Monsters of Television

“In the foster home, my hair was my room.”

Andy Bernard: Cake Face.

Is it weird to anyone else that Erin is the most intriguing character this season?

Sure, Pam and Jim had a baby and Stanley is openly cheating on his wife (yeah, remember that?) but everyone else’s backstory is so vanilla compared to the (albeit relative) complexity of their secretary. She confirmed this week that she was not just from a foster home (like her biological parents fostered children) but that she was actually in the foster care system (like her biological parents didn’t raise her). What seemed like a sunny disposition suddenly became a beard for something darker and maladjusted. And it’s fitting that possibly the most superficial character on the show (in terms of background depth) draws out the crazy in her.

The episode starts off with a parody video Oscar makes of Kevin’s voice dubbed over scenes of Cookie Monster. It’s pretty funny (and frighteningly dead-on) though highly improbable seeing as to how Oscar would have to rip video of Sesame Street into a format that can be edited, dub over conversations he’s recorded from Kevin over a day (unless he’s constantly recording), synch them up, and then export the completed project to the internet. Seems like someone needs to take up knitting rather than stalking his coworker for a throw-away joke. But it’s okay since it elicits lots of Kevin/Cookie Monster impressions and the B-story.

The B-story reintroduces us to Kathy Bates’s lackey. Did you remember that he’s supposed to stick around and watch over the branch? Yeah, me neither. But since he’s prominent in this episode so close to the end of the season, I guess we’re supposed to pay attention to him since he’ll probably figure in to the finale somehow.

Poor guy. Plays a schmuck underling to a guest spot, has to give up his office when he arrives, and, on top of all that, has to deal with the fact that he’s a poor man’s Topher Grace. Seriously, I think he watched hours of That 70’s Show and In Good Company to prepare for his role. As corporate’s liason with the branch, Poor Man’s Topher decides, when Kevin comes to him and tattles on Oscar, that it’s time for him to demonstrate his authority by banning the video and any impressions. The threat falls on deaf ears. Even his threats of suspension (falling on the show’s more prominent character) aren’t taken seriously, especially after everyone (even poor — Gabe? His name is Gabe?) learns that his position is largely ceremonial. Oops.

With that nonsense out of the way, we have the A-story. The episode is called “Secretary’s Day” after all and Andy wants to make sure everyone knows who they are celebrating, although his gesture seems tame coming from the man who sent her wild animals for Christmas. Just some obsessive eblasts and phone calls to his coworkers and a banner. And a party. Organized by his ex-fiancee. And that part, my friend, is trouble.

In the incestuous Scranton branch, there should be a code of ethics, some rule set up to tell the new people, “Hey, we don’t get out much so we just hump each other.” Let’s face it: the only people dating or married to folks outside of the building are Stanley, Michael (however briefly with Carol) and Oscar (and Oscar post-Gil was even gunning for the warehouse guy). So the fact that Erin doesn’t know about Angela is understandable in a normal context but seems irresponsible in the den of iniquity that is the Scranton branch. That’s Andy’s fault.

But what makes this episode interesting (minorly) is watching Erin fall apart. The mask of sunniness falls off as Michael spills the beans and it’s interesting (not compelling but interesting) to watch her revert to something more childlike and damaged. It’s strange, however, that she is the most developed personality on the show despite her short tenure. Erin has deep-seated motivation rooted in childhood trauma in a sea of characters that can be summed up monosyllabically.

So Erin flips out about Andy almost marrying Angela, throws cake in his face, and rushes out in dramatic fashion. Michael finds her on his way out and consoles her. And they start to get along. Really well. They’ve always had a playful, in-synch work relationship (the episode where she makes him “ants on a log” comes to mind) but the flirtiness at the end of this week indicates an interesting shift. Are they going to pit Andy against Michael? Is Michael going to live out his Pam fantasy with a younger, lesser version? Are Dunder-Mifflin/Sabre employees doomed to only dating people within the office park? Is Meredith going to date the security guard next? Or Creed? Sorry to put that thought in your head.

Overall, the episode was relatively amusing but only because if it was part of this season. Had this episode come up three years ago, I would’ve been disappointed. But this was almost an improvement. There were some choice quotes (Michael, not knowing what to do with Erin’s breakdown in public, classically tells the waiter, “I’ll have what she’s having”) and some interesting situations but this show is still, somehow, derailed. I see hope but it’s distant.