The Office: Fun Run, 4.01-02

673 comments

1. Awesome! Loved it!

2. I thought this was an excellent start to the season.
   My favorite Season Premiere from all 4 seasons.
   I loved the hour long format for the first episode…
   it made the wait worth it! Go Office Writers, cast and staff!

3. Yay Toby! XD
   That was sooo worth the wait :D
   Only one more week until the next one!

4. Kevin is the new Dwight.

5. happiness in 2 small words. the office. :)

6. Wow! So good!

7. 10/10

   Loved everything about it.

   Only 7 more days.

8. One word: AWESOME!
   PB&J rules!

9. Some slow points, but I like the way the JAM and Dwangela situations played out. This season looks to be good.

10. Oh, when Michael hit Meredith I literally fell off my couch, literally!

    Best hour I’ve spent in front of the TV in a long time.

11. The JAM stuff was so cute. I loved the whole episode!!!

12. Pam and Jim finally :)

13. That was such a great episode! I loved the Dwangela angst – Dwight is so sincere and tries so hard to make Angela happy and keep her from being hurt. The Office truly knows the meaning of PAYOFF. No tv show has ever made me so happy with a couple. Kissage, glowing looks of happiness, hand holding and bantering…it was just everything I ever could have wanted for them. Oh – and for them to be on the backburner ;)

    More Jan and Michael next week!

14. No more JAM!!! Long Live PB & J!!!

15. WOW!!! Maybe the best episode EVER… I may be a little JAM-biased but my God, it was amazing!! Every single second of it!! The hand holding, the kiss, the adorableness!! Ahh!!! I can’t make words …

16. Oh that was so good. I’m so happy.

17. wow… just wow :)

18. Can I just squee at the JAM-ness? Jim BLUSHED. How adorable! Also….Dwight…really man? killing your gf’s cat? not cool! Kevin and Oscar were hilarious. all in all awesome episode.

19. Pam Beesly & Jim PB&J

20. i cant even form words right now!..but it was a GREAT episode!

21. oh my— this was good. i’m trying to put aside my utter fan-girl excitement with the jam hookup and think about the episode objectively…and i think this episode was really funny and very quoteable. LOVED the check made out to science, the stripper nurse, calling toby satan…

    alright, i tried to be objective, but HOW ADORABLE were pam and jim??! ahhh!

22. that kiss nearly made me faint. it was the cutest thing ever!!! words can’t even describe how happy i am!!

23. That episode made my entire bad day worth it. (:

    That was seriously so good ! When Jim and Pam kissed in the car and then help hands I got like, chills. The office has done it again !

24. This totally lived up to ALL of my expectations. Thanks for another AMAZING season premiere, “Office” cast and crew! You guys rock!

25. I think i was smiling through the entire eppisode! That was incredible!

26. definitely not what i was expecting. but amazing, nonetheless.
    i feel so bad for angela. my heart was hurting. but otherwise, an AMAZING episode!

27. Never thought I could say this but…Jim & Pam actually really together is even better than the Jim & Pam as a concept. Those two made me really happy tonight.

28. YAY JAM!!!! They are so cute together!

29. Amazing. So much better than I could have even imagined!

30. I loved how Pam and Jim were busted! A secret romance is just as good as tension. I love them.

31. I missed the beginning. What happened to Karen?

32. Yay for JAM!!! (Oh I mean PB&J)

33. It felt a bit different, but was even better than I could have possibly imagined. Perfect in every way.

34. What are my flaws? Singing in the shower, volunteering too much, and sometimes, hitting people with my car.

    LMAO. Amazing Jam episode, too. But, sharing the lollipop, gross!

35. PB&j
    Bloody nipples
    hip check

    Not much else needs to be said

36. “I am not superstitious…just a little stitious”

    I also loved the scene in the conference room when Mike was talking to Kelly about her religion

37. Although the episode moved slower than I expected, the revealing that Jim and Pam have been dating for the past two months, and seeing them kiss, and holding hands … well, that made the wait from the past four months well worth it! Sure, I know there will be some ‘unexpected’ ups and downs in their relationship this season, maybe even a break-up for dramatic effect, but seeing them in love and happy NOW is sooooooooooooo satisfying!!! :.)

38. Finally some JAM action or PB&J! I’ve waited 2 years for tonight, and it was definitely worth the wait. Season 4 is going to be good. It was a long summer and glad it’s Sept. 27 already.

39. I thought I was going to die from laughing so hard. So stupid, but true.

40. Funny stuff.

    Jan sure has come a long way. It’s hilarious that Michael didn’t make the race in a circle.

41. Wow this was really great! So much happier than Season 3–i love it!

42. SO GOOD! I loved it! Another poster said there were some slow spots, I would agree. I like the hour long format but I don’t think they could do it for every episode. It was GREAT for the season premiere, tho – made it well worth the wait. The best part is we can see a new one next week already! YES!

43. I loved this episode.

    I was a little weirded out by Dwight’s caretaking abilities. Poor Angela. I wonder if Dwight will be charged with animal abuse…

    I’m a little concerned that Pam is already alienating Jim. There were a few things that I thought were a little odd about her…the way she dropped Jim’s hand when they approached Michael at the end…and there was something else that I can’t remember right now.

    Jealous Jan is hilarious.

    More after I re-watch…

44. I really wanted Jim/Pam on the back burner this season. I wanted them like S2, only together.

    But they were so damn adorable tonight. I don’t know if that will be sustained all season long, but I just know that I loved every single moment of them tonight. My favorite part was Jim saying “I guess I’ll be holding it” about the lamp, because its such a couple moment.

    I really hope the writers can make this work as well as they did tonight. The balance was perfect.

45. The Dwangela plot so great… does anyone suspect that maybe Andy will become a rival for Angela’s affection? He’s also militant and strange and has said in the past he likes cat kitsch. i think this could carry thru several episodes. i’d love it.

    And PB&J…. awesome. Just awesome. Real. Thank you writers.

46. it’s completely perfect and i’m completely happy!

    i can’t believe how well they made that work.
    and no karen is pretty a-okay with me. that fight they had in the break room immediately after the beautiful final moments of last season was pretty intense :S

    poor angela, of course, wow. that’s going to be interesting!

    but still.
    FINALLY.

47. *sigh*
    364 days… until the next Office premiere.

    But hey, we get THIRTY episodes in between!!!!

48. “I’m only a little stitious.”

    haha great episode!

49. Oh my GOD! They handled the Pam/Jim relationship so perfectly it surpassed my wildest expectations. “we’re dating and…it’s going great” AHH!! Can anyone post that kiss in the car on youtube? Loved loved loved it! The rest of the episode was hilarious too – Andy’s nipple chafing was classic and the Dwangela drama is hilarious

50. Wow!! This is one of my new favorite episodes! Hilarious and I am so glad for Jam! I loved the Dwangela situation!!

    Season 4 Woo Hoo!!!

51. PB&J is the cutest thing ever. I nearly died when Jim got into the car and kissed her! Sooo good!

52. The Jeopardy reference (“What is she’ll be fine?”) made my day.

    Dwight and Sprinkles was an unnecessary storyline; maybe they’ll adapt it and make it into something more significant; as of right now I didn’t see it as a very good touch to the episode.

    Good episode overall though. Great start to season 4!!!!

53. What a GREAT season premiere! Waaaaaayyyy better than Gay Witch Hunt. Fav part? Pam walking in on Michael when he was getting dressed and then Jan telling Pam to back off. Of course, JAM was awesome too!

    I’m in my happy place!!! :)

54. 49 – Pam probably dropped Jim’s hand because nobody in the office knows they are dating.

    Best part of the episode – Michael writing the check out to “Science”. I laughed so hard I woke my husband up.

55. AH-MAZING!!!!!! PB AND J!!!!!! WAHOO!!!

    R.I.P. Sprinkles. And Dwight’s probably wanted for kitty-cat murder.

    This was truly brillant, thanks Greg!!!!!

56. I thought the JAM/PB&J stuff in this episode was wonderful. John did *such* a good job blushing in that scene where they reveal their relationship. And the whole thing with investigative Kevin was really funny too. I thought the rest of it was a bit over the top, though. It was sort of like “Phyllis’ Wedding” for me–funny to a point and then just kind of wierd. Michael climbing into the bed with Meredith? Dwight putting Angela’s cat in the freezer? Andy’s nipples bleeding through his shirt? Not sure if I bought all of that.

57. Episode was a little slow for my liking, but I guess they were trying to clear up the whole PB & J thing first. Hopefully, it’ll pick up later on.

    Other than that, brilliant episode. There were so many subtle moments that were absolutely hilarious. Can’t wait to see what happens next week.

58. What about that intern at the hospital, mugging it up for the camera?

    “So that must be where her uterus went.”

    For some reason, I laughed the hardest at that.

59. I love how the Jim/Pam thing seems to be replaced by the Dwight/Angela thing. I’d love to learn more about these two. I thought the episode was great.

60. OMG…I love DVR. I don’t even know where to begin!! Pam getting a sex tape? The IT guy is back! Dwight killed Angela’s cat! OMG.

61. ohh PB&J :]
    i have to agree it was a little slow, but so much happened last season, it was a good kick start.
    and angela did such a great job!
    i felt so so bad for her!

62. Fun episode. Yes, ES, great how JAM got busted. :-) Also, the sensitive nipples thing was so stupid, but then so darn funny!

    Still, the cat vomited the drugs up and tried to claw her way out of the freezer. Very dark. A farm animal is one thing, but a pet is so totally domesticated … it was very cruel, and wasn’t Dwight’s choice to make.

63. I think my biggest laugh came from Andy drafting off Kevin. I am not quite sure why, but that is when the giggles would not stop.

64. I absolutely loved it! I could barely stay on the couch, I was so excited!
    JAM was perfect! Yes!

65. I think that they were trying a little too hard in this episode. It was a little too busy…almost like it was written by committee. I’m glad that Jim and Pam are together. I really thought there might be some way that they would twist it so it really didn’t happen. I was hoping for some scenes from that date, but knowing the style of the program, maybe those moments will turn up in later shows, just like scenes from the beach turned up later.

66. Oh!

    And Ryan sighs just like Jan used to.

    “Uggggh. Michael.”

    Heh! Ryan is already more unsufferable than Michael could ever dream of being.

67. Jam. Thoses two are sooooo good together it’s unreal. The chemistry just jumps through the screen. You can hardly take your eyes off of them. Great episode. Well worth the wait!!

68. Wasn’t the best, but it was still pretty funny. I don’t know…seemed too over-the-top for me, even for The Office. I don’t worry though. I have no doubts the season as a whole will be great.

    And, I’m sure it has been said by someone already, but I’m guessing the “PB&J” thing is a reference to calling Pam and Jim “JAM”.

69. Absolutely loved the premiere! So funny and loved the JAM-ness of course. Great start to the season – I cannot wait to see where it goes. I’m worried for Dwangela though! Rainn and Angela are just too good playing off each other.

70. I absolutely lost it when it was revealed Dwight put Angela’s still alive cat in the freezer.

    Kevin gets the MVP award for the first half of the episode. Speaking of which it was very smart of them to take one story and structure it into two half hour blocks for syndication.

71. truth be told…i knew this would happen….
    I’m bored with Jam already.

    Plus i hated seeing Pam have her hand in front of jims when they were holding hands…It’s personal preference..but i hate it. It makes me think of a mom leading her kid..not a girl walking with her boyfriend.

    I gotta say tho..the last few seconds were the best lol!

72. geez. pam looked hot.

    “i’m not superstitious. but i–i’m a little stitious.”

73. The walking in on the boss in half dress was totally a relatable moment for me… I wonder how many that’s happened to?!
    The opening… amazing, fall off the couch funny.
    Everyone else is touching on Jim and Pam, and they’re incredible… FINALLY. Them hiding their relationship just feels realistic for them- it wouldn’t be Pam and Jim if they flaunted it.
    I can’t say anything else. I’m so happy… Six days, 22 hours, 40 minutes to go…

74. The scene with Angela running away from Dwight was about as powerful a scene as any I’ve ever seen on “The Office”. By his own code, Dwight was showing his love to Angela by doing what he thought was best. I’ve assumed for so long that Dwight and Angela are perfect for each other, simply because they seem so “alike”. But it’s obvious from the Sprinkles incident that there’s a disconnect between them. Both of them are eccentric, but there’s different shades of eccentricity at work here. I so want to cry for Dwight and Angela now. (And I hope to goodness this isn’t a foreboding of any sort for Jim and Pam, two characters who have seemed “perfect” for each other so far).

    Brilliant touch with the camera crew sneaking on Jim and Pam outside the office. It really brings the voyeuristic aspect into full view; I actually felt “dirty” sneaking up on Jim and Pam like this, even though I so want these two characters to be together for so long. Thanks for making me feel guilty for having my cake and eat it, Greg Daniels.

    Other things I love:
    Angela and Pam’s burgeoning friendship

75. OH…I love how Ryan sounds like Jan on the phone right down to the sigh. Great episode!

76. Tri1061 — What was with Pam and the celebrity sex tape?! Plus she paid for it?!

77. I really liked this , and while it wasn’t as laugh-out-loud funny as other episodes (Mom wanted it to be more like “Gay Witch Hunt” and “The Return”), I think they did a wonderful job starting new storylines and tying up old ones. I actually gasped when he kissed her in the car, and I loved Creed’s discussion of cults.
    This episode also proved that it was right to stick to the original format; a whole season of hour-longs would have been a bad move, and I saw a few parts where tonight’s episode could’ve been tighter. That being said, though, I really liked it! 6 days to go!

78. *Natalie*. Me too! I laughed out loud at the nurse guy’s line “So that must be where her uterus went” and then he was a little insecure about his comment. Too funny.

    I am so glowing over this episode. It left me so satisfied…I think I’ll be smiling for days. (That’s what she said). ;)

79. i thought the first half was fabulous with kevin’s analysis of PB&J (pb&j ftw!), the snippets of pam and jim (so cute) and dwangela (i just love angela!). but the race part wasn’t as funny…loved having more, but i’m glad that overall the show will still be 30 for the first part.

80. Oh..on the other hand…
    I’m totally excited about dwight and angela.
    I thought they were amazing in this episode! =D

81. ok I missed the first few seconds, but where was Karen?
    not that I care because JAM is my life, but they needed to say something about her. did I miss it???

82. JAM good. Episode bad.

83. I thought the premiere was really good, but not as funny as I was hoping. There were some laugh out loud moments. When Michael hit Meredith I nearly fell off of my couch as well :-) But the episode as a whole, in my opinion, seemed to have a lot of filler in order to make it an hour, which is surprising considering how many questions needed to be answered.

    I have to admit that I loved the Jim and Pam scenes, although I am nervous about how long they can keep this up and keep it fresh and interesting. Although I like the fact that they are keeping it a secret, that should add to the fun and keep it interesting (I hope).

    Things I loved:
    – The picture of Angela with her cat, with the picture of Angela and her cat on her computer desktop within the picture
    – The JAM kiss
    – Meredith on Michael’s windshield and his reaction

    Things I didn’t like:
    – Dwight killing Angela’s cat? A little out of character
    – Andy’s bleeding nipples was a little….much

    All in all, I would say 8/10 for me.

84. I loved the episode and thought it was hilarious, except for poor Sprinkles who was clawing her way through the bags of fries. However, I really wished they would have showed a little footage of Jim breaking up with Karen or of Jim and Pam on their date, even if it was supposed to be “secret”. I feel like I missed something because we didn’t get any footage of that stuff.

85. Michael pulled down Toby’s shorts!! hahahaha

86. Oh man… when Michael hit Meredith I was crying because I was laughing so hard.
    -non-circular 5k
    -Dwight using a real gun to start the race
    -Sprinkles clawing his way out of the freezer
    (what was the exact quotation? “when I took her out of the freezer all of the bags of frozen french fries were clawed to pieces?”)

87. Sigh…I *cannot* stop smiling!!!! SO much better than last year’s season premiere. My single only gripe is that there wasn’t enough Ryan.

    The jealous Jan was hilarious…and all the PB&J stuff was GREAT!!! I think it’s a terrific way to handle their relationship and sort of draw it out–keeping it from the rest of the staff. And very cute and clever the way the camera crew figured it out and busted them!

    Can’t wait to watch it again!

88. As funny as it was.. i feel disappointed… It was all kind of weird. I think they tried to incorporate too many characters? I dunno but still funny.. Love this stinking show..

89. I’m positive that everytime i see jim and pam kiss my heart will drop. It still drops when i watch casino night and it dropped during the first kiss and then the tape of the kiss.
    I have issues.

90. First and foremost, to every writer on this show: I love you, I love you, I love you.

    Ok. This episode – They played with my emotions for a bit, trying to pretend that Jim and Pam were ‘just friends’ there at the beginning but I was with Kevin – PB & J forever. :)

    Was this the first time that Angela has actually said Dwight’s name when talking about her love life with Pam? Pam obviously already knew but Dwangela are always so secretive, I was surprised to hear Angela name Dwight during the story about her poor kitty.

91. 83 – “What was with Pam and the celebrity sex tape?! Plus she paid for it?!”

    It all happened so fast!

92. Iruleurface……oh my god….I totally forgot about Andy drafting off Kevin! Too funny:-) The porn video was funny….Pam and porn? Never would have thunk it!

93. My thoughts EXACTLY, 91/Scott. I couldn’t agree more.

94. i thought it was funny how michael looked as if he had rabies and appeared to be foaming at the mouth after he threw up the alfredo sauce. a perfect touch of subtle irony for the theme of the show.

    i wasn’t crazy about the religious references at all, but other than that i enjoyed it.

95. I think that we shouldn’t get too bored with JAM yet. I think we are bound to see some Season 2 antics before long. With the cat out of the bag in the first episode, it should be good.

96. I was actually happy there was barely any Ryan! He has always irritated me so it was great not having him pouting in every scene in which everyone else is so perfect.

97. To make a long story short i didn’t like it that much. This episode didn’t give me the feeling all the others did. As far as tone and rhythm it felt like I was watching a different show.

98. Great episode.

    Little disappointed they didn’t show anything, even 10 seconds of the beginning of Jim and Pam’s relationship.

    Loved Andy taking advantage of Kevin’s wind resistance.

    Dwight wouldn’t be charged with animal cruelty but Angela might. I was a bit horrified to hear what she did to keep that cat alive. Did you see that thing in the pictures? Ick.

    And I was so surprised by the camera crew getting involved. They were just as tired of waiting for it as we were.

99. Did you notice Andy didn’t have a single word in the first half? A lot was crammed into that first half of the episode but it finally hit stride (so to speak) in the second half.

100. Jim and Pam were completely adorable in this episode. I loved the conference room scene when the camera guy outed them.

     Yeah, the celebrity sex tape thing was weird…I’m lost on that one.

101. this was a great start to the season. i want to see more of michael and ryan interacting, but im sure that will come later. kevin was hilarious in the beginning investigating jim and pam. john and jenna have great on screen chemistry, they make it seem very real. i thought andys nipple chafing was great too

102. One way they can keep things from becoming monotonous is to spread the attention out to other characters. If every episode was JAM-packed (get it? hehe) then we’d all bore of it eventually because it would lose its magic. As a result there must be entire episodes where Jan and Michael, or Dwight and Angela, or Kelly’s wrath for Ryan will be the prominent relationship tiffs. They don’t need to focus on the JAM relationship every episode in order to manifest their chemistry. Once they start doing pranks again it will feel like the Office of old. This first episode was meant to set up the seasons plot-lines.

103. 100 – Its been 2 months since they agreed to go on a date. That’s not exactly resolving it in 30 seconds. Two months they’ve been seeing each other and working out whatever issues they might have had, so that when we first saw them tonight, they were happy.

     I like it. I like them being happy and angst free. Its a nice change of pace and a nice way to keep them out of the main focus of the show.

104. Also this episode made me sympathize more with Karen. Is that what they’re going for?

105. “Me almost marrying Roy Anderson is the closest I will ever get to Pamela Anderson.”

106. Good, not great.

     Some funny moments, but too much over-the-top Michael. … Was that the stripper from Ben Franklin?

107. I don’t feel like all of the stories are resolved…

     -There could still be trouble for Jim and Pam ahead.
     -Jan is CRAZY. We’re sure to see more of that.
     -Angela and Dwight are having some troubles.
     -Kelly’s still hung up on Ryan…

108. Ok, this was an awesome episode. The Jim/Pam chemistry was priceless, and the huge grins on their faces made my evening.

     But DWIGHT!!!! I can’t believe he would do that to Angela, since he so obviously loves her.

109. Honestly, I thought the Jim/Pam stuff was perfect. I just loved how they just walked down the street holding hands… It’s not like it would be some crazy dramatic beginning; it’s simple and sweet, how they’ve always been. I think they handled their get-together perfectly. A great season premiere!

     P.S. LOVED the shot of Jan in the beginning.

110. Loved it. Perfect. Jim/Pam was handled exactly the way I hoped. After 3 years of tension it’s nice to just see them be normal and happy. I loved having all the characters in most of the scenes; it was like seeing family at a holiday.
     And just when I thought Michael couldn’t get any funnier…

111. I love PB & J. Period.

     I also cannot wait to see the wrath Kelly has planned for Ryan. That should be good.

     Yay for a new season!

112. i thought they said that karen would be back for some more episodes!! and she’s gone! (???)

113. Okay, I’m commenting again. I know this won’t dignify me in any way, but I am SOOOOOO floating on cloud nine over Jam. I just can’t help myself.

     (Okay…My name is Cayce and I’m a jam-oholic. I’ve been sober for four months and I just fell of the wagon again…and I have no intention of getting back on it. Jam just tastes too good).

     [I’m such a nerd]. Heheh.

114. Everyone’s been saying that this episode felt different…but to me, it was more of a throwback to S2 than anything. S3 was very angsty and dramatic (remember the ending of Gay Witch Hunt?), but S4 seems to have taken a brighter turn, the way S2 did transitioning from S1.

115. loved it, that was so amazing i don’t even know where to begin :]

116. so far for me, season 2 looks like it will be unmatched. that season was great and i hope they can try to get back to that, i miss jim playing pranks on dwight all the time and watching those two interact

117. It seems like the writers are having trouble with this episode format: an hourlong that is meant to be one episode but has to be broken up into two separate stories for syndication purposes. It felt really disjointed to me, as other people have said. However, it was hilarious and I laughed a lot – I just wish they had the whole “cohesive story” thing down better for these eps. I’m pretty confident that they’ll return to form when they stop airing the hourlongs, as they haven’t lost the humor.

     JAM bores the hell out of me now and I want Dwangela to be the new front-and-center couple. Dwight was building up in Season 3 to be the guy I wanted to root for but they tore him down a little bit in this ep with the whole cat-murdering thing… hope he comes back up.

     Also, Darryl talking up the stripper was hilarious.

118. Start thinking of your names for Andy and Angela. And-gela? There’s your love triangle for Season 4.

     I’m a huge JAM person but I don’t want them to focus on it. In Season 3, we went like 4 episodes without any Jim/Pam interaction. It drove me nuts but made everything well worth it.

119. Am I the only one who missed Pam’s sweaters and button-ups? Even just a little bit?

120. Sorry, but just to combat the all too pervasive hate of this episode, why were people expecting huge changes in the JAM relationship on-camera? That honestly makes no sense to me, and seems OOC.

121. if they film crew bothered to follow Pam that time, why wouldn’t they have followed her after Jim announced their date in front of them? I have to assume they wouldn’t have been that lax…so maybe that will be footage we’ll see in an upcoming epi…as a flashback or something. and they SHOWED Jam the clip…I didn’t realize that was an option…if it was, why didn’t they ever confront Dwight and Angela with their stuff or something like that? Tonight just seemed even more beyond realistic than normal for me. But I’m still glad to have my show back on =D Yay Sprinkles =D

122. LOVED the episode. A perfect beginning. This season is going to be fantastic.

     However, I still don’t get the sex tape thing. Maybe another viewing will clear it up, but in the meantime…anyone care to explain?

123. This episode was better than anything from season three hands down. I used to think hour-longs were asking too much from the writers but from watching this one and The Job, not to mention A Benihana Christmas, I’m not sure. Wasn’t Booze Cruise super-sized? I know Casino night was. These were the best episodes. Maybe longer is better (TWSS).

     P.S. I did NOT bite Meredith.

     I have a fear of alcohol poisoning.

124. Darryl feeding the squirrel while Michael was rambling on about rabies = hilarious

     Call me weird, but I thought Jim taking Pam’s hand was the sexiest thing I’ve seen on TV

125. i agree with Emily. i was literally tearing up when they were holding hands and ahh i just love PB&J!

126. The Office writers are GENIUSES. There are no words to describe how amazing that episode was.

     Also, by the way my friends and I were reacting, you really would have thought we were winning the lottery. Like…literally jumping up and down squealing.

     Best. Show. Ever.

127. #335 – I have often thought that a great ending for the series would be to have them watch the final cut of the documentary…

128. Aaaaahhhhh…it’s back! Loved seeing Pam pull her car over to the curb and watching Jim climb in, then kissing her! Sweet!

     Gotta watch the episode again to digest it all, then I’ll be able to comment coherently.

129. achristmaspam – Pam was buying a celebrity sex tape. Maybe it was Meg White’s from the White Stripes who knows. It sounds like something she might have done on a lark, a prank, or who knows? Trying to spice things up in the boudoir? Ha!

130. Pam had a whole new look going on…that was weird. I thought jim loved her for who she was?? Right?
     She’s gone from Fancy new beesely to…Pam 6.0 it’s weird.

131. I know one thing. I’m certainly not calling them PB&J.

132. Best Episode EVER!!!!!!!

133. Ummm…#135, that is.

134. 110 zorro-
     you don’t like “Some of the same characters with different storylines and a different feel”

     the only way this episode could have all the same characters with the same storylines and the same feel is if it was a rerun.

     it’s true to life that ppl change and mature and move on, and the office atmosphere will change accordingly. i think it’s great that each season has a distinctive feel- as long as it keeps its underlying office awesomeness.
     (which it totally did tonight)

135. This episode felt different it was almost like I was waiting for a drop dead funny moment and it wasn’t there, there really wasn’t a main focus to a plot in this episode, it was funny but I was kinda let down; I don’t know if it’s Jim and Pam being together that is almost like a let down but it just didn’t feel right tonight.

136. zorro – no, you’re right about that. That was definitely not ‘brighter.’ In fact, along with Michael almost running over Meredith, the premise of the show was downright disturbing.

     But…I meant more the tone of the show…it wasn’t all angsty and moody like last season’s opener. And the reason why is obvious.

137. Yeah, I thought most of the episodes was really, really good. Much better than season 3. But, the Dwight killing the cat thing was terrible. Really, really bad and sad.

138. That was a great episode! Creed, Oscar, and Stanley taking the taxi was hilarious. Steve was in top form, and I liked the way they played the Jim/Pam angle like they were just friends until halfway through when she picks him up. Like other fans posted, everything is too happy with them right now. I see some troubles ahead. The TV guide commercial was right, 10,000 minutes till the next episode is way toooooooo long!

139. Honestly, this episode was sheer brilliance, the Jam quenched even my obsessiveness, and it was real. What are you people wanting?!

140. I’d just like to say that I have always been a fan of John Krasinski’s faces and tonight they were especially amazing!
     I mean his expression during the hospital scene when Creed is talking about pain killers, PRICELESS.

141. you dont know me, you just saw my penis.

142. Beautiful ep.

143. That was a great episode. I was laughing out loud from the begining till the end. When Michael hit Meredith, I absolutely lost it. I haven’t laughed out loud that hard at a tv show in a very long time. I have to admit though, it was a little strange seeing Pam and Jim together. Don’t get me wrong, I think its great that the writers decided to make them a couple, but after three seasons of the “will they, won’t they” stuff, it was kind of odd seeing them together. I did love the way they uncovered that storyline though. (The double talking head while watching the videotape was just pure genius.) That being said, I loved this episode. Great one-liners by Michael and great Jim/Pam scenes. To Greg Daniels and everybody else at Dunder Mifflin….Great Job!!!!!!

144. I NEED spoilers! I don’t have cable, I’ve rented seasons 1-3 and I just and dying to know what happens! Someone email me a spoiler!! haha
     [email protected]

145. The funniest moment was when Michael told the office that Meredith got hit by a car and he makes it sound like she didn’t make it. Great delivery from Steve Carrell.

146. The episode was really great, but I do miss Pam’s old look a bit. I think that small changes to her look would have been more realistic. I don’t know? Maybe it just seemed too much like two hot people dating on a regular show instead of the realism we’ve come to expect from the office. I somehow think having Pam still be a bit dowdy and Jim his scruffy self (which he was) would be sweeter. The hand holding scene was so wonderful though, how long have we waited for that?

147. I missed the beginning, how did karen leave?

148. I must say, this is my favorite episode ever…after The Injury, of course.

149. 10 out of 10! I laughed so much during this show! It left me smiling!

150. Loved, loved, LOVED this episode! The PB&Jness had me squealing! I loved the tension between Dwight and Angela in this episode. It showed that they had a real relationship dynamic going on. Poor Sprinkles.

     “Cat heaven is a wonderful place, Dwight. You can’t get there by euthanasia.”

     Bahahahaha! But anyway, I can’t wait for the rest of the season! And more Jim and Pam!

151. #150 – I totally agree. I love that each season seems to have a different feel, as if these were real people and their lives are continuing to change. If everyone was always the same the show would get really boring.

     Also, NBC.com says there are deleted scenes but they are not working on my computer. Has anyone been able to watch them??

152. i dont’ get it. Karen was in the clip for what they did during the summer and was wearing what she usually wore to the office. did she leave the day right after they broke up or later on? cause she wouldn’t be there during the summer then…..

153. Dear everyone,
     The sex tape was for Michael. Remember when he was listing things that made the office cursed and one was something like “Pam, your computer crashed and we lost the porn”
     Haha could you imagine pam watching porn at the reception desk?

154. I don’t see how two characters finding happiness together after 3 years of near misses means they cease to be developing characters.

     Is this what the show has been working towards since the beginning? Yes, romantically.

     Professionally, they still haven’t become who they want to be. Jim is still at a job that gives him little satisfaction and Pam isn’t an artist. There is still room to grow. Why can’t they grow together? I don’t get why it has to be one or the other.

155. bater- I totally forgot the Pamela Anderson line! It was wonderful. I have never really thought about Roy having a last name. I never thought of him as a person I guess, just an obstacle!

156. How come no one has mentioned Michael’s “Alfredo Carb loading” RIGHT before the race… Funniest part for me!

157. oo. i was gonna watch earl. but watched ugly betty. is it bad that i sorta want karen back even if she’s not with jim. i just love rashida jones. so talented.

158. Eh. It seemed sloppy to me. Furthermore, I’d like to see less events and field trips and wacky hijinx and more humor related to…the office? I hope it is steering back in that direction, at least.

159. I’m still digesting everything… I think I’m going to rewatch it right now. Everything is awesome of course!

160. Probably my least favorite episode since the pilot. I don’t mind character changes and evolution, but they took away much of what made this different from the greatness of the BBC series: heart.

     The show had its moments like always, but the characters were just being mean to each other. Everyone knows Michael is a loser but they always tried to bring him up in the past. Pam was even subtextually mean to him at the end.

     It was very disappointing to me.

161. Deleted scenes may not be up because it hasn’t aired out here on the west coast yet.

     (said I, stuck here at work, missing all the fun. What moron schedules back-to-school night during The Office premiere??!)

162. Great episode. I loved PB&J, of course. My favorite part though was Angela attacking Dwight with her chair. I still can’t believe he killed her cat by sticking it in the freezer! Now, I just need to get the “Support the Rabid” bracelet. Ha!

163. This episode felt weird to me too. I thought there were some really funny parts though. For some reason I didn’t care for Pam in this episode. She rubbed me the wrong way, but I can’t really say why. Did anyone else feel like that?

164. zorro — i know what you mean. sometimes i have watched episodes and just thought they weren’t that great. but usually once i watch them again, i enjoy them so much more. normally it’s with the episodes that i have really high expectations for. i basically spent last season waiting for something good with pam and jim and was frustrated after each episode. once i got over that and watched the show for what it was…i loved it.

165. i can’t get the deleted scenes listed on nbc.com to work either!

166. YAYYYY!!!!!!!! *thunderous applause*

     That was so worth the wait and was like my birthday and Christmas rolled into one. My favorite was Creed, Oscar and Stanley drinking during the run, and Creeds cult talk…. HILARIOUS!!!!

     And it has to be said, that kiss in the car was the most awesome adorable sweet thing ever, my friends and I totally cheered and did high fives! And the little glances and the hand holding? Sigh, makes me wish I was in love with somebody. I LOVE JIM AND PAM!!!! Keep it up writers, perfect so far. Left me satisfied and smiling :)

167. oh, but I absolutely loved the whole Pam buying a sex-tape online thing. It was so off-beat and weird in a good way, like what?? I’m also happy that they didn’t dwell on it and make it into a broad, crass joke. I liked the way it was just a tiny snippet , like a real documentary edit. She was probably bored at her desk or something, or it was a dare from Jim. Either way, Pam whispering “it’s irrelevant” was cute.

168. I agree 173. I’m all about wearing the hair down, but I kind of miss cardigans.

169. I am normally critical, but this episode was funny.

170. Wow, this season is already much funnier then most of season three. Everything involving the Rabie’s 5K, Jan, and Angela’s mourning of Sprinkles had me rolling.
     “3 people die from Rabies every year. Myth. Fact: 4 people die from Rabie’s every year.” And then spending more than half the donations for a big check and a stripper dressed as a nurse to present it too? I hail the writers.

     Oh, and the way they had Jim and Pam ‘come out’ as a couple? I was amazed at the new ways the creators problem solve in what could be a very limiting documentary style.

171. Okay, I understand there will be mixed feelings about the Dwight and Sprinkles storyline, but you really can’t say that he just shoved the cat in the freezer and left. That’s not what he did. If we know anything about Dwight it’s that he’s very knowledgeable about animals and has a great respect for them. I think it was totally in character for him to take mercy on an animal that had several diseases and was probably in pain.

     I do think he should have talked to Angela first.

     How about Michael calling Toby Satan, Phylis keeping things spicy, Meredith being bitten by all kinds of rodents, and Jim’s line, “I’ll do some research,” and Pam following him (Totally making out in the hallway) Michael calling Stanley “Stankley.”

     But I completely missed the beginning because my vcr kept eating my tape and shutting off.

     And were they trying to fool us when Pam put her head down in the car?

172. I think Pam’s new look is kind of realistic. As girls, when we start dating someone new and we are really excited about it we start to all of a sudden start wearing nicer things. All of a sudden mascara is mandatory. I liked it.

     One thing: NOT ENOUGH KELLY.

173. Oh wow, that was the perfect episode!

     Michael hitting Meredith? I choked and had to stop my DVR for about 2 minutes…priceless. And LOVED all the talk about “violating an indian burial ground” lol.

     Okay, and the scene where the doc crew showed JAM their footage, and their admission of being a couple….that was just perfect. Great episode!

174. Well, I must say I’m surprised at the comments here. I really loved this episode and felt it was handled quite gracefully. You could tell this was a turning point in all of the relationships – each had a crisis to deal with and now we will continue to see how that crisis plays out over the season. Pam and Jim’s “crisis” was that they finally got together. That’s a big step for any relationship. It’s going to be amazing to see how the writers tackle the waning honeymoon stage.

175. I liked it…but I need those awkward Jim/Pam moments. I mean we all wanted the Jim/Pam thing to happen…but now I’m not so sure.

176. Loved the Business School allusions, the PB&J, the Kevin, the cold-open, the race, the Sprinkles incident, the TV Guide “Thats What She Said” commercial, and the episode as a whole!

     The only part that felt a bit slow was the religion-tidbit, it just felt random and out of place, and the episode definitely took off more in the 2nd half after the Jim/Pam romance was revealed (that was good of them, using the documentary-like style to move the show foward (eg, documentary crew shows Jim/Pam kiss in the car) — but if they’ve been dating for 3 months, is this really only the first time that they’ve caught it on camera?

     Overall though, a GRRRRRReat episode!

177. 135

     Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the idea is that the documentary crew takes the summer off–which is why there is no footage of the date and why they did the “what I did on my summer vacation” promo. Obviously the employees kept working, but the crew was away.

178. I wanted to like it, but it was really disappointing. First half was not funny at all, second half did pick up. Everything seemed off. An ill cat trying to claw its way out of a freezer–yeah, that’s hilarious. I miss the old Pam. Creed was funny, though. Cut down to a half hour, it might have worked, but the hour was way too long and stretched out.

179. Regarding Pam’s new look, I remember in “The Secret” how Jim responded to her having her hair down…how it sort of caused all the trouble. My guess is that, in the reality of the show, that Jim may have recommended that she wear her hair down because he liked it a lot. Just a thought.

180. Hey Now! The show was Fantastic. I really loved that the “entire office” was involved.

181. so good! This was definitely more satisfying than Gay With Hunt for me. Some of the characters felt a little different, but it changed the mood in a good way.

     ahhh! just everything! SO GOOD

182. Regarding my own comment about Pam’s hairdo and how it may have been Jim that recommended it, I think that’s totally adorable, considering ESPECIALLY that Jim was back to his old hairdo himself.

183. Jim and Pam being together was the only thing that got me through this wretched episode.

     Until he kills her cat. But she’s a dog person anyway.

     I didn’t feel bad for Karen. I never do.

184. I have no self control.

     I’m on the west coast and I’m reading the east coast response to the ep.

     I gotta say, you guys are making me nervous. Boo, now my expectations are low.

185. I have been gone from this site for far too long…

     FANTASTIC episode. Made all of my roommates watch with me, plus the apartment next door squeezed into the living room…there were moments where we missed dialogue, we were all laughing so hard! (Thank goodness for DVR!) I was literally wheezing when Michael hit Meredith…wow.

186. So I think Pam’s “closest I’ll get to being Pamela Anderson…” comment is a hint about her porn problem.

     And I think the writers are on the right track with PB&J. The cute handholding, making Jim carry the lamp… nice. Tension is great, but come on. We’re all past Ross and Rachel.

187. So I think Pam’s “closest I’ll get to being Pamela Anderson…” comment is a hint about her porn problem.

     And I think the writers are on the right track with PB&J. Tension is great, but lets move past Ross and Rachel.

188. Wow I don’t agree with #100 at all.

     Like…at ALL. What did you expect them to do with Jim and Pam dating? The reason it was so easy to resolve is because they’re so good together – that’s why everyone’s rooting for them…

189. Overall I loved this episode. But… do you really think Pam would have rushed out and bought a whole new wardrobe?

190. I thought this episode was great. They handled Jim/Pam really well…nice and relaxed and not all soap opera-y. There were tons of laugh out loud moments.

     My only wishes for things done differently…I rather liked the beginning “are they or aren’t they” thing. I kind of wish they kept that going a bit longer.

     The conference room religion scene was really awkward…and not in that cool Office awkward way. Seemed like filler. The emphasis on “rabies” seemed a bit over the top.

     All in all though, I was happily surprised. A great start to a new season.

191. I don’t understand what people mean when they say they didn’t laugh out loud. I barely stopped laughing the entire time!! The intern in the hospital, Stanley, Creed, and Oscar taking a taxi, Kevin running in his suit, and all the references to old favorites (the bat, the stripper, etc.) It was the PERFECT way to start the season!!

192. i hope we get to see more ryan and kelly in the next few eps!

     but seriously, i think we’re all suffering from new-material shock. it’s been four months since the last episode, so any shift in the way we see these characters freaks some people out, especially since we’ve been building this Fun Run up so much. It’ll all be fine! :)

193. The Office is on such a higher level than Friends…
     One of the best parts of this show was the “Will they ever get together?” thing. I just think something is gonna have to happen to keep this interesting before it gets old.

194. Don’t worry guys! It can only get funnier from here on out!

     They just had to get the ball rolling.

195. Unreal.

     Best night of TV I’ve seen in a long time.

     Basically glorious.

196. I think we should remember lots of folks associated with the show have said that the JAM/PB&J situation doesn’t play out as viewers would expect, so I’m thinking there’s more to this dating thing than we see on the surface.
     Ready for next week…

197. they need to have more todd packer!

198. I am super interested in the Michael-Jan development as well as the Angela/Dwight and maybe Angela/Andy development? Who knows. And that computer guy was cute.

199. I really think everyone is overanalyzing. Of course it seems different because it is a new season. Ryan is gone and so is Karen so that is going to be a smidge different. Meredith was hit by a car so that is going to be a big event. I don’t understand why you are all even on here if you think it was that bad. I think everyone gets so involved with the JAM stuff that you fail to see all of the other little oddities that make this show the best show on tv. Like Stanley, my favorite, always doing crossword puzzles and wearing a straw hat :)

200. I don’t know what you guys are talking about. I laughed out loud so many times. I thought the nipple’s bleeding was so funny. I thought the huge picture of Meredith was hilarious! And the best part? Pam and Jim and that little kiss. Oh my gosh. My heart stopped.

     R.I.P Sprinkles

201. I loved it – funny, sweet, I have to say I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Sprinkles story though. If he had killed it in some humane way, it could have been funnier and even somewhat realistic, given that it IS Dwight, after all. But freezing it to death? Yikes. That being said, overall: loved, loved, loved. I’d say the office is in great form for season four. I love all of the new dynamics – such a great way to keep the show feeling fresh.

202. That episode was terrible. :(

203. I can’t believe how many negative comments there are here!

     I couldn’t have been happier with this episode. I thought it was hilarious — I don’t normally laugh out loud while watching TV, but I was all but rolling on the floor on numerous occasions. I love how Jim and Pam were handled. The look on Jim’s face when he said things were going well killed me! They’re too adorable for words. I was surprised by the Dwight and Angela storyline but only because I allow myself to forget sometimes that this is DWIGHT we’re talking about. He explained why he did what he did; he didn’t mean to hurt Angela, but it’s obviously understandable that she’s upset.

     It /is/ possible for a couple to survive a fight… it seems a little early to condemn their relationship.

     Next week seems so far away! I’m dying to see more of Ryan. And I can’t wait to see Kelly interact with him, haha.

204. I understand why people are upset that Dwight killed Angela’s cat, but I thought it was funny (I loves me some dark humour) and so in character for him. I totally called that he was going to do it, too! Plus now we have some relationship drama, which is needed now that JAM (PB&J?) are all happy-in-love. And Creed talking about being in vs. leading a cult was great!

205. to everyone freaking out about the SUDDEN transformations: this is REAL time…pam did not rush out and buy a new wardrobe, jim and pam did not QUICKLY jump into a relationship…

     i agree that the episode was a little bit off, but it has to set up the season and things have changed in these pivotal months. i was, however, getting vibes of the “phyllis’ wedding” michael (eehh) and i do agree that the cat murder and bloody nipples was a bit too far (but i also thought that about product recall & womens appreciation –and most people loved those episodes). all in all, i’m excited for the season and that’s the purpose of a premiere!

206. Indescribably amazing. All the Pb & J stuff made me actually squeal and tear up with happiness. When Pam says they’re dating and says it’s going well, the way Jim looks at her…..chills up and down my spine. AMAZING!

     And as always, the rest of the cast definitely stepped up their game. especially steve. pure genius.

     10/10!!!

207. About the whole sex tape thing…

     I was under the impression that they were pranking the tech guy… ?

     Anyone else?

208. DELETED SCENES ARE UP

     nbc.com

209. I think it was a great start to a new season. It is time for changes in some of the characters – they have to evolve or it will become boring. Loved the absurdity of the fun run. Dwight killing Sprinkles in the freezer? Didn’t buy that – I think he would have done it like they do on the farm.

210. i loved when kevin goes “are you kidding me?!” haha i cracked up!! soo funny!

211. Here is the clip shown after last week about what the cast members did this summer. Pam talks about why she is wearing her hair down. http://youtube.com/watch?v=HCDXIyRdwG0

212. I agree there is more to JAM planned than what we are seeing… Like – Did Jim’s comment about having to carry lamp not sit well with anyone else? Not that it was that major or anything….just didn’t sit well with me. Seems like if the ship was sinking and you’d “save the receptionist,” you’d certainly carry a lamp for a few blocks. Actually, it also bothered me a little that she just expected him to carry it…I guess that adds to the REALITY of their relationship, but I just hope that wasn’t a sign of anything…

213. i forgot to say this…ryan is SO arrogant now…i just, wow, i kind of hate him…crazy

214. It was so season two like it’s not even funny. And that’s a good thing, because season two was fantastic.

     RIP Sprinkles.

     It was also nice seeing old characters come back like the IT guy

215. When Pam said almost marrying Roy was the closest she’d ever come to Pam Anderson, my first thought was she was referring to the fact that she never received the celebrity sex tape she ordered (the infamous Pam and Tommy Lee one). Who knows? I don’t know if I got the point of the sex tape thing (other than to be funny), but it made me laugh.

216. i thought the video thing was more of a joke. typical pam and jim flirting. And I love that Kevin has basically turned into an Officetally fan with his JAM detective work.

     [from tanster: hee hee!]

217. This ranks up there with the Dundies and The Injury as one of my all time favorites!! I was hoping for JAM happiness, but I forgot how much everyone else makes me laugh. Sooo many laugh out loud moments, we had to keep rewinding the DVR! Some of the best:
     • When Dwight consoled Michael “It was only Meredith” and “Is this downsizing?”
     • Stanley’s reaction to Michael’s offer to drive to the hospital, and Michael’s angry response “No one IN THE CAR was hurt”
     • The Jeopardy reference
     Awesome, awesome, awesome!! Thank you writers!!

218. I would love to know what John and Jenna were really smiling/laughing/talking about before and after the kiss in the car and then again at the end of the run as they approached Michael. They were clearly having fun with those scenes.

     Also loved Jim saying “let’s do some good” as they went into the estate sale…fighting a disease that already has a cure. Too funny…

219. I think you are all forgetting something. Darryl was hitting on the nurse. That was fantastic.

     I felt the show was a little more broad in this episode. But, I also feel that The Office writing staff will be focusing more on the relationship between Michael and Ryan. Remember we’ve only seen a glimpse of what Ryan may have to offer in his new job as Michael’s Boss.

220. it was somewhat slow at times (esp. michael naming the different animal combos), but overall good.
     i LOVED angela taking her anger out on dwight physically. i knew he would do something given how he reacted to all the meds for the cat, but it’s horrifying when you really think about it. i don’t think they’ll break up over it, but in real life they totally would.
     also weird that angela never directly told pam about her and dwight, but she spoke about it as if she had.
     michael being moronic about rabies & andy’s nipples bleeding was a stretch. but i loved that angela wore black for the rest of the episode.
     my favorite line was kevin’s pb&j line.
     i loved the jam of it all. it’s fun, people. there is more than just the chase to a relationship. i believe our writers will show you.
     so happy it’s back!!

221. I took it as Pam joking around with Jim about the porn tape, she didn’t actually do it

222. To Beeswaxnotyours–
     I did think Jim made some sort of awkward/annoyed expression when he had to carry Pam’s new lamp…but I’m refusing to think of it as foreshadowing!!

223. Did anyone else notice that the “nurse” was the SAME STRIPPER from Ben Franklin?

224. Ok, if not for the officetally comment policy, I would be squealing like no other. It was AWESOME! I loved how they contrasted the JAM happiness with some Dwight and Angela tension. And did anyone else notice the shout-out to JAM terminology? When Kevin said, “Jim and Pam, go together like PB&J.” That was AWESOME! I LOVED this episode. I got a huge party together at my apartment. Very fun when watched in a big group. I love you cast/crew of The Office. Thank you for delivering the best show of all time consistently every week!

225. “Pam Beesley & Jim…what a waste” Brilliant, ya know, for Kevin. Loved the episode. Loved it.

226. I missed the first 15 minutes of the episode can anyone fill me in, was karen mentioned at all?
     from what I saw, the episode was pretty good, I like JAM but I’m not a fanatic so maybe that’s the reason why I’m not in love with this episode. I think I’m more excited about the upcoming episode when ryan comes in to introduce DMI, haha that will be hilarious.

227. I had to work when this episode aired and I am SO bummed I missed it!!! I have been waiting for this night for so long, and will obviously watch it on nbc.com. but I couldn’t stop myself from checking out the comments on here. And I cant believe Pam DLownloaded porn?? What on earth? That is so bizarre and I want to believe it was a joke.

228. I was a bit “weirded out” by Dwight’s behavior. Why did he kill her cat?! Does anyone else think he was a little more heartless than usual? It was like he didn’t care about anyone’s feelings. I know that he usually doesnt but this episode made him look so mean!

     I also was kind of under the impression the porno tape was a joke but I’m not too sure now. I don’t think it was… which is strange for Pam. Never would have pictured her as someone that would be interested in that…

     Also, Ryan’s facial hair? Definitely not a good look for him – especially since he’s supposed to be more professional now ?? It didn’t feel right to hear him over Michael’s phone either. Hmm… I still loved the episode though. I hope there’s better ones coming though

229. Great season opener.

230. this totally blew away my already astronomical expectations. I love how Michael readily takes the lamp at the end and raises it aloft like a trophy. So un-self-aware, so perfect.

231. I thought tonights office was okay. The show seemed nervous and fast. The documentary style seems hazy because the editing has quickened. It now feels like i’m watching a story or a conventional tv formula rather than the realism of watching a documentary. I loved season two and it is much slower paced and there is time for subtle humor, like real life. I hope the office isn’t lost. The bbc version is so slow that its funny and it feels like a real shift at an office. Quick editing and an mtv style is the norm for most shows i hope this one doesn’t follow the trend.

232. I just really think people are missing some really funny parts. The rabies quilt? Did you see it? It was hilarious!! I think DVR is really the key, it will make you happier with the episode.

233. 160, I totally agree. I miss Pam’s old look! It was much more realistic, and now I feel like she’s too pretty. I don’t know, I feel like a lot of the simplicity of the first and second season is gone, and, in turn, some of the reality. I still adore it though! It’s my favorite show.

234. #167

     Jesus…really? I laughed out loud way to many times to remember…

     Anyways, I got that you didn’t like the ep after your third post. So I think we’re good now.

     Great way to start the season I thought. Better than “Gay Witch Hunt.”

235. WOW. I was squealing when Jim and Pam were holding hands.

     And I highly doubt that the writers will allow them to date without any trouble. They will go through lots of trouble if you ask me. But tonight was AMAZING.

     I was disappointed in Dwight. He really hurt Angela! I really felt for her. Only, I’m a dog person, too.

     Man, I am definitely going to watch this episode again. :)

236. I just want to pop in and say how much I loved this episode. So many good lines! Am I forgetting anything? Oh, PB&J was amazing!

237. Jim and Pam did make me giddy, but I think I might prefer the idea of them being together more than them actually being together. I still love PB+J though.

     Pam seemed “off” to me, too. I don’t think I really noticed it until the scene where she crouched down to talk to Michael. It was like she was…overconfident maybe? I do miss cardigans.

238. For the record, I loved the episode. It was laugh out loud funny, we got more air time for some favorite characters we usually get less from (including the IT guy, woo hoo). This was a great way to kick off the season. Thank you Greg Daniels and company for a job well done!

239. What the heck does Michael say when he runs past Dwight and Angela when they’re arguing? I cannot make it out at all.

240. 249 kate

     It was intended for the audience to realize it was the same stripper from Ben Franklin. I believe Michael says something like “Hey, I know you” and addresses her as Elizabeth.

241. Dwight’s insensitivity to Angela crying threw me a little at first because he was so protective and comforting of Pam (in his own backwards way) when she was crying last season. However, I think this is one area in which Dwight and Angela don’t really understand each other and Dwight probably didn’t know how to respond to her reaction. Dwight thought killing her cat WAS the sensitive thing to do; her reaction wasn’t something he anticipated.

242. Watching it for a second time, Angela’s cat was extremely sick. At the start of the episode she describes disease after disease the cat has to Dwight. After hearing all of it a second time it kind’ve took the whole Dwight thing down a notch

243. #238 Andrea,

     I totally agree about Ryan being arrogant. In fact, having seen the British Office, I thought he reminded me very much of Ricky Gervais’ David Brent character (the parallel to Michael Scott). The way Ryan said that thing about Wunderkind and then defined it and did that little self-satisfied smirk!

     Loved the episode. Only slow part for me was when Michael went off on that tangent about offering up a sacrifice to an idol.

     The JAM stuff was super sweet and realistically played, in my opinion. :)

244. This wasn’t my favorite, but I thought this was a great episode. I loved the JAM aka PB&J & Dwangela moments the best. I don’t think it was too much. They were subtle unless anyone else was around, and remember, this was an hour long episode that had to resolve their issue. I don’t think it’s going to turn into the JAM show.

     I don’t see why everyone’s surprised with Dwight’s reaction to Sprinkles, given his past. It certainly sounded like the poor thing needed to be put out of it’s misery. Maybe the freezer wasn’t the best option, but I thought it was pretty darn funny (and I have a cat!)

     The conference room scenes with everyone were a little long. I’m curious to watch the deleted scenes to see what they cut. I think they could have added more Kevin & Kelly, there wasn’t much of them at all.

     I can’t wait for Ryan to visit next week.

     Kudos to Greg Daniels & the rest of The Office!

245. Ugh. I hated this with the hate of a thousand burning suns. Crawling with fire ants. Times a million. And I LOVE this show. But that was bad.

246. Chrissy – No doubt it was funny. We’re all just sharing our observations.

     My heart didn’t stop pounding the whole episode! I’m just so glad they’re back. It was a looong summer. Off to go watch and re-watch it on DVR :)

247. Also loved Jim saying “let’s do some good” as they went into the estate sale…fighting a disease that already has a cure. Too funny…

     Made me laugh until I couldn’t breathe. All of the Jam interaction was wonderful in this episode. I can’t see what people are having a problem with.

248. I loved the episode but it was a little awkward I guess. Then again, aren’t all season premieres? Theres been big changes and we all have to adjust. I loved it though.

     The Jam scenes were amazing. I thought it was cute when they went to the estate sale. Reminded me of me and my boyfriend. Annd I thought it was a total couple moment when she made him hold the lamp. I don’t think it was foreshadowing at all.

     The porn thing was kinda weird but I took it as a joke as well. Her hair looks good!

     I wonder when we will see Karen this season? I thought she was going to be on some early season 4?

     Anyway, loved it and can’t wait until next week.

     May Sprinkles rest in peace in kitty heaven!

249. I agree with the people saying this episode was somehow off. Still had its funny moments.I think they should have stretched out the whole Are Jim and Pam dating question over several episodes, their awkwardness in front of the cameras was funny. They could have gotten a lot of comedic mileage out of it. I predict they’ll break up or hit some kind of a bump later in the season.

250. What a great season opening! There were so many moments during the hour that I really laughed out loud. And of course, JAM! It felt so realistic to me. :)I love it.

251. This one was a 10 out of 10 in my book. Hilarious. All of it. So many great quotes. Support the Rabid!

252. brilliance of the writers– Pam and Jim are outed by the camera crew — remember Pam enlisted the Camera crew to help her out Dwight and Angela’s relationship. Remember the camera got her attention and showed her Dwight eating the candy bar Angela bought–

253. Ladies and Gentlemen of Officetally.com. Please do me a favor. If you can, watch this episode again. It is 20 times better the second time. I am not even kidding. I missed so much it was crazy. Do yourself a favor. Watch it again.

254. Really loved this episode, and even more the second time around. There was some really bold comedy that popped, and some really subtle stuff that made me laugh the second time around (Phyllis’s rabies quilt, the squirrel, etc.) Quotes galore! I am really happy with this season premiere.

255. I felt like it was Angela’s show. She revealed a lot about herself yet she’s still the same prickly Angela.

256. 3 words: Rocked. My. World.

257. my immediate reaction: this was the funniest episode of The Office yet.

258. I feel like the show is heavily resting on its laurels…so much felt so slapsticky and cheap. Right from the outset, the way Jan was sleeping on the bed…come on!!

     Not to mention the whole Jim/Pam thing is so strange…I suppose they’ll up the drama a bit to keep it interesting but still. All in all, I am hoping Michael’s Simpsons reference doesn’t also mean that this show will suffer a similar fate re: becoming too broad and losing its unique appeal.

259. -achristmaspam-

     I think the sex tape thing was like…when you get spam in your inbox saying something like “Nude pictures of Brittany Spears” or something like that, but it probably said “Brad Pitt sex tape” or something that made her click on it and it gave her computer a virus; hence the IT tech guy.

     Something to that affect. She’s only human. Curiosity kills the cat sometimes. Hehehe.

260. Loved it! Some very funny lines. Loved the Jam moments but I kind of wish they had still been sneaky about it to everyone, even the cameras for a few more episodes. We were all sure they were lying anyhow. ;)

261. Darryl was cracking me up every time he was on screen. I’m glad for the hour-long format because I know they’d have deleted the scene where he went off to feed a squirrel instead of listening to Michael. And that had me rolling.

262. Interesting episode. I can’t make any solid judgments yet because the first episode of a season always throws me off a little (I hated Gay Witch Hunt the first time around, loved it the second).

     My only immediate complaint was that it did feel a little bit rushed as far as Jim and Pam’s relationship went. I was ready to be patient. I didn’t expect to get so many answers so soon, I guess. Also, I agree that Pam’s transformation could have been a little more subtle. It definitely felt like I was watching Jim Halpert date Jenna Fischer, not Pam. Both beautiful women! But still.

     All in all, I’m sure I love it. I just need to go buy it on itunes so I can watch it again…oh. Nevermind.

263. I thought it was pretty good. I’m gonna miss Rashida though. I also am glad about PB&J cause now theres no “what if?” question. Just move the serious stuff along at a decent pace and make room for more funny! Add more Dwight! And more singing Andy!(I know what he was going through with that chafing problem – OUCH!)

264. i laughed a lot at this episode, but I do agree with the comments stating that the characters were a bit “off”… I definitely can see that. Also, I really didn’t get where they were going with the sex tape thing, either. I watched it with a bunch of friends, and we all just sort of looked at each other and said “what?” It was a funny episode, though. ^_^

265. Whoever wrote that moment where Angela hip-checks Dwight into the filing cabinet is my hero.

266. No that’s what she said? Other than that, great episode!

267. I thought this episode was amazing. Yeah, I think many of us hyped it up and had unrealistic expectations. Everyone said that season 3 was not as good as season 2. That they’d ‘lost it’, but I don’t see much of this episode being ‘unrealistic’. Except Dwight, who seems to be becoming more and more of a caricature. (Remember the contaminated ground water infection? I mean really.) The Andy nipple chafing I can see happening in real life. I can see Michael making a disaster of the hospital visit. I can see Jim and Pam hiding the relationship. And I think that the reason the “film crew” busted them and not Dwangela was because Jim and Pam have always seemed to have an open relationship with the camera (and I assume the people behind the camera). Which in theory is why they’re “main characters” in the “documentary”

268. Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!
     Wonderful ensemble work. Great writing. Laughed out loud so much I frightened the dog.

269. I’d like to point out how well the writers do their research on the Scranton area. The breakfast Michael was eating was Wegmans Cereal and Organic Milk (Lowfat, not Soy…but hey we can’t have everything). Wegmans is an upscale east coast supermarket chain, with a store in Scranton. I figured I’d point this out because I’m a summer employee at another Wegmans store. Episode was awesome, btw.

270. I recognize that this episode got a bit broad with the humor, but I really appreciated it compared to the big-old-drama-festival that was season 3. It seems like its going to be fun, and it certainly left me satisfied and smiling.

271. Wow! Did summer make everyone forget who these characters ARE? To make notes of Pam watching porn as being “out of character”, or Jim carrying a lamp not “sitting well”? I guess I’m not getting it.

     Pam wasn’t watching porn, she wasn’t downloading Jenna Jameson videos and moaning along with it. I could just see her laughingly clicking on a link out of curiousity. And as for Jim carrying the lamp, did he look affronted? No! He looked like he knows and is comfortable with his role as Pam’s boyfriend. Bottom line? It was all FUNNY.

272. This episode seemed really weird to me. I don’t know, Its the 1st episode so I’m gonna get over it.

     Oh and not enough Karen on this one, just a quick scene of her. I feel sorry for her for being the rebound chick. They should finish her character strong and not disgruntled.

     Dwight??? what the heck happened to him??? He didn’t look like the Dwight that we knew. But then again its the first episode so, I should expect better.

273. I’ve got to say I was greatly disappointed by this premier. It just didn’t feel like The Office. I don’t think I laughed a single time.

     I hope this was just a fluke!

274. Okay, this was definitely the greatest episode ever!

275. Absolutely fabulous! The Jim/Pam scenes were wonderful– they have incredible chemistry!! And Kevin, private investigator, stole the show. Interesting developments between Dwight and Angela. Oh well, guess we can’t expect to have more than *two* happy relationships going on at once. lol.

276. also, I think I rewinded Kate getting hit by Michael’s Chrysler like … six times. I even watched it in slow motion: PRICELESS.

277. This episode showed why Steve Carrell should have won the Emmy for best actor. His lines were just hilarious.
     “What is we are going to be fine?”
     “I’m not superstitious…maybe just a little stitious”

     LOL. The only bad things were that they were hardly in the “office” and Dwight was a little weirder than he usually is(if that is possible). But it’s usually funny, not this episode. Overall 9/10

278. SK, I completely agree. Before this season started I said my major concern was that the characters would become caricatures, and sure enough, the first words out of Angela’s mouth were about her cat. I was happy about Jim and Pam, but overall the show was disappointing. It felt like they were really phoning it in.

279. Poor Angela!That was soooooooo sad! And Jim and Pam… OMG THAT WAS SO CUTE!!!! But I don’t think Pam was serious about the whole sex tape thing, I think she was just joking about it to be funny with Jim. That episode was shocking, sad, and brilliant all at the same time!! :)

280. I forgot to mention: I want one of those SUPPORT THE RABID wristbands.

281. Okay, I loved this episode. And as for Dwight killing Sprinkles, he didn’t just shove it in the freezer and run away. He told her that he gave it sleeping pills and then put it in the freezer… it was asleep. You can tell that Dwight loves Angela and he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her… he’s also a farmer and has a lot of respect for animals. He was trying to do something good. It’s a new season! They’re starting new storylines and introducing new character development. I thought it was great.

282. i agree with some of you, the episode did seem a bit “off.” it wasn’t that great until the second half of the episode. the “drafting” part was hilarious.

     GO TOBY!

283. This just made my day! PB&J forever. They’re too cute! I loved it! I was happy after the first 30 minutes, then I realized there was more. I want more 1 hour shows please!!!

284. I miss Karen.

     Maybe I had way too high expectations but I wasn’t really impressed with the ep. Still had funny parts and lines but seemed like they were stretching to fill the whole hour rather than leaving us wanting more (that’s what she said!). I’m definitely one of the people who enjoyed the three seasons of Jim and Pam awkwardness, now that they’re together, I’m kinda “meh”.

285. I would rate the season premiere episode with 1 and a 1/2 thumbs up! When Meredith got hit by Michael’s car in the cold open, that was a shocker! I felt like I forced a few of my laughs though… I didn’t naturally laugh that much. ={ But I WAS very happy to see PB&J! I found myself missing Karen a little bit?! She helped keep JAM interesting last season, so I hope they are able to keep the JAM story line interesting this year too. I would have loved to have seen more Jan/Michael stuff, instead of the Dwangela story– that was kinda sick, even for Dwight. And now I don’t see how Angela will ever be able to forgive him?! I also wanted more Andy and Kelly. And Dwight/Jim. My only real complaint was that Pam seemed too different. New hair, new clothes, far more outgoing and assertive…. I think they could have slowed her “evolution” down a bit. Anyhoo: I still loved it, but just hope it will be even better next week!!

286. I loved this episode. As for people who say that Pam was way different, I didn’t think so. I’ve accidently downloaded porn at work and didn’t even realize it because, just as Pam said; “It all happened so fast.” Also, I’m so happy about Jam. And this was just fantastic.

     The Office rocks.

287. Considering we have at least three more seasons to go, I’m a little afraid of what will ultimately happen to PB&J

     How weird was it to see Andy as a silent character for the first half? He actually seemed sane… until the yellow suit.

288. Oh. My. God. Jan passed out on the bed in the beginning was one of the most hilarious moments ever. And I couldn’t be happier with the progression of PB&J. The days in between episodes are going to be torture.

289. Oh phew! The chest hair is still there.

290. I loved this episode. I went through a high range of emotions from disappointment to bliss. Jim and Pam give me hope that I will find someone. As for the sex tape thing, it’s a reference to all the pop-ups we get about sex tapes. I thought it was hilarious. Also, the choice to get rid of Karen was the right one. I don’t think we need anymore tension in the office. We have enough with Dwight and Angela. Dwight freezing her cat ranks up there with Michael burning his foot on a Foreman grill. By the way the temp will always be the temp and I have to get one of those shirts they were wearing during the run.

291. Wow – I’m not sure what to say that hasn’t been said already. PB&J were so cute – though as others have mentioned, it did kind of feel like watching Jenna instead of our little Beesly. Her clothes and hair made her extra-adorable, but not very Pam-like. I think she was more lovable in her dorkier days. I still squealed during the reveal. Ahhhhh, at last!

292. Oh, also, Jim seemed to be teasing Pam about the lamp, like, “Oh, now that I’m your boyfriend, I’m your slave?” C’mon, he loved every minute of it, and you know it.

293. I thought the ep was almost a 10, but the hour-long format made it drag a bit. fave moments:

     Karen checks Jim.
     Pam checks Angela.
     Angela hip-checks Dwight.
     Jan checks Pam.
     Creed is 82?!
     Jim’s beaming face when he talks about Pam.
     Oscar, Stan and Creed at the cafe.
     Kelly texting at the finish line.

294. I enjoyed this episode so much, it made me laugh many, many times. That’s all I want. It should be that simple right?

295. Great episode but my Eyetv software recorded it with no sound.

296. The jeopardy comment from Michael was hilarious!! Ryan: I don’t think you understand how jeopardy works. Michael: Oh, right. I’m sorry. What is ‘we’re fine’?
     It was great!!

297. Oh my god. Am I going to far to say that, for me, this was the best episode so far, in the series?

     I know many will say I am, but it literally had everything. I had to get up during the commercials and jump around squealing (and yes, mainly because of the kiss, but still!)

298. People have been saying Pam was a little off in this episode. I think the porn tape was ordered at the behest of Michael, he mentioned something about it when discussing the curse. Pam was more open with Michael, she seemed like a mother trying to keep a child on task. I love how Jim and Pam have to play parents to Michael.

299. :)

300. I hope TPTB read over these comments at some point, because there seems to be a strong consensus about what worked and what didn’t. Too-far-over-the-top Michael, exhausting “filler” scenes (like the religion discussion), sudden character changes, and too much time out of the office seem to be recurring complaints; folks seem to like tentative JAM, more appearances from the supporting cast, and honest LOL moments.
     That’s the kind of tally I’m keeping tonight.

301. I laughed more at this episode than I think I did at all of season 3 put together. There were just so many great moments and the overall feel felt right, with great use of the documentary conceit. Brian Baumgartner and Angela Kinsey did especially good jobs. But everyone was on their game. I wasn’t wild about the last 5 minutes but I can forgive that, everything else was so great.

302. I totally forgot about Creed saying he was 82. Hilarious!

303. The ep wasn’t the greatest, but I enjoyed it all! The PB&J-ness, (but on the down low) there’s your tension creator, but more noticable probably what seems likely to become a triangle: Dwight and now Andy vying for Angela, now that Angela is not happy with Dwight. Could be an interesting season!

304. Did anyone notice Andy’s concern for Sprinkles? Could he be interested in Angela?

305. There is nothing wrong with criticism about the content of the show, but I think we should all give the writers the credit they deserve because they have NOT been conforming to the structure of many other shows. I wrote this before, but I really doubt JAM will go without obstacles. The writers know better than that to make it so easy.

     And I think the new direction is good. The show needs to PROGRESS. The subtly of previous seasons, especially season 2, was appropriate to where the characters were at the time. But right now, times are changing, characters are developing. I mean, come on, Dunder Mifflin is even in the process of major change with DMI.

     I’d really like to see some ANDY-ANGELA, though. ANDELA! That triangle would be HILARIOUS.

306. I can see the argument saying that it was rushed, but honestly, I think that it was accurate. I always pictured Pam as a character who was content/unhappy with her life, and sort of settled for Roy. I think she took a chance with Jim, and in the end, it paid off for her, and it made her really happy. I don’t know, I guess I felt it was pretty natural for her to act the way that she did. Or maybe I’m just too excited to think of a downside.

307. I’m diggin the new Pamster – the hair and the antics – like she said in the “summer vacation” clip she’s now 30% more unpredictable. A new version, but still our Pammy! Oh yeah, don’t call her Pammy! lol!

308. i might actually be the happiest girl in the world.

309. I fell in love (again) with Angela in this ep.

     And Kevin! He’s a bigger JAM shipper than any of us ever were!

     Oh the kiss in the car. I knew they were together, but how great was it to see that casual, loving kiss?

310. I don’t really think Pam was off as far as natural progression. I think we need to remember that we are picking up after two months. At the end of season 3, Pam was much more assertive, although she did have some trouble expressing what she wanted to say. From the summer vacation video, we already know why she’s wearing her hair down. It’s safe to assume that the shirts follow along the same lines. Now, after the two months I think she’s just able to better express how she feels. Also, because Jim’s not with Karen and she’s not with Roy, she doesn’t need to hold back anymore.

311. I just watched the deleted scenes on nbc.com– they are FUNNY! I think they might have aired some of the wrong scenes during the episode tonight and should have kept some of the deleted scenes in instead?! Like the religion conference room scene– huh? Religion in the workplace could have been an entire other episode and it felt wasted and random in tonight’s show….oh well…

     Also, I wish it hadn’t been a “real time” episode. I think they should have shown a few clips of things that happened over the summer for the first half, and then the 2nd half could have been “now”. Because I want to know how Pam and Jam went from 1st date to couple. They skipped that whole transition from “just friends” phase by not showing the most recent past few months. And that could have been a really interesting story line to see that maybe it was awkward at first to be “dating” or whatever… But ultimately, I’m happy they are together of course!! I just think they could have dragged it out a bit more to transition from ‘longing and angsty friendship’ to BAM!- couple.

312. Did anyone check out the deleted scene that’s out on the NBC’s site. Kahlua is just coffee :)

313. and Kelly lying under her desk!

314. I’m a big Carell fan, but tonight he was in “Phyllis’ Wedding” territory. Michael’s hospital & conference room scenes were past the limit, IMHO.

     BTW: Did anyone think Stanley broke character at the restaurant? Sounded more like LDB’s real voice.

315. YES! The NBC.com store has the “Support the Rabid” bracelets for sale!

316. SK,
     What I meant was that he could have asked Pam to download it for him or told her to do it the previous day, at the behest of Jan. Which seems likely. Or, more likely it was probably one of those internet adds that you accidentally click on and suddenly you’re knee deep in porn.

317. Great episode! I loved Kevin and Oscar’s talking heads. (PB &J) Dwight and Angela drama, Jim and Pam… what can i say? sheer brillance. Creed was fantastic as always and Stanley was great too. Everyone was awesome!

     I’m not sure if this was mentioned or not, but did anyone else notice the reference to Arrested Development when Michael was explaining to everyone that Meredith was hit and was in the hospital and ok. His phrasing was like that horrible doctor that the Bluths always got stuck with whenever they went to the hospital. hehe.

     Toby was the best in the episode with his good fortune, winning the race and throwing that cup of water at Jan after drinking some of it. I’m still laughing about it. lol.

     Again… Great premiere. Almost as good as the Dundies. Better than Gay witch Hunt.

318. HAAHAHAHAHAHAH from the beg. to the end :P

319. Okay. It’s 2:10 in Scranton, PA. For realsies. NBC.com has promised full episodes available at 2:00AM ET on Friday mornings. This is where we are. Where are my videos? I stayed up to watch this episode again and download it to my computer as past press releases promised. Anyone else curious?

320. Dwight: “Or we could have it buried out at the East field, by mother.”

321. I don’t think Pam was too “Jenna” — I think she’s just in that heady “in love” phase and is maybe a little more assertive, outgoing, and bubbly as a result . . .

322. I may be one of the only people, but I was really looking forward to the hour-long episodes that they were talking about at the end of the season last year. But honestly after actually experiencing what it would be like, I’m glad they chose to stick with the previous format. It’s good to have a few hour-long’s thrown into the mix, but too much of a good thing makes it not so much of a good thing.

323. LittleTuna: It says the episodes are available at 5 AM ET…2 AM PT on Fridays

324. i guess it’s 2 PT and 5 ET…this sucks!

325. NBC.com has promised full episodes available at 2:00AM ET on Friday mornings.

     Actually it’s at 5 am eastern, 2 am Pacific.

326. 345-LittleTuna
     I’m pretty sure I read that NBC.com isn’t offering episodes until some time in October. But tonight’s episode seems to be up already at amazon’s unbox site, although there it costs $1.99.

327. if the show was exactly like season 2 every season, it would quickly get old.

328. The last half hour of this episode is now my favorite half hour in Office history. The fun run was hilarious, Pam seeing Michael in that compromising position was hilarious, and how refreshing is it to see Jim and Pam happy for a change. They are by far the most enjoyable couple to watch on TV. They just go so great together.

329. #345 – it’s 5 AM ET and 2 AM PT when the eps will be posted…so you have 3 more hours to go! :( i wish they’d just put the episodes up right after they air, kind of like they did with producer’s cuts in some season 3 episodes.

330. I loved the PB&J, they are so cute, and there are always challenges in relationships that can make them interesting, w/o making it a terribly dramatic on-again, off-again relationship.
     Dwight did give the cat antihistamines to put it to sleep, he grew up on a farm, and how is there so much distress over this and not MICHAEL HITTING MEREDITH WITH HIS CAR.
     Exactly, #315 – in real life, people don’t put their george foreman grill w/ thawing bacon by their bed at night either, but everyone loves that episode.

     and yes, I agree they should have saved the religion thing for another episode. I really wanted to see Michael looking up “how to break a curse” on wikipedia and then trying all of the methods in the office.

     Angela and Dwight are great. The hip check!

     And thanks for those who pointed out the jeopardy thing, I didn’t catch that the first time.

     I’m hoping that Pam was being kind of mean to michael at the end as reverse psychology to make him get up and finish running? that was the only part of the ep i didn’t like.

     overall, so happy that the new season has started!

331. 345 | LittleTuna

     On the NBC Office site it says:
     Available Fridays 2 AM PT/5 AM ET

     I loved this ep! Wish I had time to go through all these comments, but I have to sleep!

332. I’m reading lots of complaints about the religion discussion in the conference room and how it was unnecessary. I agree in that religion is so broad it could easily be it’s own episode, and squeezing it into this one kinda killed many chances at funny, but since religion is such a touchy subject maybe it was wise to downplay it a bit. As for the pacing in that scene, it was painfully slow, but in a good way. If you check S1 or the original version, those painfully slow moments are what made the show so brilliant in the first place.

333. I laughed so hard and this made me so happy! What a great kick off to the season! Can’t wait until next week. Well done!

334. #345

     Its posted at 2 am pacific time (5am et)! Sorry!

335. Samuel L Chang: I noticed Andy/Angela too. The idea of those 2 has been introduced before, first in The Merger at his desk w/ the screensaver, and then when Andy called Big Tuna for who to go after in the office. Oh that could go places…and Jim and Pam will just sit back and watch the show :)

336. I, for one, thought this episode was hilarious. I watched it with 9 other people, and we missed many moments of dialogue because we were laughing so much. \Of course, I have my concerns about Jim and Pam being together, but that’s not why I watch the show. This is a COMEDY…not some romantic drama (the drama’s just a bonus). I will continue to support and watch this show until it ceases to make me laugh (which I’m sure will never happen!)

337. i think this is the 1st time we’ve seen the actual inside of michael’s house since season2.

338. 1. I kinda wished they woulda played out the PB&J psuedo-friendship a while longer, but i love the way they revealed it. The more the show looks like a documentary the better, so i liked how the camera crew kinda had a part in this ep as well.

     2. Remember who Dwight really is, he killed the cat because he saw how sickly it was. he probably knew it would make Angela upset, but he thought it was for the best…also, i need to see it again, but i think he thought the cat was dead when he put it in the freezer…

     3. I’m not a big Andy fan, but i kinda missed him in this ep…

339. This was great entertainment, which is why I watch the show. it’s the best show I’ve ever watched. And furthermore, trust the amazing writers to do the right thing. I guarantee you that Jim and Pam (who looks phenomenal) will fall back to more pranking and less sappy as soon as next week. I can’t wait for next week, and the rest of the season, and I can’t wait for my first DMI task!

     The laugh out loud moment for me tonight was the picture of Meredith as the face of rabies. Priceless.

340. I think that PB&J will most likely take something of a backseat to what is hinting to be an interesting triangle: Dwigt vs Andy for Angela – made easier since she’s pissed and doubting Dwight….

341. I loved this episode. I can not wait till next week.

342. Regarding AP’s comment about Pam’s new look…

     At first I didn’t like how she hardly even looks like Pam anymore.

     But then I thought about it. The first couple seasons she was stuck in a relationship rut with Roy. When you are together for several years, it’s normal to be careless about your appearance.

     Now that she is in a new relationship with Jim, she is more confident and putting an effort into her looks.

     Speaking as a girl, that’s how I feel about it.

343. the office is pretty much the only thing in life that makes me happy. i loved this episode!!!!!!!!!

344. This episode felt like Casino Night in that it brought back so many characters, The IT Guy, Elizabeth the Stripper, Bob Vance, Billy Merchant, as well as giving more face time to previous guests and now regulars Daryll and Creed. Great Episode.

     Emmy for Angela!!!

345. Sooo…

     Good ep! Creed nearly steals the episode with his few lines (“I’ll be 82 in November”). And the Dwangela story is finally going somewhere.

     As for PB&J, I was hoping they’d keep us guessing for a little longer, but I’m glad they’re together. And the added wrinkle of keeping it from the rest of DM adds a little kick.

     But the focus on Michael’s desperate need to be liked was a bit much. Par for the course, I guess. Still, it was well done episode and I’m pretty sure it’ll be funnier with repeated viewings.

     Good stuff.

346. Ehh…this was a pretty disappointing season debut. I know most of the episodes tend to be a stretch as far as reality goes but this episode took that to a whole new level; the storyline came across as being too contrived.

     Kevin sounded/acted differently and it kinda irked me. Dwight “killing” Angela’s cat was way out of left field as well and kind of left me going “huh?”. And Ryan’s new position doesn’t seem to flow naturally either; it’ll be interesting to see how that develops as the season progresses.

     I really loved how they played the Pam/Jim story though; that was one of the few things that kept me entertained this episode.

347. I agree, FiftyFour! Karen isn’t around also so she’s not living in her shadow anymore. I would want a new look too!

348. As with every episode, it only gets better each additional viewing. I’ve watched it 3 times tonight. Angela Martin was fantastic in this episode. Plus, after 3 years of seeing Pam in varying forms of unhappiness, it was finally nice to see her genuinely smiling throughout. Looking forward to seeing how the new love triangle works out… with the first 4 episodes being an hour long, it doesn’t get much better than this for a fan of the show. Today was literally like Christmas morning, and it feels great getting the gift I’ve been wanting for 4 years :)

349. I for one, loved it. I’m so excited that Jim and Pam are finally together (it’s about time!) and I think they deserve some happyiness after all they’ve been through. i think the JAM story line isn’t going to be the main focus this season, probably some sprinkles (poor poor sprinkles … ) of it but not an entire episode centered around it.

     I hope they do some pranks this season, that would be the icing on the cake!

350. I love seeing Pam and Jim so happy.
     This was a fantastic episode! So funny!

351. I thought the episode was hysterical and loved how the supporting cast contributed in significant ways. And what is not to love about PB&J. Still think the new “sexy” Office is a snark to Grey’s and think it is great although the nipple chafing was a little weird to me. Small nitpick that the race seemed a little long and I wondered why either Jim or Pam had a wallet on them. But overall, I thought it was fantastic – what we fans were asking for last year – funny without the angst.

352. I know it’s been said a million times but Jim and Pam were so cute it actually made me want to die. The kiss in the car, their smiles when they got busted and the hand holding was just too much for me to handle. Sigh. So happy right now.

353. So what happened to Pam, and who is this new girl playing her part??!

354. I laughed once. Something that Stanley said. I don’t even know what it was. It felt like one of the latter-day episodes of the Simpsons. Pacing was dreadful, storyline was contrived, and Michael was beyond stupid. Almost heartbreakingly awful.

355. I like to think that the camera guy was just really pissed that Jim and Pam were lying to him. I mean, he’s pretty much known the whole time and in my head, he’s been rooting for them.

356. I loved the show for the most part, but I do wish they would have shown more of Jim and Pam getting together. I mean, the last we heard, he asked if she was free for dinner. And now, bam! They are a couple. We didn’t get to see any of the new and fun feelings of finally getting to be with the person they’ve dreamed of for so long.

357. Re #372 & 373:

     Pam is SUPPOSED to be looking different. She IS different. She’s HAPPY. Also, it’s two months later. Naturally, she’d have implemented some style changes by now.

358. They’ve completely lost me. I didn’t think it could get worse than last year’s season finale. It’s a totally, different (unfunny) show, now. Everything is forced and EVERYBODY looks bored. They KNOW they’re just going through the motions. This show should die a quick death like Angela’s cat. It was painful to watch and I can’t believe others don’t feel the same way.

359. Forget Jim and Pam I’m pumped about this Dwight Angela thing. He killed Sprinkles!!

360. Sorry, I didn’t have time to read through the 379 comments already posted, so this might have been addressed, but when did Angela come out to Pam that she’s dating Dwight? She’s talked to her about it before, but it’s always under some pretext, ie, “a gentleman I know”, or “let’s call him Kurt.” Have I missed something crucial? I was taken aback when Angela said Dwight’s name in their conversation.

     Also, the porn thing with Pam’s computer was just weird. Normal people don’t download or pay for porn on their work computer, and I believe Pam to be normal.

     All in all, I thought the last 30 minutes could be a great single episode in itself, but I wasn’t crazy about the first half. I need to rewatch it. I am glad that the show is back, though!

361. Very good start to the season. Loved the way they handled Jim and Pam, I just hope they don’t do the standard TV breakup thing to add drama or whatever. Its nice to see people happy for once. And I agree Pam looked and seemed like another person, but so what. I want to see the show evolve along with its characters.

     This is the only show I make a point to watch everyweek. The writing is fresh and with all the characters, there is just so many directions to go. Best show on TV in my opinion.

362. “I’m like Forrest Gump…just not a idiot”

     ahh and the image of Dwight running, very good episode…can’t wait for more!

     and im kinda sad for Karen…but oh well!

363. Wow.

     I never really was a JAM fanatic, but seeing them together last night made me want to giggle with glee like a little schoolgirl. How embarrassing. Well done, Daniels.

     Dwight…what the hey?? …Angela, my heart aches for thee.

     I’m going to be paranoid the rest of the season that at some point Karen will go crazy, come back to the office, and go all “Roy” on Pam. Jim will have to mace her.

     Last thing: I like stuff taking place outside the office every now and then (like “The Dundies”, “Initiation”, “Booze Cruise”, and, now, “Fun Run”), but I’d really like to see more classic stuff…like “Health Care” and “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” and “Halloween”. I miss the subdued, understated feel of S1.

364. Good God people. This was one of the best episodes of The Office ever! I’m a dude and I wanted them together from the beginning. They’re together, it’s great and the show will still be great because of Jenna and John’s chemistry as well as the excellent writing staff. Enjoy the show for what it is: a comedy that is sick, twisted, uncomfortable but has the heart that beats throughout.

365. So was it funny enough that I should be mad that I can’t watch it through NBC or Amazon ‘because of my location’? There are a lot of angry people on NBC.com right now . . .

366. I know a lot of people are upset that I-Tunes isn’t carrying The Office anymore, but I have to give the Amazon Unbox service credit. Last night’s episode had already downloaded to my computer before I got to work this morning and with I-Tunes I used to have to wait till the end of Friday sometimes before it was available. To someone who likes to watch the previous night’s episode over their lunchbreak, that is kind of a big deal. The picture seems to be clearer too.

367. This episode was awesome! Totally worth the wait! And yay PB&J!

368. #321, youtubeaddict-I completely agree with you that this was one of the best episodes ever! I was, in no way, disappointed. I was laughing the entire time, and I think the way they planned out PB&J was great! The series is in real time, and I think Pam’s character development is accurate. And I love the way they revealed it with the camera crew; it’s like a realy documentary. I think the episode was brilliant, and I cannot wait for the next episode!

369. I missed it the first time I watched, but I laughed that Kevin was hiding in his car spying on Pam when she left work and went to pick up Jim.

370. And to those who feel that Dwight “killing” Sprinkles was out of left field, perhaps he was doing the humane thing since the poor cat was being kept alive “inhumanly” by Angela. He’s a farmer and he was just doing what he had done before to other sick animals. Just think about it like that.

371. I…don’t think you understand how jeopardy works.

     oh I’m sorry, what is we’re fine.

     haha.

     I thought it was a great episode, SO MUCH was built up to it, and you can’t please everyone. It was hard to be exceedingly funny when there was SO much to cover.

     I am really excited to see what they do with this season.

372. Genuinely loved the episode. My favorite part? Creed listing every prescription pain killer on the market.

     I found the Dwight-cat-killing incident disconcerting, but I don’t agree that it’s COMPLETELY out of character for him. There’s real foreshadowing, too. When Angela tells him the fifteen medications Sprinkles needs for all her ailments, you can see that Dwight gets this disgusted look on his face. In the original airing, I thought he looked mildly bored, but it’s obvious now what he was thinking.

     Remember when he brought in the duck for lunch? And everyone got attached to the duck? And then he killed the duck? And the time he shot a werewolf that turned into his neighbor’s dog? I think people are responding poorly to this animal-killing incident because it wasn’t handled in a very funny way. It wasn’t comical or satirical or silly – it was just creepy and sad.

373. Jim and Pam = Perfect

     Weve been wantnig it for 3 years

     Its Here…Enjoy it!!

374. oh and…Michael: Maybe there’s some sort of animal that we could make a sacrifice to. Like … a giant buffalo. Or some sort of monster, like something with the body of a walrus with the head of a sea lion. Something with a body of an egret, with the head of a meerkat. Or just the head of a monkey, with the antlers of a reindeer. With the body of a … porcupine.

     BEST EVER!

375. Creed naming all of those pain-killers was just too funny.

376. One of the funniest episodes. Michael Scott was in top form!

377. OK Universe, you win…I miss Karen.

     But seriously, this was one of the best episodes ever!

378. Is anyone else having trouble voting (or ranking) the show. I keep trying to give it a 9, but it won’t get accepted. I’ve tried it at home and here at work. :(

     Someone give it a 9 for me.

379. God bless Kevin Malone for giving us a new name for Jim/Pam!

380. Matthew and grilledmyfoot, you are both right on with your comments.

     I really enjoyed this episode. It wasn’t a perfect episode, but it was pretty close, in my opinion.

     GMF’s right. What we got in Fun Run was exactly what we’ve wanted for 3 years – and now people are complaining. Maybe it wasn’t exactly the way we thought it would be, but we still got it. No we weren’t going to get to see Jim and Pam’s first date. No we weren’t going to get a monumental big screen close up of the kiss. That just isn’t the style of The Office.

381. 314—> Win.

     I don’t know what to say that hasn’t already been said, so I will just say this: yessssssssssssss.

382. i think its an honor to be frozen
     maybe dwight’s going back to his talking head where he said he’d like to be frozen..into pieces? maybe…just a hunch

     i love the episodes. the randomness of the episode makes it like real life. when you wake up you don’t know what’s going to happen. it maybe an ordinary day, but then again there is no boring day at the office.

     jim and pam. i love it. so excited. i think from the way interviews with john and jenna they have said that they’re trying to see how it would play out if it happened. it is a new direction and it won’t be a piece of cake. most relationships aren’t. and it will be fun to see how, in the words of john krasinski, “two dorks” make a relationship work.

     they have to start with a big bang. but i’m hopeful that everything fall in place as the season continues. love the episode though. great job writers!

383. o.k so I’ve had time to digest the episode. I think it was a bit too choppy. They seemed to be in fifteen different places this episode. I know it was an hour, but the beauty of this show is in the awkward pauses and long silences. The editing seemed too quick. Maybe I just prefer more actual ‘office’ scenes. I think the Jam stuff was good, maybe the most realistic and subtle part of the episode, but Pam’s new look is way overboard, I agree that she looks more like Jenna than Pam.

384. Unquestionably the worst Office episode yet. Nothing new; same trite jokes from Michael that started to get annoying by the middle of last season.

     The only positive thing I can offer is at least there is hope: the new Ryan seems funny, as does the new Jim and Pam, and Kevin is getting a lot more airtime, as is Andy.

     But unless this show starts to change (by having the characters develop, by introducing new characters, and by writing plots other than “Michael is so socially unaware, let’s do something quirky because of it!), then I am sad to say that I think “The Office” has finally ended its run as the funniest show on TV.

     Time to put your money in 30 Rock.

385. The humor is in the small things though;
     The rabies quilt..look at it closer it was hilarious.
     Kelly’s lines after Toby finished the race were great, she’s so not interested, and is just sitting there texting.
     I do wonder though, how Michael had time, or money, to make those rubber bracelets. Seemed a bit of a stretch.

386. someone may have mentioned this before, but look at the dry erase board when pam goes to talk to angela about dwight killing her cat. on thursday, the 4th, it says, “in case you haven’t noticed, there is a bunch of colorful hooey on this board.”

     LOL.

387. I loved this episode! I always dreamed about Pam and Jim being together, but to actually see footage of it is amazing! Thank you Greg Daniels!

388. I loved this episode and can’t wait to watch it again. I think I’ve gotten spoiled with having S1-3 DVDs at my disposal to watch over & over.

     I don’t want to repeat what everyone else has already said, but I haven’t seen a lot of posts about Karen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ALL ABOUT the new JAM, but I kind of feel bad for Karen with getting knocked to the side the way that she did. I know they had a short scene about her coming back & telling Jim she wasn’t leaving but then the next day her desk was cleared — still, I’m not convinced that we’ve seen the last of Karen Filipelli. Like John Krasinski said in one of his spoiler interviews, Karen hasn’t said her piece yet. I wonder if that will be the first thing to throw a curveball in for JAM in terms of their semi-secret relationship….

389. My major concern with the show in general is that it has lost its “real” feel to it. When they’re in the office, no one is ever doing work. Watch seasons 1 & 2 again to see what I mean about it feeling “real”. Now every scene feels so contrived and forced, like something has to happen.

390. Everybody, rewatch this episode and watch Ryan’s character. He only gets a few scenes, but, he acts exactly like Ricky Gervais’ character in the UK version of The Office! When they adapted this show for the US the Regional Manager’s character (Michael) changed to suite Steve Correll’s style, but, B.J.’s new “character makeover” is very reminiscent of Ricky’s character in the UK version. Check it out!

391. 2nd viewing…I liked it better. Because I only watched the first part.

     I’m excited Pam and Jim together. BF and GFs flirt with each other, right? The lack of JAM flirting/interaction killed me in season three.

     Pam was getting the porn for Michael. Why? I don’t know. That could have been cut.

     P.S. NBC tell Norton 360 No thanks. I want iTunes back. Not that I would have paid $1.99 for this.

392. #385 & #389: You’re exactly right.

     #388: I don’t think anyone would have a problem with a somewhat nicer-looking, somewhat more assertive version of Pam. But that just wasn’t Pam at all last night–she seemed like someone else completely. She went from looking normal to looking like a super model. She went from being shy to being downright bossy and kinda rude.

     And she was downloading porn at work?!? Huh?!?

393. Is anyone else having trouble watching the episode on the NBC website? Mine keeps pausing every five seconds, but I don’t know if it is the website or my internet.

394. The funniest moment last night for me, even though it was pretty subtle, was when Kevin offered a fist pound to Meredith in the hospital. I was crackin up!

     I’m also curious if the Pam/Jim story will be put to the side for a little bit now that they’re dating. I’m sure there will be some conflict between them this season.

395. I had to work last night and just finished watching the episode.

     It’s one of the best ever.

     Every interaction was working – Michael attempting dramatic speeches, Stanley shirking participating, Michael actually calling Toby Satan, Angela fawning over her cats, Dwight being completely oblivious, and, oh yes, that’s right, Karen’s gone and Jim and Pam are dating.

     I found it odd that they didn’t want to talk about it to the camera, since they’ve basically talked their hearts out to them before. I thought perhaps it was a prank they were pulling on the crew. I guess it works, though, if you argue that Pam and Jim were just more vulnerable and open during the drama from Cocktails to The Job.

     Oh – and Jim was wearing my favorite number.

     One of, if not the best, episodes ever.

396. #421 Scott- I totally agree about the Ryan/ Gervais thing! I think he even did the tie-touching thing a few times.

397. The best thing about this show was Angela. The physical humor with Dwight was great – as was the range of emotions the script allowed her to show. Angela is such a great actress.

     As for PB&J – Are you kidding me?

     It was awful. They’re already shacking up?
     I too felt like I was watching Jenna, not Pam, with her new look. Happy well-adjusted Pam/Jenna is not funny. Plain Pam trying to find her way in the world is funny. Angst-ridden Pam pulls at your heartstrings. Jenna-look Pam shacking up with Jim is just – blah. Where is the romance?

     I’m sure the writers will have some PB&J twists and turns on the way. I’m sure some flashbacks are coming. But I feel robbed. No first date? No first real kiss? No anxiety that after all they had been through they should take things slow?

     Remember the first time Pam went in Jim’s room in season 2 and there was the awkwardness, becasue Jim was revealing through his personal possesions what he was like outside the office? That moment was so real and so sweet. Can Season 4 return to those kinds of moments? It seems unlikely now.

398. The show has to evolve or it would become repetitive and those who are complaining about the changes would be complaining about the stagnation. Obviously, you do not have to like the changes that are being made, but to expect no changes (always in office, pam looking/acting the same, etc) is not good for the show.

399. I was laughing the entire time.

400. For those complaining about new Pam, her transformation was brilliantly written and flows smoothly. Rewatch the last 4 episodes of S3, then this one, and you’ll realize how superbly done it was.

401. I LOVE the new Pam. Of course she’s differant then the Pam we got to know through the first 3 seasons, but she has to be. They really developed her character last season and I think it works. She still acts like Pam, but has been able to really grow without Roy and knows what she wants.

     As for Pams new look. It’s about time. I think she looks adorable. (Remember she bought new clothes last last season! So it’s not like she changed all of a sudden.)

402. Amazing…Wonderful…Perfect…Absolutely Brilliant…are there any other words to describe this episode? I was kinda shocked to read some of these comments, because I absolutely loved this episode! I was a little nervous about it, because I wasn’t sure what direction they were going to go, but it was fantastic! Definitely worth missing greys :D

403. [from tanster: 200-word limit]

404. 413- nice name.. I have one exactly like it :) i think michael spent almost 200 bucks on the bracelets.. Remember, the big check was 200 and only written out for 300 something :p

405. I am having trouble voting, but for the record, this one’s 10/10.

406. It kills me to read some of these things. KUDOS to everyone involved with this show. This show actually has some thoughtful writing behind it while being able to keep it funny, absurd, and touching. It is the right time for Jim/Pam to be together..its been 3 years. Characters grow and change and we see that in this show.

407. I miss the old Pam.

     I guess it’s good that the writer’s made her more assertive, but now it’s like she’s a completely different character.

408. Justin Spitzer wrote an episode of Scrubs way back when, too. Coincidence, I’m sure. But I loved how he mugged for the camera.

     Ehhhhxcellent. Simpsons.

409. My first comment ever! Hopefully this isn’t too repetitive…

     I thought the episode was a bit stretched… they aren’t used to the hour yet. When PB&J (love!) were confronted was the best part for me. Every acting class I’ve taken has said that blushing is the one thing you can’t fake, so I was so impressed when Jim started blushing. I love John and he’s a fabulous actor, but I got the feeling he was playing himself… now I love him more :-)

     I thought Dwight and Angela were a bit flat, until she left him at the Run, but that’s probably in comparison with the adorable-ness that it PB&J. Gosh, they’re cute.

     And NBC and I are fighting. I hate that HD crap… my TV isn’t HD so I got all these closeups of mini-blinds and grass. Guess I’ll have to watch it again online :-)

410. Does anyone else’s NBC affiliate cut off the letterboxing of the episode? Mine does, so the screen is not the correct ratio. So, when Kevin & Oscar were sitting side by side, their faces were cropped in half.

     Is this an NBC decision, or just an affiliate decision?

411. First-time poster… Long-time reader…

     Just a question… is it me or has the Pam character lost that intangible that made her so appealing to at the very least me: her endearing fragility. I mean who couldn’t help but fall for her witty yet implicit insecurity? Makes you just wanna grab a hold of her and protect her no? I also think her “orthodox” look complemented Pam’s personality perfectly. That’s what made her SEXY to me.

     Comments?

412. Ah, it feels so good to be writing about a new episode again.

     Of course the show has a “new feel”. It had a new feel at the beginning of Season 3 when Jim was in Stamford. It will have a new feel at the beginning of season 5 too. I’m glad the show evolves as it does, instead of stagnating with the same old plotlines (the JAM angst was getting tiresome and I’m glad we’ve moved on).

     As far as this particular episode – I think it’s safe to say that our friend Kevin Malone has never shone brighter. “You’re KIDDING me!”

413. ok i would just like to say the that i REALLY like the fact that Jim and Pam are a secret. i hope they keep it that way for a while. this way all the JAM lovers get what they want which is jim and pam together, without it taking over the show entirely. genius

414. #428,

     That was really well said.

     All of those small, sweet, innocent, awkward moments that we loved so much mean nothing now. The writers at least could have found a way to show us the special, awkward first steps of their relationship. I really thought that Jim and Pam were going to be starting really slow, almost just as friends, for most of this season. But it was just, “Yup, we’re a couple,” already by the first half of the first episode.

     If season 2 Jim and Pam had taken a walk together and gone to an estate sale and bought a lamp it would have been really cute and meaningful and nice.

     But when season 4 Jim and Pam do that, there’s nothing special about it at all. Those are just ordinary things that ordinary couples do. What’s so special about that?

415. Why not enjoy the differences? Pam is different because she is with her soul mate at last….wouldn’t YOU be?

416. LOVED the episode! Kevin had me cracking up big time. Kind of sad to seen Karen go so early and sudden, but oh well. Pam and Jim…I like it, but it will take getting used to. It’s weird because it seems like that was such a major storyline, and it just feels resolved. But I’m sure we’ll all adjust…

     And I’m sorry, but I love that Dwight actually KILLED Angela’s cat–hysterical! :D

417. Oop. 200-word limit. Here’s the breakdown:

     1. Too much Michael. The show can’t ride on Michael saying ridiculous things for 90% of the show, no matter how exceptional and rare an acting talent SC is.

     2. The one-hour format does the show no favors. The extended scenes of Michael awkwardness dragged quite a lot.

     3. I loved Sassy New Beasly. Loved both of her sweaters (both of which I own, you guys). The conference room “reveal” scene was some of the best work I’ve ever seen from John and Jenna. Jim clearly brings out all the best parts of Pam. Love it.

     4. Yay accounting! Kevin is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters (though Creed still wins). Brian Baumgartner has been criminally underused.

418. 428: I totally agree with you. I thought that where PB & J picked up was a total letdown and I too feel robbed. They did such a great job with Casino Night, etc, that I can’t believe that they fast forwarded to routine “hello kisses” in the car. It’s like it’s old news now, but that’s what we’ve been building up to from the beginning!

     I miss the subtlety of last season. Last night was too over the top for me, and the major characters seem to have changed really fast. I think the old Dwight would have been MUCH less apologetic about the cat, even if Angela IS his girlfriend. …by the way, since when is Angela open with Pam about the relationship with Dwight?!? What happened to the fake names in the coffee shop?

419. Andy + Dwight + Angela love triangle? Wrong. It’s gonna be a Dwight + Angela + KELLY love triangle. Think about it. Who did Kelly have a crush on before she and Ryan started dating? Who did Kelly kiss during the season two christmas episode. What race other than “white” did Dwight say he was sexually attracted to on “Diversity Day”? I bet when Ryan comes back for a Scranton visit, Kelly tries to use Dwight to make Ryan jealous.

420. I wasn’t able to check in last night, and don’t have time right this minute to read through 400+ posts (but I will eventually!), but I just want to say, “Bra-VO”!

     Three favorite lines of the night:

     “Are you kidding me?”

     “Are you KIDDING me?!”

     “What is wrong with you?”

421. The episode was amazing and a WONDERFUL start to the season!!

     Her clothes are really not that different, and I’m sure we will see more cardigans in the future. I could find the same shirts she was wearing at Target for about $10.

     I absolutely loved everything about the episode!! Kudos to all of the writers!! I can’t wait to watch it again!!

422. I completely agree with #428 & #446. I hope it gets better than it was last night.

423. This was a great episode with very few down points. Maybe Michael was a little over the top and the “what religion are you” scene was a little long. However, Kevin was HILARIOUS, “are you kidding me?” (funny that was what I kept saying last season) and Kelly is just beginning, Ryan better watch out, this is going to be good. Jim and Pam were great and I don’t know how anyone cannot feel this is a natural conclusion and that last seasons contrivances to keep them apart was ridiculous. Angela and Dwight, now there is a fight, even if he was trying to help, he is going to pay. Just lovely, can’t wait for more of this season.

424. This was SOO much better than last season’s start. I love the secret dynamic of Jam. The Ryan/Michael dynamic will be fun to watch too. I loved the hour long format, I don’t understand those who didn’t. Great job cast and writers! It is going to be exciting to see where they take things this year.

425. yeah, don’t forget…the rest of the office employees don’t know anything about the PB and J going ons. Soooo that may leave a little drama for their story line…Michael finding out, Roy finding out, etc.

426. It’s JIM and PAM!

427. As hard as it is to accept and as nostalgic as I am, I am glad the show changed things up.

     I have watched too many shows where I have loved the show for 2 or 3 seasons, but grew bored of how formulaic it became, and how unwilling the producers were to change the characters. Instead, the characters became exaggerated paradigms of the people they once were.

     I am glad The Office is the one show on TV not afraid to shake things up, because let’s face it- people aren’t static. And if Pam was the same meek person she was, season after season, you’d be begging the writers to have her grow a pair and change the hairstyle.

428. Kelly should hook up with the turbaned computer tech dude. Does he have a name?

429. Over 400 comments by the next morning, niiicceeee. My wife and I with some friends over last night all had the same feeling: “funny, but a different feel.”

     I think the different feel had more to do with Jim and Pam together, Jan in a subordinate role, Ryan as Michael’s boss, and Dwight/Angela taking center stage on the relationship front. A lot to digest, but as the season progresses, we’ll get used to it.

     And UNSHUN #425, Kevin’s fist-shake was also my favorite moment, hilarious.

430. Ladies & Gentlemen it is the first episode! One of the main reasons we all like this show is because of the great writing. I’m pretty sure JAM won’t be all lovey dovey the whole season. Like most relationships, I’m sure there will be a few speed bumps (figuratively speaking not like Meredith).

431. This episode rocked! And Pam doesn’t look like the “plain pam” anymore. Where’d she go? Can’t believe Dwight killed Angela’s cat. What a moron. Did NOT like Ryan’s facial hair. No-no-no. How did he get that job anyway? He never even made a sale and he has no management experience. Go figure.

432. I didn’t like it when Pam was over-talking Michael regarding the hospital visit. Hello…he is STILL your boss, Pam. That was disrespectful. She’s the receptionist, the lowest person on the totem pole there, yet she acts like she’s miss queen bee. She needs to check her ego at the door before clocking in. ha!

433. #443 Fragile Pam – perfect description. That is what we’re missing.

     Flawed characters are interesting. That’s why we watch television! During season 3 Pam has evoloved into – a normal person. Jim too. Who wants to watch that?

     Plain Pam, terrace dreams Pam, was one of the sexiest and appealing characters in the history of television. Normal and happy Pam is, well, normal.

434. Also, I’d like to say that I rather LIKE that we don’t see Jim and Pam getting together initially. I really like that it all happens off-screen because it makes it their own private moment. Did anyone ever see the British version, where Tim turned his microphone off to tell Dawn how he felt about her? In a television show that, in part, destroys “reality” programming, I think it’s fitting that arguably the two most important characters are allowed to have their “real” moments untelevised.

435. [from tanster: 200-word limit]

436. #450,

     I think you’re absolutely right. I wouldn’t have necessarily minded Jim and Pam slowing coming together, but the way the writers handled it was awful. Like you said, they went from 3 years of build-up to making it “old news” within 30 minutes.

437. This has probably already been said, but remember that it’s in real time and it’s been like 4 months. It didn’t happen overnight.

438. I love this show and am SOOOO disappointed about the cat thing. These talented writers certainly could have written a classier scene that was true to the characters without incorporating animal cruelty. I just hate it when it’s treated as humorous, when it’s really the opposite.

     Otherwise, The Office is the funniest show on tv. I’m glad Jim and Pam are finally seeing each other!

439. Re: Jim and Pam’s ‘reveal’ as a couple, I actually like the way the writers did it. I was 100% ready (okay, more like 70%) for them to just be friends, so the kiss in the car was to me, fantastically played. And seriously — it has been what, 3 months since “The Job”? So as they’re following real time, no, we’re not going to get to see what got them to this present point. And I think it’s keeping it true-to-life. Plus there is a part of me that is glad they’re getting some privacy after the camera has caught *so much* between these two. :-)

440. [from tanster: 200-word limit]

441. I absolutely loved this episode, it is everything I wanted and more!!! I think they did everything with perfect timing. Greg Daniels is such a brilliant writer! Seeing JAM sooo happy made my heart melt, I’m still beaming after watching the episode 3 times! This is just the beginning of an AWESOME season and I can’t wait!!

442. I think the Pam 6.0 look is not as drastic as some might think. When Jim came back in The Merger, she wore nicer sweaters, and spent more time making her curls less frizz and more polished. When you’re with someone you try and look nice(er). And as far as the clothes…remember she’s “already 30% more unpredictable”. When you’ve made a change in your life, you like to reflect it in your wardrobe too, and I personally have at least 2 of those sweaters. I predict that after a few more months of dating, on occasion we’ll see some of Pam’s older clothes, and some continual hairstyle changes as she continues to be happy and confident.

     And as for finding “Pam” in the scenes, if you watch their conference room scene, she reminds me of their joint talking head before the Booze Cruise. The look toward Jim and the smile and giggle. It was nice to see that some things haven’t changed.

443. Amen, Sumo Schrute(#469)! I think people are forgetting that this is supposed to be a documentary about an office. All of the personal stuff between the officemates is just a bonus.

     I loved this episode — thank you, Greg Daniels. The spotlight fell on so many of the cast members, and that was great to see. Very funny & the mood seems to be a lot lighter than Season 3. I’m psyched for a fun Season 4… hopefully not as much drama!

444. Hmm. I know I said the love triangle will be Dwight + Angela + Kelly, but then I saw the picture on THIS page:
     http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20058714_3,00.html

445. I could NOT have LOVED THIS more. Everyone was hil-frickin-arious and I LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOOOOOVE Pam and Jim together. The writers did it soooooo well. They are so freakin cute together I could die. I am a little jealous but I could never make Jim as happy as Pam does.:) Can’t wait for the rest of the season!!

446. Ratings information for last night’s premiere, courtesy of Marc Berman from Mediaweek. I’m happy to say…terrific news!

     Last night’s premiere garnered 9.67 million viewers and a series-high (yes, you read that right; series high for our little show, baby!) 5.1/12 in the key adults 18-49 demo. “The Office” builds by a very significant 31% in adults 18-49 from the second half of lead-in My Name is Earl (3.9/11). “The Office also scored 19 percent higher in the demo compared to last season’s premiere “Gay Witch Hunt” (4.3/11).

     The “Grey’s” and “CSI” juggernaut expectedly are the leaders in the hourlong timeslot, but this is an extremely positive start for our little show, both because we built from our lead-in, and scored higher ratings than last season’s premiere. Premiere numbers are usually spiked, but hopefully the strong numbers will continue in the ensuing weeks. Terrible timeslot? What terrible timeslot?

     I usually post some personal thoughts on the episode after the ratings info, but I discovered I have more to talk about, and brevity isn’t my strong suite (heh). So I hope tanster doesn’t mind if I split my post into two. Really looking forward to the rest of the season!

447. I too was sad that they skipped the 2 months of Pam & Jim moving into couplehood. The story had been building up to the beginnings of that relationship forever, but then they didn’t show it to us. Weird.

     The comedy has become much more broad. We had puking, flashing, pantsing, car accident, stripper, bloody nipples… like every 3 minutes they have to throw in something to ensure that we! aren’t! bored!

     It reminded me of the season finale of Ugly Betty. Or a soap opera.

448. I have one word for last night FLAT!! I mean where was all the stuff between Andy and Dwight? Pranks by Jim on Dwight? And what about the whole Ryan thing…..that could be so funny now that he is in corporate. Pam seemed totally out of character….she wasnt as nice as she was in previous seasons. The whole thing was just about Steve Carell…….Im really bummed. I hope they pick it up next week.

449. wahoo! Liked this ep. Not the best, but it was funny. There were times when it dragged a bit. The funny parts also seemed spaced out. Poor Angela :(

     I have the biggest idiotic grin on my face now. I´m thrilled J/P are together finally. I don´t miss the angst and tension AT ALL. I was sick of that. We had more than enough of that last season.
     The J/P stuff was perfect. Not too much, not too little. It was a good balance.

450. 450 | noizyfish

     Sorry, but I think your description of the car kiss scene as “routine” is not accurate. Did you see all the giddy body language and huge smiles? That was no “hi honey I’m home” sort of interaction. That was definitely a “I couldn’t wait any longer to be alone with you” moment. I think the casualness of the little quick kiss indicates a level of comfort that comes from increased intimacy–as compared to the stories Jim and Pam wove for the camera crew (and us) in which they represented their relationship as the exact opposite.

451. I’m a sucker for the dramatic relationship tension (sorry, comedy fans; for me the comedy is great but I watch for the PB&J). I thought Season 2’s brilliance was with Booze Cruise and The Secret. Amazing. That said, I am OK with the new PB&J direction. The writers have to let the show continue to breathe with some sense of realism, as many have noted. I agree that this is a necessary and plausible direction.

     But I do miss the insecure Pam! I really miss how I felt with all the tension. She was endearing, hopeless and hopeful at the same time; we had our darling underdog. Funny now that the underdog is finally on top, I cannot share the contentment. I feel a bit guilty about that.

     A necessary evolution, but from a viewing perspective…I miss her. Do we need a new underdog? A new character? A female or male unintended interloper, filled with that same innocence of both PB&J, that intersects and possibly dissects PB&J? Not just another Karen or Roy, but a Karen or Roy with those loveable, innocent, engaging qualities.

     Sigh. Our little girl has grown up.

452. I can’t believe people’s reactions to the cat thing. I’ve never felt more sympathy towards Dwight than when he is trying to explain himself to Angela during the run. Watch the episode again and notice the gears turning while Angela talks to him about Sprinkles- the cat’s cataracts, infections, liver problems…Dwight was doing what he truly thought was humane. He has a different outlook on things because of his life on the farm and experience with animals.

453. I haven’t watched the episode a second time yet, but didn’t they say Pam clicked the porn ad AND put in her credit card number? That couldn’t be an accident. Why did Pam have her head down against the steering wheel before Jim got in the car??

     I was disappointed with it but have confidence the season will progress smoothly. As an IT guy myself I’m glad to see he was back and will probably stay a while as the next shows are about their new website…

454. And about the “new” Pam, the entire Season 3 set this Pam up…it built up to this moment where Pam is more honest with her feelings and a little more assertive. After seeing The Beach, Season 4 Pam is not only believable, but expected.

     And peeps, she still has Pam hair, it’s just no longer kept in a pony tail or clipped. :)

455. (Sorry Tanster! I get on a roll sometimes. Oops.)

     As far as Jim and Pam are concerned, I think they’re being treating as truthfully as possible. Because of the tension in Season 2, we know they’re history as friends and we’ve fallen in love with that. But the premier happens in real time giving them two months to date that we haven’t seen and their little signs of affection, I think, are completely justified. It wouldn’t be fair to audiences or the characters themselves if they wobbled through these first few episodes. That’s not realistic.

     What the writers did with this premier episode is set up a LOT of possibilities with each relationship: putting the star couple together right away could have its setbacks; Jan starfished on Michael’s bed is quite telling and the murder of Sprinkles with Andy then offering his sympathies to Angela.

     They’ve got a lot worked out, folks. I’m loving it so far and I cannot wait to see where they take it. It’s an ensemble cast and a talented one at that. It’s about time we explore as much of this office as we should… four years into the story.

456. [Jennie, I’ll try again]
     First, thanks for re-instituting the ranking tool on the web site.

     Now, I gotta say, last night’s show was sub par. Some specifics:

     (-) 1) Waaaay too many dead points in the pace of the show. When Michael is thinking of all the weird animals to combine — I would have changed the channel if I weren’t such a big fan of the show. There’s a difference between funny, uncomfortable moments, and writing story copy to fill 60 minutes.

     (-) 2) The main plot of Michael hitting Meridith seem a bit formulaic. To wit:
     —–Michael does something stupid
     —–Michael tries to pass it off or make it look like it wasn’t his fault
     —–Michael tries to do some activity or event to make up for what he did.
     —–After that event fails, Michael breaks down, cries, and has a period of self loathing.
     —–Someone tries to cheer him up (usually Pam) and makes him see that things aren’t really so bad.
     >>>>> This all seems familiar….like this episode and about a third of the others for all the seasons it’s been on, I’m afraid. And I’m a huge fan of the show! :(

457. Personally, the episode made me love the show all the more and I thought that was impossible. Come on! Dwight thinking he killed Angela’s cat and putting in the freezer, even though it’s still alive?!! Kevin Malone? Do I need to say anything more about him? Okay, fine, I will: he was FREAKING AWESOME. Meredith getting hit by Michael? That entire scene where Jim and Pam are trying to come up with a reasoning for him getting in her car and kissing her? Wow. What an episode. It wasn’t one of those episodes where I laughed out loud the entire time, but still immensely enjoyable!

     Way to go, Office writers, cast, and crew! You’ve officially made me an even bigger fan than I was before. Congratulations! :)

458. On a personal note, I loved the episode, and thought it was a solid start to the season! Lots of funny moments, but also exposition and setting up storyarcs for the rest of the season too. I loved the tragic-comic Dwight/Angela subplot. Angela’s hurt is very real (really felt for her there), but by Dwight’s code, he was doing the right thing, and out of love to Angela; it’s just that his code is different from ours. Dark humor isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it offers a fascinating, off-kilter insight into this romance.

     So Jim and Pam are together (yay!). The way I read this relationship, it’s more of a wish-fulfillment, on very tangible, relatable terms, and therefore doesn’t need unrequited-sexual-tension to remain appealing. I love how their rapport seems to come back so effortlessly, and they are playful and happy with each other again.

     I also love Pam trying to make Michael feel better at the roadside, and knows him well enough to sympathize with him in a way that makes Michael ultimately pick himself up (metaphorically and literally), without making it seem like she was the one who has successfully consoled him.

459. joetimek–

     I thought that was a Wegman’s cereal box!! I too was an employee of that store for 5 years. I now live in NYC and miss it terribly, especially the subs!

460. I missed the episode because of a meeting and watched it about 7 a.m. on the NBC.com Web site. It worked OK, but I get stuttering in full screen mode.

     I’m a cat owner, and at times I’ve had to help my cat clean herself (due to obesity), feed her antiobiotic drops with an eyedropper (after dental cleaning/surgery), and I’m feeding her pills twice a day for a thyroid condition so I empathize with Angela all too well. :) (I laughed when she described what Dwight needed to do for the cat, sounded like my own).

     I have faith the writers will give Jim and Pam interesting things to do beyond making goo-goo eyes at each other, but after all the pathos they’ve been through I enjoyed just seeing them happy together. :) It was fun, and hopefully I don’t have to enjoy future episodes over my Friday breakfast cereal…

461. We feel unusually “close” to this show because the actors, writers, and directors have been so open and giving to their fans. Therefore, some people will never be satisfied with any episode because they want it written “their” way. It’s just a human response.

     Remember season 1, when no one knew if the show was really funny? It had awkward pauses and uncomfortable moments. But those turned into the best part of what makes the Office unique.

     I say either sit back and enjoy it or turn the channel. Life’s too short – find something you enjoy.

462. It’s the small moments that make this show so great–I loved the fact that Michael remembered Angela’s cat’s name, but Dwight didn’t.

463. I’m glad Jim and Pam are together. When Pam first said they went to dinner a few times and now they are still best friends, I thought “They BETTER get together or I’m going to reach through this tv screen and smack some sense into them-and Greg Daniels too!!”

     The funniest part was seeing 5’2″ Angela shove 6’2″ Dwight into the filing cabinets then run over him with her chair!

     I wonder how many takes it took for Jenna and Angela to do their scenes without cracking up?!? Then again, the editors didn’t win the Emmy for nothing…

464. I think they need to update the opening credits sequence. I mean, it still shows Ryan as a temp, and doesn’t include some of the other newer regulars, like Andy. Some of the shots are from the first season. It definitely needs to be updated.

465. Beetfarm – I do enjoy this show — more than anything else on TV right now, so I will keep on watching.

     I also loved the first season. The uncomfortable periods were a thing of beauty and were done masterfully. They made the show edgy and new.

     After last night’s show, I actually thought that maybe I am too close to this show and that if I stepped away for a while, that I’d have a different perspective. But I dig this show too much to not watch it.

     In the end, to me, last night’s episode just seemed too drawn out and relied too much on plot lines we’ve seen in the past. Unless the next three eps prove otherwise, I, for one, will be happy when the show returns to 30 minutes.

466. I rarely comment on this, but I am a frequent lurker but I just wanted to say I whole heartedly agree with beetfarm! Well said!

     I personally loved the episode,I thought it was great but can understand why others did not like it. Some will like it and some won’t, that is just how it is. Just enjoy it for what it is, a fun tv show!

467. [from tanster: 200-word limit]

468. Okay, I’m still cracking up today over Creed asking Meredith which pain killer she was on… I’m even giggling while I type this. Great Kevin in this episode – loved the talking head with Oscar. P.S. Super-loved the expression on Ryan’s face when he called the office and got voicemail and Michael’s rationalization of why he’s still the boss – I’m going to enjoy watching him and Michael this season.

469. The closing credits for this episode list Takayo Fischer as a guest star. However, I can’t spot her. There’s a photo of her on her imdb page. She is not Elizabeth, the stripper nurse. She is not the real nurse in the hospital who replaces Meredith’s I.V. I didn’t see any other guest actresses in the episode. Also, could she be any relation to Jenna Fischer (Pam)?

     I noticed several returning guest parts, most of which have previously appeared in only one episode: Elizabeth the stripper, the turbaned computer tech dude, Billy the wheelchair-bound building admin, Bob Vance. Kind of like old home week at the office.

470. and by the way, i loved the episode. it was hilarious. i thought michael thinking of the animals was great! that scene in the conference room was classic! everyone sitting there patiently waiting for michael to finish his tangent about ridiculous monster gods?? so funny! the pam and jim thing was perfect, so real. and the dwight thing was so true to character. i think we should all know by now that the writers know what they are doing. i really don’t think any of us could do a better job so lets all have some faith and get excited about next thursday!

471. I for one, am a huge fan of the show, and thought last nights episode was excellent, classic office that was above just about any season 3 episode and on par with season 2 – easily.

472. I think, too, with this mockumentary style, they’re restricted to what is real or what could really happen. And I think the writers have done a tremendous job of finding the loopholes in that style of narrative in creating these wacky, over the top characters.

     In a “Mamma’s Family” type way, there are no honest-to-gosh jokes, but rather the characters behaving in the truest forms of themselves. Those relationships between the characters then become the jokes as a result of each of their eccentricities.

     The characters have to grow. That’s its appeal. Like real people, they’re going to change. They’re not Ross & Rachel or the Seinfeld gang. They’re going to change.

     So previous seasons may have been endearing for other reasons, but now the characters we know and love have new things to adapt to and we have 29 (Bless your heart, Mr. Daniels) more episodes to see how that will play out.

     For a season premier, they did a fine job of staying real. Seven seasons of “will they/ won’t they”? This show is better than that. Giving in to that early series “charm” would be unfair to not just the audiences but to the characters themselves.

473. Angela & Dwight were awesome in this episode!
     I could totally relate to Angela seeing Sprinkles thru many illnesses. That was so funny when she was giving Dwight the detailed list of her many medications & his look of disgust when she told him where to apply the ointment. Also when she was showing the photos of her & the desheveled looking cat. LOL
     I’m happy that PB&J are together, but Pam was a overly happy to me. I hope they don’t become too nauseating together as the season goes on.

474. beetfarm–That was quite possibly the best comment i’ve read so far.

     Yes, last night’s ep was different, but i believe it still retained the charm and humor that we have grown to know and love from these writers and this cast. The show grows and changes with every season premiere and, as a viewer, I respect the vision that the writers and actors have for the show.

     All in all, great ep last night. I love that they don’t let us get too comfortable in our understanding of the show. It’s going to be a great season.

475. Very disappointing premiere. In fact I’d have to put that as one of the worst Office episodes ever, if not the worst.

     I laughed maybe twice during the episode, when Michael donated to “Science” and the “little stitious” bit. The rest was just brutal.

     The thing that killed the episode is the lack of awkward pauses. Everything seemed rushed. Characters talked one right after another, one scene right after another. They tried to fit too much dialogue even though they had 40 minutes.

     Most the actors were out of character. Michael wasn’t awkward at all? Kevin talks up a storm? Angela crying the whole episode about a cat we’ve never even seen alive? Dwight killing his girlfriend’s cat? Pam trying to watch porn at work? Come on.

     1/10 for a terrible way to start the season.

476. As I skim through these posts and read about scenes that some people thought were absolutely hilarious, where I may have only smiled or chuckled, and other parts when I cried laughing that others thought weren’t funny at all…it tells me that there’s a little something for everyone because the writers and the cast are so awesome.

     I still challenge you to find a better comedy on TV. With that said, I’d LOVE for every episode to be 1 hour long. I can’t get enough of it, that’s why I can’t wait for next week.

     Finally, a little off topic, but cocky and over-confident new Ryan is ABSOLUTELY going to flirt with Pam next week. Jim isn’t going to like it at all…but more importantly, I can’t wait to see how Kelly responds!

477. several people have questioned Pam knowing about Angela and Dwight.

     Do you not remember last season when Angela told Pam it was her fault that Dwight was fired? (The episode where Dwight was working at Staples.) And she said “I DENIED him!” Angela stopped using code names with Pam that day.

478. Take away all of Michael/Meredith, it wasn’t that bad.

     Greg Daniels needs to review some of his older scripts from Season 2.

479. Honestly, I’m glad we haven’t seen Jim and Pam out on a date. That would be weird. I hope they get back to doing fun things in the office like pranks or selling paper. I’ll be happy with a TH about their dating life. Or even some smiles.

480. Great episode. But did anyone notice the address of Dunder Mifflin on the giant check? It was 1725 “Slough” Ave. For those UK Office fans thats the name of the city they worked in! Thought that was a sweet find…

     We need more Andy…

481. I loved this episode. Yes sometimes its hard to deal with change, but can you honestly tell me that you’d want to see the same stuff all the time? Life changes, people change.

     As for the Jim and Pam thing, it would have been nice to see their first date, but is that really realistic? Though they did follow Kelly and Pam that one time when they went on a double date, so I guess they could have found a way to work it in.
     Anyway, I trust the writers.

482. Thanks for the link Sumo Schrute!

     An Andy/Dwight/Angela triangle…makes sense?

     Although I believe Karen’s storyline is already wrapped up. I’ve made peace with it at least.

483. The whole idea that characters have to “grow” to maintain interest is way overblown.

     Jim, Pam, and Jan are the only characters that have changed. Kelly, Creed, Michael, Dwight, Kevin, Stanley. etc. are exactly the same as always – and still wonderful.

     Jan’s downward metamorphisis may be in the right direction from a comedy standpoint.

     Making Jim and Pam “better” people is a big risk.

     Downtrodden Jim and Pam teaming together to prank the corporate world worked in a big way.

     Now we will have Number-2-at-Scranton Jim and happy and beautiful Pam getting the best of flawed and less attractive Michael or Dwight. This is topsy turvy from how the show started and presents some real dramatic challanges to the writers.

484. Phyllis: I’m a Lutheran, and Bob is a Unitarian. It keeps things spicy.

     That was my favorite line of the night. LOVED this episode and am furious that iTunes won’t be selling them anymore.

     Stellar episode, well on par with Season 2 and way better than last year’s Gay Witch Hunt premiere. LOVE, LOVE, LOVED it. When Pam and Jim confessed they’ve been dating I believe I swooned. Or sighed at least.

     I hope they keep it up.

485. I feel the need to post here because I have hopes, the hopes that the rushed forced unfunny quality of this episode means that every other episode will not try so hard to live up to its hype and popularity. And I really do blame this episode on all the hype and popularity — this episode tried too hard and it lacked rhythm and the feeling (beyond Jim and Pam, which as a separate entity were addressed perfectly) that the characters usually have. Not every character begged to be on-screen and have subplots in the last season, so it doesn’t need to happen now. We love Kevin/Angela/Stanley/Meredith but there’s a reason that they work better in the background and in smaller doses.

486. Sorry for all the posts, but I agree with Me2. LET THE JOKES BREATHE. Awkward pauses, much?

     That being said, I loved the Kevin/Meredith fist pound, Kevin’s little clapping in the hospital, basically Kevin this entire episode. Yay for Kevin for adding the funny in a half stinky episode. If the voting works for me, I’ll give it a five.

487. Recently I’ve become a major junky for The Office. I’ve seen every episode too many times to count. I’ve just gotten done with my 3rd viewing of the latest episode, and I have to say that it just didn’t click. Everyone seemed to be slow, as if they just came back from a bender. The whole scene where Michael is naming something they can make a sacrifice to… it just plodded on and drug out. Getting robbed of the awkward first steps of Jim and Pam’s relationship? Under-utilized Jan and Ryan? No more Karen? Even Steve Carrell seemed tired and listless. What was wrong with this episode?? Hire me to write episodes NBC!

488. Naturally, the episodes are going to be a little different from before. A LOT has changed. Conflicts we loved have been resolved and new conflicts have been created. Also, the majority of this episode took place outside, not in the office, so that made it a little off as well. I think they’ll get back to classic bits like Jim and Pam tormenting Dwight and vice versa, and Michael’s endearing awkwardness. And more of “Drew” and his angry antics (hopefully).

     I have to agree, Pam downloading the sex tape video? I know she’s changed a bit, but that was way out of character.

     “I didn’t see where it started, but I saw where it ended” HA!!

489. Oh who remembers the part where Darryl is feeding a squirrel as Michael is talking about rabbies? It was so random too lol

490. This:
     Kelly, Creed, Michael, Dwight, Kevin, Stanley. etc. are exactly the same as always – and still wonderful.

     isn’t true. Kelly did a 180 in what, beginning of season 2? They even laugh about it on the commentaries that she changed drastically out of nowhere. She was quiet with kind of fuddy hair and clothes, then suddenly she’s a hyper, ditzy, trendy chatterbox.

491. I think that Michael downloaded the porn on Pam’s computer when she wasn’t there. And then she was being nice by covering it up. Michael mentioned that the first bad thing to happen was the porn crashing the computer (then hitting Meredith and then the cat). There was no way that Michael would have known that the porn crashed the PC since he didn’t go into the office until after Meredith. So it must have been the previous night that he downloaded the porn on Pam’s PC (so he wouldn’t get in trouble), realized the system crashed, and then left.

     Hence Jim’s look at the camera when Michael commented about the porn crash.

492. Im not sure if this was mentioned before, simply because im not checking 500+ comments, but did anyone notice that the better Jim and Pam’s relationship was getting, the worst Dwight and Angela’s was doing. lol.

     Also, I did notice how everyone is saying that they’re nervous about Jim and Pam finally being PB&J, well… Dwight and Angela have been together since season 2, and there was plenty of great stuff there. hopefully, the writers will focus on that aspect of the show and put JAM on the backburner. or… more Jan and Michael or Ryan and Kelly angst. There’s so much to chose from!

     Having said that… great kick off to a soon-to-be amazing season. Kudos Office staff!

493. [from tanster: 200-word limit]

494. Are we to assume that while the camera crew knows Jim and Pam are dating, no one else in the office knows? I hope so–that could be fun. I remember from last night that the camera guys knew what’s up, but Kevin is still in the dark (in spite of his efforts). Clandestine!Jam could be a whole new ballgame!

495. This is a television show… An awesome one

     Incredible writers, incredible actors…incredible story lines… Why try to find fault with every episode? They can’t all be perfect.

496. EW posted their “TV Watch” column for the episode; it’s pretty interesting, though not as critical as it usually is…
     http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20059261,00.html

497. Oh and I am happy my namesake character the Stripper came back.

498. I am just happy that The Office is back on. I thought “Fun Run” was hilarious. I am very excited about the show. I think we are in for a very good season 4.

     I can’t wait for next week!!! Long live The Office!

499. I can’t believe anyone could say this episode wasn’t funny. I mean c’mon! Just a few examples: double jeopardy (What is, “we’re fine”?), highway speed bump, Andy drafting and chaffing, “is this downsizing?,” “it’s only Meredith,” Kevin’s “are you kidding me?” and many, many more. I laughed harder at some of those moments than ever before in The Office (and I’ve been a fan since the beginning).

     This show has never been realistic. Think about it: DM should’ve been sued many times, Michael fired many more times, most of The Office outings and events would never happen in a real office, etc. Like Rainn says in that EW interview “none of it has EVER been believable.” The genius of The Office has always been the balance of the reality of the workplace setting and the absurd situations that take place in each episode. The absurdity is what makes it funny!

500. You know what I like the old Pam. The one that was weak and couldn’t make decisions on her own. I like the Pam that constantly went back with her boyfriend who treated her bad. What happen to that Pam? Now I have this confident woman instead who (gasps) watches celebrity sex tapes.

501. #534| CH

     THANK YOU! See everyone!? Possibilities. There is so much in an ENSEMBLE cast to pick from. I’m trusting Greg Daniels. Harvard. Emmy’s. The guy has several reasons for me to believe he knows what he’s doing.

     According to the NBC blog, he’s coming to the convention with the writers. This has me happier than if Carell was confirmed. No lie. If they do go through with the writer’s panel like the Times-Tribune article mentioned, it will have justified my purchasing the corporate pass.

     I’m pumped.

502. Re: 500 | Little Stitious

     I agree completely. New opening credits. Steve looks so different now, Ryan isn’t in the office, etc…

     I think Pam’s character changed just the right amount. Michael wasn’t any crazier in this ep than he was in any other ep. If anything, Angela and Dwight became *more* real and 3-dimensional to me.

     And for the people who doubt the realism of Andy’s bleeding nipples, as someone who has cheered on her dad at numerous marathons I can tell you with absolute certainty that it happens. Yes I’ve seen it that bad. Even with bandaids and tape used as a precaution. I wish I didn’t know that. *shudder*

503. JAM was incredibly boring last night. When I think about the relationships on this show, they are interesting to watch because of the obstacles/conflicts. (Kelly is hyper and crazy in love with Ryan, while he tries to get away. Angela and Dwight being so weird and trying so hard to keep everything secret. The evolution of Jan’s character and seeing how Michael wants to be with her, then wants to break up…)

     But Jim and Pam are basically like the same person- both kind, sweet, sarcastic, and into pranks. Now that there’s no Roy or Karen, I don’t really see what other kind of conflicts could come up, so basically spending any more time on JAM seems pointless.

504. What a great episode! I loved it. The writers are absolutely amazing. Looks like it’s gonna be a hilarious season. Hooray that The Office is back!!

505. I loved it, but I have to say–I do miss the old Pam…

506. I think part of what made this episode feel a bit different was that much of the comedy was quite broad, not the more subtle stuff that we’re used to. Don’t get me wrong, I was still cracking up. I’d advise a second viewing, I liked it much more the second time around.

     Also, I don’t have a problem with not seeing Jim and Pam’s first date. After all, this show is about the OFFICE. It would be weird if the camera crew was suddenly following people around in their personal lives outside of work. But as for the reveal about Jim and Pam, I think even the camera crew has their limits and just wanted them to admit they were dating after all this time.

507. I don’t expect perfection, I expect entertainment, and I get it every week.

508. Wow, amazing episode last night. There were so many laughs and they all had perfect timing. I never really cared for JAM, so whatever. Dwight and Angela were hilarious, Michael, Creed and Toby were great too. Very impressed with the show.

509. I think the writers have done an excellent job keeping the Jim/Pam relationship realistic. It has been a few months since their first date, and from personal experience, when two people have liked each other for so long, and finally the obstacles have disappeared and they have both admitted their feelings, there is no reason to take it slow. Now, I don’t mean get married and start having babies – but it seems totally realistic that they would spend every possible moment together to make up for all the wasted time. I mean, 3 years of sexual tension is a lot of build-up. They already know so much about each other, it’s not like starting to date from scratch. All it needed was one conversation “why didn’t you call me after you called off the wedding” and “what happened w/ Karen” and they were pretty much set.

510. (Back to the porn) But the IT guy didn’t call it porn, he just said you shouldn’t click on offers you didn’t ask for. He certainly wouldn’t have told Michael it was porn, just that Pam had clicked on something she shouldn’t have. Michael was the only one who used the word porn.

     I think it was thrown in there to get the IT guy back.

511. The old Pam? She’s still there–she’s just not miserable. Who wants to watch someone who’s miserable all the time? I thought the writers did an amazing job of making the new JAM sweet and happy without being boring. And I can’t wait to see the pranks they pull off together.

     Now we just have to sit back and bide our time until the JAM WEDDING!

512. So I don’t know if someones mentioned it, but just HOW GREAT is the dynamic duo of Oscar and Kevin? I would love the heck out of more double-whammy commentary by them.

513. Oh, and which do you think would be funnier: Creed actually being 82 or just thinking he was?

514. LOVED the episode, and not just b/c of PB & J too. I thought I was going to bust when Andy drafted off of Kevin and when Michael said he was only “a little stitious”.

     Also, love the deleted scene and how Kelly is acting like her office is her bedroom at home.

515. One thing that doesn’t make much sense to me. Pam downloads porn on her computer, but she is grossed out by the sight of Michael naked? Seems contradictory.

516. I have to say I miss the old Pam a Little bit since she was sort of rude last night to Angela. However, I totally trust the writers since they’ve never let me down in the past.
     Also, despite my other doubts, I really don’t see why it’s that hard to believe that Pam would have tried to download a celebrity sex tape. Since she’s constantly bored at work she’s probably already looking at celebrity gossip, which is really just one step away from a celebrity sex tape. Some of you seem to be underestimating the power of boredom. It would have made less sense if she had done that at home in her free time.

517. Didn’t love the episode, didn’t hate it. Somewhere in the middle. I’m curious to see where it goes as I feel that, much like season three, it will play better as part of a whole.

     Said it before, saying it again: the brilliance of season two may never be matched. Why do you think romantic comedy’s always show the characters journey to each other? Because it makes for more interesting viewing. But I am ecstatic that a TV show is ballsy enough to break that mold and show us a continuing relationship.

     And I don’t believe for one second that, if seasons three and four were recycles of season two, people wouldn’t be complaining that the show is getting stagnant and unrealistic and we NEED to see Jam together. Not buying it. It’s very reminiscent of the Star Wars: Episode I arguments.

     Oh, and Ryan Howard = David Brent. Very happy to read that others noticed this.

518. Ok…I need help.

     I know that NBC/iTunes relationship is ending…but I thought it wasn’t until December. Is iTunes not selling Season 4 at all?

     Where do I go to download Fun Run?

519. LOVED this episode!!!! So many great quotes, and PB & J, my god……SO ADORABLE TOGETHER!!!!! I did not stop grinning the whole episode. I just loved seeing Pam smiling the whole episode for once. Fancy New Beesly gets to be happy, and with Jim. :) :) :)

     It’s going to be hard to go back to half-hour episodes in a few weeks!!!!

     10 out of 10!

520. I agree with the comment that Season 2 will be un-matched. After seeing the spoiler clips a couple days before, I didn’t want to get high hopes. Not that it was a bad episode, because it wasn’t, it’s just that the Jim and Pam thing just didn’t feel right. And I’m one of the biggest Jammers there is. This is my favorite show, it always will be, and I’ve stuck with it since the first episode of S2, but I’m not going to let myself be let down by expecting anything great this season.

521. Sheesh, only 200 words… :) Thoughts:

     -Pam didn’t look totally different to me; her skirts, shoes, necklace were the same–new blouses and her hair just doesn’t have a clip. She is less meek, but I agree that that is the natural progression considering how her life is changing.

     -I agree that only we and the camera crew (and Kevin, sort of) know that Pam and Jim are dating–the secret’s not out yet. (Also, Jim and Pam have ALWAYS been in denial about each other to the camera, so that
     wasn’t a stretch for me. And I think the camera crew was grinningly reminding them, “You can’t hide anything from us, remember?” But they won’t tell.)

     -I’m in the camp that Pam accidentally clicked on something at the beginning, but then in her new confidence was playing it up big for Jim’s benefit when the IT guy came to clean it up. I agree that that
     sort of thing would be bringing Pam down, not helping her progress in any good way.

     -For those of you asking when Angela stopped using pretend names when discussing Dwight with Pam–it was in The Return, remember? (“No, John Denver…”)

522. [from tanster: 200-word limit]

523. Sorry guys–those were really long!

     Just wanted to add two more things: Temp (551 & 552)–hilarious and right on!

     And Michael’s redeeming moment in this episode was when he was the only one who remembered the cat’s name. :)

524. McOfficeFan…

     You got it! Could not have said it better. :)

525. Something tells me the tape Pam was trying to order was part of a prank. Possibly on Jim. That’s the only explanation I’ve come up with.

     Other than that, I loved the episode. Jim and Pam finally being together is great, and keeping them in the background is even better.

     Dwight and Angela could not have rocked harder. I totally need to remember the chair trick.

526. The show seems to have lost its subtlety, it was all believeable before and now it just seems horribly outrageous. I hope that the episode was a bit of a fluke in that respect, still rather funny, just not the quality you come to expect. Cheers to PB&J!

527. Did you see that PB&J!!!!!!!

528. I have a theory that the whole celebrity download fiasco has something to do with Michael. I can just imagine him going over to Pam’s computer and saying, “Hey, look at this,” while clicking on a link to something inappropriate, thus crashing her computer. He mentioned it in his cursed talk. I think he was more upset that he had to see the IT again. I’m convinced it was another one of Michael’s smooth moves.

529. I loved this episode! But, I was a little confused about the “porn” part. Also, they could have drug out the secret about Jim and Pam a bit longer. I mean we obviously knew, but like someone said – the Oscar/Kevin thing was hilarious. Lacking some Andy too. I loved the superstitious line :)

530. Oh, happy day, I believe in love!! I feel like my friends are back from a long vacay and it’s so great to catch up. Loved the docu crew outing Jim & Pam–they watched them for so long, like we did, and obviously were rooting for them, too. Loved Kevin’s “Are you kidding me?!” SO much good stuff. Did not like the cat thing-how can Dwight expect Angela to understand that? And Michael’s head of a-, body of a-. I kept thinking “wonder twin powers, activate”.
     Classic. Season 4 is already brighter and I’m thrilled!

531. I can’t believe you all think Pam actually watched that tape. I thought that was clearly some sort of prank or dare that Jim had going. It was obvious by how happy the whole thing seemed to be making him.

532. 3 viewings later i still squee at Jims blushingness. I also again have to say that I may fall in love with Andy. He was pretty funny this episode and he wasn’t very sucky upy…at all. So…go Andy! Also…I miss old Pam a big wee bit.

533. Last night, after the initial viewing, I was not too thrilled with the episode. I watched it again this afternoon and definitely found it more humorous. In both of my viewings, I felt Pam was almost bordering on cockiness. I know she’s now fancy and all that, but I do miss our old Pam! Poor Dwight and Angela, I do see trouble ahead.

534. I am crazy about this show. A co-worker put me on to it, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Every single episode I watch, I end up with tears in my eyes from laughter. I’d love to hang out with the writers. I know I’d have a stomachache in no time.

535. #548 | Far Away

     Well said! I couldn’t agree more that the JAM relationship is completely realistic. It’s absolutely great to watch them together.

536. great episode. i think this is going to be the best season.

537. Kudos to post #539 [I Bravehart]

     That is exactly how I feel.

     Everyone needs to read that.

538. Can’t tell people how much I love this show. I love the Oscar Kevin combo and Jam. Also, I enjoy the whole Angela and Dwight arguing. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season, especially Ryan because he’s just gonna be a wiseass to Scranton.

539. Ok, I have to say… I’m pretty sure Pam “ordering” a celebrity sex tape was an accident. It was my understanding that she accidentally clicked on something, which led to the snafu….

     Or maybe I’m just naive? BUt I really do think it was an accident on her part.

540. Bring Todd Packer back!

541. I thought it was pretty obvious Jim was pretending he didn’t know what Pam had been up to on the computer – they probably tried to purchase it for their, erm, private meetings!

542. that said, i still thought the episode was kind of weird.

543. Did anyone else love how the Michael/Ryan conversation went exactly like a S1/S2 Michael/Jan conversation? Brilliant.

544. This was the first episode, and it did feel different. The second half was more ‘familiar’. But if they didn’t wrap things up quickly, the way some have said, there would’ve been a ton of complaints about how JAM is being dragged out.
     I’m glad we got to see more of the other characters. After all during season 3, some were complaining that we don’t get to see Angela or Kevin. I trust the writers and I’m sure they’ll make another funny and smart show this season as they have in the past.

545. Is this all the Karen we’re gonna get in this season? I was expecting, maybe, 2 or 3 more episodes with her around. Oh well. =\

546. Whoa littlestitious, there is a BIG difference in watching a celebrity sex tape (which is most likely two good looking people and/or has been talked about so there is some curiosity about it)…
     and
     …In seeing your ignorant boss, who has sexually harassed you, naked. Plus, Pam has to see and work with Michael everyday! There is no personal connection to a sex tape.

547. Loved the episode! Can’t wait until next Thursday!

548. I think the celebrity sex tape thing was just to show us that the FNB can be kinky and naughty – just like we found with Jan, Phyllis, and others of the women.

549. Hey everyone. First time poster.

     I read roughly the first 300 posts, including the many negative ones, before seeing the episode, and I really have to say that I was pleasantly relieved. Personally I found it to be a funny, engaging, touching episode very consistent in quality with the past couple of seasons.

     I was expecting the Dwight-cat-killing element to be gruesome and dark, but really it was almost classically tragic, revealing, and a fascinating step into seriousness into the Dwight/Angela relationship. I didn’t think their relationship could be rotated from amusing caricature into something so raw and emotional.

550. I really really REALLY don’t think that Pam was serious about the porn. That doesn’t seem like her, so why would she do it?

551. was pam really looking at porn or was she trying to get some for michael (like an assignment) that whole part was a little confusing. Overall good episode, the show is great no matter what : )

552. I think last night’s episode was amazing. So many great laughs. Dwight’s gun had me rolling on the floor laughing. This was truely a great office episode and a great start for the season.

     I like the half hour format better though :)

553. I am very pleased with this news I just read……..

     While leadership was mixed, CSI built from it’s year-ago opener (Viewers: 22.57 million; A18-49: 7.7/18, on Sept. 21, 2006) by 2.28 million viewers and four percent among adults 18-49. Grey’s Anatomy, however, was down by 4.93 million viewers (25.41 to 20.48) and 21 percent in the demo (11.0/26 to 8.7/21). Are viewers tiring of the soggy dramatics between Meredith and Dr. “McDreamy”?

     A one-hour edition of NBC’s The Office finished third in the 9 p.m. hour, with 9.67 million viewers and a series-high 5.1/12 among adults 18-49. Comparably, that built by a hefty 31 percent in adults 18-49 from the second half of lead-in My Name is Earl (3.9/11), with growth 19 percent in the demo from its year-ago season opener (4.3/11 on Sept. 21, 2006).

554. I think the episode just started off fantastically. Seeing Michael eating the cereal was just so funny. His facial expression there is great. And him showing Jan on the bed sleeping was also really great. And Michael hitting Meredith with his car? Classic.

     Kevin was gold this entire episode. His “You’ve GOT to be kidding me.” line was gold – I’m happy that they brought that line back from “A Benihana Christmas”.

     And the funniest scene in the episode? When Pam walks into Michael’s office while he’s changing his pants, and gets a glimpse of his penis. That was just so funny. And Jan’s confrontation to Pam about it was great.

555. is it just me that found it weird when angela was talking about her relationship with dwight to pam openly?

556. I loved this episode!!!! I don’t know if it was because I haven’t seen a new episode all summer or what but I was so happy this entire episode!! And I loved seeing Angela and Dwight in a fight. It was the most absurd situation but it seemed so real at the same time. They are so awesome!!

557. This episode was awesome, I only found one flaw. I don’t know about California, but in the northeastern part of the country, an old lamp never goes over about $3.00. Most of the times things are free or mere cents. People are lazy and more concerned with getting rid of their stuff then making money.

558. Alright episode, I didn’t like the feel of it. Things seemed strange, like it was a different show with the same characters. Good Michael episode, but the part about religion was the most boring Office moment since season one with him talking about the animal forms that a god can take.
     Funniest part other than most everything Michael did was when Angela kept violently bashing into Dwight because she was so upset. The whole Sprinkles thing was a little dark for the show, but it worked in an odd way. Some classic Kevin in this episode, and I’d like to see a few more of the cool Kevin-Oscar tag-team talking heads.
     One of the better cold opens I’ve seen; that started the season in a good way. First half-hour was a drag, but the fun run itself carried the weight. “This is the face of rabies”.

559. Pam’s transformation reminded me of “Grease.” I remember being very disappointed and downright offended that Sandy had to change who she was to “get” Danny. Then I realized that it was highly unlikely that she continued with that look. It was really to make a statement and try something different.
     I think that Pam has some new clothes, and has let down her hair, but it’s not like it’s straight, or a different color, and I think we will still see her in cardigans and button downs.

     By the way, someone mentioned that they couldn’t believe that Pam and Jim were shacking up already. Where did you get that idea?

560. Loved loved loved Jim & Pam together, but I hope they calm down a bit. They were both a little snarky to other people (like Pam to Angela) that seemed unneeded. I like FNB too but I think she too needs to just back off. I did love this episode but am interested to see where they go form here. I think it was ok to sum up the summer and introduce us to Jim/Pam together. But now let’s see where they can take it. Too much PB&J will get old. Sorry, that was pretty rambly..

561. Is anyone else hoping that one of the 4 (still unseen)deleted scenes helps to explain Pam’s porn downloading??

562. Great episode, can’t wait until next week.

563. I feel that maybe the writers are trying to take some of the focus off of JAM (now PB&J) and put it on the other developing romances.. like Dwangela and the Jan/Michael situation. There’s a ton of plots to develop in the show, and only half an hour to put it in.

     I personally thought Pam and Jim last night were the sweetest thing ever, not blah.. and so what if there won’t be so much developing in their relationship? 532 Cher is Bonto was right, that Dwight and Angela have been together since the beginning of season two..nobody thinks they’re blah. And it’s true that Jim and Pam as individuals aren’t as interesting and out there as others may be. Even so, I’m entirely excited for the new PB&J and the other plot developments that will now have more focus put on them.

     And about the Pam/Porn situation, there’s no evidence that that is what she actually clicked on. There were some suspicious glances between Pam and Jim in that scene, and they could have just been messing around.

     And as others have said, we should all just trust Greg Daniels. (194 words!)

564. no tats – you can download it from amazon unbox.

     And the return of the stripper lady – and Michael’s cluelessness made my day.

565. 566: “The show seems to have lost its subtlety, it was all believeable before and now it just seems horribly outrageous.”

     As Rainn mentioned in the EW interview: “The Injury” featured Michael grilling his foot on a George Foreman grill and Dwight getting a personality-changing concussion. Subtlety at its finest.

566. Why did they have to hide the fact that they were dating? I found that frustrating and annoying. I also thought Pam was kind of mouthy and less sweet and special. Boy this episode kind of broke my heart.

567. I love being Canadian and all but this whole not being able to watch the new episode and deleted scene on NBC.com and not being able to download the episodes off Amazon is really getting me down.

568. this was an alright episode. i didn’t really get why jim and pam had to hide their relationship. i mean, come on, he asked her on a date in front of the camera man! so yeah, that didn’t make any sense to me.

569. I for one applaud the writers for developing the characters and allowing them to progress. Sure, it’s different than what first endeared the characters to us, but they could not leave it like it was then because then the same folks would complain about stagnation. Give the current path a chance. Trust Mr Daniels, the writers and the actors. I’m sure they know what they’re doing.

570. Well said, #539, I’m with you all the way on this one, another example, “baguette” vs.”dangling participle” There are so many reasons I love this show. SO glad to see Jim’s classic camera “looks” back again.

571. Did anyone notice the background of Angela’s talking head where she explains that Sprinkles is sick? It looks like a picture, nothing moves.

572. I love the detail they put into the scenery, Michael’s apartment full of knick-knacks and decorative pillows because Jan’s living there cracked me up. It’s the things like that you sometimes don’t notice the first time around.

573. I revise my statement in #615, Andy moves slightly in the shot, my mistake.

574. helper-

     I noticed that in another talking head also… I think it was Kevin and Oscar’s.. I don’t really get it. Anyone else notice this?

575. Did anyone notice when Dwight was explaining to Angela how he killed her cat that he has a little of a lisp? Maybe I’m crazy but I thought it was cute.

576. I loved the cold-opener… It was so serene, plain even. Then Michael hit Meredith with his car.

     I feel bad for laughing, but that was just -amazing-.

577. i think this season the focus will be on dwight and angela (plus andy?!?!), and not so much jim and pam, since their love life has FINALLLLYYYY been resolved. i love dwight and angela just as much as jim and pam, so it’ll be a great thing to see their relationship more. i think the episode wasn’t up to par, but i’m sure that the writers will take into consideration what the audience is thinking/saying, and the episodes will gradually get back to what it used to be.
     i also agree that thirty minutes is a way better time slot. the jokes did drag a little, but at least they were hilarious. “this is the face of rabies.” :]

578. There were a lot of good moments, but even after watching it a second time, I still have this horribly nagging feeling – this felt a lot like an episode of The Simpsons. Maybe it was Michael’s Mr. Burns ‘excellent’ comment that triggered it, but I can totally see Homer hitting Barney with his car, Apu as the IT guy, Dr. Hibbert making the uterus joke, Lenny and Carl taking a taxi to Moe’s for a drink and Bart putting Snowball II in the freezer.

579. I always knew J&J had great chemistry but man, last night they just *sizzled*. That conference room scene–wow! JK knocked it out of the park (that boy can blush!) and it was so satisfying to *finally* see J&P busting-at-the-seams happy. My only worry is that they blew a pretty big wad in the first ep, so hopefully they don’t feel the need to create artificial tension down the line.

     It was great how much screen time there was for some of the under-utilized characters like Angela, Meredith and even Kevin. Hopefully the trend continues through the rest of the season–there’s some real under-tapped (is that a word?) talent in their ranks. Maybe in the next few weeks we’ll get to see more Phyllis, Stanley, Kelly & Darryl (my personal favorites).

     Some of the humor, especially in the Michael scenes, was pretty broad and not as nuanced as other eps but that could be because it was a season opener and they had a lot to accomplish bringing everyone up to speed. I’m hoping once they have to layer Ryan in, the fur will start to fly for real.

580. #604

     I think I started that rumor. Jim parked his car a few blocks from the office and then jumped into another car with Pam, followed by a “Hello Honey” kiss. If they weren’t living together they would at least drive home to their own apartments before going on a “date”.

     Jim and Pam also bought a lamp together. Not something casual dating couples usually do.

     Finally, the Pam Porn. I guess to show that Pam wants to be hot in bed for Jim?

     Pam is no virgin. She was shacking up with Roy for several years. But why fast-forward Jim and Pam to this advanced stage without showing us the steps along the way. That was incredibly disappointing to me.

581. I really hate the new Pam.

     It was great to see an actress as gorgeous as Jenna playing someone toned down, insecure, normal and kind. I think so many people were drawn to Pam because she was so different from all the other females on TV that are just used as sex symbols. But I feel that New Pam is just like every other female character we see on every other TV show. No longer does she have that sweetness, and she just seems smug, snarky and rude.

     We already saw Jim display some jerk-ish qualities last season, and now with bossy New Pam, this couple as a whole seems like they think they are too good for everyone else at the office.

     Of course, it’s only been one episode, so hopefully things will change…

582. Question:

     Does anyone have any idea on how they did the Meredith getting hit with the car stunt. I’ve watched it over and over again and can’t quite figure it out. Either Meredith is riding on the hood of the car the entire time or she literally throws herself on top of a moving car. Either way….impressive.

583. My sister said she felt cheated that we didn’t see Jim and Pam’s first big kiss as a couple; she thinks the 2-month-fast-forward robbed us of some of those crucial moments. I’m thinking there’s still a lot left to be said about the early days of the relationship. Thoughts?

584. For everyone who is uncertain about the whole Pam downloading porn thing, this is the story: She must have seen it in her email inbox, like a spam email for a celebrity sex tape. Maybe Pam was just interested on which celebrity it was. She clicked on it and it caused the computer to crash, “it all happened so fast.” That’s why the I.T. guy was there, bring ing the computer back up to speed. Pam did not intentionally buy porn. Hope this helps.

585. The thought that I won’t be seeing Karen any more greatly disappoints me. She was a really great character, and an awesome girlfriend! I still love her more than Pam, and I hold to the idea that she was too good for Jim. I can’t believe HE broke up with HER. It doesn’t seem right. Maybe I just feel shafted because I missed all the fun details of the Jim-Karen break-up and the Jim-Pam get-together.

586. Love triangle alert. Andwangela people! I don’t like it but i think its going to happen.

587. #630–
     Is this “Paul” as in Toby-Paul, or “Paul” as in Officetally fan with a theory?

588. CH – I know what you mean. I wanted to see the big first kiss after their date or something, which might still be possible if the crew shows the office the history of JAM or something, but even if they don’t, and they probably won’t, the kiss says it all. I think we’ll be seeing a little bit more of those and then some in the future (:

     & I don’t think anyone has mentioned how awesome it was to have the IT Tech Guy back! I loved him from Email Surveillance. And Elisabeth was back, too! It was like a reunion of my favorite guest stars!

589. A lot of folks are complaining that we didn’t get to see Pam & Jim’s first date, first kiss as a couple, etc. but I think it’s important to remember that we’ve only seen one episode so far. There’s plenty of time for flashbacks, etc.

     Regarding Pam’s new look, if she didn’t change her style a little to reflect the fact that she’s genuinely happy these days I think I would have been surprised. That’s precisely the kind of thing that happens in real life, and it’s the reality of this show that is one of its key attractions. I actually think could end up being an interesting plot device, too. For example, if Pam comes to work with her hair back as in previous seasons, we can know that she’s had some sort of fight with Jim…

590. I was going to post that I don’t see anything wrong with Pam or Jim’s behavior in the episode like so many others. They are in a new love, but still consider those around them. Pam was trying to be helpful to Angela after her cat died. Then her little speech to Michael when he was on the ground almost in tears. And I didn’t see Pam being snarky or not sweet at all, but more assertive now that she has more confidence.

591. I see so many are complaining about not seeing the first Jim/Pam date and/or first kiss.

     Well, obviously. This isn’t like Casino Night where everything that happened was in the office and it’s surroundings. I really doubt Jim and Pam’s first date would take place there. (Oops- second date. Their first really did happen there!)

     And I also don’t think we’ll be seeing flashbacks simply because it seems to me that the camera crew didn’t know about the romance until they caught Jim and Pam in the car (and they went after Pam because of Kevin’s suspicions).

     Just my two stanley-nickels. No need to throw rocks.

592. Everyone is saying that we didn’t get to see Jim and Pam’s first kiss, but we got to see “Casino Night” – what could be better than that? I guess I can understand that some people want to see their first days as a couple, but I personally like the fact that we haven’t gotten to see everything. It’s different from every other televison show today. Just think: If the writers gave us everything that we wanted too fast, then what would we have to look forward to in future episodes? I’m loving this season so far!

593. In total agreement with Matt (#636). There’s more than enough proof in the episode that Pam is still the sweet girl we know (see Matt’s excellent examples). I find it refreshing that Pam has always been a character who has a quiet strength to her. She’s perceptive to the goings-on in the office; she’s the voice of reason and compassion, and offers support to her co-workers in an unobtrusive way that makes them feel better without making them feel beholden to her. Pam is just happier now in her personal life, but she’s still the same sweet girl we know.

     What most of you are mistaking as so-called snarkiness on the part of Jim and Pam is just the bemusement that is their reaction to the “craziness” of the office around them. Watch an episode of the UK Office, Arrested Development or 30 Rock. Tim, Michael and Liz react in the pretty much the same way to the craziness of the situation around them; it’s the “straight guy” reaction. If Jim and Pam seem to inhabit their own world, it’s because they understand each other, and find solace in each other in the midst of the madness of Dunder-Mifflin Scranton.

594. Wow. I am surprised by all the negative comments on the episode. Maybe I am more of a Jim/Pam shipper than I realize because I have watched it a couple times now and really like it. Which brings me back to how could the show and JF and not win and JK not even be nominated (ever!!) for Emmys.

595. First of all I want to say that I really liked this episode and if the voting would allow me, I would give it a 9. I also want to say that I knew once they brought Jim and Pam together the diehard JAM fans would have issues. Yes, Pam looked great had new clothes and new hair. But I can attest that when I went through a nasty breakup I also didn’t bother much with my looks and didn’t care and when I came out of that funk, so did my make-up and new clothes.

596. And as to Pam being insensitive to those around her, has no one else been so happy at a moment in their life that it was hard to focus on other’s misery. It’s almost like she lived in a funk for so long that she doesn’t want to be brought back into it.

597. Re: Pam
     Yes, she really was gorgeous! And it’s probably because subconsciously you already knew she was with Jim… :)

598. Think about how Angela approached Pam with her problem. It was something like: “Pam, I’m having relationship problems and since you’re always having relationship problems…” That personally would have insulted me. Plus, the question Angela asked was totally random. (AK even said it was improvised): “Did Roy ever kill any of your cats?” For the first time in Pam’s life, she is happy, then she gets insulted by Angela, then Angela asks her a crazy off-the-wall question. In REAL life, the first thing that comes out of your mouth isn’t going to be, “Oh, no, Roy wasn’t the type to kill cats, but I’m sorry your boyfriend killed yours.” Pam gave an instinctual response to a crazy question. And, please, Pam and Jim have ALWAYS been the popular kids. Even before, they were the best looking, most normal, and smartest of the office. You wouldn’t be discussing them and obsessing over “JAM” if they WEREN’T the popular kids.

599. I’m sorry you feel like that AP, but I didn’t find her attitude off-putting at all. Different strokes for different people. I didn’t see anything wrong with Pam saying she was a dog person, especially after Angela insulted her saying she is someone who always has “relationship problems.” Pam comforted her to the best of her ability and was more helpful than Angela’s own boyfriend. She also helped to organize the trip to the hospital, which may not have even happened without Pam encouraging everyone to go throughout the day.

     And when were Pam and Jim making fun of anyone in this episode? I didn’t see that at all.

600. I am a huge fan, but after watching the season opener, I’m in fear that this will be the season that The Office “jumps the shark.” I sure hope not, but it will have to get better. The Angela storyline and the Michael storyline were just a little too unbelievable….

601. I also don’t think Pam’s speech at the end was meant to be mean to Michael. When she said she was still having fun, I took that to mean she was reassuring Jim that the great day they’d been having wasn’t ruined. They’re still in a new relationship and I’m sure there are still some insecurities between them. It wasn’t selfish at all. She was letting Jim know that her feelings for him were clear, while trying to reassure Michael. It was supposed to be a “fun” run for a reason. As for the “better people” comment, I think she was intentionally trying to push Michael into action. He was sitting there feeling irrationally sorry for himself and responding to nothing they were saying; by implying that Michael was less than another person she actually MOTIVATED him to finish the race. As Michael was sitting on the ground, Jim and Pam were the ONLY ones who stopped to try to see what was wrong; everyone else just stared at him and walked on.

602. I don’t think she’s ever been that sweet. She has always made bitchy comments really – but she looked and sounded so innocent that they were funny. Now she’s not they just seem mean :)

603. Just started reading through all the comments, and I agree with Pam Pam in comment #51; I smell some Andy/Angela action coming up! I mean, Dwight admitted that he killed (or, at least tried to kill) Sprinkles. Angela made the comment that he “never liked them”, referring to her cats. Her cats are HUGE in her life, so Dwight being so incredibly insensitive about them is going to be hard for her to get over. And remember Andy and his kitty screensaver?

     Even if Andy goes after Angela only to be competitive with Dwight, I still see it coming. And I’m sure it’s going to be hilarious!

604. Just thinking about the Pam/porn situation. I do believe she downloaded it, she wasn’t covering up for anyone. Based on her comment about almost marrying Roy Anderson, I’m choosing to believe that she was downloading a Pamela Anderson video.

605. I don’t understand why everyone has a problem with Pam being happy. Does anyone remember how hard it was to watch her in previous seasons? This woman has paid her dues and deserves some happiness, and if she wants to think of herself for change and smile all day at her new boyfriend i can’t blame her!

     Also, i had no problem with her reactions to Angela’s cat and Michael’s pathetic need for attention. Michael needs to grow up. Its starting to get to the point where i can barely tolerate listening to him, so imagine what Pam must be feeling. As for Angela, I don’t know if I would adopt a sad face and pity the most rude, judgemental person in the office just because her cat died. I know that sounds callous but look at how she asked pam for advice- Since your always having relationship problems- come on…

606. I made it about three pages into the comments before I couldn’t read anymore.

     The Office is a brilliant TV show. Period. Where the writers take it, I believe, should be their choice. Not mine or fans or anyone else.

     I imagine the writers and producers have an arc that they are sticking close to and I want to see it, no matter where it goes.

     Not to say that criticism should be muted… Just… Well… I view this show as a gift (ie. Steve Carell is a genius, the entire cast truly seems to be one large family all trying to bring forth a quality experience) and to hear people being so critical about such a true gem of a TV show (among a sea of cubic zirconia TV shows) is kind of saddening. Name me another show that exudes such quality from top to bottom.

     Oh well.. such is the internet.

607. 642 – Michael was concerned that everyone hated him for what he did to Meredith. Pam’s comments near the end as well as Jim’s handing him the lamp were to make it clear that they didn’t. She had a good time, she wasn’t mad at Michael. It was somewhat sweet and along the same vein as the end of Office Olympics.

     Pam seemed like her old self to me this episode, I much preferred it to the meek caricature she’d become in season 3. Her snarky attitude isn’t new, it was the way she used to be but in season 3 they had given some of Pam’s character traits to Karen, which bugged me and I’m glad to see Pam back to being herself.

608. Regarding missing the first date & kiss as a couple: we’ve all waited so long for that to happen, I don’t think most people would be satisfied (TWSS-sorry) with how it would occur. It’s better to sort of leave it to our imaginations, I think. We already have 600+ comments about minute details of the episode-not that I’m complaining.

     I love this show. I know the writers won’t let us down. Let’s just enjoy the ride with these characters.

609. Karen’s disappearance was a little disappointing. Maybe she’s moved to New York and is now living with Darrin (from Season 1 — Halloween)?? I think I saw somewhere that she’ll be back for 1 or 2 more episodes this season. . .

610. Alright, you guys have brought me out of the woodwork. I for one love Pam’s new confidence. And I’m kind of amazed that it’s a turn off to some people. It makes me think that the idea that people have problems with strong, intelligent women is true. I don’t think she was snarky but was just continuing with her “honesty” thing.

     I will concede that her comments toward Michael were not too encouraging, but really, what could you say that wasn’t completely fabricated?

     Also, you guys are acting like she did something drastic with her looks. She’s wearing her hair down and had some summer shirts for goodness sakes and wants to make her boyfriend happy.

611. Well, I guess the people who didn’t like the episode as much waited a little longer to post, and are now taking over the message board. Personally, I thought it was pretty darn good, and I have absolutely no idea why so many people see Pam as “snarky”. Just because she isn’t sitting there in silence anymore with a offended face doesn’t mean she’s being mean. In fact, she was still kind to Angela, and listened to her. The “I’m more of a dog person” line was just a response to Angela asking if Pam ever had any cats.

     Mentioning Angela, I thought she stole the show. (Besides JAM in the conference room.) Mark my words, there will be a new love triangle with Dwangela and Andy. Remember his kind words to her in the kitchen?

     I LOVE Pam, and I think all her responses were totally normal and relatable. Besides some new confidence and happiness from Jim, she’s still the some sweet, caring girl.

612. Pam loves porn!…awesome

613. Pam wasn’t being mean. What could she have said to Michael about the day that made it seem good or Michael seem good? She was honest. Michael hit Meredith with his car; he wasn’t helping any people with rabies. And imagine if your boss “accidentally” flashed you and then said it was your fault. And don’t forget Angela insulted her when she was asking for help- “you’re always having relationship problems”. Add the fact that your co-workers and a camera crew are interrogating you about your secret relationship. Pam was being perfectly civil.

614. I don’t think that Pam saying she’s a dog person was her being mean to Angela. She’s saying she’s never owned a cat, so Roy never had a chance to kill one. I can’t fault the girl for not liking cats.

     Also, I basically have Pam’s job, and it both cracks me up and annoys me that so many people have these preconceived ideas about how a receptionist should act. Someone said it was wrong for the “lowly” receptionist to talk over Michael when planning the Meredith visit. But she was the one being reasonable and was looking out for Meredith.

     Plus, she holds the whole place together and probably gets paid the last.

     Receptionists are people too, guys.

615. AP – I see what your point is about Pam, but I disagree. I don’t think that Pam was being snarky when Angela came to her for advice; I simply think that Pam was having an honest reaction to the question that Angela was asking her. If anything, I would just say that Angela was just being as rude as usual, because she simply walked away, disgusted, after Pam made the dog comment. I didn’t see any evidence there that Pam was being cruel or condescending to Angela – just that Angela asked for Pam’s advice, and then Angela walked away before Pam could really offer it. I also think that Pam was trying to tell Michael that he shouldn’t feel responsible for all of the world’s problems since there are plenty of other people also working toward the goals that he is. That’s my take, at least, but I understand your opinion as well.

616. I couldn’t agree more with previous posters regarding Pam. I did not like her this episode. I never thought I’d be saying that about Pam. I love the girl. She was very full of herself and at times, I thought, downright nasty. I hope this is not a trend, but rather a one episode fluke.

617. i agree with both AP and Matt. they both make great points, but as we have seen in the past seasons: these characters have evolved. Michael is not as creul and ignorant as he once was like in season 1 and 2, and he actually grew up a little, but still, he’s Michael. Jim was a slacker in the first two seasons and in season 3, he rose to the occasion, yet, he’s still Jim. Dwight, who was mean and back-stabbish in season 1 and 2 came to the defense of Jim and was a shoulder to cry on for Pam, yet, he is still Dwight. Pam, like everyone else evolved as well. She was the shy, reserved girl next door in season 1 and 2, but in season 3, she found confidence she had no idea she possesed, yet she is still Pam.

     People change. And i love how this show has let these characters change, yet stay the same. That to me is great writing.

     As for the “new attitude”, I’ll just sit back and watch what happens in the following episodes, trusting that the writers have something up their sleeves.

618. I agree with you last few commenters. I thought Pam was a little aggressive in this episode, not to mention selfish and mean. That being said, I have also NEVER felt any kind of empathy for Angela until this episode; when she was running away from Dwight after their Fun Run conversation, I could’ve cried. Also, I absolutely hated Andy for at least half of S3, now he’s one of my favorite characters.

     That is the great and unique thing about this show -these are not flat characters. They change just like people do in real life, for a lot of different reasons; beginning a new relationship, ending an old one, a new job, new friendships, etc. We also see many different facets of each character, not just one. I think that’s why so many of us are obsessed with this show – because the characters are unpredictable just like they are in real life. =)

619. [from tanster: 200-word limit]

620. I hear a lot of people commenting that the new Pam is selfish and snarky. And personally reading these comments, I’m confused. The fancy new Beesly is allowed to be happy with her Jim. I can’t believe how self so called “fans” are over their relationship and newfound happiness. Are you saying you’d rather watch them be unhappy?

621. Wow, I thought Pam was delightful, happy and confident and I LOVED it! And I’ve never seen an episode where Jim smiled so much. These two characters had such a tinge of sadness to them for three seasons, so I found it wonderful to see them so happy, and together at last. I think the board room scene where they confess to dating (with those huge smiles) was one of the best Office moments ever.

622. ok, been out of town and just watched fun run tonight. Absolutely the funniest office episode! And great PB&J scenes. LOVED IT!

623. Fact: Pam is this close from lime green undies.

     Fact: Jim is the happiest he’s been since, let’s be honest, Casino Night.

     Fact: Sometimes, a twenty minute episode is better than a forty minute episode.

     Pam orders porn, Jim is really good at ordering strippers. Yeah, I can see how some people might think their relationship is doomed.

624. Just want to say two things here. This is regarding posts 641 and 642. First Michael is still the Regional Manager while Jim is the true Assistant Manager. It is the dynamic between Michael and Ryan that I am looking forward to seeing this season, but no matter the title, Jim usually looks down on almost everybody else including Dwight whenever he gets a chance to do so. Second is Pam’s “attitude.” To me this is still the same woman except that she can decline to help others she doesn’t like a certain animal. People do it all the time. Also, her telling Michael that she and Jim had a great time on the Fun Run is to make Michael feel better because he thought everything was a failure regarding the run.

     As for the episode itself, score it a 9 for me. Favorite part was the fact that Pam and Jim were trying to hide their relationship but failed to do so.

625. If anyone thinks Pam was acting or looking “different” in this episode, go re-watch DIWALI. During the festival, she basically looked the same, and the comments she made were along the same lines. She was just a sadder person. I think her happiness and her confidence are being misinterpreted as snarkiness, and it’s just not. Some examples of similar, if not meaner moments in Diwali: “At least I’m not dressed up like a slutty cheerleader.” The entire car ride home with Michael where she tells him not to talk to her and if he says one more thing she’s pulling over and making him get out. Perhaps people didn’t take those comments as slightly mean and they didn’t think she looked too pretty because they were feeling sorry for Pam for being really bummed out about not getting Jim?

626. Jan was absolutely perfect. Telling Pam to back off was so hilarious. Also, Oscar.

627. #673 ‘Are you saying you’d rather watch them (PB&J) be unhappy?’

     Yes! When do I want to see them happy? On the last show of the last season.

     And believe me, more unhappiness is on the way. This show won’t last half a year with a happy PB&J.

     To relate it to another show I love – would I want to watch a courageous George Costanza, a responsible Kramer, or a happy Jerry Seinfeld end up with a steady girlfriend. No!

     Flawed characters are comedy/drama 101. Normal happy people will never be the basis for a TV show, especially one that lives off dark humor like The Office.

628. NOT GREG DANIELS FAULT. josh whedon was directing. he spun everything around. didnt like that. i know once we get back to our regular directors things will seem more normal, i hope. i mean i LOVE that jim and pam are together. but their separate characters are not them…its too weird for me. i think josh took the plunge and went too far with it. but next week, the comments will be positive. i hope

629. after watching the episode for the third time, there were moments where pam was like her old self, like comforting angela when her cat died, and also when she told angela she was more of a “dog person”. that’s the pam i love. but the other parts, like when pam is being mean to michael in the break room (“how much time would you say you spend naked in your office, ball park?”) that rubbed me the wrong way (twss…). and also the part where pam was trying to get michael off the ground to finish the race. i think they were trying to refer to the “bagette” incident again, but it didn’t quite work. i’m happy that she and jim are together, and OUTRAGEOUSLY happy, but hopefully this lovey-dovey phase will wear off. and besides that, i thought this episode was hilarious. 9 out of 10, for sure. hopefully more time actually in the office for the next episode.

630. to me, Pam has never been better. I feel that she has finally gotten to a point in her life where she is proud of who she is and is not afraid to show it. Would it be better for her to be a flat character that has no change? the whole 3rd season was her path to finding herself, and now that she has, people are putting her down. I just feel that the writers are making her be who she was meant to be. And, at least for me, I will always love Pam.

631. AP, at first I thought that the speech Pam gave to Michael was kind of rude too, but then I figured out that Pam was saying all of that stuff to try to motivate Michael to finish the race. Before Pam’s speech Michael was down and out, and kept on saying that he couldn’t finish the race and that he couldn’t beat rabies. Knowing that this “cause” meant a lot to Michael, Pam told Michael that there were better people out there to do this stuff. So in order to prove her wrong, Michael got up and finished the race. I only think Pam gave this speech to Michael so she could motivate him and help him “beat rabies”. I think after Michael gets up from the ground there is even a shot of Pam giving a nod of approval, like saying “Good job, now finish the race, Michael.” I really think Pam was only trying to help in this instance.

632. did Jim and Dwight interact at all in this episode?

633. He was too busy interacting with Pam : )

634. director of marketing (561),

     yeah i get what you’re saying about the jam situation but it’s still just weird to me considering pam’s confession in front of EVERYONE last season. i mean, they’re (the office workers) bound to know SOMETHING is up with them. so why keep it a secret? and what’s with the whole jim asking pam out on a date in front of the camera and then lying about it two months later? it just doesn’t make any sense.

     also, on an unrelated note, i really miss the old pam hair. actually, to be exact, i really miss the season one pam hair. it was extra messy, i loved it.

635. Normally I read these comments immediately after an episode is over, to see whether I agree with popular opinion. This time I waited a few days and can’t believe what I’m seeing… anger over an episode with many of the funniest lines and twists in Office history? Office cast and writers, I salute you. I was worried about early Season 3-style weaknesses, but this was an awesome, strong episode. It’s telling that you went an hour and still have amazingly funny deleted scenes this week. Bravo.

     One thing: I really think the way people are watching this episode may have something to do with their responses. A friend who watched through NBC.com hated the episode because of the commercials and wants to go back to buying via iTunes. Here’s hoping.

636. Yeah Pam and Jim have always seemed a little arrogant with the way they talk to others.

637. I agree with those who thought the episode had a strange spin. But, Jim and Pam are in a awesome place — thank you for that, writers!! There has been enough angst in their relationship — now let’s see them satisfied and smiling!!

638. 628 | Domestic Bliss

     Regarding the Meredith-hit-by-the-car stunt, I always try to figure out how stunts are done in movies and I think I know what was done in this scene:

     1) Steve drives into the parking lot and brings the car to an abrupt stop, and the camera whip-pans to the right. Cut.

     2) Kate lies on the hood of the now-parked Sebring and rolls off (hopefully onto a large cushion). The camera pans back to the left to Michael who is seated behind the wheel. Cut.

     The final scene cuts together 1) and 2) and hides the cut within the whip-pan with blurring.

     This may not be exactly right but I doubt that Kate was actually hit with the car. And rolling off the car hood is a bit physically demanding but probably something that Kate could do (or maybe it’s a stuntwoman made up to look like Kate with makeup or CGI, but still, I doubt that they’d risk hitting someone with a car when what I described should work).

639. re: #683: What?! I loved safety training. BJ novak wrote a great episode that was exactly that was needed after a couple episodes of heavy drama (i.e. “I’m gonna kill Jim Halpert!”) That episode had some great comraderie from the cast and took the show in a lighter direction. So I have to disagree that Safety Training was bad. Also, I loved this show. There were so many great moments,

     Also, I am in shock over all the negative feedback this show is getting. I laughed out loud the whole show, didn’t see Pam as being anymore “snarky” than she has the whole show (which I love), and thought they handled the JIm and Pam relationship perfectly. By the way, It would crack me up to see a Andy/Angela/Dwight triangle.

640. 692 Jeremy – I agree. Hats off to the writers, actors and everyone involved. I’ve never laughed so much at any episode of anything in years.

641. I have to admit that I didn’t like this episode that much when I first watched but reading through some of the analysis here at OfficeTally is making me re-consider. I especially didn’t like the Dwight-Angela cat murder thing initially, but the explanation folks are offering (particularly _bales) about Dwight doing that out of love for Angela makes a lot of sense.

     I *really* wish I could re-watch the episode with this new insight. I have a Mac so Amazon Unbox doesn’t work for me. I can’t get NBC’s episode player to show it without jumping, even at the smallest screen size. And, I don’t have DVR. Anyone know of any other [legal] options? Man, I hope they get the itunes situation figured out some time soon.

642. Pam-casso: Perhaps go old-fashioned and invest in a VCR? It won’t help for this episode, but when I lived in my college dorm and had classes on Thursday nights last semester, the VCR saved me!

     I always think re-watching helps though because whenever I personally watch the first time, I always see the funny moments and I never think about the subtlety of what the characters are doing or saying.

643. Angela, that’s so funny — I was just going to say: tape the episodes, people! I am a loser who doesn’t have Tivo or DV-R, so I tape the 3 shows I watch each week. Then I buy them when they come out on DVD and reuse the tapes for next season.

     So 80’s, I know, but whatcha gonna do. VCRs can be handy.

644. Re 687- Matt:

     I agree because I thought Pam was being a little harsh at first. But then, a quote from the great Michael Scott popped into my head:

     “Reverse psychology is an awesome tool.”

645. I’ve got a quibble with the direction the show seems to be going in these days – where are the strong women?

     I used to love Jan’s character when she was a no-nonsense businesswoman – now we’re supposed to believe that she was really internet shopping and scheduling breast implant surgery in lieu of running Dunder Mifflin.

     Karen was also supposed to be career-oriented – but in the premiere, she’s clearing out her desk as soon as she gets dumped.

     So now who’s left? Meek Pam, girly Kelly, and uptight Angela. Not everyone loved Karen, but at least she was Jim’s equal in terms of their status in the office. Now he’s with the receptionist, a classic example of a guy going for a woman a few rungs below him on the career ladder. And Jan is like a caricature of a jealous housewife.

     I used to appreciate that this show had female characters who were interesting and well-rounded, but it seems like career-minded women were just a little too threatening for the writers this season. Please, disagree with me, someone – I don’t want to believe that my favorite show is just as sexist as everything else on TV!

646. Jan Fan, did you miss the whole of Beach Games and The Job? Pam’s character completely turned from meek to strong.

647. Maybe this season Todd Packer will take a dramatic turn? we can only hope!

648. Jan Fan —

     It’s odd to me that you describe Pam as “meek” since a lot of the comments here have been complaining about how uncharacteristically bold she was portrayed in “Fun Run.” I also don’t think Jim is going for Pam because she’s lower on the career ladder than him. In fact, Jim has consistently encouraged her to think of doing something other/better than being a receptionist, and at times has pushed her to the point of making her mad at him. If anything, he’s the one person in the office that actually recognizes her potential!

     Regarding Angela, she’s the head of accounting for the whole office and she has two men working under her so she’s definitely in a position of power. I have never viewed her uptightness as a stereotype of women, but, rather, as one of accountants.

     Regarding Jan, I do think you’re right there. The writers have certainly made her into a caricature for effect and I miss the successful career-woman character a lot. I’m hoping she eventually recovers, though, and that the meltdown actually helps her stay more balanced in the future.

649. I don’t like seeing Jan the way she is now. The only time she seemed like herself during this episode was when Michael wouldn’t take the water and she shouted after him “Michael, that’s irrational!”

650. 706 – I couldn’t agree more. But it seems like the writers are really patting themselves on the back, and Melora too – about how crazy she’s getting. It’s just not believable for her to be attacking Pam about looking at Michael, when less than a year ago she was concerned about “collapsing into herself like a dying star.” As great of a line as that was, this just doesn’t happen to people as successful as Jan, to break down and become a moronic fool like Jan has become.

651. Does anyone know where I could find the “Fun Run” flyer online?
     Great episode.

652. less than a year ago she was concerned about “collapsing into herself like a dying star.”

     ah, I remember that. well maybe they can play the angle now that Jan is psychic? ‘Cause that’s pretty much what happened.

653. Re: #705 Pam-casso – Well put about Pam, and Jim encouraging her! Completely agree with you. “Boys and Girls” from Season 2 is a perfect example of that.

     Now enough about Pam, because I still think she’s completely adorable no matter what people say. What do you guys think will happen with Dwight and Angela? Will Angela turn from Dwight’s mercy-killing tactics to Andy’s anger-controlling tactics?

654. I have a quick question: In this episode, Pam makes reference to the hourly workers and salespeople when determing carpools to the hospital.

     To me, this was an inference that the salespeople aren’t paid an hourly wage and are paid based on a commission .

     If the salespeople work on commission or at least part of their salary is made up by commission, then how did Ryan ever earn a living last season??? He never made a sale!

     Sorry, this is probably a ridiculous question, but it was something I was wondering when re-watching the episode.

655. Callan (#711) — The sales staff definitely work at least partly on commission. That was a major plot element in “Diversity Day” when Jim was trying so hard to get a sale that would be 25% of his annual commission and then Dwight stole it out from under him. But how Ryan survived without making any sales I’m not quite sure. If he started as an intern that means that he was unpaid altogether–doing this for the experience, etc.–so perhaps he has some sort of outside funding keeping him afloat? Like, student loans, for example? I don’t know. Great question.

656. Actually, Ryan started as a temp, so he would be paid through the temp agency. As for the salesmen, I’m sure they’re paid a base salary, and then get commission on top of that. So Ryan just didn’t get anything extra.

657. i would like to add my 2 cents to the criticisms of pam. she has always kept michael in check and been honest with him, her speech at the end was trying to appeal to his backward way of looking at things because she knows how to deal with him better than anyone and knows that is the only thing that will work- challenging him to prove that he is capable. as far as the angela conversation is concerned, remember is season 3 when angela offered pam her “dominant male” kitten and pam said no? obviously pam just doesn’t like cats and saying “i’m more of a dog person” is a more sensitive and tactful way of expressing that. she is the same sweet person and she has never been a doormat. she is just happy now. i also agree with kevin- trust the writers!

658. BenA (#713) — Yes, you’re right. Ryan started as a temp. How could I forget that? Yikes.

659. Re 713, Yeah, but he was no longer a temp. He was a full employee of Dunder-Mifflin when he became a salesperson. I doubt the temp agency kept paying his salary when he got the sales job, because I’m pretty sure they’re still not paying him now that he has a corporate job.

660. My thoughts exactly JMG #658. I’m glad you put that out there.

661. I thought that the writers handled the Jam relationship really well.. it’s good to see that their relationship hasn’t changed the dynamic of the show too much and I can’t wait to see more.

662. Re 719: Yeah, my original point was that even if Ryan was paid part commission with a base salary, it could not have been much to make a living, because he was not receiving any commission. Plus, he was paying for business school. That was my point.

663. this was def. the hardest i’ve laughed in a long time.
     I don’t see how you could not like it, unless you just want to stray from everyone else.
     I don’t know. I woke up my family because i was laughing so hard

664. I thought the deleted scene where Michael knew what secular humanism was hilarious; that should have been in there.

     Also, although I miss the confused/timid Pam of season one, I don’t think she’s necessarily too snarky in this episode. The way she deals with Michael is condescending, but it does get him to finish the race. I don’t think she was being snarky with Angela, I think she was just trying to find a nice way to phrase the fact that she couldn’t really relate, however much it might have ‘disgusted’ Angela.

     And this has probably been mentioned, but I thought showing Angela shoving Dwight into the filing cabinet right after that squee-worthy JAM moment was hilarious! The editing seemed kind of awkward for the rest of the show but that transition was great.

665. Oh, whats that? The deleted scenes aren’t available in Canada? Oh, yeah. Right.
     Thanks NBC. Thanks.
     Slash not.

666. FYI – Fun Run is being repeated this Saturday night at 8pm!

667. In response to thoughts that Dwight killing Angela’s cat was “out of character”: remember grief counseling? He breaks the beak off of the dead bird trying to shove it into a soda can! and he references being a farmer as an explanation for his actions that time as well.

668. “As great of a line as that was, this just doesn’t happen to people as successful as Jan, to break down and become a moronic fool like Jan has become”

     I think the thing is is that she put on a facade of being the perfect, successful corporate superwoman. Her whole breakdown is making fun of people who idolize the *image* of being corporate superstars.

669. It will be the hour long show.

670. george- boycott the repeat! support the writers, no replacement programming!

671. In Ryan’s first talking head, did anyone else think he was doing a bit of a Ricky Gervais-as-David Brent? I thought it looked a little like that.

672. Just rewatching this ep on hulu and, when Pam says “Michael, Angela’s cat died,” I always loved how Michael knew Angela’s cat’s name was Sprinkles and how he says it in such disbelief. Hahahahaha it makes me laugh every time!!

673. As a JAM fan, obviously thrilled they are together. That being said, I feel totally shortchanged that we had to endure, as well as enjoy, a three year roller coaster, only to be completely shortchanged by not seeing their first date. That night they went to dinner, what moments we missed. The perhaps soul baring conversation, surely a kiss, maybe hand holding. Sigh. It would have been the payoff for three years of patience. Sorry Greg Daniels, I love ya, but you guys missed the boat on this one.