Casino Night

Talk to me, Tivo: Employees take some big gambles when they host a charity casino night in their warehouse.
Jaminess: 3 [3=Casino Night]

Jam Cam: Do I even need to do recap this? Haven’t we all watched the most important parts of this episode at least 100 times each? I know it’s not just me.

Ok, let’s just get started anyway. It’s casino night at the office and Dwight shows up in a tux he somehow got off his dead grandfather. Jim asks how long the wait is for a table for two, implying that Pam would be his number two. Dwight doesn’t think he’s ever going to serve Jim like that. That being said, he seems to be really interested in Jim when Jim tells him he has the ability to do Jedi Mind Tricks. Dwight doesn’t believe it, but whoa, it’s true! Jim moved the coat rack! Well, it was Pam with an umbrella, but don’t tell Dwight.

Michael explains the whole casino night concept as a way to raise money for the local Boy Scouts with the highest winner of the night also getting money donated to a charity on their behalf. Michael decides to donate to the Afghanistanis…Afghanis…Afghanistananis with AIDS. Whatever.

Because she barely has time to do wedding planning, Pam meanwhile gets stuck looking over wedding band videos at work. Jim seems a little too eager to help out especially considering these bands have dreams when he doesn’t. Well, he seems to have one dream and it seems that dream is to get out of Scranton since he went and talked to Jan about a transfer. He doesn’t think he has a future there, but we all know it’s more about his lack of a future with Pam. Pam starts screening all her band videos with Jim when she comes across Scrantonicity, which — oh my God! — features Kevin on drums. Nice. Jim finds it quite amusing and almost signs the band on the spot if it wasn’t for Pam physically holding him back. Pam thinks Jim is great at helping her with this wedding stuff. Too bad it’s breaking Jim’s heart at the same time.

The night rolls around and Pam is looking fine in a blue dress and playing fine at the roulette table…with Roy. Argh! Why is he here? Can’t he leave early or something? On the other side of the room, Sweater Boy Jim is wearing his cute pullover with a button down shirt underneath and probably thinking the same thing we are. How can Pam think his sweater and shirt ensemble is less hot that whatever the hell Roy is wearing?

Jim hits the poker table and keeps winning whenever he coughs because Dwight thinks it’s a tell. At least Jim is collecting more chips he’ll have to use later like, for example, when he’s up against Pam in poker. Pam smirks just a cute little bit and Jim asks her what that was, imitating the cute look. She has good cards so she takes him all in. Wow. Jim is putting everything on the line with this one because he thinks she’s bluffing. She must be bluffing, right? Turns out she has a straight, which beats Jim’s three 9’s. Jim’s hand was called, it was beat, and he’s out of the game. Let’s hope that doesn’t last too long.

All this sexual tension seems to be wearing on Jim tonight and he heads outside to get some fresh air where he runs into a smoking Jan. She’s having a bad time, she drove two-and-a-half hours to be there, and she feels underdressed so Jim compliments her. He’s not even pining after her and he compliments her. What a gentleman. “Why did I hook up with Michael?” Dude, Jim is not good in the relationship department so I wouldn’t ask him something like that. Better to just deflect the whole situation by asking Jim if he has given any more thought to the transfer situation. He has, but he hasn’t told anyone. He especially hasn’t told Pam.

Pam, in the meantime, is being left behind by Roy, who is tired and wants to go home. Pam is too busy winning, so she says goodbye as Roy sees Jim walking over and asks him to keep an eye on his fiancee. As Roy drives away, Pam asks Jim if he wants to go back in so she can take more of his money. She’s feeling pretty lucky tonight.

Jim’s a little on edge though and needs to talk to Pam about this whole Stamford this. “I was just…um…” Spit it out already, Jim. You were just talking to Jan about leaving Scranton. “I’m in love with you.” What? Uh…that has nothing to do with a transfer. Did you say that out loud, Jim? Pam asks him what he’s doing. He’s telling you he loves you, Pam! Jim loves you! He needed Pam to hear that from him and he needed to say that to her at least once. Pam, on the other hand, looks shell-shocked. She…um…can’t? Or at least she thinks she can’t based on that question mark at the end of her sentence. Oh God, this is so heartbreaking. Pam tries to dodge all of this by telling Jim how important his friendship is to her. He doesn’t want to be friends, Pam. He wants to be more than that. Jim’s eyes start to get teary. Pam hesitates again and apologizes for his misinterpretation of things. Jim lets her off the hook, telling her it’s not her fault and he was the one who got the wrong message. He’s also the one who just left his freaking heart in the middle of the damn parking lot and walked away from it as one single tear rolls down his face. Pam looks down at her engagement ring. The rest of us can’t speak. Jim, we’re so sorry. This is not fair. This is not fair to Jim, who loves Pam desperately. This is not fair to Pam, who is torn between her comfort zone or actually taking a chance. This is not fair to the rest of us who are now going to have to wait all summer for what happens next. What an endi…

Oh my God! It’s not over. How can this episode not be over? Pam is on the phone with her mom — Jim’s phone! The good news is it’s dark and the camera guy is getting all of this from the kitchen so Pam can’t see him. The bad news is that we can only hear Pam’s half of the conversation. ” About ten minutes ago�No, I didn’t know what to say�Yes, I know�” Know what?!?! ” I don’t know, Mom, he’s my best friend�” But is he more than that? Say he’s more than that! ” Yeah, he’s great�Yeah, I think I am…” You’re wha…OH MY GOD! That is Jim walking in right now. That’s our Jim looking determined and focused, just going on impulse without even thinking about his feet hitting the floor as he walks closer to her. Pam quickly hangs up, turns to him and says “Listen, Jim…” OH MY GOD! HE KISSED HER! There is a God in this office tonight! And then OH MY GOD! She is kissing him back, running her fingers through his hair, putting her hand on his chest. They pull away, look at each other, and…..

NOOOOOOOOO! This is not fair! This is the end of the season? I have to wait four months to find out what happens? Office people, I hate you. Ok, I really love you. Please come back! I didn’t mean it. Please keep writing — I need to know what happens.

The Others: Michael is a great philanderer and decides to have a casino night in the warehouse to raise money for local charities. He specifically wants to give money to someone in Afghanistan…I think. That gets a bit confusing. What Michael doesn’t bet on is the fact that he’s going to have two dates tonight. Yes, that’s right. Two. First, Carol the cute real estate lady shows up followed by Jan from corporate. Awkward. As Michael is trying to juggle two women, Dwight is trying to juggle just his one. He wins at craps and kisses Angela. Angela gives him a smack — and then smiles as she walks away? Kinky. Oh, and Creed steals stuff. In fact, he steals so much stuff that he gets his first refrigerator. Nice job, kleptomaniac.

What have we learned today, kids: Call her bluff! Sometimes you’ll lose [three 9’s won’t beat a straight], sometimes you’ll win [maybe], but you’ll never know unless you take a gamble.

– written by Jenny

Quotes

Jim: Excuse me. How long is the wait for a table for two?
Dwight: I would never ever serve you, not in a million, billion years.
Pam: It’s a nice tux.
Dwight: I know. It belonged to my grandfather. He was buried in it so…family heirloom.

Roy: So what’s the deal? We’ve got to pay for our own drinks? That’s lame.
Pam: Come on, it’ll be fun — and besides, I’m a roulette expert.
Dwight: Impossible. Roulette is not a game of skill. It is a game of chance.
Jim: I can always kind of win at roulette.
Dwight: Oh, really?
Jim: Yeah.
Dwight: How would you do that?
Jim: Mind control.
Dwight: You can’t be serious�are you serious?
Jim: Ever since I as a little kid, like eight or nine, I could sort of control things with my mind.
Dwight: I don’t believe you. Continue.
Jim: It was just little things, you know, like I could make something shake or I could make a marble fall off the counter. You know, just little things.
Dwight: Heh! That’s ridiculous. You know what? Uh…why don’t you move that coat rack? Excuse me, everyone! Attention in the office, please! Jim is about to prove his telekinetic powers. And he needs absolute silence. Go ahead.
Jim: Ok, I’ll try.
[Jim starts to concentrate and the coat rack moves] [In a talking head, Pam pulls out an umbrella with a handle] Dwight: Oh my God.

Jim: What are you doing?
Pam: Oh, nothing.
Jim: [reads name on videotape in box] Till Death Do Us Rock.
Pam: They’re wedding bands.
Jim: Oh.
Pam: Roy was supposed to pick the band, be he’s concentrating more on the bachelor party now.
Jim: Wait, wait, where are you going? I mean, even if you don’t hire a band, you still have to watch the bands. Pam, these are people who have never given up on their dreams. I have great respect for that and yes, they’re all probably very bad and that’ll make me feel better about not having dreams.
Pam: There’s a KISS cover band in here.
Jim: Let’s do it.

Pam: I’m pretty happy these days. I’m getting married soon, and I’m getting along with everybody at work.

Jim: Why did I talk to Jan about transferring? Well, you know, I have no future here.

Jim: Wow, I don’t know how you’re going to decide. They are all extremely good.
Pam: I think I should hire them all. Do like Lollapalooza.
Jim: Yes.
Pam: Have three stages. Yeah.
Jim: Your mom would love that. She would. Now this band is called Scrantonicity.
Pam: Ok.
Jim: Let’s take a look. Nice.
Pam: Oh, wait! That’s Kevin. On the drums.
Jim: What?
Pam: On the drums! On the drums!
Jim: Oh my God! That’s Kevin. Great song, Kev. Oh my God. He’s the drummer and the singer.

Kevin: We really don’t do a lot of weddings. We actually don’t play in public very often. We’re all really hoping that Pam’s wedding works out. This could be a turning point for the band.

Jim: Wow. Oh!
[80’s video effects kick in] Pam: Oh my!
Jim: Yeah, you haven’t seen that since 1983. That is amazing. Ok, we have to sign him. I’m going to call the label —
Pam: No, no, no! Come back.
Jim: Hey, you’re going to lose him to another wedding.
Pam: No, no, no!
Jim: Kev!

Pam: Jim is great. Being with him just takes away all the stress of planning my wedding.

Jim: Yeah, right.
Pam: “Yeah, right,” what?
Jim: What was this? [does imitation of Pam rolling her eyes] Pam: I have good cards.
Jim: Really?
Pam: And I’m going to take you all in.
Jim: Wow, I think you’re bluffing.
Kevin: Yeah, I think she’s full of it.
Pam: Sorry. Straight.
Jim: Aw. Three nines.
Kevin: Jim Halpert, ladies and gentlemen.
Jim: Thank you very much. It was fun.

Jan: Smoke?
Jim: No, thanks. You having fun?
Jan: Fabulous time. I drove two and a half hours to get here —
Jim: Yeah, we all really —
Jan: Left work early, drove down here and I — I am completely underdressed.
Jim: I think you look great.
Jan: Why did I hook up with Michael?
Jim: Yeah, why did you?
Jan: It was very late, Jim. Very very late and�have you given any more thought to the transfer?
Jim: Oh yeah.
Jan: Good. Have you told anyone?
Jim: No.
Jan: Well, you should.

Roy: Sorry babe, I am just beat.
Pam: It’s okay. I’ll see you at home.
Roy: Ok. Hey, don’t try to lose too much money, alright?
Pam: Ok.
Roy: In case you still want a honeymoon. [to Jim] Hey, Halpert! Keep an eye on her, alright?
Jim: Ok, will do.
Roy: See you.
Pam: Bye.
[Roy leaves] Pam: Hey.
Jim: Hey, how’s it going?
Pam: Good, especially after I took all your money in poker.
Jim: Yeah. Uh…hey, can I talk to you about something?
Pam: About when you want to give me more of your money?
Jim: No, I wa —
Pam: Did you want to do that now?
Jim: Well —
Pam: We can go inside. I’m feeling kinda good tonight.
Jim: I was just…um…I’m in love with you.
Pam: What?
Jim: I’m really sorry if that’s weird for you to hear, but I needed you to hear it. Probably not good timing. I know that, I just —
Pam: What are you doing? What do you expect me to say to that?
Jim: I just needed you to know…once.
Pam: Well, I, um — I — I can’t?
Jim: Yeah.
Pam: You have no idea —
Jim: Don’t do that.
Pam: — what your friendship means to me.
Jim: Come on. I don’t want to do that. I want to be more than that.
Pam: I can’t. I’m really sorry if you misinterpreted things. It’s probably my fault.
Jim: Not your fault. I’m sorry if I misinterpreted�our friendship.

Pam [on the phone]: About ten minutes ago…No, I didn’t know what to say…Yes, I know…I don’t know, Mom, he’s my best friend…Yeah, he’s great…Yeah, I think I am.
[Jim walks in] Pam: Um, I have to go…I will. [hangs up phone] Listen, Jim–
[Jim kisses Pam, she kisses back and puts her hands in his hair and then on his chest, and they pull away from each other]