Podcasts melody on 15 Dec 2008 06:35 pm
Episode #85 - Unfunny Awkward
With your hosts Kimberly and Melody.
Performance Review (1:17) - “Moroccan Christmas” - An intervention from Meredith and a revelation from Phyllis. Everyone feels awkward, and not in the good way. Happy birthday, Jesus. Sorry your Christmas episode of “The Office” is so lame.
Email Surveillance (24:39) - Listener reactions to “Moroccan Christmas.”
Scranton Scoop (34:11)
- Golden Globe nominations were announced! “The Office” was nominated for 2 awards!
- “Childrens’ Hospital,” the new web series staring Rob Corrdry from “The Daily Show” and Ed Helms from “The Office.”
- Jack Black to make a guest appearance on the hour-long post-Super Bowl episode of “The Office.”
Fandomnicity (35:15)
Subscribe to us through iTunes! | Leave us a voicemail at (646) 495-9201 x 88488
Running Time: 39:05
on 15 Dec 2008 at 7:40 pm 1.Kelly Jo said …
I just saw that Oscar Nuñez is going to be in Sandra Bullock’s new movie The Proposal.
on 16 Dec 2008 at 11:57 am 2.Craig said …
Ladies,
Congrats Phyllis’ Wedding I have a new no. 1. Moroccan Christmas has taken the prestigous top spot as my least favorite Office episode.
I agree with you both on this particular show. I especially found it disturbing watching Michael forcibly drag Meredith across the parking lot. I find nothing funny in watching a man impose his will on an stuggling woman no matter the context or intent.
Here’s to better shows in the new year! Happy Holidays all!
on 17 Dec 2008 at 5:49 pm 3.jaymart said …
Great show ladies, and after listening to your performance review I have to chime in, a little late as it is, and give my two cents on what I think is a classic OFFICE episode. Okay, I am probably in the minority here, but I happen to think that MOROCCAN CHRISTMAS was one of the funniest and sharp witted episodes in a long time. I don’t know what it says about me, but being someone who has struggled on and off with chemical dependency, I found the intervention plotline to be not only funny but spot on with today’s “easy fix” mentality. So many people are like Michael with their naiveté about helping people with addictions, and such shows like A&E’s INTERVENTION is probably helping further along that notion. I found the plotline to be poking fun at that very aspect and expected Michael to drop the show’s name when giving his rationale for intervention. And going by what he saw on that show, he probably expected the whole thing to take a matter of minutes or and hour at most. And that is classic Michael; always underestimating his obstacles, and overestimating his ability to surmount them. But as morose as you painted the tone of the show, I found it very encouraging that yet again, a good hearted and impatient Michael tried to find a way to help one of his employees. Granted, it could have been done in a less controversial way. But like your distinctions for other major “hot button” issues tackled before and your defenses of them, I will defend this episode as not being mean, but wickedly astute in satirizing the onslaught of “Must Help TV” or “DIY-Mental Health” that is becoming more pervasive not only on television, but in society as a whole. And as disturbing as Michael dragging Meredith into the rehab clinic may have been, I have to admit, I would have gladly taken her legs and helped him carry her in, as arrogant as she was acting. And I think that it would have been great to have Dwight going with them and join in the chaos, even having him argue the legalities of their forced check in of Meredith. And while I don’t agree that anyone should violate another’s human rights with false imprisonment, I found Meredith’s belligerent and reckless attitude as a whole to be the more disturbing aspect. Michael did care about her, and did not want to see something worse happen to her. And her continued defiance about the notion of having an addiction to alcohol is classically portrayed (coming from one struggling with addiction) and perfectly frustrating to watch. I feel that some sort of recognition should be given to this episode, especially to Kate Flannery for her realistic portrayal of an alcoholic… “I know I drink, I like to party.”
Okay, enough of my soapboxing, on to the rest of the episode. I may again be in the minority for loving every moment of Phyllis’s torture of a very deserving Angela. And although there wasn’t any great payoff of the revelation, it was so fun to watch Angela simmer to a boil when it looked as if she had Phyllis cornered. And in typical Phyllis fashion, she cowered under Angela’s gaze and took her opportunity to put her in her place. But almost immediately after the announcement she had a look of “oh my God, I shouldn’t have done that…” and I loved that too. And I just loved the fact that Dwight reveled in everyone’s shock and had the temerity to say “Well don’t look so surprised.” Class.
Overall I really enjoyed this episode, cringe inducing moments and all, and hope that the intervention plot line will somehow continue throughout the season, even showing Michael getting reprimanded for his wildly inappropriate intervention. Thanks again for another great episode.
on 18 Dec 2008 at 11:39 pm 4.Secondrink said …
Please tell me that y’all have read Justin Spitzer’s Q & A on Officetally about this episode. It is hilarious and thoughtful. Cheers!
on 19 Dec 2008 at 9:07 am 5.melody said …
Secondrink, I did read his Q&A and I found it very interesting, considering the strong reaction I had to this episode. The one thing that especially struck me was when he said they were trying very hard to make Michael’s reaction to Meredith’s alcoholism the joke, and not alcoholism itself. I don’t personally feel like they were able to accomplish that - and I think that’s why I disliked the episode so much.
on 19 Dec 2008 at 2:23 pm 6.Secondrink said …
Yeah, I find it difficult to believe that the writers really think the way they handled Meredith was sensitive/satisfactory.
The general reaction to MC is why Office fans are great: we question, and we (over)analyze but we try not to full-on hate anything until we get answers, haha. I appreciate that you three ladies put thought into your opinions and reviews, just as the writers do, and I’m so glad that you checked out what Justin had to say. You really are fair and balanced! High five! :)
on 22 Dec 2008 at 10:37 am 7.kelly jo said …
Maybe I’m just to happy of a person but I’ve enjoyed the majority of this season & I enjoyed the christmas episode.
on 23 Dec 2008 at 12:06 pm 8.Bryan said …
I just wanted to make a quick comment about the show. First off, let me say that I enjoy the show. However, while Morroccan Christmas wasn’t my favorite episode, I disagree with many of the things that you ladies mentioned on the show this week. Everyone has their own opinions and different tastes so I’m not taking issue with that. The thing I do get a little annoyed with is something that I hear not only on your show but most every other Office related podcast that I listen to. I think there’s a lot of over-analyzing that goes into doing these shows. Just a small example would be when one of you mentioned that maybe the reason Michael decided to hold an intervention is because he saw something on interventions on TV. Why can’t it be just because the writers thought it would be funny to have Michael hold and intervention? I think there’s way too much time worrying about things that are just meant to be punchlines on the show and don’t really have anything to do with the plot.
Just something I had to get off my chest. And like I said, it’s not just this episode or even just this podcast that I have noticed that does that. I still enjoy the show but would just like to hear more talk about some of the bigger issues than trying to justify some of the things that are said just to be funny.
on 23 Dec 2008 at 3:38 pm 9.melody said …
Bryan, I would say with absolute certainty that we definitely over-analyze the show. I think that’s the sort of people Kimberly, Sarah, and I are, and I also think that the urge to over-analyze a show and the urge to put together a podcast about a show are likely very related!
That said, if there are ever specific “bigger issues” that you want us to talk about, send us an email or leave us a voicemail!