‘The Office’: Higher education

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I’ll try to refrain from using baby talk in this post. Promise.

The line between comedy and tragic awkward moments is sometimes blurred when Michael Scott is in the mix. No one knows how to induce a cringe-worthy moment quite like he does. Thursday’s episode was no exception. In ‘Scott’s Tots,’ we learn that Michael had once promised 15 kids that he would pay for their college tuition -- 15 kids. By my calculations, that comes out to ... a lot of money (I went to Kevin’s school of accounting).

It’s money that Michael had to fess up to not having. And it wasn’t funny. There was nothing redeeming about the flub like there usually is with Michael’s awkward moments. It was just uncomfortable. His remedy was to give them free laptop batteries instead? Hardly chuckle-inducing when you consider that the future of these students is in flux. Which raises the question of what realm this show exists in. When the camera’s venture outside the office for too long, reality gets blurred.

Back in the office, Dwight’s intent to get rid of Jim is getting a little tired. I get that Jim is trying his best at running (or is that co-running) the office. But he’s Jim. Not Michael. Would ‘sales Jim’ really have given in to one of Dwight’s/Andy’s ideas so easily? Sure, instituting an Employee-of-the-Month incentive seems harmless, but when Bobbsey Twins are involved, it should be a red flag that things will go haywire.

What did you think of the episode? How long can Dwight’s attempt to overthrow Jim continue without jumping the shark?

--Yvonne Villarreal