**WARNING: SERIOUS SPOILERS AHEAD**

Wow, I didn’t see that coming. I thought Karen might get the job to clear the way for a Jim/Pam relationship in Scranton, but I didn’t think Jim would jettison Karen before the news broke about who got the job. The scene where Pam was being interviewed and Jim stuck his head in and asked her to dinner was SO INCREDIBLY sweet, it put 99.999% of all supposedly sweet romantic comedy moments to shame. It literally warmed the cynical heart of this writer, who usually sees this stuff coming from a mile away.

Pam’s speech at the end of the last episode really put things into motion. Karen was suddenly threatened (“Pam is kind of a bitch”) and told Jim that she wanted to move with him away from Scranton/Pam. It was also surprising how Karen reacted to Jan’s meltdown; Jim had some empathy for the newly voluptuous one, and I think Karen’s reaction might have been the straw that broke that relationship’s back. The writers were obviously trying to make Karen less sympathetic by having her throw Michael under the bus in the interview (“He’d be a disaster”) and leaving Jim at corporate to meet her friends for lunch. But she didn’t get the job, so presumably she’ll be back. If that’s the case, I doubt she’ll last long, especially if Jim and Pam are in a relationship.

For a guy who called Dwight an idiot last week, Michael is really pretty moronic himself. First he shows up on the wrong day (“The other branch managers are idiots – Hey Pam, I forgot which day the interview was and I drove to New York accidentally, so I’ll be like three hours late.”) Then, he names his successor AND sells his condo (on eBay, proudly getting 80% of his purchase price) BEFORE actually getting the new job. Jan’s boob job and subsequent meltdown were hilarious (that whole scene in the lobby with the box of her belongings was priceless); hopefully she’ll still be on the show as Michael’s girlfriend. Same goes for Ryan, who (I guess) is now Michael’s boss. But back to the boob job – Meredith’s take was classic: “It’s a waste. In my experience, guys are more attracted to the back of you than the front.”

We also got a glimpse of what life would be like if Dwight was the branch manager, and it sure wasn’t pretty. His search for a #2 led to this line: “I will need a new #2. My ideal candidate? Jack Bauer. But he’s unavailable, fictional and overqualified.” His presentation about paper was oddly compelling – I wanted to see more. (Actually, I’m just trying to earn some Schrute Bucks.)

Looking forward to next season, will be interesting to see how they handle the Jim/Pam relationship. Generally, when longstanding unrequited love finally becomes…um…requited, it’s a sign that the show may have jumped the shark. “The Office” doesn’t depend on the Jim/Pam dynamic for its laughs, but it certainly has been the major season-long storyline in each of the first three seasons.

Regardless, I can’t wait to see what happens next.