THE OFFICE

S07E19
"Garage Sale"   (A)

          There has been much discussion in the online community regarding Steve Carell's departure from The Office.  We've all known about it since before season seven went on the air.  Here we have it: the beginning of the end for Michael Gary Scott.


          The staff of Dunder Mifflin is having a charity garage sale to benefit....well, the staff of Dunder Mifflin.  Though one would think the more conscientious employees (Oscar, mostly) would object to such a deceptive and self-serving endeavor, apparently everybody's throwing dignity to the wind for the sake of the party fund.  But the premise of the episode is mostly unimportant, as it only really sets up a Dallas: The Board Game match between Andy, Darrell, and Kevin, who is more than happy to play the game once a wager is in play.  His tournament bracket must already be a bust.  There is also a subtle psychological battle between Jim and Dwight.  Can you guess who's going to come out on top?



          Dwight has manipulated his way through a series of trades, trading his way from a thumbtack to a fairly large and expensive-looking telescope.  Watching Dwight make the trades was delightful, I find that he is at his best when he isn't being sadistic for no clear reason.  Jim anticipates this scenario, as he knows Dwight better than anyone else in the office, and knows how to make the best of it.  He ultimately gets Dwight to trade the telescope for a packet of magic beans.  Or, more specifically, a packet of Professor Copperfield's Miracle Legumes.  It's a little trite, but as far as a B-storyline goes, I'll take it.


          The real focus of the episode is the relationship between Michael and Holly.  Both of them are ready to commit for the long haul, and both of them seem to know this.  Michael, being Michael, wants a grand, theatrical gesture to set up the proposal.  His initial idea: set the parking lot ablaze.  Fortunately, for the staff of Dunder Mifflin (and everyone else who works in the Scranton Business Park) Pam spots Michael haphazardly dousing the pavement with gasoline mere feet away from parked automobiles.


          Michael, with his heart in the right place, makes a phone call to Holly's father to ask for his blessing.  We slowly realize that he is leaving a voicemail, and what's worse, he and Holly's father have probably never met before.  Michael's moments of social ineptitude can be funny, but sometimes they can be so cringe inducing they render the show nearly unwatchable ("Phylis' Wedding" is a prime example of this)  This moment falls under the former category.  Shortly after Michael's call, Holly phones her father as well, who appears to be suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's. (He mentions watching a television show "about India", and seems interested in it.  Could this be a subtle jab at NBC's Outsourced, as if to suggest only someone with diminished mental capacity could appreciate it?  I'd like to think so.)


          Holly decides to move back to Colorado to be with her father while he is still cognizant, and she nearly proposes to Michael, who awkwardly removes himself from the situation.  He refuses to be proposed to in the break room, and opts for the annex instead, but not before staging an elaborate run-up to the proposal itself, which strangely goes off almost without a hitch.  Almost.


          I liked this episode immensely, and I would have liked to give it an A+ if it weren't for a flimsy premise and a so-so subplot.  But, that being said, this was one of the best episodes this show has produced in some time.  I've been quite skeptical of the show's potential for another season, and an episode like this makes me slightly less so.




Potent Quotables

• "Correction: I do not want to sell you Professor Copperfield's Miracle Legumes."
• "Finally, I was like 'Fuck it, I'll sell it'."
• "Why would I want some random black man's photo album sitting on my bookshelf?  I'm not James Franco."
• "And that is Dallas."
• "And right over there, that's where you realized Meredith was prostituting herself for Outback steak."

Periphery

• This is Steve Carell's third time in the director's chair for the series (his two previous eps. are "Secretary's Day" and "Broke") and I say he's done a damn fine job in that role.  At least we know he'll probably be able to find work once people tire of his comic persona, which may or may not have already happened.
• Will Ferrell will have a four-episode story arc in the near future.  Sorta looking forward to that.

Tags: The Office, NBC Thursday, Steve Carell, Amy Ryan, John Krasiniski, Jenna Fischer, Don't Read This, That's Not Why It's Here, Just Pretend It Doesn't Exist, B.J. Novak, Michael Scott, Holly Flax, Jim Halpert, Pam Halpert, Ryan Howard.