Livin' the Dream, Pt 2

Summary

Office Ladies: Livin' the Dream, Pt 2 – Detailed Summary

Release Date: September 25, 2024

Hosts: Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey
Podcast Title: Office Ladies
Episode Title: Livin' the Dream, Pt 2

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Introduction

In this episode of Office Ladies, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey dive deep into the intricacies of The Office Season 9, Episode 23, titled "Livin' the Dream, Pt 2." Released on September 25, 2024, this installment continues their ultimate re-watch series, where the duo breaks down episodes, shares exclusive behind-the-scenes stories, and discusses character developments that only two former cast members can provide.

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Episode Recap

"Livin' the Dream, Pt 2" serves as a continuation of the two-part episode and marks a pivotal moment in the series as Dwight Schrute is officially appointed as the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin.

• Dwight's Promotion:
  At [03:22], Jenna introduces the central plot where Dwight receives the managerial promotion. Angela elaborates on Dwight’s preparedness, mentioning, "He already has a business card ready" ([03:29]), highlighting Dwight's meticulous nature.

• Andy Bernard's Dilemma:
  Andy contemplates staying at Dunder Mifflin as a salesman after initially deciding to quit to pursue his dreams. Angela teases, “He is doing a little bit of snip snap. Snip snap” ([03:43]) referring to Andy's indecisive nature.

• Angela's New Venture:
  A significant share in the episode revolves around Angela announcing her lead role in a new Hallmark Christmas movie, "Confessions of a Christmas Letter." She describes the plot ([07:08]) involving her character's struggle with writing a heartfelt Christmas letter, culminating in humorous and heartfelt moments. Jenna expresses her excitement, asserting, "I already love it" ([07:31]).

• Character Interactions:
  The episode features poignant interactions, such as Pam and Jim's continued affectionate dynamics and Andy's fluctuating commitment to his career aspirations. At [14:17], they discuss the humor and emotional depth of scenes like Andy's public announcements and Dwight's enthusiastic acceptance.

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Behind-the-Scenes Insights

Character Development and Script Decisions:

• Dwight’s Managerial Arc:
  At [12:45], Jenna reveals that as soon as the spin-off project faltered, executives knew Dwight deserved to end the series as the Regional Manager. Greg Daniels, the showrunner, emphasized making each character's conclusion meaningful, especially Dwight whose passion made his promotion a natural fit.

• Meeting with Greg Daniels:
  Angela shares a personal anecdote about meeting Greg in Vancouver ([13:28]), discussing future spin-off opportunities and his support for the podcast, reflecting the close-knit relationships behind the scenes.

• Emotional Depth in Scenes:
  The hosts discuss the emotional weight of scenes, particularly Andy's farewell song and Angela's heartfelt moments. At [35:20], Angela commends director Jeff Blitz for fostering authentic emotional performances, enabling her to convey Angela Martin's vulnerabilities effectively.

Improvisations and Unscripted Moments:

• Oscar and Angela’s Exchange:
  A touching improvised line by Angela during her scene with Oscar ([54:09]) adds depth to their friendship. The hosts highlight how these spontaneous moments enhance the authenticity of their performances.

• Technical Blunders:
  Angela points out a minor blooper where Clark Duke inadvertently looks directly into the camera ([45:32]), showcasing the spontaneous and humorous mishaps that occur during filming.

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Character Analysis

Angela Martin: Angela navigates significant personal upheaval, including eviction and strained relationships. Her vulnerability shines through scenes where she interacts with Oscar, showcasing her capacity for growth and emotional openness.

Dwight Schrute: Dwight’s ascent to Regional Manager is portrayed as a culmination of his steadfast dedication. His scripted enthusiasm (“Dwight Schrute is manager” [23:13]) encapsulates his enduring commitment to Dunder Mifflin.

Jim and Pam Halpert: Their supportive relationship is highlighted in scenes where they balance professional responsibilities with personal commitments. Jenna notes the enduring chemistry that keeps their storyline heartfelt and relatable.

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Emotional Moments

Andy’s Farewell Performance: One of the most emotionally charged moments is Andy's rendition of "I Will Remember You" ([42:00]) sung in a genuine tone, diverging from his usual theatrical style. Jenna describes how this scene profoundly impacted her, evoking real emotions tied to the show's conclusion.

Angela’s Breakdown: Angela’s sudden emotional collapse during her conversation with Oscar ([57:08]) is a testament to her character's depth. Angela recounts the challenge of portraying this raw emotion, leading to a genuine tearful performance that resonated deeply with both actors and viewers.

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Fan Feedback and Reactions

Viewer Letters and Questions: Throughout the episode, Jenna and Angela read and respond to fan letters, offering insights and answering specific questions about character motivations and scene intentions. Notable feedback includes:

• Susan C. from Plano, Texas:
  Commends the Angela-Oscar interaction for embodying grace and mercy ([51:00]).

• Adam W. from Webster, New York:
  Asks about wardrobe and character mirroring between Pam and Erin, to which Jenna responds detailing intentional scripting elements ([21:38]).

• Alexandra from Tasmania, Australia:
  Inquires about Andy's singing choice, confirmed as scripted to enhance authenticity ([42:00]).

Critical Reception: The hosts reference an A.V. Club review by Joshua Alston ([59:51]) who praises certain aspects while noting the episode's stretched pacing. They acknowledge the mixed critical responses but emphasize the high ratings from fans on OfficeTally.com, reinforcing the episode's positive reception overall.

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Conclusion

In "Livin' the Dream, Pt 2," Office Ladies hosts Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey deliver a comprehensive and heartfelt breakdown of one of The Office's most pivotal episodes. Through detailed recaps, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and emotional reflections, they offer fans a richer understanding of the characters' final arcs and the show's legacy. The episode not only celebrates Dwight's long-awaited promotion but also honors the emotional farewells that define the series' conclusion.

Notable Quotes:

• Angela Kinsey at [00:00]:
  "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."

• Jenna Fischer at [03:22]:
  "Dwight will be appointed manager."

• Angela Kinsey at [57:08]:
  "I love him."
  (Subtext: Goodbye to the show and characters)

• Ed Helms (in-character) at [46:27]:
  "Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by and weep not for the memories."

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Behind-the-Scenes Credits

Office Ladies is produced by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, with executive production by Cassie Jerkins and audio engineering by Sam Kiefer. The episode features contributions from associate producer Ainsley Bubaco and is mixed by Chris Basil. The hosts extend their gratitude to Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner for her pivotal inventions, highlighting the blend of personal anecdotes with iconic moments from The Office.

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Thank you for tuning into "Office Ladies." Tune in next week for another deep dive into The Office, sharing more memories, stories, and laughs from the hearts of 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.comofficeladies today to get 10% off your first month.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's BetterHelp. H E L P.com officeladies.

[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 example exclusive behind the scenes stories that only two people who were there can tell you.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're the Office ladies. Hello.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hi.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're talking about Living the dream, part two.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's a two parter.

[Jenna Fischer]

Wasn't supposed to be a two parter. Became a two parter. This is season nine, episode 23, written by Nikki Schwartz Wright and directed by Jeffrey Blitz. Do you want a little summery catch up?

[Angela Kinsey]

I think we need a recap because even in the episode when it aired there was a. Previously on the Office.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Well, that's how it is now. It originally aired all together, but now they for syndication. Or what do you call it? The dvd.

[Angela Kinsey]

And it's one episode on the dvd.

[Jenna Fischer]

No kidding.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yep. But it's two episodes on Apple.

[Jenna Fischer]

It is.

[Angela Kinsey]

We got to the bottom of that. Woo woo.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're solving cases already today.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, man.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I'm feeling good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, all right.

[Jenna Fischer]

Let me tell you what's going to happen this week. Dwight will be appointed manager.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

And he's going to offer Jim a new role in the company as well. Now, in the previous episode, Andy decided to quit to pursue his dreams. Well, now he's going to decide to stay but be a salesman.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's doing a little bit of snip snap. Snip snap.

[Jenna Fischer]

He is. It's true. Because at the end he's gonna change his mind again big time. Finally, Angela is gonna be evicted from her apartment and Jim is gonna receive some very good but complicated news about Athlead. But before we get into all that, Angela, I believe you have a share.

[Angela Kinsey]

I do, and I'm really excited about it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm excited. I've been waiting for weeks for you to be able to share this.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, well, let me start by asking you and Sam and Cassie this question. Have you ever written a family Christmas letter or received one?

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I've received many every year and I love them. I really like the little update letter that people send with all the details.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love them. I live for them. I'm on a few of like my mom's friend's Christmas card list and I get the letter from some of these ladies that I grew up knowing. I hang on every word.

[Jenna Fischer]

Same now. Have I written one? I wrote one one year and I found it so stressful I never did it again.

[Angela Kinsey]

Really?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. I couldn't. It was just. I was like, what do I include? What do I not include?

[Angela Kinsey]

It is. It's stressful, right?

[Jenna Fischer]

It's very stressful.

[Angela Kinsey]

Sam, Cassie.

[Cassie]

I don't get letters, but I always get pictures of my friends with their pets. And I love those.

[Sam]

I've received many. I've written zero.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay. All right. Well, I love a Christmas letter. And if you saw my Posts last week on Instagram. You know, I was super excited about this opportunity that came my way. I am the lead.

[Jenna Fischer]

The lead. The lead.

[Angela Kinsey]

The lead in a new Hallmark Christmas movie. I am so excited about this. It is such a sweet movie. It's funny, it's heartfelt. I can't wait for you guys to see it. My mom is over the moon.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my mom is over the moon. Well, Ang, I know this has been a bucket list item of yours, and when this came along, I feel like we just both squealed with excitement. And I'm so glad that it got to happen.

[Angela Kinsey]

I have to say two big thank yous. One is to my husband Josh, who held down the fort at home so I could go do this because you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Were gone maybe the longest you've had to be gone for a role.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's the longest we've ever been a part in our marriage. It was three weeks, which feels like a long time. You know, it does when you're never apart. And then also, I really want to thank you and Cassie and Sam for the way you came together and helped me get through this time. I took my microphone with me. I was recording ads at night. When I wrapped, I was loopy. But you guys all really came through for me, so thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, we can't wait to see it. Will you tell us what it's about?

[Angela Kinsey]

I will give you a little summary. Ooh, I'm gonna do a summary, Jenna. It's called Confessions of a Christmas Letter, and the premise is that this little town where my character lives has an annual Christmas writing letter contest. And the winner gets proudly displayed on the post office wall, along with a picture of the family. So your letter's in a frame, your family pictures in a frame. And it is a big, big deal in this small town. And my character is horrible at writing Christmas letters, and her next door neighbor, who's like the town snarky lady, wins every year, you know?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

So my character decides this year she's gonna hire a novelist to write her letter for her.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's very sneaky.

[Angela Kinsey]

Very sneaky. And hijinks ensue. It's really fun. And it's just a really sweet, fun movie. And I hope you guys all like it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I already love it.

[Angela Kinsey]

And there's a really fun cameo. Jenna knows this. It's by Brian Baumgartner. We had such a fun time working together again.

[Jenna Fischer]

So cool.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. And, hey, I just want to throw this out there. Listen, everyone at Hallmark was so fantastic. I had such a blast. I kind of feel like there is a mom detective Christmas caper out there. Lady, stop it. You and I could be the mom detective Christmas hallmark movie.

[Jenna Fischer]

Let me say one thing to that. Y E s exclamation point for sure. Do you know when your Christmas movie's coming out yet?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, I do. It's going to premiere on Sunday, November 17, and it's gonna re air throughout December.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yay. I love it. We have to have a viewing party.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, I really want to.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Anyway, yay. That's my big share. Yay.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love it. Well, listen, why don't we take a break and then when we come back, we'll break down living the dream. Part du.

[Angela Kinsey]

Part du. Here we go. 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] 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]

Mm. 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 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. That's up to 50% [e-mail] officeladies masterclass.com officeladies.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, I have talked about this before. I love a holiday card. I send one out every year. But not only that, I love getting yours. I tape them all along my dining room wall.

[Jenna Fischer]

I like a photo card. I make a photo card. Same every year for I don't even know how many years now. I have used Shutterfly to make my holiday card same. They have so many different options. Whatever fits your vibe, they're going to have it for you. And you can add text to the back of your card for free. So I always like to give just a quick little update.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. You know what I like to do is on the back of the card, I put our pets. And then I put a funny little quote about the pets.

[Jenna Fischer]

Shutterfly also offers services like free address printing with custom envelopes. I do that too.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's a game changer. I did it for the first time last year.

[Jenna Fischer]

I told you to do it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. Find the perfect holiday card for [e-mail] and start customizing today.

[Jenna Fischer]

Enjoy. 40% off your Shutterfly. Order with promo code officeladies and send something meaningful this year. Get free shipping on qualified orders site for more details. All right, we are back and this episode is going to pick up literally where last week left off. Dwight is entering the conference room and David Wallace has something to say.

[Angela Kinsey]

Rainn played this so well. The emotion on Dwight's face, it was this combination of being teary. I was like, teary and laughing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep. I have watched ahead to AARM part one and two. You and Raine, your combination of, like, emotion and comedy in these episodes leading to the finale is so amazing. I mean, I'm gonna get to yours later in this breakdown, but so good. Angela. Oh, my God.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thanks, lady.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, David says, I would like you to be manager. Dwight already has a business card ready. I know he can't believe it.

[Angela Kinsey]

He had one ready. Just in case Michael or Andy ever got killed in a traffic accident and there was a trade show on the exact same day. He's a planner.

[Jenna Fischer]

He sure is. Listen, we got a fan question from Sammy B. In Barrington, New Hampshire, who said, @ what point was it decided that Dwight would be manager? It's the perfect culmination of his storyline.

[Angela Kinsey]

It really is.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, basically, Sammy, as soon as they knew that the spin off wasn't happening, they knew that Dwight needed to end this series as manager of Dunder Mifflin. I actually reached out to Greg and he said that the discussions over how to end the show focused a lot on what each character deserved. Like how could we make everyone's. Maybe make their wildest dreams come true, but also what do they deserve to get from this journey? And Greg said that Dwight was a man with very clear passions. It was not hard to figure out what would make him happy. And he said most character arcs were decided about a quarter of the way through season nine so that they could slowly write toward all of them.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I have to tell you guys, while I was in Canada filming this movie, Greg and I were texting and we realized we were both in Vancouver on the same day. And we both realized this on our last day there. So we were able to meet and have lunch. It was so great. We hung out for two hours. We laughed, we talked about the show. He is so happy for Office Ladies and for what we've done in the rewatch. Jenna and I hope we get to have him on again because he's just rooting for us and he's like, ang, where are you in season nine? Tell me everything.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love him.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know, he told me that when they start filming this spin off that we can come to the set and get a behind the scenes, I guess, view of all the goings on and I can't wait. And we get to tell you guys about it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, speaking of behind the scenes, how do you like that segue? Angela's doing something behind the scenes under her desk.

[Angela Kinsey]

She is pouring. Is it vodka? It's a clear alcohol into her big 711 super gulp is what it looks like.

[Jenna Fischer]

She's basically become Meredith.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Mm.

[Angela Kinsey]

She's got a lot going on and she's not handling it very well.

[Jenna Fischer]

Meanwhile, Pam goes back to the annex to visit Jim. She has a question for him, but she can't remember what it is.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, this is such, like, back to Jim and Pam flirty days. I love that they rack focus to Toby. He's in agony.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. It was so fun to finally get to play Happy Jim Pam again.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I bet.

[Jenna Fischer]

And now when I'm re watching it and I'm seeing it, I see how very long it has been.

[Angela Kinsey]

Andy is now going to address the whole bullpen. He announces he's decided to stay at Dunder Mifflin and transition to sales. Nellie thinks this could be his best role yet.

[Jenna Fischer]

Everyone's very supportive of this idea.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. I need you all, though, to go to 4 minutes and 26 seconds.

[Jenna Fischer]

What will I see?

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I have a Dundee to give out in this scene.

[Jenna Fischer]

What is it?

[Angela Kinsey]

It's the hair. Ific Dundee for most beautiful hair in the office. And it goes to Nelly.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. I meant to mention this. Last week, there was that scene of her and Kevin in Andy's office, and her hair is so voluminous.

[Angela Kinsey]

It is like. What a blowout.

[Jenna Fischer]

What happened?

[Angela Kinsey]

I said this is like Victoria's Secret's model hair. You know, when they stand in front of the fan. Yes, yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

I looked in the script to see if there was a deleted storyline that pointed to why her hair is so terrific.

[Angela Kinsey]

It is phenomenal hair day for Nelly. Anyway, she gets a Dundee for hairific. Hello. Did you see what I did there?

[Jenna Fischer]

I love it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love a hair pun. Well, should we go back to the annex?

[Jenna Fischer]

There's some cutie pie business happening over there.

[Angela Kinsey]

There is. Pete is showing Erin a new way to use the stapler. I didn't know this. Is it a real thing?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. But when am I using this? I've known this about the stapler all along. That you can switch the plate and then instead of crimping in, it crimps out. When do I need to crimp out? My staple is.

[Angela Kinsey]

Why Would you use it for, like, a poster on the wall or something?

[Jenna Fischer]

No, no, no. I would use.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hmm. I hadn't thought about it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, there's no use for it. Someone please write in and tell me the use for.

[Angela Kinsey]

Why reverse crimp? I would like to know.

[Jenna Fischer]

I would, too. I should have done a deep dive on it. Should I do it right now? Hold on. I'm gonna Google it. All right.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm gonna have some iced tea.

[Jenna Fischer]

Why would I.

[Angela Kinsey]

How are you gonna word it?

[Jenna Fischer]

Reverse crimp. A staple.

[Sam]

It looks like it's for temporary or permanent stapling. One is easier to remove.

[Jenna Fischer]

Which one's easier to remove?

[Sam]

I guess the crimped outward one is.

[Jenna Fischer]

Easier to remove than crimped in.

[Sam]

The crimped area of a stapler is used to bend the ends of a staple into a secure shape that holds the paper together.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Sam]

So the plate that makes up for the crimp area can be adjusted for either temporary or permanent stapling.

[Jenna Fischer]

I mean, is any staple truly permanent?

[Angela Kinsey]

No, because there's that special little prongy thing that you can use to unstaple things.

[Sam]

Stapling. With the crimp area set for outward bend, staples results in the weaker but easier to remove staple.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hmm. Well, I feel like we learned a lot and nothing all at the same time.

[Sam]

That was not satisfying at all.

[Jenna Fischer]

I feel like someone really overthought the staple blur when they designed it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm not Going to judge that person. They wanted to give you options, but they didn't know the prongi thing was going to be invented.

[Jenna Fischer]

There you go. That's what happened. I have an invention that I hope someone is working on.

[Angela Kinsey]

What is that?

[Jenna Fischer]

Is anyone working to make.

[Angela Kinsey]

What? You're so tickled. What is it? I got really fired up last night about it. It's so dumb.

[Jenna Fischer]

I really had this thought. I thought, is anyone working on this?

[Angela Kinsey]

Why are you angry about it?

[Jenna Fischer]

Is anyone working on making bags of cereal easier to open? Why? Why does every time I open the cereal bag, does it look like a wolverine came in to my cereal box and tore it open? Like, why is this so hard? Is anyone working. I said it out loud in my kitchen alone. I said, is no one working on this? The person who thought so deeply about our stapling needs. Where is that person? In the cereal bag design firm?

[Angela Kinsey]

Exactly. Exactly. I want to put. You know who I want to put?

[Jenna Fischer]

What?

[Angela Kinsey]

You know. Oh, gosh, this is so stupid. You know who I would have put on the case? Who? I am so thankful for the person that got rid of the springy toilet paper holder. I'm so thankful now that you could get it just, like, on a hook or like a little arm that bends. I'm so thankful for that, because no one in my house ever changed the toilet paper when it was the springy thing. But now that it's an arm or a hook, we have fresh toilet paper. It's like the whole house collectively decided, I will do this thanks to this one person. So I'd like to put them on the cereal bag project.

[Jenna Fischer]

How can we.

[Angela Kinsey]

I can't even sip my tea. I'm laughing too hard.

[Jenna Fischer]

How can we honor this project?

[Angela Kinsey]

I wanted to sip my tea, but I'm laughing so hard I couldn't pucker my lips to sip my tea.

[Jenna Fischer]

Sam, Cassie, can you find out who invented, please, the toilet paper roll hook person, if possible, so that we can honor them by name on the podcast today?

[Angela Kinsey]

Or the arm. You know what I'm talking about? The little arm that bends down.

[Jenna Fischer]

If you could find that out, that'd be great.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. Well, meanwhile, in the annex, you can.

[Angela Kinsey]

Tell we haven't been in the room together in a while.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's true. Pam enters and she's gonna sit on Jim's desk. And they're both flirty, flirting with their fellas.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Erin with Pete and Pam with Jim. And they say, maybe we should go on a little double date. Yeah, Just kind of like a double Date. Let's do it for real.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Pete's like, boop, boop.

[Jenna Fischer]

A doop.

[Angela Kinsey]

A doop.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Well, we had a fan question from Adam W. In Webster, New York, who said, when Pam sits down at Jim's desk, did they purposely make Pam and Erin look the same with their wardrobe and the way that Pam sat next to Jim? Well, I will tell you, Adam, it was scripted that I mirror the way Aaron was sitting. I don't know about the wardrobe, but I have to imagine that was also intentional. But I have a question about this scene.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm. Oh. Is it about making plans with people?

[Jenna Fischer]

A little bit. I was in the scene. I played Pam, and I can't tell if Thursday is really bad for us or if I'm trying to get out of this idea of a double date. What did you think?

[Angela Kinsey]

Here were my thoughts. If someone sort of says, oh, we should do this sometime, and you immediately throw out a date, it can be just a little scary. Cause you're like, I like the idea of us getting together. I need a minute.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

I need a minute. Maybe I'll look at my calendar. Don't put me on the spot right away.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

I think that Erin was so quick to be like, okay, great. How's Thursday? And they're just like, well, you know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well. And I think that when you have littles the way Jim and Pam do, you can't be that spontaneous. You can't just go out on Thursday. There's so many moving parts to making that happen. But I wasn't sure, and I checked the script to see, like, did it give me a direction, like, Pam trying to get out of it or, you know, Jim trying to cover. But it didn't. It was just our lines. And I really don't know if we would want to go on a date with them or not. I couldn't decide. I was in the scene. I don't know. I don't remember what I was playing.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I really think that it wasn't. You weren't trying to throw shade at them, but just the fact that you hesitated. Erin got so pissed off.

[Jenna Fischer]

She really did. I kind of loved her performance on that scene.

[Angela Kinsey]

I thought it was fantastic. Well, Dwight and David Wallace are now gonna come out of the conference room. David says they have a big announcement, and Dwight says, can I please just do this one thing? I'll only ever ask to do it once. But then David gets a phone call, and it sort of stops the announcement.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then Dwight just sees his moment and takes it. He stands on Top of his desk. He says, dwight Schrute is manager. And everyone is so happy for him.

[Jenna Fischer]

Genuinely happy for him.

[Angela Kinsey]

I was surprised by Erin's reaction. It's the strongest reaction of the bullpen. I don't know if you clocked it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I didn't.

[Angela Kinsey]

She does a huge, like, fist pump in the air kind of thing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

So I went to the script to see if this is something Ellie came up with. No, it was scripted. This is what it said. Aaron jumps up at reception. She does Arsenio arm pumps and hoots as she runs to Dwight and hugs him from accounting. Angela proudly and shyly watches. Andy also gets up from his chair, giving Dwight a standing ovation.

[Jenna Fischer]

I like it.

[Angela Kinsey]

They really wanted Aaron to celebrate this moment in the writers room.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, Creed is gonna jump on the desk and announce himself as manager.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Crickets.

[Angela Kinsey]

Crickets.

[Jenna Fischer]

And then Jim and Pam are gonna enter from the annex and find out the news. And this is great. Immediately, Dwight is like, clark, get out of this chair. Go back to the annex. Yeah, Jim, you get your seat back. I loved his line. He says, you're an annex kid. You might be bullpen. We'll see. Here was my thing when I heard that that's what we, as the actors and the writers and the production crew called those rooms. We called them the Annex and the Bullpen. If you really worked there, would you call them the Annex and the Bullpen? Did our, like, code names for these rooms slip into the script, do you think? I don't remember us on the show ever, like, referencing them with this shorthand before as characters.

[Angela Kinsey]

100%. I feel like the Annex was our shooting vernacular.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's what I mean.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Because we would put the writers in the Annex so they didn't have to be in every scene, but if they worked there, it would just be human resources.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. I don't think we would have called it the Annex if we worked there.

[Angela Kinsey]

I think that just.

[Jenna Fischer]

Or the bullpen.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I think that just slipped in, like when Ed called me Ang in a scene.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think so too.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, Jim and Pam are gonna happily take their places at their desks. They're gonna air high five. It was scripted as an actual high five. And I remember John and I were like, oh, no, no, no, no. It's air high five. We air high five.

[Angela Kinsey]

You gotta bring back hope in a frame.

[Jenna Fischer]

We do. There it is right there.

[Angela Kinsey]

There it is. Well, there's a super nice moment between Dwight and Jim. Jim is truly happy for Dwight. And then Dwight is gonna offer Jim the position of assistant regional manager.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, but Jim says, I cannot accept. It's not a real job. However, I will proudly take the job of assistant to the regional manager.

[Angela Kinsey]

So sweet. And they shake on it. And Dwight's like, idiot. You didn't like. That's how you negotiate.

[Jenna Fischer]

I was in the general office lady's mailbag, and I found a really fun letter from Marcie M. In Ransom Township, Pennsylvania, who said, I am sharing a recent news article from the Scranton Times with you. The Scranton school district recently hired two new people. They've created two new positions. And Marcy said, when you read their titles, I think you'll understand why I sent this. Marcy also said, I hope you can open it. I'm not tech savvy and I don't know how else to send it. Marcy, I'm not tech savvy either, but we did it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Way to go, gal. You.

[Jenna Fischer]

You typed out the HTTPs,://,/, whole. Got it in my browser and I saw the article. Here is what it said. The Scranton school board promoted two veteran district administrators to assistant superintendent and assistant to the superintendent.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, that's great.

[Jenna Fischer]

Isn't that amazing?

[Angela Kinsey]

That is so cute. I love that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Scranton, Scranton way to go.

[Angela Kinsey]

We gotta go to Scranton, lady.

[Jenna Fischer]

We really do. I hope that as we segue into the next phase of this podcast, that it will involve more travel.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know every time we brainstorm, you bring up a place you want to go.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is the problem.

[Angela Kinsey]

We have a lot of travel.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, lady, I think maybe we should take a break.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. And when we come back, I have a few little things I want to give you and Sam and Cassie from Canada.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I love a gift. Thank you.

[Angela Kinsey]

A nifty gifty.

[Jenna Fischer]

Let's do it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Let's do it. We're all driven by the search for something better, right? But when it comes to hiring, the best way to search for a candidate isn't to search at all. Don't search match with Indeed.

[Jenna Fischer]

I had one job where I had to go through a whole hiring process. I had to hire an extra person for our office, and it was so overwhelming and slow and indeed did not exist then. And I sure wish it did.

[Angela Kinsey]

I always love that you were an office administrator.

[Jenna Fischer]

I was.

[Angela Kinsey]

In your previous life.

[Jenna Fischer]

I was. And the worst part of that job was the stretch where I had to hire people because it was so hard.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Well, Indeed is your matching and hiring platform with over 350 million global monthly visitors, according to Indeed data. And a matching engine that helps you find quality candidates.

[Jenna Fischer]

Fast and listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility@indee indeed.com officeladies.

[Angela Kinsey]

Just go to indeed.com officeladies right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.

[Jenna Fischer]

Indeed.com officeladies Terms and conditions apply.

[Angela Kinsey]

Need to hire you need Indeed. Get ready everybody because Macy's Black Friday starts now.

[Jenna Fischer]

Shop early and score the best deals before they're gone.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love to get all of my shopping done early. I have a list that I make and this year I am going to Macy's.com to get all of those great deals and then I don't have to worry the rest of the holiday season.

[Jenna Fischer]

That is my favorite thing. It makes December so much more pleasurable to me when I can get my gifts out of the way.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, shop early and score the best deals before they're gone. Visit macy's.com through November 23rd for early black Friday deals.

[Jenna Fischer]

Do you know a website I can get completely lost on in the best way I do? Wayfair? I know there is so much stuff that is so good. I like to get a bowl of my mini cheese crackers and pick out new stuff on Wayfair.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know you can walk through every room of my house and there's one item from Wayfair in each room.

[Jenna Fischer]

I feel like we're not telling people anything they don't already know, but Wayfair is the place to shop for all things home. Literally everything from sofas to spatulas. You name it, they have it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Here are a few items from Wayfair in my house right now. Okay, A cozy chair, two kids desks in their bedroom, two nightstands and two bed frames.

[Jenna Fischer]

Everything you need for your living room. Outdoor areas. We didn't even talk about that bedroom and more. Wayfair makes it easy with fast and free shipping, even on the big stuff. And they'll even help you set it up.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right now you can shop Wayfair's insane holiday deals and get up to 70% off during their Black Friday deals.

[Jenna Fischer]

Don't miss out on saving big with Wayfair this holiday. Head to Wayfair.com now to shop Wayfair's Black Friday deals.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's W A Y f a I r.com.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, we're back. And Angela, while you're unpacking your nifty gifties, did we find out Angela's hero, the person who invented the toilet paper roll hook hook.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm very excited so I'M trying to.

[Cassie]

Find, like, the modern version. But the person that invented the toilet paper holder is Mary Patrice Davidson Kenner. And she also helped invent the sanitary napkin for women.

[Angela Kinsey]

Love her.

[Cassie]

Yeah. Which is super cool. I am trying to figure out when the hook came. So maybe it started off hook, and then it got fancy, and now it's going back to hook.

[Jenna Fischer]

So her original design was a hook.

[Cassie]

That's what I'm trying to lock in. But I think it was, come on, Mary.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, of course it was, because Mary knew what was going on. Mary knew that her husband and kids were never gonna use a springy thing.

[Sam]

And in the patent for it, it's clearly the front facing toilet paper.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is important to you, Sam, because you brought this up before you put the toilet paper. So the roll comes front facing?

[Sam]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Front down.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's what you do.

[Jenna Fischer]

Not from the back.

[Angela Kinsey]

Don't do that to anybody. I'm so happy with that, Google. Thank you so much. All right. Oh, my gifties. My nifty gifties. Okay, so I got you guys each a little something in Canada. Cassie, God bless you, because I would send you my ads at midnight when I was so tired and you were so helpful. So right by my hotel was the Roots flagship store. You know, Roots, the brand. It's so cute. So, Cassie, I got you a T shirt. Is that the lamest gift? But it's so cute. And I thought it looked so cute on you. And then Sam at the airport.

[Sam]

Oh, boy.

[Angela Kinsey]

Cassie, this is your shirt. Isn't it cute? Yeah, it's cute.

[Jenna Fischer]

So cute. It's very cute.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, I know. These are visual props on a podcast, y'all. I'll put them in stories. Just let me have this moment. Sam, this was on the magazine stand.

[Sam]

I know what this is.

[Angela Kinsey]

It is a full magazine dedicated to Emily in Paris.

[Sam]

Thank you.

[Angela Kinsey]

It says it's the style guide.

[Sam]

Oh, good. Cause that's what I love the most, is the outfits.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know.

[Angela Kinsey]

And it says season four secrets, new pics and all the info. Will Gabriel and Emily unite?

[Sam]

Who cares?

[Angela Kinsey]

And 200 plus photos.

[Sam]

Good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Of Emily, Mindy, Camille, and Sylvie's hottest looks.

[Sam]

Great. Thank you.

[Angela Kinsey]

You're welcome.

[Jenna Fischer]

Sam, I left you an audio message just yesterday to you and Beck about how much I have needed your breakdowns of season four in real time. While I'm watching Enemy in Paris. It is saying all the things that I want to say as I'm watching. And I really appreciate you.

[Sam]

Good.

[Angela Kinsey]

I appreciate that it's a podcast. It's so funny. We're gonna put another swipe up. I know we've talked about it before, but we love it. Lastly, Jenna, When I was on set, there was a gal named Olivia. She was so talented, and she was making hand painted ornaments for a Christmas tree in one of the scenes that we were doing at the post office. And she does custom paintings on wood. I'm gonna put a swipe up to her Instagram. I know you love a homemade gift. And look at this. This one's for you for your Christmas tree. It's a little mailbox.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my gosh.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love it. Isn't it so cute?

[Jenna Fischer]

It's truly the cutest dang thing.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

It says Dear Santa and there's a little mailbox.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. And she also does pets. Like, if you love your pet, I think these are going to be great gifts. I think I want to get one for my sister who loves her dog so much.

[Jenna Fischer]

Angela, I love that you got us all gifts. It's so very you. And per usual, you got the perfect gift for each person.

[Angela Kinsey]

You guys, I love shopping for people. Well, Dwight is now going to go check in over at accounting. Oscar and Kevin and a very sad Angela congratulate him. I wanted to share with you guys how thankful I was that Jeff Blitz was the director of this episode because he's so kind and thoughtful, and he really worked with me on how to build what was going on in Angela throughout the episode so that when I get to the car and we'll get to that, what all my character is holding emotionally and all these little moments, I just remember Jeff and I having a sidebar conversation about kind of where I was at in that emotional journey while at the same time being so happy for Dwight and really understanding what a big day this was for him.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, you know, we had some directors who we knew were just gonna really lean into comedy. And then other directors, like Jeff Blitz, really liked to get into, like, the human details. And I think for this episode in particular, your character journey, that was a really good match.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, Andy's watching as Dwight kind of goes around and is shaking hands with people, and he's gonna have a realization. He's going to have a talking head where he says, I can't believe that I was so quick to abandon my dreams. And it's because he has this fallback. He shouldn't have a fallback.

[Angela Kinsey]

I would like to point out that Andy's talking head, he's facing out. He's looking out towards a future outside of Dunder Mifflin and a lot of characters have that in this episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

Very interesting. Well, Andy's going to jump on his desk to announce that he's changed his mind again. He is going after his dream, and he's gonna run back and tell Toby is news. Including the fact that he needs to eliminate all possibility of a fallback plan.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, he needs Toby to fire him so he can't go back to Dunder Mifflin ever.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Toby's like, I have no reason to fire you. And so Andy's like, well, then I have no choice but to start groping you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, first he says, fire me for theft. Are groping wieners?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. And so he's gonna, I guess, mildly grope Toby. Try to grope Toby.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Toby's just like, get off me, Andy.

[Jenna Fischer]

I've got a little background catch. It's a whiteboard detail, and it's also a shout out to our set decorators. We shot this episode the week of February 19th. But if you check out the whiteboard above Toby's desk, it is for the month of May, because this episode aired on May 2. So they had to track that and make sure that the whiteboard matched the month of release and not the month of filming. And in the next scene, we are about to go to accounting, and you can see again that the calendar behind Angela is also for May. Very well done, set decoration team.

[Angela Kinsey]

Angela is now going to get a call from her landlady. She's worried that maybe her rent check bounced. And Oscar and Kevin are listening, and Angela's really getting into an argument with her landlady. I just want you to know there was no one talking to me. There was no one on the other side of the call. I just had to pretend like someone was saying things to me.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, Lady Adam W. From Webster, New York is very impressed. Adam said, I need to point out how amazing the phone acting is here. Every time I watch this scene, I can perfectly imagine this real conversation between landlord and tenant is happening. Amazing. In all caps.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

I agree. And also, we got a letter from Laura M. In Hampshire, England, who said, not a question, but Angela goes all southern on the phone to her landlord.

[Angela Kinsey]

I heard it. Is it when I say in the end or something?

[Jenna Fischer]

Clearly on your end.

[Angela Kinsey]

On your end. Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I have an audio clip.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, gosh. I heard it, too. This is Angela. Oh, hello, Ms. Polanikovsky. How can I help you? Did my rent check not clear? Because I just transferred another $25 to that account. So if there's a problem, it's clearly on your end.

[Jenna Fischer]

And you. There it is.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's clearly on your end. It's not my problem. It's on you, lady. Well, you guys know I go Southern in three situations. One, hungry. Two, annoyed. Three, a little tipsy.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's true. Well, Andy is still determined to, I guess, burn all his bridges. He's gonna burst into the conference room and confess to David Wallace that he is the reason why they lost the White Pages account. And he might poop on Wallace's car.

[Angela Kinsey]

He really needs to get fired.

[Jenna Fischer]

And as he's leaving, he gives David Wallace two birds, two middle fingers.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, shoot some. The birds.

[Jenna Fischer]

I got the lowdown on standards and practices here. Here are their notes. They said this quote, page 33, blur Andy's hand as he gives the finger gesture. And then in parentheses, they put you.

[Angela Kinsey]

To Wallace in case you weren't sure what the gesture meant.

[Jenna Fischer]

Exactly. And then they wrote page 35 and page 39. It is our understanding that Andy's squatting on the hood of Wallace's car, his pants around his ankles, will play off camera. Well, Standards and Practices, your understanding was incorrect, because when I watched the episode, it was not off camera.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was full on camera, but pixelated.

[Jenna Fischer]

So I'm not sure what happened when their understanding was not met, but those were their initial script notes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, now Andy's out in the parking lot. He's packing up his car, and Angela approaches. I love doing the scene with Ed.

[Jenna Fischer]

This was a beautiful scene.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, this was our character's last big scene together.

[Jenna Fischer]

Wow.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Well, you're so great in this scene. I really would love someone to write a series for you that is like.

[Angela Kinsey]

This character, the one sipping on the Big Gulp at her wit's end, kind of.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. You're really great at it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thanks.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think this could be a series. This character could have a journey. And I'd like to follow that thread with you in the lead.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, it would certainly be a fun role.

[Jenna Fischer]

I agree.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I'd never have to worry about doing the back of my hair ever.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, no, no, no, no. That character does not do the back of her hair. No, she aggressively does not do the back of her hair. Right.

[Angela Kinsey]

And the cowlick that I have would just be.

[Jenna Fischer]

It just works.

[Angela Kinsey]

It would just be an accent on the perfect hairdo.

[Jenna Fischer]

Exactly.

[Angela Kinsey]

I do want to point out one thing. In the script, at the end of the scene between Angela and Andy, when Angela walks away, would be the moment that Andy clocks David Wallace's car and makes the decision to poop. On it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I see.

[Angela Kinsey]

And so then when he walks into the bullpen with his guitar and says, no turning back, it's because he's already pooped on the car.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep. Okay, well, this next scene, I mean, if you wanted to make a lady sob at her desk at 2:30 in the afternoon on a Tuesday, congratulations. Mission accomplished. I watched this and I wasn't the same for the rest of the day. This is when Andy came in with his guitar. Lorelei, he wants to sing his goodbye.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's a performer and that's how he wants to say goodbye.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. There was a fan question from Alexandra in Tasmania, Australia, who said, I love the scene where Andy sings I will remember you by Sarah McLachlan. And I think it's such a great choice for Andy to sing it in a normal singing voice and not his usual kind of acapella, theatrical singing voice. Was that scripted or did Ed Helms choose to sing that way? Well, Alexandra, it was scripted. It was scripted that the song is good and that everyone in the office is impressed. Steve Burgess said that that song cost $25,000 for us to be able to do. And I think that when I watched this scene, it brought back so many deep personal memories from shooting it. And I really was not the same the rest of the day. And then I dreamt about the show that night. I dreamt. Does this ever happen to you? I have dreams where we're back on set and we're making more episodes like we're making season 10.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Yeah. I've had that similar dream that I am walking from hair and makeup to get mic'd.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

To go onto stage, and the stage is right there, and I'm looking at our desk and I'm about to walk into the bullpen and I'm getting mic'd and it's so real.

[Jenna Fischer]

So real. Watching this for this rewatch, like, triggered that and I ended up having a dream also.

[Angela Kinsey]

In my dream, we all pick up right where we left off.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, exactly.

[Angela Kinsey]

Like, no one has to get reacquainted with their character. We're instantly those people again.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. It's not like those anxiety dreams where, like, oh, no, I don't know my lines. It's always like, this pleasurable. I'm getting emotional thinking about it. I'm going to move to a fan question from Maddie R. In Kansas City who said, when Andy sings to the office, we see lots of emotional reactions from the staff. Were any of the emotions. We see real reactions from the cast being sad about the show ending well, Maddie, we shot this at the end of the day on Friday. So the end of the day, at the end of the week. It was the last group scene we shot for this episode. And it was deeply emotional.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was very emotional. You know, we just all knew that there was just a few more weeks left at this point. And Andy was really saying goodbye. This character is saying goodbye. And right before we did the scene, there were two camera setups. There was a master shot to get everyone. And then there was going to be a closeup of me and Rainn as Dwight and Angela have their exchange. And Jeff came up to me and said, save it for your closeup. So feel the emotion, but really let it come through on your dialogue line. And sometimes that's hard to calibrate because you just start to feel it when you feel it. But I do remember this scene. I was so emotional. I don't know how many takes we did, but I had to hold that for the whole time.

[Jenna Fischer]

Wow. Yeah. You know, this was one of our last kind of everybody bullpen scenes because we knew that in the next episode, Andy was off pursuing his dream and we don't see him until, like, the very end. And so, yeah, it felt like, wow.

[Angela Kinsey]

It felt like people's story arcs were wrapping up.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And this scene was a very tangible moment of that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

In this scene, of all the emotion. I do have one moment that I'm calling busted.

[Jenna Fischer]

What's that?

[Angela Kinsey]

At 15 minutes and 18 seconds as Clark comes out of the kitchen into the bullpen, you can see Clark, Duke, for one second, look right down the barrel of the camera.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, really?

[Angela Kinsey]

Just for a second. And we weren't supposed to do that. You know, we were not supposed to look right into the camera unless we had a talking head or unless there.

[Jenna Fischer]

Was, like, a scripted note.

[Angela Kinsey]

Exactly the way Jim would do that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Sure. Well, I had these guys pull an audio clip of the song, but I honestly don't even think I can listen to it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, no, we need to.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's so emotional.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know, but we need to. We need to. We've all been on this rewatch together. Everyone listening is here with us. And we're gonna have to say goodbye to the show again, Jenna. We are. I don't mean now. You're tearing up. I don't wanna make you sad, but. Okay, we are going.

[Jenna Fischer]

We can listen to it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. Well, listen to it. Let me get some tissues. Here it is.

[Ed Helms]

Tuna. I'm a performer and perform I shall I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by and weep not for the memories Remember all the good times that we had I let them slip away from us when things got bad how clearly I first saw you smiling and the sun I want to feel your warmth upon me I want to be the one I will remember your game it's just.

[Angela Kinsey]

A really nice song.

[Ed Helms]

Will you remember me? Don't let your line pass Pass you by and weep not for the memories don't let your life pass you by and weep not for the memories.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know what it is? It's like, I can't believe that we have a recording of, like, Ed singing to us, which is something that him and Creed and Craig and Kate, you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Know, they would do when we were just hanging out.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And so that song brings up all the memories of us hanging out. And it's like, this is one of the crossover ones. This is like, it was for the show, but it was also for us. And it just hits deep.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And it makes me miss Ed.

[Angela Kinsey]

It makes me miss Ed. It makes me miss all of us in a room together like that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Cause it was so, so fun and so special. Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And I think, you know, Andy's gonna have his line about how you wish you were in the good times, you know, whatever that line is later. But we actually did know. We actually did realize. So I feel like we were really present to the specialness and also the limited time of this.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Like, we were aware it was coming to an end, so we were especially. It was heightened.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, you know, Phyllis and Stanley are gonna have a talking head.

[Angela Kinsey]

They're facing out as well, aren't they? Yep.

[Jenna Fischer]

They're gonna say, maybe Andy can make it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

They were so impressed by his song. And Phyllis says, worse people make it all the time. Like, Lil Romeo. And Stanley is like, no, Lil Romeo was good.

[Angela Kinsey]

I want you to know this scene was longer, and the two of them debated musicians and artists for a bit. And it was so funny. It's not in deleted scenes, but it was in the shooting draft.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love Phyllis reaction to Stanley saying that Lil Romeo was good, because it's like, she's gonna bite her tongue. Like, I can't have this argument again.

[Angela Kinsey]

They've had it so many times. There's such a moment of assumed history between these two people in that moment.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I thought I was done crying as I was watching this episode, but no. Now we're going to go to Angela's desk, and she's looking at tents on her computer, and Oscar's gonna approach her, realize that she is looking at tents because she has nowhere else to be. What is wrong with me? And you know what? I'm gonna read these letters, okay? We got a lot of letters about this scene and they deserve to be read. Okay, here it is. Susan C. In Plano, Texas, I have been waiting to write to you since this podcast began over four years ago. Now's the time. I would like you to know that the scene between Angela and Oscar, when Oscar sees Angela in distress, offers her living space until she gets on her feet and reaches over to place a comforting hand over hers. Oh, my gosh. This is the embodiment to me of grace and mercy. And after all they have been through together, all the ways they have wounded or tried to kneecap each other, all the ways they have irritated the fool out of one another, Oscar compassionately reaches out to his friend in love, and she responds not with pride or rebuff, but with tender acceptance. I love this moment in the series so very much and commend both Angela and Oscar for their acting. It could have been maudlin, but instead it is pure gold. And I couldn't have said it better. Susan, thank you. And Angela, Christine C. From New York said, one of my all time favorite scenes is when Oscar tells Angela to come live with him and Angela takes his hand saying, thank you. I've watched the show over a hundred times, no exaggeration, and this moment always moves me to tears. Angela, what was it like to approach this change in your character while also staying true to who she was?

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, y'all are gonna make me cry. You know, I approached it as, oh.

[Jenna Fischer]

Gosh, are we gonna make it to the finale? Angela, we are a mess.

[Angela Kinsey]

We are a mess. You know, to play these characters honestly, they had to be real people to us. And Angela's best friend in the office was always Oscar. Even though we kind of like that sibling that you love but can get under your skin more than anyone else, that familiarity breeds contempt. Person in your life, but is the only person you probably really trust.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And that's how I played that relationship. Even though we had big disagreements, that he was my best friend.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And so when he was so gracious and kind to me in that moment, I feel like all this pride that Angela had held onto had broken apart. And that's why she had that conversation with Andy in the parking lot. She was like, don't let pride get in the way.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

So thank you for noticing that in our performances. I'm really proud of that scene. And I'm really thankful I got to do it with Oscar, someone who I'd known for so long and I trusted in real life so that I could go to that vulnerable place. But I want you guys to know one of the things I absolutely love when I rewatched this. I loved when I touch his hand.

[Jenna Fischer]

Same. That was what got me.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And I just said thank you to him from the bottom of my heart.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep.

[Angela Kinsey]

But what I loved about doing scenes with Oscar is we could play this emotion and stay in it and then also find a comedic moment when you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Ask him if his place allows pets.

[Angela Kinsey]

I improvised that line.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, lady. And his response.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, Angela, that was not scripted. The scene ended with, let's go get Philip and we'll get your stuff. And I say, okay. That's where the scene ended. And then we were to get up and walk out. And Oscar and I had been in accounting for a long time. We knew if we made it quick, especially on an exit, an improvised line might make it in. So we didn't even talk about it. He said, let's get you the hell out of that place. And then there was this brief pause, and I said, are you allowed to have pets? And he's like, oh, Angela. And it made it in. And that delights me every time I see it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, it's so great because it helps you release some of your emotion with a laugh at the end.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I love that moment. I did not know that was improvised. Oh, so good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Dwight now has a talking head. He says, just yesterday he was a paper salesman with a farm and a dream about beet fuel. But today he's regional manager with the black belt. It's amazing how life can change in one day. I'd like to point out that his talking head is facing towards the bullpen.

[Jenna Fischer]

Because his future is at Dunder Mifflin.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I love that.

[Jenna Fischer]

So much well spent speaking about futures. Darrel is going to find Jim in the kitchen and share some happy news that Athlead received an offer for a buyout, and they want them to go on the road for three months. They want them to pitch out west because they don't want this to be a regional thing. They want Afflead to be national. And Darrel's like, we're going on the road, buddy. We did it.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's so excited.

[Jenna Fischer]

But Jim says, I can't do it. I can't do it to Pam. And Daryl's like, can't believe it. And they kind of walk out, and you see that Pam has overheard this.

[Angela Kinsey]

From the bathroom, which I think is so important. I'm so glad they had that moment.

[Jenna Fischer]

I am, too. And I know where this is going, and I have a few gripes about it, but I'll bring them up next week when we get to them.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, okay. Hold it, hold it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I will.

[Angela Kinsey]

Now we have this scene of Angela and Oscar in Oscar's car. They're in the parking lot, and Angela starts it off kind of snarky. She's like, so is your place all bachelor, slobby and gross? And Oscar's like, no, it's neat and tasteful.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. He said, it really lives up to the gay stereotype.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And then Angela. Oh, the sass still in her. Even when she's at her broken lowest moment, she goes, I wouldn't know. I never lived with a gay guy. And Oscar's like, angela, you were just.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. He's like, you did.

[Angela Kinsey]

You did. And then she completely breaks down and starts sobbing, and she says, I love him. And Oscar thinks she's talking about the senator, and she says, no, I love Dwight.

[Jenna Fischer]

Now, Angela, I know you've shared this before in different places, but will you tell people how you got to this cry? There was this moment, a piece of direction from Jeff Blitz that really helped you here.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, in the other scenes, my cry could build, but in this scene, they wanted me to all of a sudden break down. They wanted just her to break apart. And that's harder to do.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Cause emotionally you can. Like when Andy was playing the guitar, there were so many moments I could run through my mind to be teary, but this had to be go from kind of being snarky to an instant breakdown.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

So we did one take, and I did break down. I kind of built up to it a little bit. And then Jeff came over to me and said, angela, that was great. And now I have that. And he said, can you step out of the car for a second? I want to talk to you. I said, okay. So Oscar stayed in the car, and he said, will you do a favor for me? And I said, yeah. And he said, oh, it's gonna make me cry.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's good direction.

[Angela Kinsey]

He said, in this take, will you say goodbye to the show? And will you say goodbye to all the characters? And will you say goodbye to playing Angela Martin?

[Jenna Fischer]

So on your line, I love him. The subtext he wanted was goodbye, goodbye.

[Angela Kinsey]

Goodbye to these people I love and this character. And so I was thinking about that even as I said my snarky lines. And so when I got to. I love him. It was. I'm never going to get to do this again.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, this is it for me on this show.

[Angela Kinsey]

Nine years of my life I'm saying goodbye to. And I cried. Big, ugly cry. I cried so hard that after the take, Jeff came up to me and said, that was fantastic. I can't use it. It's too much.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's what happened to me. When Paul Feig told me to say goodbye to Steve at the airport.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jenna Fischer]

He was like, that was great.

[Angela Kinsey]

And he said, I don't want to say too much. He said, I want you to stay in it. Can you do that? Just a little less? And you guys, some people, I guess they can cry and look attractive. Not me. When I cry, it is like a full body wheezing. I can't talk. But what you see is real tears. And it's me saying goodbye to the show in that moment. And I wanted to share one thing that just delighted me. I found an article that the A.V. club did about this episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was written by Joshua Alston. And he was very excited to finally get to review an episode of season nine. In particular because he was a big fan of season nine and the first one he was assigned to do was Living the Dream. And it wasn't his favorite.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, no.

[Angela Kinsey]

But he wrote this. I can't help but wonder if I'd have the same impression of Living the Dream if I hadn't read that it was originally planned as a half hour installment, then padded out to fill an hour, but I suspect I would.

[Jenna Fischer]

I hope this gets better.

[Angela Kinsey]

And he goes on to point out some of the things he liked about it, but that it had just kind of been stretched out maybe more than it needed to be.

[Jenna Fischer]

Listen, I felt that. Yes, I felt that. But I also know that the things that hit in this episode, they couldn't have been done in 22 minutes. So sorry if you had to sit through a couple of repetitive beats, but it's what needed to be.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. And then at the end of his review, he said this. I didn't talk about the Angela story because I didn't want to go into too much detail, but her life sucks now that she's left the state senator, her cats were seized, she got evicted from her apartment and is apparently a double digit bank transfer away from indigence. I'd love for Dwight and Angela to end up together, but I wish the writers had chosen a path that didn't involve Angela being reduced to nothing first. That said, an uptight gay Mexican sharing an apartment with the differently uptight schoolmarm whose ex husband is his former lover. Question mark. The words the Office spinoff usually make me break out, but in all caps, that is a show I would watch.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

I always felt that way too. I was like Angela and Oscar sharing in an apartment. Sign me up. It's like the Odd Couple.

[Jenna Fischer]

I wish we could see more of that. Yeah, well, I'll have you know that critically, this episode was very well received and in fact, these last six episodes. Live in the Dream Part 1, Live in the Dream Part 2, AARM Part 1, AARM Part 2, Finale 1 and 2. This block of six episodes were rated the highest among Office tally.com viewers as well. There is this stretch here where we got people excited, like the critics and fans alike. They liked where this was going.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, by this time, we're all so invested in these characters and big life stuff starts happening.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, that's the end of this episode. Thank you Steve Burgess for all of your behind the scenes tidbits and thank you all for writing in. And Angela, thank you for your nifty gifties.

[Angela Kinsey]

You're welcome. And thank you, Mary Beatrice Davidson Kinner.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. For inventing the toilet paper roll hook.

[Cassie]

And sanitary napkin when she did the sanitary belt. Specifically, she did it with her sister, Mildred Davidson. Austin Smith. So it was two sisters.

[Angela Kinsey]

Two sisters helping ladies out.

[Jenna Fischer]

I mean, amazing.

[Angela Kinsey]

Amazing. Well, there you go. That's living the dream, part two, everybody. Thank you for listening. We love doing this and we hope you have a great day.

[Jenna Fischer]

We'll see you next week. 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.

[Jenna Fischer]

Dennis 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 4 product to split their purchase into four interest free payments.

[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Steve Burgess]

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