The Office: Stairmageddon, 9.19

141 comments

1. JAM better survive!

2. I’m assuming this means that Nellie and Toby are finally together. And Angela standing by her man can go either way, but I’m assuming since Dwight is busy with Stanley, she’s still with the Senator. UGH. Thankfully we know that Angela x Senator will end soon.

3. Stairmageddon…Two thoughts.
   1) Cartoony. I like cartoony, so that’s good.
   2) Exaggeration of normal office things, similar to the first seasons.
   This will hopefully be a good episode.

4. Automatically rated 10 for the title alone.

5. Ugh – Roseanne Barr. Someone’s gonna have to force me to watch this.

6. I already learned Roseanne Barr will be helping Andy to fulfill his showbiz dream.

7. Oh yes! Out of all the million fav quotes I have, STAIRMAGEDDON makes me think of the great Nard Dog saying, “I am always thinking one step ahead, like a carpenter,,, that makes stairs”!

8. I’m thinking talking to Toby and Nellie will be a good thing for JAM. I can’t see Pam or Jim wanting to end up like them.

9. Now this sounds like a good episode format – comedy based around something that could actually happen IN an office, instead of ridiculous scenarios that take everyone out of the office like in Work Bus or Gettysburg. Classic Office returns, just in time! (I hope…)

10. Just realized something. Could the stairs issue be a partial callback to when the parking spaces were filled? “Chair Model”, I believe? Kevin was hilarious in that episode. I also predict a callback to Stanley’s weight-loss attempts in “Weight Loss.”

11. So this is the Roseanne episode? OK… :wincing:

12. several of my own predictions for this final season have happened, but in no scenario were nellie and toby giving marital advice to ANYONE… never mind “soulmates” – jim and pam. (according to jenna, she kept her engagement ring as a souvenir. soooo touching and sweet.) have to agree with the NON-fans of roseanne. NOT on my list of “faves”. angela and dwight – too quirky for me to figure out, but they’ll end up together. would love to see kevin end up with a SI swimsuit model or elisha cuthbert (cover of maxim). he cracks me up …a lot!!

13. I think this is probably the first ‘fancy’ title for an Office episode. I had read somewhere that they have a no-frills title policy.

14. @11 That’s how I feel, too. Darn it.

15. Just hoping for some nice Pete/Erin moments.

16. Has anyone seen a promo for this yet?

17. @16 Based on the promo, this might be an episode that moves forward Stanley’s storyline. I’m thinking about little bits from Promos that could lead into something bigger for him. Also, this is an episode where Dwight & Stanley interact — I can think of an episode in an early season where Dwight’s actions led to Stanley’s great distress. I wonder if this is a call back to that, but it’s only a guess.

18. Am I the only one that thinks of “Stormageddon” from Doctor Who when reading the episode title. That being said, this looks like it will be a great episode!

19. @18 Ashley, I totally read the same exact thing and had to reread it! I was like WHAT? Doctor Who and The Office crossover? Be still my nerdy two hearts. ;)

20. I love Roseanne and think this is a perfect character for her. And the idea of her and Andy interacting is perfect – he does so well with strong women… not.

    Mostly I’m just really curious to see how the different storylines move forward – Can’t wait for tonight! (Please, winter storm, do not knock out my satellite feed.)

21. Just watching.

    “Question for the Senator’s beard.”

    LOL

22. Enjoyed the episode, but can’t tell you how disappointed I am with JAM. All those wonderful storylines we fell in love with – the buying of the house, etc., we now find out Pam didn’t love after all. Jim changed her for the better, that’s what I believed. Jim is right – she’d still be with Roy if he didn’t gently pursue those changes, but I guess in the end, the writers are trying to change that history. Wow, heartbreaking.

23. I know this is an Office fan site and I need to limit any criticism, so I’ll say two positive things:

    1) the reaction from the recurring security guard was funny

    2) this episode was slightly better than the Farm episode, which was my 190th favorite to date.

24. That was an awesome episode!!! My mom and I watched it together and it even had her laughing!

25. We need a wench and a hoist!

26. One of the funniest episodes I’ve seen in awhile! Wow, I’m excited about the rest of the season.

27. Seriously Pam? You are throwing out the HOUSE now?–blaming Jim on that also?? Are you telling me you both never talked about it? You are stomping your foot saying you are NOT moving even though you admit Athlead will probably succeed? I can’t believe I am saying this, but I hope Jim just dumps her….this is beyond old…

28. This episode made me feel really strange. I’ve never been this mad at Pam; she’s always been one of my favorites (I mean, who can’t say that?). But I can’t believe she’s outright saying, “I won’t move.” I’m sorry, I haven’t been married, but… I think it’s a little ridiculous. I can’t believe she’s making Jim give up his dreams when he’s been waiting for years at a job he cares nothing about for HER.

    Other than that, it was funny. The Dwight/Stanley storyline was, surprisingly, entertaining, though I thought it’d be cartoony. Well, it was, but I did like it. And nice, how they did the Toby/Jim/Nellie/Pam thing.

29. Much funnier episode than the last. I’ve had more than enough Jim/Pam drama.

    While I appreciate that the writers desire to showcase the “reality” of relationships with JAM’s recent rough patch, tonight’s episode makes it clear that “reality” isn’t their biggest concern. Stanley shot with bull tranquilizers, wrapped in bubble wrap, and slid down a cardboard ramp? Yet we had to have 19 episodes – and counting -of discomfort? It’s no longer a “story arc”… this is the character development they’ve chosen to go with.

    Seinfeld’s theory was: Be funny with every scene. I’d love for that to be employed with the little time we have left with this wonderful show.

30. Only part I enjoyed was the Senator’s press conference. Dwight shooting Stanley with bull tranquilizers was a bit much, even for him.

31. My fears are becoming realized….JAM are SO SCREWED UP that there is NO WAY that I can swallow everything will be magically fixed just by watching old videos of themselves…they are fundamentally broken now….and I see no way it can be fixed easily….so of course I expect it to wrap up cleanly with a stupid video. gag.

32. I welcome the Jim/Pam conflict; I’ve been wanting to see this for a while because they clearly have issues. But I DO have problems with the way the writers have been handling this delicate issue. Everything about their future and Jim’s job…it all absolutely makes sense for that to be the source of their conflict. But that throwaway line about the house really bugged me. Because while I see how that could be lumped in with “Jim making decisions without Pam,” the writers have established ZERO ground for Pam ever being upset with that decision. It’s just really frustrating because they are one of my favorite couples on tv and this is a storyline they deserve and it deserves far better writing than this.

33. I miss seasons 1-4 Jam. :(

34. So, originally people were complaining that Jim and Pam never fought and always had a happy relationship, now everyone is annoyed when their relationship gets strained. I will admit, I myself am getting annoyed of it, as well.

35. Awful. Why didn’t they end this show right before Jim and Pam got married? Those two totally ruined the show. My office is more entertaining than this show has been since season 4.

36. Overall, this was an okay episode. It was funny, although the humor was just a little too outlandish at times. Dwight shooting Stanley with bull tranquilizers and launching him down a cardboard ramp with Plop? The senator saying he was gay in Spanish, to make sure the Latinos understood him? Being a loyal fan of the show, though, I’m obviously interested in the Jim and Pam drama. The marriage counseling sub-plot was interesting, and should have, in my opinion, gotten a little more screen time.

37. So, having watched this 40 minutes ago, i somehow decided it would be therapeutic to watch old JAM videos (in other words, Pam Pong on repeat).

    And then I started crying just a bit. I really hope they resolve this soon. I miss Pam and Jim the way they used to be… and I’m not usually one that complains about “the good old days” being gone. But Pam. Please get over yourself. And soon.

38. I really never thought it would come to this… I’m becoming so disillusioned and heartbroken by the JAM storyline that I’m starting to tell myself things like “Don’t worry about it, it isn’t real, they aren’t real, it’s just a dumb old TV show.” Sigh.

39. Usually I find the overly comical slapstick style comedy annoying and unbelievable, but Dwight with the tranquilizers seemed plausible to me, Stanley’s reaction was too fake though. I’m also concerned that Jim and Pam are going to split, which might ruin the show for me forever.

40. The way JAM is being portrayed, you almost get the sense that Jim would’ve been better off taking the NYC job (obviously by now he’d be at another company, or perhaps Athlead would’ve come to fruition long ago) and staying with Karen (who Jim now more resembles, career-driven etc.), and Pam would be where she is, comfortable and in cruise control (nothing wrong with that) but with Roy (who knows if Roy would’ve become the success that he is if married to Pam). In a way we saw a sort of “wistful” or “why couldn’t he have been like that with me” Pam at Roy’s wedding. Perhaps we might see a “what if” Jim regarding Karen before the end? Toby was cracking me up. The “I wanna kill him” line about Clark and the “Kelly predicted this would happen in 2013” line were great. Interesting episode, for sure.

41. What is Pam so afraid of? We have only seen her digging her heels in about moving with no explanation for why she doesn’t want to. At the beginnning I thought Jim was being insensitive but now Pam is really starting to irritate me. I can understand the writers wanting to make the relationship a little more real and less fairy tale, but we are seeing virtually nothing of what is going on between Jim and Pam. I hope the next few episodes ramp it up to a satisfying conclusion.

42. For a couple that spent every minute together, JAM isn’t communicating at all. This episode felt rushed. There was too much in the 30 minutes and nothing really felt resolved. I enjoyed the Dwight, Clark and Stanley scenes, I think it was the only subplot to get the time it needed.

43. Watching the first counseling session. (A little late, I know. I recorded this.) Why, JAM, why? I hardly ever ship, but I’m beginning to find myself feeling sad.

44. Wow, really surprised to see some of the reactions. I thought the Dwight-Stanley-Clark stuff was hilarious. I laughed harder tonight than I have in years. People are freaking out too much about the Jim-Pam stuff. I think the tension between them is pretty forced this year, but going through those phases is part of marriage. It WILL work out.

45. I’m with you Jennifer. The plot lines felt rushed and unresolved tonight. Given I was on my computer but I couldn’t figure out what Stanley and Dwight were up to. I missed however Stanley passed out.

    I wish there wasn’t the stigma that seeing a counselor is a bad thing. I should say that I am currently earning my Masters in counseling, so I am biased. But Toby is trained in counseling and was counseling Jim. It’s not a shameful thing to seek a counselor if you’re unhappy. Anyway, I enjoyed their scenes together tonight, especially when what-his-face walks in and Toby yells at him to get out, a la Michael Scott at Toby once upon a time.

46. Jim is the one who basically committed to moving to another city without telling his spouse. With whom he has two small children. And a mortgage. The only thing Pam did wrong was act okay with it. She’s allowed to be ~stubborn~ about this.

47. #45 Aren’t you even the slightest bit upset that JAM are STILL fundamentally screwed up and we have only a few episodes left? We have now wasted 80% of this season with virtually nothing good from JAM….that is inexcusable, IMO.

48. Things for Jim and Pam will probably get a little worse before they start to get better. Didn’t Jenna Fischer hint that the satisfying stuff would start to happen in the 2nd-to-last episode?
    Stairmageddon showed JAM venting a bit and saying things they don’t necessarily mean, such as Pam’s gripe about the house. A little unfair as she said she loved when Jim showed it to her. But probably the best moment was when Toby asked Jim to clarify just how long “a little while longer” really is. Never been in marriage counseling (never been married) but that strikes me as the kind of question that could help them turn a corner in the communication dept.

49. #47–how long is she going to do this WITHOUT TALKING TO JIM? Secondly do you remember when PAM QUIT HER JOB without consulting Jim? Did they have kids then? No. Was it a HUGE decision that Jim deserved to be involved in? You bet. SO, Jim backs her for going to NY to do HER DREAM, Jim backs her for taking a new job because she was bored in her old job…I sense a pattern here…yet when JIM goes for his dream, WHERE’S PAM to return the favor?

50. I just want to see how it will all end!!!!!!! I think I’ll love all the remaining episodes just because I can’t help myself. On a completely other note I hated the Dwight-Stanley subplot. Very dumb. I wish they’d get Dwight back to being naive yet clever (per Season 3). Currently he just does extremely fake things…

51. I am finding it hard to believe this is what Greg Daniels wanted to come out of the final season. Many average to poor episodes. The Jim Pam storyline has been way off the mark. They have serious issues this late into the season – When they are magically happy at the end it won’t feel rewarding; it will feel forced.

52. @dmdcash @Beth
    Totally agree w/ dmdcash.
    And don’t forget that Jim also already gave up a job that would have taken him places at corporate for Pam.

53. After thinking about it for a while, this is the first time in 6 years that Jim and Pam have really vented about their relationship to someone else. They are both fed up with this Philly thing and are blowing things out of proportion. For example Jim’s “If she doesn’t move we’re gonna need a lot more than counselling,” maybe I’m reading it wrong but that sounds like Jim is saying he would pick Athead over Pam. Are you serious writers???

54. Well, there was a lot going on in that episode! I felt too much time was given to the Dwight/Stanley/Clark sub-plot.Unlike the JAM/Angela/Andy story lines, it didn’t really move the characters’ Office stories on, which is important at this late stage in the game.

    I don’t know what to say about JAM. How can they suddenly be at crisis point? It feels too contrived and manipulative. I don’t believe for a moment that they will split up. It is too much of a downer after 200 episodes.

    As a Brit, I really enjoyed Andy’s deliberately very Australian “British” accent. That was a nice touch. It was great to see Paul Feig back too.

55. @53 The point of that arc was that he didn’t want the job. That was the point of a lot of season 3. He transformed himself into this other guy who wanted to be with Karen and who wanted the corporate job because it was too painful for him to be the guy in love with Pam. It was right there in the text. The only thing we are ever shown as him actually wanting was the sports writer in Philly thing from season 4.

56. Overall I thought the episode was pretty funny. However, I am over the Jim and Pam drama. It’s been dragged out too much. If they are going to have them split up then they should have done it sooner in the series. Their story line is taking up way too much of these last episodes.

57. @56 (Beth) I know, but Jim definitely wouldn’t be at Dunder Mifflin Scranton if not for Pam. Season 3 WAS about Jim changing himself to get away from Pam/who he was before, but… even though he didn’t want that job, he was never happy in Scranton (except for because of Pam), and I always saw it as showing how capable Jim could be if he wasn’t held back by his love for Pam. I feel like she should realize that Jim has given up so many opportunities to leave and do something else… for her.

58. Most of you guys are drawing unfair conclusions about how the season will end. Whether or not JAM are still together at the end of this year is irrelevant to what’s happening in the Stairmageddon episode regarding their relationship. It’s like you’re letting your predictions affect your current judgment of the episodes.

59. This episode was awesome! Felt old school to me, weird Dwight, funny Andy, and JAM. Hoping it ends strong.

60. Another great episode, going out on a high note! But also making me wish they had a 10th season.

61. This ep was actually good! It was funny and all the characters were actually in character. Whoever wrote it — A+. I wish they would’ve shown a little more with Jam — it felt like about five minutes of something that should’ve been more, I wanted to see some of the counseling actually happen, but oh well.

    This episode definitely showed that Jim and Pam just have a lot of things they aren’t saying to each other. But again, I don’t get why everyone is putting all the blame on Pam. They have two kids and a house. Responsibilities. While Pam is at fault for not communicating completely, I completely get where she’s coming from. With Jim, I’m just not feeling as sympathetic. This isn’t the Jim who would have done anything JUST to be able to have a chance with Pam. Now he has a family with her and it’s like he wants to throw it all away over a job. He needs a serious reality check.

62. My expectations were hesitant based on the title of the ep, but it turned out to be one of the best of the season (so far)!

63. Also, just want to throw this out there: There is no way they are breaking up. There is no way they are ending the Office by destroying the heart of the show.

    Things might get worse before they get better, but I guarantee there will be some sort of resolution by the finale.

64. This is my first time commenting, but are you guys seriously complaining about the JAM set up? Their relationship has been PERFECT for 5 years straight with zero real issues. How is Greg Daniels creating some tension less realistic than a relationship with zero problems? Jim is finally working at a job he loves, not sticking around DM unhappily to stay close to Pam. The whole point of their arc is to make a realistic scenario that they haven’t shown in the show. Everyone has hinted at their arc resolving in a positive way, so why not let it ride in a realistic manner?

65. I was recently watching a rr of the episode that Cece is born. Pam kept putting off going to the hospital and eventually yelled that she ‘WASN’T GOING!’ because she was scared to death. Maybe that’s where the ‘digging in her heels’ is coming from. They’ve been able to make things ‘work’, but she knows that a move to Philly will change their life completely. I feel like we need to give her a break.
    And as most married people know, sometimes the things that happen in the early stages of our relationships (buying a house without asking) seem romantic, but later those same actions seem bossy.
    I don’t get the feeling that they are magically going to be all right at the end. I think we’ll see that they have gotten over the hill and are on their way back to being united, but I don’t expect (and don’t hope for) some instant reunion.

66. I’m only 10 minutes in and I hate it and shut it off. I rarely dislike an episode, but yikes! The whole documentary in a fake documentary thing is getting on my nerves. Dwight shooting Stanley in the heart and pulling him downstairs, slamming him into walls? Just another awful physical comedy fat joke. JAM needing counseling? It was sooooo painful to watch all these story lines.

    Someone tell me it gets better, and maybe I’ll watch the end at a later time. I think I might have to watch the last few episodes after the fact. It’s a rough ride getting to the end.

67. @65
    You are praising the show’s “Realism” in an episode featuring Stanley with a cartoonish helmet on, wrapped in bubble wrap and shot by blowgun with 3 darts of bull tranquilizer?????????

    It is not realistic for such a minor thing to break up a marriage, years ago, my own parents moved 12 times to make the best for us as a family, they did not divorce because my mom had to move away from her hometown.

68. While I don’t think this was a perfect episode, nor the best of the season, I did enjoy it! I thought most characters stuck true to themselves, and I loved Andy’s naiveness, Angela’s reaction once Robert came out, and especially Meredith’s injection of the tranquilizer into her coffee!!! 7/10

69. Surprised nobody said anything about Roseanne. I thought she was funny. I was worried she’d be over the top.

70. What are you doing, Senator!

71. The JAM situation is very interesting because Jim’s spontaneity has always been what attracted Pam in the first place. And yet, when it comes down to it, she has difficulty accepting it and embracing it after the relationship has gone on so long. Jim has always supported Pam pursuing her dreams (going to art school) while Pam has done her best to support Jim’s dreams (to help with the start-up company). However, now it’s really getting to her… She might be a bit more sympathetic with him if they communicated more, which they are both at fault for.

72. I turned the episode off about 1/3 into it, it was just so bad. I don’t think I’ve ever done that with this series.

73. @65 – Pam and Jim’s relationship has been perfect? What show have you been watching? They had to fight to get together, they had to endure being separated when she was in New York. They had new time parents issues to deal with. They had problems. They had spats and they stuck together. Pam is being written as a person who has been horribly betrayed and stepped on. That is just ridiculous!

74. When you decide to get married, taking care of your family should take priority over your career. Period. But that goes for both members of the Halpert marriage, and neither is putting the other first. I think the frustrations and the distance shown in this storyline accurately reflect that. That said, I agree with everyone about the length of the storyline, it’s too far gone for there to be a rewarding payoff now in a handful of episodes.

    First 10 for an episode in a couple of years, though. Laughed non-stop throughout this episode.

75. Clark has turned out to be one of my favorite characters. His and Dwight’s personalities play off each other well. Jim and Pam are just getting what’s coming to them. Jim’s always been an egotistical, self-centered, self-promoting sneak. In seasons one and two he flirted with Pam event though she was engaged. He deceptively led Karen Filippelli on and then dumped her. If he had had half a brain he would’ve taken the job at corporate at the end of episode 3. Karen would’ve had no problem leaving Scranton and going to NY with him unlike whiny Pam who seems glued to Scranton. Jim needs to admit he was only interested in Pam for a few years of sex and move on. Clark and Pam would be a good couple. Kelly had it right with 2013.

76. I really enjoyed the Kevin/Oscar/Angela/Senator plot this week. Kevin as usual made me laugh with his antics. I’m also liking Andy more again with each episode.

    I’m still more on Pam’s side than Jim’s but even this episode strained that a little. Just talk to each other already!!! However, I do find the situation of a move/job to be a feasible cause of a breakup. I’ve known couples that something similar caused the end. What wouldn’t happen for one couple doesn’t mean it would be the same for every couple.

    I miss Jim’s interactions with Dwight more than I expected. I hope we see more of that in the last few episodes. More funny less drama!

77. The stanley, dwight, and clark segment was awesome. Hank watching the whole thing in the parking lot was very funny.

78. People, People… This tension between JAM is completely normal among couples. Yes, it’s a tad more “angsty” because it is still a television show. But I’m 100% sure it will pay off with the BIGGEST Jam moment of all times. Tribute YouTube videos will be made with that moment with the song “Ho Hey” forever and ever. So, breath and sit back and wait for the cavity coming your way from what will be the SWEETEST moment in television. Peace.

79. What bothered me was that Pam said, “I’m sure Athlead will be successful but I’m not moving to Philly”. It just made her look like a petulant brat. Philly is only 2 hours away! Can they split the difference and move somewhere in between?? So lame. Jim deserves better.

80. Clark is awesome! He and Dwight are really bringing the funny!

    While I know Jim and Pam will be fine in the end, the Season 3 like angst is hard to stomach because I fear it will go on far too long only to be quickly wrapped up in the very last few minutes of the finale too quickly for a satisfying ending in my opinion. I have to be thankful that my favorite two characters of The Office have a good storyline this season and it’s not getting left on the cutting room floor. Still love this show, so just going to buckle up for the rough ride to the end.

81. I knew no one else would like this episode, but I loved it. My favourite moment was Kevin’s reaction to having successfully kept Oscar’s secret – perfect!

82. @68…65 never said Stanley’s subplot was realistic. Never mentioned Stanley at all.

    And marriages have ended for much less than what Jim and Pam are going through. Happens every single day. Kudos to your family for not having to deal with it.

    My concern is that the conflict between Pam and Jim seems completely manufactured and forced. It all stems from trying to pack too much in to the final season. I’m more bummed about Pam bringing up the house. What was a beautiful gesture has turned into a situation where Pam, in the back of her mind, didn’t appreciate what Jim did at its core. She said she loved it, but did she really? Now, when I watch that episode, I’m going to wonder if she was truly just bitter about not being consulted. And then she says she’s not going to give Jim an ultimatum, but then proceeds to give an ultimatum.

    When the show is over, I believe there will be a win-win that comes out of this. Both are going to get what they want without the other feeling slighted.

83. The JAM situation right now is annoying. We know that if the writers break them up in the end, everyone will hate them forever and be left with a bitter taste in their mouths about the show. So, JAM is obviously going to work things out and be the happy Jim and Pam that we love. In the meantime, we’re just left with a storyline that needs to get there. In the meanwhile, we’re just biding our time on an uninteresting storyline.

84. Best lines, dramatic scene: Jim “If she would just hold on a little longer.” Toby: “How long is a little longer?” Jim “That’s impossible to say.” Toby: That’s hard for her. She’s unhappy, and there’s no end in sight.

    Funniest lines: Paul Feig’s character – No point in giving them names, the mice are basically cannon fodder.

85. I love this show so much, I hate to criticize, but I thought that episode was one of the worst ever. Stanley in bubble wrap was painfully ridiculous and, frankly, so was the Senator deciding to come out during a press conference with Angela right there! That was crueler (and more unbelievable) than anything Michael Scott ever did.

    Also, Pam complaining about the house??? What happened to “You bought me a house. I mean you bought me a house!”??

86. Wow the comments are a little harsh on JAM, I think that them agreeing to go to counseling is a big step. Toby’s question about how long when Jim says just a little bit longer but Jim not being able to answer the question is huge. Also Jim is living the single life going after HIS dream, while Pam is juggling working full time, being a full time mom and keeping up with the house ALL BY HERSELF! So yes I think it’s unfair for BOTH of them. I LOVED the Dwight/Clark/Stanley arc, so funny to Dwight allowed to follow through with no one stopping his crazy ideas.

87. @85…i agree with you completely!!! what the heck? to add to that… turning around key moments in the jim/pam story to now have negative meaning is just ridiculous. i also thought they showed yet another abbreviated storyline of jim and pam — seemed like it needed an additional scene in the episodes. still don’t understand why they’re ignoring jim’s bike shop idea and also, let’s not forget his hypertenstion (all season 8)
    angela and andy’s stories were completed in this one episode. the whole dwight story this week was a little nonsensical.

88. @84….. i sympathize for what you’ve been through, but i can also tell you after 26 years that marriages go through experiences 10 times worse than this and still SURVIVE! i choose to live vicariously through the fictional characters and hope for happy ever after-like scenearios (and save the real-life drama for real-life)

89. @82 Totally agree Toby Fan! I was rolling when Kevin finally had his day in the sun, lol. Was crying. Episode was funny, not the best but come on people, THE OFFICE IS WINDING DOWN, FOREVER, hello. Ease up on the negativity. I would rather have an ok episode with this cast of awesome crazies than no show at all:(

90. @87…I’m not sure she was complaining about the house itself, more like the principle that Jim has always done things without consulting her (whether or not they were good for the relationship).

    That being said, I don’t think it’s a very sound principle of logic on Pam’s part.

91. Guys…Pam wasn’t “complaining” about how he bought her a house. She was saying that in that scenario, he also made a BIG DECISION without telling her. I mean, honestly it was a big thing to do without asking your fiancee! She did appreciate it, but she’s obviously not going to every time, and especially when it has these consequences.

    I mean, Jim used to tell her everything. And now it’s like they’re not communicating — the one problem I thought they’d never have earlier on.

92. The episodes ending this season have been so good, but this one was just OK. The Dwight/Clark plot with Stanley was very unbelievable. The Angela/Senator press conference was downright cruel and mean-spirited. Whatever you think of Angela, did she really deserve that? Finally, Jim and Pam are NOT going to get divorced. Calm down, it’s called drama.
    Finally, did anyone catch Toby’s comment about Clark, that he could (I’m paraphrasing) “kill him”. I think the Scranton Strangler could be revealed very soon.

93. Anyone else notice that the shortened opening credits ended with the scene of Jim and Pam passionately kissing? I don’t recall seeing that in a while. Makes me think that everything will be okay.

94. Best part: Hank the security guard

95. @93 In one sentence you make a very logical statement regarding Jim and Pam – that they will not get divorced, but then appear to say in the very next sentence that you think Dwight is the Strangler. I’m sorry, NBC is not going to pull the carpet from under us by turning Dwight or anybody on the main cast into a mass murderer. That would have to be the sickest, most twisted and awful way to end this classic comedy series. It’s like, “Oh hey guys, you know that character Dwight you’ve loved for 9 years? He kills people!”

96. The ending of Season 3..This is why I don’t mind the JAM drama..What made me fall in love with The Office was its reality, although kinda far stretched, it was something you could relate to..Now that JAM is going through something “real” we immediately respond in a negative way? Yes, Pam loved when Jim bought her that house, but when you’re going through something as stressful as Divorce, your mind can alter events to fit your favor. Miscommunication was prevalent in season 3 right? Or am I totally missing the point? LOL

97. I’m just not liking the Jam/Pam disconnect.

98. @97- Totally agree! I love JAM but I am relieved they are spicing things up–it makes things angsty and uncomfortable, but, more importantly, it makes it interesting. As for the episode itself, I thought it was a rare instance where the unrealistic, sitcom-y stunts (ie Stanley in bubble wrap, hit with bull tranquilizer) actually paid off. I am actually liking Clark, and I thought the episode was one of the better ones of the season.

99. There are a few of us who thought the S3 miscommunication stuff went on for too long and it at least had a semi-plausible justification. This season’s endless lack of communication between the married couple with two kids is unexplainable.

100. Pam and Jim will not break up. That would be the worst possible ending to this great series that so many people love. I think they are going to see the documentary and realize how in love they are all over again.

101. [200-word limit]

102. Pam getting angry about the house is just as ridiculous as it would be if Jim got mad that Pam found out the gender of their first-born before he did.

103. @93 and EVERYONE else who hasn’t realized: The Scranton Strangler is the Scranton Strangler. See: Toby’s visit and subsequent neck brace. How did so many people miss this?

104. Yeah, Pam complaining about the house (so now, when I watch Chair Model or whatever episode that was, I’ll know her reaction is just put-on B.S.- thanks, writers!!!). *SIGH* Pam’s character has been mean-spirited ever since she married Jim, and Jim’s mellow is completely gone. Gonna be honest here: not the power couple we thought. I’d love to see a divorce. Statistics state that’s real life, and everyone complains the show isn’t realistic. If they’re going to go as far as to have Jenna Fischer playing this character and the writers writing for Pam so mean-spiritedly, then why pretend it’s the Jam we knew? OR, oh, thought we knew! (Pam’s character has just been what Jenna Fischer wants to look like on TV since season 4. Last Pam sighting: final scene, season 3.)

105. I think everyone saying Jam has fundamental problems is over-reacting. We only saw snippets of their respective conversations and they very well could have been taken out of context. I have a feeling Pam complaining about the house was just her emotions, rather than her brain, getting to her while venting.

106. I loved this one! So many LOL moments! Finally, Jim and Pam are acting like a REAL couple again! Obviously, they won’t get divorced, but it is so refreshing to see them actually have a problem to deal with.

107. On an un-Jam related note, I rewatched the episode and picked up on a lot of references to Dwight as manager. “Dwight Schrute… always chasing a manager position he will never get.” Are they suggesting that Dwight will become manager? I’m ready for the black manager’s office. And Schrute bucks. Oh, now I need to go back and watch The Job.

108. @103: Really? I mean…yes, buying a house for her seemed romantic at the time, but it’s also financially a big risk to take without even talking about what Pam wanted, or where she wanted to live? I mean I, along with everyone else, thought it was cute and I was glad Pam liked it, but I also found it odd that Jim would say absolutely nothing about it until he bought it. Makes sense that those same issues are cropping up now.

109. Someone commented that Pam apparently hates the house Jim bought for her. I just watched the ep again and there’s no mention of her feelings about the house.. or any of the decisions really. She dislikes having been kept in the dark while they were made FOR her.

     This is just like what was said after last week’s episode. It seemed like Pam was operating under a double-standard (concerning her argument with Brian about privacy) but she is not that selfish or petty. It seems to me that she is a person with principles that may or may not benefit herself at all times. Privacy should be granted to everyone, they shouldn’t have to ask for it. Even if she was okay with certain aspects of her own life being filmed, she stood up for everyone else whose privacy was invaded. And this week, it’s not that a specific action of Jim’s was so terrible, it’s the principle of him not consulting her before making some huge life decisions. He acted without even asking, and that greatly weakened the foundation of their entire relationship.

110. how about this? jim and pam are pulling a PRANK on the camera crew as revenge for invading everyone’s privacy! hey……..just a thought :) :)

111. They lost me 8 min. into the episode as soon as Dwight opened the box in his trunk. After that, it felt like the genuine moments, both the funny and the sincere ones, were battling against that plot misstep.

112. @grace I like it!

113. Full marks, I LOVED, this episode :)

     I was laughing so hard at the Dwight/Stanley stuff and I love the way Clark handles Dwight. He is such a brilliant addition to the cast, I wish he had joined years ago!

     [from tanster: i love clark, too!]

114. @109- Um, no it does not. It doesn’t crop up out of the blue that you were upset about the home that you acted happy was established…..FIVE YEARS LATER!!

115. @115 – You’re missing the point. She’s not angry at Jim suddenly for buying her a house. She’s saying that she doesn’t like how he’s not being honest with her, and that was another time where he was not completely honest. It’s not about the house, it’s about the fact that he keeps her in the dark.

116. @116 If she was upset about the house purchase, then she should have discussed it with Jim…sometime in the past five years rather than hanging onto so she can add it to the tab now. The way they’ve written it, she appears to be searching for any reason to oppose Jim’s move to Athlead and it makes her look petty and selfish.

117. @109 Yes

118. Did anyone else think that Hank stole the show? He’s one of my favorite characters.

119. @119 Yes. Hank stole the show.

     Though I appreciated the scene where Jim reached out to Pam while going to their SUV, I kinda wish this whole story arc happened last season so we could have “Happy JAM” for this final season.

120. We have two schools of thought here. There’s Pam, who wants to stay in a place where she has friends, family all around, a workplace where she can be herself,etc. Is that bad? no. Jim, is ambitious and wants to work somewhere where he loves in this new venture and this is his rare chance to go to the top Is that bad? no. But seeing that Pam wants to stay in the familiar and Jim in the unknown, realistically They should get a trial separation, and enact “absence makes the heart grow fonder” because someone has to take the fall, but none want to.

121. @121
     Jim and Pam need more of each other not less right now. In fact all of this time apart is what is causing this disconnect between them.

122. @117…Again, my response to that would be the same thing in my last comment. It’s not the house she’s upset about, or the “purchase” of it. She was just stating another time when he wasn’t totally honest with her.

     And let’s keep in mind Jim also said “if she doesn’t want to move, we’re going to have bigger problems”. That’s not petty or selfish? Talk about not willing to compromise.

123. @123 Taylor I still ALWAYS come back to JIM has supported EVERYTHING Pam ever wanted, he supported her while she was unhappy with Roy, he was her life crutch, he sat there and supported her when she was in school, when she drunk dialed him while out screwing off with friends–reliving her childhood while Jim worked away. NOW that it is finally Jim’s turn to do something he enjoys AND SOMETHING that could be GREAT for the family? Good old Pam is only thinking of herself. again.

124. I think we like Clark and how he interacts with Dwight because we miss Jim.

     Clark works like Jim used to, plays along with Dwight just to see where he might go with a situation, but ultimately saves/helps Dwight out because he actually cares.

     This is what much of the love for The Office is built on, and I think the writers know it too otherwise we probably wouldn’t have a Clark. I just wish the foundation of this season was still Jim & Dwight, not Dwight & Replacement.

     How is it a main actor/character in the show now only appears for 1-4 minutes an episode? Sigh…

125. @124 …You have to take into consideration the fact that they have two small children, a mortgage and job security right now. Jim has essentially decided to uproot the family without even really giving any fair warning about it.

     I’m sorry, but I’m really getting sick and tired of the senseless Pam hate when they both have equal blame and Jim is the one who did all of this WITHOUT telling Pam. She always communicated with him. She isn’t being selfish.

     I read a great article/commentary about this situation, I suggest you read it.

126. @124 – And by the way, did you seriously use her drunk dialing him as an example of him supporting her? Seriously? Oh, is Pam not allowed to have other people in her life besides her boyfriend (and yes, he was just her boyfriend at the time)? Come on now. She went to school for a few months. AND came back because she missed HIM. How was that selfish?

127. @123 And I still reply, if she was upset about him buying the house five years ago without discussing it with her, then she should have brought it up sooner. If the compromise is Jim returning to Scranton then he has made the far greater sacrifice than Pam would have if they moved to Philly. Besides Roy, what has Pam ever sacrificed for Jim?

128. Even though this show is a comedy, I am glad they are showing JAM having some marriage difficulties.
     But I wish the writers worked out some of this difficulties early in the series.

     Right now, Jim and Pam would be great hosts for Dinner Party v2.0 :)

129. @ 127
     Not disagreeing with you but she was his fiancee at that time( Jim proposed in episode 1 of season 5), so it’s a little different.

130. @128 – Right now she’s sacrificing a lot. She’s raising two kids practically on her own in between work and the art job she’s doing. If that’s not a sacrifice, I don’t know what is. It’s not like she isn’t trying. Uprooting a family is a really big decision and Jim has made it completely on his own, so he should’ve expected consequences.

     Look, I agree that they both have their faults. Pam should have communicated about her feelings sooner if she wasn’t okay with it, but the fact is she isn’t okay with it and she doesn’t have to be, not when Jim has been lying to her so much.

131. @130 – Haha okay even if she was his fiancee, it’s not much different. AGAIN, she is perfectly allowed to go drink with friends from school — just because she’s engaged doesn’t mean she can only spend time with Jim. She went to art school for three months. Three. Months. Not exactly a permanent decision that affects everyone, including children.

132. @131 Lying to her so much? Are we watching the same show? He took the job without telling her true, but she went along with it when he did tell her. Now that it looks like it might actually succeed, she’s withdrawing her support for his dream. How did Pam enjoy it when Roy crushed her dream for essentially the same reasons?

133. @133 And as far as Pam’s “dream” goes, how did that turn out again? Oh right, she went to New York, tried it out, and still picked Jim over it. Interesting, right?

134. @134 You mean when she made her own choice and not because Jim demanded she give it up? Remember when he encouraged her to stay to repeat the course and didn’t demand she come back to Scranton?

135. @96 I was not pointing to Dwight regarding the Scranton Strangler, but rather Toby. There are at least teasers that exist, I’m not saying it’s going to happen. Of course, it’s not one of the main characters, but Toby has a fuse underneath, and it would be a very interesting swerve.

     @104, yes he said he was injured, but was he? Or could he have told the convicted Strangler that he was innocent and he lost his mind, and took it out on Toby.

136. @134 – …Pam isn’t demanding for Jim to give up his dream?? She’s asking for a little honesty and self-respect and communication. If you remember the first episode where Jim told her about the entire thing, her only response in the talking head was “I still can’t believe he didn’t tell me.” She didn’t say “Oh man, Jim needs to give up his dream, I’m not doing this!” For her, the WHOLE issue is about the honesty. Other issues have stemmed from that, but that’s the main problem.

137. One thing that I wished had developed more naturally from the story arcs this year is the desire to go back and look at where these characters began with each other in Seasons 1 – 3.

     The tension and strain between Jim and Pam this far into the final season has led to speculations about divorce. It feels too much like their romantic union is falling apart with no time left to build up to a believable reunion.

138. @136 Say What? Pam isn’t making Jim give up his dream? Look down at the quotes….I quote Pam “I am NOT moving our family to Philly”. Yes she is ATTEMPTING to make him give up his dream. at least for now.

139. It was an alright episode. One of the better ones for this season but for the series overall it was lackluster (no real shock), I’m really despising the Jim-Pam fighting and I really hope it’s resolved in some way at the end.

     Best scene was DEFINITELY Kevin! “I knew it the whole time!” Hilarious!! I can always count on him for a laugh when everyone else drops the ball!

140. Sometimes reasonable people sound unreasonable because they can’t quite articulate what’s upsetting them. Maybe Pam doesn’t mind Jim working for Athlead so much as his transformation into someone who seems to care more for his work than his family, who’s always stressed, who’s replaced a sense of humor with a short temper. Maybe Pam doesn’t fear moving to Philly so much as moving to Philly only to be as much a de facto single parent there as she is in Scranton–just without the logistical support she currently gets from her mom.
     The Halperts’ situation is tricky because Jim didn’t just take a job out of town, he started a business there. Never mind how tough it can be to get a start-up started. Running a business can be a huge time commitment over the long haul, far more than 40 hours/week. Did Jim fully understand this before he joined Athlead?
     Jim clearly loves his wife, and should be able to pursue his dream, but he needs to strike a better balance.

141. Hi all – quick question… maybe I missed an episode, but I don’t understand why Jim was in Scranton talking to Toby. Shouldn’t he have been in Philly? I feel really dense asking, but I haven’t watched the whole season (only the last few episodes) so maybe I just missed something that explains why he would be at DM. Thanks. :)