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Summary courtesy of NBC:
"TRAINING DAY," MICHAEL TRAINS HIS REPLACEMENT-WILL FERRELL GUEST STARS-The new manager, Deangelo Vickers (guest star Will Ferrell), has everyone hoping to make good first impressions: Andy (Ed Helms) finds himself awkwardly typecast while Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) worry that they've come on too strong. Only Dwight (Rainn Wilson) is apathetic about the new leader. Craig Robinson, Brian Baumgartner, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Creed Bratton, Ellie Kemper, and Zach Woods also star.
I'm sorry, I cannot read the title to this episode and not think of Denzel Washington overacting his ass off while he was dying in this film of the same day, totally ruining (for me) an excellent performance up to that point. And then he was awarded a make up Oscar for said performance, because he didn't get the one he deserved for Malcolm X, because Pacino was getting his make up Oscar that year. Yup, this title has baggage for me.
How can Will Farrell possibly compete with that? Unless, of course, he eats a red candle.
You got today and today only to show me who and what you're made of. You don't like narcotics, get the fuck out of my car. Go get you a nice, pussy desk job, chasing bad checks or something, you hear me?
Dear sweet little baby Jesus. Please let NBC not completely screw up the best show on teevee, but make it into a big hairy American winning machine. Amen. Shake and bake, Michael Scott!
That was awesome when Michael went back to the gang neighborhood to hunt down Deangelo and Kelly after Oscar's gang let him live because he saved his cousin from being attacked by Gabe and Andy. But that was crazy when they went back to Creed's house and shotgunned him from close range!
Did I miss the tag?
I'll chalk this one up to setting up Michael's departure. If I see any more "Jim and Pam are idiots.", I'll revise my opinion to bleh.
I enjoyed it, but it seemed like it just ended without much happening, like time was up so they rolled the credits. And Ferrell's character was all over the map: inept and goofy like Michael, an utter douche, Mr. Popular and whatever describes a guy who brings in his own barber.
I laughed at the Will Ferrell stuff. I can't help myself; he makes me laugh. Even just his body language. I thought he and Carell had good chemistry. The faults in the episode weren't his; I thought the story was dumb. Like Bri said, they wrote his character all over the map and couldn't decide what he was. Don't start him off as an inept bumbling goofball and then halfway through the episode have him telling Jim and Pam to stop annoying him while he's getting shaved by his personal barber. Come on, show writers!!!
The Jim and Pam stuff was dumb and annoying. The sucking up to Deangelo stuff was kind of annoying too. That's all I remember right now.
I thought Ferrell did a good job with what he was given, but I agree that his character was written all over the map. I think he worked best as "utter douche". Overall, just not enough laughs for me.
Are you just saying that? Because I don't remember seeing a tag, and thought it was cut off.
The tag was awesome.
Yes, yes it was.
I was initially irritated that they were making Jim and Pam look stupid again (Charles Miner redux?) but they gave us the talking head which made all that horribleness nearly worth it. If they are going to make Jam stumble, at least they chose something that is more realistic. Every parent in the world has bored their coworkers silly at some point talking about their kid(s).
I liked the bar scene, and the turtle scene. Erin made me laugh for a change, both with the controversy about the greetings, and with the shaving cream.
Not on board for the slapstick stuff with Andy.
It did feel like this was a "set up" episode, and I guess I'll give them another episode to see if this was worth it.
Erin made me laugh for a change, both with the controversy about the greetings, and with the shaving cream.
Yes, me too. Especially the part about shaving his lips.
Not on board for the slapstick stuff with Andy.
That was dumb, you're right. It was the wrong direction to take Farrell, and Helms.
I too loved the tag. That baby could star in a show called "Babies I Don't Care About".
Oh, that was the tag. Did it end right after he said that? Because that's when it cut to the next show on my channel.
Yup, that was it. This was a weird one for me. I did enjoy watching the scenes with just Michael and D'Angelo because it looked like Carell and Ferrell thoroughly enjoyed playing off each other. I really liked this deleted scene with just them two. They just look like they're having a blast.
I kind of wish they had given us an episode of every one getting used to the idea of Michael leaving and some idea of where Deangelo was coming from before bringing Ferrell on. We sort of jumped from Michael announcing his decision to here without much background.
NPR Podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour talks about stunt casting and the future of The Office in light of the recent stunt casting done on the show.
PCHH is one of my favourite podcasts, and if you're not listening to it, you should. It's light, it's funny, it's pop culturish. Linda Holmes, the show runner, is a really big fan of The Office, (she implored people who had given up on the show to watch Garage Sale) but she knows the show is a mere shadow of its former self. Still, I appreciate her cheerleading efforts and how she regularly promotes it.
I kind of wish they had given us an episode of every one getting used to the idea of Michael leaving
I agree. Other than the shocked reaction after the proposal, we didn't really get anything. Although something tells me they'll make up for it in the next couple of episodes. Or at least try to.
I hate stunt casting, and I especially hate that this show used to be above it, but obviously is now embracing it.
Hate it.
PCHH is one of my favourite podcasts, and if you're not listening to it, you should.
Good stuff. Thanks for the link.
I never actually stated my feelings on this episode besides repeating Training Day quotes and I know you're all dying to hear my thoughts so...
It was OK. Ferrell was understated, as much as he can be, but as others said his characterization was all over the place. I feel like they're going for a guy who's just kind of strange & off-kilter with a bit of jerkiness. Hopefully they'll flesh that out better in the two or three episodes he has left. One thing that didn't work for me at all was everyone sucking up. It was too blatant from a group of people that I feel don't care that much to make such an effort. Stanley was the most egregious example. Since when has he cared about anything more than riding out the clock until he can get home and read his mystery stories and now he's sucking up more than anyone? Bleh. Andy's pratfalls in the kitchen were also spectacularly unfunny. And enough with the "new person doesn't like Jim & Pam" storylines. It didn't really work the first ten times you tried it, and it didn't really work this time.
But there was still plenty I liked. The Farrell and Carell opening was fantastic and something very few others could have pulled off. Kelly's meet cute was funny as was Ryan's reaction to Deangelo bringing in a barber. Erin's shaving attempts were also funny even as it gave me serious wiggins. By far the funniest thing to me was Erin freezing up over the phone along with Gabe's brief freakout and noncommital in the background. I wish they'd give that guy more to do.
Overall a bit of a disappointment but enough good stuff to give it a B-.