Halloween has always brought humor to “The Office,” and Thursday’s “Costume Party” episode proved to be a fine addition to that archive of special editions. The well-reviewed episode represents an early bright spot in what many critics and fans have deemed an uneven first season.
Set against the backdrop of a costume contest (NBC is allowing fans to vote on the top five “Office” costumes of all time), the episode afforded the characters ample opportunity to banter and showcase their quirky personalities. Storyline-wise, it also provided yet another tease regarding Michael Scott’s impending replacement.
With Steve Carell set to leave the show at the end of the current season, emphasis throughout the season will be placed on identifying the future regional manager. While writers have yet to confirm whether that replacement will ultimately be a current cast member or an outside actor recruited to carry the show next season, it has been made very clear that they will spend showcasing potential replacements from within the existing crop of characters.
This week, it was Darryl Philbin’s moment in the spotlight. Promoted to a desk role last year, the Craig Robinson-portrayed character has consistently demonstrated his savvy, both in the workplace and, in Michael Scott’s eyes, in life, and the character would certainly make for a compelling office lead.
Through a storyline in which Darryl went over Michael’s head to share a brilliant sales idea (allowing the delivery workers to sell additional products on site) with Gabe and the rest of Sabre’s corporate team, Darryl highlighted the inner-ambition that is sometimes masked by his carefree, complacent attitude. While Darryl has never shied away from making Michael look foolish, he, like Jim, not only possesses some compassion for Michael but also manages to occasionally find himself on the same wavelength as the cartoonish boss.
For all of Michael’s shortcomings, he is capable of displaying a keen business sense, and an ideal boss would mix Michael’s understanding of the office supply business with a better cocktail of self-awareness and self-restraint. Darryl, perhaps better than any other in “The Office,” fits the bill.
The tease was completed in a late scene with Darryl and Ed Helms’ Andy, who has also emerged as one of the stand-out characters this season. Following a pep talk from Andy, Darryl admitted that he has big plans for himself within the company and actually skipped a Halloween party to get work done.
Though the fit is interesting from a character standpoint, it is unclear whether Darryl has the presence needed to carry the show in that lead role. Craig Robinson plays the character very straight and low-key; his best scenes require an over-the-top counterpart, in the spirit of a Steve Carell or Ed Helms. While the character might deserve a place on Sabre’s shortlist, does NBC really want to put the weight of its flagship comedy on the shoulders of Craig Robinson and his low-key, albeit effective, character?
Of course, in terms of a potential Carell replacement, the only current cast member who could conceivably step into that role is pitch-perfect Helms, and though his Andy Bernard character has become an even bigger part of the show this season, the mediocre salesman would not justifiably make a strong contender to run the branch.
