Office Ladies – “Second Drink: Cocktails”

Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Episode Air Date: September 8, 2025

Episode Overview

In this “Second Drink” bonus, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey revisit Season 3 Episode 17 of The Office, “Cocktails.” As always, their conversation is packed with behind-the-scenes details, funny personal anecdotes, deleted scene insights, fan questions, and their signature best-friend banter. Highlights this week include solving (and opening) fan-submitted mysteries about the episode, deep diving into party etiquette and bar locations, and sharing details about memorable scenes from both the Office and their lives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fan Mysteries: One Solved, One Opened

Timestamp: 03:00 – 06:30

• The "Ghost Lady" in Michael’s Talking Head (Mystery Solved)

  • Jenna shares how fans wrote in about a mysterious “ghost” behind Michael at David Wallace’s party.
    • Mindy S.: “It’s the back of someone preparing food…Maybe it’s one of the caterers.”
    • Allison Kay: “She’s wearing a red shirt like the servers. It’s a blonde server.”
    • Jackie J.: “You can see her with a tray earlier…around 14 minutes.”
  • Jenna joyfully concludes: “Mystery solved. Thanks, you guys, for writing in.” (04:25; Jenna Fischer)

• The Missing Jan Car (New Mystery Opened)

  • Lana W. notices: Jan drives her own car to David Wallace’s, but leaves in Michael’s without explanation.
  • Jenna checked the scripts—“We never find out why Jan left her car behind.” (05:12)
  • Angela speculates Jan left it in her “hot mess” phase and surmises, “Maybe she’s gonna go back and get it the next day.” (05:36; Angela Kinsey)

2. Unproduced Storyline: "Pam Finds a Wallet"

Timestamp: 06:09 – 09:20

• Jenna share a never-produced season 3 pitch: Pam finds a handsome stranger’s wallet while “on a run,” leading to a giddy (and ultimately embarrassing) adventure for Pam as the office imagines her with her “soulmate.”
• Angela: “Not a lot of fun stuff happens [at Dunder Mifflin]. So all of a sudden it’s like, oh, mystery man, wallet!” (07:12)
• The story ends with Pam being accused by the stranger of taking money (she didn’t), and her lying to the office about a great outcome.

3. Technical & Behind-the-Scenes Fun

• Angela’s Bad Wi-Fi Adventures
  Timestamp: 11:20 – 14:30
  Angela describes her ongoing struggle with poor internet and failed upgrades, leading Jenna to joke about gamer-level Wi-Fi and the perils of doing a video podcast.

• Jenna & Angela’s Party Strategies
  Timestamp: 40:46 – 43:36
  The hosts compare their approaches to parties:

  • Jenna: “I like to get there early... I need to ease into a party.”
  • Angela: “I want to jump in... I want the music thumping. I want everyone to have had a little bit of a cocktail.”

4. Fast Facts from the “Cocktails” Episode

Timestamp: 15:23 – 24:30

• J.J. Abrams directs this episode:

  • Jenna: “He reached out to us about directing an episode, and we were like, yeah!... That's how it happened.” (18:03)
  • Angela laments not getting a cameo in Star Wars: “Please, can I just be an extra in a Star Wars movie? Please? Yeah, I'll just walk by.” (15:57)

• Location Trivia:

  • David Wallace’s house in “Cocktails” is different from previous episodes, selected due to J.J. Abrams' preference for its interior.
  • Poor Richard’s bar was filmed at the Pickwick Pub (Burbank), exterior at The Bar at Oyster House (Studio City), replicating the real Poor Richard’s in Scranton (located at a bowling alley).

• Post-SAG Award Energy: Filming followed The Office cast’s SAG awards win.

  • Jenna reads journal entries about fangirling over Kiefer Sutherland and Patrick Dempsey and dancing at post-award parties.

5. Iconic Scenes & Moments

• Cold Open – Michael’s Straitjacket Magic Trick

  • Steve Carell spent over an hour in a straitjacket, despite being sick. In a blooper, he actually escapes the jacket!
    • Angela: “He spent the morning in that thing… And he was sick!” (29:42)

• Fan Catches in the Cold Open

  • Jim saying “have a good weekend” (Friday) but no one’s dressed for casual Friday—astute catch from listeners. (31:44)

• Pam’s Assertiveness Journey

  • Pam pledges to be direct: “Look out, world, old Pammy is getting what she wants. And don’t call me Pammy.” (38:12)
  • Discussion about whether Roy notices or respects Pam’s wishes around the nickname “Pammy.”

• Party Etiquette and Relatability

  • Michael and Dwight arrive too early at David Wallace’s, start by dressing like the caterers, and Michael’s offering of overheated potato salad becomes a running joke. (53:34)

• Real Poor Richard’s Bar Details

  • Angela describes its real Scranton incarnation, complete with bowling alley, a plaque, and a vast French fry menu:
    • “You can get regular fries, fries with gravy, fries with cheese and gravy,... pizza fries, bacon cheddar ranch fries, sweet potato fries...” (45:53)

• The Drinking Game – Up Jenkins

  • Fans inquire about the drinking game at Poor Richard’s. Angela confirms it’s real (“Up Jenkins, Down Jenkins”) and explains the rules and origins.
    • Angela: “Paul knew about this game from [his brother] Warren...He incorporated it into the script.” (78:06)
    • See detailed game explanation at [78:09 – 80:13].

6. Notable Quotes & Recurring Jokes

• Angela on Michael and Jan at the party:
  “Jan’s chapter of life, that is Michael Scott. She was a hot mess.” (05:36)
• Michael’s Social Tactics:
  “Only good friends arrive early to a party. So the best way to become a good friend is to come early.” (40:24; Michael Scott via Jenna)
• Angela’s Party Food Stories
  “My husband has tons of really great dips...That jalapeño chicken dip is so good.” (54:14)
• On the Overheated Potato Salad:
  Michael (whispering): “It’s been out in my car all day, the sun beating down on it. Mayonnaise.” (53:58; Steve Carell per Jenna & Angela)
• On Eating a Whole Box of Cheddar Bunnies:
  Jenna: “The other night I ate an entire box of cheddar bunny snack mix. That’s over 1200 calories of cheddar bunnies.” (59:04)
• On Jan’s Relationship Crisis:
  Jan: “Upside, I’m going to fall deeply in love and have babies and normalcy, no more self-loathing. Downside, she collapses in on herself like a dying star.” (63:22; Melora Hardin)

7. Memorable Behind-the-Scenes, Deleted Scenes & Meta Moments

• Deleted Scenes:

  • Angela and Oscar have a “runner” at Poor Richard’s, mending fences over gross wings and carrot sticks (50:44).
  • Roy notices Pam’s framed art in a deleted sweet moment (36:05).
  • Jan has a longer, even more unhinged talking head about her sex life and relationships that was (thankfully) cut (63:55).

• Fan Catch—Haunted Party?

  • Jenna obsessively discusses a “ghostly” figure behind Michael at the party (16:50); listeners are encouraged to help solve this visual mystery.
    • Angela: “David Wallace's house is haunted.” (102:17)

• Relatable Pam Scene

  • Pam tells Roy about her kiss with Jim—his violent, explosive reaction marks a pivotal moment for Pam’s self-respect.
    • Listener Paola Marquez writes in about the impact of this moment:
      “Many girls, me included, still believe that their partner’s violent reactions are their own fault… After a while, I realized it wasn’t her responsibility and she was so right to walk away…” (96:11)

• BJ Novak’s Dad & Lee Iacocca

  • Jenna reveals BJ Novak’s father ghostwrote Lee Iacocca’s autobiography, tying into Michael’s blunder about the DeLorean at the party. (70:14 – 71:59)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:00 — Listeners' Mail: Ghost Lady & The Jan Car
• 06:09 — Unused Pitch: Pam Finds a Wallet
• 15:23 — Fast Facts: J.J. Abrams Directs, Set Locations
• 28:15 — Cold Open: Straitjacket Antics
• 38:12 — Pam Decides to Be Assertive (“Don’t call me Pammy”)
• 45:04 — Real Poor Richard’s Bar and French Fries Menu
• 53:34 — Michael’s Potato Salad Offering
• 77:36 — Up Jenkins Drinking Game Explained
• 92:33 — Roy’s Bar Freakout & Pam’s Powerful Exit (with fan letter)
• 98:09 — Cliffhanger: “I’m gonna kill Jim Halpert”
• 100:33 — Recurring Prop License Plates: Continuity Gag

Episode Tone and Style

Lighthearted, self-deprecating, and warmly nostalgic, with genuine friendship shining through. Angela and Jenna are openly goofy, supportive, and unafraid to revisit their own embarrassing moments. The banter is intimate, occasionally meandering but always returns to The Office with sharp fan-focused detail.

Final Notes

• The episode is a must-listen for Office superfans, especially those interested in production tricks, deleted storylines, and character insights.
• Family, food, and fandom permeate every conversation.
• Stay tuned for their next deep dive: “The Negotiation” with guest David Denman (Roy).

Memorable Quotes

• Angela (on Pam’s plant turnover):
  “Really and truly there was a way that someone could, by the end of the nine years, tell us how many plants Pam had had… There is a new plant!” (36:23)
• Angela (on why Jan should always assume the cameras are there):
  “This is something that comes up with her all the time. She’s like, ‘Are the cameras there?’ I’m like, why are you asking? Just give up. They’re there.” (35:14)
• Jenna (describing Michael and Jan):
  “I cannot get enough of Jan and Michael. I love this relationship. I love Melora Hardin so much.” (63:14)
• Listener Paola Marquez (on Pam’s strength):
  “After a while, I realized that it wasn’t her responsibility and she was so right to stand up for herself and walk away from him.” (96:11)

For more: photos, episode references, and to weigh in on the “ghost” background mystery, check @officeladiespod on social media.