When a main character in a sitcom goes into labor, the show either becomes a classic or has a Jump-the-Shark moment from which it can never recover.
Tonight’s “long-awaited!” episode of “The Office” called “The Delivery” not only jumps the shark, it drowns the poor thing.
Unlike, say, the episode of “Friends” in which Phoebe delivered triplets while the obstetrician on duty channeled Fonzie or the classic “I Love Lucy” episode when Ricky showed up in the hospital in full Voodoo makeup, this baby show left me pumping caffeine into my veins to stay awake.
In fact, it’s as bad as the “Mad About You” baby episode that made the rest of us not mad about them any longer.
Anyway, tonight’s episode begins with Pam’s labor pains at the office. A standard, slapstick car ride ensues.
The delivery of Pam and Jim’s new baby should be classic sitcom stuff, but isn’t.
Why? Because “The Office” revels in its own droll, wink-wink-aren’t-we-smarter-than- everyone-else smugness, that’s why.
This time, the running gag is that since the firm’s HMO will only pay for two days in the hospital, Pam is forced to wait out her labor pains in the office.
The writers might have felt compelled to throw in Hollywood’s latest opinions on the health care crisis, but we don’t need to hear it. (We already sat through the health care summit. That was depressing enough.)
I mean, are they kidding? What’s funny about a young couple trying to keep a baby from being born until after midnight because they can’t afford an extra day in the hospital? Nothing.
There are, however, a few laughs when Michael tries to fix Kevin up with Erin. But then it all becomes morose again when the gang at the office devises ways to keep the baby from coming.
Michael reads off a list of ways to stimulate labor and suggests they all do the opposite — such as not stimulating her nipples!
When someone notices that her shirt is touching her nipples, Dwight suggests cutting holes in her shirt so the nipples can pop free. Yuck.
Hey! You guys owe us one. This one doesn’t deliver.