The Office: Ben Franklin

Season 3, Episode 14: Ben Franklin

Like I said in my last review, I freaking love Andy! (and that is not an overreaction!) I know he is annoying and a total suck up to the boss, but nearly every office, class, working environment, whatever has someone like that so I don't think it's unrealistic to have him in there. More importantly, it's like I pointed out before, this is a comedy show and what should matter is whether the character is funny and Ed Helms has done a fantastic time portraying this character and adding his own flair to it. He has been the highlight of this season to me and once again, I hope he doesn't leave. Last night's episode was not a good sign though. He did not even appear in the episode, his absence was simply ignored and not talked about. That makes me think he wasn't fired, but still, where is Andy?

Okay, after watching the episode my immediate thought was that it was subpar and not up to the standard of the rest of the season. Although a lot of this was because of my anger that they didn't use Andy, the more I thought about it, that was still a pretty good episode. There was no one moment that stood out but just a bunch of subtle things. The highlights for me...

• I always love it when Todd Packer shows up and his explanation of "seperate, but equal" was just amazing.
• Ryan's line about Michael's giggling in the adult store
• Dwight being 99 percent sure that it wasn't the real Ben Franklin
• Michael transforming into an awkward adolescent after the stripper arrived
• Roy finding Pam's art sexy
• The unintentional, homoerotic overtones (Dwight wanting Michael's manmeat, the hour long shower with guys, the GAI)

Also, more stuff with Pam and Jim and Karen and Roy. Roy is trying to win Pam back so badly now he's even calling her art sexy after he forbid her to go to an art school last season. The forced conversations between Pam and Jim and Pam and Karen were beyond awkward. Pam even went as far to ask Ryan to find her someone from his business school. I would say it's coming down to the wire, but it's not. More episodes of unresolved sexual tension are coming I'm sure.