Don't they just fire people for incompetence?

BWHAHAHAHAHA!! That's so cute! You can tell that David's been out of a traditional office. fire people for not doing their jobs? That doesn't happen anymore!

Especially in government. These people tended to be excellent technicians tossed into management with (1) little or no training in how to manage, and (2) personalities that didn't translate well to supervising people.

There's also the bad managers left to continue being bad managers. Largely because they manage(d) to keep impressing the higher-ups while the people they supervise(d) were on the verge of mutiny.

And I'm using the phrase "bad manager" here to refer to those bosses that seem to have an instinct for alienating the people they supervise.

Too bad Michael seems to be a good salesman. Stupid Peter Principle. He would be double-disaster in the corp. offices in New York!

And I feel really bad for Toby, too, Fred.

Oh, man, The Office for the win!

Pam just rocked in this episode, rocked so much. From wearing her hair differently to being super-snarky to WALKING THROUGH FIRE and then finally, FINALLY speaking her mind--this is pretty much the episode I have waited all season for.

Jim's face was like the verse of Pam's during Casino Night--wide-eyed and shocky, like they never expected to hear what they're hearing.

The thing is, I kind of sympathized more with Jim--he put himself on the line not once, but twice, and then got rejected both times. I thought it was ridiculous for Pam to expect him to put it all on the line again , even if she cancelled her wedding. It was her turn to make the move, and she waited so, so long to do so.

But I feel for Pam too--the way she has gone through life, she had never really said *anything* until Jim came along and they both snarked behind everyone else's back. So for her to stand up for herself, her feelings, and damn the consequences--for *her* to put it all on the line--shows just how much she's grown. And it was important for her to do that independantly of Jim, and narratively for them to have some space, because she needs to be independent for herself and not as a result of Jim, or thinking her independence is a result of Jim.

And Karen. Man, what a sucky thing to deal with. The first thing on her mind is whether Jim is going to leave her, which is why I don't think that was bitchiness on her face. I think that was fear. She has good stuff going on, and now it's going to be undermined because of things that aren't bad, not really, and things that aren't in her control, but still suck for her. She knows that something is going to change for her, and it's not fair, but it's how it will happen.

This was a good episode, in that I only had to fast-forward through one part--the bit where Michael was trying to force others to walk along the coals but couldn't man up to do it himself.

Also, I don't think that Karen and Jim calling about the job were about undermining Michael. I think it was more Michael's unwitting gall of "I'm the most qualified," which I think would be so insulting if I were Jim or Karen.

Gosh, what an ep. Do we get another 40 minutes next week?

This was a good episode, in that I only had to fast-forward through one part--the bit where Michael was trying to force others to walk along the coals but couldn't man up to do it himself.

SA, that was one part where I thought, "Hm, if this weren't a supersized episode, maybe this wouldn't be taking so long." Usually, I don't have a problem with the longer episodes; I don't notice the filler and just appreciate the extra funny.

Do we get another 40 minutes next week?

We get an HOUR. Which may be what we get all next season. I wonder if they double everyone's salaries if that happens.

Oh, you know, I think I could go for having an hour of The Office every week.

I don't know if I want the Office to be an hour-long show. I like the idea of MORE Office for sure but it works so well with that 1/2 hour (or 22 minute) constraint. I worry it will get too flabby.

Toby's big crime with Michael is thinking like an adult. Go, Pam!

Watch it again and again and again. It's perfect every time.

We get an HOUR. Which may be what we get all next season. I wonder if they double everyone's salaries if that happens.

I read that NBC announced there would be 24 episodes next season, with four of those being an hour long. I might have read this early today. My brain is still pretty much all PAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! with a side of: Sunil, you have e-mail.