After physically reprimanding his nephew Luke in the previous episode, Michael is forced to undergo six hours of counseling with Toby. Angry about the situation, he refuses to take it seriously at first. Toby eventually guides him towards opening up but Michael catches onto being tricked and lashes out.
Elsewhere, Dwight is snubbed by a fancy store manager so the rest of the staff decide to spruce him up so he can get back at them, a la Pretty Woman. Pam schemes to make herself the office administrator when she realizes she’s not cut out for sales.
Tropes
- Batman Gambit: Toby distracts Michael up by entertaining him so that he opens up to him. Michael ends up figuring it out, but relents and accepts Toby's sessions after Gabe sends Michael's botched review.
- Turns out Pam read Gabe accurately when pushing for the job of "Office Administrator".
- Bavarian Fire Drill: Pam, realizing that she's not cut out for sales, claims she's been the (previously non-existent) Office Administrator for months. Gabe tries to meekly get her to admit that she made up the promotion, but she remains assertive and orders Gabe to either call her bluff or give her the job. He gives in.Pam: The first lesson of watching World Poker Tour at 2 AM: you play the opponent, not the cards.
- A Bloody Mess: The reason Dwight was rejected by the store clerk was that his hands and clothes were covered in beet juice, making it seem like he had just committed a murder.
- Dumbass Has a Point: Michael during one conversation with Toby. Also doubles as Comically Missing the Point.Michael: You had me so worked up that I made a mistake.Toby: Unless a part of you made that mistake on purpose.Michael: You don't make a mistake on purpose, Toby. Then it's no longer a mistake.
- Extreme Doormat: Gabe just sighs and gives Pam her office post after failing to get Pam confess.
- Hesitation Equals Dishonesty: Jim's attempt at reassuring Pam.Pam: Tell me everything's going to be okay.Jim: Everything's going to be okay.Pam: Tell me I'm good at sales.Jim: [Beat] You're good— you're good at sales.Pam: *throws her head on the desk*
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome:
- After sitting for a long time refusing to engage with Toby, Michael checks his watch and exclaims that they've burned an hour, to which Toby informs him that Michael has to be actively participating for him to ethically count it as time towards the session.
- Pam rationalizes this herself while talking about her poor sales commissions:
Pam: The unfair thing about working in sales is that your salary is almost all commission. So if you suck at sales, you make almost no money! [Beat] I guess that's fair.- Dwight himself alongside Jim and Andy acknowledge that the mall-owner had a point with them getting scared off by Dwight's beet juice hands.
- Shout-Out: Dwight’s subplot is a big one to Pretty Woman. Also Michael’s sarcastic memory of being probed by ALF.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: Michael softens up towards Toby by the end of the episode and directs his ire for having to complete the session again towards Gabe.
