Quick Take: The Office, “Viewing Party”
“There's this thing on Glee called mash-up where two things that don't go together make one great song. Take Gabe. Take Michael. You make Gay-Mike. Best friends.” - Erin
Review: The Office, “Viewing Party”
(S0708) Just when I wanted the Office to go back to the office, they pull us out again, but this time to Gabe’s apartment. Erin decides to hold a Glee viewing party, but also has an agenda in wanting Michael to get along with Gabe to see how nice he is. Everyone makes an appearance at the party, even CeCe.
After Kevin lets it slip that people think Gabe is the boss over everyone (including Michael), Michael decides to act like a jerk throughout the party. At the make your own pizza station in the kitchen, he throws pizza into the ceiling fan and while Glee is on he watches it alone in another room. Michael even goes so far as to cut the cable in the apartment, preventing people from watching the show. When Erin confronts him about cutting the cable she tells him she just wanted him to like Gabe, and he realizes that she thinks of him as a father figure. She wants his approval and he finally starts to be nice to Gabe just for her.
Andy had his Gabe issues too with the fact that he still has feelings for Erin. When Andy and Darryl were checking out Gabe’s “man cave,” he got even more jealous. Darryl tried to help him out by telling him, "If I had to choose between a tall dude who loved Asia, and a you-looking dude who loved sweaters? I'd choose you. And I'd blow your mind." I like their friendship and how they can talk to one another. They are an odd pair, but they make it work.
Because of his grief, Andy decides to put Gabe’s Chinese seahorse virility drug in his drink and ends up vomiting on Gabe’s bed. Not his finest moment, but it was sad to see that he is realizing that he probably won’t get Erin back.
Pam is having an issue of her own with CeCe wanting to sleep during the day and cry during the night. While at the party, she goes into Gabe’s bedroom to calm her down where Michael and Dwight are talking. Dwight takes CeCe from Pam and the baby ends up falling asleep. Angela sees him with the baby and decides she wants to have sex and tells him to meet her in her car. Pam makes Dwight hold her for the rest of the evening and Pam goes to tell a naked Angela that Dwight won’t be meeting her. To make it even, Dwight makes Jim feed him pizza and beer while holding the baby.
This episode was definitely better than the last, but please go back to the office! It was interesting that they decided to based the episode around the Cult of Glee, and of course it was Kelly that knew all about the show. Phyllis asking her questions about it while watching was my biggest pet peeve played out. Don’t ask questions during a show, just watch! My favorite part though was with Dwight and how he was the one that could get the baby to sleep. Making Jim feed him pizza was even better.
Video: The Office, “Viewing Party”
Check out the viewing party in full via Hulu, while available:
I definitely agree with you that this episode was better than the last (it's actually been a great season) but they still need to go back to the office. I love Andy and Darryl's developing relationship, that's been great to watch since they made that video last season. But I do wish all the Andy-Erin drama would just end. I thought it finally did last season and then they broke up over a stupid issue just a couple episodes later. But of course they will end up together - Andy's always been seen as a more sympathetic character than Gabe.