For much of ''Local Ad,'' Dwight seemed to backslide in his progress toward getting over Angela. Early on, we learned he has a Second Life avatar online who looks exactly like him — which is not normally the point of joining SL. (''I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then, my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one.'') At this point, he was clearly in SL for an escape. Well, who wouldn't need a haven from the torture of neck-and-tell Andy gossiping about getting to first base with Angela? Then we got a smidge of confirmation that Angela isn't over Dwight: Andy said she closed her eyes and moaned, ''Oh, D,'' when he kissed her. Dwight became elated, but didn't indicate why, and didn't correct his oblivious rival's belief that ''D'' was a nickname derived from ''Andy.'' I wonder: Will one knight duel the other over the fair maiden? We can only hope!

Dwight's affinity for Second Life would've caused nothing but mischief in seasons past, but other than Jim's response to Dwight's assertion that SL ''has no winners or losers'' (''Oh, it has losers''), he and Pam went easy on him. Pity for heartbroken Dwight is apropos, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss arrogant, prank-inspiring Dwight. And what's this? There's another Dunder Mifflin geek with an SL avatar? Pam's amusement over Jim's guitar-toting alter ego was awkward in the best way. Sheepish Jim is cute Jim. Meanwhile, the height of comedic cuteness was Pam's ''beep-boop-beep-beep'' reply after Michael said, ''Please clear my phone lines.''

Corporate eventually nixed Michael's ad, yet the episode had a very uplifting ending. At the staff viewing party for the bland corporate ad, Jim introduced ''the Michael Scott director's cut.'' I totally enjoyed the corny, low-budget production (and good for Michael, sharing screen time with others, especially that orange-clad good sport Stanley.) Pam's all-nighter animation was the perfect finale to a collaboration that was, ultimately, a true Michael Scott baby — often hackneyed and desperate for approval, but full of heart.

What did you think? Was Darryl's song as bad as Michael said it was? Do you plan to go look up the profile for Dwight Schrute's avatar (I hear it's funny) in Second Life? And is Angela just rebounding with Andy?

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