A little crazy goes a long way, something we hope "The Office" writers remember soon.
This blog's brain trust loves some wacky Dwight Schrute antics as much as the next Dunder Mifflin groupie, but is it time to dial it down for our favorite Assistant (to the) Regional Manager? Watching Dwight "deliver" a greased-up watermelon to help Michael prepare for the birth of Jan's baby has to make one fear we've strayed too close to "jumping the large aquatic predator that inspired the cliche about television shows that veer tragically off course" territory.
The sound of Dwight screaming, "My cervix is ripening!" haunts me a day later.
After an inspired opening episode, this season has proven more mediocre than great so far, even if it's still one of the funniest shows on TV.
In an episode where Pam and Jim's long-distance relationship thankfully was relegated to tiny subplot status, some other characters got a deserved chance to shine Thursday. (Sorry to all the obsessive fans of the "Jam" love story out there, but if you want to waste another half hour mooning over a sitcom couple's romance, go catch a syndicated Ross-and-Rachel rerun of "Friends.")
It's hard not to feel bad for Michael after Jan denied him the opportunity to attend the birth of her Viking princess daughter Astrid — or was it "Astird", with the mispronounced accent placed on the "tird?" But crazy Jan's creepy lullaby crooning of "Son of a Preacher Man" was pitch-perfect, as was the Basset hound despondency in Stanley's eyes as he was forced to attend the baby shower.
Leave it to Darryl to drop some warehouse wisdom on Michael, who came seeking some advice from one baby daddy to another. Only he's not a baby daddy, as Darryl reminded him he's not the father of Jan's alleged sperm clinic baby. (Or is he? I'm not convinced he's not really the dad, but we're straying into overwrought, "Grey's Anatomy" territory.)
And Creed, only creepy, dear old Creed, could compare the floating afterbirth from the Viking princess' tub birth to the tide at Omaha Beach.
The less said about Michael's demand of the party planning committee for his own "golden shower" the better. But kudos to Michael for manning up at the end and ignoring Jan's demand that he not date Holly.
I have my doubts that Michael's romance with his H.R. soulmate will end well, mainly because who knows how many episodes Oscar-nominated actress Amy Ryan has left on the show? Hopefully, it won't end with another baby watermelon springing from Dwight's loins.
Assistant sports editor Lorenzo Perez has bounced back-and-forth between The News & Observer's news and sports department several times since joining the newspaper in 1999. His latest assignment has him working with The N&O's ACC writers and online news. E-mail 
Comments
Tone it down, Dwight
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 20:38 — brookecainWow - yes, Dwight was way, way over the top. Not just the watermelon birth, but the whole drawn out ordeal with the stroller. Too much.
And I thought Michael was so emotionally abused by Jan in this episode, and Holly in return abused by Michael, that when he hugged Holly at the end and they both began to cry a little, it made for a nice moment. Sweetly pathetic. Or pathetically sweet?
And I will speak up for the "Jam" lovers out there ... nothing wrong with a little romance! I liked that sequence at the end with Pam and Jim on the phone, leaving synchronized voicemails. Actually, I loved it.