The Office "Diwali" (2006)

Anytime the staff of the office have any kind of party you know you're in for a treat. In this episode it's extra special as the party is a Hindu celebration being thrown by Kelly's family and she's made the unfortunate mistake of inviting her co-workers to come with her. At first I was happy since it looked like we were shifting back to politically incorrect awkward Michael instead of lonely Michael that we've gotten so far this season. I loved the Hindu culture appreciation seminar and Kevin is party right, it was their best meeting ever. From the pictures of famous Indians, including Apu from The Simpsons and a picture of Michael and Carol kissing, to copies of the Kama Sutra being confiscated by Toby, I think the meeting was both hysterical and surprisingly a little informative.

Once we get to the party however Michael switches into lonely mode and in retrospect I should have seen it coming. After bringing up the fact that he's dating Carol in almost every conversation it's pretty obvious he's trying to make it seem like he's happy in his relationship. I'm not sure if Michael has feelings for Carol or not. His proposal is driven out of a need not to be alone as well as inspired by the lengthy marriage of Kelly's parents. When she rejects his proposal, he says he really likes her and they should be together. I believe he knows he will never love Carol but if he forces himself to feel that way through marriage then maybe he will start to have those feelings. It's a shame too since Carol seems smitten with Michael in the scene where he is trying to and somewhat successfully doing some Hindu dancing. Michael actually was a sort of hit at the party, not really offending too many people other than a brief remark to Kelly's parents and people seemed to love his Diwali song to the tune of Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song. He needs to learn to live in the moment and just relax. Not everything is about his personal future and his need to ensure he is not alone. Enjoy yourself now and maybe someone will come his way that he can spend his life with.

Stamford has its own fun as late night paperwork turns into a drinking game with Jim, Karen and Andy. Of course Karen throws her shots in the wastebasket while Jim and Andy get pretty tanked so much so that Jim immediately falls off his bike when he tries to ride home and Andy plans to sleep in the office overnight on his roomy twin inflatable mattress. I don't think this is something Jim would have done at Scranton and it shows being in Stamford does have an effect on him. It's nice to see him integrated after being somewhat isolated when he first arrived. Of course just as Jim has made a home in Stamford, there's about to be some shake-ups at Dunder Mifflin in the next episode.

Poor Pam. While Jim has grown more comfortable is his new office with a new love interest already blooming, Pam is now it seems stuck in her Michael protector role as she is forced to fend off a kiss from him and then give him a ride home after Carol leaves without him. It was nice to see her enjoying herself dancing at Diwali but it was also sort of sad to see the only person she was really talking to like she would Jim was a guy she happened to meet there. I don't think she really clicks with anyone else in the office and since Jim left the only one able to fill that void is Michael. She even tries to reach him on her cell but he's too bust passed out on his desk.

I was wondering why she seemed so pissed at Michael during the car ride home and although she is justified partly in Michael trying to kiss her, I think it also is anger at her situation. She made a comment earlier about she was hoping something would happen that night and later I was trying to figure out what she was referring to. In the end I think she's looking to expand her own horizons out of the office, looking to meet new people and instead she ends up driving Michael home after comforting him yet again. I think she feels trapped in her life, more than when she was engaged to Roy because she at least had Jim there to pass the time. Now she doesn't have anyone and it dawns on her that her life has now become taking care of Michael.

Favorite moment: A drunken duet cannot be topped and Jim and Andy's rendition of Closer to Fine was a nice comical moment especially with the exasperation of Karen that Andy insists on singing a capella while she is the only one left doing any work. When Jim joins in, her expression is priceless but she steps up and gives Jim a ride home after watching him fall into the bushes. Yes, I definitely grow to love the idea of Jim and Karen together with each episode.