‘The Office’ Recap (Season 8, Episode 21): “Angry Andy”

Andy gets angry against Nellie in an awkward episode of NBC’s The Office

If a show no longer makes you laugh, can it still be called a comedy? This season of The Office has very rarely made me laugh – and if you asked me to pick out any favourite or hilarious moments, I would find it very difficult. “Angry Andy” is one of the most awkward episodes The Office has ever done, completely laugh-free and boring/weird as shit. It is a complete disaster.

“Angry Andy” is all about Andy returning to find Nellie in his seat. He asks her to leave, she refuses, he calls in Robert, Robert asks her to leave, she attempts to seduce Robert, Robert is aroused (imagining Robert and Nellie together is the most disturbing thing ever), and Nellie still refuses to leave. For some bizarre reason, everyone in the office seems to like Nellie more than Andy (despite everyone in reality actually despising Nellie) and so she feels confident that she will remain as manager.

Andy returns to the sales desk, frustrated because of this current dilemma and his inability to get intimate with Erin. This latter fact results in an office meeting regarding impotence, the main reason why this episode is so awkward. I’m all for uncomfortable comedy but when we’ve got everyone talking about erectile dysfunction and having sex with older men WITHOUT there being any actual comedy, then you’ve got a problem. I spent this whole sequence asking myself if they were actually doing this and the answer is… yes, they are. This is what The Office has become.

After Andy punches the wall (hey, The Office did that once before and it was funny! Let’s try it again) and repeatedly says no to Robert and Nellie, he walks out of the office with his stuff and a new confidence, which prompts Erin to run off with him for some hot sexy action. The end?

Unfortunately, the subplot in this episode isn’t any better. Ryan and Kelly have broken up but because Pam has set Kelly up with another guy, Ryan is jealous and wants her back. We get more ridiculous Ryan, more whiny Pam and more “I should have left this show a long time ago” Jim.

I don’t exactly hate this show as much as I just don’t care about it anymore. Let’s have a spinoff about that warehouse guy, who must be the only funny character in the show left. Why not, right? The writers can revamp and reboot and do whatever as much as they want but it’s obviously not working anymore. Let Andy punch a hole in the entire show. It needs to be punished.

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