I read a couple of posts about how they hated the cruise episode and it almost made the stop watching. That was the first episode I ever saw, and thought it was hillarious. What am I missing?

I think Michael was portrayed too mean for my taste. The fun for this show is watching him be mean because he doesn't really catch on that he is mean, but in the cruise episode he just seemed flat out mean.

I didn't mind this episode except that it put a damper on the Pam Jim relationship for a few episodes. At least that's what bothered me about it.

Hmmm... Not sure why people wouldn't like this episode. It's got one of the best opening scenes with Jim putting all of Dwights personal items in the vending machine and then handing him a bag of nickels... priceless

I don't think Micheal came off as too mean, in fact at the end of the episode he has one of his most 'real' moments when he is talking with Jim about Pam and he actually gives him some decent advice.

Also, this is one of the few episodes where a majority of the action takes place outside the office. I'm betting this was what turned people off most...

"Its a fake wheel dummy"

I thought the episode was great...and the vending machine bit had me in stitches. It seemed Michael was under a lot of pressure from Brenda, the Corporate 'overseer'. They never let on to exactly why she was there but it appeared that corporate sent her to watch Michael who had obviously sold the cruise idea to corporate as an educational/team-building exercise rather than just a 'booze cruise'. Keep in mind the failures of the '05/05/05' party and the 'Tsunami Fun Raiser' and corporate's resulting concern.

Despite how Michael seems in that episode or other episodes, we definately see that he is good with children and truly has a good heart. Yes, he can be a meanie at times, but in the end he really does care. It is just so much nicer to have him be a smart you know what. You have to love Dwight "steering" the boat!

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Don't worry. I still got my kicks from it especially the vending machine scene, but Michael did get put in cuffs...

I loved the Booze Cruise. Loved Michael's dancing. And especially the opening with the vending machine and the nickles. It was priceless.
As to "Brenda Something" from Corporate sent to oversee the event--- there's a deleted scene in which Brenda and Jan sit down across from Michael to discuss the whole thing and how it won't be tax-deductible unless it is a legit business event, hence the "motivational" BS.

I never saw the Booze Cruise episode. I just heard something happened with Pam and Jim. Did Jim tell her he liked her?

Jim told Michael at the end that he had a crush on Pam. Earlier in the episode Pam and Jim were outside talking and had a kinda long akward silence after Pam asked him what it was like dating a cheerleader (earlier in the episode we found out that Katy used to be one). Also that was the episode that Jim broke up with Katy. I'm sure the episode guide on the site may have some more info also about the episode.

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Denise

Right... also, Roy was sort of hitting on Katie, so Pam was unhappy with her significant other as well. The awkward silence lasted almost 30 seconds... I was really hoping Jim was going to tell her something, anything... oh well. It'll work out in the end

wow. sooo this is incredibly off topic from everything we've been discussing, but i was watching booze cruise and came across a line i never understood.
(on the ship deck, talking about jim liking pam)
Michael: If you like her so much, dont give up.
Jim: But she's engaged.
Michael: BFD, engaged aint married.

Ok.. BFD? Does that mean big f***ing deal? or not.. because i've never heard of that in my life

You are absolutely correct...
My wife thinks this line is the greatest single moment in television history....

Ya know...NBC seems to let a lot of "inappropriate" stuff slide in this show.
Ignorance? Who knows...hmmmmm.

haha
thanks a lot, i suppose that was a pretty good guess.
I had a feeling because Michael kind of blew out and then sad BFD, but i had no idea
So thanks

I agree this is an amazing line! Who'd have ever thought that Michael would be the voice of reason???

Crazy enough, it sets up Michael to take credit if Jim breaks up the wedding instead of Pam ending it on her own.

That would prompt a great look from Jim into the camera...

haha- any look into the camera from jim is fine with me!

I've seen a few threads mentioning that quote (at the end of the Booze Cruise episode) over the last several months.

I'm not sure everyone gets the humor in it. Yes, Michael's being inspirational (for once), but it's also a famous quote from Jim Valvano, the late coach of North Carolina State's basketball team that won an NCAA championship but he later succumbed to illness. That quote is synonymous with Valvano and his spirit.

It's funny because Michael once again co-opts something else awkwardly. It ends up being appropriate and inspirational to Jim and the storyline, but it was also the writers very subtly making fun of Michael because it really wasn't him thinking that up but rather just repeating Valvano's saying.

Not everyone's a sports fan so that was easy to miss, but just bringing that to light.

Or maybe I'm wrong, that's how I read it tho.

I don't think Michael was repeating sports quotes. Probably just a coincedince (I know I spelled that wrong.)

I agree... never give up isn't really that unique...

Possible. Like I said I could be wrong.

It's just the way he said it was exactly how Jim Valvano says it.

Please at least one sports fan back me up here ).

Sports fan here, just wrong sport, Hockey man, Hockey... The quote was just an Incalclable Coniecedence... hehe

Maybe Michael, being the self-proclaimed 'Student of Comedy' accessed his comedy memory bank (as usual) and came up with the philosophy from the movie Galaxy Quest:
"NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER SURRENDER!"

"By Grabthar's hammer, by the sons of Worvan, you shall be avenged!" I LOVED GQ! You're right, Michael probably did too.

He loved it so much that he hired Senior Thermian Requisition Officer Lahnk (Raiin Wilson) to be his assistant (to).

Getting back to the original post, I think it's more likely a nod to the original BBC version. In the Christmas Special Tim gives Dawn a gift. As she's driving away in a taxi she opens it and it's a set of artists oil paints (her dream is to be an illustrator, similar to Pam),and there's a note with it that reads "Never Give Up."

This is the final inspiration she needs that makes her realize she really does belong with Tim.

Oh my gosh, that was so sweet. I love that. That's probably where they got the idea for Micheal's encouraging speech on the Booze Cruise.

I should really get around to watching the BBC version, it sounds funny

^ well you should probablly watch it, just to know where our office came from, but for me the BBC version was NOT funny, i had maybe 10 laugh out loud moments with both seasons...it wasn't the same kind of humor...i dont know if you'll be like me, but don't get your hopes to high, mine were and i was very dissapointed

Plus the British' teeth are a turn off...

I laughed all the way through it, from start to finish. I get the British sense of humour as well as the American. Maybe being Canadian helps me understand both.

Anyway, it is actually very, very funny, if you let it be.

"Let it be." Nice tie-in to something else British.

You know what? I would have been perfect Michael if, instead of saying, "Never ever give up," he said, "Don't give up the ship." See, they were on a boat, and... oh never mind.

Well "leadership" isn't the only word with "ship" as a part - it works for "relationship" too. Hmm...what part of the boat do you think Jim's haircut would be? I'm sure Michael Scott has all the answers!

As its DERIVATION...

1 DERIVATION--(1) : the formation of a word from another word or base (as by the addition of a usually noninflectional affix) (2) : an act of ascertaining or stating the derivation of a word (3)

Who else noticed on booze cruise when roy and jim's date said it was hilarious that pam was "artsy fartsy" jim said actually it's not that hilarious ... i just thought that was sweet and wanted to share

They showed a re run of the River Cruise last night, and when Michael got up to dance, he was flapping around like a diseased monkey.
Usually Jim has the "ive seen it all before",,, but this time they showed a close up and it was more like "this tops everything".

He was completely amazed and then looked over at Pam like "are you catching this?"

Anyone else see that? That's what i love about this show. You've got to pay really close attention.

You mean this?

http://www.get-a-cookie.com/caps/displayim...album=4&pos=118

Officianada: THATS IT!!!! Some combination of
shock, pity, and amazement.

What is that site all about anyway? Capturing screen photos from movies and shows??

I linked to it from here (an unofficial Office message board):

http://community.livejournal.com/theoffice.../tag/screencaps

It is also very telling that Jim didn't even know that Katy had been a cheerleader, or was in complete denial about it. Also telling, in the conversation out on the deck between Jim and Pam, is that Pam feels free to ask Jim what it is like to date a cheerleader but Jim does not feel free to ask Pam what it is like to be engaged to an oaf. That silence between them was wrenching.

It was extremely sad when, at the end of the episode, Michael and Jim are talking about Pam getting engaged that night, and Jim says that she was already engaged, and Michael says that Roy said the first one didn't count. You can see the rue on Jim's face; he now sees that he and Pam were the only two who didn't know that the "first one didn't count"...and had he known, at least, he would not be spilling his guts to Michael right then.....with Pam reengaged with a set wedding date. I almost cried.

I also think that Brenda's expression in that scene is hysterical. She looks like she's just about to lose it!

It's called the BOOZE CRUISE!! Yep, Michael's dance was the worst and JIm's look was priceless, but my FAVE part of the BOOZE CRUISE was the INTENSE non-verbal communication from Jim to Pam outside on the boat. I watched and rewatched that scene at least a dozen times last night - makes me melt everytime. His LOOK was SOOOOO powerful. C'mon Pam!!! Get with the program. And the ending was so cute when Michael, in handcuffs, was giving Jim a pep talk and giving him advice (never give up), which I agree with and was good advice, but the fact that Michael was being "punished" and tied up in handcuffs and separated from the party and then now is giving advice. LOL Kind of backwards, but so funny.

I noticed it when I watched it the 2nd time last night, I had to put on closed-captioned to read what he said because he said it kind of softly and kind of mumbled it, but I thought it was cute as well. But they didn't show Pam or anyone's reaction to it. His date just started doing a cheer.

But, another thing that was kind of weird was when Roy asked her if she cheered and Jim answered for her and said "NO". What is that about? Why did Jim answer for her?

Also, is she the same person that was selling purses on the "Hot Girl" episode? Or is this a different girl?

Yes, the whole sound of silence was/is wonderful. But part of it-I don't know its half way through and Jim's looking toward the ground and he lifts his eyes, and ahhhh

I can't even describe it. WOW.

Yep, same gal.

I've heard people talk about Booze Cruise as the best episode of the season...
My favorite part is at the end when Michael tells Dwight that he's steering a fake wheel. Just the idea that Dwight thinks it's real and he can take Michael to shore is fabulous. His "dog-like obedience" is hilarious, especially since Michael crushes Dwight's illusion by calling him "Dummy" at the very last moment of the episode. Priceless!

Yeah, his look was SOOOO intense and full of feelings and he wasn't even uttering a word. I was like WOW. How did he do that? Now THAT is acting - he should've gotten an oscar for that moment alone that he didn't even say any words but just the LOOK he gave her - and that was what I was saying - he looked down and then looked up and he NAILED it. You can't ask for better acting than that. I loved it!!

i believe that Roy and Katie will end up together in the next season. cmon, theyre perfect for each other. Maybe the show will use Katie to smooth things out a little when Pam and Roy break up. The show has subtle clues about it too...
example: did you see how much roy was into katie when she that little cheer on the boat? or what about katie and roy's intense conversation about Bishop 'O Hara? It's not too often we see roy exited about anything, maybe because he's not a very important character, but still...

Even more telling was the eye contact between Jim and Pam when Katy starts cheering. It's like Pam telling Jim, "This is who you're dating?" But later, when she gets too close to the flame, she retreats, as she does in several similar scenes between the two of them. Definitely a favorite episode of mine because of the revealing conversations of the characters. And yes, I noticed Phyllis and Creed dancing. Sequentially, the Christmas Party already happened, when Phyllis introduced Bob Vance as her boyfriend, remember? Then on Valentines Day, she was the center of Bob's amorous attentions. I don't think she was cheating on Bob by dancing with Creed. Phyllis likes to dance. Remember the Fire Drill? She dances in the parking lot when Dwight sings "Ryan started the fire!"

Does anyone think that Jim was on his way to ask Pam if they could speak in private before Roy's annoucement over the mic stops him cold?