The Office: Whither Michael? Whither Dunder Mifflin?

Will last week's resignation of Michael Scott prompt him to start Shoe-La-La, his fancy shoe store for men? Or will he strike out on his own by selling his own brand of paper? We all know how high Michael can fly, but the problem is, he tends to flap his wings in the wrong direction. He's more chicken than eagle, one who can't really soar with the eagle's nest, as he was once known to say. In tonight's episode, "Two Weeks", we'll see where the chips lay after Michael's revolt. Charles Minor has certainly shaken up the very insular Scranton branch. Not only was Michael rattled, Jim's tail is also on the line.

Michael's behavior has been frustrating lately. Party planning, Willy Wonka themed discounts and placing blame for all failings on lackey Dwight have killed my empathy for the DM Regional Manager. Yet, it makes sense in the context of the whole story. DM Scranton is in their own little universe. They are tucked away in an industrial town in Pennsylvania, in a featureless corporate park, working in one of the most mundane, unglamorous of jobs without the big guys around to watch them every minute of the day. When senior management like Jan, Ryan and now David Wallace try to assert some semblance of management, they're ineffectual in bringing the hammer down on Michael's unprofessional bull. So, for me, even though I've lost sympathy for Michael, I find his actions very interesting - almost one part of a whole sum. It's not just about Jim and Pam, Michael and David - it's the fact the whole company is swirling out of the control with bad management that has allowed Michael's behavior to fester.

If this were a healthy company, Dwight would have been fired and jailed for setting fire to the office and jamming all the doors shut as he did in "Stress Relief". He had a lot of nerve smirking in triumph to the camera last week when Jim was being watched by Charles through the window. Dwight has done a lot worse. He sets up an environment of disturbia by storing weaponry around the office. His childish super hero/sci-fi/horror fantasies and need to be the authoritarian lead to the Hannibal Lector impression during the staff CPR training. Sending out memos with rules he has no authority to enforce is another annoyance. Abandoning Phyllis out in the middle of a bad neighborhood to walk home in order to lose a few pounds was evil. What bothers me is that as much as I like to see Charles making Jim squirm (it's going to be character building), he'll be so busy breathing down Halpert's neck, he will overlook the history of Dwight's antics. But then again, Holly got called out by HR for doing her job questioning Meredith's sexual favors for discounts. The company doesn't seem to care how it gets its money - even if the women prostitute themselves to clients. So, basically, the corporate culture of Dunder Mifflin sucks.

And this is the whole point of the show. Dunder Mifflin is crumbling from within. If it were an upstanding company, Michael would have been fired a looong time ago, Dwight would be in prison and basically - you wouldn't have a show. The fact that DM chose to keep and coddle Michael, allowing his babyish behavior is the hook that allows The Office its creative license. Their foibles are exaggerated symbols the wrongs of corporate America. And as the news can attest - there is plenty amiss out there.

This season has been starkly uneven. Not much to get passionate about. Greg Daniels and Mike Schur's absence has been felt by the lack of continuity and some wandering story lines. Perhaps I'm just gullible, but I still trust the writers are leading up to something. It's a situation where you have to wait for the stories to unfold, stand back later and see the bigger picture. Will Jim be bumped to Regional Manager? Will Michael land on his feet? Look for some future shake ups. There might be a change at the reception desk. Charles might give Jim and Pam an ultimatum about couples working together. Pam could be out of a job.

As far as the addition of Charles Minor goes: I think this show just got a lot more interesting.

Tonight's episode "Two Weeks" airs on NBC at 9:00pm EST.

Movie Posters are Fun!

I love this. (Click picture to enlarge)

Away We Go...Trailer

What did John Krasinski during his summer break last year? He filmed a Sam Mendes film. At the time, it went under the working title Farlanders. Then it was called This Must Be The Place (a nice nod to a heart warming Talking Heads song). Now, the official title is Away We Go, a solid, sweet title if ever I heard one.

The film, written by Dave Eggers and his wife Vendela Vita, looks warm, funny, sentimental and worth a few dollars plunked down at the box office. It's about a couple in their thirties who are about to have their first child and decide to travel around the country to search for a place to live. It co-stars SNL's Maya Rudolph as the preggers girlfriend to her raffish boyfriend, played by Krasinski.

The film appears to transport John beyond the farcial comedies to which he's been associated. Mendes seems to have zoned in on the sensitivity and comedic timing that have made Krasinski compelling as Jim Halpert. Maya Rudolph, known more for sketch comedy and light fare, seems to take it down a notch, providing more warmth in her humor, appearing more human than cartoonish note required of her on SNL and Kath and Kim. At least that is what I've gleaned just by viewing the trailer.

This flick has a dark, indie feel to it. Krasinski always seemed better suited for independent work. Before The Office fame, he starred in indies such as Smiley Face and the very low budget, amateurish A New Wave - where he was the one shining factor in a very flawed film. Although John will most likely continue to work in those big ass Hollywood productions (he'll be in production on a Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin flick this summer), the grit of low fidelity movies feel like a comfortable fit. As for Rudolph (and to some extent - Krasinski himself - who played second fiddle to George Clooney and Robin Williams), this is her first time headlining a notable production, so it will be fun to see her step beyond the comedy box that put her on the map.

The film also stars Allison Janney, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jeff Daniels, Catherine O'Hara and Jim "Hot Pockets" Gaffigan.

The trailer is out, using the music of the incredible Alexi Murdoch. I'm hoping his songs are used throughout this movie, and not just solely for promotional purpose.