Just Another Day At The Office 05.09.08: Job Fair Review

Posted by Seth Roy on 05.09.2008

Michael is a jerk, Dwight and Angela are cordial, Jim gets motivated and Andy gets injured.

Hello, and welcome to the next-to-last edition of Just Another Day At The Office for Season 4 (as next week is the season finale). Here is a recap, sprinkled with some of my thoughts on "Job Fair."


Cast:
Steve Carell ... Michael Scott
Rainn Wilson ... Dwight Schrute
John Krasinski ... Jim Halpert
Jenna Fischer ... Pam Beesly
B.J. Novak ... Ryan Howard
Brian Baumgartner ... Kevin Malone
Angela Kinsey ... Angela Martin
Phyllis Smith ... Phyllis Vance
Leslie David Baker ... Stanley Hudson
Kate Flannery ... Meredith Palmer
Paul Lieberstein ... Toby Flenderson
Mindy Kaling ... Kelly Kapoor
Creed Bratton ... Creed
Oscar Nuñez ... Oscar Martinez
Ed Helms ... Andy Bernard

We open in the office with Oscar and Pam discussing something, apparently waiting for Michael, who emerges from his office dressed more like a high school student than a business manager. We find out they're going to a job fair at Pam's high school. They're looking for interns, Michael says, "to youth-enize this place." (Think about it...) Darryl walks in dressed better than Michael. Kelly compares him to Barack Obama...uh, no. Michael: "Here's what we're going to do — I am going to instruct the kids about management and sales. Oscar will be in charge of accounting. Pam will be eye candy. ... Darryl will hire some kids for the warehouse. We don't have to worry about internships with them because they definitely ain't going to college." Darryl asks Michael where he went to college, to which Michael just says, "Let's go!"

Cue intro!

Next, we learn that Jim is meeting with a potential client at the golf course, along with Andy and Kevin. Jim is going to take his job more seriously because of last week's warning from Ryan, who put him on probation. Jim understates the fact that it's really not a good time to lose his job. Andy almost screws things up from the beginning, as he accosts "Mr. McGuire" for having graduated from Dartmouth, which I guess is a rival of Cornell (Andy's college.) Andy: "My grandfather would be spinning in his urn if he knew I was out here with a Dartmouth boy. Take that shirt of right now or I will take it off for you, sir. I am...completely kidding!" I bet... As the two go to shake hands, Andy declines because he has some "blistees." He explains that he hit 1,200 balls the night before, so his hands are sore. McGuire brings up the possibility of putting money on the game, to which Kevin gets a bit overexcited about. He plans to turn the office's petty cash into a lot of money.

Next, we're at the job fair. Pam had so many memories of the gym: "Pretending to have PMS so i didn't have to play volleyball. Pretending to have PMS so I didn't have to play basketball. Those were the days." The only material Michael brought was a blank sheet of paper, which presents "endless possibilities." (Other companies have brought games and computers and are a bit more colorful.) Michael, Pam, Oscar and Darryl sit at their table and no one stops by.

Back on the golf course, Andy squirts a lot of lotion into gloves so he can grip his clubs. We learn he's not really very good at golf.

Back at the office, Meredith wants to leave because Michael isn't in. Phyllis agrees. Creed: "Yeah, I finished my work months ago." (Creed is great.) Dwight gets up to whip everyone into shape and tries to assert his power. Stanley walks out. Dwight bars everyone else from leaving. "Or you will suffer the consequences. ... I will tell on you."

At the job fair, Pam is talking to a kid that seems interested. She makes a boob joke. (Get it? "Water jugs.) (Okay. Maybe not...But I made you think, didn't I? Sorry.) Michael cuts her off and tells the kid to get lost, basically. I guess he's not as good looking as Ryan. He tells the kid (Justin) that he should set his sights on being a janitor or a cashier instead. Michael gets mad because Justin signed the paper. He tells Pam to get another piece of paper because she didn't bring any extras (at his own beckoning.)

At the golf course, Jim asks McGuire about paper. McGuire just wants to play golf and not discuss business...Kind of throws a wrench in Jim's planning.

Back at the job fair, Michael talks to a student, who Oscar scares off by saying the business is Dunder-Mifflin Paper. Michael scoffs at Oscar. Michael: "Yeah, I'm trying to lure these kids to my booth, but they're very wary of being lured these days...Thank you Dateline." Ha!

In the office, Dwight goes to the bathroom, and everyone but Angela decides to leave. Now Dwight and Angela have to work the rest of the day together. Alone.

Pam walks into her old art room to get a piece of paper. She looks for something, but decides the school has taken "it" down. (I guess this is a not-so-subtle reminder that she is an artist, of sorts...)

Dwight calls Michael to tell on everyone else. Michael: "Who cares? I'm not there, Jim's not there. Why should they have to be there?" Michael hangs up on Dwight.

Pam brings the paper to Michael, which he dismisses because it's not Dunder-Mifflin paper. He has her go back to the office to get the real thing. Pam: "Are you serious?" Michael: "Yes. And don't call me Shirley." (I laughed a lot at that...a misquote of Airplane!)

On the golf course, Mr. McGuire is stuck in a bunker. Jim offers to let him pick up the ball, but he declines and continues to hack at the ball.

In the office, Pam walks to the copier, takes a piece of paper and walks back out. Dwight is curious.

On the course, Andy prepares to putt, and Jim gets a call from Pam that distracts Andy. Pam asks how the deal is going, and Jim lies a little. We learn that Pam just had to drive 20 miles, roundtrip for the paper. Jim offers to bring down shipping costs to McGuire, who says, even with free shipping, the prices don't work. He then sinks the putt and says "six." I think SOMEbody just cheated. Andy runs off and says they're racing to the next hole, Kevin putts $10 on the race. Andy drives off in the golf cart before Kevin can get in. Andy: "Shortcut! Shortcut!" Then, much like the foot ball into Meredith's face a couple weeks ago, Andy hits the bunker, and the golf cart seriously falls apart as he flies into the sand. Jim just shakes his head.

In the office, Dwight is making copies while Angela stands behind him. (BTW: The camera does a great job of hiding her pregnant belly...More BTW: She just gave birth to a girl, in case you hadn't heard. The actress. Not the character.)

In the job fair, Michael calls every other job stupid. He stops Dwight and Oscar from playing basketball, and goes all Hunter Hearst Helmsley on them as he kicks the ball away. "Game over."

Michael attempts to hire on Justin as the intern. "Justin is the ugly girl in the movie who removes her glasses, and then she's hot." He introduces Justin to the team: "Oscar, accountant extraordinare. This is Darryl Philbin, isn't he big? And you've already met her, Pam Beesley, office hottie. She will do you. She has already dated two guys in the office that we already know of." Pam walks away angrily. Michael calls Justin closer and says, though he wouldn't tell it to her face, that Pam is a wonderful person and a gifted artist. Justin walks away because Michael insulted him earlier.

At the golf course, the foursome is now done and is drinking beer. Andy injured his hands/wrists, and can't lift a beer bottle.

In the office, Dwight sneezes. Angela says "Bless you," and Dwight says "Thank you." Angela looks over shortly.

Golf course: Andy is now drinking beer through a straw. $5 says Jim got it for him. Kevin tells everyone else how much they owe him. Mr. McGuire (Phil?) owes in $230, but says Jim can call in two months when his fiscal year ends, and walks away. Jim gets up from the table. Jim: "You know, it's a tough thing seeing a grown man take six shots to get out of a sand trap. But I had to give Phil credit for not quitting, and that's what I told him. I also told him that I don't quit either, and I'd call him every day until I got his business. Which he then did." Jim is now in a good mood because of the client situation, and he shot a 102...Not quite Tiger Woods numbers, but I'd take it.

Back at the job fair. We learn it is almost over, and 8th period is going to start. Michael gets on the microphone and makes a donkey's butt of himself. He doesn't know what H&R Block does. The funeral home has "too much formaldehyde," and the Air Force..."is cool," after a stern look from the officer. He says Dunder-Mifflin is a great place to work, though they don't offer college credit or pay. He gets escorted out by security.

Back at the office, Dwight looks at his watch, and it is 5 p.m. and time to leave. (Okay. Here is my issue with this episode: It is 5 p.m., apparently, and the school is just headed into 8th period. Either that, or traffic is awfully heavy between the school and the office.) Dwight holds the door for Angela, who thanks him.

Pam, Oscar, Darryl and Michael drive back into the office parking lot. Michael is a sad panda. (I fully acknowledge that I am stealing that phrase from other 411Mania writers. Sue me...) They walk into the office in time to see Kevin toast Jim. Pam figures out that the beer means a congratulations is in order. She leaps into his arms, they kiss, then see the camera and shake hands. Jim says, "screw it," and they make out for a while in front of Michael, Kevin and Andy. Michael admires Jim. He gets next to Jim and Pam and says, "Yeah, Kiss her, kiss her good."

In the tag at the end of the show, Pam is at the job fair and walks over to the graphic design table. She wants to fill out an application, but finds out that she is unqualified because she doesn't know any of the software she needs to. The guy tells her to move to New York (City?) or Philadelphia to take classes.

Roll credits.

Thoughts: There's a lot to like about this episode. No, it's not the most laugh-out-loud episode, but there are some fun moments (such as the Airplane misquote, Andy's crash, the beer straw, Creed and Dwight's need to have everyone follow the rules. Though, do you think he knew Angela wouldn't leave either, and didn't want to be alone with her?

There was also a LOT of character development here:
Dwight and Angela can at least stand each other. I don't know how far the story will get in the season finale, but it's definitely one to watch. Their interactions were subtle this episode, but really pretty believable, which is something that can't always be said about Dwight.

Michael and the job fair was a good showcase of how Michael really just doesn't get it sometimes. It was both awkward and funny, but all-around harmless. You have to wonder what the point of the job fair really was, other than a way to get Darryl on the show and to separate Pam from Jim for the show.

Speaking of Jim and Pam, there were a couple interesting things going on. Jim is now motivated, and won't take "no" for an answer. Also, the couple is getting more comfortable being each other. Pam's inquiry at the end is a bit curious, too. There are obviously big things headed Jim and Pam's way. Just for fun, let's explore a couple ways they could be going, if this episode's events are followed up on:

Jim prepares to propose to Pam next week, but we're left with the cliffhanger of Pam telling everyone she is going to go to NYC to take classes.

Or: Jim's newfound motivation and Ryan's recent drug use lands Jim the corporate job, but not before he proposes to Pam. This works out for them, because they can now both move to New York City. Maybe that could be the spinoff?

Okay. That was just two different ideas. I don't particularly like either one, because I think the Office needs both of them together, and on the main show. They would be NUTS to move Jim and Pam off the main show, right?

My assignment for my faithful readers: Come up with ideas on Jim and Pam's future, or at least thoughts on my two scenarios. Please, if you know any spoilers, don't post them. I know none.

See you next week for the hour-long season finale!

The 411: Very good episode, and a step up from last week. This had a lot of funny, in some of the quotes, some of the awkward (in the job fair and the Dwight/Angela story) and a lot of good character development. I can't believe there's only one episode left this season! I'm a sad man...

Final Score:  8.5   [ Very Good ]