The Office: Moroccan Christmas

This week's episode was back to the great Office that I know and love. This season, so far, has been just a little disappointing to me. It hasn't been as laugh-out-loud funny as the previous seasons. But this episode completely changed that. I laughed non-stop and loved every minute of it!


It starts with a new, classic Jim prank on Dwight. Jim has wrapped Dwight's entire desk and chair and everything on his desk in great holiday wrapping paper. Dwight acts completely unimpressed and says that he can unwrap it all within 5 minutes. So he sets his briefcase down and sits in his chair and the enitre desk and chair both collapse. Jim had obviously replaced Dwight's work station with all cardboard stuff. This whole scene made me feel like I was back watching the great Office pranks and I knew that this was going to be a great Christmas episode.


As the new head of the Party Planning Committee, Phyllis has picked a theme for the Christmas party: Nights in Morocco. She is still very eager to make Angela's life a living hell, just like Angela used to do to her. She makes Angela put away her nativity scene that's at her desk because it is not part of the theme. We can see Angela slowly getting more and more irritated with Phyllis and she tries to tell her that she can't blackmail her anymore. Phyllis says it's not blackmail because there is no formal letter and we just continue to see the tension between them. I personally love how Phyllis is treating Angela because she completely deserves it in my opinion. Angela treated Phyllis so horribly for too long, and she's just getting her turn.


Dwight has found this holiday's hottest gift: Princess Unicorn. While personally disgusted about the improbability of a doll that's half-human and half-unicorn, he is excited about the money he is about to make. As he does every year, he has researched the demand, bought out the stock from local stores, and is awaiting the stream of desperate parents who will show up to buy the toy. Throughout the episode we see many clients come to buy the toys. We later see Toby talking to his daughter on the phone asking her about the doll. She is so excited when he mentions it and he can't wait to get a better gift for her than his ex-wife will get. So he cheerfully goes to buy one from Dwight, only to find out that Darryl has just bought the last one. Toby pathetically and heartbrokenly asks Darrly if he can buy it from him and Darryl agrees to sell it to him for $400, when Dwight has been selling them for $200. Toby quickly agrees and when Darrly gives Toby the doll, it is a black doll instead of a white princess. There is an awkward silence as Toby takes it all in and Darryl asks him if anything's wrong. Toby just says that it is even better than what he had imagined.


The party is underway and Mixmaster Michael is making some amazing drinks for people. He makes Meredith something he calls "One of Everything." It includes part scotch, absinthe, rum, gin, vermouth, triple sec, and two packs of Splenda. Meredith loves it and downs the whole drink in just a few seconds and asks for another. As the party continues, we see Meredith completely trashed and bellydancing around the office. She ends up getting a little too close to a decorative candle and catches her hair on fire without even noticing! Firefighter Dwight comes to her rescue and puts it out with a fire extinguisher. Michael recognizes that Meredith's drinking has gotten out of hand and he decides to hold an intervention, which he says is a surprise party for people who have addictions. The staff gathers around to confront her but she will have none of it. She swears that she is not an alcoholic, but she does admit to an addiction to porn, which repulses everyone. Michael insists on helping her even after everyone else has given up. He tricks Meredith and leads her to believe that the two of them are going to a bar to have some drinks together. But he really drives her to a rehab center and has to chase her all around the parking lot and drag her into the building, where he learns that you can't check someone into rehab against their will.

Back at the office, people are still trying to party and have a good time while Phyllis still bosses Angela around. Angela finally gets fed up and calls Phyllis out, saying that she would never tell anyone about her and Dwight. Angela is quite wrong though, as Phyllis blurts out to everyone that Angela is having sex with Dwight. Unfortunately, Andy is completely out of earshot and in a different room practicing songs on the sitar. But everyone else in the office finds out and looks completely stunned, except for Dwight who looks completely pleased with himself. Andy then comes in to play "Deck the Halls" for everyone and doesn't understand why nobody claps for him at the end. Angela quickly asks to be taken home and Andy never finds out what was said.

Favorite Moments:

• Jim wrapping Dwight's desk and Dwight collapsing
• Michael's creation of "orange-vod-juice-ka"
• Meredith lifting up her shirt and "bellydancing"
• Meredith continuing to dance while her hair is on fire.
• Finding out that Michael privately celebrates Groundhog's Day
• Kevin nicknaming Meredith "Fire Girl"
• Michael: "What are you going to do when you come in to work and you're dead?" Dwight: "I would stab her in the brain with a wooden stick."
• Michael chasing Meredith around the Rehab parking lot and dragging her into the building
• Phyllis actually telling everyone about Dwight and Angela
• Michael: "I need to find ways to push Meredith to the bottom. I think I can do it. I did it with Jan."

What to look forward to next week:

• Will Andy finally find out about Dwight and Angela?? I hope so! It needs to happen soon!
• Is Ryan gone forever? Will Kelly start dating Darryl again? We didn't see much of her at all during this episode.
• When will Jim and Pam set their wedding date? We know they don't want a long engagement.
• Will Jan ever come back into the picture?