Sunday, October 19, 2008

How NOT to Have a Baby Shower

I haven't blogged much on The Office this season, mostly because I simply don't have time. But the first two episodes, while having their funny moments, just seemed to be missing something. You could look back and think, "Oh yeah, and when they did that, it was funny, or when they said this, it was funny," but on the whole, it didn't leave me with that feeling of hilarity that I like to have after watching The Office.

This week's episode, on the other hand, was classic Office BRILLIANCE. The opening was WAY over-the-top, more OTT than usual, with Dwight carrying a watermelon around in an apron and pretending to be Jan going into labour to help Michael practice. It would be one thing if they were doing this in Michael's home, but it's happening in the office, complete with Dwight lying back on Michael's desk with his feet in the air, screaming. The great thing about The Office is that every weird moment has a kernel of truth, and I just didn't buy this. However, this scene is worth it for Jim's flow chart: "Jan is having a baby with a sperm donor. And Michael is preparing for the birth of a watermelon with Dwight. Now, this baby will be related to Michael through... delusion." Also, watch Phyllis's face when Dwight is about to "give birth." She drops her head and you can see her killing herself laughing. Also, the watermelon flying out and Michael dropping it, with it smashing all over the floor. AWESOME.

One other lowlight: Dwight testing the destructibility of the stroller: that seems a bit too insane even for Dwight.

The episode gets much better from there. Highlights:

Dwight: "Babies are one of my many areas of expertise. Growing up I performed my own circumcision."

The M&Ms bowls filled with M&Ms emblazoned with the baby names, with the boy baby bowl being Chevy, and the girl baby bowl being Astird (pronounced Ass-turd). Phyllis: "That can't be right."

Michael: "If I'm not mistaken, we gave you your wedding shower here. We came into this room and gave you a golden shower. Where is my golden shower?"

Andy screwing up which baby photo is Angela's photo.

Stanley: "I do not like pregnant women in my workspace. They're always complaining. I have varicose veins, too. I have swollen ankles, I'm constantly hungry. Do you think my nipples don't get sore, too? Do you think I don't need to know the fastest way to the hospital?"

Dwight insisting Michael mark the baby with a Sharpie, and freaking when he discovers Jan already had it. "Now the baby could be anybody's... except Michael's."

Michael holding the baby aloft like the Lion King.

Greatest moment of the episode: Jan describing having a tub birth.
Kelly: Uh, so you're in the tub with everything?
Jan: Oh yeah, the afterbirth floats.
Creed: Must be like the tide at Omaha Beach.

(My husband and I immediately paused it and were both laughing so hard we couldn't breathe... then backed it up three times. Best Creed line EVER.)

Michael going to get advice from Darryl, and constantly referring to him as a "babydaddy." (Again, you can see the actor playing Darryl trying not to laugh through the scene, especially when Michael calls the baby a "babybaby.")

Jan realizing that Holly has the same sense of humour as Michael.

Angela trying to get an Anne Geddes picture of the baby by putting it in the fruit. HAHA!!

Michael hugging Holly and asking her out. I love that he didn't kiss her, and instead gave her a long and sort of awkward hug.

The similar phone messages that Jim and Pam leave for each other... aww....

2 comments:

Crissy Calhoun said...

me too on the dwight/stroller thing being too crazy even for dwight. i found it really unfunny in a particularly awesome episode.

my pregnant friend's husband is taking the "mark the baby with a sharpie" idea pretty seriously...

Anonymous said...

I'm a little tired of Dwight's antics. They're just too ridiculous.

I agree that the season hasn't been very funny so far, but I'm loving Amy Ryan as Holly. From the moment she appeared, the character felt real and her sweetness and vulnerability make her the perfect foil to Jan. Right now, I'm actually more interested in Michael and Holly than in Jim and Pam, who've been pretty boring so far this season. I did, however, enjoy the cold open for the previous episode when Jim announced their engagement and nobody cared and then Michael was so excited by the news that he tackled Jim.