Changes: The Lover

Revision as of 05:03, 27 April 2021

"The Lover" is the seventh episode of Season 6 and the 107th overall. It was written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, who most recently had written the episodes New Boss and The Surplus. It was directed by Lee Eisenberg, who marked his directorial debut. It originally aired on October 22, 2009. It was viewed by 8.52 million people.

Cold Open

Pam and Jim come back from their honeymoon in Puerto Rico. Everyone is happy that they are back, and Pam and Jim share that they loved their trip to Puerto Rico. Michael uses Blind Guy McSqueezy, a character of his who is blind, to welcome them back. Meredith asks Pam what she got for them and Pam says candy. Meredith asks, "What else?" and sarcastically says "oh cause you spent so much on the wedding" after learning that they did not bring back anything else. As Michael continues his Blind Guy Mcsqueezy routine, Pam looks to the camera and says its good to be home.

Synopsis

Dwight tries to get information on Jim by putting a wooden mallard in his office, which contains a listening device.

Pam tells Erin to put the candy she brought on the reception desk, but Erin tells Pam that she is going to ask Michael for permission first. Michael then reveals to Jim that he is dating Helene, Pam's mother. Jim is shocked and outraged that Michael is dating Helene and begs Michael not to tell Pam. Michael however inadvertently reveals to Pam that he is, in fact, dating her mother. She is outraged, shocked and belittles Michael all day.

Meanwhile, Jim discovers the listening device and makes Dwight nervous by playing classical music while pretending to be talking about Dwight to Andy. When Dwight asks what they were discussing Andy merely laughs that it would only make Dwight mad. Jim then gives the mallard to Kelly and Ryan. Dwight takes it back and gives it to Jim again who sees it and makes Dwight confess. As punishment, Dwight agrees to wash and buff his car as punishment.

She has awkward encounters with Oscar when she says Michael could have sex with his mother who is in a wheelchair.Angela, cheery, asks Pam how her day is going. Pam calls her mom to tell her she is crazy for dating Michael. Toby tries to calm Pam down, after Michael treats Toby like a friend, but Toby doesn't succeed. Michael calls him a jackass. Michael leaves while Jim tries to calm her down with thoughts about their honeymoon, including a couple they met named Frank and Benny ("Frank and Beans") and a brother and sister named Jim and Pam.

Jim shows Pam that Dwight is washing their car and they reminisce about their honeymoon. Pam continues to think that she is not going overboard, and Jim agrees.

After everyone has left for the day, Dwight tells the documentary crew that he used the mallard as a diversion. His real listening device was a pen he dropped into Jim's pen holder that recorded Jim's entire workday. As he is listening to Jim's customer calls, Dwight proudly tells the camera that he got eight hours of this.

Cultural References

Coco Leche is a candy deriving from hardened coconut milk.
The opera song that Jim plays in his office is "M'appari".
A cancer cluster is an area that has a population with an abnormally large amount of cancers.
The conference room scene was part of iParticipate.
"Frank and Beans" is a reference to the movie There's Something About Mary.

Amusing Details

In Jim and Pam's joint talking head, Jim fidgets with his wedding ring. He's still getting used to wearing it.
Michael mentions that Blind Guy McSqueezy is not liked by the women in his improv class. Michael's improv class was introduced in the episode, "Email Surveillance." However this is unique due to the fact that it's implied Michael stopped going to his improv class in "The Job."
Dwight repeatedly corrects anyone who calls the mallard a "duck" (a mallard is a kind of duck).
Bottecelli's isn't a real restaurant in Scranton.
Michael's parrot holding rum is named "Oscuro Rum." Oscuro Rum translates to dark or obscure rum.
Creed cries when the opera is playing. Later, when Michael says that Dunder Mifflin wasn't involved with the Peruvian cancer cluster, Creed shrugs.
Even Creed agrees that dating mothers is despicable.
When Pam starts to shout, "No more meetings!", Stanley can be seen grinning and joining in.
Jim yells at Toby after learning that Michael is dating Pam's mum, Michael similarly yells at a confused Toby to leave them alone thinking that Jim's distress is caused by Toby.

Trivia

The Scranton branch react differently to Jim playing classical music in his prank on Dwight.
- Oscar, Phyllis and Meredith turn around but then remain unconcerned
- Angela rolls her eyes
- Creed tears up
- Stanley is amused
- Kevin is bewildered

Connections to previous episodes

In "Chair Model" Jim tells Pam he is putting her mother's phone number on the index card for Michael.

Goofs

Pam is wearing her coat while she is screaming in the parking lot even though she ran out of the office immediately after finding out about Michael's relationship with her mother. Jim is seen bringing Pam her coat after she finishes screaming while she is calling her mother.
Segway riding is not recommended or suitable for pregnant women, however, Jim and Pam fondly remember their Segway tour. No tour operator would allow her on their tour, especially not in a place like Puerto Rico.
Dwight says, "I really would have appreciated a heads-up that you were into dating mothers, I'd have introduced you to mine." From this phrasing it is unclear whether his mother is still alive. In "Fun Run," two seasons earlier, Dwight suggests to Angela that she should bury Sprinkles "in the east field, with mother," implying she is dead.
While Michael is talking to Toby, the monitor changes from Microsoft Word to the Dunder Mifflin desktop between two set-ups.

Deleted Scenes

Erin tells everyone that there is Coco Leche on her desk. No one cares about her. Pam, from experience, tells her not to make announcements and that Kevin will eat them.
Kevin comes to the reception desk, and takes much of the Coco Leche. Erin announces that it is going fast.
Michael sweet talks Helene who left her socks at Michael's condo. Michael sexually calls her "bad."
Pam yells even louder and then throws up.
Pam is pissed and explains that Michael Stupid Scott is dating her mother. She says that she has to be the adult however, because "Michael is incapable."
Michael calls Pam a bully.
Michael complains to Jim about Pam and tells him to talk to her. Jim begins complimenting Michael, who in turn insults himself, so that neither one will have to talk to her.

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 [[Dwight Schrute|Dwight]] tries to get information on Jim by putting a wooden mallard in his office, which contains a listening device.
-Pam tells [[Erin Hannon|Erin]] to put the candy she brought on the reception desk, but Erin tells Pam that she is going to ask Michael for permission first. Michael is then reveals to Jim that he is dating [[Helene Beesly|Helene]], Pam's mother. Jim is shocked and outraged that Michael is dating Helene and begs Michael not to tell Pam. Michael however inadvertently reveals to Pam that he is, in fact, dating her mother. She is outraged, shocked and belittles Michael all day.
+Pam tells [[Erin Hannon|Erin]] to put the candy she brought on the reception desk, but Erin tells Pam that she is going to ask Michael for permission first. Michael then reveals to Jim that he is dating [[Helene Beesly|Helene]], Pam's mother. Jim is shocked and outraged that Michael is dating Helene and begs Michael not to tell Pam. Michael however inadvertently reveals to Pam that he is, in fact, dating her mother. She is outraged, shocked and belittles Michael all day.
-Meanwhile, Jim discovers the listening device and gives the mallard to [[Kelly Kapoor|Kelly]] and [[Ryan Howard|Ryan]]. Dwight takes it back and gives it to Jim again. Jim sees it and makes Dwight wash and buff his car as punishment.
+Meanwhile, Jim discovers the listening device and makes Dwight nervous by playing classical music while pretending to be talking about Dwight to Andy. When Dwight asks what they were discussing Andy merely laughs that it would only make Dwight mad. Jim then gives the mallard to [[Kelly Kapoor|Kelly]] and [[Ryan Howard|Ryan]]. Dwight takes it back and gives it to Jim again who sees it and makes Dwight confess. As punishment, Dwight agrees to wash and buff his car as punishment.
 She has awkward encounters with [[Oscar Martinez|Oscar]] when she says Michael could have sex with his mother who is in a wheelchair.[[Angela Martin|Angela]], cheery, asks Pam how her day is going. Pam calls her mom to tell her she is crazy for dating Michael. [[Toby Flenderson|Toby]] tries to calm Pam down, after Michael treats Toby like a friend, but Toby doesn't succeed. Michael calls him a jackass. Michael leaves while Jim tries to calm her down with thoughts about their honeymoon, including a couple they met named Frank and Benny ("Frank and Beans") and a brother and sister named Jim and Pam.