The Office: Episode 166 – Work Bus

• Written by Brent Forrester
• Directed by Bryan Cranston
• A brief synopsis – Convinced that the building is unsafe, Dwight brings in a bus…to work in.  Jim tries to soothe things over with Pam.   Nellie wants to adopt.
• The best line – Jim (to Dwight): Really?  Smirking?  Dwight: What can I say?  I love justice.  You forced me to spend money on needless repairs, and, uh, now you’re locked on a prison bus and your woman drips with beverage.
• 2nd best line – Dwight: Sorry, Lucky Jimbo.  I can live very happily in a magnetic field.  Most of my childhood heroes got their powers that way.
• The best moment – Kevin gains new powers in math when calculating in terms of pie.
• 2nd best moment – Creed gets on the bus.  His best moment in years.
• The best story line – Jim’s quest to get his wife pie provides one of his best efforts in a while.
• Key exit(s) – …now Nellie is going to adopt?  So I guess this means she isn’t leaving?
• Notable guest appearance –  n/a
• Grade – A-

Good and nearly great effort, with many excellent moments.  Dwight and Jim are in near top form, while Jim and Pam’s subtle issue about the new job is being handled very subtly.  I like both in every way.  The bus provides more awkwardness which means comic goodness.  They manage to work everyone in for a good scene or two.  The only thing that is not working is Nellie.  None of her scenes work, and really it seems a chore when other characters are brought in to supplement her story lines.  Who is Catherine Tate and what has she done in her career to call for this emphasis on her character?  On the plus side, at least Andy stops the Michael / Toby thing with her.  It was old in Season 5.  Despite it all, this episode is a fine piece of rhubarb pie.