Money

I know, I know, I never finished my analysis of Launch Party. The truth was it was getting too long and I'd watched that episode too many times.
This is a learning process for me. I've decided I'm not going to regurgitate all my thoughts, scene by scene, on you.

ANYWAY.
Tonight aired the much anticipated (for me anyway) Money episode.
Initial response: Vague disappointment.

Okay, so maybe I'll go a little more in depth when they put it online in the morning or I watch it on TiVo tomorrow, but for now let me see what I can remember.
The opener was lame. Sorry, but it was. It wasn't all that funny. Extremely, intolerably dumb after last week's brilliant cold open.

Good to see Jan (Melora) back for a bigger scene again. It was nice to have her there. The financial stuff with Michael was not really as funny as I expected. I had a moment in this episode that rarely ever happens. I felt pain for Michael, and not so much because of Michael. When he went to his second job I ached for him. When Jan thought he was at improv because he didn't want to tell her I felt so bad for him. And when the people at his work liked him more than his own employees, I wanted to hug him.
Poor Michael.

Okay, my biggest thing with the whole episode is the other story. First of all, I loved that Dwight tried to turn his beet farm into a B&B. When I read the summery a week before I got extremely excited. Mose was back! Yess! However, imagine my cruel disappointment when the scenes at the farm were barely part of it. They didn't last long. I expected over half of the episode to take place there. I expected obnoxious lovable Dwight antagonizing his guests with self-declared superiority.
Jim and Pam going there was something else I was excited about when I read the summery. I was thrilled, thinking there would be brilliant pranks played during the course of their stay as well as some truly adorable moments - considering this is the first date-like situation we see them in.
In the end, the scenes at the farm were minimul. Jim and Pam were neither hilarious nor cute (except the Harry Potter moment. Dwight was awesome, they were lovable, and Mose was Mose).

On a small tangent, the Angela+Andy subplot. Still awesome. Stupid, detestable Andy melted my heart again with that cat thing. I'm so glad Angela told him he could ask her out. In the end, she must end up with Dwight, but I want her to date Andy for a little bit.

Poor Kevin. I would have gone to his concert. Why did he leave his band anyway? I sensed bad blood between Scrantonicity one and two.

Okay, back to JimPamDwight. So I do like that Pam really rallies for Dwight. Poor guy. More than I ached for Michael, I hurt for Dwight. Dwight is my favorite character and it feels personal when he's depressed. I love Pam even more now for coming to Dwight's aid, even if he's not entirely aware of it. And one of my favorite scenes in the whole episode was Jim in the stairwell with Dwight. That little speech reminded me of why I love Jim and Dwight so much as a team. I'm sad they didn't write it so Jim stuck around for Dwight's one-armed hug. That was terrible. But they redeemed it with that long-awaited full-on lip-lock that Jim greets Pam with when he returns. Finally they give the viewers what we want. Until now they haven't been publicly demonstrative when it comes to their relationship. The quick kiss in the car in the premier was the closest we've come so far this season to a serious kiss. The peck on the cheek was friggin adorable, but not quite as satisfying as this.
Oh bother. I've gone and let myself get caught up in my whimsy girlish side. Yes, I love that Jim loves italian food and I loved that he said he loved italian food. And no, I don't mean actual italian food.

Anyway, the ending scene was completely and utterly lame. So was the week before. They really have to work on the closers.
Quite honestly, I was expecting some big revelation from Jan when she went after Michael. I mean, don't get me wrong, her little you-are-my-shoulder-to-cry-on confessional was sweet and reminded me that Jan isn't completely nuts, but her constant PMS'ing keeps me suspicious that Jan may be way in over her head. ...If you know what I mean. I expected some sort of confession to that end. But maybe that's a good thing that there wasn't. Maybe it isn't time yet. I still think they could take that plot and run far and long with it, but we'll see.

And if you can't figure out what I mean, I'm sorry. I know I'm being vague. But I don't want to just come out and say it yet. Give it time. It has to do with Jan. And Michael. And no, when I say in over her head I don't mean she wants to break up with him. Stupid as Michael is, I do not believe they will be breaking up any time soon ... if ever. So, sorry, you'll have to keep guessing as to what I was alluding to.

Anyway, I'm tired and donating blood today has made me lethargic. I will probably have more to say about the episode as I watch it over and over again until next week's new one, but until then let this suffice.
Overall initial rating: 7/10. It would have been a 6, except Mose was in there, which automatically raises it a point. ^^