The Office: An Unlikely Showdown

If you’ve ever wondered if it’d be fulfilling to slap your boss across the face–you know, just wind up, throw your weight into it, and leave an imprint of your hand on his or her cheek–then boy is this the episode for you! Perhaps this sounds like inappropriate work behavior, but Michael Scott sure deserved his fate. Plus, Pam’s pregnant: those hormones have got to count for some sort of immunity pass.

The episode begins with Dwight bringing New York bagels to the office. He believes this will result in his office mates owing him a favor, which he will somehow deviously use to get Jim ousted from his new co-manager position. This tactic seems to work initially, as everyone–even Stanley who is offered the pumpernickel bagel–seems thankful. However, the strategy backfires when Dwight and Andy end up in a truly ridiculous favor war of sorts. Andy polishes Dwight’s briefcase to repay him for breakfast. Wanting the favor to be used on Jim’s removal, Dwight does Andy another favor, which results in Andy buying the whole office lunch. As it turns out, Andy has been raised so well that he can’t let a favor go unreturned! This back and forth facade of generosity continues throughout the episode.

Meanwhile, Pam and Jim are forced on a double date with Pam’s mom, Helene, who’s still dating Michael. It’s Helene’s birthday, and despite Pam’s attempts to fake a shipping problem, Jim drags her out with them. Michael has somehow got it in his head that this lunch will solve the tension between he and Pam: “Birthday lunch medicine….take with food!”

During the ride to the restaurant, Pam becomes distressed when her Mother starts giving her sales tips that she has obviously discussed with Michael…probably while in bed (Sorry about that visual). However, his infatuation with Helene begins to dwindle when Pam reveals her Mom’s age at lunch (58).

“I am not robbing the cradle…if anything, I am robbing the grave,” Michael explains, clearly unhappy to be informed of their age disparity. He downs his wine in response, and follows up by asking Helene if she would ever participate in a triathlon. And so, it all begins to unravel…

Helene opens Michael’s very thoughtful gift–a scrapbook of their relationship thus far. Jim and Pam tell him he’s set high standards, and Pam seems to be warming to the idea of the pair as beaus. He even changed the words of that Shel Silverstein poem about Peggy Ann McKay (who “cannot go to school today…“) into a cutesy ode professing his love. Nonetheless, Michael does not look pleased with their reaction.

Pam finds him at the bar shortly after, and he confesses to the camera that the generational gap is just too much for him to bear. “Enjoy your cake before I tell you this terrible, terrible thing…” he warns. Pam and Jim look worried.

Though Michael insists he is breaking up with Helene due to Pam’s feelings, the truth is clear: “There’s another woman and her name is Italy and skydiving and bungee jumping…”

Helene sulks in the car, clutching Pam and asking what she is supposed to do now as a single 58-year-old.

“Hobbies,” replies an insensitive Michael.

Andy gets Dwight with one final favor by hiding a gift card on a high up shelf. Dwight has now wasted a day when he could have been growing “poison mushrooms.”

Michael tries to bribe an unhappy Pam with a raise, but she doesn’t buy it. When he asks her what she actually wants (offering 1 million dollars or to let her hit him), she opts for the showdown, suggesting a time and place: the parking lot after work with everyone watching (Obviously!).

Ryan and Kelly ask Michael if he’s scared. Toby gives Pam a punching lesson, as a fearful Michael watches from his office.

Just as Pam is about to pack the punch, Michael apologizes–for dating Helene, and for breaking up with her on her birthday. She accepts and tells him to never, ever date another member of her family.

“For the record, your Mom came onto me,” Michael adds, just in time for Pam to swing back and release all her pent up energy right into Michael’s big, greasy nose.

Jim asks if she feels better (The answer is no) and Michael limps away, defeated.

The good news is that during those seconds, Michael saw his whole life flash before him: he’s going to be happy, rich, best friends with Pam and Jim, and never die. A realistic future for a boss who just got slapped by his employee!

Season 6, Episode 8: Double Date (Originally aired November 5, 2009)

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Thursdays, 9/8C on NBC

Photographs courtesy of NBC, Chris Haston and Trae Patton