“The Office,” my favorite current TV show, has never been big on faith-focused storylines–except for its hilarious Diwali episode last year–but this year’s season premiere, which I finally caught online last night, was a major excpetion. Religion on “The Office”? Oh, let me count the ways:
5) A new Sikh character, turban and all!
4) A series of “tragedies”–Michael hits Meredith with his car, Angela’s cat dies after she sends Dwight to feed and medicate her–Michael is forced to grapple with the question of divine justice. In the course of about 10 minutes, he’s lost his faith in God entirely and found it again.
3) During Michael’s 10 minutes of unbelief, he gathers the gang in the conference room, and despite Toby’s admonishments that it’s illegal, demands to know everyone’s religion. When Pam and Daryl realize they’re both Presbyterians, excited high-fives are exchanged.
2) Having lost his faith in God, Michael seeks another being to worship, wondering whether an animal sacrifice is warranted or whether they should pledge their faith to some mystical beast with the face of one animal and the body of another.
1) Angela is distraut over her cat’s death, and even more so when she finds out Dwight took it upon himself to put the ailing feline out of her misery. “Cat heaven is a beautiful place,” the earnest Angela states in the funniest line of the night, “but you can’t go there if you’re euthanized.”