I was pretty excited about a 45-minute episode of “The Office” this week, but I have to say, it was a little disappointing. It seemed like some of the jokes that would have otherwise been cut – like Kevin’s dealings with the shredder – ended up making it into the final edit of the episode.
Andy’s encounter with Michael, and how Michael thinks that Andy has a “really likable way about him” were pretty funny. Ed Helms and Steve Carell worked together on “The Daily Show” and it’s clear they still have a lot of chemistry. Andy’s feud with Dwight also has some good potential.
There were a few good moments – “Lazy Scranton,” the breast pump bit and Michael’s defense of Hooters – but there weren’t as many big laughs as usual. Michael’s hilarious query of Karen’s heritage – “Was your father a G.I.?” – wasn’t as effective since it was used in the previews last week.
However, there was some movement on the Jim/Pam saga. It looks like Jim and Karen are dating and Pam is too much of a wuss to say anything to Jim. When she said, “We’ll always be friends,” it became crystal clear that these two aren’t going to get together anytime soon. I was surprised when Jim turned her down for coffee. It seems like he’s still recovering from being rejected the last time.
It will be interesting to see how the show deals with all the new characters. Will there be enough screen time for the supporting cast with all the new faces in town? And where was Oscar this week?
