(S04E01) We had a lot of discussion last year about The Office's precarious balance of sitcom-type humor and soap-opera drama. There were times when the Pam/Jim/Karen/Roy love quadrangle threatened to overwhelm the show. Other times, Michael's increasingly cartoonish boss went so far off the reservation as to completely shake our suspension of disbelief.

If anything, tonight's episode proved while the sitcom elements are certainly important, it's the soap opera that gives us our unique connection to these characters. I don't know about you guys, but seeing Michael and Jan and Angela and Dwight and, most especially, Pam and Jim back on the small screen felt like slipping out for some coffee with my old friends.

Yes, I'm completely aware that this feeling might be the beginning stages of paranoid schizophrenia, but I don't care because The Office is back! On to the review...

(S03E24) There's a divide, I think, among Office die-hards as to how to strike a balance between the soap opera elements of the show and the straight comedy pieces. Move too far towards the former, and we're watching Melrose Place lite; too far towards the latter, and one of the things that makes this show so special is lost.

I've made myself clear over my run of reviews that I enjoy the soapy elements as much if not more than the comedy bits. Maybe it's because I have an unabashed (and quite creepy, if your comments are to be trusted!) crush on Jenna Fischer, but either way, I tend to tune in to watch the romance inch forward. I know a lot of you are just the opposite, though, and could live without the longing glances between Jim and Pam. Just bring the funny!

That's why it's so damn nice when the show can make both camps equally happy...

(S03E23) After last week's comment massacre, I was hoping to be able to come on and give this episode a glowing review that would turn the comments from "I wish Jay would die of some sort of exotic fish poisoning" to "thank you for re-affirming why I watch this show by providing a series of highlights from tonight's episode, plus a 7 rating... if you ever need a kidney, email me."

So which is it? More vitriolic bile or an army of willing organ donors? The answer, as always, after the jump...

(S03E22) I'd have to go back and do a scientific study of previous Office episodes to be 100% sure, but it felt like the first 20 minutes of tonight's episode set some kind of cringe-per-minute record. It might seem odd coming from an Office fanatic, but I've never really enjoyed the cringe stuff as much as I've enjoyed the more subtle character moments.

I was happy, then, when the episode took a less cringey turn at the midway point. What disappointed me was that I felt, maybe for the first time, that there was some mishandling of the characters for plot purposes...

(S03E21) The Office this week was like Jessica Simpson if she had a giant oozing pimple right on the tip of her nose (I was going to go with "giant underdeveloped conjoined twin on her back" but thought that image was a bit much). It was wonderful... except for one little thing that was so egregious as to sully the rest of the episode.

What was that thing? I'm too talented a teaser to let you know right off. You'll have to wait until after the jump...