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The Office Season 8 Episode 1

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8.0

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 9/22/11

A list left by Robert has everyone's name in one of two unlabeled columns, leaving the Scranton branch to try and figure out exactly what it means.

Fan Episode Reviews (3)

Turned out to be a pretty funny episode with it's pros and cons.

9.0

By Chaos_Zombie, Sep 28, 2011

I wasn't sure how this would all play out without Michael Scott but I think they are on the right track. Picking James Spader, and then explaining his ascension to CEO, was the only true choice. They needed a character who wasn't like Michael and his manipulative, dark tendencies is perfect. Especially since he clashes with certain characters in his own unique way. So I'm fully supportive of them picking him. I'm not sure if he'll be in every episode but at least he's fresh. His response to Erin's boring story was hysterical and so true.

I don't like the choice for Andy to be manager at all though. He is and was too much like Michael for it to work. His whole bit at the end about how everyone in the office are winners was too Michael Scott-esque and far too sappy. I honestly hope that doesn't last long and would rather see Dwight usurp him or maybe every few episodes a new person in the office steps up and is the boss so we can see how horrible and clueless they are without Michael even though they think they can do better. It would be a lot more entertaining, like when Creed was the boss for about 30 seconds, haha.

That being said, Dwight was the best part of the episode. I always love how they rip on stupid internet sensations (this time planking) and the scene with Kevin planking on Dwight's desk was awesome. Even better, when Dwight, Andy's 'Enforcer', is told to end the planking and he takes a fire extinguisher into the women's bathroom and sprays Meredith atop the stall I was in stitches. That's the sort of thing the show needs to keep if they want fans to keep tuning in. Write what you know works and don't try to clone Michael Scott. You just can't do it successfully.moreless
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Excellent Season 8 Premiere of "The Office"

10

By tigerdude22, Sep 26, 2011

Season 8 of "The Office" is finally here. Even though Steve Carell is no longer in this show which is disappointing. I really think this show can still be funny without him and this Season 8 Premiere just proved it. That guy named Robert California being the new manager of "The Office" but goes all the way to Florida to convince Jo to have her job as CEO was very funny. Oh my gosh, the beginning didn't make any sense with the whole "planking" thing but I was laughing so hard at the "planking" especially when Dwight stops the office "planking" and then Dwight says "Don't ever plank kids, it's dangerous especially with me around". Kevin definitely delivered a whole bunch of laughs in this Season 8 Premiere. Andy being the new manager of Dunder Mufflin office was funny and awesome. The employees being suspicious about the list that the CEO agent named Robert made was funny. I kinda didn't like how Robert called the other half of the employees "losers" though. I really loved the ending when Andy was talking to Robert about what makes the "losers" so special and told him that they are not losers. Andy sticking up to the employees who were called "losers" by Robert was very nice and very good. Andy truly was a very good manager in this Season 8 Premiere and I'm already convinced that he will an awesome new manager of Dunder Mufflin. Overall, an awesome and very funny Season 8 Premiere of "The Office". 10/10moreless
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We meet the new manager and the new CEO!

6.5

By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Sep 25, 2011

The first Michael Scott-less Office episode aired tonight, and to be honest, I enjoyed it. For the most part. I was really liking the episode until about halfway through when it started to fizzle out.

But the plot itself was pretty good. The cold open introduces right away to the new manager: Andy. It turns out that Robert California (a strange and brilliant James Spader) was the manager for a day, saw the office and immediately left to Florida where he coerced Jo into giving him the role of CEO. All the while, the office is planking in the background. The planking was weird, but it was a good way to give us the information of what happened over the summer and combining a weird thing such as planking (Kevin planking was the best).

The episode itself gets its name from a list that Robert leaves laying around the office. On it is a list with people from the office split onto two sides. Everybody attempts to figure out what in the world it is, while Andy, in his new role as boss, attempts to please the office by figuring out what it is California is doing here. Things get even sketchier after he invites the left side of the group, with Jim, Dwight, Daryl, Kevin and others and leaves Andy, Pam, Erin, Stanley and the rest of the office behind.

As it turns out, the side that Robert invited to dinner are winners, in his eyes, while the ones left behind are losers. It's a bit anti-climatic after all the build-up, but for an Office premiere, I was pleased enough. I just thought the episode lost its funny bone about halfway through. Things got serious after that, and while there's nothing wrong with that, I liked the start more than the end.

However, gone was the goofiness that Michael Scott brought to the office. Again, there's nothing wrong with it every now and then, but Michael seemed to be goofy for seven straight seasons. Andy seems to be a bit more serious, though still retaining his weirdness. And the win he gets at the end by claiming the losers are winners as well was well written.

Overall, I think James Spader will mesh well and that Andy will grow into his role as boss. I think what the show needs to do now is figure out what it wants to do with this season. It can't just move along with no thought as to what the plot will be. At least there was a plot last year with Michael leaving.. this year, they need to bring that fun back.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Rainn Wilson	Dwight Schrute
John Krasinski	Jim Halpert
Jenna Fischer	Pam Beesly Halpert
B.J. Novak	Ryan Howard
Phyllis Smith	Phyllis Vance
Oscar Nunez	Oscar Martinez

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (1)
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- Robert's Original List
  Left Side: Jim, Dwight, Oscar, Darryl, Andy, Toby, Phyllis, Angela, Kevin
  Right Side: Stanley, Gabe, Ryan, Kelly, Old Man, Pam, Meredith, Erin
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QUOTES (1)
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- Erin: Planking is one of those things where, hey, you either get it or you don't, and I don't. But I am so excited to be a part of it!
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NOTES (2)
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- The opening credits are updated to include a new shot of Andy fiddling with a desk trinket to reflect his new position as branch manager.
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- Jenna Fischer was expecting before the start of the season, and the writers decided not to try to hide it. Angela Kinsey, however, is faking being pregnant for the show.
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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