The Crazy Ones exists in a world where bigger is always better. You don’t think a baby doll saying “kill mommy” is funny? Well how about if Robin Williams rips off the doll’s head as it bellows “I’LL SEE YOU IN HELL!” Funny right? It’s this type of misguided direction into gigantic stunts and away from interesting character moments that makes The Crazy Ones fail, as we see both ends of the spectrum in “Outbreak.”
In “Outbreak,” Sydney has a date with Kyle, a doctor and all-around fantastic guy, as we hear from Sydney and Lauren’s spouting off of facts about him. In fact, after the rapid-fire frenzy of information, we actually know more about Kyle than most of the major characters with whom we’ve spent a dozen episodes. While Sydney is getting excited about her date, the ad agency has to deal with the backlash from the “kill mommy” incident. Even worse, Simon’s top guy, Zach, is getting sick, so Sydney puts him and anyone else who might be sick into quarantine.
It seems like the entire office ends up being quarantined by the end of the episode, but really, when have any of them ever mattered? With the date with Kyle looming, Andrew decides he needs to make his feelings for Sydney known once again. She admits that yes, she does have feelings, but she doesn’t want to lose Andrew as a friend if things go bad. It’s all typical “will-they-won’t they” sitcom behavior, and Andrew sacrifices himself to the almost zombie-like sick people as an act of friendship and to ensure Sydney’s date with Kyle goes through.