The Office: "The Lover"... or "Pam Loses Her Shit"

Sometimes an episode of The Office comes along that I can't help but love. This one was it. "The Lover" aired last night, and it was a welcome return to funny after last week's 21 minute snooze festival known as "Mafia".

As we witnessed in "Niagara" a few weeks back, Michael slipped away with Pam's Mom. Well, they've been doing it and Pam has been told.

Ok. Beesly may have gone over the top in her reaction...

...but I sided with the hormone jolted, emotionally freaked out Pam. Having your socially stunted, un-self aware boss who lacks maturity and discretion sleep with your Mom is enough world of hurt to be dealing with on top of the simple fact that your Mom is sleeping with your boss. Where is the discretion? How can the sweet Mrs. Beesly, the nice MILF-y lady we met briefly in season two, the Mom that Pam rang up immediately after Jim kissed her on "Casino Night", be so...unhinged. Yes. Unhinged. Mom must be in a shit hole of a bad place if she is so bitter and lonely as to hook up with the dreaded idiot Scott. So, yeah, I'm feeling for Pam here. Sometimes you have to turn on the Bitch. And with the laid back "family" atmosphere that Michael lays out in the office, not to mention his own heinous outburts, I don't think Pam was being out of line in the context of Dunder Mifflin's professional boundaries - because they really have none.

Jim was hilarious, but someone online mentioned that he's becoming the Ray Barrone to Pam's Debra. Halpert lacks a backbone when it comes to his new wife. He could have stood up to Michael a bit, or perhaps given Pam fair warning before the bomb hit, but in the end, it appears that Pam understands him enough to forgive. Having him tell her nice things to bring her down from her anger was nice. Seeing Michael leave for the day, only to try to go to Pam and perhaps apologize, showed that he has some qualms about how thing went down, which is admirable in a small way. However, I think that's what icks me out about this is Michael's unabashed insensitivity toward how Pam would feel about all this, selfish little prick that he is.

Also, I'm convinced that everyone else in that office are dumbasses. Michael turns on the "Why can't I have love" bullshit after everyone almost puked at the notion of him sleeping with Pam's Mom, only to change their minds? Geez, how would Oscar like Michael to sleep with his own Mom...theoretically...BEFORE she was in a wheelchair. (Like he should be exempt from this.)

Dwight planting a "bug" in Jim's office in the guise of a wooden mallard was pretty awesome. Jim finding it out, only to throw a prank in his direction via Andy and opera played at high decibel was magic. Of course Dwight still outsmarted Halpert with another bug planted in a pen. Now Dwight will have hours and hours of Halpert talking about pink paper stock and post it notes. That will sure bring down Jim's dominance. Keep listening Dwight. Maybe you can ruin Jim by revealing his buddy's picks for the football fantasy roster.

Creed crying during the opera stunt? Hilarious.

Favorite line - Michael: "That could have gone one of two ways. But I never expected her to get upset."

2nd Favorite line: Ryan: "Hey! That's my MOM!" (as he wore that stupid hat. God, I love Ryan. He's the only cartoon-ish character I can deal with.)

Although I despair over some pit falls in this show, it feels good to write about The Office with at least a spoonful of love, even though it still isn't the show it once was. (Ouch.)