The Office – Episode 5-10 Review

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Phyllis takes pride in hosting her first office Christmas party–themed “Nights in Morocco”–as the head of the Party Planning Committee and becomes quite fierce in blackmailing Angela. Meanwhile, Meredith’s alcoholism draws attention when a drunken dance causes her hair to catch fire. Also, Dwight has bought out most department stores in the area to sell this year’s hottest toy to desperate parents.

“Every year I do research to determine which toy will be the most popular this season. This year it’s a doll–Princess Unicorn. Half girl, half unicorn.”

Michael stages an intervention for Meredith during the party, despite him being responsible for her getting so drunk. Meredith denies having a problem, though she admits an addiction to pornography, while no one else has ever been negatively affected by it. Michael and Meredith sit in his office for some time while tensions grow as Phyllis continues to push Angela around.

“You get in your face and you scream at them and make them feel really badly about themselves. And then they stop.”

MIchael and Meredith leave mysteriously. In his car, Michael fools her into thinking they’re going for a drink, when he takes her to a rehab clinic instead.

Back at the office, Toby goes to buy a Princess Unicorn doll from Dwight, but Darryl has bought the last one. He begs for the doll and Darryl lets him have it for $400. As Toby weeps in joy, he looks at the doll and realizes it is the black version of Princess Unicorn, and tries to mask his disappointment with awkwardness.

Angela finally stands up to Phyllis, telling her that if she ever divulges her secret, she won’t have any leverage over her and will lose her position in the committee. Phyllis appears to cave and starts to walk away, when she suddenly turns around and announces the affair to the entire office. Andy is not present.

“As it turns out, you can’t just check someone into rehab against their will.”

After literally dragging Meredith in the clinic, Michael is told that one must volunteer for rehab. He decides he has to find ways to push Meredith “to the bottom,” so that she realizes she needs help. At the office, Andy enters the room and cheerfully plays “Deck the Halls” on his sitar. No one says a word to him and he and Angela leave.

“Moroccan Christmas” is a bit of a dip compared to the last couple of weeks. There are some hilarious parts, mainly involving the Princess Unicorn dolls, but Andy’s obliviousness to Angela and Dwight’s affair is heartbreaking. Especially now that the entire office is in on the secret. Also, Michael magnifying Meredith’s addiction as a crippling obstacle in her life makes for some good ironic humor, but nothing as hilarious as Michael’s addiction to fur, or framing Toby. A low note to end the last episode of 2008 on.