The Office turns depressing

Article first published as The Office turns depressing on TheTVKing.

As NBC's The Office starts its wind down to the series finale in mid-May, the plot has turned really depressing. I expected to be taken through a more emotional segment of the journey, but maybe not for a sitcom to go quite as dark as it has. This week's episode, "Couples Discount," was absent of much joy, and yet, incredibly good.

Andy (Ed Helms) returns to his post after being gone for three months. He wants to act like he never left, and to be caught up on all the latest going-ons, but is it because he cares, or because he is covering his butt with his boss, David Wallace (Andy Buckley)? He should have returned humble and contrite, and instead, chooses the opposite tack, attempting to re-assert dominance and control.

When Andy sets sail last fall, he is a beloved character who has earned his place among the staff, and is finally settling into the boss's job. He is part of the group, someone who doesn't always do right, but who tries hard, and seems like a good man. Considering where he starts from, as the detestable invader from another branch with anger management problems, it is a satisfying place.

However, Andy has been totally and permanently ruined. From the moment he walks back in the door, it is clear that he no longer belongs. He tries to take credit for the work the staff has done, and accepts a bonus for the quarter he is gone. This ruffles a lot of feathers, to be sure, and it's no wonder that everyone turns on him. It's heartbreaking to see this happen with Andy.

Even worse, Andy single-handedly screws up the biggest account the office has ever landed, Jan's (Melora Hardin) white pages, ruining a lot of hard work that Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Clark (Clark Duke) put in. Fans will feel just as shocked and betrayed as Dwight and Clark upon seeing this, and it's a rough moment to get through.

In the end, no one is mean enough to really rat Andy out to David, but Erin (Ellie Kemper) accidentally tips him off. This is how it should be. Andy will get his comeuppance, probably making this episode a one-time return, rather than a rejoining for the character, and no one has to be thought of as a bad guy for getting rid of Andy. The rest of the employees may be mad at him, but they're not so cruel as to be the one that stabs him in the back, and this twist saves any of their characters from that damnation. A few small lies that they tell Andy can be written off as justifiable, but revealing to David the truth would have gone too far.

At least Erin can finally be with Pete (Jake Lacy), free and clear. When Pete first arrives, he seems like an interloper, moving in on Andy's girl. But at this point, it's clear his feelings for Erin are pure, and he certainly deserves her more than the absentee boyfriend. Good for them!

So who will be the new boss? Last season, The Office floundered as it searched for a manager. It was not a good year for the series. However, these past three months without a boss have worked really well, both for the characters, and the series. Everyone knows their jobs at this point, and even if they goof off a little, they don't need a babysitter to keep them in line. Maybe this is how it is supposed to be. Maybe David doesn't need to appoint a replacement. Though that is pretty radical thinking for such an environment.


The other major development in"Couples Discount" comes when Jim (John Krasinski) learns the full truth about how Pam (Jenna Fischer) has been hnadling his absence from Brian (Chris Diamantopoulos), the fired boom guy. This takes the couple to a major make-it-or-break-it-point, where their relationship could go one of two ways. Jim, sadly, picks the wrong one, wanting to head back to Philly and avoid a fight, which would probably end their marriage, since it cuts off communication, and could even drive Pam into the arms of Brian, who is most definitely interested. But Pam chooses Jim, fights and all, and in doing so, puts them back on the right path.

It's a teary moment when Pam tells Jim that she wants to fight. What is she saying? That she wants to fight about what's gone on between them? Or that she wants to fight for their marriage? Jim and Pam have come so far in the past nine seasons. To see them fall apart now would be intolerable, and because they're working it out, they will only be stronger for the experience.

Lastly, there's a blink-and-you-miss-it moment when Darryl (Craig Robinson) almost turns Oscar (Oscar Nunez) down on acting like a couple for a mall discount, and then, seeing the camera, changes his mind. Setting aside that this leads to a fantastic genuine moment later on, where Darryl defends Oscar's homosexuality, it also is a sign of the changing tone of the documentary being made.

Before, this kind of thing hasn't been seen, so it was likely cut in the editing room. Now, this isn't the first slip up allowed in, and it makes me wonder what is going on with the rest of the crew. Brian's incident definitely isn't the only thing of interest happening behind the camera, and I can't wait to find out more.

"Couples Discount" is a superb episode of The Office. It may not be as laugh-out-loud funny as it has been in the past, but the real emotional heft more than makes up for it. This has been a terrific season, and a fitting bounce back from the weakness of last year. Catch more episodes of the final season Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

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