Re: Night Out

Last night's Office was a glimpse of what could've been the overriding plotlines of season four: Ryan becoming a corporate chach whose blind faith in Web 2.0 amounts to little more than old dogs, new tricks, and a club-drug habit; Michael dating (revisiting David Brent's search for a Date to the office Christmas party in the Special); and Jim finding out that, despite his best intentions, no one in the office actually likes him that much.

I enjoyed the episode because it toned down the zaniness of season four. Pretty much every element could've been transplanted into the sort-of-more-real season two universe, as even the most zany element - Ryan's growth-stunted friend - didn't pull it away from plausibility. The Michael plotline also veered into some Brent territory, and Dwight making out with that basketball chick reminded me of Garreth meeting a certain "loose woman" at Slough hot-spot Chasers; but seeing the office weirdo get some action without even trying was fun in both cases.

Jim and the others getting stranded in the Parking Lot of Doom was a nice throwback to episodes such as "The Fire," though having split Scranton-New York plotlines didn't allow us to witness too much of their boredom outside of Toby supplying Pam with a football to throw at Meredith's face. That, and Jim trying to contact and failing to remember the security guard's name, which Creed, of all people, knew correctly (probably because a small-time smuggling operation involving after hours and office supplies). There was also another Jim-is-becoming-Michael moment when he pulled Oscar aside to talk to the cleaning people on the assumption they'd speak Spanish.

So I liked the episode, since the stakes were pretty low. The next three need to have some zing, and something other than Jim's proposal needs to happen. If Toby makes good on his declaration to move to Costa Rica (first mentioned in season three episode "Branch Closing," in which he fantasized about moving there and learning how to surf), his leaving will open up a position in HR. Will this introduce the new character(s) that will be part of the spin-off that will also probably feature Andy Bernard? Even so, there's still some unexplored territory that could make for an interesting next three episodes, even with the season being only half as long and thus twelve episodes short of developing any sort of poignancy that could equal the end of "Casino Night" or, to a lesser extent, "The Job."