More tomorrow. XOXO, Michael.

The Office – The Deposition
Corporate and legal complications hound Michael when Jan sues Dunder Mifflin and he’s summoned as a witness. Meanwhile, Darryl and Jim face off in table tennis, with Kelly talking trash. Photo © Byron Cohen/NBC.

The Office goes out with a bang. Sigh.

When Jan sues Dunder Mifflin for firing her, Michael is called to testify at her deposition and finds himself torn between two lovers -- his girlfriend and his company. While Jan and Michael drive to the deposition, we are treated to a lovely little scene in which Michael memorizes what Jan has told him to say during the proceedings ("Disrespect: My friend Disray got new specs. Disrayspect.") He starts off quite well, leading to a talking head interview where Jan admits that Michael is actually good at some things. However, things go downhill from there, turning Jan and Michael against each other.

Or that's what you'd think. Although some terrible things do come out (Jan has stolen Michael's diary to use as evidence, and gave Michael terrible performance reviews during her time as his boss), I really get the impression that truly Jan loves Michael. I was terribly glad that they didn't get into a fight at the end. They were both quiet and a little sullen, but there was no big blow-up. Their relationship may be fucked up, but in many ways they are perfect together. The moment in the cafeteria when Jan says I love you to Michael was very sweet -- and, if I remember correctly, the first time we've heard her say that.

Another sweet cafeteria moment was the interaction between Toby and Michael ... right up to the point that Michael pushed Toby's tray onto the floor. I thought the two would bond, even if later Michael would pretend it never happened. But no! I love the fact that there is absolutely no reason for Michael to hate Toby. He just does, no explanation needed.

Back at the office, Darryl and Jim are embroiled in a hardcore ping-pong match ... hardcore for Kelly and Pam, that is. Kelly continually harasses Pam with "smack talk" -- not "trash talk," which is hypothetical ("Your mama's so fat she could eat the internet"), but "smack talk," which is real ("You’re ugly and I know it for a fact cause I've got the evidence right here").

Pam, sick of being smack talked (“Were Jim’s parents first cousins that were also bad at ping pong?”), turns the meeting room table into a ping-pong table so that Jim can practice, and we learn that Dwight is a ping-pong prodigy. Jim improves, but when he and Darryl face off again Pam gets fed up and challenges Kelly to a game. They are both terrible. The end.