“”Blood Drive”, the first new Office episode since February 12th, starts off on a day most of the embittered employees have come to dread: Valentine’s Day. Michael has a particularly difficult time coping with Holly’s absence and decides to hold a “lonely hearts convention” for the other ten people in the office who are not single.
“I was so nervous about this. I don’t think I ate for three days.”
During a blood drive held on the same day, Michael manages to charm a woman giving blood next to him. He faints shortly after the needle is removed and wakes to find only a pink glove where the woman was sitting. Michael reveals his predicament to the rest of the office during an exchange of bad relationship experiences. Hoping to find the mystery woman and bring some cheer to his employees, Michael and Dwight create fliers advertising both a singles mixer and the missing glove.
“These people need love and I am going to get it for them.”
Meanwhile, Jim and Pam join Phyllis and Bob Vance for a long lunch. Bob and Phyllis mysteriously disappear, but hadn’t “dashed and dined” since they had yet to dine. Jim and Pam eventually overhear them having sex in the handicap accessible restroom. They return to an uncomfortable lunch, looking exhausted.
At the mixer, Dwight manages to scare away a young woman by trying to coax her into becoming a client of Dunder Mifflin. Kevin also meets a woman with whom he awkwardly shares his failed engagement, but makes a better second attempt later on. Michael does hook up one of his employees, but his own search for the mystery woman from the blood bus is fruitless. The episode ends with the rest of the office empathizing with Michael’s situation and Michael talking about dating without lamenting Holly.
Comparable to “Employee Transfer” as one of the comedically weaker episodes of this season, but “Blood Drive” misses the drama mark as well. After “Lecture Circuit” reopened the possibility of Holly’s return, this episode closes it up just as quickly. While the ending is touching, and the number of failed relationships in the office is kind of hilarious, “Blood Drive” was a little too dry and underwhelming.
