Just Another Day At The Office Retro 07.04.08: The Dundies Review
Posted by Seth Roy on 07.04.2008
Are you down with The Dundies? Yeah, you know me...
The last time we left The Office, it was the end of season one, and Jim was going out on a date with the purse girl Katy, and Pam was annoyed at Roy for telling Jim he’d be all over Katy if he weren’t “dating someone else.”
And now it’s the first episode of season two, “The Dundies.”
It’s a pretty good episode to start things off, and continues a lot from the previous year. Michael is excited about the Dundies, which everyone looks forward to because, let’s face it, none of the employees are going to get awards. “Who’s going to give Kevin an award?” Michael tells a depressing story about a neighbor hanging himself because he didn’t get an award.
Pam compares the Dundies to a car wreck that you aren’t allowed to look away from. Michael calls Jim “Fat Halpert” in a Fat Albert voice. He talks to everyone in the office about their Dundies, and Dwight is the only one who actually saves them…Big surprise.
Pam has the esteemed duty of watching previous Dundies Awards, which is pretty painful.
In the other storyline, Dwight spies Pam, Kelly and Phyllis laughing about something written in the ladies’ room. It was about Michael. Dwight wants to investigate.
Michael asks Jan about going to the awards show, which angers her because corporate isn’t paying for the party. Michael compares it to Jan dropping an A-Bomb on him. Michael thinks there needs to be an open bar at the party.
Dwight sneaks into the women’s restroom after Meredith, just to get caught by Phyllis. Dwight asks why she was in there…
Back to Pam, who is still watching footage. We see her get the award for “longest engagement,” a year ago, which Roy (her fiancée) gladly accepts and says, “We’ll see you next year.” Pam is not amused. Jim overhears the footage, and he goes to Michael to see if he’ll change it. He tells Michael it’s lazy to use the same jokes.
Dwight informs everyone that he will shut down the ladies’ room, and make two men’s rooms on the floor. Michael vetoes Dwight’s idea quickly. And he tells everyone they can invite their families to the Dundies. This makes them happy.
The Dundies are at Chilis. Dwight comes out and performs, “Down with the Dundies,” to the tune of “Down with OPP.” Oscar compares the Dundies to a boring kids’ birthday party.
Michael, in a full tuxedo, tells some abysmal jokes, and informs everyone they’re doing separate checks. Stanley introduces his wife Terry, who is white, which Michael has some trouble believing. Roy and Darrell decide they want to leave to go to Poor Richards (A bar in Scranton, that is actually in a bowling alley. I tried to go eat there once, on my way to NYC. And they were closed. I was sad.) They drag Pam along with them.
Phyllis gets the “Busiest Beaver award.” The actual trophy, and I quote Phyllis, “says, Bushiest Beaver Award.” Michael says they’ll fix it, and, “You don’t have to display that.”
Pam argues with Roy outside and goes back in to sit with Jim, just in time for Michael’s racist impression of a Chinese guy. And Pam is hitting the drinks heavily.
The next award is for hottest in the office…and Michael gives it to Ryan, which actually worries him a bit. Angela gets the tight ass award. She isn’t amused.
Pam talks about “Second Drink” after the ice melts…Kelly gets the Spicy Curry award. Because she is Indian. From India.
Michael murders Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer,” while some others in the restaurant throw things at him and tell him he sucks. Michael decides to end the show, but gives Kevin’s Dundie out first. The “Don’t Go in there after me” award. Kevin’s fiancé looks happy about that….Pam starts to cheer about Kevin stinking up the bathroom, and exclaims she hasn’t gotten one yet.
Stanley gets the fine work award. The next award is Pam’s…She gets the Whitest Sneakers award, which makes her insanely happy, and she thanks a lot of people, including her Keds, Michael (which makes him happy) and God. Jim is amused. Pam kisses Michael on the cheek, then hugs Jim and kisses him on the mouth.
Jim talks about the Dundies, which he seems to have enjoyed. Pam is sitting next to him, and she falls off the stool. Dwight runs over and starts to take off his shirt to assist Pam. Everyone gets kicked out. Pam is never allowed into Chilis again. (I wonder if that ever comes up again.)
Michael complements Dwight on the audio, which makes him happy.
At the end of the show, Pam is going to ask Jim a question, but freezes with the camera there, and she says, “Thanks,” instead, before getting into Angela’s car for the ride home.
Jim walks off as “Tiny Dancer” plays.
Thoughts: A good re-introduction to the series, The Dundies episode is a not-miss episode. Dwight is great, yet again, and Michael shows some of his likeable side, even if he is still insensitive to issues. (He does show some sensitivity toward Pam, actually.)
Also, more seeds are planted for the split of Pam and Roy, and for Jim telling Pam of his feelings.
Most of the actual awards were pretty funny, though not necessarily laugh-out-loud. Dwight’s voyage into the women’s restroom is funny, and Pam falling out of her chair should make you laugh pretty hard. Michael’s rendition of “OPP” is also pretty good.
Next: Sexual Harassment! Whoo!
The 411: Season 2 is where the Office really took off in popularity, and it's easy to see why here, as the characters became more well rounded than before. There is a lot to laugh at here, which is important in a comedy (uh...Somebody's being obvious)...But many characters get some added depth here. Michael turns into a semi-sympathetic character, we see Pam break out just a little, and Jim is still the all-around nice guy. We also get to see a little more about Stanley, Kevin and Phyllis. And, it's the extra characters like that who really make this show great.
