The Office: Threat Level Midnight, 7.17

171 comments

1. Yeeesssss!!!!! I’m so damn glad David Wallace is returning to the show. He’s the real boss Michael deserved to have (not to mention Ed Truck), better than Jan, or Charles, or Gabe, but not better than Jo. It’s also good to see Karen and Roy again. Jan is already back, so is Holly, and Packer. Danny should appear more. And I want to see more of Helene, and Pam’s dad, and Jim’s prankster brothers.

2. So this will be Steve’s last episode?

3. Sounds incredible. I have a feeling i’ll have tears of laughter, and perhaps nostalgia.

4. I hope Vikram will make an appearance in this episode.

5. The only thing that can make this day better is ice cream! So excited for this episode. I miss seeing David Denman (what a cutie!)

6. I know this is a HUGE nod to fans and stuff, but am I the only one that isn’t happy for this? Suddenly bringing up a joke from an episode from years ago, plus it seems totally out of character. I dunno. It’ll probably be funny though, at least.

7. HELLLL YEA man!! everybody’s here in this episode! David Wallace, Jan, Karen, Roy….what i’m wondering are Karen and Roy’s reactions that P&J had Cece. they already knew P&J were engaged, but when they find out bout Cece…?? wow. Roy: he loved Pam with all his heart. Karen: moved on and married and had her baby. This better not be Steve’s last episode! he said on Ellen he’s doing 25 and did 15, so….hopefully not! “Threat Level Midnight”. hmm?? this might be when corporate tells Michael that he’s almost over with his career. or David might offer him a job, so many reasons why they’d all be in this specific episode. can’t wait <3

8. @Anthony Emm, I don’t get how it’s out of character? Not for Michael it’s not. He’s always had that side to him. And you know how much he loves his video camera. This will be the ultimate “Michael Scott Joint”. A Great Scott! production.

   What i’m most interested in is how he got the others to go along with it, and take it seriously? Especially back in season 1-2. Unless it’s not like that at all.

9. @AlyCarell – I don’t think Karen and Roy, or any of these other past characters, will be in the present, but will be shown in this movie/documentary that Michael had been filming all these years. Just my take on it anyway :)

10. Hey maybe Michael will finally get on board for “Suck It” with David Wallace

11. ..But how did Michael get everyone to be a part of his movie? Can’t see how David Wallace would willingly act in Threat Level: Midnight.

    Anyway, the idea is SUPERB and I can’t wait to see the result!

12. @JimisBigBird I didn’t mean him making a movie is uncharacteristic (that’s totally something he’d do). Nah I meant, if he ends up making some amazing movie and going to Hollywood, or Hollywood even considering him.
    Obviously nobody in the office would act seriously, except for Dwight, so it’s gonna be either hilariously bad, or awfully good.
    And if he DOES sell the movie, even though it’s a blatant James Bond rip, well that just wouldn’t be making sense.
    Sorry to get all into it, I just don’t want them to try to force a happy ending on the character.

13. In “Product Recall”, Season 3, Michael announces that it is Threat Level Midnight when they find out about the obscene watermark…!

    Everyone in the room. Stat! F & C, double time.

14. Threat Level Midnight

    Maybe Michael has finally found his Catherine Zeta-Jones ;) (aka Holly)

    i mean, cmon. it’s been building up to that moment. definitely would be a good ending for Michael Scott, don’t ya think?

15. BJ writes one of the best eps. I’m so stoked for this! And oh we get to see Roy again…

16. Anthony, have you actually heard somewhere that he sells the movie? Michael going to Hollywood is beyond absurd, certainly that isn’t how the story will play out.

17. If he goes to Hollywood, i agree, rather ridiculous. Hope it doesn’t go that way. Although it has been hinted at.

18. i don’t see this as meaning that michael’s making his movie at all. i think it’s a play on the movie title we all know and love, and that the episode is about “threats” to dundermifflin’s intersocial life as we know it. the return of jim and pam’s and michael’s ex’s? that’s threat level midnight, for sure.

19. Hey Everyone! Long time viewer, first time poster…
    I’m pretty stoked for this episode! I was actually just on location for the filming of this ep. and it was SO Awesome to see all the old characters’ cars! If you ever get the chance to drop by the set, it’s totally worth it!! Odds are you won’t see any cast, but I did catch a few of the writers during lunch!!

20. @SM Awesome! I wasn’t aware you could just “drop by.” Did you win a contest or something?

21. M. Night Shyamalan is possibly Michael’s neighbor at the condos. He might have given the script a once-over when it appeared in his mailbox. Plus Holly’s probably going to convince Michael to follow his heart so they can go ride off into the sunset.

22. The exes aren’t coming back. They’re in Michael’s movie which he has been filming for years.

23. So excited for this episode!! I think it’s going to be super funny!!

24. Is Catherine Zeta Jones going to play Catherine Zeta Jones?

25. The description already has a serious contradiction. Samuel L. Chang is now a robot butler (on the TV Guide article), whereas in the Season 2 episode, he was a stupid sidekick who was close to retirement.

26. @25 it says “after eleven years of writing, shooting, re-shooting, and editing..” He probably “took” it out.

27. Cannot wait to see Pam 1.0 and her mullet.

    BJ is such a good writer/storyteller…this could be the most epic Office ever!

28. I can’t wait for this! Hopefully this will be The Office’s, and ultimately, Michael Scott’s love letter for the Office fans! With Jan, Roy, and Karen in the mix, this promises to be epic! I’m keeping my fingers crossed. :)

29. Sounds like a clips episode…

30. Looking forward to seeing Jim’s shaggy hair again! I miss that.

    This is gonna be so nostalgic i can’t take it. Every moment to be appreciated.

31. The description for this just makes me wanna lose my minddddddd. It’s gonna be nostalgia to the max. Just an entire episode that will basically chronicle EVERYTHING we love about Michael Scott from the past 6 seasons. I can’t wait.

32. I love it: it’s going to be a Rashida Jones lovefest for me starting with THE OFFICE going into PARKS AND RECREATION.

33. Oh god.. just simply reading the episode’s title has you know this will be epic. Definitely going to be re-watching “The Client” before watching Threat Level Midnight. God, that sounds so epic! – with familiar faces and such!

    Having Rashida Jones in The Office only reminds me how cool it would be for The Office and Parks & Rec to crossover somehow, despite them already saying they’re not related..

34. Need preview now! This is going to be beyond amazing.

35. The Office is still great and I am looking forward to this episode, but they need to be careful the show doesn’t turn into a ridiculous TV sitcom with stupid jokes that people with no sense of humor would laugh at. The original version is the smartest, best made mockumentary we have ever seen: it didn’t rely on celebrity appearances or daft stunts.

36. I’m still looking forward to watch this episode. It’s gonna be another best. We have less than a week away!!!!!

37. Just saw the promo on NBC!! Laughed out loud multiple times!! It’s going to be GREAT!!!!

38. Oh man. Just saw a promo during SNL.

    I. Can’t. Wait!!

39. I’m more excited about the fact that the entire Office will be forced to watch Michael’s movie together…in the same room. That will be more entertaining than anything Michael can make. After all they all panned “Threat Level Midnight” after they read it aloud. Personally i’m more interested in ryan, kelly, creed, angela, etc, reactions and comments. Together they really shine.

40. VARSITY BLUES!!!! “hi jan!!”

41. [from tanster: promo posted here]

42. “I forget it, brotha!” Ryan’s delivery of that during the table read was perfection. I still laugh. The excitement is growing!

43. The Billy Joel Fan Page on Facebook posted a news item that some of his songs will be featured in tonight’s episode…this is going to be awesome, I can’t wait!

44. Just noticed on the last promo that in the credits, it lists Todd Packer and Tony Gardner as stars in Threat Level Midnight.

45. Jim with his face painted gold? Yes please!! Can’t wait!

46. this is so stupid that it’s kind of funny….

47. absolutely hysterical!!!!!! loved seeing all the old players, too. :) I also thought it was very telling when Michael admitted at the end that the movie “wasn’t very good.” Real love has made him come down to earth, but he still has that Michael wackiness we all love. <3 He will be so missed.

48. That was AMAZING – I absolutely loved it! Can’t wait for the full thing on the DVD.

49. No words. That was just… wow. Everything I’ve ever dreamed of. “This one’s for you, Cherokee Jack!” *tear*

    This entire episode was just made of WIN.

50. Threat Level Midnight = TOTALLY AWESOME

51. Who was the narrator?

52. Okay, I spoke too soon.
    Amazing. Some parts were unrealistic (Stanley the narrator?) but I love how everyone had their own reason for participating. Incredible stuff.

53. I enjoyed this greatly.

54. I was really nervous about this episode, but I’m glad they proved me wrong. I haven’t laughed this much at the Office in a while!

55. I wonder who the receptionist that Jim was trying to impress :P

    That was such a great episode. I loved it :)

56. I loved this episode so much! I couldn’t stop laughing! I loved the homage to “Armageddon ” with the animal crackers on Catherine zeta’s tummy!

57. Loved it! Laughed from start to finish. Just the right mix of over the top (the movie) and realism (everyone’s reason for participating and the Michael/Holly story). My favorite part was Stanley the Narrator channeling Morgan Freeman…I imagine he participated because all he had to do was read lines into a microphone, and Michael probably gave him a raise or days off for helping!

58. I believe Michael made Stanley the narrator because he wanted the person who sounded the most like Morgan Freeman to narrate.

59. Nice way to bring back old friends before Michael Scott leaves us high and dry.

60. #56 — loved the Armageddon homage too! Did you notice that there was also a shot of a ketchup fight?!?

    …I want the house Jan. I want the picket fence. I want the tickling and the ketchup fights…

61. One of the best episodes. Not just of the season. Ever.

62. I laughed from beginning to end. Well done BJ!!! You always let the entire cast shine. I especially loved the puck bouncing off the satellite and landing on Golden face.

63. I didn’t see roy.. did anyone?

64. “You jump to the right and you shake a hand” Amazing! I have no other words.

65. Another episode that insults the spirit of the show, not to mention the viewers’ intelligence. So many plot points (of the show) defy the series’ timeline I lost track. Are we to assume that Andy and Karen actually participated in this movie project since the characters were introduced to Dunder Miflin Scranton? Does any of this fit in with the continuing storylines that we’ve seen? Okay – the cast is having fun, but at the cost of the series.
    Hated it.

66. #63 Jason – I was wondering where Roy was too…then I realized he was one of the hostage concession stand workers. But I don’t think he had any lines, unless they end up in the deleted scenes. I hope so!

67. Roy is in the deleted scenes – he was a hostage

68. Where was David Wallace???

    AWESOME episode!

69. The funniest scene? When the hockey puck hits the satellite and Andy/bar can finally watch the game!!!

70. Despite some minor flaws (why would Stanley and Angela take part in the movie?), it really succeeded my expectations. Without a doubt my favorite S7 episode so far. I loved seeing the return of Jan and Karen!

71. The episode where they discover Michael’s script and do a table reading was infinitely funnier and totally more believable. Those people were not the same people we saw in tonight’s episode.

72. That was pretty terrible.

73. Best episode ever!!!!

    Toby+ Animal rapist= HILARIOUS!!

74. Absolutely loved this. I mean it wasn’t the most realistic thing ever, but it completely payed homage to fans who actually knew about Threat Level Midnight, so I loved it. But what happened to the script that Jim had the whole office read back in The Client? That clearly took place way before this, since Catherine Zeta Jones/Scarn is dead. There were such good lines in that script though. “Agent Michael Scarn, you lost some weight.” <3

75. They weren’t the same people? Are you sure about that? I mean, to me, the people playing Jim, Pam, Jan, and etc looked awfully similar to the real Jim, Pam, Jan, and etc. I dunno, maybe it’s just me!

76. An instant classic. Yes, it’s a little unbelievable that Michael managed to do it, and it’s not really connected to The Office’s documentary world, but it was so much fun to see all those inside jokes and throwbacks that I bought it. Absolutely hilarious!

77. Ok it looks good but I can’t figure out if it is a long movie or an episode. And I can’t find it on iTunes. Can anyone help with that.

78. I think if Greg Daniels could have flashed forward to this episode back when he was embarking on this project, he would have cringed. The extravagant sets and costuming, the Hollywood-style cinematography, the ridiculous amount of time the characters would have had to spend filming… maybe I’m too much of a stickler for realism, but the showrunners made a strict commitment to realism by choosing a mockumentary format. The minute that goes, the comedy collapses for me.

79. I loved the fact that the majority of the episode was Threat Level Midnight. That was exactly what I wanted! I got a little scared when Michael stopped the movie, but there was only a few minutes total of the episode that wasn’t actually movie footage, which was great!

80. scarn dance: epic. i don’t think i have ever laughed that hard during this show!!

81. This episode will go down as one of my five least favorite Office episodes ever. Aside from Andy as the bartender, I didn’t laugh once. I understand that this is show is a sitcom, but there used to be a sense of reality that just isn’t there anymore.

82. Excellent motion picture episode!!!!! It’s absolutely amazing to see characters from the past on the show again!!!!! But, what the hell happened to David Wallace? I believed he’s gonna be on this movie too, that was the word.

83. I loved that his mansion was filmed in his townhouse. I bet he had to push back his flat screen for that.

84. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who did not like this episode. Some moments made me laugh (Toby and Creed in particular), but this episode really strayed too far from its roots. It was just too unrealistic.

85. Incredible. A true highlight of the series. Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. I just knew this would be a total winner. What a show.

    And i totally appreciated Jim’s reasoning for being in the movie. Nice touch.

86. Wow. Surprisingly amazing. One of the best episodes of the whole series. I’m exhausted from laughing so hard.

87. Absolutely HILARIOUS! Loved this episode immensely. Everyone in the office had a fun time reading the original script back in season 2, so I have no doubt all it took was a little Jim and Pam coaxing to get everyone on board. This is the same Office staff that played office olympics, attended a bird funeral and played that murder mystery game, among other things. Why wouldn’t it be feasible that they all get together and film this movie?

    I assume Jan was dating Michael at the time of her appearance, so Michael coaxed her into her role, and for Andy and Karen…well, Andy loves any chance to perform so he’s in with no problem; Karen was dating Jim at the time so he was the one who probably roped her into appearing. Also, I’m sure the documentary crew was more than happy to help with camera work–after all, it would be great material for the documentary. Really, it’s not this huge stretch of realism some people are making this out to be.

88. Great, great episode. Sure if i really wanted to, i could find flaws. But it takes a lot more effort to be negative instead of just allowing myself to enjoy this completely, for what it is. I loved it! Loved Jan and Karen’s TH’s. Loved Jim’s uncontrollable laughter, Catherine Zeta cut out, ketchup fights, Toby’s head, the hockey puck and the “oh sh*t!” Classic.

89. The movie had all the twists and turns of Michael Scott’s mind — and I loved it! An Office classic!

90. Really funny, really great episode. So happy we got to see Michael’s masterpiece at long last. There were so many tiny funny things that just killed me (when Michael and Dwight were in the “Oval Office” and the tacky drop ceiling panels of the office conference room were in plain sight overhead; when Jan was trying to get in her car and get away from the camera but couldn’t find her keys; the fact that Michael had clearly jumped in on a high school hockey game uninvited to do the NHL scene, and so many more!)

91. This show has thrown realism out the door and that makes me awfully sad. The mockumentary format was the best part of the show, and episodes like this completely ruin the magic that THE OFFICE once captures. Really, really disappointing.

92. It was kind of cute. I like that Holly is being a bit more aware again, in their first relationship she loved Michael but she wasn’t telepathically combined to him or completely unable to see his faults, and it was a nice nostalgia. That said I kind of agree that I’m not sure how it makes sense in the context of their reality, but I guess they kind of dumped that around the time Andy jumped off the building screaming “parkour” without getting seriously hurt or Dwight caused a heart-attack (and kidnapped illegal immigrants) without getting fired or arrested.

93. No David Wallace? This episode can SUCK IT! No, but seriously, it was a hilarious episode.

94. I’m not happy about NBC is advertising Threat Level Midnight is available on iTunes today. You have to buy the whole season to get the entire “movie”. Guess I’ll have to wait for the DVD. :-(

95. Hilarious episode– so much to love about it. Dwight was awesome as the wannabe android who really was. Jan and Karen talking heads were *perfection*. “Clean up on aisle 5” LOL! The one thing that bummed me out about it was that Michael stopped believing in his dream because Holly thought it sucked. My absolute favorite thing about Michael is his unwavering belief in and relentless devotion to his own nonsense. TLM was the height of his nonsense and the fact that he just dropped it like that after 11 years was really sad. Apart from that though, great episode.

96. The tony gardner cameo threw me off though (Jan’s pianist). There’s no way a dude who was thoroughly embarrassed by Michael in the workplace would agree to be in his movie. That is, unless somehow Michael apologized and smoothed things over after he fired Tony. Still though, kind of a stretch. Regardless, loved the episode.

97. So awesome. Can’t get enough of The Scarn Dance!

98. Oh my goodness, this episode was full of awesomeness!! So nice to see old characters back, though I thought David Wallace was supposed to be in this?

    Favorite moments:
    -Scarn dance
    -Stanley as Morgan Freeman
    -Oscar blinking after Michael kills him
    -Go puck yourself
    -the puck hitting the satellite, which fixed the tv
    -the Abe Lincoln picture
    -Toby the animal rapist
    -Creed’s “Thanks Mom”
    -“intregal”
    -the end tag — I want that as my ringtone!!

99. Did anyone else find it hilarious (or even notice) that after Scarn strangled Oscar and he was supposedly dead, he was still blinking? Great acting, Oscar! Haha.

    Loved, loved, LOVED this episode! I always look forward to the office but I hadn’t anticipated an episode this much since Fun Run (when I was dying to find out about Pam and Jim).

100. Excellent episode, one of the best of the season.

101. Win win win!!

     Threat Level Midnight – seriously extra awesome . . .

102. This is The Office I love: PAINfully funny!
     Did not expect that.

103. Simply a fun episode! I loved the little call-backs to characters all-but forgotten, like Karen and Jan. I absolutely loved Michael’s talking head that went with Toby’s head explosion!

104. I hate it when I have to express any displeasure with The Office but I’m surprised so many people think so highly of this episode. It strayed way too far from the show’s format in my opinion. If they would have made it so it actually looked like Michael could have made the movie then I would be on board. But shots like the one where the hockey puck hits the satellite?! Does Michael Scott now do CG effects in his spare time? Plus, back in the day the only way we would have seen this would have been on the TV they were watching it on in the conference room (like the “Scranton The Electric City” video)…not in full HD resolution coming through my TV screen like a real movie. It didn’t even feel like The Office.

105. 2nd perfect 10 in a row!!!! Very nice job B.J. and all at The Office.
     and Toby got his head blown off, so CLASSIC!

106. #87 – Very well put! I loved everything about this episode. Loved Goldenface, Samuel, and the dance. Hope the Michael Scarn dance goes viral.

107. I absolutely adored this episode. Laughed from beginning to end. I loved Jim’s reasoning behind why he was in the movie. The exploding Toby was really funny, and Stanley’s voice over was great. 10/10. Best episode of the season.

108. Love it! Too many great moments, especially the sly barb at Ocean’s Eleven, and Michael’s only Woody Allen movie being Antz.

109. Was that Wallace’s kid in the bar? I see Ryan’s friend from NY was in it. The one Dwight thought was a Hobbit.

110. I loved it! Just as funny as the S2 episode where the office finds the script. I don’t think it was unrealistic – if a movie took 10 years to make it would probably have some degree of professionalism, even if the movie is made by Michael Scott. Loved everything from Stanley’s narration to Andy as the bartender and Karen’s line being singled out, and the conversation Jim/Goldenface and Pam were having in the background about why his face is gold. I’m so happy we got to see this episode!

111. I liked the pic of Carol as the realtor of Scarn Manor. Missed it the first time, but it caught my eye the second time around.

112. Loved the episode. Had a fun time doing The Scarn.

113. This was absolutely great. A incredible combination of corny effects (Toby head shot, Scarn’s mansion fading back to become Carol’s realtor advertisement) and an opportunity to let the entire cast shine (specifically Andy as the bartender and Creed as Cherokee Jack). It also worked for me on two levels-one as a love letter to long time fans of the series, and the other as a unique, inventive, hilarious take on everything that makes The Office amazing. Jim’s “bad acting” was also key for me–maniacal laughter in particular. In terms of realism, we’ve seen this before. If everyone in the office would come together to participate in Michael’s commercial in Local Ad, they definitely would participate in his movie, especially over a course of eleven years. I thought Threat Level Midnight, aside from being comic brilliance, was a logical extension of The Office universe. Top 10 episode for me.

114. Nailed it! So much to love and appreciate!

115. Awesome episode!!!! It was great seeing the old characters come back. Karen, Jan, Roy (I was disappointed we didn’t see more Roy) and Tony Gardner as the pianist was a classic cameo. Favorite was the Jim/Dwight interaction during the movie, where Jim (Goldenface) appears to intentionally flub his line. Always classic. One of the top ten episodes ever!!!!

116. What a treat to find that with a Season Pass on iTunes, you not only get the TLM episode, but the full 25-minute TLM movie! Watching it now…cool to see the deleted scenes as part of the overall “movie.” Creed as Cherokee Jack, doing his best “wax-on, wax-off” teaching method with the mop, was funny. And boy…Steve Carell can skate! Good to see that Roy actually did have several scenes/lines. Still looking for David Wallace.

117. Absolutely LOVED it! Had an giant smile on my face during the entire episode! Way to go, guys!!

118. I laughed the whole time. The speed skating suits on Jim and Oscar were awesome. I agree the old characters were great. Did I miss Wallace?

119. What? Jim will put on the skin-tight jumper and paint his face gold to win the girl but won’t dress up as Popeye for his wife?

     Best part was Toby’s head exploding and the dummy body left in his place. Can’t believe Michael didn’t have Golden Face torture him more before going for the kill.

     Missing David and my new favorite character Gabe!

120. Great episode!

121. The show has strayed from its roots, but I enjoyed this episode nonetheless. I actually felt sad afterwards when it hit me that these hijinks will be absent once Michael makes his exit. I have never felt this kind of attachment to a character before.

122. One of my favorite episodes and a real nice way to wind down the Michael Scott character before he leaves. It would’ve been great if NBC showed “The Client” (S2 where the Scanton branch does the table read of TLM script) before the official presentation of TLM to add more appreciation for Michael’s creation.

     @ Scott (#109) THANK YOU for identifying Ryan’s friend who Dwight called the Hobbit. Could not place where I had seen the face before.

123. Now that’s what I’m talking about! Major kudos to BJ Novak and Tucker Gates for the first amazing episode in quite a while. I don’t care if it didn’t fit along the realms of what the show once was. It was gut-hurting funny and that’s what a comedy is supposed to do. Well done.

124. @Pam (#122), No problem. The credits list him as Troy L. Underbridge‎: (Troll Underbridge)

125. 10/10 EPISODE! This was the most amazing episode I have seen of the Office IN YEARS! So many great lines and so many hilarious things that even the great Betty White couldn’t compare to how amazing this episode was! I mean, it was probably one of the best episodes of the whole series! Creed was probably one of my favorites of the episode! And Darryl’s BIG WASTE OF TIME line was great!
     The “filmized” look of the movie was funny! And I’m sure with over 10 years of editing, that Michael would eventually know how to do CGI. HE probably had some help from Pam! And I love how all the old characters were back! And “Doing the Scarn” was one of the greatest Michael moments! Great episode! Great EVERYTHING! And Gabe wasn’t in it…and it was actually a good episode….? I like Gabe, but….ya know..

126. The Tony Gardner cameo is totally possible! I mean he worked at the Stamford branch, so maybe Jan recruited him for the film.

     Also, maybe Michael paid the film crew to help him film his movie, maybe that’s why the quality is so good.

127. Awful episode.

     “Thanks Mom” and that’s it.

128. LOVED IT. I actually teared up after watching them do “The Scarn,” because it made me realize how much I’m going to miss Steve/Michael!! But the ep/movie was perfect, so many great character moments, spot-on attention to detail…awesome :)

129. This episode pretty much sums up why I love Michael Scott.

130. Amazing! I’ve been waiting for this and I think they did a great job! With Michael spending as much time on this as he has, I think it was totally plausible. Plus, it’s Michael, as much as people might not want to admit it he does seem to have an amazing ability to persuade people. Overall, I think it was a great ending tribute to Michael.

131. Didn’t really make sense with all the office members being in the movie unless michael bribed them which wasn’t mentioned. I mean c’mon, would stanley really narrate

132. My favourite part was when TLM camera crew had the camera on Scarn in the president’s office, and you could spot the reseption in the background. It made me really happy. I’m going to miss Michael Scott so much.

133. The BEST episode in a long time!! I don’t think I stopped laughing the entire time. Sure it makes no sense that everyone would take part but whatever, still hilarious. That part where Toby gets his head blown off was gut busting!

     Good job Office crew!

134. The Office (US) might be my all-time favorite show…we have all the DVDs and stop to watch re-runs when they are on cable. “The Search” was an all-time high for me but “TLM” was a deleted scene that they turned into a whole episode. Considering the overall sweet joy in the show over the years, they are allowed this mulligan.

135. This episode was like all the love of the last six seasons rolled into one beautiful, hilarious package. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed at an episode as hard as I did with this one!

     I don’t think a lot of people who didn’t pay close attention to previous seasons will think this episode is funny, but for those of us who noticed the little things, it was pure genius!

136. Threat Level Midnight was the best!! I loved it! I don’t think it was too far of a stretch for certain people like Angela or Stanley to be in it. Michael could’ve easily told them he would give them days off or something to do it. I liked that it had a real movie feel to it. I loved that Toby’s head being blown off was integral to the storyline.. . LOL. I would like to know how Toby got involved in the first place. I loved the Scarn dance, Dwight’s unscripted leap to save Michael, the puck hitting the satellite and fixing Andy’s TV and the Armageddon reference. Karen’s lines were also funny! The song at the end was great!

     I wish Michael wouldn’t have thought his movie was bad just because Holly didn’t like it. There were some things that didn’t make sense, but it wasn’t awful. I’m surprised Holly didn’t like any of it since they have a similar sense of humor. Why weren’t David or Erin in the movie? I would’ve enjoyed seeing them in it too. This episode gets a 10/10 from me. Everyone was wonderful and I can’t wait to see the whole film!!

137. Greatest episode of all time. Not kidding.

138. Did I like this episode? –Cut to clip of Michael finding out Toby returned to his HR job in the office– “NO. NO. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” I would say why, but a lot of you have already said it beautifully.

139. #135 “The ratings stink for “Threat Level Midnight”-only 6 1/2 million!. This worries me. Ratings are declining.”

     Ratings are down because of the American Idol leadin to Bones, not because people psychically knew they wouldn’t like Threat Level Midnight. Given how much folks loved last week’s PDA an uptick in ratings would be the expected result. Frankly, the ratings have held steady throughout the season with minor ups and downs.

140. I LOVE The Office. I’ve seen every episode at least 2, 3 times, and never hated or even disliked an episode, besides Christening. I got all the callbacks in this episode. I still didn’t like it.
     I didn’t HATE it, how could I with Jim dressed as Goldenface? But this episode had so many problems, and not just with the realism. If the plot is Michael realizing his dream won’t come true, did they really have to spend so much time showing the movie?
     The movie was just a lot of unfunny humor shown in a funny way, which usually works, but not this time. I wish this came out better.

141. The episode was quite brilliant. The movie itself was just bad ;) but the ep makes the screening so playful with the dialogue and direction. Solid!

     Sure glad Toby wasn’t there to see his part. Wonder how horrible that would’ve been for him.

142. I forgot to say I was happy seeing Toby again! It was good seeing him again even if it was just for a few seconds and even though his head was blown off. Poor Toby. ha ha Michael is hilarious! I hope we get to see more scenes between him and Michael before Steve leaves:(.

143. I liked this episode better than the past several weeks, but I don’t know if it’s because I read too much about the upcoming episodes or what, but this season has been a let down for the most part. Maybe I’ll stop reading the hype before each show so I can be more surprised and not have expectations. I don’t like Michael’s interactions with Holly (she seems kind of harsh this time around.) I’m not a big fan of Todd Packer but I hope his episode is funny. I did get a kick out of the Ferris Bueller/Chandler Bing references in the deleted scene.

144. Soup Snake 137, says: ” I loved that Toby’s head being blown off was integral to the storyline.. . LOL.”

     I don’t find Michael’s violence-ridden movie ANYTHING to laugh it. There is NOTHING “LOL” about seeing ANYONE’S head being blown off-even Toby’s!

     I gave a “D” grade to “Threat Level Midnight” in part because gratuitous violence is NEVER funny or excusable, even as a silly sham-movie within a TV sitcom.

     Michael’s character exhibits a disturbing profile: Cartoonishly violent inner imagination, no friends, inability to maintain a close,loving relationship, insults just about everyone, remains blissfully clueless about hurting people’s feelings, and based on Threat Level Midnight and his alter ego,”Michael Scarne”, LOVES to shoot villains-as well as women in the neck with darts.

     “Threat Level Midnight” offends me as a fan on many levels. Exploding heads and rampant shooting don’t amuse me. TLM reveals the workings of a very sad, unstable personality.
     Michael needs therapy, not Holly.

145. Oh man! a scene stolen from Armageddon! that was awesome!
     I disagree with sooo many people here; for me it was great and very funny. A movie so bad, that it’s good. I’ll rewatch it for the same reason I still watch Robocop, Rocky, Starship Troopers, Twister, Godzilla and many other “questionable” movies.
     Great effort!

146. Does anyone know what the name of the violin in the opening? It is from a movie but I can’t remember it for the life of me….

147. This goes out to the writer, director, producers and of course the lovely cast:
     -standing ovation- I absolutely loved this episode. So incredibly hilarious :)

148. Definitely an episode only for bona fide OFFICE fans. It is hard to accept that all the folks at Dunder-Mifflin would willingly participate in Michael’s pet project and I find Holly’s reaction plausible to Michael’s statement that this film was his big dream. Having said that, it was nice to see some old faces even if the premise for their return was a bit of a stretch. I especially loved seeing Rashida Jones (both in THE OFFICE and PARKS AND REC). I did miss Andy Buckley. I thought David Wallace was supposed to be in last night’s episode. Did something change? Also, it’s a shame David Denman’s lines are only available in the deleted scenes. Roy and Karen were big players in Jim and Pam’s storyline and I wish those two returning characters were used more effectively rather than just making cameo appearances. Still, as an OFFICE fan, it was a treat to see something from Season 2 come back years later as a realized “film.” ;o)

149. Not a fan of this one. It would have played better as a bonus feature on the dvd, rather than an entire episode. At best it was indulgent and a waste of one of the last episodes we ever get to see Steve in :/

     I can however appreciate Michael’s storyline wrapping and elements like this coming to fruition, it was just a little painful to sit through.

150. I like that the ZIP codes shown for Scarn Manor in Clarks Summit, PA, and for the White House, were the correct ZIP’s! But Google Maps says there’s no 451 Hanover Lane, so Scarn Manor will remain a figment of Michael’s imagination.

151. Did anyone notice that when they would show the external shot of the White House, it was labeled as “Washington DC, D.C.”? Love it!

152. soup snake @ 137 – I agree that it was disappointing that Michael gave up on his movie after all this time because of Holly’s opinion. It made me sad because not only is he leaving, it feels like he is being de-Michaeled on his way out. I’d love it if he took a stand for something that means so much to him. That would be my ideal swan song for Michael Scott.

     Oh, and Holly? Boo. Ironic that every single person in that office, including Oscar, Angela, Stanley and Jan (all of whom relish being brutally honest with Michael) were more supportive of Michael’s dream than she was. Even Toby was there for him. Just boo.

     That piece of the story aside though, I loved this episode and I can’t wait to watch the full length TLM!!

153. Terrible. Absolutely terrible. I love this show, and I hate being negative on the internet, because it’s a cliche, but that was not funny and, as others have said, did not fit with the tone and spirit of the show at all. This season has had some very high points, but this is probably the worst episode of the series for me.

154. It just seems to me like they want to get all the episodes dealing with Michael Scott’s “story” out of the way, and everything feels rushed. Just like with Holly and Michael getting together, showing old flames like Jan, and his movie, you can obviously tell that the writers want to tie up as many loose ends as humanly possible, but it comes at the expense of the true comedy of the show.

155. @ Chris (#147)
     I think the suspense-type music is from the Jason Bourne movies.

156. I enjoyed this episode, especially since we got a nice slice of the entire cast, past and present. I was very willing to suspend disbelief that the Office staff was participating in the movie, as I could imagine Michael bribing them one way or another. Jim’s rationale was so spot on from Seasons One and Two, when he would do anything to impress Pam. Loved Kevin saying to show the movie at a carnival. What I hated was Michael giving up on his dream of moviemaking because Holly didn’t like it. I’d never recognize Michael anymore with this newfound insight into his own psychology. If the writers think Holly will only want to marry Michael if he grows up, and are willing to change a character that has worked for years to do that, then no wonder this romance seems so contrived.

157. I’m actually a little surprised how polarizing this episode seemed to be. I am willing to bet, however, that most of the people who hated the episode are more casual and newer fans. I felt like TLM was clearly a tribute to the hardcore fans that have followed the show from the very beginning. There were various aspects that were callbacks to earlier seasons, that I’m guessing were harder to notice and appreciate had you not been watching since Season 1/2.

158. I loved this episode! I was slightly disappointed that it didn’t follow the script that was originally read way back in season 2 (“The Client”). I also LOVED that Stanley was the narrator…it reminded me of how Morgan Freeman narrates so many movies. Overall, awesome episode!

159. I loved this episode. The Scarn was awesome and now I know it by heart. But the one thing I hated about the episode, Holly. Ever since she returned she has been a little bit colder to Michael and in Classy Christmas I really hated her. I am glad she only has two episodes left. The only thing I like about her is Michael is still happy. I like Erin’s views on her because I agree 100% with Erin. Also I noticed Jim had his S1-S4 hair back in TLM.

160. @158: I’m one of the people who didn’t love it, and I’ve been watching since season 1. Aside from the fact that the episode centered around a film that was part of an episode in season 2, I saw no homage to the “old” Office. In fact, this strayed so far from what The Office used to be that I think this episode was for the newer fans. I don’t mean to be such a negative Nancy– I laughed several times– but was mostly just shaking my head, disappointed.

161. The part where Toby got his head blown off was the hardest I’ve laughed in a long long long long long time.

162. Tiffany @153- I watched the episode again and noticed that Holly didn’t seem to like the movie from a start. She always looked serious and never laughed at all. I also think Michael took the movie too seriously and wasn’t really enjoying it until Holly said she didn’t like it. It was only until the end that he was laughing at some of the scenes. I think he also realized that he didn’t need the movie or anything else that he has created because what Holly said struck a chord with him. He has her and she is real so he doesn’t really need all these other things that he mentioned. Some people said they felt like Michael grew up a little in the way he responded to Holly. He could’ve been immature and mean about her comments, but he wasn’t at the end. I still don’t like that he gave up on his dream so quickly,it just didn’t make sense to me. I still think Holly should have been more supportive since she loves him. It felt very out of character for her to act like this.

163. I thought the episode was great! I did find the logistics of the movie unrealistic but still enjoyed it. If they had made every scene set in the office or Michael’s condo (like the Oval “Office”) it would have been more believable. Also, it would have helped made everyone’s participation more believable because they were getting out of work for it. Still, I don’t think it was that far of a stretch since they were super into doing the script reading in Season 2 it makes sense that they would participate for the purpose of making fun of Michael.

     Although, explaining the production value would have been nice. You can easily make TLM on imovie, but I don’t see how Michael could do that when he couldn’t figure out Power Point.

164. Was anyone else annoyed that Samuel L. Chang wasn’t the (please correct me if I’m wrong) Chinese man with broken english and weird slang catch phrases that Ryan read in Season Two’s “The Client”? Instead, he was a robot? Don’t get me wrong- I thought it was cute that Michael eventually let Dwight be the robot that he wanted, but overall, I was disappointed that the episode strayed farther from its original reference than it appears it claims to. Just so disappointing, especially since earlier episodes that have dealt, in part, with some of the same ideas, were so so good! All in all, this episode just made me realize how I miss “The Client” and the old Office so much more.

165. I loved this episode. It was the hardest I laughed in a while. I have watched this show since season 1 and love it.

166. If we remember, Michael edited and put together an video advertisement in the episode “Local Ad” from Season 4. But in episodes right before that, “Dunder Mifflin Infinity” and “Money”, he is shown not to be able to use a Blackberry or PowerPoint. So the presentation of Michael’s technology skills are inconsistent at best.

167. To those saying it’s sad Michael is giving up his dream of filmmaking because Holly didn’t like it: He’s giving it up because he is finally growing up. He’s not good at it – it was a childish pipe dream. Giving it up means he is finally growing up.

     Despite the obvious nit-picky inconsistencies of the episode with Season 2’s screenplay reading, and the shaky timeline (why is Helene in it, but not Holly), bottom line, it was hilarious!! After seven-ish years, it is still so very funny!

168. As to many of the comments that I have read about “why was this not like what was read in season 2?”
     Michael said that he was writing and RE-WRITING.
     With knowing how to use a computer but not a blackberry, he probably had Pam’s help with some of it since she was very interested in the completion of the movie. And lots of people don’t know how to use cellphones, but are great with computers.
     The episode was great, and even though it wasn’t the all-time best, it still was great! The all-time best was Casino Night. And STEVE wrote it! If Steve wrote all the episodes, the show would’ve been GREAT AND AMAZING~

169. any idea what’s the music playing after the “running on ice” during the goldenface/scarn/oscar race (1,2,3…die!). same as the opening credit for the bonus version. please, it’s driving me nuts…

170. There are certain Office episodes I don’t look forward to seeing.

     This is one episode I seriously contemplate skipping. It’s worse than cringe-worthy and the premise is ridiculous. That Michael’s employees (other than Dwight…and Michael belittled “Dwigt” in his S-2 script) would take his foolish vanity project seriously is ludicrous.

     Nothing close to laughs or reality as to characters’ behavior. Michael’s bad dialogue makes Paul Williams’ purposely bad Ishtar songs Lennon-ish.

     A very poor entry. I am aghast it received such an above-average rating here; wow did people have suspect tastes in deciding this was solid viewing.

     Come on people…Toby agreeing to see his fake head explode multiple times? Pam’s Mom agreeing to be in Michael’s project at any time? Jan is one thing; Karen? Give me a break.

     Oh Lord this was a low point. Shame on this crazy and misleading high rating.

171. I’m surprised that Holly didn’t like TLM. It seems like this is the kind of goofy stuff that she and Michael have in common and just go crazy over. Like their silly Slumdog Millionaire skit at the company picnic.