The Office - Season 5 Finale [spoilers]

[Ink Asylum]

Thoughts?

This was a finale without the drama that previous years have had. When it comes to big revelations: Pam is pregnant and that's about it. Michael/Holly is going into a holding pattern, Dwight/Angela might start back up again, Charles Miner remains a dick.

The non-Michael parts were quite funny. Dwight's new friend is hilarious. I like watching Jim and Dwight brush up against actual cooperation and friendship, and their discomfort with that.

The Michael/Holly moments were excruciating to watch. They really deserve each other and I don't know how much I can watch Michael stare dotingly at her. It's torturous.

In my mind, the final episode of the Michael Scott Paper Company story arc felt a lot more like a season-ender, but if they had kept that storyline going until the end they would have had to delay other things until next season.

[TheKeck]

I loved that Holly was in this one. It sucks that they've mostly removed her from the show. I thought their bits together were some of the funniest.

I also love that they make Pam out to be a volleyball star when she clearly isn't. :p

The whole branch closing thing, though...... so painful. Yet hilarious. Why David Wallace would tell Michael about that is beyond comprehension.

[Ink Asylum]

Yeah. Bad move, Wallace. :) I love the look on the audience's faces as they're going through that long, agonizing final question.

[TheKeck]

I love the looks on the children's face as they're going through the suicide question. :eek:

[Wraith]

Dwight's "Horse Doctor" joke.
The Corporate HR rep is as dull as Toby. (Love Toby as a character, though.)
Chances that next season, Michael practically begs Jim and Pam to be the Godfather, with accompanying impression: very good
Wonder if we'll see Rolf (that was his name right) again, like Mose shows up every once in a while.
Dwight's shunning of Angela might be toning down, though I don't know that we'll see them together again.
I know Holly is a total dork like Michael, but I thought she had a bit more common sense.

[TheKeck]

I know Holly is a total dork like Michael, but I thought she had a bit more common sense.
Yeah, this is a good point. ........ oh well.

[Ink Asylum]

Dwight's "Horse Doctor" joke.

That was a great subversion of the "Dwight has a very weird life" joke then resubverted back right after.

Chances that next season, Michael practically begs Jim and Pam to be the Godfather, with accompanying impression: very good

Good call. Practically guaranteed.

Wonder if we'll see Rolf (that was his name right) again, like Mose shows up every once in a while.

I hope so. He's like Dwight only more so. 1 fiance + 1 lover = 1 whore.

Dwight's shunning of Angela might be toning down, though I don't know that we'll see them together again.

I can see them getting back together over the course of the season. He screwed up by freezing her cat, she screwed up with Andy. They deserve each other, and really do fit well together. It's better than having him compete with Andy over Erin.

I know Holly is a total dork like Michael, but I thought she had a bit more common sense.


Agreed. Her only excuse is that she might have thought everyone already knew, like Michael. It did seem more like plot-necessary dumbness.

[TheKeck]

"I'll do you one better... I'll put you next to Phyliss."

[Suave Peanut]

In my universe, this show ended with season three. Now that was a perfect finale.

Seasons four and five I classify as either alternate reality or fan-fiction, depending on how ridiculous the story is. I officially declared shark-jumping after the "Frame Toby" episode wherein 1.) Toby was framed for possession of marijuana by the regional manager and did not quit his job and 2.) Jim bought a house for Pam without her knowing about it. These are two things that would never happen in real life, and thus brought my suspension of disbelief to a halt.

This show is no longer about an office which could represent any office in America, this show is now The Michael Scott Hijinks Half-Hour. I still watch to see what the new show-runners are doing to my beloved characters, but I rarely like what I see.

[cp#]

This show is no longer about an office which could represent any office in America, this show is now The Michael Scott Hijinks Half-Hour.

lol, oh yeah?

[Ink Asylum]

In the second season Michael stepped on a George Foreman grill that he kept by his bed for cooking bacon in the morning. This has always been the Michael Scott Hijinks Half-Hour.

[Suave Peanut]

In the second season Michael stepped on a George Foreman grill that he kept by his bed for cooking bacon in the morning. This has always been the Michael Scott Hijinks Half-Hour.
PLEASE DON'T POKE HOLES IN MY LOGIC.

Thanks.

[TheEpicOfTyler]

This season has been better than last, but it's still not great. I don't think it ever hit a stride, the episodes were very hit and miss with 90% of the episodes being "Oh no Jim and Pam are falling apart!" only to end up with everything resolving itself 10 minutes later.

I thought the introduction of Charles was great, I wonder if they will keep him active in the next season. Holly needs to go, I really don't like her character long term. It was fine for the first 5 episodes or so, but her and Michael's combined awkwardness is just TOO much most of the time.

I think the series needs less soap opera and more hilarity. Season 2 was great because it was telling an over-arching story, but the episodes were mostly just incident based with the occasional scene/episode pushing the 'story' further.

[TheKeck]

PLEASE DON'T POKE HOLES IN MY LOGIC.

Thanks.
I just watched the finale to season 3 based on your post. I then watched Beach Games because it was the episode right before it. Dwight stood on and then proceeded to kneel down on and crawl through hot coals for upwards of a minute. Moments later, he has some soot on him, and seemed slightly less than thrilled.

Yeah.... your logic has problems. ;)

[Suave Peanut]

I just watched the finale to season 3 based on your post. I then watched Beach Games because it was the episode right before it. Dwight stood on and then proceeded to kneel down on and crawl through hot coals for upwards of a minute. Moments later, he has some soot on him, and seemed slightly less than thrilled.

Yeah.... your logic has problems. ;)
It's not necessarily the physical comedy that bothers me. To me, it increasingly feels like the storytelling is taking a backseat to the gags. I think I loved seasons two and three so much because of the great balance of story progression and the comedy.

I don't know... I suppose I just don't like the overall shift in tone as time passes.

[Ink Asylum]

The storytelling in Seasons 1 and 2 was very light. What storytelling did you need for the Jim/Pam storyline in those seasons? Jim looking fawningly at Pam while she dealt with her shitty boyfriend. That was handled very lightly, while the funny antics took front stage. It wasn't until Season 3 that we got a more even balance between antics and plot.

[Suave Peanut]

Season one doesn't even count as a season, it was more like 6-episode pilot.

Clearly I can't justify why I like the second and third seasons the best. I guess I'll go with "just because" from now on.

[Ink Asylum]

I love Season Three, too. It was a great story arc, leading up to what fans had been waiting for, Jim and Pam getting together. It's hard to top that. Season Four was sadly shortened by the writer's strike. I think it could have been a much better season with another ten episodes.