The Office Serves Up A Deliciously Awkward Dinner Party
Deliciously awkward. No two words could better describe an Office Dinner Party. I have to admit, I was a little worried that this eagerly anticipated episode, five months in the making, might not live up to all the hype. After all, we’d heard from numerous cast members that this was going to be the funniest episode of the season. But what if, after this excruciatingly long wait, it just didn’t live up to expectations? Oh, but it did. Our Office mates were back to doing what they do best: making us laugh, making us cringe, making us sympathize with the normal ones amongst them and shake our heads in wonder at the more outrageous characters. Entertaining? Absolutely. Awkward? Of course. In fact, Jim, after momentarily escaping from the ‘funtivities’ and climbing into the much-too-tiny bathroom to conduct a talking head in whispered tones, said it best: “Michael and Jan seem to be playing their own separate game. And it’s called, ‘Let’s see how uncomfortable we can make our guests.’ And they’re both winning.” That pretty much sums up the entire night. Unlike most hosts who would strive to make their guests feel welcome and comfortable, Jan and Michael have absolutely no qualms about airing their dirty laundry, along with anyone else’s (real or imagined) personal business in front of everyone. Would we have it any other way? Of course not. I don’t know why, but watching this unholy gathering is comic gold. There’s something about the happy couple, Jim and Pam, the uncouple, Angela and Andy, and even Dwight and his baby-sitter getting sucked into the dysfunction that is Jan and Michael’s relationship that is just too funny for words. But let’s put it this way. If there was to be a book about this ridiculous dinner party, to use the term loosely, it would undoubtedly be titled, “BABE: (colon) She IS The Devil; I’m in Hell: (colon) I Can’t Prove It But I Think Jan’s Trying to Poison Me: (colon) The Michael Scott Story. By Michael Scott.” Oh Michael … you’re not the only one in hell. To read the rest go here.
“Dinner Party” Photos Go here.
Hunter’s “That One Night” song. Hear it or download it here.
Watch “Dinner Party”. Go here.
These Dunerheads were excited about April 10th. Go here to read why.
Since we’ve all watched “Dinner Party” let’s discuss it. Leave in a comment your thoughts, favorite quotes and opinions. Please know that all comments have to be approved first, read here.
Find all exact quotes from “Dinner Party” here.
I thought the episode was so funny and brilliant. I have two quotes that stand out to me as the funniest. First one, Michael Scott: [after sipping wine] That is sort of an oaky afterbirth. Second, Angela Martin: The thought of popping one of your beets into my mouth makes me want to vomit.
John and Jenna should win some kind of special Emmy for facial expressions. Jenna plays such a brilliant “straight man” as Pam but I’m telling you, when Jim turned away from the candle room and made that short series of pleading expressions to the camera, I nearly fell off my chair. God bless Tivo…I rewound that scene about a million times.
“He’s the Governor of California!”
“Tom Cruise!!!!”
And that song! That song by “The Hunter”! Oh dear sweet lord, that song!
Oh I know, when I saw his facial expression when he turned to the camera in the candle room I lost it!
ok this one was wonderful. a very good episode to come back on. I am a little sad that the strike took away the possibility of a pregnancy. The show didn’t seem as ‘real’ knowing Angela M was pregnant but office Angela was not. But the Micheal/Jan dysfunction is beautiful. I can’t remember exact lines but I will watch it again. The part that really made me laugh was when Andy licked her ice cream cone and she took the time to roll her window down and smash it to the side of the car. That was brilliant!!
“purely carnal. that’s all you need to know.”
oh, dwight…
i hope at least his childhood memories of the babysitter were hot.
too much funny. can’t wait to watch it again.
The look on Jim and Pam’s face when they found out it would be three hours before they ate was awesome! Ans as someone else mentioned… TOM CRUISE! LOL!
This episode was really funny, but I wish there was more Dwight/Angela dialog, like the beet salad comment. Priceless.
OMG!!! I almost peed it was so funny. Dwight’s face when talking about not being invited to the dinner party was great. Didn’t we see a sneaky side of Michael? It was so a change to see hom pull one over on Jim. Oh I loved it when pam said ” Is that 3 hours from now or 3 hours from earlier? Like 4 o’clock?” and when Michael said ” Good luck paying me back on your 0 dollars per year salary plus benifiets” HE HE HE HE HE HE
LOL Nette – those two quotes you posted have been my away messages today. Both cracked me up!
I really enjoyed this episode, Babe.
I felt so bad for Michael during several moments. Jan has the place decked out with art and whatever she chooses and poor Michael’s prize possessions are his dundies, his “$200 plasma screen TV,” and his handmade table that is “either pine or nordic cherry.” I felt especially bad about him sleeping on that bench all curled up in the fetal position.
“Honey, I have the best trophy right here… …aside from my Dundies.”
I’d write more but I’ve gtg comfort the baby.
Oh I know! I mean, this episode will go down as the funniest or one of the funniest ever! Jan is scary to me now, I wish she would’ve went to jail! lol
I agree with everybody, this is a classic. I loved the whole thing but especially the “babe” thing. I have to admit that I feel a little bad for michael because jan treats him so badly. I wonder if the song hunter wrote was about jan???? I loved the deleted scene when pam and jim were eating the candy bar and jan caches them ” she scares me a little” lol. great episode.:)
Dinner Party was one of my favorite episodes. I know that’s easy to say because it is the light at the end of a five month tunnel, but I couldn’t have imagined a better outcome. I laughed from begininng to end. The way Michael tricked Jim into the party to begin with show and the “Babe” fest at the end was more than I could have asked for. I laughed, I cringed and I enjoyed. Good times
:):)
[...] Episode 9: Dinner Party Original Air Date—10 April 2008 Michael invites Jim and Pam and Andy and Angela to a couples-only dinner party, which makes Dwight very jealous. However, the only thing he’s missing is a ringside seat to witness Michael and Jan’s extremely dysfunctional home life. [...]