In the words of Michael Scott: “Abraham Lincoln once said that, ‘If you are racist I will attack you with the North.’ Those are the principles that I carry with me in the workplace.”

Warning: Article contains spoilers.

Maybe it’s my political geekiness, or Andy’s reference to two prominent political figures, or that Wednesday’s back and forth between Obama and Romney was still fresh in my mind, but this past episode of The Office seemed a lot like a presidential debate.

Not the format. There was no Romney and no Obama. No silent Jim Lehrer (thank goodness). No Big Bird references or obscure statistics.

The issues were all the same, though. The Office talked race, women, wealth and the American Dream in a heavily politicized episode – with refreshing new jokes and plotlines.

Issue one: Race

The episode kicked off with a cold open where an Asian man pretended to be Jim, to the irritation of Dwight, who insisted that the real Jim was white.

“You seriously never noticed?” Asian Jim asks. “Hey, hats off to you for not seeing race.”

It’s a statement that presages the rest of the episode, as Nellie – in a prank that seems like one a season two Jim Halpert would play – convinces Andy that he is related to Michelle Obama. (Erin, who becomes intimidated by the prospect of seeing the first lady at holidays with Andy’s family, worries she won’t have an answer when Obama asks, “What is your stance on politics, or what is the best war to do?”)

Everyone in the office jumps to the real conclusion of Andy’s ancestry before he does: The Bernards must have owned slaves. Andy’s phone call to his mom convinces him that it’s true, in front of a crowd of his employees.

Yikes.

Andy’s rebuttal

When Oscar says that Andy is the only one in the office who is still benefitting from his ancestors’ social status, Andy shoots back, “I’m not going to apologize for my family’s wealth!”

Ah NBC, there you go – characterizing your indecisive, insensitive and quick-tempered manager as the Republican contender for the presidency. You also dangle the popularity of Michelle Obama just over Andy’s head; you make him feel attached to that popularity, only for viewers to understand that it’s really his fake fortune.

Oh, how political the mockumentary has become.

Issue two: The war on women – or rather, girl power

The main plotline concerning Andy’s family tree was fresh and interesting to watch, and it proved Nellie is emerging as a hilarious hit character. It’s refreshing for a television show that has for years been dominated by males (save Pam and Jan).

She’s got the girl-power going on but The Office can’t resist making her a horrible driver as she practices with Pam for her driver’s test. The two hit it off pretty well, which could make for a funny friendship to see play out.

Issue three: The American dream

Jim hates his job. Darryl hates his job. Jim is developing new sports marketing job that he doesn’t tell Pam about it, but dodges her to sneakily plan for it. She suspects something’s up and confides in Nellie, who automatically thinks Jim’s cheating. Jim invites Darryl to work at his new business and then, finally, Jim tells Pam, who’s upset that he didn’t tell her earlier.

There’s your romantic conflict in a quick paragraph. The more important point here is that the American dream of working the best job in the world with the best family – namely, happiness – is finally coming together. But though Pam put on a good face for Jim, her internal discontent could signal some potential problems on the horizon.

Closing statements

It was a pleasing episode that connected well to the political environment in the last few weeks before the presidential election. It was full of subjects The Office has touched only briefly before, such as girl power, ancestry and social classes and it had some fresh jokes, too.

But it makes me wonder. It’s a plotline so focused on Andy’s denial and insensitivity to the issue of race and the wealth that comes with slavery that it makes me wonder – is The Office trying to make Andy Bernard the new Michael Scott? After all, the show has a humor that thrives in satirizing the managerial position. James Spader’s character was much too wonky to pull off the spazzy boss type that Steve Carell played. The characters of Andy and Michael have some of the same insecurities and consequent need to be liked. Though Andy is nowhere near as offensive as Michael could be, he’s not world’s best boss, either. The show could be recycling a favorite character.

Tidbits:

-Best Jim Face: Andy interrupts Jim, shushing him by saying, “Right now, I need Canned Tuna,” referencing Andy’s old nickname for Jim, “Big Tuna.” The deadpan camera stare after that line emphasized Jim’s built-up weariness about Dunder-Mifflin.

-Best Dwight Line: “French, it’s a great language – if you’re a chain-smoking acrobat.” He says it to convince Erin to learn Dothraki, the language spoken in HBO’s Game of Thrones, to impress Andy’s family. It may be worth the watch to see Erin grunting like a barbarian.

-Throwback:

Remember Season three’s premiere, “Gay Witch Hunt”? It’s one of the most political episodes of The Office (besides this one) that I can remember. Michael, in one of the show’s most memorable scenes, tries to convince Oscar not to quit. This happens, of course, after Michael outs Oscar. Michael hugs Oscar and kisses him on the lips in a hugely uncomfortable moment that is classic Office. There are rumors out there that Steve Carell’s kiss was not scripted and that he threw it into the scene.

raghavendran@umdbk.com