Quick Take: The Office, "The Manager and the Salesman"
The Office gang contends with new corporate overlords and new corporate policies (and Kathy Bates!).
Review: The Office, "The Manager and the Salesman"
(S0616) Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates), CEO of Sabre (new corporate owner of our office heroes) visit's the gang in person for the first time, and the power of Bates' charisma alone is enough to shake up what has been at times a somewhat humdrum season by The Office's high standards.
Michael Scott (Steve Carell) can be silly often and profoundly stupid at times, but I must say that it does not fit his character that he would take himself out of the running to be the office's "sole manager" just because a) Jim Halpert (John Krasinksi) wants to be a salesman to make more money under Sabre's lack of a commission cap on sales policy and b) because Scott himself would prefer more money than to be a manager. The manager gig is *everything* to Scott. From what we've learned of him over six seasons, he'd do the gig gladly for minimum wage as it gives his life meaning, and sole purpose really. The fact that Scott has a short run on the sales floor before convincing Jim and Jo that he should be back in the manager's slot (to which they readily agree) ranks this episode as a one-offer and hurts the integrity of the show a good little bit.
I'd kind of like to see some movement already on the ongoing Andy and Erin flirtation. Maybe that's a good thing -- that I want to see this develop -- but the bungling courtship of Andy has played out for a very long time now with nary any results. That said, Ed Helms is one of the most talented comic actors working in television today. I could watch that guy do anything, even excruciatingly lame a cappella songs from Andy's college singing troupe days. Let it be laid out here: Helms needs his own show one day.
Other random notes on "The Manager and the Salesman":
Recap: The Office, "The Manager and the Salesman"
The office prepares for their first visit from Sabre CEO, Jo Bennett.
Video: The Office, "The Manager and the Salesman"
Trailing six episodes available on the Hulu…
From Around the Web: The Office, "The Manager and the Salesman"
