Last week I said how I’d want one more brilliant prank between Jim and Dwight, and this episode delivers it. I’m confident this isn’t the last one we’ll see, but even if it was I’d be satisfied, because what Jim does to Dwight is absolutely hilarious. He convinces Dwight that he needs an assistant for himself, hence the title of the episode: Assistant to the Assistant to the Regional Manager.
When asked how he plans on doing it, Jim replies, “I know this sounds crazy but, how would King Arthur choose the next knight of his roundtable?” To which Dwight looks into the camera, smiles with hidden joy, and replies, “Doesn’t sound crazy Jim, it’s the sanest thing I’ve ever heard.” This was one of my favorite scenes of the episode just for the expressions on both of their faces. You can tell Jim is playing Dwight, and we can see how easily Dwight falls for it. It’s those little things that make it worth it, and they’re both amazing actors for being able to masterfully convey the most accurate and appropriate expressions.
After conducting vigorous tests to find the best Assistant, the only possible winner is Dwight himself. And that’s how Jim planned it. Dwight doesn’t even realize that he was pranked because he loves being the Assistant too much. What makes this prank a total success is how Dwight follows through with it. When he gives Jim work to do, Jim passes it to his Assistant, which is back to Dwight, and Dwight happily accepts it. Jim is practically the manager. Genius.
Going back to Andy, we see him wait in line and connect with Casey D. In order to find a connection with the audience, he dresses up like an old man (and looks really convincing). But by the time he gets to the front, they’re apparently done with auditions and it’s over. But Andy being Andy just goes in and sings anyway. The judges basically tells him he sucks, and Andy just sits and cries. There goes his dreams of fame and fortune.
One of the side plots this week centers on Darryl returning to Dunder-Mifflin to get his stuff. He, unlike Jim, will be traveling to the West Coast for 3 months with AthLead, and decides to leave without making a fuss: no feelings, no goodbyes. But once he’s seen by Erin and everyone else in the warehouse, he’s forced to hang out with them and have a proper goodbye. I’m on Erin’s side here, you can’t just leave without a goodbye. Darryl tells them to choose one thing for them to do, and he’ll do it with all of them before he leaves.
Speaking of AthLead, Jim had declined to be a part of it last week because he couldn’t do it to Pam. But now Pam feels guilty for it and it’s not happily-ever-after just yet for the Halperts. Pam and Jim have a talk and Pam reveals that she’s afraid she won’t be enough for him. After all they’ve been through, really Pam? So what does Jim do to convince her otherwise? He turns to the documentary crew for help.
In a mini-plot, Kevin gets jealous of Angela’s son, Philip, because of all the attention he’s receiving. To be fair, that kid is super cute, he deserves it. Fortunately all is fine once Philip gives Kevin an iTunes gift card. Or at least, that’s who Oscar and Angela say it’s from. Kevin believes them and now him and Philip are practically best friends. It’s a cute little side story.
Speaking of Philip, Dwight is led to believe that young Phil is indeed his own son. I mean, he points at the Battlestar Galactica ship like Dwight does. And when given a choice between beets and money, the kid chooses beets. Add to that his “gorgeous, widely set eyes” and Dwight is convinced Philip is his son. This leads to him confronting Angela and offering her marriage, but even though she’s in love with Dwight, she throws it all away by denying that Philip is his son.
Erin and the gang finally decide what they want to do with Darryl, and it’s to dance. And that’s what they do. This is perhaps the most loose I’ve seen Stanley. And Toby for that matter. But it’s such a great sequence to see everyone dancing, and I know if Michael was still there he would’ve absolutely loved this. It’s a great way for Darryl to say goodbye, and in a way, for us to say goodbye to them, even though we’re not quite there yet.
Continue reading on the next page…