The Office: The Promotion

A lot of shows don't stick to their main premise after five seasons have come and gone. They turn into character dramas or outright soap operas only colored by the original idea out of obligation (re: House M.D.). This is what has kept The Office genuine and high-quality over the years. Even though characters have had complicated romances and personal trials, it's still a show about a small corporate office and much of the humor is derived from little bits of bureaucracy. Last week it was a workman's compensation request, this week it was a tough managerial decision. The humor remains grounded and relatable, which is exactly what a sitcom should be.

"The Promotion" was the first episode featuring Jim as co-manager of the Scranton branch. In the beginning he just enjoys using his newfound power to put Dwight in his place and he starts to pursue the herculean task of reigning in Michael's indulgences. A call from David Wallace actually forces him to do his job.

We've had glimpses into what the office would look like with Jim as the boss in previous episodes, specifically in "Survivor Man". DM Scranton's most suave, savvy salesman has a habit of turning into an incompetent goofball with surprising swiftness. It occurred to me tonight that, up until this episode, Jim has made a career of being lazy and flying under the radar, two things that won't serve him very well in his new position. He doesn't really crumble into Michael-level absurdity when things get rough, but he veers awfully close.

The news from corporate is that money is tight enough in the company that the annual cost-of-living raise has been reduced significantly, meaning either most people in the office won't be getting one or everyone will be getting a tiny amount. Jim and Michael try to come up with a solution, which means Jim tries to come up with a solution and Michael exercises his insecurities about not being the one and only boss anymore.

When Jim's first idea turns the entire office into an angry bullpen, things just get worse. It's not clear exactly how the bean-based merit process came to be, which suggests that it was as much Jim's idea as it was Michael's. That's the running joke on The Office: that while Michael may be a childish buffoon, he has still worked out some kind of method to make his employees happy. Jim represents all the efficiency and well-reasoned management everyone thinks they want even though they actually thrive in the silly atmosphere of a Michael Scott administration.

Best Moment: Michael initiating Jim into the management club with a "World's Greatest Boss" mug full of gin. I hope they remain comrades for the duration of Jim's tenure instead of predictably butting heads every week.

Biggest Laugh: Kevin just writing a check to Pam as a wedding gift. That whole B-plot was nice, but that particular exchange was the centerpiece.

Episode Rating: 4.5/5- This episode had an almost claustrophobic desperation to it and it was consistently funny. There were even a couple quick Creed moments, which are always welcome. I'm looking forward to a season that focuses more on the nitty-gritty workplace humor than the bizarre dramas of Dunder-Mifflin's employees.