The Office: Manager and Salesman

The Office is incredible at wrapping up story issues. Jim's role in the office has been somewhat of a problem for me this season. Obviously, he's got a wife now and a baby on the way, so it would make sense that he would try to move up in the company to provide for his family.

However, as an audience, we grew to love Jim as an adorable slacker who saw how terrible of a manager Michael really was, but rolled with it. So when he became a co-manager with Michael and started making the same bone-headed mistakes, it wasn't funny.. it was actually kinda painful to watch. (And not in the great Office way, either.)

Thursday's episode, "Manager and Salesman," tied this issue up quite nicely.
Sabre, the company owned by Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates) that bought Dunder Mifflin, doesn't have commission caps for salesman. So when Jo insists that either Michael or Jim return to being a salesman, Jim reads the manual and realizes he can make much more money as a salesman and steps down. But Michael discovers what's going on and the two duke it out to prove to Jo who is the least competent manager. Michael spends some time as a salesman, but realizes how used to the perks of being a manager he's become and begs his way back into his own office.

Meanwhile, in order to not appear to like Erin, Andy sends everyone Valentine's Day cards without bothering to read what they say, leading Kelly to believe that Andy's in love with her. Andy tells the entire office that he doesn't "like like" them, much to Erin's delight. (Honestly, though... I'd much rather see Andy with Kelly for awhile. Their dance competition last year in "Cafe Disco" was hilarious. And I'm off and on about Erin.)

Also, Dwight and Ryan think their plotting had something to do with Jim stepping down. Sad.


Quotes of the Week:

Dwight: You know, we really don't announce out loud our sales that much.
Michael: Why not? It's part of the sales experience.
Dwight: It's not really 1992 anymore.

Erin: It's a thinking technique. All the top executives do it. It keeps the brain moving and, "a spinning brain is a working brain."

Ryan: Did you see Saw?
Dwight: Of course I see-saw. Mose and I see-saw all the time.
Ryan: No, uh, the movie. Did you see the movie Saw.
Dwight: Oh. Yeah. Great film. Almost as fun as going on a see-saw.