So, Michael's desperate attempts to get Pam and Jim to hang out with him finally work when he leaves no escape from accepting a dinner party invitation to his condo with Jan. (The ruse: an edict from corporate that everyone work overtime on Friday night, until Michael makes a phony phone call demanding they let his people go.) Going to your boss's house for dinner can be tricky terrain for lots of people. But as Jenna Fischer says: "Any time you have to go to dinner at your boss's house it's a little awkward, but it's especially awkward when your boss is Michael Scott. And when his girlfriend is Jan!"
The show took a turn from funny to mean to really sad fast, but not before imparting us yet again with some wonderful workplace wisdom. From the first Season 4 episode, some dinner-party-with-the boss do's and don'ts:
Don’t let your crazy-needy boss back you into a dinner party invitation you can’t get out of.
Do ask what time dinner will be served if backed into said party and especially if Osso Buco is on the menu.
Don’t go into the kitchen alone with the partner/spouse of your boss. (Pam)
Do mess with the minds of your nutty co-workers during simple party parlor games. (Jim)
Don't accept the house tour invitation the minute you walk in the door. Do you really want to see where your boss sleeps?
Do come up with a better excuse than "my landlord called and my apartment flooded" to get out of a dangerously deteriorating dinner party, and don't even think about leaving your girlfriend behind. (Jim)
Do call it a night before the police arrive.
Some favorite lines from the show:
Michael (tasting wine): "...that's sort of an oaky afterbirth."
Jim to Dwight's former babysitter-cum-date: "Could you write down your email because I have sooo many questions?"
Dwight's date: "Email?"
Got any dinner-party-with-the-boss horror stories to tell? Do share.
