Sometimes it’s easy to forget, with all conference-room stand-up routines and Woody Allen–esque howlers like, “You’ll always be safe with me. I’m a screamer,†that The Office is a show about relationships. With an episode that focused solely on the three main pairings, it’s worth taking a look at how they’re progressing, and their chances at success.
Jim and Pam
What’s Happening: Jim receives a drunken work voice mail from Pam at 3 a.m. He ends up having a beer with Darryl and runs into Roy, Pam’s ex, who doesn’t punch him but does plant the notion that she’s out doing untoward things in New York. Jim panics and starts to drive to New York but comes to his senses and turns around, saying, “I’m not that guy, and we’re not that couple.â€
Likability Quotient: 8. The show’s smart about showing the flaws beneath Jim’s affable persona, and how he’s having a lot more difficulty with Pam being in New York than she is, but come on: Everybody’s rooting for them.
Chances at Success: 85 percent. It’s still difficult to imagine they’d let them come this far and deny them actually ending up together.
Dwight and Angela
What’s Happening: Dwight gets Angela and Andy’s save-the-date card, forcing him to accept that the wedding is actually happening. He confides in Phyllis — while still criticizing her fatty food — about how much he still loves Angela (“She introduced me to so many things. Pasteurized milk. Sheets. Monotheism. Preventative medicineâ€). Spurred on by her, he gives Angela an ultimatum: Him or Andy, to be chosen by 6:14 p.m. She says nothing, apparently choosing Andy.
Likability Quotient: 3. It’s always nice when Dwight reveals the scared, good-hearted neophyte beneath, but, as clever as the coupling might have been in theory, they’ve never quite felt right together.
Chances at Success: 25 percent. Still don’t think she’ll end up with Andy — their non-wedding reeks of Season Cliffhanger — but even if Angela and Dwight get back together, he’ll end up killing one of her cats again.
Michael and Holly
What’s Happening: They had sex! In the office! They are the cutest dorks on earth.
Likability Quotient: 10. It’s going to be difficult to buy Michael with anyone else.
Chances at Success: 1 percent. Not only is Amy Ryan signed for only two more episodes — raises hands to the heavens, shakes fists — but the first signs of her impending exit appear. David Wallace, the CFO up at corporate, sees Holly and Michael kissing each other and announces to the camera, ominously, irritated, that no, he didn’t know they were seeing each other. His look says it’s going to be a problem. And that will be the end of our Amy Ryan. Just for now, we hope.