Changes: Here Comes Treble (episode)

Revision as of 17:49, 28 July 2013

"Here Comes Treble" is the fifth episode of the ninth season of the American television comedy series "The Office" and is the show's 181st overall. It was written by Owen Ellickson and directed by Claire Scanlon. It aired on NBC October 25, 2012. It was viewed by 4 million people.

It's Halloween in the office and Andy invites his college a cappella group to perform, which leads to a confrontation with his frenemy Broccoli Rob. Meanwhile, Dwight finds evidence that a madman is loose in the office and tries to track him down, and the first meeting of Jim's new job causes a fight with Pam.

Synopsis

In order to play a Halloween prank on his coworkers, Dwight wears a jack-o'-lantern on his head and succeeds in scaring Erin. When he tries to take it off however he realizes it is stuck! Jim tries to pull it off but it doesn't work. Jim then later demonstrates using a baseball bat and a jack-o'-lantern how he can smash it off Dwight's head but Dwight runs away in fear. Dwight spends the rest of the day trapped inside it and mentions how it will probably come off in a few months.

As the characters come in they explain their costumes. Pam explains how she is Cinderella since her kids like her but she is also a doctor so as to set a positive example for them. Jim explains he is not in costume since he has an investors meeting today.

Andy is very excited meanwhile as he has gotten the current members of "Here Comes Treble" his former a cappella group at Cornell to come and perform. Andy tries to act as those he is a hero to them and that he was a singing legend however much to Andy's annoyance he learns that his old friend- Broccoli Rob has claimed credit for Andy's college nickname as well as his signature songs. Erin, while somewhat disgusted at some of Andy's college stories decides to help him by convincing the a capella members to sing Andy's favorite song in front of the office so Andy can do his signature solo and impress the office staff.

Angela brings her husband, The Senator to the Halloween party and the Senator seems happy to see Oscar. He tries to display affection towards him however Oscar doesn't seem comfortable with them doing it in front of Angela.

Dwight meanwhile discovers a pill on the floor. He looks it up and realizes that the pill is used for treating anxiety disorders and believes that someone in the office is deranged. Nellie tries to convince Dwight it is nothing serious as she later reveals the pill belongs to her and its for a minor anxiety disorder. To prank him, she plays along with his theory of someone in the office being insane and decides to help him catch the owner.

Jim goes to lunch with the other investors and is pressured to invest $10,000 however he appears quite reluctant and worried in doing so despite gaining the approval of his fellow friends. He seems worried what Pam will think.

Dwight and Nellie leave the pill on a plate in the kitchen and wait with a giant butterfly net to capture anyone who claims it. Dwight notices that Darryl expresses interest in it and pretends to act insane hoping Darryl will follow suit. Darryl decides to prank Dwight and tricks him into smearing peanut butter all over his face before denying he had any logic in making him do so. Meredith then tries to take the pill and Dwight puts the net over her. Nellie then admits the pill is hers and Dwight is forced to let her go.

Andy gathers the office staff in the conference room and the a cappella group begin their song. Jim and Pam meanwhile discuss Jim's plan to invest and they end up arguing throughout the whole song. Just before Andy can do his solo however, Broccoli Rob appears via webcam and begins singing it completely upstaging Andy.

Jim and Pam continue to argue about how much Jim invested. When Jim tries to change the subject to the song "Monster Mash" Pam uses it as a metaphor as to Jim's decision. Kevin believes they are actually arguing over the song however.

Andy and Broccoli Rob continue to argue over the true history of their college days before Erin has heard enough and pulls the plug on the monitor Broccoli Rob was talking through. She convinces Andy that his college days are over and while he probably can't relate to the new members he could be sort of a mentor to them. She proposes that Andy have his parents donate money to the group rather than just exist in stories to them. Andy calls his mother and disturbingly learns that his parents are in fact broke.

Dwight, feeling a lot of stress lately and still bothered by the fact that Philip was not his baby, asks Nellie if he could get a perscription for "Mose". Nellie, knowing that Dwight really wants them, agrees she can get Dwight a perscription. Toby meanwhile, who seems to have fallen in love with Nellie, realizes that this is only because she is dressed like him and once she takes the wig off, Toby realizes that he is making a mistake.

Oscar and the Senator are seen talking behind the building and suddenly begin to kiss. The Senator walks away completely feeling nothing but Oscar notices the cameras and walks away looking very guilty and regretting this action.

Cultural references

Meredith is dressed as Scarlett Johansson's version of the superhero Black Widow from the 2012 superhero film The Avengers.
Kevin is dressed as Charlie Brown, the protagonist in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.
Angela is dressed as former First Lady Nancy Reagan, with her husband Senator Robert Lipton wearing a Ronald Reagan mask.
Oscar is dressed as a dinosaur, but states that he is "the Electoral College".
Andy is dressed as George Michael.
Here Comes Treble sings the Rose Royce 1976 single "Car Wash", the 1983 Culture Club song "Karma Chameleon", and Edwin McCain's 1998 hit "I'll Be".The group also sings Cornell's alma mater.^[1]
Pam and Jim later get in an argument about the 1962 novelty song "The Monster Mash".
Trey Anastasio is the frontman for the jam band Phish.
Erin says, "You all go to Cornell. You're like eight Rain Men."
Russell from the a cappella group thought Andy was dressed as Adam Lambert.
Brocoli Rob says, "..and they said they needed 20 CCs of George Michael stat so just, wham!.." which is a direct reference to George Michael's group "WHAM!".

Connections to previous episodes

During the seventh episode The Sting, Andy mentioned that Broccoli Rob and Anastasio had collaborated on a song together. During their Skype-argument Broccoli Rob confirms that.
Meredith's line "Stop baggin' my head!" is in reference to episode Business School, in which Dwight "bags Meredith's head" in his attempt to capture a bat that has appeared in the office.
It is once again implied by Creed that he has killed someone.
Andy is shown wearing his earring in the "gay" ear, and he has sexuality has been implied to be homosexual about 3 times before in the series.

Amusing Details/Trivia

Cast

Main Cast

Supporting Cast

Guest Cast

Stephen Colbert as Broccoli Rob
Jack Coleman as Senator Robert Lipton
Ben Silverman as Investor

Gallery

[1]

@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 *Erin says, ''"You all go to Cornell. You're like eight ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainman Rain Men]''." ''
 *Russell from the a cappella group thought Andy was dressed as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Lambert Adam Lambert].
+*Brocoli Rob says, "..and they said they needed 20 CCs of George Michael stat so just, wham!.." which is a direct reference to George Michael's group "WHAM!".
 ==Connections to previous episodes==