photo: nbc
The Office
The Banker
Original Air date: Jan 21, 2009
Shannon – Associate Editor
shannon@thetwocentscorp.com
Tonight’s episode is a walk back through the best parts of The Office over the years. It’s a clip show, basically, so it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.
An investment banker is coming to sign off on the sale of the Scranton branch of DM. Apparently, there’s a potential buyer and this guy is here to see what the office is like. Michael and the group put on a show for the guy, but he’s basically a glorified fact checker and isn’t interested.
The banker asks Toby about safety issues and we see flashbacks of all the stupid things Michael’s done like throwing the watermelon off the roof and Angela throwing the cat up into the roof, and Michael hitting Meredith with his car. My husband rewound the bit with Angela throwing the cat 3 times. Oh, and then there’s the bat that bit Meredith. Good times, people. This was back when men were men and The Office was funny.
The banker asks if people are genuinely happy and Toby can’t answer it with a straight face. We see clips of Andy putting his fist through the wall, Dwight slapping Michael with a shoe and other acts of rage.
Banker asks about sexual harassment. Toby says he doesn’t know. Clips of Stanley having to defend a photo of his daughter in a schoolgirl outfit, Pam walking in on half naked Michael, Meredith flashing her bits and pieces on casual Friday, Michael getting a boner hugging Phyllis, Michael straining not to say “That’s what she said!”. Then several instances of “That’s what she said” actually being said by all and sundry.
Toby doesn’t want to lie to the banker but he sure doesn’t want to tell the truth. Michael comes and sits in on the meeting. Michael is going to jack this up, of course.
Next the banker wants to know about waste. Clips of “Flonkerton”, Dwight’s missing desk, Dwight’s desk all wrapped for Christmas, Dwight’s stapler in Jell-o, sumo wrestling, Jim dressed as Dwight (Bears, Beets, Battlestar Gallactica).
Michael tells the banker about all the relationships that have happened in the office. Clips of Michael and Jan, Jim and Pam, Ryan and Kelly, Kelly and Darryl, Angela and Dwight, Angela and Andy, Angela and Dwight again, Kelly and Ryan again, Michael kissing Oscar. More Jim and Pam…this is what we used to watch this show for. Even my husband said “We need to watch the first few seasons of this again.” Jim and Pam and the tension and Jim finally asking Pam out on a date. Jim proposing. Jim and Pam’s weddings. Man, I miss when this show had the magic.
The episode ends with “Electric City”. Steve Carell is so cute.
So yeah, reliving the moments that made this show great was kind of fun. I don’t really know what else to say about this that hasn’t already been said, but I sure hope we can get back to greatness once the new episodes air. Lately, there’s been a spark of something missing but I can’t put my finger on it. Is it the Jim/Pam tension? Has it gotten too silly? Has it gotten too far from its roots? Let me know what you think in the comments!
TheTwoCents 
I hate clip shows as a general rule, but DAMN it was funny seeing all those highlights through the years.
I agree and that’s why I didn’t hate on it too much. It made me a little nostalgic seeing all the past bits that I liked so much.
I was super sad when I realized it was going to be a clip show because it started out so funny!! With the computron and the scooter thing. I was a bit bummed when it went into clip mode but it was hilarious, I admit, so I forgive the Office!
But I want an hour episode next week!
I know, Thomas! I was laughing my butt off at the Computron and Pam’s “international sales” bit but then when they started showing clips I looked over at my husband all “O RLY”?