Re: Chair Model

The Office, in a word: meh. No big laughs and no real thrust.

The Michael plotline just relayed a little between-episodes backstory (leaving Jan), while also treading some sloppy done-before ground; the death of the Chair Model was not unlike the off-screen, unimportant death of former Scranton boss Ed Truck's death in early season three. Keyword is unimportant.

The Andy-Kevin plotline, like many recent season-four episodes, was all setup and no payoff. The "Five Families" sat in a room and that was it? Was the montage of their introductions supposed to be the joke? They gave Kevin a moment at the end, though, which was fairly unfulfilling; have a character be a one-dimensional, monotone loaf for four seasons, then show him on the verge of semi-tears? But as per Andy's small victory, this might, in some way, be a lead-up to The Office Spin-Off, which is heavily rumored to star Ed Helms.

So all that's left is a Jim-Pam bit that threatens the next four episodes. Of course, it probably won't resurface until the second-to-last or last episode of the season, and then I imagine we'll have to wait another shark-jumping season until the obligatory Jim And Pam's Wedding episode.