LarryMullen's POPAngel
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I also loved the rock he gave Toby... I know a few people at my office I'd love to do the same thing to.
Okay, right now I'm watching Business School, and this episode always makes me wonder how people can't like Michael, despite his many faults. The scene at the end with him and Pam is so incredibly touching. He's such a great, complex character. Certainly he's self-centered, obnoxious, and idiotic at times, but then we get other glimpses of him like this where he's so awesome, sympathetic, and human. I've never gotten the impression that any of these bad qualities come from a malicious place, which would make him wholly unlikable. Rather, I think he's just insecure, socially dumb, and naive. This is in sharp contrast to his English counterpart, David Brent, who was rarely (never? I can't recall) ever shown to be so vulnerable and sympathetic.
I think that was the show's intention all along - make him have moments of likability, because otherwise he's completely unsympathetic.
It used to work for me, especially in the episode you mentioned. But now, the little moments of him being likable are too few and far between, and his moments of "I CAN'T BELIEVE HE'S SUCH AN ASSHOLE/I CAN'T BELIEVE HE HAS A JOB!!!!!!" far, far outweigh the little nice bits for me.
They need to either ramp up the one side or tone down the other. I really, really wish they'd tone down the other.
Hopefully the Holly storyline will help with that. I can't stand OTT Michael or Dwight either, it's a sign of poor writing.
Okay, right now I'm watching Business School, and this episode always makes me wonder how people can't like Michael, despite his many faults. The scene at the end with him and Pam is so incredibly touching. He's such a great, complex character. Certainly he's self-centered, obnoxious, and idiotic at times, but then we get other glimpses of him like this where he's so awesome, sympathetic, and human. I've never gotten the impression that any of these bad qualities come from a malicious place, which would make him wholly unlikable. Rather, I think he's just insecure, socially dumb, and naive. This is in sharp contrast to his English counterpart, David Brent, who was rarely (never? I can't recall) ever shown to be so vulnerable and sympathetic.
Agreed. I also like that part before he goes to Pam's art show. He tells Ryan something like this: "A good manager hires and inspires people, and people will never go out of business."
Michael is a jerk but he's not a jerk on purpose. He actually cares about his employees (except for Toby, but he's gone now anyways). Ryan is an insensitive douchebag, but he knows that he's an insensitive douchebag and he doesn't care.
I really think that Ryan should have had more screen time this season. I know a little bit of his doucheyness goes a long way, but it just seems like they jammed too much in at the end. He was actually trying with the website at first. Then all of the sudden he stops caring about that and he starts caring about getting coked up, going after Jim, and screwing over the company and himself. He's probably going to be in prison for a long time - I wonder if he'll still be on the show at all?
I'm actually kind of hopeful for Michael's storyline with the new HR gal. It might make for more situations where the likeable Michael Scott comes forward.
I agree completely about Michael. He's the glue that holds the show together.
There's some sympathy for David in the Christmas Specials, after he's been fired, but that's about it.
What's funny is that I have no problem with Michael being a jerk to Toby - for some reason the joke that Michael has a completely irrational hatred of Toby works for me.
I also enjoy the moments where we get to see Michael excelling at sales. He's not a good manager, but he clearly has good people skills when it comes to sales.
I agree we didn't get to see enough of Ryan's downward spiral. I suspect that's probably to do with the strike-shortened season. Such a shame.
Toby did turn out to be a creep, though.
Oh, I don't think he was a creep. He was just a guy with an unrequited crush, and when he went too far (oops, my hand's on her knee!), his embarrassment resulted in hilarious fence-jumping!
That was hilarious, but in the end, I still found him to be pathetic and slightly creepy.
Great Michaelisms about Toby:
Jan: No, Michael. We, we need an HR rep. So, uh, I think you should just bring Toby.
Michael: Hey, I'd rather kill myself.
Jan: Michael, he's your branch's HR rep...
Michael: [talking over Jan] No, Toby is terrible. Toby is the worst human being I've ever known.
Jim: Hey... how's Toby?
Michael: Toby Flenderson is everything that is wrong with the paper industry.
September 25