The Office Review: "The Cover-Up"

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In some respects, "The Cover-Up" was a set-up episode for the rest of The Office's sixth season and possibly beyond, with both of last night's stories just getting started.

Michael's relationship with Donna is going well ... a little too well. Cue the obligatory Michael Scott over-sharing about boning and such. Then cue P.I.s Kelly and Dwight.

After Kelly opines that it sounds like Donna doesn't want to be seen with Michael in public, he immediately buys it, and enlists Dwight to uncover what Donna's hiding.

It's hard to say what's funnier, Michael being so impressionable that he believed it, that it was actually true, that Ryan uses the same techniques on Kelly, or ... Dwight.

Seduce her, have sex with her and then tell Michael about it. That was his grand idea. Predictably, it failed badly, but Rainn Wilson absolutely kills with this kind of stuff.

That would have carried the night on its own, which made the twist that much more effective - Pam learns, via Facebook, that Donna is married. Michael is a mistress!

Well done, and setting up a terrifically awkward Michael story this May.

Dwight the P.I.

Any episode where Dwight (Rainn Wilson) goes sleuthing is comedic gold.

The side story last night involved Andy and a Sabre printer. When a customer complains that one caught fire, a vengeful Darryl decides to punk the preppy, pretentious Bernard.

Hilariously, he gets Andy thinking there's a cover-up and he'll be a target if he speaks out. He gets Andy typically worked up to the point that he takes things into his own hands.

Conducting his own printer experiment with Darryl taping it - Gabe and Creed were also great in this plot - does in fact lead to the thing catching fire. Darryl's reaction? Priceless.

It'll be interesting to see how Dunder Mifflin Sabre responds to this development as well, assuming it's continued in the coming weeks. Will they have a lawsuit on their hands?

Thoughts and observations:

  • There's nothing quite like the weekly Creed quote/scene, and this was career top five: His throat-slash gesture to Andy as part of Darryl's prank had us in tears. Then saying how "Darnell" paid him $3 and "I've done a lot more for a lot less" ... more tears.
  • We love the complexity of Pam's relationship with Michael, something that could only be cultivated by working with that oddball for years and years. She seems genuinely caring and protective of the guy, despite what an exasperating one he is.
  • The fact that Donna was outed by her own Facebook pictures was so true to life. People who voluntarily give away personal secrets are second only to people who post photos of what they ate for dinner on the Grade A Moron scale.

Follow the jump for The Office quotes from "The Cover-Up" ...

Pam: [on CeCe] Aww. She's never gonna do anything wrong. | permalink
Jim: Sorry ... you like heart-shaped jewelry, right?
Pam: No ...except for the pendant you got me, I love that. | permalink
Creed: I've done a lot more for a lot less. | permalink
Darryl: I don't want to prank any more. Things get real. | permalink
Gabe: I'll call HQ - yeah, I guess that's what I'll do today. | permalink
Michael: I'm the mistress? | permalink

The Cover-Up Review

Editor Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.9 / 5.0 (9 Votes)

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.

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The Office Season 6 Episode 24 Quotes

I'll call HQ - yeah, I guess that's what I'll do today.

Gabe

I'm the mistress?

Michael