Office Ladies: "A Look Back on An Interview with Bryan Cranston"

Date: November 26, 2025 | Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey | Guest: Bryan Cranston
A deep-dive into the making of “Work Bus” (aka “Death Bus”), The Office’s infamous on-the-road episode directed by Bryan Cranston.

Episode Overview

This episode of Office Ladies features a special guest: Bryan Cranston, the director of the notorious season 9 episode "Work Bus"—affectionately (or infamously) nicknamed “Death Bus” by the cast. Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey revisit their harrowing and hilarious behind-the-scenes experiences filming inside a moving bus in triple-digit heat, explore the chaos and camaraderie of the shoot, and dig into Cranston’s career, his approach to TV directing, and his “life after art” philosophy.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. How Bryan Cranston Became “Work Bus” Director

• [11:10] The Unexpected Call: Cranston’s friend, Tracy Katzke, recruited him for The Office after his work on Breaking Bad. He didn’t know he’d land that episode:

  “You have no idea when you sign onto a show or what your episode is going to be … and it just so happened that ‘Work Bus’ came onto my lap.” —Bryan Cranston ([12:31])

2. The Hazards and Madness of “Death Bus”

• [13:57] Extreme Heat: August in the San Fernando Valley reached 100+°F; the bus was even hotter (“like a little sauna rolling down the road” — Angela, [23:33]).
• [16:37] Physical Comedy Gets Real:
  • The cast first “faked” swerving; then, with a stunt driver and unsecured set pieces, chaos truly ensued:

  “Everything moved. ... That was not part of the production discussion ... And the reality in retrospect, you look back and go, ‘Oh my God, what were we doing?’ ” —Bryan Cranston ([17:50], [18:59])

• [20:55] Ellie Kemper’s Infamous Moment:
  • The stress and laughter resulted in Ellie Kemper (Erin) actually peeing her skirt on the bus:

  "Ellie is such a good sport. Ellie was like, 'Guys, I peed my skirt.'" —Angela Kinsey ([20:19])

• [24:07] Carbon Monoxide Scare:
  • A portable AC unit pumped exhaust straight from the bus into the passenger cabin. Jenna's "allergy nose" detected the issue just in time:

  “I stood on a chair … and, sure enough, carbon dioxide. ... We have made a huge mistake. And we nearly killed the entire cast of The Office.” —Bryan Cranston ([24:04]–[27:35])

3. The Culture and Comedy of The Office Set

• Improvised Disaster:
  • The Office cast “never traveled well”—disasters struck whenever they left the main set (stories from "Booze Cruise" & beach episodes).
  • Leslie David Baker’s (Stanley) on-set mishaps:

  “Whenever we went on locations, he got the worst of it.” —Jenna ([28:44])

  • “I don’t go on location.” —Jenna on Leslie’s mantra ([29:03])

4. Directing Approach & Working with a Veteran Cast

• Cranston’s Philosophy:
  • Respect the established chemistry; the guest director’s job isn’t to overhaul characters.

  “The role of a guest director is not to come in … wouldn’t dare say anything to an actor about their character. Wouldn’t that be obnoxious?” —Bryan Cranston ([29:24])

  • Aim to deliver the “meat and potatoes” plus two or three extra flourishes.
• Favorite Moments from “Work Bus”
  • Ed Helms playing the banjo in the episode's end montage.
  • The emotional “roof” scene with Jim and Dwight, highlighted for its vulnerability.

5. The Lasting Legacy of The Office (and Breaking Bad)

• Streaming Changed Everything:

  • Both shows became “legendary” due to Netflix and streaming, not live ratings.
  • Jenna & Angela recall the early fear of cancelation, rating hotlines, and mass emails for support ([52:28])

  "We were going to get shit canned for sure." —Jenna ([52:30]) "It was Netflix that was the stroke of good luck for us." —Bryan ([55:23])

• Evolution from UK to US Office:

  • Steve Carell’s Michael Scott pivoted away from the “mean-spirited” Ricky Gervais model after Season 1, with direct advice from Gervais:

  "You can't have that character do this for that long. You're gonna need to find more layers..." —Jenna paraphrasing Ricky Gervais ([56:20])

• The Secret to American Audiences:

  • Each episode included one redeeming “moment of hope”:

  “Each episode has one redeeming moment ... And if you go back and watch, you see it—they kind of made me feel better about that ‘Work Bus’ day. We got to have pie.” —Angela ([57:11]–[58:09])

• Rumors of a Reboot & Cast Thoughts

  • Greg Daniels allegedly “cooking something up” for a new Office, but not an original cast revival ([49:46])
  • Both Jenna & Angela would love to appear in any “next gen” project or potential movie.

  "If Greg did it ... I would trust it 100%." —Jenna ([59:38])

6. Bryan Cranston on Art, Life & Learning

• Pursuit of Real Life:

  • Cranston yearns to step out of the “art bubble” and experience more real life for creative renewal ([41:00] onward).
  • Discusses the oddity of celebrity and seeking authentic encounters with strangers ([44:58])

• Legacy, Projects, and Mezcal

  • Now co-owns Dos Hombres mezcal with Aaron Paul (story of their unlikely business birth, [62:00])
  • Passionate about traditional methods and artisanal craft.

  "Dos Hombres is now the fifth largest mezcal in the world." —Bryan ([64:32])

• On the Need for Inspiration:

  • Inspired by “The Artist’s Way” and “artist dates” (self-reflective creative excursions).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with timestamps)

• On nearly killing the cast:

  “We nearly killed the entire cast of The Office.” —Bryan Cranston ([27:35])

• On directorial limits:

  "Wouldn’t dare say anything to an actor about their character. Wouldn’t that be obnoxious?" —Bryan Cranston ([29:24])

• On streaming’s role:

  "It was Netflix that was the stroke of good luck for us." —Bryan Cranston ([55:23])

• On changes to Michael Scott:

  "You can't have that character do this for that long. ... find more layers to your lead character." —Advice from Ricky Gervais via Jenna ([56:20])

• On hope in comedy:

  "Each episode has one redeeming moment...a moment of hope." —Angela Kinsey ([57:53])

• On living beyond art:

  “I want to read that classic novel … learn how to cook … be in another culture… I don’t want to talk about show business.” —Bryan Cranston ([41:00])

• On Dos Hombres:

  “Dos Hombres is now the fifth largest mezcal in the world.” —Bryan Cranston ([64:32])

• On possible Office movie:

  “What if there was like a movie? … Something where we can see where these people are…” —Bryan Cranston ([59:17])

Key Segment Timestamps

• Bryan Cranston Introduced – [08:52]
• How Cranston Got the Directing Job – [11:00]
• Filming in Extreme Heat / Death Bus – [13:57]–[19:00]
• The Real Stunt Driver, Chaos on the Bus – [17:19]–[18:59]
• Carbon Monoxide Near-Disaster – [24:07]–[27:35]
• On Handling a Veteran Sitcom Cast – [29:24]
• Memorable Work Bus Moments – [31:31]–[32:38]
• Streaming Makes the Office & Breaking Bad Enduring Hits – [52:28]–[55:23]
• Evolution of Michael Scott & the US Office – [55:57]–[57:42]
• Legacy, Reboots, and the Idea of an Office Movie – [49:46]–[59:51]
• Bryan on Living Life & Learning – [41:00]–[44:58]
• Dos Hombres Mezcal Story – [62:00]–[65:08]

Conclusion

The episode provides a hilarious and at times jaw-dropping behind-the-scenes account of the making of “Work Bus,” marked by both disaster and deep affection among the cast and crew. Bryan Cranston’s directorial adventure nearly resulted in calamity but ultimately contributed to an episode now beloved for its chaos and heart. The conversation expands into reflections on the creative process, the power of streaming, the evolution of TV comedy, and the importance of seeking new life experiences beyond the confines of fame and fiction.

Bryan wraps up with tales of his mezcal venture, his aspirations for more real-life inspiration, and the enduring appeal of both The Office and Breaking Bad. For Office fans and TV buffs alike, this episode is a goldmine of hilarious stories, TV wisdom, and a warm reminder of why The Office remains a legend.

“You saved our lives… Finally, it did some good in my life.” —Jenna Fischer to Bryan Cranston on her legendary 'allergy nose' ([27:25])