The Office - "Suit Warehouse" - Review

If The Office were a series in its first season right now, people might be commenting how this was a decent show that was on its way to finding its footing. Nothing about this season has been completely terrible. There have been definite lows, questionable plot decisions, and stretches that aren’t terribly funny. But there are absolutely worse things out there on tv. However, there’s something about a show that was formerly great that no longer is that’s far more frustrating and bothersome than a show that’s always been bad or has always simply coasted. So why do we stick with shows until the bitter end despite having lost a significant interest in it?

I personally dropped out early on last season, which had the series at a new low, but returned upon the advice of fans of the series who said it picked up a bit in the second half. And there are some decent outings in the 8^th season such as “Trivia” which was far funnier than anything up to that point that season, and there’s the great Jim and Dwight moment in “Last Day in Florida” where Jim stops Dwight from taking credit for the Sabre store plans, and thus saves his job. But these episodes don’t compare to all time classic Office episodes such as season 1’s “Diversity Day” (which elevated the creative level of the series and solidified the premise of the show) or Season 2’s “Office Olympics” (which demonstrates what the show was at its best: people finding ways to avoid boredom at their job).

So when I lay it on hard on this series, it’s because I know and you do too that this show is capable of so, so much more. 

Now, “Suit Warehouse” is definitely a step up from last week’s “Lice”. Jim is better integrated into the narrative, and despite how broad, cartoonish, and even slightly outlandish the effects of the espresso are on the characters, it’s still very funny and far more grounded than the lice or the work bus or Andy sailing off into the sunset.  

Clark returns from being Jan’s sexual assistant (something I’d totally forgotten about), and is enlisted by Dwight to help land a father-son company. They pose as father and son and prove weirdly well-suited as a duo. To me though, this was the least interesting and funny of the stories. We know next to nothing about Clark, and Dwight is too weird of a character to carry the story.

It’s not the worst work the series has done, but neither is it its best.

Stray Observations:

-“Jim was the closeted brother with a foot fetish … well, they never knew that. But I did” –The cold open where Dwight recounts his sales trips with Jim is oddly  touching.

-Meredith and her ill-fitting wig is a great sight gag.

-“If it leads to me being a salesman, I’ll even be your friend”

-Oscar enthusiastically yells “YOLO” and everyone disapproves.

-Angela puts a napkin on top of all the hands before putting her hand on top of all them. Nice character beat.

-Kevin had a great episode: Lifting up Angela while on espresso was hilarious. As was him telling a scatterbrained Erin that she’s gunning for Pam’s job.

-Pam and Darryl returning to find the office’s carpet all torn up was great.

Grade: B-

What did everyone else think?