Spoilers for “Dunder-Mifflin Infinity” below.

Things that happened

After a rather disastrous premiere, this was almost a return to form for the show. And, really, I mean “almost” in the worst possible sense, because this was so close to being a top-shelf episode and then they ruined it with yet another wacky out-of-the-office adventure that featured lots of Steve Carrell screaming.

The big development this episode was Ryan’s return to the Dunder-Mifflin offices, for the first time in his new role as Vice President of Regional Sales. The former temp gets all Web 2.0 on everyone, announcing his plan to create a new Dunder-Mifflin website (replacing the current “Under Construction – Coming Christmas 2002″ one that looks way more entertaining than the real dunder-mifflin.com) and give all essential employees blackberries. Basically, he’s your standard dot-com-bubble blower, with a $200 haircut and an attitude wherein he describes himself as ‘meteoric’. It’s a role BJ Novak plays really well.

After Ryan announces his plan, Creed convinces Michael that Ryan is looking to get rid of all D-M employees older than 40. After freaking out for a while, Jan teaches Michael about the concept of ageism, and so Michael calls a conference wherein he: i) accuses Ryan of ageism, ii) brings in one of the original founder of Dunder-Mifflin (Dunder, in fact; Mifflin killed himself, as we all know) to speak about history (but is then really boring), iii) displays various pictures, including that awesome screencap of Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia in Big.

Meanwhile, Creed takes a different approach to the threat of ageism, giving himself some awesome dark hair, untucking his shirt, and wandering around looking for a youthful can of Red Bull. So that he might “Ride the Bull.” It’s spectacular.

Ryan, of course, is embarrassed and insulted by Michael’s spectacle, but can’t do much about it because of Michael’s association with the original Dunder. Ryan still believes that everything with the branch needs to change, of course, mostly with the infusion of all sorts of technology. And so Michael sets out to prove his old employee wrong about the internet being an important part of business, arguing that “emails and IMs” are nothing compared to the original IM: a letter attached to a giant goodie basket. Basically, the whole idea is that he’ll prove the technology unnecessary by winning back a bunch of D-M’s old customers through gift baskets.

While all this is going on, the whole office is dealing with relationships. Within the first few minutes of the episode, Toby — motivated by jealousy due to his depressingly unrequited crush on Pam — reveals the new Jim/Pam relationship to the whole office. Everyone takes this pretty well — Andy especially, as he is now the most attractive single guy at the branch — and it really doesn’t lead to anything aside from more sickeningly sweet Jim and Pam moments, including long-distance high-fives and elaborate bits wherein they pretend to break up for no reason.

Ryan and Kelly also see some sparks upon his return, as Kelly is still clearly desperate to get back with him. She goes so far as to fake a pregnancy, which is both funny and exploitive, considering how NBC used the revelation in the advertising for this episode. Ryan is kind of mad when he finds out, which Kelly doesn’t understand. Kelly is still awesome.

Angela and Dwight, meanwhile, are on the outs, because Dwight killed her cat. Which is as good a reason for breaking up as any, if you ask me. The threshold for pet killing in successful relationships begins and ends at ‘goldfish’. The break-up sends Dwight into a spiraling sadness which fuels his desire to help Michael on his quest to prove old-fashioned business-to-business gift baskets are better than newfangled technology.

And so they go on a wacky road-trip, wherein they confront a series of bewildered businessmen. Michael yammers on creepily while Dwight acts aggressively depressed about his relationship woes. Eventually, Michael drives his car into the lake because his GPS unit instructs him to. Then the two very wet Dunder-Mifflin employees go back to one of the businessmen they visited earlier, demand he return the gift basket, yell a lot, and then rub their wet selves all over his leather couches.

See if you can guess where this one went wrong.

Things that were good

• While the Jim and Pam moments are definitely bordering on just too much, it still makes me happy to see them being all cute together. They’re the kind of sweet and satisfying moments we never got to see with Tim & Dawn in the British version. Still, though, the cynical side of me gives it about two more episodes before I’m just sick of it.
• As I said above, BJ Novak is awesome. This was probably his best episode ever, with a great performance. His ability to walk the line between hot-shot executive and still-nervous temp worker is tremendous. As anyone who saw the Adam Sandler & Don Cheadle movie Reign Over Me knows, Novak is at his best when he plays people who are total dicks. This is the most promising development of the season.
• Andy Bernard actually did things this episode! The “a basket of money” exchange with Jim and the later scene where Kevin and Andy were pals were highlights of the episode. Kevin has been a stand-out this season: his picking up of Jim’s “Big Tuna” nickname was delightful.
• Creed. Always Creed.
• I really kind of like the newer, confident, more bitchy Phyllis.

Things that were bad

• That ending. It’s like the writers are incapable of writing a script that does not include some sort of wacky road-trip and a lot of yelling. This whole hour just took an incredibly silly turn when the car went into the lake. The only positive I can think of is that they (sort of) acknowledged the camera man in the back seat.
• I really would have liked to have seen Kelly revealing that the pregnancy was fake. There’s really no-excuse for things happening off-camera on this show anymore, considering that it is only a documentary in the loosest sense.

Worth Watching If…

Seriously, the show needs a break from formula. I’d love it if we could get an episode with neither a conference room scene or some kind of out-of-office sequence. Can anyone think of the last episode that didn’t have one of those? Still, though, this was a big step up from last week, with much better pacing. Once the episodes are split up for syndication, the first half-hour will work really well as a stand-alone episode.

In Five Words

It Took An Odd Turn

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