scenes, and the thing I believe is present in most good episodes: Michael\'s redemption (although at the expense of making Jim a douche). The Pandy plot line was a nice complement to this more than pleasing episode. One thing I thought was curious was that Pam denies categorically that she and Andy are a couple. The same thing happened in \"Niagara\" when Oscar feels insulted that Pam\'s sister thinks he and Kevin are a couple. And, like Kevin, Andy shows his discomfort. And, how could I forget to mention the comeback of our lovely Pam at the end? She showed the side of her that we like the most (that\'s what she said): her willingness to help people. For all this, I give it a 9 out of 10. It doesn\'t get a 10 because I wish they had made a quick mention to the events of the previous episode.
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I caught a bit of the promo, and saw Pam in her costume. I couldn\'t really make out what she could be seeing that she\'s wearing a short wig, a dress and what appears to be slippers. Then I thought, maybe she came dressed as Michael\'s Mom? Just to stick it to him. (Let this be so...please!)
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