Comments on: The Office Dinner Party: Am I going crazy or… http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/ A television blog Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:46:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Michael Rebain http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34817 Michael Rebain Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:14:15 +0000 http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34817 I had the opposite reaction, being pretty disappointed by the 30Rock episode (first time ever I've felt that). I understand the comments about Jan's characterization, but there was a lot of great stuff in this episode, especially Beth Grant and the $200 plasma screen. I had the opposite reaction, being pretty disappointed by the 30Rock episode (first time ever I’ve felt that). I understand the comments about Jan’s characterization, but there was a lot of great stuff in this episode, especially Beth Grant and the $200 plasma screen.

]]> By: sara http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34736 sara Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:57:52 +0000 http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34736 I didn't think the episode was bad, but I definitely agree with what's been done to Jan's character. Remember how awesome she was in "Casino Night," before her self-loathing completely consumed her? Yeah. That was great. Now she's just sad. Although Hunter's band was pretty great. I just wish they'd invited Kelly and Darryl. I didn’t think the episode was bad, but I definitely agree with what’s been done to Jan’s character. Remember how awesome she was in “Casino Night,” before her self-loathing completely consumed her? Yeah. That was great. Now she’s just sad. Although Hunter’s band was pretty great. I just wish they’d invited Kelly and Darryl.

]]> By: Lyn http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34717 Lyn Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:07:22 +0000 http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34717 I agree 100%. I was surprised by how many people in my own office thought this episode was great. I agree 100%. I was surprised by how many people in my own office thought this episode was great.

]]> By: Kyle http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34702 Kyle Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:16:13 +0000 http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34702 Hey, those countryists at NBC won't let me watch the deleted scene from outside the US! I also can't watch Hulu. Other countries have it bad. Hey, those countryists at NBC won’t let me watch the deleted scene from outside the US! I also can’t watch Hulu. Other countries have it bad.

]]> By: Kyle http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34701 Kyle Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:14:28 +0000 http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34701 I thought it was great. It was rarely funny, but a really dark dive into the hell that Michael's life has become. The most interesting thing about it all was when Jim almost left the party without Pam. That was not a good sign for their future. I thought it was great. It was rarely funny, but a really dark dive into the hell that Michael’s life has become. The most interesting thing about it all was when Jim almost left the party without Pam. That was not a good sign for their future.

]]> By: jesse http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34687 jesse Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:05:09 +0000 http://www.tifaux.com/2008/04/14/the-office-dinner-party-am-i-going-crazy-or/#comment-34687 There was a lot of good stuff in the dinner party episode -- but I do think it suffered a little from cartoonishness towards the end, with the police showing up (and, worse, making a joke of them apparently having been called before). You could feel the writers going for the cheap/broad/"dark" laugh over the characters and story. Jan is emblematic of this problem (a minor one in the scheme of the show, but still noticable) -- she can be great in small doses but when they "go big" with her, she seems more like a comedy writer's conceit than a real person. One thing I liked, in a twisted way, was to see Michael and Jan pretty evenly matched in terms of being horrible to each other. I mean, Jan is obviously painted as a worse person than Michael, but I liked that they seem to be making each *other* miserable rather than Jan just abusing Michael. There was a lot of good stuff in the dinner party episode — but I do think it suffered a little from cartoonishness towards the end, with the police showing up (and, worse, making a joke of them apparently having been called before). You could feel the writers going for the cheap/broad/”dark” laugh over the characters and story. Jan is emblematic of this problem (a minor one in the scheme of the show, but still noticable) — she can be great in small doses but when they “go big” with her, she seems more like a comedy writer’s conceit than a real person.

One thing I liked, in a twisted way, was to see Michael and Jan pretty evenly matched in terms of being horrible to each other. I mean, Jan is obviously painted as a worse person than Michael, but I liked that they seem to be making each *other* miserable rather than Jan just abusing Michael.

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