Dunder Mifflin secretary Erin is Andy's object of affection.
We all knew this was inevitable.
For a company that employs a manager prone to spending his days building tube cities for hamsters, a sales person who races from work to avoid an imaginary murder charge and an accountant who believes the Swedish Chef lived on Sesame Street, bankruptcy was a foregone conclusion.
It’s no surprise that Dunder Mifflin ran out of money while employing these dunderheads. What’s surprising is that it took this long.
“Murder” opens with Dwight demonstrating to coworkers the latest innovations in martial arts. Unable to find a worthy adversary to demonstrate upon, Dwight takes on himself. With an impressive coup de grace below the belt, Dwight defeats Dwight.
Apparently recovered from the low blow to himself, Dwight asks Michael about the e-mail from corporate and Michael scoffs at the thought of his having had time to read it since he gets “like eight e-mails a day.”
The e-mail is from David Wallace, warning employees not to worry about the story in that day’s Journal. After figuring out Wallace is talking about The Wall Street Journal and not Michael’s Feelings Journal – which, thank God, is stored in the time capsule – employees gather around to find out they are all, well, um, screwed.
A nervous Michael repairs to the bathroom where he promptly hurls. A concerned Kevin checks on his boss, who assures him he isn’t vomiting, “Just pooping. You know how I be!”
Worried about the future, Andy decides to, ahem, get off the pot (sorry) when it comes to Erin and allow the “Nard-dog to take matters into his own paws.”
Not able to deal with the crisis, Michael shuts his door and cranks Shawn Mullins’ crappy-but-catchy anthem “Lullaby.” Jim tries to talk some sense into him, but Michael admits he just “needs more Mullins.”
And, really, don’t we all need more Mullins?
While Jim – who admits he only slacks off when things are good – urges coworkers to, you know, do some actual work, Michael turns to a game to distract employees.
Thus, Belles, Bourbon and Bullets begins.
Staff members adopt different Savannah personas – including Michael as handsome playboy Caleb Crawdad and Phyllis as Beatrix Bourbon – as they attempt to solve the murder of Bill Bourbon.
While Pam’s Deborah Utante has an accent that Meredith says is too much like Forrest Gump’s, Andy corrects her by saying it is more Florida Panhandle and that Savannahites talk more like molasses is oozing from their mouths.
Impressed, Kevin asks Andy to do the Swedish Chef. Andy asks what provence he comes from and an indignant Kevin tells him Sesame Street.
Just like Kevin. He finally thinks he knows something someone else doesn’t and he mistakes Sesame Street for The Muppet Show.
Creed shows up late and, after finding out he is a murder suspect, tears out of the parking lot. By the way, doesn’t the rusted-out, early-80s full-size automobile Creed drive fit him perfectly? You knew that he just wasn’t a Prius man.
Emboldened by the game, Andy, playing Nathaniel Nutmeg, asks out Erin, playing Naughty Nellie Nutmeg, and she accepts. But then Nathaniel worries that maybe his sister is just too plain naughty for him.
Shedding their characters, they both get nervous and come to the decision that siblings simply shouldn’t date.
After Oscar delivers more corporate bad news in the MOST ANNOYING SOUTHERN ACCENT IMAGINABLE, Jim finally loses it and confronts Michael on his burying his head in the sand.
David Wallace calls to talk to Michael, but Michael declines. Jim steps in and learns that Dunder Mifflin expects to be insolvent by the end of the year.
Instead of breaking the news to staff, Jim follows Michael’s lead and protects the kids by not telling them the truth. And the game continues.
So what did you think of the episode? How do you think Dunder Mifflin will solve this latest crisis? Will Andy and Erin ever hook up? Better question: Do you think Creed ever will return?
