Jenna’s News & A.A.R.M. Pt 1

Summary

Office Ladies: Jenna’s News & A.A.R.M. Pt 1 – Detailed Summary

Release Date: October 9, 2024

---

1. Introduction

In this emotionally charged and content-rich episode of Office Ladies, hosts Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey dive deep into two significant topics. First, Jenna shares a heartfelt personal update regarding her battle with breast cancer, providing listeners with an intimate glimpse into her journey. Following this, the duo meticulously breaks down "AARM Part 1," the 24th episode of Season 9 of The Office, unpacking plot details, behind-the-scenes insights, and fan interactions.

---

2. Jenna’s Personal News

The episode opens with Jenna and Angela addressing a deeply personal subject. Jenna reveals on the podcast, following a similar announcement on her Instagram, that she was diagnosed with stage one triple-positive breast cancer in December. This revelation marks a pivotal moment in the podcast, showcasing the hosts' commitment to transparency and support within their community.

Notable Quotes:

• Jenna Fischer [03:03]: "Last December, I was diagnosed with stage one triple positive breast cancer."
• Angela Kinsey [04:05]: "I just have to tell everyone, as your BFF, I can't believe how much you held onto these past few months."

Jenna elaborates on her treatment journey, detailing surgery, twelve rounds of chemotherapy completed by May, and three weeks of radiation finished in July. She shares the relief of her recent rescreening, confirming she is cancer-free.

Notable Quotes:

• Jenna Fischer [04:20]: "I can very happily say that I am cancer free."
• Angela Kinsey [05:01]: "Cancer free."

The hosts discuss the importance of mental health and gratitude, with Jenna emphasizing the role of therapy in her healing process.

Notable Quotes:

• Jenna Fischer [01:18]: "Listen, I think accessing gratitude is so good for your mental health."
• Angela Kinsey [06:47]: "Now you're ready to share."

Jenna credits her support system, including Angela and their podcast team, for helping her navigate this challenging period. The segment concludes with Jenna expressing her gratitude towards the Office Ladies community and her excitement to continue producing content for her listeners.

---

3. Breakdown of "AARM Part 1"

Transitioning from personal news, the episode delves into the The Office episode "AARM Part 1," providing a comprehensive analysis of its plot and character dynamics.

Plot Summary

"AARM Part 1," written by Brent Forrester and directed by Dave Rogers, sets the stage for the series finale by focusing on the preparation for the documentary's premiere. Key plot points include:

• Dwight Schrute’s Challenges: Dwight initiates a series of challenges to find an Assistant to the Assistant Regional Manager (AARM).
• Jim Halpert’s Dilemma: Jim grapples with staying in Scranton versus pursuing opportunities that might distance him from Pam.
• Dwight’s Proposal Plans: Dwight reveals his intention to propose to Esther with his grandmother’s ring.
• Darryl's Departure: Darryl performs an "Irish exit" from Dunder Mifflin, signaling his move to Philadelphia.
• Andy’s Audition: Andy prepares to audition for a TV singing competition, showcasing his ongoing quest for personal fulfillment.
• Angela and Oscar’s Co-Parenting: Angela and Oscar navigate their co-parenting responsibilities with Philip, highlighting their evolving relationship.

Notable Quotes:

• Jenna Fischer [11:15]: "The group readies themselves for the premiere of the documentary. Wow. It's really happening."
• Angela Kinsey [12:08]: "They really are a really good team."

Behind the Scenes and Trivia

Jenna and Angela share numerous behind-the-scenes anecdotes and trivia about the episode:

• Casting Details: They discuss how guest stars like Jessica St. Clair, who portrayed Casey Dean, were cast, emphasizing her background in improv and connections through Upright Citizens Brigade.

  Notable Quotes:

  • Jenna Fischer [56:19]: "Casey Dean was played by Jessica Sinclair. She is a member of Upright Citizens Brigade, improv comedy."

• Set Insights: The hosts highlight specific set pieces, such as Dwight’s "Hierarchy Mobile," and the meticulous attention to detail in Oscar’s loft.

  Notable Quotes:

  • Angela Kinsey [29:47]: "It was built entirely on our stage. Our art department and set dressing did such a fantastic job."

• Improvisations: Rainn Wilson’s improvisational contributions, like his lines about the "Hierarchy Mobile," are praised for adding depth to Dwight’s character.

  Notable Quotes:

  • Jenna Fischer [61:18]: "He said, look, I need to ask a favor from you guys. I know it's probably against the rules. And then Dave Rogers voice say, okay, you got it, man."

Fan Interactions

The podcast addresses several fan questions, providing official responses and additional context from the show’s creators:

• New Manager Credits: Fans questioned why Dwight wasn’t included in the new ending manager slot in the intro, to which director Dave Rogers explained time constraints and narrative focus on Jim and Pam’s relationship.

  Notable Quotes:

  • Jenna Fischer [26:40]: "Dave said that there was discussion about adding a Dwight as manager shot... but ultimately they never filmed anything new for it."

• Character Decisions: Clarifications are provided on why the documentary crew continues to follow Andy, highlighting his residual ties to Dunder Mifflin compared to other characters who moved away.

  Notable Quotes:

  • Angela Kinsey [33:25]: "Dave said the in universe answer to this question is simple."

---

4. Analysis and Soapboxes

A significant portion of the episode features the hosts’ personal analyses and critiques of character developments, particularly focusing on the dynamics between Jim and Pam.

Jenna’s Soapbox on Jim and Pam

Jenna passionately discusses her frustrations with Jim and Pam’s decision-making processes in their relationship.

Notable Quotes:

• Jenna Fischer [48:03]: "Jim almost lost Pam because he was dishonest and sneaky and non-communicative and made decisions without her input."
• Angela Kinsey [46:34]: "She’s got to be more vocal. He’s got to stop making decisions without her."

She emphasizes the importance of mutual decision-making and communication, arguing that their lack of collaboration leads to unnecessary conflicts and misunderstandings.

Analysis Highlights:

• Jenna believes that Jim and Pam’s unilateral decisions create tension and that both need to take responsibility collectively.
• She advocates for open communication to navigate their personal and professional lives effectively.

---

5. Guest Insights and Additional Segments

The hosts incorporate clips from guest stars and share additional trivia to enrich the discussion:

• Jessica St. Clair’s Experience: Jessica shares her excitement about joining the cast, her connections with Ed Helms from UCB, and memorable moments on set, including unexpected disruptions like a real-life drag race during filming.

  Notable Quotes:

  • Jessica St. Clair [57:13]: "I was so happy to do it because Ed Helms is such a dear friend of mine."

• Mark McGrath's Role: Insights into Mark McGrath’s casting as an external host for the audition scene, including his ease in nailing his part on the first take and his camaraderie with the crew.

  Notable Quotes:

  • Jenna Fischer [62:31]: "Mark graciously invited him and a friend to be guest at his upcoming Sugar Ray show."

• Set Details: Discussion about specific props and set elements, such as Dwight’s love for Battlestar Galactica and how it influenced his character’s office decor.

  Notable Quotes:

  • Angela Kinsey [82:10]: "Dave pitched that Dwight should like Battlestar Galactica instead of Star Trek."

---

6. Conclusion

The episode wraps up with Jenna and Angela expressing their excitement for the upcoming "AARM Part 2" and introducing future segments like "Office Ladies 6.0" and "Second Drink." They thank their listeners for their support, especially during Jenna’s challenging personal journey, and encourage new fans to join their growing community.

Notable Quotes:

• Jenna Fischer [84:11]: "Don't forget to check out Jessica's audiobook, the Art of Small Talk, available on Audible."
• Angela Kinsey [84:32]: "We hope you have a great day. We can't wait to see you next week."

Jenna concludes with a heartfelt thank you to the Office Ladies community, highlighting the podcast’s role as a safe space for laughter and connection.

---

Key Takeaways

• Personal Resilience: Jenna’s openness about her cancer journey underscores the podcast's authenticity and the importance of mental health and gratitude.
• Detailed Episode Analysis: The thorough breakdown of "AARM Part 1" provides fans with deeper insights into plot developments and character arcs.
• Community Engagement: Addressing fan questions and incorporating guest perspectives strengthens the listener’s connection to both the podcast and The Office.
• Constructive Critique: Jenna’s soapbox emphasizes the value of communication and joint decision-making in relationships, reflecting real-life challenges faced by many listeners.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jenna Fischer [03:03]: "Last December, I was diagnosed with stage one triple positive breast cancer."
• Angela Kinsey [04:05]: "I just have to tell everyone, as your BFF, I can't believe how much you held onto these past few months."
• Jenna Fischer [26:40]: "Dave said that there was discussion about adding a Dwight as manager shot... but ultimately they never filmed anything new for it."
• Jenna Fischer [48:03]: "Jim almost lost Pam because he was dishonest and sneaky and non-communicative and made decisions without her input."
• Angela Kinsey [82:10]: "Dave pitched that Dwight should like Battlestar Galactica instead of Star Trek."

---

Note: This summary excludes advertisement segments, sponsor messages, and non-content sections to focus solely on the substantive discussions and personal stories shared by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey.

Transcript

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, it's my favorite time of year because this is the time of year we always go up into the mountains to the woods, and we get a cabin, and it's just that cozy time to be with family. I love it. And we always stay at an Airbnb. We want a kitchen. We want a yard. We want a fireplace. We can spread out. The kids aren't right on top of each other. I love to find a cozy cabin on Airbnb.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I also like an Airbnb over a hotel when I'm traveling because I like the added privacy. I like that I don't have to get fully dressed to have some breakfast.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, there's that.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know me, and I like that my kids. Bedtime doesn't have to be my bedtime.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right, because you're not sort of all crammed into the same space.

[Jenna Fischer]

Exactly. Well, the holidays are a big time for travel. Maybe you're heading out to see family in another city, and maybe you don't want to stay all on top of them either. Consider an Airbnb for your next adventure.

[Angela Kinsey]

This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

[Jenna Fischer]

This month is all about gratitude. And, you know, sometimes there's one person that we just don't thank enough, and that's ourselves. Because sometimes it's hard to remind ourselves that we are trying our best to make sense of everything in this crazy world. And it just. It's not easy.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's not. It's a lot to hold.

[Jenna Fischer]

Listen, I think accessing gratitude is so good for your mental health.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And therapy is a great place to do that. And if you are thinking of starting therapy, you can give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online. It's designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule.

[Angela Kinsey]

Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge.

[Jenna Fischer]

I am grateful for therapy.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Let the gratitude flow with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com officeladies today to get 10%.

[Angela Kinsey]

Off your first month. That's BetterHelp help. OfficeLadies. Hi, everyone. We recorded today's episode a few weeks ago, but before we play it for you today, we wanted to pop on because, Jenna, you shared something very personal on your Instagram and you said you'd also like to share it here on Office Ladies. Yes, and this is our second try at this because I got so emotional the first time we started talking about it. It's just really hard when someone you care about is going through so much.

[Jenna Fischer]

But I told Angela. That if she starts crying, then I'll start crying.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I know. Jenna, you have so much you want to say.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. So I'm aware that this is a big share, and it's kind of hard to know where to start, but since I'm one of those people who tends to deal with emotional subjects by leaning into facts and statistics, we all know that an Excel spreadsheet is my happy place.

[Angela Kinsey]

It really is.

[Jenna Fischer]

I will start there. Last December, I was diagnosed with stage one triple positive breast cancer. And for anyone who doesn't know what that means, I did not have a clue. Triple positive breast cancer is a very aggressive form of breast cancer that can spread and grow quite quickly. But luckily, my cancer was caught very early. It had not spread into my lymph nodes or anywhere else in my body. However, it still required the greatest hits of cancer treatments. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation.

[Angela Kinsey]

All of which has been going on this past year. And, lady, I know someday you're going to share more about this in your time, when you're ready. But I just have to tell everyone, as your bff, I can't believe how much you held onto these past few months.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I have to say, I've had a lot of people helping me hold onto this. I know I did not carry this alone.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know you didn't, but you just had such courage and such grace. And, you know, I'll cry if we talk about it too much, but I want you to share the first steps after you were diagnosed.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. So the first thing was I had surgery in January. Then I did survive 12 rounds of chemotherapy. I had to do it every week. I completed that in May. And then I completed three weeks of radiation in July. And I like sharing those details, Angela, because those were things when I was diagnosed, when I was reading about other people's stories, I appreciated those details. So that's why I'm offering them now. I also want to say that I was recently rescreened. I can very happily say that I am cancer free.

[Angela Kinsey]

Cancer free.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

I remember the day you told me that you were cancer free. I remember how emotional we were in that moment. It was tears, and we were so thankful to hear those words. How does it feel for you to finally share this?

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, it all still feels very surreal even as I'm saying this out loud. Even after making this announcement, even after living through it, I can't believe it's true. I mean, it's just. It's one of those things that you just never think is going to happen to you. Yeah, I Mean, for a long time after the diagnosis came down, Leah and I just kept thinking that this was some mistake on the paperwork.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. I remember just saying to you, like, are they sure?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And, you know, I am still receiving treatments. There are things that are designed to keep me cancer free. So I get an infusion every three weeks of a drug that's called Herceptin. I'm also taking a drug each day to block my body from absorbing estrogen. So I'm still riding waves of super fun, random side effects. But I am over the hump of the big treatments and I'm feeling more hearty. And I really wanted to share my story in case it can help other women. Really? That's what it's about for me.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. We talked a lot about how you wanted to go through your treatment with privacy and how important it was. All I could think about during this time, Jenna, was that I just wanted to protect you. And I wanted you to be able to focus all of your energy on your treatment and healing. And I knew that when you were ready, that there would be a time for sharing. And I also know that you sharing is going to help so many people. And now you're ready to share.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. I mean, I did need that bubble.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I did need to focus all my energy on my treatment and my family. I have kids.

[Angela Kinsey]

You have young kids. This was really that time where you just needed the space to heal.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And to put your health first. Do you want to tell everyone how you found out?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. I also want to say, Angela, you are a great protector. I lost my hair during chemotherapy and I was wearing these hats with fake hair coming out the back to all of our podcast recordings, all of our meetings. You guys. Angela started wearing hats to all our meetings, too. We became the hat gals. And it was really moving to me. Angela, this was your idea. Angela also came over to my house and she stayed with my kids during my surgery so that they didn't have to go to school that day. And it just meant so much to me that they were with you. Well, I could go on and on about all the ways that Angela and Josh supported us during this time, but to answer your question about how I found out, it was through my routine mammogram. And by the way, that test was inconclusive because I have really dense breast tissue. So my doctor ordered a follow up ultrasound, and that is when they found the tumor. It was in my left breast. It was too small to feel on a physical exam, so I don't know exactly how my sharing can be of service. But maybe this is your reminder out there to schedule your mammogram. Because it was that routine appointment that caught my cancer early enough that it had not spread and it was more easily treatable.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's so important. It's something you and I have talked about a lot, that, you know, it's easy to put those things off and to put yourself second. You take care of everyone else. You put yourself second. And I remember after you were diagnosed that you, you know, I was just amazed by you, Jenna, because you just did that thing that you always do, which is you immediately wanted to get as much information as possible.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, I mean, I was scared. And the thing that made me feel better was that information gathering. I really scoured the Internet looking for any information I could find about my diagnosis. I read interviews and cancer blogs and Reddit threads. I got connected with an amazing team of doctors and nurses. They have been so patient and explained things over and over again until I understand them. Their patience is amazing. And then I got connected to other women who had had breast cancer, and they helped me, and I really want to pay that forward. So this is just the start. I hope to share more about my journey in the future, but right now, lady, we have a rewatch to finish. We do. Because I love doing our podcast. I love it so much. And I want to say thank you to you and to Sam and Cassie. I just think that the space that we have here to work in, I am so lucky to have, and I know I'm lucky. Going through cancer treatment requires a lot of flexibility. This job afforded me a lot of flexibility. And more than that, though, it gave me a safe place to come and laugh, an escape. I felt a sense of purpose here. It is important to me, and I cannot thank you all enough. And this is a thank you to our office ladies, community as well, for this space existing, I guess, and I like being in it. And we have a really good episode today, and I want everyone to hear it and enjoy it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, lady, we love you and we are here for you, and I'm gonna give you a hug, but I bet there's lots of other folks just sending you virtual hugs as you share. And you're right. We have a great episode and you're so good in it. So let's hear it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Here it is, everyone. AARM Part one.

[Angela Kinsey]

Part one.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm Jenna Fisher.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I'm Angela Kinsey.

[Jenna Fischer]

We were on the office together, and we're best friends, and now we're doing the ultimate Office Rewatch podcast just for you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Each week we will break down an episode of the Office and give exclusive behind the scenes stories that only two people who were there can tell you.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're the Office ladies.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hello. Hi.

[Jenna Fischer]

We have a big, big episode today.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, the next four are big.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's right. It's AARM Part 1, Season 9, Episode 24, written by Brent Forrester and directed by Dave Rogers. And here is your summary. The group readies themselves for the premiere of the documentary. Wow. It's really happening.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's happening.

[Jenna Fischer]

Dwight is going to conduct a series of challenges because he needs an assistant to his assistant. That's the AARM assistant to the assistant regional manager. And Jim's having a great time, but Pam wonders if Jim staying in Scranton for her is a mistake. Meanwhile, Dwight reveals his plan to propose to Esther. Daryl tries to Irish exit from Dunder Mifflin. Andy lines up to audition for a TV singing competition. And Angela and Oscar bring Philip to work and sort of co parent him. Yeah, a lot is happening.

[Angela Kinsey]

They're actually a really good team.

[Jenna Fischer]

They really are. Well, before we dive in, I'll have you know I am using a mug today that is maybe my new. Not maybe. It is my new favorite mug of all time.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's the cutest thing. I've never seen anything like it. Tell us about it, Jenna.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right. We went through our fan mail and this was in there. It is a handmade mug by this gal named Katie, C, A T I E. And it is a mug with pockets.

[Angela Kinsey]

It looks like denim with the stitching and there's all these little denim pockets.

[Jenna Fischer]

And you know, I love to drink my coffee out of a handmade piece.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

It just brings me joy in the mornings.

[Angela Kinsey]

We should also say that Katie made me a mug as well. And it has hummingbirds on it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Does she get us or what?

[Jenna Fischer]

She definitely gets us. Katie wrote us the sweetest letter, Angela. She said that she is from my hometown of St. Louis, born and raised. Although she does not say farty far.

[Angela Kinsey]

Not like Phyllis.

[Jenna Fischer]

No.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

She currently lives outside of St. Louis, but pottery is her passion. And Katie, I can see why you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Are so good at it. Katie, we love these mugs.

[Jenna Fischer]

So incredibly talented. And I want to give her a shout out. But, Katie, unless I'm missing something, I do not see an email address. I do not see your last name. I do not see an Instagram handle. We are looking for you.

[Angela Kinsey]

We are looking for you. So, Katie, if you hear this or anyone that knows Katie, in St. Louis that made us coffee mugs with amazing hummingbirds and pockets. Will you tell Katie we love them and we'd love to give her a proper shout out.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I know that I have not had a big soapbox in a while.

[Angela Kinsey]

Do you have one?

[Jenna Fischer]

I might have one.

[Angela Kinsey]

Is it about the Jim and Pam storyline?

[Jenna Fischer]

It is.

[Angela Kinsey]

Is it going to be fast Fact one?

[Jenna Fischer]

It's not. I'm saving it for later, but I'm prepping because I feel like this is my mug for soap boxes now.

[Angela Kinsey]

You got your pockets mug?

[Jenna Fischer]

I do. My fast fact one is that AARM part one aired on May 9, 2013. And remember how we said that diversity day was like the pilot after the pilot? Well, this was considered the finale before the finale. This was really the last time we're gonna see all of these characters in this, like chronological, real time. Cause the finale is gonna flash forward in time.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, this episode was also very well received by critics and fans. Jenna Mullins of E. Online said that it was, quote, full of emotional moments that seemed like love letters to fans who have watched the show since the P. Which is really what Greg was going for in these especially last few episodes. But do you remember how it was Greg's intention to bring back different cast members throughout the last season? How we've seen Roy, Jan, all of Dwight's crazy friends, Todd Packer. Well, he also wanted to make sure that we had an episode that featured that classic Jim Dwight dynamic. That is what inspired this episode. You know, Jim's been gone. We haven't had this playful Jim Dwight business.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And so that is what inspired this episode.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I love Dwight and Jim, you know, so it made me very happy to see them in their shenanigans again.

[Jenna Fischer]

And now, fast fact number two. Angela, I'm handing it over to you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thank you. So I'm going to do fast fact two and three today. Here's fast fact number two. A few things. This episode is the start of the final DVD in the whole box set. We're on the last dvd. It's disc number five, season nine. Here are the bonus features on it. There are season nine bloopers, the final table read of the whole series. Yeah, that'll tug on the heartstrings. The 2003 casting auditions of the cast and an auto tune version of Andy's audition song from this episode. I have a few really fun things from my digital clutter that I will be sprinkling into AARM part 1 and 2. Here is the first one. Per my emails that I clearly never get rid of. Guess what we were doing this week?

[Jenna Fischer]

What were we doing?

[Angela Kinsey]

I'll give you a hint.

[Jenna Fischer]

What?

[Angela Kinsey]

It's also on the call sheets. We were filming the interviews for the Office. A look back.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, of course. You know, when I rewatched this episode, I immediately flashed to us sitting in caffeine corner doing those interviews between scenes. In fact, I specifically remember walking out of the warehouse set where we're doing the whole obstacle course and doing those interviews.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, you know, John organized the filming of this. It's actually all on disc four. But they're so great. They really capture where we all were in our minds and in our hearts as we were filming this episode. And I thought we should play some.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I love this. You know, they really got a combination of cast, writers, crew talking about their time on the Office, and then it aired on NBC before the finale.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right. All right, so now for fast fact number three. And I'm going to share clips from a Look back every week until we finish the rewatch. And for this episode, my first clip is us all sort of pondering, what is this show?

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I like it.

[C]

It was simple.

[D]

It was just an office.

[C]

Very little happened at Dunder Mifflin. They didn't really get much work done.

[Jenna Fischer]

It is a quintessential American workplace comedy show.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was awkward, painfully awkward and hilarious.

[Jenna Fischer]

We've all had a boss.

[C]

They get in the way of you doing your job.

[Jenna Fischer]

I just love how real it was.

[C]

We were everybody's experience at work. It celebrated those human interactions that annoy us all and make us chuckle or make us mad.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think that's what allows people to connect to the show because they can see themselves, they can see their jobs, they can see their relationships in this show.

[C]

The premise of the show when we started was, what if you had the world's worst boss? And the irony was this is a guy who bought a mug for himself that said world's best boss.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then later in the clip, I really thought BJ sums up the show really well. Let's hear it.

[C]

Who could not relate to the show? The guy wants the girl but can't have her. There's a weirdo working next to you and your boss is insane.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[D]

That is it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Is that perfect?

[Jenna Fischer]

That is perfect.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right, well, I'll be sharing a few more things from my digital clutter thrill throughout this episode and the next one. Plus some more clips from that look back.

[Jenna Fischer]

Wow. I can't believe that we're really Getting to the end. Angela.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. You know, I was trading emails with Brent Forester, who wrote this episode, and he said, oh my gosh. He said, I am having feelings. Is this the last time I get to share about the Office with you guys? And I said, nope. No, Brent, it's not.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Did you tell him about Office Lady 6.0?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, I did. I said, brent, don't you worry, we're not going anywhere.

[Jenna Fischer]

No, Brent, we are still going to be emailing you constantly. We promise. And I know we shared about this at the top of our show last week, but for anyone who missed it, after we are done breaking down all of the Office episodes, we will be busting out Office Ladies 6.0.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love it. I love the title.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love it. It's so perfect. You guys know the reference When Katie the purse girl comes into the office during Hot Girl, Michael calls her PAM 6.0.

[Angela Kinsey]

Jenna and I were talking about this. We think it's because there was an iPhone 5 at the time or like.

[Jenna Fischer]

A Microsoft something 5.

[Angela Kinsey]

There was something 5 something 5 at the time, but it just tickles us so much that we are now going to be Office Ladies 6.0.

[Jenna Fischer]

And basically we're going to keep chatting about the Office. We're gonna dig deeper into characters and storylines, webisodes, themes, we're gonna interview people. And of course there will be plenty of best friend banter, deep dives, soap boxes, I'm sure.

[Angela Kinsey]

What, more soap boxes possibly. And for all of you that love rewatching the show over and over and re listening to our breakdown of the episodes, don't you worry, because we are going to rerun the entire rewatch in order every Monday from the beginning. And guess what we're calling that second drink. Second drink. Isn't that perfect?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. We're going to pop on each week with some bonus tidbits. You know, there are people who tell me that they just found the podcast.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And we've been breaking it down for five years, but people are discovering it and we want to make sure it's there for them.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I know, for example, in the UK they just got the Office on Netflix. So for anybody who wants to re listen or start listening, we'll be starting our second drink on November 11th.

[Angela Kinsey]

And Office Ladies 6.0 starts on November 6th. All right, why don't we go to break? But before we do, real quick, I have one more thing, you guys. You know I love some seasonal clothing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Uh huh.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, so I saw some really cute Halloween socks that feature Little cats. And I got us all up here.

[Jenna Fischer]

Aw, thanks, lady.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is what happens to me when I'm alone in a shopping mall. I'm like, oh, cat socks. I'll buy those.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I want to give you fair warning. I've been saving Instagram videos of Halloween crafts that you can make from Dollar Tree.

[Angela Kinsey]

Please tell me we can make one.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, we might be crafting one Saturday soon.

[Angela Kinsey]

You guys each get to pick out a pair. Sam, it said one size fits all. I don't know, but maybe. Maybe they'll fit everybody.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, let's take a break, and we will be back with AARM part one.

[Angela Kinsey]

Let's go. Peloton.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, sweet Peloton. I love my Peloton. Peloton has workouts for every mood. My general mood is I don't feel like doing this, but Cody Rigsby, he gets me there.

[Angela Kinsey]

You love Cody. Here's what I like about Peloton. I love the variety of training programs because I'm not going to want the same workout that Josh wants. We're super different, and Peloton has something for both of us.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, there's so many ways to challenge yourself. If you're training for a 5k, a 10k, a marathon, they have programs for strength training. They've got boot camps. Oh my gosh. They have pilates. They have just great stretching.

[Angela Kinsey]

And their coaches are really motivating. They keep you going.

[Jenna Fischer]

Find your push, find your power with [e-mail] We've been talking about the Simplisafe home security system for a long time now. And I'm very excited because SimpliSafe is now offering our listeners 60% off. Just visit simplisafe.com officeladies well, you guys.

[Angela Kinsey]

Know I've been using SimpliSafe for years. It just brings me peace of mind. I like knowing that my home is protected 24 7. And with SimpliSafe, they have active guard. So that can actually prevent break ins from happening. It can prevent package theft and vandalism because there's live monitoring agents who can see, speak to and determine any suspicious individuals outside your home before they even get the chance.

[Jenna Fischer]

Simplisafe is offering our listeners exclusive early access to their Black Friday sale this week only. You can get 60% off any new system with a select professional monitoring plan.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is their best offer of the year. Head to simplisafe.com officeladies that's simplisafe.com officeladers there's no safe like Simplisafe we are back. We have cute Halloween cat socks. And we are ready to break down this episode. Kevin is going to arrive to work. He waves at Aaron. There's a very sophisticated sort of like keypad buzzer thing happening. He buzzes the keypad and Aaron says, the tea in Nepal is very hot. And Kevin has written some kind of like, passcode on his arm. And he answers, but the coffee in Peru is much hotter. And then Aaron lets him in.

[Jenna Fischer]

Dwight has a talking head where he explains he has made some upgrades to the office security. He got these new doors from an old jewelry store. He has this passcode that he sends everybody first thing in the morning. It's not the kgb, but it's a start.

[Angela Kinsey]

He loves to lock it up. He loves a tight security, toxic system. And then he arrives to work and he gets the code wrong. And then they hit the steam button. Dwight says it's harmless steam to scare intruders. Although he wanted dangerous steam, I guess, but it was too expensive.

[Jenna Fischer]

Creed likes it. He's, I think, been purposely steaming the room because it's saving him on dry cleaning. Now we have our opening credits. They're very short, but we got a lot of mail about them.

[Angela Kinsey]

I bet. I can guess. Yep, we have a new manager. Where are our new credits? What. What little bobblehead thing would Dwight have pushed to the front?

[Jenna Fischer]

Angela, you are not the only person who is disappointed. Let me read this one from Jesse B. In San Clemente, California, who said, we have been waiting as long as Dwight has for him to be manager. So now that he is finally manager, why does he not get the ending manager slot in the intro?

[Angela Kinsey]

I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, we reached out to Dave Rogers, director of this episode. We asked him a bunch of questions and this is the first one. Dave said that there was discussion about adding a Dwight as manager shot at the end of this title sequence. But ultimately they never filmed anything new for it. And here is why. The main reason was they wanted to use Pam and Jim kissing as the final image in the main title for several episodes because they felt that at this point the idea of who his manager had been eclipsed by the characters personal lives. And they felt like the focus here of these final episodes was more about summing up Jim and Pam. He said also they were really pressed for time and they literally didn't have time to shoot a new little manager title with Dwight. And also there was so much in this episode that they had to make the main titles really short anyway. So there were kind of three reasons.

[Angela Kinsey]

I was Thinking it was for time that we were just really crunching to get these episodes out. And they were such big episodes as it was. There's a whole entire Nellie and Toby storyline that is cut.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know.

[Angela Kinsey]

So they really needed to use every second and minute they had for this episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm going to tell you something right now. I would have preferred to see Dwight at the end of these end credits rather than Jim and Pam. And this is going to relate to my soapbox later, but Jim and Pam are on my last nerve right now.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay? So stay tuned for the soapbox.

[Jenna Fischer]

Stay tuned. Next up, we are in Oscar's apartment, and there is a very interesting sleeping arrangement going on here. It looks like Oscar's apartment has sort of a main bedroom. And on either side of the bedroom, there are two walk in closets. This is very nice closet. Storage. Baby Philip is in a crib in one walk in closet. And on the other side of the bedroom, Angela is sleeping in the other side.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, lady. I love these Angela and Oscar roommate scenes so much, and I want to take a moment to appreciate how amazing Oscar's loft looks. It was built entirely on our stage. Our art department and set dressing did such a fantastic job. Here is my digital clutter item number two. I call it a loft because that is what our art department called it at the time. I was remodeling my own house and redoing my kitchen. And I loved the kitchen they built for Oscar so much, I asked them if I could have some photos of it. And one of our set dressers, James, aka Jim McDermott, we love him. Sent me all the photos of Oscar's entire loft. I still have them. I found them, and I'm going to share them in stories. This is a gorgeous, gorgeous loft.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'll tell you two things that I noticed. Two background catches that really impressed me, and I felt like they were great details.

[Angela Kinsey]

Let's hear it.

[Jenna Fischer]

At 2 minutes and 6 seconds, Oscar has a red landline rotary phone on his bedside table. You know, he does. You know, he's a landline guy.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's ready. He's ready.

[Jenna Fischer]

He is ready. And then at 2 minutes and 11 seconds, he has a red canister set in his kitchen.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm.

[Jenna Fischer]

He clearly loves a pop of red.

[Angela Kinsey]

He loves a pop of color.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love these details.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, Philip is going to cry. And Oscar tells Angela he's crying for her. They're getting ready for work. It's kind of like that busy morning where you're getting kids out the door. Angela's laying out Phillip's outfit. And Oscar says saddle shoes with denim. I will literally call child services. So Oscar is like, helping Phillip's look. And I just love doing all of these scenes. They felt so easy and organic for these two characters to be roommates.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is definitely one of my favorite Angela storylines ever. Yeah, it's pairing me, too. Speaking of pairs, Esther has driven Dwight to work.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And they kiss goodbye.

[Angela Kinsey]

We learned some big news now in a Dwight talking head, you know, he's sort of listing off all the things that are going well for him. Manager of Dunder Mifflin. Check. Owner of a 1600 acre beet farm. Check. Engaged to an actual milkmaid. Well, almost. Check. Right? That's going to happen later in the day. He's going to propose to her with his grandmother's ring. From her butt.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, from a bullet from her butt.

[Angela Kinsey]

A bullet from her butt.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Next up, Andy is going to arrive to auditions for America's next acapella sensation. He's checking in and he seems nervous, like, will I be allowed to audition? They're like, no problem. Head to the back of the line.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's like, yes, yes. I mean, he felt like he had to list off his resume so far. He was like, you might know me from a TV documentary that's premiering tonight. I also killed it in local theater and I'm fresh off a hot industrial flick.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

They're like, we don't care, buddy. Just go get in line.

[Jenna Fischer]

I asked Steve Burgess, where did we shoot this giant audition line? He said, we shot at Pickwick in Burbank. We shot outside and inside their convention center.

[Angela Kinsey]

Pickwick is like a bowling alley. An ice skating rink.

[Jenna Fischer]

It was. They tore down everything except the ice skating rink. The LA Kings purchased the ice rink and all the rest of it. The bowling alley, all the rest of it. The convention center has been torn down and they're putting up condos.

[Angela Kinsey]

You are kidding me. I loved that bowling alley.

[Jenna Fischer]

I bowled there constantly, all the time. That was my bowling alley.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, I didn't know that.

[Jenna Fischer]

It was kind of like an la. I don't know. I feel like it was iconic.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Pickwick.

[Angela Kinsey]

Pickwick.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. We got a fan question from Adam w. In Webster, New York, who said at 3 minutes, 36 seconds, when Andy is walking to the back of the line, exactly how many extras were in this scene? There are so many.

[Angela Kinsey]

I wondered the same thing. The line looks like it goes on forever.

[Jenna Fischer]

Steve Burgess said, 234.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's a ton for us.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's A lot. We also got a fan question from Nikita C. In Sydney, Australia, who asked, why did the documentary crew continue to follow Andy after he left the office? They didn't follow Michael or Robert California or anyone else. Guess who had an answer for us?

[Angela Kinsey]

Dave Rogers.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's right. Dave said the in universe answer to this question is simple. If a person moved far away and was no longer tied to the company, like Michael in Colorado or Robert California in Europe, then the documentary crew no longer covered them. They just couldn't afford to send crews to follow these people.

[Angela Kinsey]

They did send a crew to Tallahassee.

[Jenna Fischer]

Though, because our Dunder Mifflin people went.

[Angela Kinsey]

Ah, like the Stanford branch. Yes, Tallahassee. Enough of the employees went correct.

[Jenna Fischer]

They were still affiliated with Dunder Mifflin.

[Angela Kinsey]

Got it.

[Jenna Fischer]

He said also, the cameras still followed Michael, Pam and Ryan when they formed Michael Scott paper company because they were still local. They were still intertwined with the Scranton branch.

[Angela Kinsey]

They were also in the same building.

[Jenna Fischer]

True. But the camera also followed Andy when he went to Florida to get air in, you know. However, when Andy went sailing on his boat with his brother, the crew did not stay with him. So because he was only very recently fired to pursue his dream of being a singer, the documentary crew felt that a trip to Pittsburgh to see if he was gonna make it was worth following.

[Angela Kinsey]

I buy that. I buy that. It sort of wraps up his story.

[Jenna Fischer]

And remember, he did spend a whole episode following his dream. Not following his dream, following his dream. I think there is some value in knowing could he be back at Dunder Mifflin next week?

[Angela Kinsey]

Right, right.

[Jenna Fischer]

So that was how we explained it internally, why the camera is still with Andy.

[Angela Kinsey]

I buy it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I buy it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, Andy is going to have a talking head where he says he burned all of his bridges at Dunder Mifflin and it's time to become the next American Idol by winning America's next acapella sensation on channel tbd. I love that it was TBD to be determined.

[Jenna Fischer]

He said this is basically a new take on American Idol and the Voice because this time all three judges are mean.

[Angela Kinsey]

We now have a really great scene between Jim and Dwight in Dwight's office. Jim is going to give him a sales form to sign, but first he has to put it in the inbox. He can't hand it to Dwight? No, he has to put it in the inbox. Then Dwight signs it. Then Dwight puts it in the out box where then Jim can pick it up and then they shake. But Jim does not let go of his hand. And then this goes into one of those classic great fakie talking heads where you think it's just Dwight, but we reveal the sidekick, and it's Jim sitting just behind him.

[Jenna Fischer]

Angela, did you do a breakdown of Dwight's office decor?

[Angela Kinsey]

No, I did a breakdown of his Hierarchy mobile.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, that is good. Yeah, I did a breakdown of it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I know everything on the Hierarchy Mobile table.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, well, let's. When we get to that. Okay, I will give that over to you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Let's hear it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Here's what I spotted. Multiple old timey photos on his desk.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

On his credenza, the Hierarchy Mobile. A photo of a jet.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. I saw that too.

[Jenna Fischer]

I zoomed in. I got the details on that. It is the Ikhana. It is an unmanned aircraft that is designed for high altitude long endurance science flights. And it was actually used in a joint project of NASA and the U.S. forest Service and was flown in to monitor forest fires in the Western U.S. huh.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's very specific.

[Jenna Fischer]

Very specific that he loves that particular aircraft so much. He has a giant picture of it on his wall. I also spotted some binoculars, a boar's head, and an award of merit from March 2002 from the Greater Scranton Agrarians for outstanding service to the farming community.

[Angela Kinsey]

What was on his desk?

[Jenna Fischer]

Old timey photos?

[Angela Kinsey]

No. Okay, next week we're gonna break down what's on his desk.

[Jenna Fischer]

His desk is very efficient. He doesn't have a bunch of crap on his desk like everybody else.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's fine. We're still gonna break down.

[Jenna Fischer]

He has the inbox and the outbox that you mentioned and some old timey photos. In the end, that's it. Yeah. It's not a lot.

[Angela Kinsey]

No Magic 8 ball.

[Jenna Fischer]

No Magic 8 ball, but there is a kind of. What looks like a type of eight ball on his credenza, not on his desk.

[Angela Kinsey]

I got you covered.

[Jenna Fischer]

You got the credenza?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. Cause I zoomed in like crazy on that Hierarchy Mobile. So on the credenza, there's a gold frame with two old timey oval pictures of some old timey relatives in front of it. At first, I'm like, that's a Magic eight ball. Yeah. No, it's not.

[Jenna Fischer]

What is it?

[Angela Kinsey]

I zoomed in on it. It's a globe. Oh, yeah. It's like.

[Jenna Fischer]

Of the Earth.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. It's like black, but then the continents are green.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then I did a breakdown of the Hierarchy Mobile.

[Jenna Fischer]

Let's hear it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay. I feel like this is the energy we bring to our mom. Detective stuff. You're like, did you do that? I'm like, no.

[Jenna Fischer]

No.

[Angela Kinsey]

Did you do that? Sort of. Okay, here we go. Now, if you want to go to 10 minutes, you get a really good view of this. Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yeah. They're going to talk about it.

[Angela Kinsey]

They're going to talk about it later, but we'll share what's on it. Now, it is a hierarchy mobile. You have the center, and then you have two arms that go off of it. Right? So down the center you have Dwight K. Schrute, regional manager. Then you have Jim Halpert, assistant to the regional manager and salesman. Nellie Bertram, director of special projects. Angela Martin, head accountant. Oscar Martinez, accountant. Kevin Malone, accountant. To the left of the arm you have under Dwight and Jim, Toby Flinderson, human resources. Pam Halpert, office administrator. Meredith Palmer, supplier relations. Pete Miller, customer service rep. Erin Hannon, receptionist. And then to the right, under Dwight and Jim, it has Darrell Philbin, head of shipping and distribution. Stanley Hudson, salesman. Phyllis Vance, Salesman. Clark Green, Jr. Salesman. Did we know Clark's last name?

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't think we did.

[Angela Kinsey]

Now we do. He is Clark Green. And then Creed Bratton, quality Assurance.

[Jenna Fischer]

Wow.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And I thought Phyllis might have been Phyllis Lap and Vance, but she only has one last name listed.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

There you go. Clark Green, everybody.

[Jenna Fischer]

And I think we now have the official word on what Creed does as well.

[Angela Kinsey]

Quality assurance.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Also, I didn't realize that Meredith was supplier relations. You know what?

[Jenna Fischer]

Maybe we did know that, because isn't that why she was sleeping with people?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, yes, yes, we know that relationship. That's right.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, well, before we leave this office, I've got one more fan question. It's from Alexis P. In Marietta, Ohio, who said there is a portrait of Dwight and Mose in the background behind Jim inside Dwight's office. Did Rain and Mike Schur have to sit for a portrait together? Also, who was the artist? Please tell us everything.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, this painting has been established before. It was in the farm.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's right, Angela. Yes. I did not remember that, but Dave Rogers pointed that out to me. Steve Burgess said that it was painted by Jules Kamesko, who Phil Shea had make pretty much all of our office art. She did Pam's watercolor, for example. She did this portrait. She did the one that you're gonna see in the conference room soon. And nobody had to sit for these portraits. She worked off of photographs.

[Angela Kinsey]

Cassie, will you put her on our list for Office Lady 6.0? I'd love to hear about all the different artwork on the set of the office and what she created and just hear all about it.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's a good idea.

[Angela Kinsey]

Our list for Office Ladies 6.0 is really getting long.

[Jenna Fischer]

We realize there's a lot of stuff to still talk about.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Listen, I know it's a little early, but I might need to take a break. I want to refill my pockets mug. I want to use the restroom. I want to eat a cheese stick. Is that all right?

[Angela Kinsey]

I am never, ever going to stop you from eating cheese.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right?

[Angela Kinsey]

Ever.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thank you. Well, we're going to take a break and we'll be right back. Are you struggling for a gift idea? I'm going to help you out.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

With Masterclass, your loved one can finally become a better cook, writer, entrepreneur, or artist, just like they've always wanted. That is the gift of Masterclass.

[Angela Kinsey]

Let's say you have a family member that loves to tell a joke and maybe they want to craft their own standup. Guess what? You can take a class with Judd Apatow.

[Jenna Fischer]

And classes really make a difference. 88% of Masterclass members say that they feel like masterclass made a positive impact on their lives. And there's no risk because every new membership comes with a 30 day money back guarantee.

[Angela Kinsey]

So you can give your loved ones a year year of learning with masterclass.

[Jenna Fischer]

Masterclass always has great offers during the holidays, sometimes up to as much as 50% off. Head over to masterclass.com officeladies for the current offer.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's up to 50% off at masterclass.com.

[Jenna Fischer]

Officeladies masterclass.com officeladies well, lady, what a year it has been.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know, this is a really good time to kind of step back and look at your life and think about, is there something about this past year that I should commemorate with something beautiful? Do you see where I'm going with this?

[Angela Kinsey]

I do.

[Jenna Fischer]

I am talking about buying yourself some jewelry.

[Angela Kinsey]

We're big fans of buying yourself a little something because you made a finish line, you made a goal, something in your life you've been working towards that you want to celebrate by gifting yourself something beautiful.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, we celebrated our first 100 episodes of Office Ladies with Jewelry from Blue Nile.com MM. We each got a set of very beautiful diamond stud earrings. And I treasure those.

[Angela Kinsey]

I do, too.

[Jenna Fischer]

And when I look at them, I think of our accomplishment.

[Angela Kinsey]

Here's the thing. Their website is amazing. And if you have any questions, Blue Niles jewelry Experts are on hand 247 via phone or chat.

[Jenna Fischer]

Whether you're looking for a bit of special sparkle for yourself or to give the best holiday gift of all time. Blue Nile offers some of the highest quality quality standards in the industry at prices significantly below retail.

[Angela Kinsey]

Go to Bluenile.com to shop Blue Nile, the original online jeweler since 1999. That's Bluenile.com Bluenile.com youm know when you're traveling during the holiday season it can be stressful. Especially if you're traveling and you lose an item of luggage or a person. Oh my gosh.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well there's that if you get separated.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, like at an airport. Well, you can stress less this holiday by stocking up on Life360's tile trackers.

[Jenna Fischer]

You can easily find your family's lost or stolen stuff by just wringing your tile when something goes missing and then track down its location on the map. And LifeTracker360 is the first and only tracker with an SOS button. So if you triple press the button in the center of the tile it will discreetly send an SOS alert to everyone in your life 360 circle.

[Angela Kinsey]

It is family friendly. You can add your tile Tracker to your Life360 and see your family and.

[Jenna Fischer]

All your family stuff in one spot. Family proof your family with Life360's Tile tracker. Visit tile.com today and use code OfficeLadies get 15% off.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's tile.com code OfficeLadies.

[Jenna Fischer]

We are back.

[Angela Kinsey]

We have had snacks and we're ready to talk about the fact that Jim and Dwight run a no nonsense office.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's been six days since their last nonsense.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right. Jim holds up a chalkboard that says five days and Dwight erases it and writes in the number six. They're very serious about the no nonsense.

[Jenna Fischer]

Now Jim is going to join Pam at their desk clump and he's going to say the pre conference room meeting went well. Which bodes well for the post conference room meeting. Ultimately it all does depend on the conference room meeting itself.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then he gets a call and it's from the folks at Athlead. They're wondering, you know what's up with him, Is he coming back? What's going on?

[Jenna Fischer]

Is he going to go on this three month tour, 32 cities or something like that? Yeah, they really want him to go.

[Angela Kinsey]

Jim is going to share a little bit more about this in a talking head. He said I guess they would be meeting athletes on their own turf, building relationships. It sounds really fun. But he said no and that's final because he doesn't want to risk losing Pam again over Athlead.

[Jenna Fischer]

And then Pam has a talking head where she feels relieved but also a little guilty. She kind of feels like he's giving up this big thing for her, but he seems happy. You know, he's been goofing around a lot. And she really loves.

[Angela Kinsey]

Here's what I want to say to that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I've got my mug in my hand.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, well, my mug doesn't have pockets, but it has a hummingbird that's ready to buzz around.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, you start.

[Angela Kinsey]

Grow up.

[Jenna Fischer]

I spit off my coffee. Go on.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's what I want to say to Pam. Grow up. And Jim, you're adults. You have family. You have a home. Goofy Jim was in his 20s. They're older now, and the two of them need to evolve as a couple at the workplace and with their goals and goofy gym. It just pissed me off.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

How was that?

[Jenna Fischer]

That was good. And it was not my soapbox. Okay, so here's what I have to say. It's not that Jim almost lost Pam because he went to Athlead. Jim almost lost Pam because he was dishonest and sneaky and non communicative and made decisions without her input. And now all they've done is swing too far in the opposite direction. What this couple needs is to communicate and grow up. Yes, exactly. Jim is allowed to start a business, and Pam is allowed to feel overwhelmed and lonely. And there is a way that they could do this all if they would just talk to each other more.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's not solved by just making this giant new decision to just come back and be Goofy Jim. Clearly, they are on my last nerve.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Equally. The two of them.

[Jenna Fischer]

The two of them. But also, Pam is really on my last nerve. She's going to get on my major last nerve a little later in this episode.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Right now, it's both of them.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right, Nana, put your tissue back in your pocket. I know. All right.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right. It felt good to get that off my chest.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, good. We are now going to have a conference room meeting. And we learned Dwight begins every meeting with an inspirational quote. He's made himself a fast fact. Right now. It probably seems fun, but several meetings in, he's going to be like, God damn, I got to come up with a stupid inspirational quote.

[Jenna Fischer]

He's going to make Jim do it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. But then Jim will pass it on to his other assistant, so he'll be doing it for himself. Here's the quote. Some say the only failure there is is the Failure to try. And then he rings a buzzer. Eh, that is wrong. Failure of any kind is failure. Jim, over to you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Now Jim is going to remind everyone of their no nonsense rule. Pam's going to raise her hand and present a scenario to clarify whether or not this is nonsense or not.

[Angela Kinsey]

Now we have goofy Jim and Pam.

[Jenna Fischer]

Pam's example is if someone came in and they were carrying water jugs, could you say nice jugs?

[Angela Kinsey]

I was very surprised by Pam's example. Pam's example sounds like something Todd Packer would pitch.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, interestingly enough, this was a candy bag joke. This was not the originally scripted joke.

[Angela Kinsey]

Interesting. Well, Jim says that's obviously nonsense and what percentage of nonsense do we tolerate in this office? And everyone replies, zero. No nonsense. You can't have any nonsense.

[Jenna Fischer]

Now Angela's going to arrive. She's just gotten to work, she's a little late and she's carrying Philip.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, we did film a whole scene that got cut out where Angela takes Philip to daycare and they turn her away because of the senator scandal. And Oscar. There is a blooper from that scene. It's on the DVD extras because the little boy playing Philip really wanted to like run. There was like grass and like, and I'm holding him and he wanted down. And so I'm like trying to say my line and juggle him and I just get so tickled. He wins. He gets down. I let him down.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, it's interesting you mentioned him because we got a fan question from Jesse in Edmonton who said, is the actor that plays Philip related to Rainn in any way? Because they really look so alike. And if not, hats off to the casting team. Well, baby Philip was played by twins Vince and Evan Edwards. This was their first on camera gig on a professional set.

[Angela Kinsey]

They were so cute and they were just so sweet. You know, we've shared we would go and spend time with any kids that played our children just to get to know them. And I just remember them being so stinking cute.

[Jenna Fischer]

They were so cute. And they were also not related to anyone on the set. I asked Dave what were the casting requirements to find this baby Phillips? Uh, oh, well, he said they did not actively search for babies that would look like Dwight or look like Angela. That was just luck. He said their main search criteria was could they do all the actions required because they actually have a lot that they need to do and it's really challenging for babies to be on set with a lot of strange people, you know, and that after meeting with several sets of twins Evan and Vincent came in, and Dave said he instantly knew this was the new baby Schrute. He said they were just really calm, very attentive, and they were really cool with being held by both you and Rain.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And Oscar. And, you know, you'll see me in the conference room. I have a little toy that was his actual toy, you know, so we did have things even on set that were actually his to make him feel more at home.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, anyway, that's how we found them. And Dave did say he was absolutely delighted that they did sort of look a little bit like Rainn and they had your blonde hair. You said it was amazing.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was really good casting. Dwight is going to say philip can stay. And he announces that he's going to let everyone off half an hour early so they can go watch the documentary.

[Jenna Fischer]

But you have to make up the time. You know, he said you can make it up by either staying 30 minutes later tomorrow or one minute for the.

[Angela Kinsey]

Rest of the month.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. What would you do? Would you stay 30 minutes or one extra minute? I would stay 30 minutes.

[Angela Kinsey]

I would stay 30 minutes and get it done.

[Jenna Fischer]

But also, like, what am I gonna do with one extra minute a day?

[Angela Kinsey]

Unless I run one minute late usually. Then it doesn't change my day much.

[Jenna Fischer]

It doesn't. Well, now we're gonna see some talking heads from people, and we're getting some insights into how people feel about the fact that this documentary is going to be airing starting tonight.

[Angela Kinsey]

Meredith is like, I better come out smelling like a rose. I've been on my best behavior for nine years. If it wasn't for the cameras, I would have done some truly vulgar crap. Noted.

[Jenna Fischer]

Stanley notes that over the course of the documentary, he's had three affairs.

[Angela Kinsey]

And if you find his body in a ditch. Let me save the police some trouble. My wife did it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Kevin announces that he's going to be watching the documentary at Poor Richards and that everyone is welcome.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, why is he watching it at Poor Richards?

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, it has something to do with an all you can eat shrimp commercial.

[Angela Kinsey]

He charged the tv.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

When the shrimp commercial came on and he broke his tv.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know my friend Luda, who I was out here with in my very earliest of days, she went to college with me. We both came out to LA to be actresses. She was in a Red Lobster all you can eat shrimp commercial.

[Angela Kinsey]

No way. What was her part?

[Jenna Fischer]

She said she had a line. She had a line.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's huge.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know. She had a line. And then there was something about it where she Got to eat at Red Lobster for free for a while. We ate so much Red Lobster because she had done this commercial. I mean, this. It was so many of those cheddar biscuits.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wow.

[Jenna Fischer]

That are so good. But I mean, she got us through that commercial and that free Red Lobster, it got us through some lean times in our early actor days, I bet.

[Angela Kinsey]

I did the lay's.

[Jenna Fischer]

Wow.

[Angela Kinsey]

Potato chip commercial and I had to eat them. You know the one that had olestra that caused anal leakage.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

I had to eat those chips all day. I'd take a bite and I'd say, wow. That was my only line. I was fine. Did not mess up my constitution at all.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh.

[Angela Kinsey]

So anyway, I didn't get free shrimp, but I did get some potato chips.

[Jenna Fischer]

You also didn't get anal leakage, which I think is good.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's a bonus.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, I think they discontinued those though, right?

[Angela Kinsey]

I think they did. And Red Lobster went out of business because of their all you can eat shrimp.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my God. I think that's right.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, right? I think I read that.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think I did too. That it really did them in.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, it did Kevin's TV in it.

[Jenna Fischer]

She did.

[Angela Kinsey]

She did. Brought us back.

[Jenna Fischer]

You brought it back, lady.

[Angela Kinsey]

What are you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Now Oscar's also gonna say he can't believe that this documentary is finally airing and notes that when they started filming, he was still having sex with women.

[Angela Kinsey]

As was Kevin, I believe.

[Jenna Fischer]

Mm.

[Angela Kinsey]

Creed says this airs tonight. Oh, man, if my parents see this, I am toast.

[Jenna Fischer]

Creed's parents.

[Angela Kinsey]

I wanna do an episode just called Creed.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, who else wanted to do that? Was it Mike Schur or was it BJ Novak? One of the two of them told us that they wanted to follow Creed for a whole day.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'd love it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, now we're gonna cut back to Andy. He's still waiting in line to audition and suddenly a cute blonde is gonna appear behind him. She wants some camera time.

[Angela Kinsey]

She's Casey Dean.

[Jenna Fischer]

We don't need to tell you who she is. She's gonna tell you herself.

[Angela Kinsey]

Let's hear it. Woo hoo.

[Jenna Fischer]

Casey Dean.

[D]

Cincinnati, Ohio. Doctor, Doctor, give her the news.

[Jenna Fischer]

I gotta great Casey Dean for you, America.

[C]

No, this is my time.

[Jenna Fischer]

Casey Dean was played by Jessica Sinclair. She is a member of Upright Citizens Brigade, improv comedy. She is a powerhouse. She co created and starred in USA's Playing House. She has a podcast, she sure does, called the Deep Dive with June Diane Raphael, who, as you know, is one of the women who inspired us to start our podcast. We reached out to Jessica via our old producer at Earwolf, Cody Fisher, who produced their podcast the Deep Dive. She put us in touch.

[Angela Kinsey]

We were so excited to hear from Jessica about how she got her role in the Office. And we had a few other questions for her. We're going to sprinkle those in, but let's start with how she got her role in the Office.

[D]

Hi, guys. So thank you so much for asking me to even weigh in on this episode. It really was a highlight for me. I'm a huge fan of the Office, and it was. I know the season, the show was ending, and I thought, well, that's it for me, you know, that you guys were going to be the one that got away. And at the last minute, I got a call, and I really think it was, like, two days before it shot, so maybe Sandra Bullock wasn't available. And then they went down the list. But I was so happy to do it because Ed Helms is such a dear friend of mine and an old friend from the UCB Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in our 20s, back when I had Hugh Grant's haircut from Four Weddings and a Funeral, and so I knew I was going to get to spend the day with Ed. So that was amazing.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love that she compared her haircut to Hugh Grant in Four Weddings and a Funeral. I have seen that movie so many times. I have an instant image of what her hair looked like. She's so funny.

[Jenna Fischer]

So funny. And she's gonna give us some more delicious nuggets as we go on.

[Angela Kinsey]

We now have a great scene with Angela and Oscar. They're over in accounting, but they're acting like an old married couple. Like, she's saying, did you pack the snacks? And he's like, no, I told you to pack the snacks. And she says, well, whenever I pack the bag, you tell me I pack it wrong. And Kevin's like, guys. Hey, guys. Guys.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Kevin's like, guys, I want you to see this funny video on my computer. Look at my computer where someone says.

[Angela Kinsey]

Bold instead of cold. It's not that funny, Kevin.

[Jenna Fischer]

But then Kevin has an amazing talking head.

[Angela Kinsey]

It might be my favorite talking head of the entire series.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, well, you are not alone. Katie F. From London, UK, said, I have been waiting 4 years and 10 years because this aired 10 years ago.

[Angela Kinsey]

Got it.

[Jenna Fischer]

To tell you that Kevin's line in this episode is my favorite line of the entire series.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm with you, and I think we should hear it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Let's hear it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Philip.

[Jenna Fischer]

Philip.

[Angela Kinsey]

Philip.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's all about Philip.

[C]

I Hate Philip.

[Angela Kinsey]

Here's what I want you to know about that talking head. It was not the one in the script. It was a candy bag alt. Oh, my gosh, yes. And I can share with you two other versions. Ready?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

So here's how it was scripted. Philip, Philip, Philip. It's all about Philip. I hope Philip runs away. Oh, and this was another candy bag alt. And it really made me laugh. Kevin says, on the one hand, Philip is a cute baby. On the other hand, I hate his stupid face and wish he'd go to baby hell.

[Jenna Fischer]

I kind of like that one.

[Angela Kinsey]

Anyway, Katie in London. I'm with you. Such a fantastic talking head.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, this really points to that dynamic that you talked about originally, Angela, which is that you always felt like you were this dysfunctional family over in accounting where you and Oscar were the parents and Kevin was your kid. And now here you have your next kid, and he's very jealous.

[Angela Kinsey]

We have a jealous toddler.

[Jenna Fischer]

You do?

[Angela Kinsey]

All right. Jim is going to walk into Dwight's office, and Dwight's like, not now, private time. I do have a background catch.

[Jenna Fischer]

What is it?

[Angela Kinsey]

8 minutes, 55 seconds when the camera widens up, the mobile, the hierarchy mobile is moving. So I think this was like a second take or a retake. Cause it hadn't, like, gotten still.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think you're right. Anyway, I think that's true.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's my background catch.

[Jenna Fischer]

I liked it. Well, Jim is gonna say we've overlooked something.

[Angela Kinsey]

What?

[Jenna Fischer]

Some pfn.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right.

[Jenna Fischer]

Potential future nonsense. They're looking at the mobile. He says, look at it. We do not have an assistant to the assistant to the regional manager.

[Angela Kinsey]

We sure don't.

[Jenna Fischer]

Dave Rogers told me Rainn improvised a line here, and it's so good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Which part is it about the hierarchy mobile?

[Jenna Fischer]

When Jim points to it, Rainn came up with the line. I'd have to get some more wire and string, but it's doable.

[Angela Kinsey]

I liked that line.

[Jenna Fischer]

Very, very good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Good job, Rahn.

[Jenna Fischer]

Very good job, Rainn.

[Angela Kinsey]

Good job, rain. He's gonna MacGyver it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Meanwhile, Andy and Casey Dean are hitting it off, and host Mark McGrath is gonna come out and address the crowd.

[Angela Kinsey]

How charismatic was he?

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my gosh.

[Angela Kinsey]

I so believed him as this character.

[Jenna Fischer]

We asked Dave how we got him for the show. Dave said that they were hoping to get an Entertainment Tonight like, extra type host. And Mark McGrath was perfect because he had been doing extra. And also he is a musician himself. Yeah, you know, lead singer of the band Sugar Ray, everybody. Yeah, Dave said that when Mark McGrath said yes to doing this part, he was so excited. Dave loves Sugar Ray. He said he has all their albums. And he even had Mark's duet with Shania Twain, you know that song Party for Two, on a CD mix in.

[Angela Kinsey]

His car on the day we filmed it?

[Jenna Fischer]

No, no, just in general.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh. Cause that would have been kind of wild if he pulled up and was listening to him at the same time. Dave also shared with us that he was once at a rooftop movie premiere and saw Mark talking to some people, but he was too nervous to go up and tell him he was a huge fan. So now you fast forward to the morning that they're shooting these scenes together. And Dave, I guess, went into hair and makeup, and when he entered the trailer, he said, where's the rock star? And he said mark couldn't have been friendlier. He was really excited to play the part, and he nailed the performance on the first take.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And Dave said, as a side note, Mark graciously invited him and a friend to be guest at his upcoming Sugar Ray show at the Greek Theater. And Dave had a blast.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Steve Burgess also talked about how amazing Mark was to work with. He confirmed that he nailed all his stuff on the first take. And Jessica St. Clair also enjoyed working with Mark. Here's what she had to say.

[D]

I also remember being very attracted to Mark McGrath and understanding, you know, why he had the career he did. He's got Riz for days. But I did spend a majority of my time on set trying to catch the eye of Mr. McGrath, and sadly, we never had our moment where our eyes locked over Kraft Service. But I'm not ruling it out, you know, but, yeah, that's. I think that's. A woman of a certain age like myself can really get her motor running about Mark McGrath. So that was a real highlight.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I'm a woman of a certain age, and I think all of us remember Mark McGrath.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, he's got the rizz.

[Jenna Fischer]

He's got the Riz for days. I went on his IMDb page, Ang, and I found this very funny trivia tidbit that I have to share.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's said that he is so often mistaken for Ethan Hawke that he sometimes just signs autographs as Ethan Hawke. And apparently the same thing happens to Ethan Hawke, who signs autographs as Mark McGrath.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's so funny.

[Jenna Fischer]

Isn't that funny?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Well, I have one thing to point out from the script for this scene. You know, when Mark mentions the mole, and then he's like, oh, I wasn't supposed to say that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then Andy's like, what mole? What are you talking about? I already forgot about it. And Mark goes, good man. Right there. I'll see you guys inside. Good luck. All right. And then Andy's like, yeah, pour some Sugar Ray on me. And Casey Dean goes, wow. On a roll much? You totally made a connection there. And Andy's like, yeah, it felt good. It felt funny. I love this interaction so much. I went to the script to see if they had improvised any of it. I think they might have a little bit. But there was a scripted line I thought was really funny where Andy would have said, I should be resting my vokes, but I can't stop riffing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my gosh. The writers must have loved writing for Andy.

[Angela Kinsey]

Rest in my vokes.

[Jenna Fischer]

So good.

[Angela Kinsey]

So good. Now we're in the kitchen. Jim is pouring Pam a cup of coffee. He's very giddy. He's having fun with this prank. We find out that he says by 2pm Dwight is going to choose himself as the AARM, thereby making himself Jim's assistant.

[Jenna Fischer]

Now Darryl pulls up to the warehouse. He borrowed one of the warehouse trucks to deliver all his furniture to Philly. He has officially moved to Philly.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah. He's all in. We find out that Daryl hates goodbyes, so he pulled an Irish exit and left before anyone noticed. No hard feelings. No feelings at all.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, please. And do not tell anyone he's there. He doesn't want anyone to know. All right, now we're going to see what these challenges are to find the aarm. Challenge number one is know your superior. And I guess the way you know your superior is by predicting what they're thinking.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Jim is like, what am I thinking? What song is in my head?

[Angela Kinsey]

No one can guess what Jim is thinking except Jim and Dwight. Say seahorse at the same time.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's right.

[Angela Kinsey]

What are the odds of that?

[Jenna Fischer]

I mean, they're pretty good based on how this went down. Don't you think so?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, because what Jim did is just start to say a word as Dwight already said it. Let's do it. Jenna. Ready? What am I thinking of right now?

[Jenna Fischer]

What?

[Angela Kinsey]

What?

[Jenna Fischer]

You're doing it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Stop it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Can I say something?

[Angela Kinsey]

What? This is an acting exercise.

[Jenna Fischer]

Kristen Wiig and Fred Armisen on Saturday Night Live have a bit where they.

[Angela Kinsey]

They are the best at it, but they're singing.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know as well.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then they're having to create a story, like new information.

[Jenna Fischer]

It is so good. It's the best. It's the best. At this bit.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's so great. The whole bit is they have to sing a song on Weekend Update, and it comes across like they haven't prepared, and they're making it up on the spot. And they are. And visually, they're having to watch each other to see what words they're saying. We should put one of them in stories. It's so funny.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, challenge number two. We're in the conference room, and we're gonna talk about protocols. What do you do if there is a conference room meeting of very important people and a phone message comes in? Dwight hands this phone message to Clark, who immediately reads it out loud and insults one of the people at the table. Dwight is like, no, you don't read it. Clark has failed.

[Angela Kinsey]

Clark Green.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Not gonna get a corn dog.

[Jenna Fischer]

Does not get a corn dog. Once again, Dwight is the only person who knows how to solve this problem properly.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's uncanny.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. Uncanny. Jim has a lot of clipboard acting in this episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

A lot of pen clicking, a lot of pin click.

[Angela Kinsey]

Writing stuff on a clipboard.

[Jenna Fischer]

Check mark.

[Angela Kinsey]

Making check marking. He's clipboard guy.

[Jenna Fischer]

He really is.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, back in line for America's next acapella sensation. Andy and Casey are really bonding over the fact that they're getting annoyed with other people that they think are going to be pulling at the heartstrings of the judges. There's a army veteran. There's, like, a single mom, and they're sort of chatting about it. Well, when we were filming this episode, I guess a real life drag race started to happen, like, on the street.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, wow.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And everyone's, like, reacting to it. It's in the bloopers. I thought it was so wild. I want you to hear it. Oh.

[D]

Over by the Porta Potties, they were interviewing a homeless single mother with three kids.

[Angela Kinsey]

What?

[D]

Who cares?

[Angela Kinsey]

Is that your ride?

[D]

What is going on? What is happening?

[C]

I think we can keep that one.

[D]

What is happening?

[C]

Is that a bank robbery?

[Angela Kinsey]

What just happened?

[D]

That was crazy.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my goodness.

[Angela Kinsey]

Did you hear how loud it was? Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Well, I asked Jessica about this, and here's what she had to say.

[D]

Now, apparently, there was a drag race happening during the scene when we were standing online. I don't have a memory of that, but I do remember that everyone on the line, all the background actors were so lovely and just a fun hang. And that isn't always the case, but everyone was so excited to be there. I think everyone was sort of a fan of the Office and Everyone was really bringing a backstory to their characters. So that was really fun.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know, some of my favorite things to shoot are, like, situations like this where you're in this, like, big line or big group of people for multiple scenes, because you really do kind of end up making up your own stories in the background. And they become some of the most fun shoot days.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. There's a guy with a cowboy hat in the background.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

I kept watching him. He clearly had a story for himself.

[Jenna Fischer]

I should point out that our guest star who played the veteran was Nico Evers Swindle. He has been on American Horror Story and Grim. He also played Prince William in the movie William and Kate.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wow.

[Jenna Fischer]

And everyone, Jessica is so amazing and funny. We're gonna have more audio clips to share with you next week. And definitely check out her podcast with June Diane Raphael called the Deep Dive. And you also have to listen to her audiobook with Casey Wilson. It is called the Art of Small Talk. It's on audible. It is so funny.

[Angela Kinsey]

The two of them are so hilarious.

[Jenna Fischer]

They're gonna give you all the advice you need to go to any event with some great small talk. I feel like my trick of walking up to people laughing could be in this book.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's just a preview of some of their advice. I think that would qualify. They would like it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, Andy is going to decide if the judges want a feel good moment. He's going to give him a feel good moment. He says, save my place in line, and he takes off.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

What's Andy got up his sleeve?

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, something good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, we're over at Caffeine Corner now. And I'll be damned if they don't have donuts. Caffeine Corner.

[Jenna Fischer]

So many donuts.

[Angela Kinsey]

They never had donuts. I remember being super excited to go over there. And I did sneak one. They let me have one.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, that's where we were doing all of our interviews for the look back.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, Daryl's gonna buy some to give some of the warehouse guys. He felt bad, I guess, Cause he didn't say goodbye to him. And Pam asked him, how's it going at Athlead? Daryl couldn't be happier. He's so stoked. He's gonna, like, meet all of his sports heroes. He'll go to 32 different. He can't believe that Jim is happier at Dunder Mifflin.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. He says he's not having any second thoughts about leaving athlete. And Pam is like, nope. I mean, he seems happy.

[Angela Kinsey]

He seems happy. He's just going to try to recreate office Olympics?

[Jenna Fischer]

Pretty much.

[Angela Kinsey]

Maybe a call for help.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're in the warehouse, and there is a coffee obstacle course set up.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, you have two cups of hot coffee. Your boss needs his coffee. Here's the thing. It's super piping hot. You gotta step over three different sizes of, like, stacks of paper. And then you go through this chair obstacle spinny thing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, the chairs are upside down. The wheels are spinning. This obstacle course was originally scripted to be outside, but Dave Rogers moved it into the warehouse. He said he moved it for two reasons. One, because he thought it would be easier for Aaron to spot Darryl at the end if they were in the warehouse than if they were outside in the alley. But also, he said whenever we did a lot of scenes outside, we would all get hot and grouchy. And so he was like, let's move it inside, folks.

[Angela Kinsey]

Save myself.

[Jenna Fischer]

Exactly.

[Angela Kinsey]

Some grouchy folks.

[Jenna Fischer]

Phyllis is up first on the obstacle course, and she's moving too slowly.

[Angela Kinsey]

Dwight can't take it. He, like, grabs the coffee from her, starts running through it. He's spilling coffee on himself. It's like, burning him. But you know what? He's gonna get that coffee to his boss, which is himself.

[Jenna Fischer]

I would like to award myself a Razzie for my performance in this scene. Oh, my God. I could barely watch it. Could I be telegraphing or showing or indicating anymore? Everyone, if you want to be an actor, don't do what I'm doing in this.

[Angela Kinsey]

Stop it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I am serious. Like, everything about me, it's like, does anyone have eyes on me? Like, how is Jim not noticing that I've turned into a complete sad sack and I'm just standing there like a big, wet blanket? I mean, how about some subtlety, Jenna?

[Angela Kinsey]

When Jenna says a Razzie award, she's talking about a thing called the Golden Raspberry Awards. It's a parody, and it's an award show honoring the worst in cinematic failures.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, they don't even cover television, but I think they should make an exception for me. Stop it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I disagree.

[Jenna Fischer]

Ugh. Well, anyway, as if you couldn't tell, Pam is now very preoccupied with this idea that Daryl has planted in her head that maybe Jim is not actually as happy as he seems.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, Jim is going to present Dwight with a crown that he's made out of, like, tinfoil and cardboard. Everyone applauds, but Pam, in fact, she runs outside very dramatically runs away.

[Jenna Fischer]

Overly dramatic. Pam. Dave said that Rainn improvised a line at the end of this scene. Originally, it was going to end with pam running out. But rainn improvised this line, and I loved it so much. He says, from now on, anyone who needs to speak to me has got to go through me first.

[Angela Kinsey]

I thought it was really funny. Rain knew his character so well.

[Jenna Fischer]

So well.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, Jim is going to catch up to Pam outside. They're in that little alley by the warehouse, and she's worried. Jim's like, are you okay? And she says, today was fun, but what about a year from now? What about five years from now? You know, she's worried that she's not enough for him and that he's going to resent her.

[Jenna Fischer]

I need to pick up my mug.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, here it comes. Pockets. Mug.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, this is when Pam lost me.

[Angela Kinsey]

Uh, oh, okay, I'm gonna eat my granola bar. Go.

[Jenna Fischer]

For most of the season, Jim has been on my list. But all of this is very crazy making to me on Pam's part.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hold up. Are you calling bull on Pam? Are you playing a bull card?

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know if it's a full bull card because this is in character for them. This is just where their relationship is making me a little crazy. But herein lies the problem. In this scene, Jim says, this was my decision to come back. Okay? I'm not gonna resent you. This was my decision. That's everything you need to know. This is their problem. He decided to start the business, and now he's decided to give up the business. Why are they not making decisions together? And I am losing my mind.

[Angela Kinsey]

He bought a house.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. I remember hearing this amazing advice very early on about decision making in marriage. And this is what I want to say to Jim and Pam. When you're at odds over something, but you reach a compromise or you do eventually make a decision, that decision is not complete until you both agree to take responsibility for the decision. So later on, if something goes wrong, you can't be like, see, I knew it. Or like, well, that was you. You're the one who wanted it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. No, I told you so's.

[Jenna Fischer]

None of that. Whatever the consequence is, we both made it. And if Jim and Pam had made the decision together to start this business and they took mutual responsibility for how that decision played out, we'd be in a very different situation right now. If Pam was unhappy with that decision, too bad. Because you made that decision together, you're going to have to tough it out, Pam. That was a mutual decision. These are the consequences of your mutual decision. But all that happens is Jim makes decisions, but Pam is, like, letting this happen too you know what I mean? Like, she just sort of like, well.

[Angela Kinsey]

She'S got to be more vocal.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's got to stop making decisions without her.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Thank you. Mug down. Thank you for hearing me.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, Jim is going to have a talking head now. He's going to say, not enough. And then he looks at the documentary crew, and he said, look, I need to ask a favor from you guys. I know it's probably against the rules. And then we hear Dave Rogers voice say, okay, you got it, man. Very quick to say, yes. I have to say, I know. I thought maybe they'd be like, let me think about it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Let me talk to some people.

[Angela Kinsey]

Or maybe just don't have them respond at all.

[Jenna Fischer]

I didn't think we needed the response.

[Angela Kinsey]

I didn't either. It sort of, like, threw me for a second. I love that Dave's voice got in the episode, because I love him, But I also was like, well, that was quick.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, you know, we've heard the documentarian's voice one other time, and it was Dave at that time as well.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know, Dave said originally he just recorded his voice as, like, a temporary voice track. Yeah. And that the intention was that Greg Daniels would provide the voice of the documentarian, But Greg was like, no, I want it to be you. Meanwhile, Kevin is really acting out over his lack of attention.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's throwing a tantrum. He says to Angela and Oscar, you know what? Tell Philip that a stupid little baby wish came true.

[Jenna Fischer]

But Angela and Oscar don't have time to deal with this. They're trying to get Philip down for a nap. They've created kind of a bed out of the bottom drawer of the file can, but they've pulled it out. They put a bunch of blankets in.

[Angela Kinsey]

They've made a bassinet, Like, a little bassinet. They have a little mattress thing on the bottom and some of his stuffed animals.

[Jenna Fischer]

But Philip is too excited to nap.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Angela said he's very excited to be surrounded by all this paper. And he even ate some of the paper, which Dwight overhears and is like, well, that's the best tasting paper. Hmm.

[Jenna Fischer]

Meanwhile, in the break room, Phyllis, Aaron, and Meredith are confronting Daryl about the fact that he left without saying goodbye.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm.

[Jenna Fischer]

Now Stanley's there, too, but he's just kind of eating his lunch in the background. He's weighing in, but he's not as passionate about this problem.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oscar shows up there, too.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, you're right.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Clearly they love Daryl and they wanted more time with him, and they're really bummed he did the Irish exit. Daryl says, wow, they're definitely in a weird mood. I picked the wrong day to return a truck.

[Jenna Fischer]

I have a mug catch.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, let's hear it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Both Meredith and Creed are using their mugs from Customer Survey. Aw, that was season five.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

I just love the dedication to this mug thing.

[Angela Kinsey]

Me too. Well, in Dwight's office, him and Esther are now having a picnic. And just standing right outside the window of his office, Angela and Pam are having a whole conversation. And Angela's holding Philip, but she's not really paying attention to what Philip is looking at or doing. She's just chatting away with Pam. Are Pam and Angela friends?

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know. I mean, I do think children bring them together in a way. In a way, I'll say that.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, while Angela's holding Philip and chatting away, Philip has only got eyes for one thing.

[Jenna Fischer]

The Galactica.

[Angela Kinsey]

He points at it, he's smiling. Dwight clocks all of this. He can't even focus on what Esther's saying.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And you know, this picnic in his office, this was going to be a marriage proposal.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. He puts the ring back in his pocket.

[Jenna Fischer]

He does. Dwight has a talking head where he says the way Philip looks at the Galactica is the same way he looks at it.

[Angela Kinsey]

And they even eat the same kind of paper. Well, we had to ask Dave Rogers about the scene because a while back he shared with us his love of Battlestar Galactica and how it influenced the character of Dwight. Here's what he told us. For this episode, it was scripted that Dwight paints and hangs a model of the Battlestar Galactica in his office. And just to go back in history for a second, when Dave met Greg Daniels after watching the pilot, he pitched that Dwight should like Battlestar Galactica and have a Viper, one of the individual fighter ships, on his desk.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Dave talked about this in his interview with us that originally Dwight was going to love Star Trek, which he does love Star Trek. But Dave pitched that it would be cooler if he liked this kind of niche sci fi thing. And that is why Dwight came to love Battlestar Galactica.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. Dave said Greg even bought him a model of the original Galactica Cylon base ship for one of his birthdays. And when they were prepping this episode, Phil Shea asked if Dwight would have an original series, Galactica or the new series Galactica. He loves both series, but he wanted the original Galactica. And when the show wrapped filming, Phil Shea said that he could keep it and gave it to him. And Rain signed it and wrote, dave, Galactica loves you. And he has it to this day displayed in his office.

[Jenna Fischer]

And we saw it when we did our interview with him. We could see it hanging in the background. Well, I was wondering if we had to get special permission to use the ship, but Steve Burgess said legal said use it. Just use it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh.

[Jenna Fischer]

He said that we were not using it in any way, that it was not intended. Like it was a model that you paint and hang. And that's what we did with it. So it was okay. And also we weren't saying anything bad about it. And also it's a universal show.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, well, Dwight shows Esther out the door. He gets a bean bag that says now on it and throws it at the back of Jim.

[Jenna Fischer]

The summoning bag.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, it's a summoning bag. And he tells Jim he's going to need him to perform a test on a baby. Jim says, I've got a busy day. Writes something on his clipboard, tears it off more clipboard and says, you know what? He's going to pass this off to his number two unless he can't handle it. And Dwight assures him he can.

[Jenna Fischer]

Dun, dun, dun.

[Angela Kinsey]

To be continued.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Well, there you have it, folks. That is AARM part one.

[Angela Kinsey]

Next week is AARM Part two. Big thank you to Dave Rogers, to.

[Jenna Fischer]

Steve Burgess, Jessica St. Clair. Don't forget to check out Jessica's audiobook, the Art of Small Talk, available on Audible. And I want to remind everybody that Kendra Adachi's book the Plan is out now. We talked about it last week.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right. And you guys, we hope you have a great day. We can't wait to see you next week. We have some really fun stuff coming up.

[Jenna Fischer]

See you then.

[Angela Kinsey]

See you then.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thank you for listening to Office Ladies.

[Angela Kinsey]

Office Ladies is a presentation of Odyssey and is produced by Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey.

[Jenna Fischer]

Our executive producer is Cassie Jerkins, our audio engineer is Sam Kiefer and our associate producer is Ainsley Bubaco.

[Angela Kinsey]

Odyssey's executive producers are Jenna Weiss Berman and Leah Reese. Dennis.

[Jenna Fischer]

Office Ladies is mixed and mastered by Chris Basil.

[Angela Kinsey]

Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton. Klarna is your smarter everyday spending partner for the holiday season. Shoppers can use Klarna's pay in for product to split their purchase into four interest free payments.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's really great, especially this time of year when I feel like we're all spending a little bit more than we usually do. This is an opportunity to stretch your payments over time which makes them just so much more digestible Klarna enables smarter shopping through their cash back offering, the Klarna card and their search and compare feature. I mean, that's pretty cool. If you know there's something you want to get, Klarna can help you figure out the best place to get it for the best price. Choose Klarna at your favorite retailers or shop [e-mail] CA resident loans made or.

[Angela Kinsey]

Arranged pursuant to a California Finance Law License NMLS number 1353190 Klarna balance account required. Klarna may get a commission Limitations, terms and conditions apply.

[C]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Whether you love true crime or comedy, celebrity interviews or news, you call the shots on what's in your podcast queue. And guess what? Now you can call them on your auto insurance, too. With the Name youe Price tool from Progressive, it works just the way it sounds. You tell Progressive how much you want to pay for car insurance and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Get your quote [e-mail] to join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law.