TV Verdict

Happy Halloween everybody! This is Erich Asperschlager, sitting in for Mike Rubino. Some of you may have been confused, since I’m wearing my Mike Rubino costume. Sorry about that. At least I’m thoughtful enough to tell you who I’m supposed to be—not like those lousy Office workers with their cryptic costumes. No wonder Darryl had such a tough time identifying Dwight as Jigsaw, or Kelly as Leeloo, or Jim as Facebook (aka. “Book Face” …to be fair, I didn’t get that one either). As this week’s episode, “Koi Pond,” opens, the Dunder Mifflin Scranton warehouse has been transformed into a spooky haunted house, and everyone’s favorite “Gangster Pumpkin” is leading a palette-load of kids on a tour. They came for the candy, but they’ll leave with an important message about suicide prevention, and with the emotional scarring of seeing Michael dressed up as Justin Timberlake from the SNL “Dick in a box” sketch. Oh, and for those of you playing along at home, that last paragraph lasted longer than The Office’s entire Halloween celebration.

Two years, two wastes of picking clever costumes for the show’s cast. Last year, it was multiple Jokers; this year, a cavalcade of pop culture icons. Yet somehow, The Office writers seem content to leave comedy gold on the table and abandon the Halloween festivities two minutes into the episode. Now we’ll never know how funny it would be to watch a gay Sarah Palin issue a reimbursement for business expenses. Spoiler: It would be hilarious.

This week’s main story is a classic Office whodunnit. Or maybe a whathappenit. Either way, Michael accompanied an annoyed co-manager Jim to an important business meeting and ended up losing his car keys and killing a $300 fish.

“Koi Pond” marks a turning point in the “Michael and Jim as co-branch managers” storyline. We see Jim’s anger at Michael’s unwillingness to cede control soften after falling in a koi pond makes Michael the butt (as opposed to the face) of office jokes; and when the real reason Michael made his “big splash” is revealed by a stolen security tape, he realizes that Jim is actually a little jealous of him. Jealous that he’s such a good salesman, and jealous of… Okay, that’s it, but it was a bonding moment that just might last through the rest of the season. Or at least next week’s episode.

Speaking of which, “Koi Pond” all but proves a pet theory I have about this show: If you want a consistent story arc, watch every other episode. Three weeks ago, Jim and Pam got married and Michael slept with Pam’s mom. The week after that, Michael took on a fictional mob boss, and no one mentioned him “getting Beesly” at the wedding. Last week, the truth came out and Pam drew a line in the grey carpet. This week… nothing. No mention of the blowout. No Pam/Michael tension. Nothing. Of course, that might be because Pam was out of the office this week on a surreal sales call with Andy Bernard.

Here’s another theory I have about this show: If you want to mine comedy gold from a character you don’t quite know what to do with, pair them up with Andy for an episode. When we first met the ‘Nard Dog, he was giving Stamford Jim the business over a tuna sandwich. Two years ago, he gave Dwight something to think about other than being rejected by Angela. Tonight, he gave Pam the chance to cool her jets about Michael and realize just how good she and Jim have it.

Pam and Andy’s day of cold calling — punishment for being the office’s lowest sellers — takes an unpleasant turn when Pam laughs out loud at a receptionist mistaking the two of them for a couple. Hurt, Andy tells a prospective client that Pam is just a surrogate carrying his super(face)model girlfriend’s baby. When yet another client assumes they are having a child together, the “dynamic duo” give in and pretend that it’s true in order to make a sale. The role-playing ends up being far creepier than anything that happened in the haunted house opening when Andy starts kissing Pam’s belly and gushing over feeling the baby kick. Back in the car, Andy confesses to a skeeved-out Pam that if he went too far, it’s because she and Jim have what he wants: a family. Feeling sorry for the poor schlub, Pam ignores her better judgment and puts in a good word for Andy with his crush, Erin. He sings random songs about office space, she confuses Marlon Brando with Marlon Wayans. They’re a perfect match!

This week may not have had as many laughs as week’s past, but it had something that often proves elusive for this show: heart. Not only did Michael and Andy open up and show that they’re more than just clowns, Jim and Pam’s individual insensitivity showed them that they aren’t perfect. Looks like Pam’s uterus isn’t the only thing that’s growing on The Office this season.

Personal growth aside, this was a great episode for one simple reason. It was full of fish puns. I love fish puns. In fact, if it was a crime to love fish puns, I’d be gill-ty as charged! Gill-ty as… Don’t worry. Mike will be back next week.