No, sorry, I still don't buy it. I don't think Michael would know what to do with a flash drive. I think he would own one--sure. I could even accept him carrying it around with him. But actually using it appropriately without help on someone else's computer is out of character for him, IMHO. This is a man who couldn't set up or use a Blackberry or Powerpoint. He used Photoshop only because it helped him with a joke. When Micheal wants to make a joke or be creative like make a video than he learns what he needs to get the job done. But the details on how to use the computer overall is something that he would make Pam or Dwight deal with. He gets bored with things like that pretty easily.

But where else would he save his files? It is much more reasonable to believe he would own a flash drive than a portable or external hard drive. What are the other simple option these days?

And each flash drive starts up the same, no matter what computer you hook it up to. At least mine does, so maybe Michael's does too.

Your argument about Michael learning tools to help his jokes answers the question as to why Michael didn't know Powerpoint and the Blackberry. He didn't want to! He wasn't motivated.


Also:
Deleted Scene #2- The Finer Things Club is back!

When I can see it, I'll care.

One of the things I love about Michael is that he is so oblivious about technology. He’s like a child and it’s endearing to me.

So where would he save his files? Well, I imagined he just carried his lap top around and that’s where he kept his files and then at the end of the week he would dramatically hand the lap top to Pam and she “magically” transfers it. He would call her his “Flashpam” and then he would start quoting her lines from the movie Flashdance. And every week he would beg her to reenact the dance scene where the water comes splashing down on her. And every week she would say no and he would start giggling and randomly say “Flashpam” because it’s just fun to say. Then "Flashpam" would turn to "Flashpants" and then Pam would point out that she's wears a skirt and then Michael would laugh and try to think of a way to say "that's what she said". But it doesn't work so he goes online to find a funny comeback and gets distracted by Youtube until its time to go home. That’s how I think about Michael. I don’t give him very much credit about his ability to do basic stuff around the office or a computer.

I loved Lecture Circuit #1 but #2 was a dud. Michael and Pam's parts were painful to watch. Not funny. I was happy to see Rob (A.J.) and hope he becomes part of the show. He is a funny man.

Jim use to poke fun at Dwight and always was a step ahead of Dwight. In this episode Dwight becomes his equal and even seems to override Jim with comments directed at Jim like "idiot". Again, not funny. It is funny when Jim takes advantage of Dwight. Not the other way around. Everything seemed so flat and so elementary. It was like the Body Snatchers took the personalities of the characters and left us with the empty shells.

I hope "The Office" will return to the simple formula that made if funny in previous episodes; Subtle humor not the 'sit-com' garbage like Angela licking a cat. What was that? I expected her to crawl into a litter box next. Really dumb.

I was suprised to see that so many didn't like this episode. I thought it was funny. I've liked the last three episodes very much and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season. For a while there I wasn't. So glad all the Dwight-Angela-Andy drama is over, even if it's left Angela a little crazy (that cleaning scene was way over the top).

Jim and Dwight should have more of these plots together. For a while now I've thought Jim's pranks on Dwight have been boring and (although not strictly repetitious) uninspired. This is a great way to take the Jim-Dwight relationship to the next level. The whole birthday story was superb.

Someone wrote that they thought Michael and Pam have more chemistry than Jim and Pam; I can't say I completey agree with this, but I really loved the Pam-Michael storyline too. For a while now I've felt that although Jam is as sweet as candy, it's become somewhat boring (I guess I'm in the camp that enjoys slow and painful drama over happily ever after, which probably highlights some psychological issues of my own ) so I love it when they team up with someone else instead, like they did in this episode. It's great when some rays of honesty make it to the surface, and Michael is at his absolute best whenever Holly is involved (they've got to find a way to bring her back). I loved his reaction to Holly's desktop background.

I was a little puzzled at first by AJ's non-quirkiness, but rebound relationship choices don't always make sense. If Holly is trying to portray herself as more serious/less quirky than she really is to impress someone like AJ, she's failing. Look at her desktop background. Whether or not the Holly storyline continues, I'm betting that she and AJ don't last.

Another contrast in the "Is Michael Techno-savvy?" argument is his plan to get someone from Youtube down to tape his roast in "Stress Relief".

See, I did need examples of Michael's computer abilities. I've been totally schooled and humbly admire your depth of knowledge of The Office.

I was going to ask several pages ago whether that whole thing with Michael sticking the doohickey into Holly's computer and getting the "Dear Michael" letter to transfer to his computer was actually something that is possible to do. It all seemed so 'sci-fi' to me!
See, there are still some of us illiterates out here!

I do.

Suggestion: ignore the technology Michael's using. Consider instead the ethics.

Two things:

First, on the cat issue- the one that was violating Princess Lady was Ash. He's Sprinkles' spawn and yes, he was the one offered Pam in Traveling Salesmen/The Return. Garbage, a.k.a. Bandit was the one that Dwight tried to give her, but that she ultimately accepted from Andy. He's also the one that went through the ceiling in the Post-Super Bowl episode.

Second, as far as Michael and Holly and AJ go, I thought Holly was transferred because of the past issues with Michael specifically when it comes to office relationships. David Wallace probably remembers the Deposition all too well and doesn't want to run the risk of having another Jan-Michael situation on his hands. I always thought Holly got transferred because Michael can't handle office romances and they just used the whole HR-Branch Manager relationship as an excuse.

They can't do that. If they tried, Michael would be able to sue them for interference in his personal life, and he'd probably win. She was transferred purely because of the conflict-of-interest issues raised by dating the office manager. If it had been anyone else in the office, it probably would not have been an issue.

Hey, when it comes to love I've done things I'm not proud of. It was well before the computer age (1981), so it was more along the lines of intercepting and steaming open mail, but it's of the same ilk.
I fully know where he's coming from...I probably wouldn't have been able to resist either.

I don't think you can sue your company for interfering with your personal life. If you could, I imagine some sue-happy citizens of this country would litigate every time they missed their kid's baseball game because they had to work late. Plus, David Wallace never told Michael they had to break up. He just transferred Holly. There are plenty of legal reasons to do that that have nothing to do with the Michael-Holly relationship. So even if Michael sued Dunder Mifflin, I don't think he would be successful. He could possibly sue them for discriminating against him. However, the official policy of Dunder Mifflin is that office relationships are discouraged and they must be disclosed to HR. Judging from DW's reaction when he found out that they were dating, it looks like Michael violated that policy.

Besides, weren't there conflict of interest issues when Michael dated Jan? She was his direct superior, and DW was aware of the relationship. He didn't make Michael report to anyone else while he was with Jan.

Sorry. Its hard to convey through the computer, but I'm just analyzing and responding to your point. I'm not trying to be abrasive, so please don't take it as such.

I understand your point, but from my experience, everything changes when HR gets into the act. Due to their role, there's an unusually sensitive attitude towards relationships involving HR staff and other management types in the company. Non-management staff are OK, though, because they don't have access to the same kinds of sensitive / private information that managers do.

I agree about the whole Holly not having a password on her computer/having that letter on the desktop/leaving her computer on...

There have been at least a couple of instances where Micheal has tried to figure out people's passwords. One time I think it was for Jan, and he tried words such as "Jan loves Michael", "Mrs. Scott", etc. Well, how perfect would it have been if he had bumped Holly's computer and the log-in screen popped up where you have to enter your password, and just in case, Michael tries out a password such as "Mrs. Holly Scott", or "Michael forever" and it let him in! If there truly are still feelings for him, that would have been such a typical Holly thing to do, to have her password related to Michael! That would have been enough evidence for Michael to think there was still something there, and the episode could have bypassed the whole unlikely letter on the desktop, Pam having to read it for him, etc. Oh, well, that's just my opinion!

OMG I just posted almost the exact same post as yours a few minutes ago, before reading this post of yours---I swear! I even used the same password "Michael forever" as an example......weeeiiird! We are definitely on the same wave length!!! That is just too funny!

Michael is a terrible jerk ...Which kind of man makes a girl, like Pam, to carry all the valises to everywhere

-"Oh My God, is that Jim's"

The second half of Lecture Circuit was very weak. I'm really starting to lose interest in the show. I chose to watch Hell's Kitchen on Fox, rather than watching the rerun of the baby shower episode. In past years, I would have watched any office episode, repeat or not. I hope the writers find direction.

Though Mindy Kaling used Dwight effectively in this episode, interacting with Jim in a fish-out-of-water type bit concerning Kelly's birthday party, the great Schrute character has been wasted most of the season as Rainn Wilson has been forced to act out predictable and derivative antics. The fact that Angela is now licking her cat is indicative that the writers have just given up on creating realistic and entertaining office situations.

I'm really surprised how quickly the scripts went downhill. Most successful shows get a good five years of strong writing. Maybe Ricky Gervais had the right idea, ending the British version after only a few episodes. Or, maybe the people involved with the American version just have too many outside interests.

I've toyed with the idea of creating a macro that automatically changes "jumped the shark" to "snipped the sleeve" (thanks vbarkley for the inspiration!) when people hit the "Post" button.

Some of my favorite all time episodes get the least amount of love around here, but I've gotten used to the drama and actually play games where I try to predict what will spark it in any given episode.

So you're saying that "jumped the shark" has jumped the shark??

Actually, some of my students are telling me that the new 'jumped the shark' phrase is 'nuke the fridge' which is a reference to the latest Indiana Jones movie in which Indy jumps into a lead-lined refrigerator in order to save himself from a nuclear blast. You can't make this stuff up!

But how does that work? Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull was a movie, not a series of episodes and seasons? Are they saying that movie franchise 'nuked the fridge'? In that case, when did the Rocky franchise 'nuke the fridge'?



So, I'm guessing you liked this last installment. Please share what you liked. I actually like hearing what people enjoy about an episode that I am kind of dispassionate about, because maybe they will help me see something new. Then it's just more for me to enjoy, you know?

I was a big fan of Lecture Circuit Part 1. Part 2 was weird for me, but I suspect if I watched them together I'd warm up to it. I haven't had a chance yet, though.

I second the above (dare I say "megadittoes"? ): One of my all time ROTFLMAO "Office" moments is the "Intervention" spoofing in "Moroccan Xmas", which many here seemed to absolutely hate. Not many other "Intervention" watchers here, I guess--being one definitely helps to 'get' that particular bit.

Hey, I opined that exact sentiment months ago, the last time that idiotic phrase popped up on here!

Ahhh, neither have I. I'm looking forward to seeing how the two episodes work together.




I haven't watched intervention, but I would like to chime in too. I seem to be a big fan of the very unpopular "Did I Stutter" episode. It was one of my favorites of season 4.



Yep, as did I a few episodes before that (sort of). Unfortunately, I fear it's going to be a very long time before that phrase dies, if at all.

Who would have thought that Angela may have settled for 'just' a cheap $7,000 cat

"It's supposed to be about the funny stuff that goes on at an office... not about a woman licking cats and coughing up hairballs at work."

dude i dont know how many offices you have worked in, but this is totally believable to me.


i laughed all the way through these two episodes. i have a pretty crappy office job and after watching these shows, i just felt better about having to go in tomorrow again and drudge away.

"its your birthday" is so freaking hilarious i cannot even begin to describe it.

princess unicorn: you are a genius. how andy felt about jim and pam discussing the jack black / cloris leachman movie, thats how i feel after reading your post.

'nuke the fridge'-- lol, that is absolutely, one hundred percent perfect! i love it. i feel like pouring out a beer or holding up a lighter for the 'dead indy' of my youth when i think about "the sequel that shall not be named". but i dont feel that way about the office, i still laugh, uncontrollably. even if i didnt, i will still love the show for all it has given me over the years.

as far as michael cutting her sweater and stealing her files,,,, oh yes, i cringed. this show has always made me cringe, and then laugh.. . that is one of the things that i really love about it... and i will tell you i have done a few dumber things than what michael did. i only cringe because i like to think im not as messed up as he is, but in certain situations many of us have that potential to "go there", if nothing is keeping us grounded to the earth (and what is grounding michael exactly? how does he keep it together? one of the great mysteries of modern television...)

mindy kaling is a freaking genius. her character is hilarious and devastating. i just love it.

jim and dwight, i actually act like that with someone at my office, like someone described it, two people who know they hate each other, so they deal with it. it is actually one of the only good parts about my job.

but why i really wanted to post this.... is ----------

Princess Bride Reference
oh my God that was freaking awesome.

Watched this today (pt 1).

I liked that the Karen interaction was nice. Seeing Pam get closure was great (I'm a HUGE closure person). Karen looks like she's happy with her new husband, so good for Karen.

Al Qaeda hates Pam That was so goofy, but hilarious.

Poor Andy. Why on earth would he try to kiss that girl?

Creed's been great this season - Dating Squeaky Fromme ('dating' is a nice way of putting it). The $3 bill