Did I Stutter?

Daryl: "Mike. I'm very busy here." (Daryl is playing Rubik's Cube)
Michael: "Have you ever been in a gang?"
Daryl: (pretending to be serious) "I have."
Michael: "I knew it."
"Which one -- the Crips or the Bloods?"
Daryl: "Both.  And the Lap Kings.  The Warriors.  Newsies."
Michael: "Wow."

Gang warfare gets a nod on this week's episode of The Office, a sporadically funny episode in what is becoming a sporadically funny show.  I haven't posted much about television since the strike and the reason probably has as much to do with the somewhat shaky quality of the returning series as with a dropping level of interest due to the extended break.  Ratings are generally down -- way down -- over the same period last year, with even the highest rated shows struggling.  I can't say I'm any different than the regular public with regard to that.  I'm watching a grand total of three scripted network series at this point, and they are all on Thursday night.  Lost, The Office, and 30 Rock.  Lost has been its same infuriatingly wonderful self.  The Office has yet to find its mark, and 30 Rock has been hit or miss, but I've always found it hit or miss despite almost universal praise from the blogosphere.  So that's it.  That's it for my TV world.  Not that I'm watching any less actual television.  I mean, with the new TV and DirecTV, there's a seemingly infinite variety of choices, including first and foremost a nightly broadcast of every single Mariners game in Hi-Def, and every single Phillies game (some in Hi-Def).  That was something I never, ever got on Comcast (which only showed up to 8 MLB package games a night and the Phillies were rarely part of the package, and none of it is or was in HD).  So believe me, I'm loving TV, but as for scripted prime time shows, I'm watching 3 right now.  Including on cable actually, since I think South Park's spring run is over (there was a re-run on this week).  Pretty sad state of affairs for the future of television, I think.  Although I guess it's a good thing for those who think television ruins the soul.

But back to The Office, there weren't a lot of memorable quotes, although there were some funny scenes.  The Daryl/Michael exchange was probably the funniest, as Michael came to the only black guy he knows for advice on how to deal with Stanley's insubordination.  During one of Michael's stupid meetings looking for ideas to "Energize" the company, since he personally hadn't done "anything productive since Christmas" (hey, sounds like a certain company I worked for until last week), Stanley refused to participate and then when Michael prodded him, Stanley boomed, "Did I stutter?" sending shock waves through the meeting and into Michael's life.  Toby, acting strangely like an asshole this episode (either as a new personality trait or just in service of the plot), told Michael to deal with the incident and reprimand Stanley, even though Michael insisted that they were just playing with each other, which Toby would realize if he were more ethnic, like Michael.

Michael: "You're so white."

Michael's eventual solution is to "fake fire" Stanley, which goes predictably awry.  Stanley threatens to sue the company, which prompts Michael to dismiss everyone to have a heart to heart with his subordinate.  And he asks him why he's being so mean.  After another vintage Stanley eye-roll and some more belligerence, they come to an understanding.  Stanley will never respect Michael, but he can't say those types of remarks in front of the entire company.  They shake and move on and Michael believes he can't get any respect because he's too nice.  Then he goes into a Rodney Dangerfield routine which morphs into a classics of comedy routine which is not nearly as funny as Michael thinks it is, and really didn't need to be included by the producers. 

In non-Michael related plotlines (which are few and far between this season -- probably the major flaw so far), Pam wears glasses to work, Jim has a run-in with Ryan which may lead to a new, significant plot later on, and Dwight gets even with Andy because of Angela, buying his car at a cut-rate value and then reselling it for more.  Andy doesn't know why he's upset, but that's probably because he didn't have to simply overhear his super-cute "Mad-Libs" session with Angela in which she used the word "Nice" as an adjective to describe everything in the story.

But the best line of the night, as usual, comes from Creed, who comments on Pam without her glasses (in which she's blind as a bat).  He thinks she might be a great musician, like most blind people.

Creed:  "I'd like to put a piano in front of Pam, see what happens.  I'd also like to see her topless."

Wouldn't we all.  Gotta love Creed.  There's been not nearly enough Creed on the show since they returned from the strike.  Or Kelly Kapoor.  Or Phyllis.  Or Daryl.  Or Kevin.  Or Andy.  Or Oscar - is he even on the show anymore?  Pretty much everyone not named Michael hasn't had a significant plotline, with Jim, Pam, Dwight, Stanley, Angela, and Ryan only having secondary plots that haven't been remotely fulfilling.  There's only one or two weeks even left in the "season", so I'm not sure it matters.  Pretty much television is on one big "reset" button until September and October.  But hey -- there's a new episode of American Gladiators coming soon!  Welcome to your future, American viewers.  If it's looking more and more like the future Stephen King envisioned in The Running Man, that's merely a coincidence.  It is not, I assure you, a nightmare.

Comments

[LegFuJohnson]

Hannah Montana and The Hills are scripted as well.

And you the Mariners games against the Yankees might as well be scripted.

[Bill]

I don't think I've seen the Mariners win in Yankee Stadium since '02. Good to keep the streak going.

[switsky]

well, since you are a Yankee fan I am sure that the Mariners losing was good for you.

[Bill]

I can get to this website (woo!) but I can't get to Typepad to do any posting (boo!) Looks like plan B will have to happen soon.

[switsky]

Damn I forgot my cell phone on the couch again!