Office Ladies: Second Drink – "Branch Wars"

Podcast: Office Ladies
Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Episode: Second Drink: Branch Wars
Date: January 5, 2026

Episode Overview

In this "Second Drink" episode, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey break down the iconic The Office episode "Branch Wars" (Season 4, Episode 10). They revisit the episode's hilarious hijinks, including Michael, Dwight, and Jim's infamous road trip to Utica, Karen’s return, behind-the-scenes stories, prop details, and the creation of the beloved Finer Things Club. The hosts mix in listener questions, deleted scenes, production factoids, and their signature lighthearted, candid banter, making this rewatch both insightful and entertaining.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. General Episode Recap

• Karen Returns: Karen is now regional manager of Utica and tries to poach Stanley from Scranton.
• Michael’s Response: Michael (with Dwight) plots revenge, enlisting Jim in a prank mission to Utica.
• Finer Things Club: Pam, Oscar, and Toby form an exclusive club celebrating books, art, and culture at lunch.
• Andy’s Exclusion: Attempts (and fails) to join the club, which becomes a running gag.

2. Iconic Behind-the-Scenes Details & Fun Facts

• Misattribution Mix-Up: The hosts banter about the “Hit me with your summary” intro, with Angela admitting she often sings Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” even though she mistakenly attributed it to Joan Jett.
  Angela: "I hear Joan Jett." (11:34)
  Jenna: "Sonja said, ladies, we must not mix up our 80s hard rock godmothers." (03:30)

• Prop Perfection: Shoutout to Phil Shea, the prop master, for including Utica’s authentic Holland Farms donuts and Half Moon cookies in the Utica office.
  Angela: “That bakery is a staple—she put staple in all caps—of Utica and Mohawk Valley culture.” (03:56)

• Location Trivia: The Utica branch was filmed in a real Canoga Park business park, not a soundstage, with set dressing transported and recreated by the design team.
  Jenna: “Our set decorators just went in and decorated it to be Dunder Mifflin Utica.” (13:24)

• In-depth on Dunder Mifflin Branches:

  • Headquarters: New York
  • Active branches: Akron, Nashua, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Scranton
  • Closed branches mentioned: Pittsfield, Camden, Yonkers, Buffalo, Binghamton
  • Michael’s deleted scene summary:
    "Utica is Snoozeville. Albany are the prepsters. Nashua no parking. Akron is haunted. Camden is in a basement. Yonkers has the two hot girls. And here in Scranton, we are the cool guys." (18:28)

3. Finer Things Club Mania

• Production: The montage was filmed in a single day, changing costumes and table setups between shots.
  Jenna: "We took a whole morning ... and we would dress up in our little outfit, and they would set up the break room for one bit, and then we would film it and go back to our trailers, change clothes ... until we had all of the different montage pieces." (34:13)

• Book & Art List:

  • A Room with a View (E.M. Forster) (35:22)
  • House of the Spirits (Isabel Allende)
  • Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
  • Angela’s Ashes
  • Painting: Painting in His Studio Boat by Edouard Manet (not Monet!) (35:57)
  • Fun fact: Angela wrote to Wayfair to correct them for mislabeling Manet’s painting. (36:31)

• Club Dynamics:

  • Only Pam, Oscar, and Toby are admitted; Andy is waitlisted in deleted scenes (68:09)
  • Angela (character) is annoyed clubs aren’t party-planning sanctioned.
  • Bloopers and deleted talking heads highlight rivalries and Andy’s desperate rush to get in the club.

4. The Utica Prank Capers

• Jim’s Dilemma: Dragged along under false pretenses, resists shenanigans (copier theft, silly string, potential “stink bombs”).
• Fakie Staches: Multiple mustaches were matched to actors after photo evaluations by the writers and director Joss Whedon. (50:13-51:14)
• Infamous Car Scene:
  • Features Dwight peeing in a can (“You’re making me spray!”—Angela, quoting Dwight, 49:15).
  • Multiple bloopers: Frequent breaks for laughter, especially at Dwight’s crude lines.
  • Jenna: "Just imagine being in a car together. These three comedic actors at the top of their game. I mean, brilliant." (50:13)
• Walkie-Talkie Scene: Actually performed live for authenticity—John Krasinski broke repeatedly at Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson’s improv.

5. Karen & Jim’s Awkward Reunion

• Confrontation: Karen calls out Jim post-breakup, reasserting her own empowerment as branch manager. (59:05)
• Meta:
  • Rashida Jones returned from Parks and Rec for this episode due to creator Mike Schur’s crossover help. (60:52)
  • Easter egg: Karen's office features a framed photo of Hillary Clinton—possibly a nod to Leslie Knope from Parks and Rec. (60:20)
• Deleted Scene Highlight: Pam gets passive-aggressive about Karen (“You have fun with your girlfriend!”—Pam, 54:41), cut to keep Pam’s characterization more grounded.

6. Finer Things Club, Office Annoyances & Tidy Endings

• Break Room Chaos: Microwaves, beeping, butts, and Pop "Carn" (corn) interrupt the club’s attempts at refinement—with everyone’s quirks on hilarious display.
  Angela: "How many buttons is Phyllis hitting?" (62:24)
• Stanley’s “Resignation":
  • Stanley never intends to leave; just bluffing for a raise.
  • Michael’s classified ad for a replacement: "Wanted: middle-aged Black man with sass. Big butt, bigger heart." (64:37)
• Pam & Jim: Pam apologizes for the Utica incident via her friend connection with Rolando from Utica reception—fans catch minor continuity with “Lecture Circuit” later.
• Finer Things Club Reading List: Inspired by the episode, Jenna and Angela consider reading House of the Spirits for their own book club. (37:59)
• Andy’s Wait List: Andy (in deleted scenes) tries to “donate” his way into the club—he’s thrilled to be put on the waitlist, paralleling his Cornell experience. (68:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the mustache process:
  “They just had a tray of a bunch of different mustaches. And yes, they got Greg’s approval. They talked to Joss Whedon, the director. They talked to Mindy Kaling, and they picked the mustaches for each of these guys to wear.” – Jenna (51:14)
• On the car prank scene:
  “That sound is Dwight peeing in a can in the backseat... Michael starts swerving, and Dwight’s like, ‘You’re making me spray!’” – Angela (49:15)
• On Finer Things Club setup:
  “How much stuff do you have to bring to work on the day that you guys meet? There is a three-tiered tray of sandwiches, a tablecloth, flatware, the teapot, the cups...” – Angela (51:48)
• Karen, empowered:
  “I cried for weeks over that guy. So, yeah, it felt pretty good seeing him in this situation.” – Rashida Jones as Karen (59:05)
• Dwight’s wisdom:
  “The eyes are the groin of the head.” – Dwight (56:11)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Summary & 80s Song Mixup: 03:10 – 03:35
• Utica Bakery Prop Discussion: 03:56 – 04:49; 24:33 – 25:35
• Mindy Kaling’s Award Nomination & Achievements: 12:06 – 13:12
• Utica Office Filming Details: 13:21 – 15:26
• Full List of Dunder Mifflin Branches & Deleted Michael Talking Head: 17:07 – 18:46
• Finer Things Club Montage & Reading List: 34:13 – 37:26
• Karen & Jim’s Awkward Meeting: 59:05 – 60:20
• Dwight Pees in a Can, Bloopers: 49:11 – 50:13
• Andy’s Finer Things Club Rejection (Deleted Scenes): 68:07 – 68:40

Final Thoughts

This "Second Drink" deep dive into "Branch Wars" beautifully blends Office trivia, nostalgia, and friendship. Jenna and Angela’s playful rapport—peppered with listener shoutouts, guilty confessions, deleted scene reenactments, and stories about donuts and mustaches—create a lively celebration of one of The Office’s most beloved episodes. Whether you’re a longtime fan or watching for the first time, this podcast episode will make you appreciate the meticulous craft and everyday absurdity behind The Office.

Next Up: "Survivorman" – and perhaps, the launch of the real-life Finer Things Club with House of the Spirits as their first book!