The Office "Back from Vacation" (2007)

Michael's return from vacation in sunny Jamaica heralds the start of the second half of the third season of what is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows to watch every week. Not sure what I'm going to do once I catch up, be forced to wait for new episodes like everyone else. The horror. Anyway, the season continues to impress with Michael and Jan now firmly a couple following their holiday away together. One good thing that is sure to come out of this new pairing is that we'll see more of socially awkward Michael now that Jan has embraced her self-destructive tendencies and begun a relationship with Michael, who she is strangely attracted to. Their future was in doubt before it even firmly began with Michael accidentally circling a racy photo of Jan around the office. I have to say that I was impressed with Michael here. Unlike his relationship with Carol, which he boasted about to anyone who would listen, he's determined to keep this relationship a secret per Jan's wishes, aside from an amusing talking head where it's drawn out of him but just not cutting away and he feels the need to fill the silence with more information.

Maybe Michael is scared of Jan, or maybe he wants this relationship to actually work, but once the photo is out he tries his best to limit exposure by putting Dwight on the case and requesting that the office delete the e-mails preferably sight unseen. Imagine Michael with Carol and this photo had gotten out. He probably would have bandied about the office bragging about his hot girlfriend and their erotic time together. Even after the news about him and Jan gets out, we never see him discussing it with anyone. Either Michael really wants things to go well because he cares for Jan, or he's terrified of her temper if she doesn't get her way. Either way still has a more mature Michael trying his best to ensure that he, and by extension us, don't need to see that lonely sap crying around the office anymore. It all ends on a humorous note as Michael tries to reciprocate Jan's confession about how she is attracted to him with his "You complete me." Jan's "Oh, God" is echoed by the audience as we anticipate the complications which are sure to be fraught with this new office romance.

Jim and Karen are having their own growing pains as Karen is looking to move into her own apartment and happens to find one two blocks from Jim's. Quick side note: I wonder if Jim moved back in with his roommate that we saw in "Email Surveillance". Sorry, I remember tidbits like that being very continuity minded. Pam swings into the rescue as her and Jim continue to repair the rift that had opened up following her rejection of him, twice, and his moving to Stamford. Proving how selfless she is, she urges Jim to grow up and stop reading into her moving close so much. Karen, in what I'm sure is torture for Pam, thanks her for giving Halpert a dose of common sense. All seemed well enough until Dwight finds Pam crying alone in the hallway. Proving to be the ever gallant gentleman, he first threatens whoever has done this to her, makes an abortive attempt to place his jacket around her, consoles her even when she tells him he doesn't have to stay and tops it all off with typical Schrute bluntness by inquiring "You're really PMS-ing, huh?" A very sweet moment between the two characters laced with some humor the show is so loved for. It's the characters that drive these stories as there is very little plot in some of the episodes. A diverse group of players that all bring a unique presence to the proceedings and it's these small moments that make the show so damn fun to watch.

Favorite moment: Stanley continues to prove how much he's the man when he greets Michael, fresh from Jamaica by stating that he was shorted $100.00 on his annual bonus check. Trying to breeze past it, Stanley then states he is not doing a lick more work until he gets his money. Stanley, you are an inspiration. Maybe I should have tried that tactic at my job although I think only Scranton's resident middle-aged black man with sass could ever pull off such a risky gamble and that's why he's so lovable. Has to be the reason Michael is always so fond of him.