Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, I’m continuing my coverage of The Office (2005-2013, NBC), which is currently available on DVD/Blu-ray and Peacock. Please note that for these posts, I watched and will be considering the regular version of the show that presently appears on cable and online — with 204 half-hour episodes total.

The Office stars STEVE CARELL as Michael Scott, RAINN WILSON as Dwight K. Schrute, JOHN KRASINSKI as Jim Halpert, JENNA FISCHER as Pam Beesly, and B.J. NOVAK as Ryan Howard. See more of the regular ensemble cast here.

Season Three is close to the peak conditions of Two. The novelty is wearing — the show has to leave the office more often to come up with fresh ideas that enable the kind of cringe comedy reflective of the mockumentary framing — but its understanding of the characters has risen, particularly the lower ensemble, whose contributions keep increasing. However, Three is less perfect than Two, mostly because it’s burdened by an arc obviously meant to stall the inevitable pairing of its central couple, as Jim spends the first third of the season in an entirely different office, and then the remainder in a relationship with someone other than Pam. This isn’t great, for it’s obvious that Jim’s stint away from Scranton won’t be permanent and the material while he’s there feels like a time-waster, not just because it’s a disruption to the situation itself that prevents him from being able to interact with other regulars, but also because the new characters with him aren’t helpful. Well, his new love interest Karen (Rashida Jones) isn’t. She has no personality and can’t uniquely contribute to story or comedy, functioning more like a plot device and undermining the series’ premised realism by calling attention to its written quality. As for Andy (Ed Helms), he’s a mixed bag — the show will keep him around for the rest of its run, positioning him as a Big Comic Force behind Michael and Dwight. But he temperamentally resides somewhere between them, exhibiting the former’s high-energy attention-seeking and the latter’s darker, competitive edge, often leaning more to one side or the other depending on the demands of a story. His character works best when specifics are emphasized — like his over-educated, upper-class backstory or his love of a cappella, which distinguishes him from others. In Three, he’s mainly a jerky foil to Dwight, and it looks like the show is trying to figure him out — heck, it’s always trying to figure him out, largely using him to uphold rom-com plot-driven tripe while he plays comedically as either a Dwight Lite, or more typically, a Michael Lite… Nevertheless, his presence is basically additive as another lead lacking in self-awareness, and despite this season’s narrative contrivances, The Office is still foundationally in great shape, with its low-concept premise and high-concept framing still engaging, and its characters becoming more supportive. In fact, this is another year where there’s something to like about every episode.

 

01) Episode 29: “Gay Witch Hunt” (Aired: 09/21/06)

Michael outs Oscar as gay to the entire office.

Written by Greg Daniels | Directed by Ken Kwapis

Season Three opens with a memorable installment that derives its cringe comedy from the reliable notion that Michael’s blind spots can often make him unknowingly, excruciatingly politically incorrect — as we’ve seen before, most notably in the formative “Diversity Day.” Here, that idea is even more personalized, not only thanks to this era’s refined understanding of Michael’s character, but also via specific and established details about the other ensemble members — primarily Oscar, whose sexual orientation was shown to us last season and is finally known now by the entire office, when Michael publicly outs him. That’s an audacious idea that produces especially cringey moments, climaxing, famously, in the scene where an uncomfortable Michael attempts to show his “acceptance” by kissing Oscar, a classic Office image that is perfectly rooted in its central characterization’s desire to be loved by his staff (and the cameras), delivering exactly the type of humor that emphasizes the mockumentary framing’s self-revealing comic ethos. An MVE contender. (Of note: Greg Daniels won an Emmy for this script.)

02) Episode 36: “The Merger” (Aired: 11/16/06)

The Scranton branch absorbs several members from Stamford, including Jim.

Written by Brent Forrester | Directed by Ken Whittingham

After a string of episodes where Jim is away in Stamford with Karen and Andy, this entry brings him back to Scranton — where he’s situationally supposed to be, and to which we always knew he would return. Restoring the status quo like this by removing one of the artificial roadblocks between Jim and Pam renders this outing quite satisfying to watch in sequence, for it looks like the show is back on track, having shed a narrative contrivance. More than that, I appreciate “The Merger” because of how its integration of new office members (including Jim, Andy, and Karen) enables a natural highlighting of Michael’s outrageous behavior through his exposure to people who are just meeting him for the first time. This accentuates his cringe, as he makes them very uncomfortable, and in turn, it feels like a good display of both character and premise.

03) Episode 39: “A Benihana Christmas (II)” (Aired: 12/14/06)

Michael and Andy bring their new girlfriends to the office’s dueling Christmas parties.

Written by Jennifer Celotta | Directed by Harold Ramis

Although I’m formally only putting Part II on my list, both halves of this installment that originally aired in a single hour-long block are worthwhile, providing lots of laughs that showcase Michael’s character brilliantly when he is dumped right before Christmas and has trouble grieving, impulsively choosing to pick up waitresses from Benihanas with Andy (who’s cozying up to him and deliberately behaving like a Michael Lite here, for competitive Dwight-Lite aims) and bringing them back to the office’s holiday Christmas party. Or, I should say, parties, as this amusing but vulnerable Michael A-story is paired with a holiday-themed B-story that expertly develops the ensemble dynamics, building on the established Party Planning Committee that Angela rules with an iron fist — for now she faces a rebellion led by Pam and Karen, planning a rival celebration at the same time. I wish Karen was utilized in conflicts like this more often — maybe a personality would have developed for her from there.

04) Episode 42: “The Return” (Aired: 01/18/07)

Oscar returns from his leave, while Jim pranks Andy in Dwight’s absence.

Written by Lee Eisenberg & Gene Stupnitsky & Michael Schur | Directed by Greg Daniels

This entry marks the end of Andy’s initial arc on the show — and the end of the initial conception of his character — for after having helped get Dwight fired (a seeming victory in their rivalry for Michael’s favor), an innocuous prank by Jim sets off Andy so violently that he punches a wall and is sent away for anger management. It’s the capper to this more sinister version of Andy that was quite competitive, with moments of rage that predicted this eventual boiling point. Apparently, he was too much of an antagonist for the fans to embrace, so upon his return, a lighter, goofier take will be in order, yielding a Michael-esque dilution that will make him even more like Michael. However, I appreciate the climax of his first arc here — he’s especially cringey, and premise-validating as a result…. Speaking of which, the story about Oscar’s homecoming once again invites humor that’s not “P.C.,” while Dwight’s brief stint away from Dunder Mifflin lasts as long as it should — one week — and it’s very funny, cementing this as an enjoyable display of his character as well. (Community’s Yvette Nicole Brown appears.)

05) Episode 45: “Business School” (Aired: 02/15/07)

Michael is invited to lecture in Ryan’s business class while Pam has an art showing.

Written by Brent Forrester | Directed by Joss Whedon

One of the best individual half hours for showcasing the range of Michael Scott and his cultivated complexity as a comic character, this excursion takes him out of the office for two major centerpieces. The first comes from the A-story, as Michael agrees to speak in Ryan’s business class, where he can perform and, per the series’ interests, be awkwardly unaware of how he comes across. But there’s an additional layer separating our self-awareness and his this time, for Ryan’s introduction frames the company and Michael’s leadership as outmoded and ineffective, rendering the unknowing Michael’s performance all the cringier due to this ignorance — before he’s confronted with the truth. It’s thus a play to the show’s usual comedy, but with an explicit confrontation between his perspective and the audience’s that confirms why he’s comical… and also sympathetic. The second centerpiece comes at the end, when Michael arrives at Pam’s empty art show and takes genuine interest in her and her work — thereby showing, in practice, the great, wonderful qualities of his character as a counterbalance, including, surprise surprise, the effective aspect of his management style: his deliberately enthusiastic, congenial approach to other people, which inspires and uplifts them. It’s the kind of warm, sentimental idea that freed him to develop away from his British predecessor in the first place (consequently changing the tone of the series itself), and it’ll only continue to accelerate in the years ahead, when all of his relationships in the office become more personal as they go from colleagues to, yes, like a family. So, this is an important offering in marking that evolution, not just for building Michael and Pam’s special friendship, but beyond that, for displaying Michael Scott in all his multi-dimensional glory and linking him to a thematic statement about his character that allows him and his show to evolve in tandem. For that reason — and with a funny office subplot about Dwight and a live bat in the ceiling — this is my pick for the year’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE). It’s the Michael exhibition of the season, with humor and heart that best reveals The Office’s refining sense of self.

06) Episode 47: “The Negotiation” (Aired: 04/05/07)

Michael is forced to negotiate with Darryl, who wants a raise.

Written by Michael Schur | Directed by Jeffrey Blitz

This hilarious outing uses two of the season’s big arcs for amusing stories that feature the characters and their relationships well, proving just how capable they’ve become by Three. Its highlight is Michael’s attempted negotiation of a raise for himself and Darryl (one of the series’ most undersung peripheral players) — a scenario that’s particularly fraught given that he’s currently dating his boss, Jan (Melora Hardin). This makes their exchange extra weird and uncomfortable, reinforcing the presence of the cameras as a tool for both capturing natural awkwardness and enhancing it because of the subjects’ awareness of them. That’s all classic Office — the low-concept and high-concept parts of the premise are applied sublimely. As for the other big story, Pam finally says goodbye to Roy before he encourages her to pursue Jim, and there’s lots of fun in the related interoffice fare, as Jim tries to pay back Dwight for protecting him from Roy (a move that reiterates their mutual fondness underneath the surface back-and-forth) — culminating in Jim’s discovery of Dwight and Angela’s secret romance, as Angela is turned on by Dwight’s show of force. And that’s just a few of the many specific relationships within the ensemble that are capably expressed in this funny, character-filled entry.

07) Episode 50: “Women’s Appreciation” (Aired: 05/03/07)

Michael takes the women of the office on a trip to the mall.

Written by Gene Stupnitsky & Lee Eisenberg | Directed by Tucker Gates

There are many fun character moments, especially for Michael, in this underrated offering, which starts with the news that Phyllis has been flashed in the parking lot — a notion that evokes laughter from Michael, setting up a socially uncomfortable scenario that blossoms into a whole story as he attempts to give a seminar to his staff on women’s issues. This leads to a trip with Michael and all the office ladies to the mall… where he cries to them about his terrible relationship with Jan and treats them to items at Victoria’s Secret (which is delightfully inappropriate). Needless to say, this is an excellent display of both the humor and heart Michael brings to the show, in evidence of where Season Three is with regard to its projection of the premise and its individual arc for his character… Meanwhile, I also appreciate the team-up of Dwight and Andy in the related subplot, as Andy’s position here as Dwight’s sidekick is another example of how Andy will sometimes be utilized going forward. Oh, and there’s lots of cringe.

08) Episode 51: “Beach Games” (Aired: 05/10/07)

Michael takes the staff on a beach retreat with the goal of picking his successor.

Written by Jennifer Celotta & Greg Daniels | Directed by Harold Ramis

As noted, this season leaves the office more often in an attempt to create new stories with opportunities for premise-validating cringe comedy. It’s basically due to the dwindling novelty, for there’s more effort needed now to play to the situation in fresh ways — accelerating the transition from a show about colleagues to a show about friends/family, for the more time they spend together outside of work, the closer they get… However, let me not get ahead of myself, for one of the things I love about this episode is that it is professionally rooted, as Michael has arranged a beach retreat with Survivor-like challenges designed to show who can be his replacement when he takes a job at corporate. It’s an amusing idea that fits his character, winks at the show’s reality TV-esque framing, and enables memorable set pieces. Of course, I suppose most fans like it most for Pam’s cathartic reveal to Jim that she called off her wedding because of him, but that’s just a single thread in this otherwise strong ensemble showcase, where The Office is quirky and fun and unique — a workplace sitcom for the 21st century.

09) Episode 52: “The Job (I)” (Aired: 05/17/07)

Michael considers getting back together with Jan when she gets a boob job.

Written by Paul Lieberstein & Michael Schur | Directed by Ken Kwapis

Three’s finale — originally aired in a single hour-long block — is great in total, and Part I is especially enjoyable because of its simple comedic scenario of Jan returning to Michael in the hopes of rekindling their relationship… and now that she has surgically enhanced breasts, he is unable to decline her. It’s just plain funny — an awkwardly hilarious and thus premise-approved excuse to get his character back involved with this ill-matched recurring player… Meanwhile, Dwight anticipates taking Michael’s place once Michael gets the job in New York, and this maneuvering of ensemble dynamics via potentially shifting office roles — something the show will do a lot in later years — is, at this juncture, still a fresh, premise-approved way to play with the characters, for Dwight is a natural comic agitator who is best used for such an occasion, as he gets temporary and therefore empty power. Oh, the best stuff in this story occurs in Part II with Dwight recruiting Pam for a “secret” position, but these two really go seamlessly together, and I like enough about them that I felt it appropriate to highlight both halves.

10) Episode 53: “The Job (II)” (Aired: 05/17/07)

Dwight prepares to lead the office as Michael interviews for a job in New York.

Written by Paul Lieberstein & Michael Schur | Directed by Ken Kwapis

The second half of Season Three’s finale concludes an arc that the last few episodes have been building, about someone possibly leaving for a job in corporate, by revealing that the position being filled is Jan’s, because she’s set to be fired — a comedic predicament for Michael, who’s just reunited with her. That’s an appropriately amusing twist to get him back to Scranton and trapped in a fatal relationship with an unemployed Jan, setting up a whole new dynamic for them in Four. Additionally, Jim decides that he doesn’t want the New York job at all, for he doesn’t want to leave Pam, making for (finally) the presumed pairing of the show’s central couple, suggested in a uniquely off-beat scene that emphasizes the mockumentary framework — he asks her out during one of her to-camera confessionals — honoring both the premise and their characters in the process, while signaling a shift into a whole new phase of story. Accordingly, this climactic excursion naturally marks the close of the first, and best, part of the series’ run… Next year will be a bit of a transition, before the second half of the Michael-era…

 

The closest to the above list were: “A Benihana Christmas (I),” which sets up the second half of the season’s Christmas entry, and “Back From Vacation,” where Michael puts himself in a knowingly awkward position after he emails a racy picture of Jan from their vacation that makes its rounds in the office. I’ll also take this space to cite two examples that bring the show to a private event, expanding the depictions of several ensemble members and growing the personal bonds between colleagues: “Diwali,” where Michael awkwardly proposes to Carol at Kelly’s Diwali party, and “Phyllis’ Wedding,” where Michael awkwardly tries to steal the spotlight from Phyllis and her groom. There are many other offerings I appreciate as well, including “The Coup,” a terrific segment for Dwight and Angela that also adds new dimension to the relationship between Michael and Dwight, “Traveling Salesmen,” which is novel for some of its unusual ensemble pairings as the salespeople hit the road in duos for a round of sales calls, and “Safety Training,” which is narratively memorable… but a little big and maybe a bit strained with its central idea, of Michael threatening to jump off the roof. Lastly, its A-story’s not worthy of praise, but the Jim/Dwight scenes in “Product Recall” are funny enough to deserve a mention here. But, again, I like every episode in Three.

 

*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Three of The Office goes to…

“Business School”

 

 

Come back next week for Season Four! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!