The Trainer

In this delightful episode, a mystery guest- or is he a ghost? - appears with the main cast, then disappears almost immediately. In the next to last scene, where the crew comes into Dave's office to apologize for teasing him about Canada. As they file in a stranger is standing behind Lisa, next to Joe. The camera switches back to Dave and Catherine. But when camera goes back to the group, no one is standing behind Lisa. Nor is the stranger anywhere to be seen.

This is a departure from the standard format of the show. Never before has there been any aspect of the paranormal presented in the program. The "ghost" could have been an interesting and fun part of this story if only Dave (or Matthew!) had remarked on his presence and disappearance.

Anyway, great job as usual.

Ben Stiller guest stars as a physical fitness trainer (a real used car salesman type) that ensnares Bill in a gym membership - and seeing Stiller play such a sleaze is enough of a win right there.

But I have to confess to being utterly enthralled by the other story line, in which Dave's Canadian origins are found out . . . and he proceeds to take heat from everyone in the office. Canadian jokes are low-hanging fruit, but there's something about seeing the character getting flack that's so tickling. Foley's a Canuck himself, so it feels like he's in on the joke.

It's the little things that make this work. Like this priceless one from Joe: "I can't believe it. All those hours I spent talking hockey with him and he pretended not to be interested!"

8/10