User Reviews

As much this dinner party is uncomfortable, it filled with iconic quotes: Jan: You're hardly my first. Michael (screaming): THAT's WHAT SHE SAID

*Jan smashing Michael's 200$ plasma TV* Michael: THAT's a 200$ plasma screen TV you just killed. GOOD LUCK PAYING ME BACK ON YOUR 0$/year salary plus benefits BABE

Dwight: what seems to be the problem, officers? Officer: Not now, Dwight.

Everything in this episode is ICONIC!!

"The Dinner Party" is "The Office" at its best...shining the light of day on all that is excruciatingly uncomfortable but also funny about work and personal relationships. Quasi-spoiler warning: Two scenes from this episode come to mind - when Michael proudly shows off his new flat-screen TV to Jim and Pam, and when Jan starts dancing so sexily to the tape of music made for her by an ex-boyfriend. OMG, I laughed so hard during these scenes I thought I wet my pants. I think the reason I love "The Office" so much is that I have lived through much of what I see in these episodes. The rude, inappropriate behavior from bosses and managers; the weirdness of office romances; the uncomfortable parties at the boss's house...it all rings true to me. "The Dinner Part" seems to encapsulate much of this in one episode, and for that reason, it shall remain a favorite.

Michael invites people from the office for a dinner party.

An excellent episode. The whole interaction between Michael and Jan through the whole episode is done brilliantly. All the little things they say to each other. How they try to make each other look bad in front of the guests. Especially Jan to Michael. And how uncomfortable the guests are. Except for Dwight who was a great addition to the party.

Literally the most awkward 15 mins. I've ever seen. Michael arguing to Jan and telling a sacrifice of vasectomy he made was unbelievable. The Stand camera beside the Bed and weird ambience just had me. Dwight being jealous and bringing his babysiter as a date only to realise how dysfunctional the dinner party is, cracked me open. I laughed the most where Jan throws a vase on Michael's fav plasma tv which he was earlier bragging about. I just loved how embarrassing everything gets gradually.

Absolutely hilarious. I haven't seen the show in a while as I have to say I prefer the demon-hunting series, "Supernatural". However I saw the Dinner Party episode in a repeat and it was brilliant. Jim and Pam were hilarious trying to escape the dinner party from Hell, and turning on each other when their plans are foiled. Jan's apparent belief in Michael's false claims that Pam was in love with him and Pam's disgust and mortification at the thought revealed that Jenna Fischer has very good comic skills. If only the four leads were at the party it could easily be a funnier, Scranton-based "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf".

Dwight's non-invite is surprisingly affecting, especially given his unflagging devotion and unnatural closeness to Michael. Dwight's luck, however, turns by the end of the episode, and he gets Michael to stay at his place after the domestic disturbances get the police involved.

Michael and Jan's relationship is in trouble. He found out in the previous episode that she compromised his position at Dunder Mifflin by reporting bad behavior, which left him deeply hurt and betrayed by the woman he's gone to bat for all this time. But he still wants to arrange the dinner party that's been in the works, which can only lead to disastrous results...

A recurring theme in the series is that Jim and Pam often feel sorry for Michael, but feel uncomfortable spending too much personal time with him. Jim thinks he can get out of the situation this time since they're all forced to work overtime, but realizes he made a crucial mistake once Mike tells his boss off and Jim has already said he doesn't have other plans. I love the pure look of defeat on his face. It's left to the audience whether the overtime was a trick or not, but considering Ryan has become a snarky ass hole this season it could be a case of simple luck.

Andy and Angela are also invited, while poor Dwight gets left out. I can't imagine anything more upsetting than your ex and her quickly found new flame getting prioritized over you. It makes me wonder how Dwight doesn't hate Andy more than ever at this point.

Once the dinner party gets started, we are treated to one terrific scene after another. You can tell that despite Jan and Michael's surface-level loving dynamic something isn't quite right between them. There's a subtle passive-aggressiveness to her comments, while Michael seems to be make sure he doesn't step on any carefully placed out lego pieces. Melora Hardin gives her funniest performance of the character in here. The seething frustration and thinly veiled contempt for Michael is so well-played and bitterly comical. It's hardly a mystery what she's referring to when she animatedly describes the soothing effect all the scented candles have on her. Steve Carrell similarly plays her off excellently, making us feel the desperation in trying to uphold an inviting atmosphere while at the same time combatting Jan's annoyance. It's hilariously heartbreaking that he's literally forced to sleep on a tiny separate bed that would fit the size of an infant more than him.

Not only Michael gets targeted either, Pam is rudely accused of sleeping with him at one point. Jan suspecting cheating towards someone who wouldn't have sex with him in a million years is so mindbogglingly ridiculous and shows such unhinged insecurity I'm left nearly as baffled as Pam gets upon hearing it. She and Michael become so afraid of Jan they both worry about the food being poisoned, which is a comically monumental jumping to conclusions, yet the way she has behaved throughout makes it seem almost plausible. ... Well maybe not, but she's not helping her case.

Andy and Angela have a horrible time at the party and don't seem to find any common ground as a couple whatsoever. Bitterly amusing just like everything else.

The tension continues to rise, and reaches its peak when Dwight shows up with a homeless woman he found as a date. You gotta give him cred, he can find the chicks if enough will power is involved! The ironic part is that despite their obvious lack of chemistry and the fact that he only brought her along so he would be let in, it's still a lot less toxic than Michael and Jan's relationship.

The evening hits a tragicomic high when Jan targets two of the things Michael loves most: His Dundee statuettes and his mouse-level plasma TV. His reaction when she throws the stauette at the screen is devastating as much as it's hysterical. I used to have a tiny TV just like him, and it was somehow still bigger than his. But when you have a personal connection to something, and you use it as some form of relief for emotional pain, it's gonna hurt deeply no matter how insignificant it may look to outsiders.

The arguments and sounds of a crash are heard by the neighbors, and the cops are called in. Jan is the guilty party when it comes to the latter, but Mike is so hopelessly nice he takes the rap for her anyway. When you're so undermined by your partner you're willing to be arrested in order not to make things worse, it's time to hit the breaks. Those giant knockers are ruining his life.

No charges are pressed thankfully, and Dwight offers solace (albeit unreciprocated) in offering to let him stay at his farm. While nowhere near the same toxic level, this mirrors Michael being taken for granted by Jan by helping him despite not always getting treated with equal respect. It shows he's the bigger person when he sees his friend is in pain.

Offering a counterbalance to the dour conclusion, Jim and Pam share a romantic moment together reminiscing on the crazy experience they've just been through.

A darkly humorous gem that leaves you concerned over Michael's mental state more than any other episode before. Will the papercuts of Jan's toxicity heal until next week?

Hahahahaha . . . Hahahahaha . . . Whew . . . Hahahahaha

Endless flawless comedic moments, seconds, quips, exchanges, looks, awkwardness.

"Can you not do that? It's disgusting."

"You know I have soft teeth. How could you say that?"