I haven't had enough discussion about "Goodbye, Toby" the fourteenth, and final, episode of the fourth Office season, but from what I gather it seems to be a controversial issue. So I thought I'd put my two cents in.
I thought it was fucking great. I know we were all really excited for Jim to propose to Pam, but that was just another surprise among many. The best part had to be how most of the characters broke out of their shells and behaved differently than normal. Angela was dethroned from her authoritarian reign of the Party Planning Committee while Phyllis, who typically gets pushed around by Angela, takes over and becomes empowered in the process and organizes an amazing party for that asshole, Toby Flenderson. Phyllis knocking Angela's shit off her desk as a response to Angela shredding needed information was a definitely hilarious highlight.
Let's see, there was shell breaking all over the place. Dwight was told by Michael to stop being such a mindless sycophant and to have thoughts of his own and Dwight, being such a mindless sycophant in response, follows Michael's orders and begins to think for himself and disagree with Michael. Asshole Toby, who is so obsessed with Pam that he needs to get a picture with her before he leaves, raises his voice for the very first time, pleading for a camera. This is precisely why Toby is such a wiener. The only reason he finally started standing up for himself was his petty jealousy of Jim's relationship with Pam. So after getting all this needless shit from Michael over the years, he turns on Jim instead, by moving on his girl and becoming a corporate stooge and reporting him to Ryan. Jim has been nothing but nice to Toby! Anyways, it will be weird around the office without him but honestly, I won't miss him much.
Jim Halpert is one of my all-time favorite tv characters and seeing him stand up for himself and stick it to Ryan was amazing. Add that the list of his qualities. Also, him and Pam are just so cute and awesome together. Seeing Pam so happy and Jim being so supportive of her going to graphic design school (something Roy never did) warmed my heart. The one real disappointment of the episode, while funny, was Andy's ridiculous proposal to Angela which interrupts Jim's would-be sweet, romantic, and just perfect proposal to Pam. Pam's heartbreak was, well.... heartbreaking. I really think they should have gone through with the proposal, I can't think of a better situation for it, but atleast we have something to look forward to next season, right? Plus, it sets up the very interesting twist of Andy and Angela's engagement, that is bound to fail, as we saw in the scandalous last scene of Angela getting railed by Dwight in her cubicle!
Alright I've gone on too long so I'll just lump the highlights together. First, how evil is Jan? Artificially inseminating herself while she dated Michael because she was so paranoid her child would carry some of his traits? Honestly, an affair with her ex-personal assistant/rocker, Hunter, would have been nicer than this insulting, eugenics-inspired move. Michael finally found a woman (Holly) that not only could tolerate his antics, but is even responsive to them. It was disappointing to see Michael give in an attempt to be involved in Jan's pregnancy. He needs to get over her and get with Holly! I'm pretty sure this will develop in the next season. It was also awesome to see Ryan's, coc-snorting, corporate fraud committing ass fall from grace and get arrested. Jim's humiliating voicemail, rubbing it in, was icing on the cake. Finally, Dwight convincing Holly that Kevin was retarded, Dwight, Mose and Meredith putting a raccoon in Holly's car, Michael dancing with glee in anticipation of Toby's permanent departure to Costa Rica, Jim's phone-switch prank on Dwight, Creed not remembering what he did on the job and a bunch of other stuff were fucking hilarious. "Goodbye, Toby" was an amazing end to the season.
Anyways, I know this episode is contested and feel free to respond to this in my comments and make this a lively debate!
tell your friends,
-Steve
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