Now that the show has wrapped up its most compelling and exhausting story arc of the last two seasons, we take a break this week … for a dance party. And that’s okay: They’ve earned a week off, and they sure seem to be having a lot of fun.
Ostensibly, Michael is trying to loosen up the staff in the wake of Charles Minor’s exit. But, of course, mostly he just wants to dance himself, so he turns the old Michael Scott Paper Company office into a “Café Disco.†There are few funnier dancers than Steve Carell, particularly Steve Carell amped on coffee. At first, people are resistant, but eventually, everybody’s cutting a rug.
There’s a small subplot about Pam and Jim deciding to forgo a big wedding and just drive to Ohio and get married that day, but it’s basically tossed by the end of the episode, when they’re dancing along with everyone and deciding that, alas, they do enjoy the cheese of a large-scale wedding. Which is fine. But hello, Jim: Pam just keeps finding ways to push things back. Her habit of not following through — ever — might bite you yet.
But let’s not look too deeply into this goofy, joyous blowing off of steam: Kevin making out with his new girlfriend in the corner; Dwight giving Phyllis an epic, equine-inspired back rub; and Angela slightly swaying her left foot (“I don’t like the spirit of musicâ€). The whole episode is worth it for the historic dance-off between Andy Bernard and Kelly Kapoor. Andy pulls out some Travolta with a little Vanessa Ferlito in Grindhouse mixed in, but Kelly trumps that with an inspired Flashdance bit, complete with the yanking of the imaginary chain to release imaginary water. As we learned this week, Mindy Kaling just signed a deal with NBC to develop her own show (while remaining on The Office for two years, as well). If it’s just her dancing, we will never miss an episode.
By the way: Next week is the season finale, with the return of Amy Ryan as Holly Flax. It’s about goddamned time.