Jan arrives in Scranton with a surprise for Michael. Michael, Jim, and Karen interview for the job at corporate, and Michael decides on his replacement. Wallace lets it slip that it's Jan's job, and she's fired, leading to a very public, very embarrassing meltdown. Jim makes a decision.
Air date: May 17, 2007
Tropes
- Betty and Veronica: Pam and Karen to Jim, although Karen states that Pam is a bitch.
- Blatant Lies:
- Pam is totally fine with Jim getting the job in New York, moving away, and her potentially never seeing him again. Really. Totally fine with that.
- After Jan's huge meltdown, Michael sheepishly claims he didn't tell her about the job.
- David tells Michael he won't be getting the job. Michael then claims he wouldn't have taken the job anyway, due to it being Jan's, out of respect for her. This is after Michael had asked David (after Jan was escorted out) when he would be informed about their decision.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: A pretty poignant one: while Pam is giving her talking head confessional about being okay with the fact that Jim is leaving, Jim unintentionally interrupts it by entering the room to ask her out.
- Call-Back:
- Pam sends Jim his medal from "Office Olympics."
- Michael mentions in "Women's Appreciation" that Jan is flat-chested and insecure about her body.
- Cannot Keep a Secret: David tells Michael that the job he's applying for is actually Jan's job because she's going to be let go. It's rather obvious that she hasn't been told yet. Naturally, Michael tells her shortly afterwards.
- Cannot Spit It Out: Pam is proud she was able to confront her feelings for Jim.And it only took me three years.
- Cardboard Box of Unemployment: Jan carries one out as she leaves Corporate.
- Comically Missing the Point: Angela.No, Dwight, I don't care if that's how they consolidated power in ancient Rome.
- Defcon 5: Michael calls a meeting of the office women when Jan shows up, calling it "Defcon Ten." When Jan says she wants to get back together, he upgrades to "Defcon Twenty."
- Double-Meaning Title: The job refers to the position in corporate Michael, Jim, and Karen are all applying for as well Jan's boob job. Even better when it's revealed the corporate position belongs to Jan.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: Jim gets his hair cut, to avoid looking "homeless."
- Five-Second Foreshadowing:
- Right before Jim comes into the conference room to ask Pam out for dinner, we see him driving him back from New York... alone, making it clear who he's chosen.
- Also, this exchange towards the end of the episode:
Michael: Ryan, coffee.
Ryan: I don't do that stuff anymore. - I Have Boobs, You Must Obey!: Jan gets implants and is more than happy to use them against Michael to change his mind about getting back together with her.
- Inadvertent Entrance Cue: A low-key example, but Pam's final talking head on the subject is focussed on the possibility of Jim moving away and the inevitability that they were meant to be apart:Pam: And if he never comes back again... that's okay. We're friends, and I'm sure we'll stay friends. We just... we never got the timing right. You know? I shot him down, and then he did the same to me... but you know what? It's okay. I'm totally fine. Everything is gonna be totally--
[Jim suddenly opens the conference room door]
Jim: Pam. Sorry... Um, are you free for dinner tonight?
Pam: [Utterly stunned] ... Yes.
Jim: Great. Then it's a date.
[Jim leaves again; Pam turns back to the camera, beaming and teary-eyed]
Pam: ... I'm sorry, what was the question? - I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: While she would prefer that Jim stay in Scranton in hopes of a relationship being in the cards for them, Pam genuinely hopes that Jim gets the job in New York as she feels he is qualified and would enjoy the position more than being in sales.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: During Michael's interview, David lets him in on the fact that he's actually applying to be Jan's replacement. Being the great secret keeper that he is, Michael almost immediately tells Jan this and she ends up making a huge scene in the office as a result, having to be escorted out by security. David then makes it clear to Michael that this just cost him his chance at the job. That said, a later episode will make it clear that Michael wasn't under serious consideration for the job to begin with, so David is likely just speaking out of frustration / latching on to a convenient excuse.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: David lists all the reasons why Jan is being let go, citing her increasingly erratic behavior as the prime reason.David: Recently, you don't even show an interest in your work! You smoke constantly in your office. You spend most of the day online shopping. You disappear for hours at a time, sometimes days. Always saying you're visiting your sister in Scottsdale. You go to Scranton far more often than you need to... The time has come for you to end your professional relationship with this company. You are clearly unstable.
- The Scapegoat: Subverted. Dwight tries to blame Andy for all the bad decisions that went on when Michael was gone, but Michael just says Dwight shouldn't have listened to him. That's bad leadership.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: Michael didn't get both of Jan's messages.
- Take Our Word for It: Creed's thoughts.
- Tears of Joy: Pam has the beginnings of them when Jim returns and asks her out.
- Tempting Fate: A rare positive example — Pam's talking head focuses on the near-inevitability that Jim will get the New York job, move away, and they won't ever be in a relationship... just in time for Jim to briefly interrupt and ask her out on a date.
- Twist Ending: Ryan ends up getting the job.
- Wham Episode: Jim leaves Karen in New York, drives back to Scranton, and asks Pam out.
- Wham Line:
- "I thought it was clear in the job description. The job you're applying for... is Jan's job."
- Ryan dumping Kelly after accepting the corporate job at the end of the episode. Simply saying "You and I are done." without even looking at her, followed by a Big "WHAT?!" from Kelly. Cut to credits.
- "It's a date."
- Wham Shot: Jim entering the room, interrupting Pam's talking head confessional.
