This whole Michael Scott Paper Company has been really sad to me.  You have 3 people, Michael, Pam, and Ryan trying their damnedest to start a new business competing with Dunder-Mifflin.  None of them have any clue what they are doing.  The only one with half a brain, Pam doesn’t have any experience in sales or in business for that matter; Michael we all know if clueless, but has a heart of gold, and well Ryan… Ryan is just a bad person.  I thought Vikram might have been their one hope, but that didn’t last long.  By the end of the second episode while sitting in their broom closet turned office, Pam does make the first sale for the company.  I guess it helps shine a little light on their desperate situation, but it’s a very dim light.  Jay Black over at the great TV blog site TVSquad had a little more optimistic view on the episode here.

I’m worried about what’s going to happen to Jim.  I think he might just lose his job as well, and maybe he’s going to end up at the Michael Scott Paper Company along with his fiance.  His attempts to suck up to his new boss Charles Minor have all ended poorly.  Jim is just so afraid of Charles, that he has gone from lovable office prankster, to well.. Andy.  A kiss-up with no spine.

I’m disappointed in the turn The Office has taken this season.  It’s gone from very funny to very depressing.  I know that Idris Elba only signed on for 6 episodes, so that gives me hope that something is going to chance, I’m just not sure where that change is going to be coming from, I can only tell you that it can’t get here soon enough for me.

We also saw that season premiere of Parks and Recreation sandwiched between the two episodes of The Office.  I’m going to wait to pass too much judgement on this show until a few episodes have passed.  I will only say that Parks and Recreation comes from the producers of The Office, and I don’t know if the apple fell far from the tree.  Amy Poehler’s character, Leslie Knope is a female Michael Scott.  I really think that that they took this show and pretty much made it “The Office set in city government.”