[S5E8] Frame Toby

Michael Scott (Steve Carell) learns that Toby Flenderson (Paul Lieberstein) is back as their HR representative and reacts very badly to it. He tries to get CFO David Wallace (Andy Buckley) to get rid of Toby, but David refuses. Michael tries to pretend to be friends with Toby, but finds himself unable to do so. Michael and Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) attempt to set Toby up for sexual harassment by using Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) as bait, but Pam defuses the scheme. Michael tries to provoke Toby into punching him, which proves fruitless. Finally, Michael decides to plant drugs in Toby's desk, and purchases what he believes to be marijuana for $500 from two Vance Refrigeration employees. Dwight calls the police, who arrive shortly afterward. Dwight leads the police to Toby's desk, which the police search. Michael, starting to feel guilty, tries to take the blame, but the police discover that the planted "marijuana" is really a bag of Caprese salad. After the police leave, Toby scolds Michael for wasting the cops' time when they could have been catching real criminals. Michael is disgusted that Toby is more worried about the cops' time than about being framed, and hates Toby more than ever.

[S5E8] Frame Toby

Download Zip

Michael tries to pretend to be friends with Toby, but he finds himself unable to do so. He then schemes with Dwight to frame Toby with a fireable offense. First, he tries to set up Toby up for sexual harassment via Pam, but Pam foils Michael's scheme. He then knocks some pictures out of Toby's hand and tries to goad Toby into hitting him, but Toby says he won't do it. Michael decides that "the ends justify the mean" and buys "two pounds of marijuana" for $500 from Leo and Gino from Vance Refrigeration and hides it in Toby's desk. Dwight then tips the police about possible narcotics in the office. Two policemen arrive and Dwight takes them to Toby's desk. Toby panics and Michael seems to regret his actions as he tries to call them off. The police search Toby's desk and find a bag of Caprese salad in one of the drawers, which the Vance Refrigeration guys had clearly sold to Michael on purpose, knowing he would not know the difference. The policemen leave and Toby berates Michael for calling the cops on him, specifically wasting their time when they could be out catching real criminals. Michael is disgusted that Toby is more worried about the cops' time than about possibly being framed, and begrudgingly accepts that Toby is again a member of the office. Creed clearly shows concern when the cops arrive, stepping forward with hands upraised when they head towards Toby's desk, and then telling the camera crew to pretend they are talking until the cops leave.

Back in the present, Rebecca tells Miguel she and Jack framed that painting to remember the promise. She feels she's letting Jack down by not being with Kate and Kevin. Miguel starts to say something but she interjects. She thanks him for putting up with the complexity of how Jack's death affects him, Rebecca, and their own marriage. (This is a nice nod to Miguel and Rebecca's story but I wonder if this indicates more on Miguel is coming, or if it's the writers' way of addressing that plot without further exploration).

38c6e68cf9