Powered by i.TV
June 19, 2013

The Office: The Duel

by Jay Black, posted Jan 15th 2009 11:29PM
You know, come to think of it, that mug might be ironic!(S05E11) Admit it, if what happened in tonight's episode happened at your actual office, it would be The Greatest Thing that has Ever Happened. A secret affair, a cuckolded trust-fund baby with anger issues, an emotionally aloof ice-princess, and a duel? That's like six sacks of awesome and a barrel full of booyah.

Maybe it's the spot-on characterization combined with the documentary style of the production or maybe it's because the effectiveness of my anti-schizophrenia medication is wearing off, but over the last five years I feel like I've become a part of the Dunder-Mifflin family. When everyone was watching the "fight", no doubt feeling that special tingle of schadenfreude that only happens when someone you work with is going through some real emotional turmoil, I felt like I was right there with them.

It was a good feeling (in a "pleasure at another person's pain" kind of way...)

I learned in college -- from a professor with a pretty serious beard -- that it's wrong to judge a work of art based on its moral lesson. With apologies to The College of New Jersey's English department, I very much enjoyed Angela's comeuppance tonight.

She's been playing both sides of this for far too long and as Andy's character has grown from a one-note nickname-machine into probably the best supporting player on the show, it was getting harder and harder to find anything likable about Angela.

The slight smile sliding across her lips as the duel was about to play out was the last straw: Angela is not a very nice person. It was fantastic to see all that attention end for her in a canceled sail-boat cake and a tossed-out bobblehead doll.

My only criticism is that Angela is still a rather opaque character. While it's easy to see her motivation for sleeping with Dwight (that hair!), I never could figure out what kept her from hurting Andy. This is a woman who sharpens her own life through cutting remarks to others; why "spare" Andy by lying to him? Maybe she enjoyed the drama of it, but that seems to go against the rest of what we know about her, doesn't it?

I'd love to hear your theories on this in the comments.

Other stuff:

-- Richard Keller, my esteemed TV Squad co-reviewer, thought that the Michael subplot was a little unnecessary. I can see his point, but I thought there were two good reasons to have it:

1) it got Michael out of the office, which was really necessary from a dramatic point of view

2) it provided an ironic counter-weight to what was happening; here was Michael getting praised for being a good boss at the exact same time two of his employees were about to have a Klingon Honor Fight in the parking lot.

What were your thoughts?

-- "I guess you have fewer options when you get older."

-- A question to the ladies: is it a fantasy to have two men fight over you (quite possibly with ninja throwing stars?)

The Office' Photos

    THE OFFICE Steve Carell as Michael Scott and Amy Ryan as Holly star in the episode "Weight Loss." Airs Thursday, September 25, 2008.

    NBC

    THE OFFICE Steve Carell as Michael Scott and Amy Ryan as Holly star in the episode "Weight Loss." Airs Thursday, September 25, 2008.

    NBC

    THE OFFICE Mindy Kaling as Kelly Kapoor and Craig Robinson as Darryl Philbin star in the episode "Weight Loss." Airs Thursday, September 25, 2008.

    NBC

    THE OFFICE Amy Ryan as Holly and Brian Baumgartner as Kevin Malone star in the episode "Weight Loss." Airs Thursday, September 25, 2008.

    NBC

    THE OFFICE, Steve Carell, ''Did I Stutter'', (Season 4, airing May 1, 2008), 2005-. Photo: Chris Haston / NBC

    THE OFFICE, Rainn Wilson, ''Did I Stutter'', (Season 4, airing May 1, 2008), 2005-. Photo: Chris Haston / NBC

    THE OFFICE, Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, ''Did I Stutter'', (Season 4, airing May 1, 2008), 2005-. Photo: Chris Haston / NBC

    THE OFFICE, Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, ''Night Out'', (Season 4, airing April 24, 2008), 2005-. Photo: Mitch Haddad / NBC

    THE OFFICE, Rainn Wilson, Cassie Fliegel, ''Night Out'', (Season 4, airing April 24, 2008), 2005-. Photo: Mitch Haddad / NBC

    THE OFFICE, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Rainn Wilson, ''The Dinner Party'', (Season 4, episode 4013, aired April 10, 2008), 2005-,. Photo: Chris Haston / NBC / courtesy everett collection

Add a Comment

*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

37 Comments

Filter by:
Silvergirl

I think Angela's motivation for being with Dwight while engaged to Andy stem from her very insecure personality. She actually thought she could get away with betraying both of them.

I was happy she got her comeuppance, and I can't help but wonder how she will be regarded in the office after this. Will she find a new suitor or adopt a gazillion new cats? Maybe she will have a nervous breakdown. Her character is quite the hypocrit, and being found out could destroy her.

I hope they find a new love interest for Andy - someone who is like him. I imagine him with a preppy woman named Muffie who plays golf and tennis at a country club.

I would also hope the same for Dwight. An earthy woman who knows her way around a farm would be a good fit for him.

I used to think Angela and Dwight could work out, but now I don't think so. She really blew it big time with all of her lies.

I think the Scranton office is doing better with sales because of Jim's efforts to get somewhere now that he is engaged to Pam. I wonder if Andy's sales were better, too, because of his engagement to Angela, even though it hasn't worked out for A & A.

January 20 2009 at 3:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jens

This is just the greatest show ever. I loved last episode. Steve Carell do a good job. Ricky Gervais is brilliant too in the original version of The office. "alaina" I was laughing my head off too, it was hilarious.


htpp://www.webtwist-design.com

January 20 2009 at 4:28 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jim

Michael's "secret" to good management sounded a lot like a Nicholas Fehn bit on SNL.

I did love his line, though: "I'm very impressed with the potential you see in me."

Classic.

January 17 2009 at 12:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
nisesmith

I loved Oscar's face when he asked where they had had sex. He was almost crying! I thought the cold open was great, too. I love anytime when Dwight relates experiences from his childhood, like the admission that he was shunned, that rules song was awesome! I'm glad the whole triangle is through. I kind of hoped that Dwight would get the girl in the end, but it made sense how it ended. I also thought Andy was going to attempt suicide at first when Dwight started reading the note.

January 16 2009 at 4:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joel

"I never could figure out what kept her from hurting Andy. This is a woman who sharpens her own life through cutting remarks to others; why "spare" Andy by lying to him?"

Jay, I think you are giving Angela far too much credit... she wasn't doing it to spare his feelings, she just didn't want to face the consequences of her choices.

January 16 2009 at 3:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Adam

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Oscar asking Dwight where they had sex in the office... where Dwight concludes by saying "My silence should explain it all." LOL... what a nightmare!

January 16 2009 at 3:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Diego M

i think the whole branch is doing well, they have strong sales, with two of the top ten salesmen in staff. they get a lot of work done when michael isn't makin them watch varsity blues or putting on a fat suit.

i guess people work faster when they know if they will get pulled out of work for some shennenigans.

an episode that finally provided closure to the andy/dwangela storyline. it was greatly needed.

and angela is a first class bitch, 17 days without telling Andy while everyone else knew she was bonin dwight and she still had sex with him during that span...

"guys fight over me usually over who gets to hold the camera" funniest line of the night, also the creepiest

January 16 2009 at 1:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kate

Also isn't Andy rich?

I think Angela sees it this way: put andy and dwight together and they are the perfect man.

January 16 2009 at 12:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Elizabeth

I think Angela probably enjoyed that Andy was obsessed with doing everything perfectly for his lady. Kind of the opposite of Dwight.

Also, I definitely paused during the Prius comment for a good laugh.

January 16 2009 at 12:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
heyroll

Question....I've still got an old-school 4x3 television. And there were some scenes that seemed to not fit in my screen! Where Michael was on the faaar right of the screen, and his boss was SO far on the left that I could barely see him.

Did anyone else have this problem????????

January 16 2009 at 11:51 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to heyroll's comment
Kallie

I've noticed this with NBC and ABC recently. I was watching an episode of SNL a few weeks ago and like half the writing was off the screen, I thought it may have been on purpose, but then it seemed like there was something missing so I switched over to the HD channel, where the picture is broadcast in letterbox (widescreen) and everything was there! Seems with this new switch to digital, they're extending the picture to fit more HDTV's and flat screens in the rectangle as opposed to the traditional square. Which, in my opinion, totally sucks. I don't have a grand or four to spend on a flat screen HD tv! There are HD channels for those with HDTV's, why mess with the standard channels!? It irks me to no end to be happily watching a show on channel 4 and then have to switch it to HD 404 and watch it smaller and with grey bars at the top and bottom so I can see the whole picture! (This was especially bothersome and necessary for the LOST enhanced episode replays of last season's finale and the scrolling info at the bottom) Your best rememdy is if you have digital cable to switch to your HD channel and watch it there, then you'll see everything.

January 16 2009 at 7:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
carterman

@Kallie: HDTVs have gotten a LOT cheaper than you might think. Newegg.com is a good place to start.

January 16 2009 at 7:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

Follow Us

From Our Partners