Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews

• Written by – Dan Sterling
• Directed by – Matt Sohn
• A brief synopsis – The elevator is down for maintenance and Stanley refuses to go on a sale with Dwight because of it.  Jim and Pam are going to undergo couple’s counselling, and have a dry run individually with Toby (Jim) and Nellie (Pam).  Angela stands by her man one time too many.  Andy decides to seek a talent agent.
• The best line – The Senator H.R.G.: It wasn’t until I married Angela that I realized how…charmless, I find the female body.  Merideth: Umph, it always hurts to hear that one.
  
• The best moment – The first level of stairs for Stanley, Dwight and Clark.
• 2nd best moment – Toby and Nellie, talking about Jim and Pam.
• The best story line – Clark and Dwight work so well together, second episode in a row.  It’s Clark’s reactions that make Dwight’s same old, same old work.
• Notable guest appearances – H.R.G. and Roseanne as a…talent agent.
• Key exit(s) –  No obvious ones.
• Grade – B

So the show marches towards its conclusion and the documentary is about to be shown.  Andy is still scratching out compliments for his “talent.”  Angela is trying to scrape together a remnant of her pride in being a Senator’s wife.  Oscar wants to get another sort of notoriety.   It all screams of desperation, quite appropriately.  Similarly desperate, Jim and Pam move from a comforting scene at the end of the previous episode to being back in the throes of tension.  It’s another in the signs that the season was cloven in two by the decision to abort The Farm.  Where they go with this carries a ton of weight, even if the ratings have taken a fall.  Dwight and Clark have such a great chemistry, it has opened the character of the former up like nothing else on the show.  More of them and less of the others would help, but it would not make sense for the show.