Second Drink: The Return with Ed Helms

Summary

Office Ladies Podcast Summary

Episode: Second Drink: The Return with Ed Helms
Release Date: August 11, 2025
Hosts: Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey
Guest: Ed Helms

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Introduction to the Episode

In this episode of Office Ladies, hosts Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey delve into the intricacies of The Office Season 3, Episode 13, titled "The Return." This episode marks a significant moment in the series with the dual return of Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) and the introduction of Ed Helms as Andy Bernard.

Behind the Scenes with Ed Helms

[02:06]
The episode kicks off with a heartfelt welcome to Ed Helms, who portrays the lovable yet overzealous Andy Bernard. Fischer and Kinsey share insights from their conversation with Ed, discussing his experiences filming "The Return" and his journey on the show.

Notable Quote:
Ed Helms: "Having this show as a bookmark, you can just go to any point and recall memories of where you were in your life."
(19:34)

Episode Breakdown and Key Scenes

**1. Dwight’s Job Search and Return

[07:03]
Jenna Fischer summarizes the episode: Dwight Schrute returns to Dunder Mifflin after a stint at Staples. His departure creates a power vacuum, leading Andy Bernard to vie for Michael Scott's favor.

Notable Quote:
Angela Kinsey: "It's a double return."
(07:43)

**2. Snow Making in Scranton

[08:18]
The hosts discuss the elaborate snow effects used throughout the episode, achieved by a traditional method involving a large roller sifter filled with fake snow.

Notable Quote:
Jenna Fischer: "We used a giant rolling sifter that they fill with snow and then crank it."
(10:04)

**3. Andy’s Ringtone Harmony

[21:48]
Ed Helms shares the story behind Andy’s four-part harmony ringtone, which he recorded himself using GarageBand at home.

Notable Quote:
Ed Helms: "I did it on my computer at home... I figured out four parts to it."
(22:01)

**4. The Wall-Punching Scene

[27:01]
A memorable moment where Andy Bernard, frustrated by Michael, punches a wall. Ed discusses the technical aspects of filming this intense scene, including safety measures and multiple takes.

Notable Quote:
Ed Helms: "I skinned up my knuckles... breaking through the Sheetrock skinned up my knuckles."
(28:00)

**5. Bromance Between Michael and Dwight

[33:33]
The hosts explore the unique camaraderie between Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute, highlighting the emotional depth of their relationship showcased in their reconciliation at Staples.

Notable Quote:
Jenna Fischer: "That's what Greg calls it. He calls it the bromance moment."
(93:33)

Production Challenges and Fun Facts

Advertising Interference at Staples Set

[70:03]
Greg Daniels recounts how unforeseen changes, such as oversized Staples signage, affected the filming process. The crew had to creatively work around these last-minute alterations to maintain the show's authentic feel.

Notable Quote:
Greg Daniels: "I didn't want to turn the show into an ad for Staples... so we had to shoot around it."
(70:06)

Battlestar Galactica Sweatshirt

[95:38]
A humorous tidbit about the wardrobe: Dwight’s Battlestar Galactica sweatshirt was custom-made as the franchise didn’t offer official merchandise for the show.

Notable Quote:
Jenna Fischer: "Carrie Bennett had to make up a Battlestar Galactica merch sweatshirt for Dwight to wear."
(95:38)

Character Dynamics and Development

Angela and Oscar’s Friendship

[58:42]
Kinsey discusses the nuanced relationship between Angela Martin and Oscar Martinez, emphasizing the challenges and growth in their friendship, especially with Oscar’s return to the office.

Notable Quote:
Angela Kinsey: "I did one take, and he was like, angela, I'm feeling sad... it needs to be just awkward."
(57:04)

Jim and Pam’s Prank on Andy

[75:55]
Fischer analyzes Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly's camaraderie as they orchestrate a prank on the increasingly annoying Andy Bernard, highlighting their teamwork and mutual understanding.

Notable Quote:
Angela Kinsey: "He wants a partner. He wants a buddy."
(79:05)

Emotional Moments and Audience Reactions

Angela’s Emotional Cry

[57:04]
Kinsey shares the emotional depth of her character’s scene where Angela cries, discussing the balance between genuine emotion and comedic timing to maintain the show’s tone.

Notable Quote:
Angela Kinsey: "It was sort of this art for my character to find a way to cry that was just more awkward than sad."
(57:37)

John Krasinski’s Uncontrollable Laughter

[61:17]
A funny anecdote about John Krasinski’s (Jim Halpert) inability to contain his laughter during a particularly humorous scene, adding a lighthearted behind-the-scenes moment.

Notable Quote:
Angela Kinsey: "John couldn't keep it together. He crumbled into just fits of laughter."
(61:17)

Conclusion and Reflections

Reflecting on the Cast’s Camaraderie

[43:19]
Ed Helms reflects on the enduring friendships formed during the show’s run, emphasizing the genuine relationships that made the cast bond and the show resonate with audiences.

Notable Quote:
Ed Helms: "The camaraderie was real... that foundation of love made the show endure."
(43:19)

Looking Ahead

The hosts wrap up the episode by teasing future discussions and expressing gratitude to their guest and listeners, maintaining the podcast’s engaging and friendly atmosphere.

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Key Takeaways

• Character Growth: The Return serves as a pivotal episode showcasing Andy Bernard's integration into the office dynamics and Dwight Schrute's loyalty.

• Production Insights: The episode featured impressive practical effects, such as snow creation, and dealt with unexpected set changes creatively.

• Emotional Depth: Balancing comedy with genuine emotional moments enriches the characters and adds depth to the show's narrative.

• Behind-the-Scenes Camaraderie: The strong friendships among the cast contribute to the show's enduring appeal and authentic performances.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Ed Helms: "I did it on my computer at home... I figured out four parts to it."
  (22:01)

• Angela Kinsey: "It's a double return."
  (07:43)

• Greg Daniels: "I didn't want to turn the show into an ad for Staples... so we had to shoot around it."
  (70:06)

• Ed Helms: "The camaraderie was real... that foundation of love made the show endure."
  (43:19)

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of The Return episode discussed in the Office Ladies podcast, highlighting behind-the-scenes stories, character developments, and production nuances that enrich the viewing experience for fans and newcomers alike.

Transcript

[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

You know I love options. They make me happy.

[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the personal price plan.

[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

Welcome to Second Drink the Return this episode. Ed Helms is our guest.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. And we also hear from Greg Daniels about the inspiration for the return and how he structured the storyline. You know we discussed in our original breakdown we we shot Traveling Salesman and the Return as one big episode.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. So there are a lot of fun behind the scenes details in this one. But before we get going, let's start the Second Drink with some great fan background catches. You know we love it when John says D White and Mn Cunningham commented that there is a great Da White in Jim's first talking head. It comes right after Andy is singing and driving him crazy. Let's hear it.

[Ed Helms]

So here's to the future. Andy and the Tudor. Andy and the Tuna. Oh, but a tuna. Magical Andy and the Tuna.

[Jenna Fischer]

I miss Dwight.

[Ed Helms]

Congratulations, universe. You win.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's a full Dwight.

[Angela Kinsey]

It is a full Dwight.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's crazy.

[Angela Kinsey]

I also just love the Talking head because Jim. Jim can't believe he's actually missing Dwight.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, listen, we also had a lot of people write in to say we missed a great guest actor shout out. I actually ended up talking about this in our episode Revisited with Randall Einhorn, but I'm bringing it back here. Jessie M. And many others shared that the woman at Staples that Dwight asks if she needs help is credited as Woman. And that person is Charlotte Stewart, who played Ms. Beadle on Little House on the Prairie. Jesse went on to say, this may be a fun fact only the older generation can appreciate, but I want to say, Jesse, thank you so much for pointing this out.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. And you know, I guess that makes too Little House on the Prairie crossovers with the Office because of Melora Hardin. That's right. Well, this next fan catch cracked me up. Madeline Kay wrote, it makes sense that the Nard Dog graces us with his presence on National Dog day every year. August 26th is National Dog Day.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, wow.

[Angela Kinsey]

So you got a lot of nard Dog on August 26, 2020.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, in this episode I shared how we made all of the snow that was falling outside of the windows. We even posted a picture of the snow sifter that we used. You all sent in so much mail and so many people were curious about it. It made me so happy because I really was so interested in this falling snow. A big thank you to Chris H. For writing in to say just listening to this episode and had to find the picture of the snow sifter immediately while on the train toward home from work. And it did not disappoint.

[Angela Kinsey]

People were very happy about that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, big thank you to Kentopedia for giving me the picture.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Lastly, I want to share a deleted scene. We didn't even discuss the first time. It's just one of those great small moments that I love. So, you know, Oscar has come back to work and he is sitting in the break room and Toby pops his head in to say hello. They haven't seen each other in a while. They're going to kind of catch up, right?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

This conversation is hilarious. You have to hear It.

[Greg Daniels]

Hey, Oscar.

[Ed Helms]

How was Europe?

[Jenna Fischer]

It was great.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Greg Daniels]

A lot of pictures.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, great.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. You?

[Greg Daniels]

Well, my daughter turned seven, so, yeah, Big party.

[Ed Helms]

Lots of pictures.

[Angela Kinsey]

Nice. Yeah, that's nice. Thanks.

[Jenna Fischer]

So should we email the pictures to each other or. I don't think we have to do that.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right.

[Angela Kinsey]

So they both say they took lots of pictures of these two events in their lives and then that's it. Do you want to see them? Nah, I'm good. I don't know, it just cracked me up.

[Jenna Fischer]

That is very funny.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right, you guys. Well, now it's time for your second drink of the Return.

[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. Welcome.

[Angela Kinsey]

Welcome back to the Return.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're returning with the Return.

[Angela Kinsey]

You see what we did there? See that?

[Jenna Fischer]

I like that. We're geniuses. No one can top us, Guys. This is season three, episode 13. This was written by Gene Stupnitsky, Lee Eisenberg, and Michael Schur and directed by Greg Daniels.

[Angela Kinsey]

Jenna, let's have a summary.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, here we go. Oscar returns to work. He's returning from his vacation to an elaborate Mexican theme party that he didn't ask for and doesn't really want.

[Angela Kinsey]

That sounds about right.

[Jenna Fischer]

With Dwight gone, Andy fights hard to win Michael's favor, but crosses the line. Jim and Pam team up to prank Andy and ultimately bait him into an angry meltdown. When Michael learns from Angela that Dwight's supposed disloyalty was actually just a misunderstanding, he goes to Staples to win Dwight back. And Dwight returns. It's a double return.

[Angela Kinsey]

And there it is. It's a double return. Jenna, I feel like if we were to title this episode from Angela Martin's point of view, I would like to title it Snow and Sadness.

[Jenna Fischer]

There are so many snowflakes and tears falling in this episode.

[Angela Kinsey]

There's some serious moping and snow.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, it's so true. Well, Angela, that leads me very well to fast fact number one, which I called It's Snowing in Scranton.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was such a fun backdrop to the whole episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know. We also got a lot of fan questions about it. Alisa Schroeder, Mariana Gonzalez, Holly Gannett, and Paige Carter all said, in this episode, it is constantly snowing. How did you do it? Was there a video there? Did they use a green screen? Well, I mean, I think we all know who I asked about this.

[Angela Kinsey]

Please tell me you hit up Kintopedia.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, lady, you know I did. And you know he delivered because he's amazing. Kent Zabornak, thank you so much for always being there for us. So first of all, on one of the first pages in the script, there is this note, and it says, through the window, we see that it is snowing. Michael doesn't notice it should be snowing throughout the entire episode. So this was noted in the script. The writers came up with this idea. It's going to pay off when Michael's car fills with snow. But we also just used to like to represent the season that the show would be in when it aired. So even though we shot this in October, it was gonna air in like January or February. It would be winter in Scranton.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love it. I love that throughout the episode you see people like having talking heads and it's just coming down. I just love that little detail.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, here is what we did to make it snow in those talking heads, Angela. We used the same company that we used in the Christmas episode, the first Christmas episode. Remember them? Snow business. And they used this very old fashioned technique. He said they've been using it for decades and they still use it today. They take like a large roller and they put it behind the window and it has like, what's the thing that you put your pasta in to drain it?

[Angela Kinsey]

Or like a sifter when you do powdered sugar.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. So it's a giant rolling sifter that they fill with snow and then they just crank it.

[Angela Kinsey]

There's like a dude back there cranking fake snow, like through a giant sifter.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. There can be a dude or a lady or it can be on a little motor. It just spins endlessly and snow falls out of it until you fill it again. And he even sent me a picture of it. So I will put it up on our office ladies pod Instagram.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, I want to see that picture.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And then this same company snow business would come and put all the snow and ice on the ground. And they had this big blower machine where they would, like, blow it all over the bushes.

[Angela Kinsey]

I remember the blower machine, but I don't think I ever went back behind where the windows were, where we did talking heads. And I never got to see the sifter.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, there's a little gap, you know, there's like the wall and then there's a gap. And then there's that Scranton backdrop that we would also change seasonally. So we had a snowy backdrop and then we had little sifter fella.

[Angela Kinsey]

Our sifter person.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, exactly.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I love that. Fast fact.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, fast fact number two, Angela. Remember last week we talked about how this episode and Traveling Salesman were shot as one big episode. And our director of this episode and our showrunner, Greg Daniels, sent in a bunch of audio clips where he mentioned some of the inspiration for these two episodes. Well, he did it again, and he sent in an audio clip about some of the things that they were juggling for this portion of the storyline. So, Sam, will you play that clip?

[Greg Daniels]

These were, like, extremely complex storylines. There was a lot of good stuff between Pam and Angela, between Dwight and Angela, between Michael and Dwight. And these stories brought in lots of cards that we had on the boards. One of the things that we would do in pre production is we would generate all these funny ideas for. For different storylines or fragments or B stories, and they would become note cards that would be push. Pinned into the cork boards. So there was a lot of cards. I recognize cards in the stories that had been on the boards. Like, I think the. The Mexican themed party, for instance, was a card for Oscar. And certainly the Pam and Angela relationship or Andy being more sinister and Michael having to wise up and realize who his most loyal servant was. These are all fragmentary ideas that we combined into a great episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think a lot of moving parts.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. I love picturing the writer's room and these cards and them coming back around. And Craig, I love when you send in audio clips. Thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

I agree. Fast fact number three, Riddle dip De do Ed Helms.

[Angela Kinsey]

You heard her, everybody. We talked to Ed Helms about this episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is such a big episode for Andy. He is driving most of the storyline. He is the instigator. We. We absolutely had to talk to Ed. So we did. And it was great.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was so fun. Sam, play the interview. This show is sponsored by Squarespace, and as you guys know, we use Squarespace to do our Office Ladies website.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. And, you know, we've been making some little Updates to the OfficeLadies.com website. We've had to add new links to our TikTok pages and our YouTube pages. That's right.

[Angela Kinsey]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

What?

[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

That's 20% off your first order with Code [e-mail] Ed Helms. Hello. How are you?

[Angela Kinsey]

Hi.

[Jenna Fischer]

Office.

[Ed Helms]

Office ladies.

[Angela Kinsey]

Ed, it's so good to see you.

[Ed Helms]

You got an office guy right here in the mix.

[Jenna Fischer]

We do.

[Angela Kinsey]

We got an office fella.

[Jenna Fischer]

We got one of the best office fellas. Aw.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, thanks so much for being here, Ed. People just love Andy Bernard and we're so excited to talk to you about this episode.

[Ed Helms]

Yeah, I rewatched a little bit just so I had it in my head for this chat because I never watch it unless I happen to see it on in the background somewhere. But I love it when I catch it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Ed Helms]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Have you ever had that experience though, where you're like flying on an airplane and you see it on all the screens that people are watching it on all their personal devices and on the airplane and then you're just sort of sitting there?

[Ed Helms]

Please don't notice me. Please don't notice me.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, I'm always like, do I go to the bathroom? Do I not go to the bathroom?

[Angela Kinsey]

I was trying to time it out to go to the bathroom one time, and, like, there was someone in there. So I was standing outside, and I was on the little screen above my head.

[Ed Helms]

Oh, my God.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I. I just started to see the faces. Look at me. Look up, look at me. Look up. And I was like, oh, God.

[Ed Helms]

Oh, that's amazing. Angela, I would expect you to just sit down on someone's armrest and be like, hey, you having fun? You enjoying the episode? We got any questions? I'm happy to talk about.

[Angela Kinsey]

I've exchanged more email addresses with flight attendants and made good friends on planes. Literally. I sat next to a woman one time, and we're still friends to this day. We're total strangers flying to Canada.

[Jenna Fischer]

So, Ed, you watched part of the Return?

[Ed Helms]

Yeah, yeah, I rewatched the Return. You know, I watched just a couple of episodes from that first chunk of season three because that was my first time on the show.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Ed Helms]

And it feels so long ago. I can't. Like, it's just not fresh in my mind, so many of those experiences. And so rewatching it, I was hoping I could kind of trigger a lot of memories of kind of the experience and the emotional memories and so forth. And it was a joy. It was really, really fun.

[Jenna Fischer]

When I watch it, I get a sense memory of my desk. I know that they've torn it down now, and they do a lot of game shows where our set used to be, and I was even invited to go on one of them. And I turned it down because I didn't think that I could emotionally handle walking into the soundstage and not seeing Pam's desk.

[Ed Helms]

Wow. At Chandler Valley Center Studios, they do game shows now?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, I did, to tell the truth. And when I got the address, I said, yes, I would do it. And I don't know where things tape. So I was like, sure, I'll do it. And then I got the address, and it was Chandler Valley Studios. And I was like, what? I showed up at our studio, and I started sobbing because it was just so weird to pull up to that building. Oh, my gosh.

[Ed Helms]

And there were a lot of. You know, there were a lot of major chapters in our lives that people went through. Marriages, divorces, children, all these kind of major life events that were happening. And sometimes I'll see an episode and I'll be like, oh, yeah, that's when so. And so was going through this or that's when so. And so child was born or, you know, and. And that. That stuff's really beautiful to. To remember. Even the. Even the parts that are. That might have been painful chapters, they're still merely meaningful chapters in our lives and histories. And. And it's just so wild to have this show that's kind of a bookmark, right? You can just go to any point. I mean, for us having made the show, I can recall things that I was experiencing. When I see a scene or if I catch a chunk of an episode, I can remember where I was in my life a little bit more. And.

[Angela Kinsey]

That is so true.

[Ed Helms]

It's really wild. And like I said, even the ups and downs of it, it's all beautiful. Right. And just to have those triggers available to remember those things just feels very beautiful overall.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. This, as you were saying, is such a big storyline for you traveling salesmen leading into the return. And were you super excited to get this script to see what all you got to do and play with Steve like you got to in this episode?

[Ed Helms]

Yeah, of course. I mean, it was still early enough for me. I mean, every table read is a joy, right. It's just so much discovery for the cast. The writers have been kind of in the trenches for a couple of weeks or months at that point with every episode, but for us, like this fresh, exciting thing. And I do remember feeling, as I got more sort of meat on the bone in some of those later episodes, it just felt. It really felt like an affirmation that Andy was a valuable part of this cast overall and of the show. And so, yeah, there was always a kind of giddy anticipation with those table reads, like, oh, what am I going to get to do? What do the writers come up with? You know, and of course, what did the. How is Steve going to make me laugh this week?

[Angela Kinsey]

Right.

[Jenna Fischer]

Ed, this episode opens with your phone ringing, and there's like a four part harmony of you singing your ringtone. Is that you?

[Ed Helms]

100% me.

[Angela Kinsey]

All four parts. All of it.

[Ed Helms]

Yeah. Yeah. Yep. And I did it. And I. And just like Andy says in the show, I did it on my computer at home.

[Jenna Fischer]

You, Ed did it on Ed's computer at home?

[Ed Helms]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I didn't, like, bring you into a studio or something.

[Ed Helms]

No, I think they. They.

[Jenna Fischer]

That tracks, actually.

[Angela Kinsey]

That does. That does track for our show. Like, hey, can you do this whole thing at home on your flip phone or whatever we had at the time?

[Ed Helms]

Well, I can't remember. I think maybe I Don't think they wanted it to be very good, but I was like, too into it to make it anything less. And I thought Andy would make it as good as possible. Right. So I think I spent a long time that in GarageBand, kind of figuring out how to do multiple tracks. But, yeah, I recorded it and I sort of figured out four parts to it, which was really pretty simple. I mean, it's a. It's a very elementary kind of harmony arrangement, but. But, yeah, super fun. And then I played it for Greg and he was like, great, we'll use it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I feel like, Ed, because I know you were in an acapella group, right, in college.

[Ed Helms]

Well, yeah, that. That's a little bit of an overblown history. I was. I was in an acapella group, but only for a semester in college. It wasn't like a huge part of my identity, although it was for a semester. But then I just kind of realized it wasn't for me. But.

[Angela Kinsey]

But you have an ear. You have an ear for music. Like, there is no way they could have given that assignment to Jen. And I, like, I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

You're like, it's a pretty easy harmony. And I'm like, is it?

[Angela Kinsey]

It is, yeah. You're very talented.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, since we're talking about famous Andy Bernard things, I need to ask you about Riddle. Dit da do I have the script, and I have not once ever seen it. Wr. In the script for Andy Bernard. You had to have invented this.

[Ed Helms]

I improvised a ton in those. My early episodes because I, again, I was eager to prove myself. And I also was trying to find Andy Bernard as a character. And that particular thing, which I think this was the first episode where it appeared for Andy, right?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, yes.

[Ed Helms]

And so it just was this thing that these guys I went to. To middle school with would say they would just inject into that was kind of like, there you go. Gotcha. You know, if they, if, if. If they got off like a good zinger at your expense, that they'd tag it with a Reddit. And, and, and I don't know if they weren't exactly bullies, but I just remember this little clump of guys that were sort of like wisecrackers in my middle school. And I don't know where it came from before that picked it up and always thought it was kind of a funny, obnoxious expression. It has no meaning, and it just kind of fits in wherever you want.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's so perfect, Ed. I have such a memory of being in Scranton with you, Ed. Do you remember? I remember, like, we were there for the office convention, and there were so many people there. And you and I were in a car, and, like, there were people all around the car. And we went into that train shop and we had to exit out the back.

[Ed Helms]

I made.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right.

[Ed Helms]

We were driving through downtown Scranton. I was like, oh, my God, it's a Lionel train model train store. We have to go in there. And I made the car stop, and you got out with me, and we went. And people started to press up against the glass. People surrounded, and it was like. We were like Michael Jackson.

[Angela Kinsey]

I asked you guys, it was crazy. You said to me, they pulled the car around the back. We had to, like, exit out the back. And the man that owned the model train store, he was like an elderly gentleman. He had no idea who we were or what was happening. He was like, I guess you can use the back door, whatever. And then we got in the car and you're like, ang, this is the closest we'll ever be to being a beetle. Like, this is. This is our moment. But why I bring it up is that to a crowd of people, Ed just turned to them and said, riddit dit da doo. And they lost their minds.

[Ed Helms]

Oh, my gosh. That's still like, if someone is kind of trailing me in an airport, like, hey, Ed Helms. Hey, Eddie Eddy, what's up? I'll just toss a riddit da do. And then they're like, yeah, they'll leave me alone.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then they faint. Well, Ed, I wanted to ask you about the scene where you punch the wall, because I rewatched this with my kids. My kids are older now, Ed, and they love the Office and they love Andy. And we curled up in bed and we watched this episode, and they were giggling so hard, and they wanted to know anything about it. Like, do you have any story about punching the wall? Did you really do it? What was it like? I know Jenna had a front row seat at reception.

[Ed Helms]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Accounting watched it from afar.

[Ed Helms]

Well, it's funny because that's was technically a stunt, right? In, like, a production. From a production standpoint, the sort of stunt effects people have to oversee something like that. And so I remember it was my first time doing anything that qualified as a stunt. So, like, there was a whole little meeting about how they were going to score the back of the Sheetrock so that my hand went through easier, and then they were going to put up. They, like, fixed a pad onto the inner wall so that when my hand went through, I wouldn't hit, you know, wood or aluminum or anything. And also they had multiple planks that they could stick up just so we could do multiple takes. But it's still. I mean, you guys know, anytime you as a character are holding court and for the whole bullpen, it's, It's.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's.

[Ed Helms]

It's daunting, right? It's. It's kind of something that. That I think was. I always felt anxious about in a good way, like in a kind of, you know, I was always amped up for those kinds of things. It's also what makes me just stay in awe of Karel, because so many of his scenes were with the entire cast where he's like running a scene with the entire cast. And that's so hard. I mean, that is just. It is a really. It takes a tremendous amount of focus and concentration because everyone's lines are responding off of yours as opposed to. And so you have to drive the scene as opposed to being someone who's just responding to somebody else who's. Which is what we all got to do with Steve. So that, that was one of those scenes for me and a very early one, and something that I think was very exciting but also kind of daunting. And I really didn't want to screw up the punch. I didn't want to get it wrong or there were a lot of kind of wind ups to practice swings, if you will. And then I think we only did two takes or so. Um, and I. I skinned up my knuckles. I do remember, you know, I got. I still. There was a pad in there, but I still. I think breaking through the Sheetrock skinned up my knuckles. So, yeah, that was pretty intense.

[Jenna Fischer]

I remember you shed some blood for that one. I remember that. But I also remember feeling as a person who was in the bullpen watching how I could not break because I knew the pressure you were under. And I also knew we didn't have that many of the walls. They had extra, but it's not like they had 14. So we couldn't crack up when you punched the wall, we had to hold ourselves together. So I remember it being like, oh, boy. All right, bite the inside of your lip. Whatever you have to do. Do not mess this up.

[Ed Helms]

Oh, my gosh. There's so many of those moments of trying to not look at what's happening because it's too funny. Because, yeah, I can just remember, like.

[Angela Kinsey]

I feel like that was most of our day.

[Ed Helms]

If I were in the bullpen for a scene like that and didn't want to Laugh. I would just be looking at the wall three feet to the right. Just because that was my trick. I always just looked somewhere else because everyone. Everyone's just so damn funny.

[Angela Kinsey]

I used to look at Steve's neck.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know. That's so weird.

[Ed Helms]

Yeah. I looked at his ear a lot.

[Angela Kinsey]

But I love that you were looking at his ear. I was looking at his neck.

[Ed Helms]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I would usually look at, like, his forehead. This is. These are the parts of Steve we know so well.

[Ed Helms]

I can tell you all about his ear.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Steve right now is like, oh, you're right.

[Ed Helms]

There's something like so much of his. Of Michael Scott was in those eyes. And if you locked in on him, you're done. Just like all of the tsunami of comedy that is Michael Scott would just wash over you. And I could almost never keep it together with him. Even just the dumbest little moments. He just.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, you guys had so many great moments in this episode. I love when you're in his office telling him about, I'm going to get my beer on, get my Lost on.

[Jenna Fischer]

And you follow him to the bathroom.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. What was that like?

[Ed Helms]

I'm on my way to the kitchen. I'll follow you. I'll walk you there.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Ed Helms]

Oh, gosh. Yeah. So weird. I mean, the writers just. You know, there was something. A few of the writers, and Mike Schur in particular, we really bonded at that time because for some reason, Mike Schur just got Andy Bernard in this really weird way. I mean, maybe there's some bit of Andy Bernard in Michael. Sure, as well. But I mean, the stuff they came up with for him. I would read these scripts or be at the table read, and I'd be like, yes, this is exactly what Andy would do. This is exactly how the Andy in my head, the way that I think about him, would behave. And so I just got it. I felt like I. These scenes were like such a perfect fit, like putting on a nice comfy sweater. I mean, you guys know the writers paid such close attention to the actors that they've. And it's that great thing that happens around late in season two or season three of a show, or even earlier than that, where the writers start to write towards the strengths of the actors or towards certain personality traits or mannerisms or just these incredibly specific things that start to bubble up. And Mike Scher and I would just sit around and come up with bits about who Andy was and his background and his family life and just die laughing. And we just had such a common understanding of the character that things like that walking Michael to the bathroom, which is so, so insane. But it made perfect sense to me for Andy and was just a joy to do.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I can tell you, Ed, that the cast, when we got to see you be in scenes when you finally came, you know, because we didn't see you guys. You guys were over at Stanford, and we didn't get to interact with you. And when we finally got to see you in scenes, you just crushed every scene you were in. And you were so funny and. And I remember trying so hard not to laugh. It used to be my goal. Don't laugh when Steve does something. Don't laugh when Steve does something. And then all of a sudden, I had to add this other layer of, like, now, don't laugh when Ed does something.

[Ed Helms]

Oh, my God, that's so sweet. I remember laughing with you, Angela, so hard about the. Michael's trying to play a jukebox, but he can't start the tune. So Andy starts doing the. The Night at the Roxbury song.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. That is in. Is that in the merger?

[Ed Helms]

Yeah, I think so. I think people. And we would do. You and I would just do that for hours and just crack each other up.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Ed Helms]

What is love?

[Angela Kinsey]

Our trailers were side by side, so you were the one. You know, I just walked out my door and went around the corner and there you were. And I know I have this memory of walking past your trailer because you would have the door open. You'd be playing your banjo or something, and I would walk past your door and go pee. Po.

[Ed Helms]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I loved the addition of Andy because you were this great foil to Dwight. Like, Jim would always tease Dwight or prank Dwight. You had this, like, power struggle with Dwight. That was so funny to me. And in rewatching it, I just love every time you and Rain would face off. And there must have been so much improv in that because I feel like now having the scripts, when I go back and look, I can see now, percentage wise, how much more of different people's improvs make it in the show. And I have to say that you and Rainnn Wilson have the highest amount of improv that makes the cut.

[Ed Helms]

Yeah, that's cool. Well, until Zach woods joins the cast. And then Zach woods just demolished the improv.

[Angela Kinsey]

He is a giant and he's so smart.

[Ed Helms]

So, so smart and funny. But yeah, Jenna, it's funny. You're right. I think the Jim Dwight dynamic was hilarious because Jim was a reasonable person and Dwight is a sort of whacked out, unreasonable person. And seeing Jim always in a sort of superior role, just messing with Dwight was fun and gratifying to see. You know, Andy was also whacked out, and so he really was at Dwight's level. And that, I think, made their conflict super fun, and certainly super fun for Rain and me. I just can. Yeah. So many, so many hard laughs with that guy.

[Angela Kinsey]

And you guys would compete over the stupidest things. I mean, I know it's not in this episode, but there's a deleted scene where you two, like, are going head to head about who was the better baby. You're in the kitchen and you're like, well, I was a beautiful baby. I was a model. So I was a model baby. I modeled. And then he's like, well, I was so big, my mom couldn't walk. And you're like, gross. Like, it's. But it's like this crazy competition over the stupidest thing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, but you're competing over who was the better baby. But your standards for what better baby means aren't even the same. Like, you're not arguing over who was most beautiful or who was largest. It's like this complicated one upmanship, and I love it.

[Ed Helms]

Oh, so such flawed characters.

[Angela Kinsey]

Deliciously flawed.

[Ed Helms]

And I think, you know, the pettiness of Andy was. Was a bit cathartic for me because, you know, it just. It was a way. I was saying we all have petty reactions and impulses and thoughts about going through life, but in Andy, I was able to just fully act out all of my.

[Angela Kinsey]

Lean into it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Ed Helms]

Like, whatever petty impulses or instincts bubbled up, I was able to kind of funnel through Andy.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love that. I love that, Ed, because I have to say, when I think of you, I would consider you one of the least petty people. I mean, I can't even. I don't even have a memory of you griping. I always found you to be such a role model in that way, too, because that's fun. You got to let it all hang out with Andy, then.

[Ed Helms]

Well, yeah, maybe I would have been a much more unstable person if I didn't get to play Andy, if I didn't have that release valve.

[Angela Kinsey]

He balanced you out.

[Ed Helms]

Yeah. But I really can't overstate just my gratitude to all of you guys for when we started in Stanford. Just that feeling of welcome, and it was you guys, but also all the writers. And then when we arrived at Scranton, it was very scary and daunting, but we never. We never felt like there was any threat. We never felt like there was anything we had to. Anything personal we had to overcome to prove ourselves to you guys. It just felt like you guys were happy to have us, and that's the most incredible, the most incredible environment to be creative in.

[Angela Kinsey]

We really, Ed, someday want you and Creed to just play the banjo and mandolin like you did on set. I don't know where this fits in an Office Ladies podcast, but someday, we want you here and to hear that anytime.

[Ed Helms]

Anytime. This has been so fun, and, yeah, it's just really fun to get into this headspace with you guys, so thanks for that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, before we go, I want to hear a little bit about the new show that you're doing with Mike Schur, the peacock called Rutherford Falls.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Ed Helms]

Ever since the Office, obviously, Mike has gone on to do these just incredible shows, but we've stayed close friends, and so we just came up with this character, Nathan Rutherford, who lives in the small town of Rutherford Falls in upstate New York, and he is the curator of the local museum about Rutherford Falls, and he's a descendant of the town founder, Lawrence Rutherford. So he's incredibly enthusiastic about Rutherford Falls and all of its history. And he also has his best friend Regan, who is Native American and grew up on the. The reservation next to the town in upstate New York, and so the two of them. And she also runs a cultural center there on her reservation. But it felt important to kind of address some of the reasons why people believe what they believe and why it can be so hard to accept a different version of. Of your own kind of personal narrative, even when you're confronted with overwhelming evidence that maybe you're wrong about what you thought about your history or your town or whatever. And so that's really the crux of the show, is this friendship kind of being challenged. And it also is super funny. It sounds very heavy, what I'm describing, and it does have some heavy themes, but it's super, super, super funny. We roped in also very early on as our showrunner, Sierra Teller Ornelas.

[Jenna Fischer]

I worked with her on Splitting Up Together.

[Ed Helms]

Hey, there you go.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Ed Helms]

Yeah. So she's our showrunner, and she's just incredible. And then she just put together this incredible writing staff, and we've been cranking on it well, but we were supposed to start shooting right when the lockdown started, and now we're just kind of trying to figure it out.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I can't wait till you guys can start filming and we can start watching that because it sounds so great.

[Jenna Fischer]

Before you go, is there anything else you want to share? Any memories from the show. We don't want to leave you if you have anything else to say. But also, no pressure.

[Ed Helms]

It's something I cherish so much, having been a part of that and the friendships that have endured. I mean, I can't believe we're all still on a text chain. That blows my mind. And I just. I love that so much. And I love the. Just a little blurp from Oscar and then Creed will chime in and everybody just. It. And sometimes they're funny and sometimes they're just like information or news or whatever. But it just. I don't know, it speaks to. I think that is what made. That's why the show has endured the way it has is because the camaraderie was real.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Ed Helms]

You know, the friendships and the kind of mutual love and support and respect was real on that set. And even though the characters were in. In ridiculous conflict all the time, there was always. I think people could pick up on an underlying sense that Dunder Mifflin kind of had a foundation of love.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Ed Helms]

Does that make sense?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love that. Well, Ed, thank you so, so very much for coming on and talking to us and sharing your stories. It's just been wonderful. And we'll bug you down the line because I have a good dinner party story with you.

[Ed Helms]

You can't tell that story.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm not.

[Ed Helms]

No, you haven't.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm not telling that one. I'm not telling. Wait, that's. I'm not even talking about that one. I know what you're talking about in the car. I'm not. I'm just talking about. I have a dinner party moment, but we'll get there.

[Ed Helms]

Okay. I can't wait to come back, guys. You're the best.

[Jenna Fischer]

Love you, Ed.

[Ed Helms]

Anytime.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right. Thanks, Ed.

[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

Apply to Europe United today and take the first step toward achieving the career you want. Visit yearup.org to learn more. I don't Know if it is normal to have an attachment to a lunch meat, but I really love Horsehead brand lunch meats.

[Angela Kinsey]

You're not weird, lady. You're just someone who likes a good sandwich and some good lunch meat.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's our go to for our kids lunches. And it's our go to for our lunches Same.

[Angela Kinsey]

Josh often makes me a lunch that I bring into the podcast, and many times it is a sandwich with Boar's Head Oven Gold Turkey.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I want to throw everyone a little curveball. I just want to throw this out there.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay?

[Jenna Fischer]

Boar's Head does an ever roast chicken. You're going to like it. When you think of sandwiches, I think you think of turkey. Ham. I'm not sure you think of chicken. And I just wanted to throw it out there. That's it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, you know what? You know, you're sending your kids to school with a good lunch when they've got Boar's Head in their lunchbox.

[Jenna Fischer]

So head to your local Boar's Head deli counter to discover the craftsmanship behind every bite. You won't be sorry. Try the chicken.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right, well, we are back. Jenna, let's get into this episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. So, guys, Dwight has left Dunder Mifflin and he's on the job market. So this episode opens with Dwight going on some job interviews. We see him interviewed by two different people, a man and a woman. And our fun cameo catch tidbit is that the man who interviews Dwight at the beginning of this episode is Kevin Riley.

[Angela Kinsey]

Kevin Riley, who was the president of NBC. You guys have heard us talk about him. He is the reason the Office stayed on the air. He fought so hard for us. So this was really fun and special to have him sort of pop in and make it into an episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, I asked Greg about this, and he said he got the idea because Greg's father had worked as a radio executive and he was really funny and smart like Kevin, he said. And when he left abc, they gave him a present that he could appear as a magician in one of their soap operas.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my God.

[Jenna Fischer]

So he thought this would be a really fun way, especially with the Office being documentary style, to cast a real person, a real executive instead of an actor. And also, this would kind of commemorate Kevin Riley's contribution to our show staying on the air.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, well, then Dwight goes on to his second interview. And it's a woman, right?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Clearly. You know, we're picking up in the middle of the interview, she must have said to him to describe himself with three words. Dwight Says he's hardworking alpha male, jackhammer, merciless, insatiable. And as he's saying this, if you look around the office, it is the most feminine pink office you will ever see. Everything in it is pink. Every container on her desk. The, the paint on the wall is pink. The flower behind her is a whole bunch of pink flowers. And Dwight is throwing out alpha male, and it's like merciless. And you can just sort of see her being like, hmm.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, it's very interesting because I noted this as well. I noticed there's a fuzzy purple butterfly frame on the desk and like a tassel lamp that has fireflies on it. So I got a little curious about this. Like, what's the story behind this?

[Angela Kinsey]

Did a 12 year old girl decorate this office?

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I guess in the script, Mike Schur had named this character Gwendolyn Trundlebed.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my Lord.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is bringing up some Clementine Paddleford memories for me. Angela. Yes, 100%. Clementine Paddleford and Gwendolyn Trundlebed are friends in a Disney film. But this woman, we never call her by name. She was played by a background performer. She didn't have any lines. But I guess the set decorators, they really took it to heart and they were inspired by the name Gwendolyn Trundlebed. And that is why the office looks the way it does.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, it works perfectly because Dwight, I feel like, is coming in there with all this sort of like, macho energy. And he came into Gwendolyn Trundlebed's boudoir of pinkness.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's what it looks like. It's very boudoir looking. Eventually, we find out that Dwight lands at Staples. He says it's temporary while he continues his job search. Remember, Staples is Dunder Mifflin's big competitor.

[Angela Kinsey]

They're their big rival. I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. But then back at the office, Andy has taken Dwight's seat across from Jim.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Yeah. And he's really proud of the ringtone. We talked about it with Ed, but he is very proud that he did all four parts of the harmony and, I don't know. Music. Jenna, I don't even know what you call it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I have to tell you, I, I still, I know we talked about this with Ed, but it's still, it's incredibly impressive. I mean, it's so impressive.

[Angela Kinsey]

It really, I mean, acapella is really impressive. Aca. What? Yeah, I just said it because there's one guy that's like, bing, bong, bong, bong, bong. Bing Bong. You know what I mean?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then there's another person that's like. Like, I don't get it, but it sounded amazing. I still can't believe he did that himself. One of the things I love about the scene, obviously, how much Andy's annoying everyone already, but he calls Ryan Big Turkey.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Does that mean that Ryan eats turkey sandwiches for lunch?

[Angela Kinsey]

It has to. It has to.

[Jenna Fischer]

What are we learning here?

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, clearly, I mean, Andy had a friend called Broccoli Rob. Do you know what I mean?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

All of the nicknames are just what you eat.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. I'm Yogurt Pam.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'd be Donut Kinsey.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, in real life.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, in real life, yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

I guess I'd be Eggs and Strawberries Fisher.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's catchy. Jenna. I feel like there is a very classic Jim Pam shot that we have to talk about.

[Jenna Fischer]

What is it?

[Angela Kinsey]

It's at 1 minute, 58 seconds, Andy is singing the ridiculous version of Andy and the Tuna. You know that whole part?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And the camera focuses on Jim's reaction and then pushes past Jim. And Jim goes out of focus and it lands on Pam. And they both have similar expressions of like, oh, my God, this guy. And for me, I don't know. I know. I love Jim and Pam so much. So I don't know if I'm, like, looking for meaning, but in that moment, I'm like, they're on the same page. These two are. Are both in it. Like, they're going to be in it together for this episode because it's hitting them the same way.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. I think this is that first hint that they are in sync.

[Angela Kinsey]

I think so. And it was just also a beautiful shot. Just to be a technical nerd like, that is a beautiful shot.

[Jenna Fischer]

I agree. Well, now Michael arrives to work, and he's parked his car. His. You know what? His roof won't go up, but who cares? It's fine. He's going to leave it. Nope. It's not going to be a problem.

[Angela Kinsey]

Going to be a big deal on the biggest snow day they've had. I watched this episode with my kids. I know. I talked about that. They loved his hair. They loved how his hair was just messy from getting out of his car.

[Jenna Fischer]

I didn't even notice that. That's such a good detail.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. I know. They catch a few things. I'm going to sprinkle them through.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love that. Well, Oscar arrives next to Michael, and he is welcomed back by Michael.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Michael says, hey, nice new car. And Oscar Said, well, I got this new car in the settlement after you kissed me at work.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love how matter of factly Oscar says it.

[Angela Kinsey]

That Lexus suv, that's all you, buddy.

[Jenna Fischer]

And then Michael's like, well, that's how we do it here at Dunder Mifflin. When we settle, we settle high. So. And then Oscar has that great talking head where he says part of him wants people in the office to have learned their lesson and to shut the hell up, but another part of him wants them to keep talking so he can buy a home theater.

[Angela Kinsey]

So now we go into Michael's office and Jenna, it's one of those classic scenes that you and I love. Where it starts with Michael and who else is in the room? You don't know. And then it's revealed. And this time it's Andy. Andy is taking the spot of Dwight over Michael's shoulder. But he's creeping Michael out. You can already tell.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, there's a way that Michael is always kind of annoyed when Dwight interjects in the middle of what Michael is saying. But this is different. Like, Michael's annoyed by Dwight, but Michael, like, really is annoyed by Andy.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, you know what it feels like to me? Like, Andy is getting under his skin. Like, Dwight is like an annoying brother, but Andy is like the creeper that lives down the street. I don't know. That you try to avoid when you go to the mailbox.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, we had a fan question in this scene from Tenille. Who wants to know? In this episode, there are a lot of talking heads with Michael facing the window where it's snowing. Were those talking heads shot in sequence so that they didn't have to keep turning the snow on and off? Yes. Yes. I love this question, Angela, because we've never really talked about this. We always shot all of our talking heads in a row. So what they would do is they would set up the shot, let's say, in Michael's office for a talking head. And every talking head he had for that episode, they would spend hours doing all of them and the same thing in the conference room. Remember, they'd set up the chair and we would all cycle in for hours and do our talking heads.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. It would literally be like talking head day on set. And I always really felt for Steve. Cause he always had the most. And I would think, like, oh, my God, I had to, like, learn one, you know, and maybe they would give me some alts on the day. But Steve had to learn so many and just sit there and do them and do Them. And Veda would be there, our scripty. Our script supervisor. And sometimes she would remind you if you had more than one. Okay, now remember, this talking head is after Dwight left, so you're more sad than the one before, you know, so sometimes she was helping us kind of navigate the time sequence of it all.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. And we would usually do these either first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. Steve would always do his first thing in the morning. I think he liked to lead with them. He would. Oftentimes, I feel like on a Monday, it would be like, Steve, talking heads until almost lunch. And then we would all come in and film, like, group scenes for the rest of the day.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

But then on Fridays, we would spend Friday afternoons, all the rest of the cast, doing our talking heads. That was kind of how we framed our week.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, that's how I remember it, too. Well, Jenna, you know, Oscar's back now, and he walks back over to accounting, and of course, Kevin has a ridiculous joke that he's been saving for weeks. Kevin thought of it. He was like, how was your gaycation? Oscar's like, awesome. Kevin's like, yeah, I thought of that two seconds after you left. Kevin's so proud of himself. And Angela is just like, hello. And he's like, hello. And you can tell that there's. I feel like a lot she wants to say, but she's not. She's not ready yet. She doesn't know how to say it yet.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. But then eventually, Angela does invite Oscar to join the party planning committee. She says she's sorry for the way certain things transpired, and she wants to make some changes and she starts crying.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, well, Jenna, I really cried. That was me really crying. And I had a whole conversation with Greg about it as we were trying to find the scene. And I did one take, and he was like, angela, I'm feeling sad. And he said, this has to be a funny cry, where sometimes on a show someone cries and it breaks your heart. He said, this needs to be just awkward, like, and then at the end, we have a joke because Kevin says, can I join? And I say, never.

[Jenna Fischer]

Right, right. So.

[Angela Kinsey]

So it's. It was sort of this interesting thing of figuring out, how do you cry, but you don't make people feel bad, you know, so. So. And what really helped me was that my lines were so ridiculous. So it was, you know, me being like, certain events transpired and certain people said certain things. You know what I mean?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

But it was sort of this art for my character. To find a way to cry that was just more awkward than sad.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, you just made someone very happy. Sara Cooper had written in to ask you, did you have to do anything different to get into character in preparation for this episode?

[Angela Kinsey]

You know, when you cry, we all have a little bit of our process of actors, of how we get to that place. But it was this sort of interesting thing to get myself there, but then kind of pull back a little bit, and this might be really boring actory stuff, but it was a really interesting exercise.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, we had another fan question. Angela, from Beatrix Smith, Was it weird for you to have Oscar back? Did you miss him when he was gone?

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah. I think Angela definitely missed Oscar. Listen, him being gone means a. She's carrying most of the workload in accounting because Kevin's no help, really. And I think that Oscar and Angela really are these sort of mismatched roommates, if you will. And you'll see their friendship come through throughout the seasons, but they are there for each other. It's just. I think they just had some hurdles to get over.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, well, that's a nice answer. I think she meant you, Angela. Did you miss your friend Oscar, who hadn't been sitting there with you? But I like. I like how you stayed in character there for that answer.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, we were talking so much about Angela Martin. Well, of course I missed my friend. Are you kidding? I didn't have anyone to draw me little crazy cartoons of myself being silly and passing me notes, but it was.

[Jenna Fischer]

You guys are such a little trio over there.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I definitely missed them. Well, while all of this is going on, Andy is just stalking Michael.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, he's, like, looking for him everywhere. And he follows him to the bathroom.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, Jenna, Andy now has two expressions that I love. We first heard nifty gifties from Andy. Love me the nifty gifties. And in this one, Michael's like, what's up? And Andy goes, nerfing, nerfing, nerfing. And now me and my kids are saying nerfing.

[Jenna Fischer]

It just.

[Angela Kinsey]

It has stuck here at the house. I thought it was so funny. But, yeah, Andy's driving Michael crazy. And Michael has a whole talking head from behind his door. He's hiding.

[Jenna Fischer]

It was. It made me laugh out loud because I didn't know where he was during this, because Andy's looking for him, and he's just nowhere. He's nowhere. And then when he's revealed to be giving this whole talking head from behind his door, one of the things I loved about it most was that while hiding, he was still compelled to perform and speak to the camera. Yeah, he was like, I'm hiding, but I'm not gonna stop presenting myself to this camera crew.

[Angela Kinsey]

I wonder if he was like, I'm gonna hide. And you have to, too, because if Andy sees you guys in here. So, like, is there a way where the camera crew is, like, smushed up against the wall also hiding?

[Jenna Fischer]

That's such a good point. Like, all Andy has to look for is, like, where's the camera pointed? Yeah, there's a crew constantly following Michael around.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, we're coming up on a scene that completely destroyed John Krasinski in real life.

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't think he's ever laughed so hard ever, ever on the show.

[Angela Kinsey]

He has said it's the hardest. He laughed the whole series. Like, and I texted Creed about it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, it's this scene in the kitchen where Oscar comes in and he's just kind of like, where's Dwight? And Creed says, Dwight was decapitated and they had a funeral for a bird, which is not correct, but kind of correct.

[Angela Kinsey]

Just all mushed up together.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Ed Truck was decapitated, and they did have a funeral for a bird. And remember, Jim wasn't around for any of this. So Jim isn't even able to, like, correct this. So he just says, I'm pretty sure that's not real. And then Creed says, you're not real, man. And that is the line that destroyed John Krasinski.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. John could not keep it together. He crumbled, like, into just fits of laughter. And I texted Creed. I was like, creed, oh, my gosh, we're breaking down the return. And you have that great line that you said to John. And he was like. I said, what was that? Like? He said, oh, angel, it was so much fun to see John lose it like that. He said, he lost it.

[Jenna Fischer]

There are a couple of times on the show where John has laughed so hard that, like, you can't. You just can't even film him because when he really loses it, he cannot be brought back. He can't. He's like. He is what we said. He is destroyed.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's destroyed. He doubles over. He kind of tears up. He can't make noise. It was laughing like that. And I said, creed, I mean, how did you. How many takes did you do? And he said, I think we got one where he kept it together. I think that's the one they used.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So now we have this little scene where Michael is noticing that, like, the plant in the Office is dying. He says, you need to talk to the cleaning crew about this. And also, while you're at it, they used to arrange the toys on my desk in this really pleasing way, and I need to know why they've stopped. And Pam is like, well, no, that was Dwight. Dwight used to do that. And then, of course, up from out of nowhere comes Andy. And he's like, I agree. And Michael's like, what are we. How do you know? What do you agree with? How do you even know what we're talking about?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, And Andy's like. Pam was like, blah, blah, something lame. And then you're like, right on. There it is. There it is. Come on.

[Jenna Fischer]

Seven minutes, 33 seconds. The very first, but not the last riddle to do.

[Angela Kinsey]

So we're back at the party planning committee meeting. Angela is sad. She is sad. She's not even speaking up about anything. She's not even being mean to Phyllis. You know, the woman is sad.

[Jenna Fischer]

Can I say something?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think that later, when we see this party, it's gonna be one of the best ones we've ever thrown.

[Angela Kinsey]

How dare you.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm just saying. I'm just saying that you're a little checked out. And look what we did without you. When others were allowed to participate in the planning, we threw a very. Like the decorations. That Creed loved the food.

[Angela Kinsey]

Let me tell you something, lady.

[Jenna Fischer]

What? What?

[Angela Kinsey]

I am flabbergasted.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I mean, I just want to say I noted. I noted how disengaged from the planning Angela was. And then I noticed what a really great party it was.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, you know, Michael has given the marching orders. He really wants to celebrate Oscar, as Michael says, quote, his Mexicanness. He wants firecrackers, a Chihuahua.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know, he also tells them to get a donkey a burro. Because, you know, the reason that we're throwing a Mexican theme party is because Oscar's gayness does not define him. His Mexicanness is what defines him. And Oscar's just like, according to Michael.

[Angela Kinsey]

Great, Great. Right back in it with Michael.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oscar's thinking of all the things he's gonna purchase after this party.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. Well, I have a question for you about a scene coming up. Jenna, was it in the script that Andy, like, fishes for Jim? Like that he throws the rod and reel and the whole thing. Or was that just made up on the day?

[Jenna Fischer]

Angela, I will check the script for that. And in the meantime, while I'm doing that, please enjoy this hold music by Carmen and Camille doing their version of Heartbreak in the break room. One Moment.

[Angela Kinsey]

Merger day came.

[Jenna Fischer]

I hit you on the brain and grape soda. Michael arrived. I felt hunchy inside, like I didn't know you.

[Angela Kinsey]

My mama, she nibbed me a sexy sweater. Put on the gown.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right. Thank you for holding. I could not find that in the script.

[Angela Kinsey]

It wasn't in the script?

[Jenna Fischer]

No. So it was either conceived of as a rewrite page or it was something he did on the day. So what's in the script? The thing that makes Jim want to prank Andy is just more singing at his desk that he's just obnoxiously singing. And then Jim decides he has to do something. Right, but the fishing for tuna, not in the script.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, well, it's perfect for Andy. It's so perfect. Jim has had it, though, and he now wants to play a prank. He asked Karen. Karen says she's too busy. She got all of Dwight's clients. Then he asked Ryan and lady, we have some Ryan sass.

[Jenna Fischer]

I loved it. I'm falling in love with Ryan.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know you are.

[Jenna Fischer]

Not gonna lie.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know you are. What does he say?

[Jenna Fischer]

I'll tell you what he said. He says, oh, you know what? Not right now, but ask me again 10 years ago. And I feel like John's. The look on John's face as Jim in that moment is so good. So good. He's like, all right, man, I liked.

[Angela Kinsey]

You better when you were the temp. Ryan's like, so did I. Ryan says, so did I. That's some serious Ryan sass.

[Jenna Fischer]

So, Angela, should we check in with.

[Angela Kinsey]

Dwight now, see how he's doing over at Staples?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, he's doing great.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's crushing it.

[Jenna Fischer]

He is. We had some fan questions about Staples from Amy Jackson, Aaron Westra, Ainsley Thompson, Jeff Needham, Diamond P and Kate N. They wanted to know, did we film in an actual Staples store? Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, we did.

[Jenna Fischer]

We filmed at a real Staples. It was at the Empire center in Burbank. I've actually been there many times, not only to the Empire center, but to this actual Staples. I have purchased my home printer at this Staples.

[Angela Kinsey]

Jenna. I feel like we went there for, like, a BFF afternoon where we went to Target and then we went to Staples together. I have, like, a memory of that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yeah, I'm sure we did that. Because then there's that donut place that you like. What is it? Krispy Kreme.

[Angela Kinsey]

Krispy Kreme. What's not to like?

[Jenna Fischer]

Exactly.

[Angela Kinsey]

And they have a drive through. They have a drive through.

[Jenna Fischer]

They have a drive through. And they also have this conveyor belt that you can watch, it's like watching a car wash, but it's donuts going by. And then you get to the end and they just take it right off the conveyor belt, and it's super warm and they hand it to you, and kids love it. It's like a mini donut factory. Why would take my kids there all the time?

[Angela Kinsey]

I think that the first time we went, you and I didn't even have kids.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, this is true.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is true. Okay, so, yeah, Dwight is crushing it. Sorry, we got off on a tangent about donuts. Go figure.

[Jenna Fischer]

We did. But I want to say, remember back in the merger when we talked about how Staples paid the production to feature one of its shredders in an episode, people were asking if this was still part of that product integration. No, no, this was just a plot point. They just thought it would be funny that Dwight ends up going to work for Dunder Mifflin's competitor. So Staples did not pay to be featured in this episode at all. And then guess what they did.

[Angela Kinsey]

What?

[Jenna Fischer]

They did something insane to the Staples.

[Angela Kinsey]

What'd they do?

[Jenna Fischer]

So I'm going to let Greg tell you.

[Greg Daniels]

We. We arranged to have a real Staples be the location for this episode.

[Ed Helms]

And.

[Greg Daniels]

I had scouted it. And then between the time that I scouted it and the time that we showed up to shoot, they had replaced all the Staples signage with very unrealistic looking staple signs that were three times bigger than what we had seen because they wanted more of an advertising pop in the background of our show in the morning of the day we were supposed to shoot there. And so it became like a thing about, you know, we had to make our day and we had to shoot. But I didn't want to turn the show into an ad for Staples. So there was a lot of shooting around it. And I believe the last shot where the camera kind of zooms into a security camera to see them exiting was to avoid gigantic Staples sign that they had put up at the last minute.

[Jenna Fischer]

Ooh, Staples. You were so stinky.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, Staples. Can you blame them? They're like, hey, we got a camera crew here. I'm gonna put up my big sign. I'd probably do the same thing. I would do the same thing.

[Jenna Fischer]

They were like, henry, get over here. Bring the tall ladder and the big signs.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, get it on tv. You know, I love the staples, folks, because they give back to teachers, Jenna, so. Oh, yeah, I love them, but that is very funny. I have a little piece of trivia, though, about that day. Dave Rogers said that Greg got really sick that day. So sick that he had to go home halfway through the day, and Randall took over.

[Jenna Fischer]

Whoa.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's crazy.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, listen, I want to talk a little bit about Dwight's new co worker, Paris.

[Angela Kinsey]

She's amazing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Played by Yvette Nicole Brown, who would later go to star in Community. This scene with them in the break room eating lunch, I watched it three times. I watched it three times because she is so funny.

[Angela Kinsey]

Her.

[Jenna Fischer]

Like, you know what it is? I feel like we're getting this opportunity to have someone outside of the Dunder Mifflin family react to Dwight Schrute. We all know what Dwight is like. We know what to expect from him. So to place Dwight in the real world with a regular person who's not used to him was so funny to me. And her reactions were what I would imagine anyone would react like if they met Dwight.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. I texted her. I said, yvette, I just want you to know I forgot about this and how great it was and rewatching it. It was hilarious. And she was like, oh, Angela, I feel like I was just there for a blip. And I said, yvette, you stole the scene. You stole the scene.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Now, you mentioned, Angela, that you were watching this episode with your kids. My son walked into my office while I was watching this scene. He was laughing. And then he and I looked for a fan catch that was sent in by Lori Lex.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, what'd you guys find?

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my gosh. My son was so tickled because during this scene, Dwight's sandwich that he's eating gets bigger rather than smaller as he eats it because they use different takes. So at 12 minutes, 21 seconds, all that's left is, like, a little corner of bread. And then at 12 minutes, 28 seconds, it's much larger.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love it. I love how into this episode our kids were with background catches.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's so cute. Well, lady, I want to talk about the scene with Michael and Angela. They're in the break room, and they're clearly both missing Dwight. But obviously neither of them are saying that to each other. And Michael just says, well, it's good to have Oscar back. And Angela's like, yeah. And they both just sort of sadly take a sip of their beverage and look off into space. And I never, ever got quiet moment scenes with Steve. And so in rewatching this, it was so special to me because I just. Our characters hardly ever interacted, and when they did, I was usually mad at him. You know?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

So that was really special. And then on a total tangent, there is a fantastic shot at 13 minutes, 47 seconds of Luann's.

[Jenna Fischer]

Of Luann's water pen.

[Angela Kinsey]

And it's there, like, gurgling away.

[Jenna Fischer]

Lady. I saw the same thing. I saw the same thing. I think that's what was in the background of that kitchen scene in that other episode that we all thought was a fireplace. I think it was Luann's water feature. She had a Zen garden and a water fountain.

[Angela Kinsey]

She did. And they never plugged it in because it made noise, but every once in a while, I guess it got plugged in, and I think you're right because it has a little blue light in it. Yes. That maybe we thought was a fire. Something. Yes. Oh, my God. I love that we both got excited about Luann's fountain. Well, Jenna, I think on that note of getting super excited about a fountain that. In the background. We should take a break.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, we'll take a break, and then we'll come back and get into this big prank. All right, guys, we are back. Angela, do you know what I'm doing right now?

[Angela Kinsey]

No, what? I mean, I can see you, but I'm making bread. I can't see your hands, but I know your left one is moving.

[Jenna Fischer]

No, not. I'm not literally making bread in my lap. I'm sitting here podcasting, but I am simultaneously bread making. That's the cool thing about bread making is that I have dough that is rising into a little living dough baby that I'm going to put in my oven and turn into crisp, delicious sourdough bread as we speak. That science is working in my kitchen, on my counter right now. During this break, I molded my little dough baby.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, Well, I molded another dough baby I like to call my belly, because I went downstairs and ate a little piece of this. I don't even know what it is that Josh made. It's like some kind of. It tastes like a little square of pecan pie. It's so good.

[Jenna Fischer]

Can we give a plug to Josh's baking page, please? Baking with Josh and Ang. There is a recipe on there for something called a Brookie. Okay. You know, I made this the other day. It is a layer of brownie topped with a layer of chocolate chip cookie and their bars. Angela. I ate so many of them that I made myself sick. I made myself sick like I was like a child who couldn't stop eating candy on Halloween. And I felt so ill. And even when I felt sick from eating so many of them. I wanted to eat more of them. That's how good the Brookie is, guys. It'll make you sick, and you won't care, and you'll keep eating it anyway. I don't know what kind of endorsement that is, but I feel like that's a good endorsement.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, well, he. He has tons of recipes. You guys. My husband is a baker. You can go to bakingwithjoshananj.com for all of his recipes. I don't even know why I'm in the equation there. It's just that when he bakes, he likes me around, so. But he is the master. I'm the taste tester, and he's the master. That was really sweet, Jenna.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, if you want to eat so much of something that you make yourself sick, make the Brookie. But he also has, guys, not just sweets. He's got, like, these one sheet meals, and I love to cook things on one sheet because then I only have to clean one thing.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. They are really good. We just did his one sheet chicken fajitas.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's my favorite.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's so good.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right. This became a small commercial for bakingwithjoshananj.com, but I stand by it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, thanks. That's really sweet. I'll tell him. He'll be tickled.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, well, let's get back to this episode. Jim steals Andy's cell phone.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And. But why does he pass it off to Pam? I don't understand why they trade it twice. What are they, secret spies? Couldn't he have just taken it and gone straight to the bathroom and, like, chucked it up in the ceiling or something?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. This entire prank could have been done by Jim alone. He tried to recruit all these people to do this prank with him that required only one person. He could have pranked Andy on his own. But for Jim, the prank is, like, the social bonding experience. It's not about, like, just doing it by himself.

[Angela Kinsey]

What's the fun in that?

[Jenna Fischer]

Exactly.

[Angela Kinsey]

He wants a partner. He wants a buddy.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. So he does this weird thing where he knocks over the pens and steals the phone and then gives it to Pam. And then Pam gives it back to.

[Angela Kinsey]

Him, and Karen clocks it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, Karen notices.

[Angela Kinsey]

She doesn't know what they're doing, but they're in cahoots. Well, and then. And then you're like his lookout, but you can clearly see him. You guys have the most, like. You're the most oddball, like, like, duo. I feel like there could have been a spin off where Jim and Pam are secret spies, but everyone knows.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, and just to our point earlier, is no one noticing the camera crew following Jim and Pam, sneaking and, like, filming them do this prank? There's a lot of disbelief you have to suspend right here in this moment.

[Angela Kinsey]

Jenna. No one sees it because Pam is. Is so great at distracting them by drinking her water. That's all we see. Pam's just drinking her water and playing with her necklace. Nothing to see here.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. What do you mean? What?

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, you have to remember in the last episode, Phyllis kind of spills the beans and says to Karen, I'm so glad you and Jim are together, because he was hung up on Pam for so long. So, you know, Karen has got that in her brain. And when she sees the two of them kind of giggling and up to something, she's like, oh, no. What's happening?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Well, meanwhile, Kelly and Oscar are setting up for the party. I think it's very funny that Oscar has to set up his own party.

[Angela Kinsey]

He has chores at his own party.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's amazing. And then Michael, meanwhile, is pouting in the kitchen. He wants to let Jim know that he's not fine. He's not fine.

[Angela Kinsey]

And he's like, he doesn't want to talk about it. But Jim's like, okay. And he's like, okay, I'll talk about it. He's like, okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And he's like, what do you think of Andy? What do you think of Andy? And I love this, Angela. Jim is like, well, I mean, he's kind of a yes man. And Michael's like, that's not true. Because when I say I don't like something, he says he doesn't like it too. It's like, oh, Michael.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, Michael. Steve is so brilliant in this episode. I know we talk about how good he is so, like, every week, but he had to. I don't even know how to say it, but the way he reacts to Andy is like a whole new version of Michael Scott we haven't seen. And he's so brilliant. And the way he doesn't get things and then the audience gets it before him, and then he finally gets it. It's just amazing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, Angela, he has this talking head that I can't even barely watch because.

[Angela Kinsey]

Is it about the raspberry, the sherbert thing?

[Jenna Fischer]

It's about the way Steve delivers. It is so masterful. But the whole thing just makes me so uncomfortable. Whenever Michael talks about his childhood, I get scared. I just feel like I don't want more details about his loneliness.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And his, like, need for attention and his.

[Angela Kinsey]

All of his awkward interactions with his mom and stepdad, Jeff. I mean.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Poor Michael.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know this is totally off topic, but I was impressed that Jim's choice of snack was raw carrots.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Angela. Angela, we had. We had a fan point this out about the carrots. Brianna Kernan wrote in to say, does John really like to snack on carrots? Because he can be seen in multiple episodes snacking on carrots at various times. I did a lot of scenes with John, and so I can tell you that he eats carrots. If given the choice for what he gets to eat in a scene, he will pick something healthy. He will pick carrot a lot. He would pick carrots to the point that they finally had to say, john, you can't with the carrots. It's, like, really bad for sound. So then he started eating grapes. Oh, wow. So you'll see him eat some grapes. But occasionally it would be scripted that we're eating chips.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm.

[Jenna Fischer]

And he would eat the chips. But he preferred a healthy snack, guys. He just did.

[Angela Kinsey]

I am very impressed, John. I'm very impressed. I mean, I usually would ask for potato chips.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, well, BJ Novak and I used to say that if it's a prop, it doesn't have any calories, so you can eat as much of it as you want.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, interesting theory.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. It's not real food. You're pretending.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's pretend food. No calories. It's pretend calories.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know what I would pick now is a Brookie. I'd be like, can I snack on a Brookie, please?

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, the party setup is underway, but Angela and Pam have a little conversation out by the elevators. And I loved it so much, Jenna. When Pam's like, is it about Dwight? And Angela's like, no, John Denver. You're like, okay, that's how it's going to be. I'm out.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, no, no, no, no. But is John Denver, like, one of her favorite singers? Like, where did John Denver come from? It's just such a funny sort of little bit of detail to me about Angela Martin. Well, Angela tells Pam that she's really missing Dwight, and she feels bad.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And Pam says, I think you should talk to Michael.

[Angela Kinsey]

And Angela's like, pam, I'm not like you, walking around in your provocative outfit saying whatever thought pops in your head. Yeah. I love that. As she's wearing a sweater over a button down. Like, what? What are these outfits? Angela, what are you even talking about?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

But anyway, Angela Appreciates Pam's, you know, talking with her and gives her such a weird hug. It's like she hugs her and then when she realizes she's hugging you, she shoves you away.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, we had a fan question about it. Angela. Caleb Feener and Kylie Campbell both ask, was that hug improvised or was it in the script? What do you think, Angela? Improvised or in the script?

[Angela Kinsey]

I feel like it was improvised.

[Jenna Fischer]

It was improvised. It was not in the script. It was not in the script. That was improvised.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, yeah. I feel like you and I played around with that scene a few different ways. It was so fun.

[Jenna Fischer]

That was great. That was great. Well, back in the bullpen, Jim just keeps calling Andy's phone, which is ringing now up in the ceiling. And a lot of people asked, was the phone really in the ceiling playing the song? Now, normally, I feel like the answer would be no because it would ruin your ability to edit the scene, but Angela, I remember that phone playing up in the ceiling. Am I going crazy? No.

[Angela Kinsey]

I feel like I remember it too.

[Jenna Fischer]

I feel like they put a speaker up in the ceiling and they had someone play that song for us to react to. I have, like, such a strong memory of hearing it all day long.

[Angela Kinsey]

Like, over our head.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

So, guys, no one can remember. I reached out to a bunch of people about this. What's the deal? No one is sure, but I'm going with my personal memory that we really did have. I don't know if it was the phone, but we really were listening to that four part harmony up in the ceiling and reacting to it. Yeah, we weren't reacting to nothing.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was actually getting really annoying. I do remember that. I was like, so sick of that song.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's what.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my God, Angela.

[Jenna Fischer]

When we were rewatching this episode and he. And it played for the first time, I kind of, like, I recoiled a little bit. Like my. The cells in my body were like, oh, no, not again. Not again.

[Angela Kinsey]

Sense memory.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Because I. I remember shooting this episode and singing it. And then when I went to bed the night I rewatched it, I was like, I've been there two times all day long, rocking in the bed when it's in your song. I couldn't. I was like, don't do this to me again.

[Angela Kinsey]

We cannot skip past what I like to call nimble Phyllis.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

She's so nimble. She's agile, she's quick. I mean, Andy tries to open her drawer and Phyllis does the. No look. Slam.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Push back.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, that's some quick reflexes, Phyllis.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Because Andy is looking for it everywhere. He cannot find it anywhere. Well, while Andy's looking for his phone, Angela goes into Michael's office, like Pam suggested. And she says, listen, the reason Dwight was late that morning was because he was dropping off the quarterly tax form that she forgot to send. And to be fair, Kevin never reminded her. She just wants Michael to know that if Kevin had done his job, she could have done her job better. But that Dwight was saving the day. He wasn't going for some weird corporate power grab. He was doing this favor for her.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. I remember in this scene, Greg gave me the note to, you know, I'm coming in there. I'm very nervous. Cause I really don't want people in the office to know my business. I don't want them to know who I'm dating. Even though I really care for Dwight. I just hate the idea of being office gossip, you know?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

So I'm going in there. And he said, angela, just deliver those lines, like the top, at the top. Like, you're just quickly spilling it all out, you know?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

So that's why I went in with that energy of just like. Like, if she didn't say it right away, she was going to lose her nerve. So I was like, went to New York. You dropped off the text at first, like, you know, just kind of, like, throw it out.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then, thank God, Michael is such an idiot. He doesn't connect the dots. He's like, oh, my God, Dwight. If he would do that for anyone in this office, who else is like that, you know?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I'm like, no one. And Angela's so happy. She's so happy she was able to sort of set the record straight without revealing their relationship.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Michael just takes this as a sign of Dwight's undying loyalty to the company.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

So he's like, I have to go get him back. I have to go get him back.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

But as he's on his way out the door, Andy, like, jumps in front of him and pitches him, like, this weekend date that they're gonna go on, he's like, blurts out a gazillion things. And Michael is like, just stop. Stop. You're driving me crazy. And Andy is like, oh, I'm sorry if my friendship is annoying you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Sorry I annoyed you with my friendship.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, that's what it is. That's what it is. Well, we had a fan question from Ali White. She wanted to know if that list of activities was scripted or improvised by Ed Helms. Guys, it was all scripted. Ed memorized that. That was not an improvisation.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was perfect because they all sounded like a horrible evening. And Michael's like, I don't want to do any of those things. So now Andy's phone starts ringing. So he's just been rejected publicly in front of the whole bullpen by Michael. And now his phone is ringing again, and the man snaps. He loses it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. And this is what we talked about with Ed, where he had to punch a hole in the wall. And, Angela, I reached out to Kent to find out exactly how many walls we had prepared for this stunt. And it was four. So we could have done four, but remember, Ed thought they only had to do it twice, but there were four chances. So that's why when we were talking with Ed, I was like. My memory of this scene was that we all had to have our, you know, game face on. So we didn't ruin one of these takes. We only had four walls, everybody.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I noticed in the reaction pass in the accounting department, there's one reaction pass where Oscar is standing, and then it cuts back, and he's, like, seated, and then it cuts back, and, like. So it was like it didn't quite match up, but. And my kids loved that. They're like, oscar sitting. Oscar standing. Oscar sitting. And while all of this is happening, the thing they really were tickled by is that the Homer Simpson doll was turned sideways with, like, his butt in the air.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, Homer fell over.

[Angela Kinsey]

Homer fell over. And then we had to go back and look for when Homer was upright and he was on his side pretty much the whole episode. Just so you guys know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, guys, the name of this episode.

[Angela Kinsey]

Is Homer Fell over in Snow and Sadness.

[Jenna Fischer]

So now we go outside, and Michael is in the parking lot, and his car has filled with snow.

[Angela Kinsey]

How's he gonna get in it? He's gotta, like, shovel it out.

[Jenna Fischer]

He's rushing, but he has to dig the snow out first. Angela, I have a wonderful tidbit about this snow.

[Angela Kinsey]

What?

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, Kent told me the same snow company filled that Sebring with fake snow, but it wasn't icy snow. It was, like, the little plastic flakes. Because there's lots of different kinds of fake snow. So they were these little plastic flakes. And at the end of the shoot day, it took them the entire next day to vacuum all of the snow out. And that was a rental. They rented that car.

[Angela Kinsey]

They had to get all that out of there.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And at the end of the season, they kept it for the whole Year at the end of the season, when they returned it, the snow was still in, like, the inner workings of the car. He said whenever they would turn on the ac, snow would blow out of the vents. Oh, gosh. They never could get all the snow out. And they. I think they had to pay a fee when they returned it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm sure they did. I'm sure they did, because someone is going to rent it, turn on the air, and these little fake pieces of plastic snow are going to fly out at them.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. I loved that tidbit. I loved that every time we tried to turn on the ac, snow would come out of there.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, Michael has. Now he's at Staples. He's going to go up to Dwight. He's going to apologize. He wants him to come back. And I love this scene so much. I mean, Dwight is tearing up. It is a very bromance moment.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, yes, that is what Greg calls it. He calls it the bromance moment. And, you know, playing underneath the scene is the song from An Officer and a Gentleman.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. Remember at the end of Officer and a Gentleman where she's in the factory working and Richard Gere walks in and he scoops her up and they kiss and everyone cheers? What is it? It's love. Lift us up where we belong. Right?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Where the eagles fly. The whole thing. Well, there is, like a Muzak version of this playing at Staples during this scene.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's amazing. Guys, Greg sent in an audio clip talking about this bromance.

[Greg Daniels]

The ending of the Return was like the big bromance moment between Michael and. And Dwight. I'm pretty sure the Officer and a Gentleman was in the script to begin with. As I recall, we. We were building towards that moment to see Michael going through the aisles at Staples and trying to, you know, make a big romantic moment out of it, like Richard Gere returning for Deborah Winger.

[Jenna Fischer]

And that is exactly what it is.

[Angela Kinsey]

I really wish Rain had picked Steve up and twirled him around. I wish that had been in the script.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, Rain is Deborah Winger in this scenario.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know, but he's bigger than Steve, so I think it would be super. Like, that's how they. Instead of them disappearing, like with him taking his Staples uniform off, that he just carries Michael out anyway.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, speaking of his uniform, when Dwight comes back to the party at Dunder Mifflin, he's wearing a Battlestar Galactica sweatshirt, right?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. You know what about this?

[Angela Kinsey]

That Battlestar Galactica did not have any sweatshirt merchandise.

[Jenna Fischer]

Isn't that insane? Insane, yeah. So our Wardrobe designer Carrie Bennett had to make up a Battlestar Galactica merch sweatshirt for Dwight to wear.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, they made it special. It doesn't exist.

[Jenna Fischer]

I texted Rain and asked him if he still has it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, please tell me he said he did.

[Jenna Fischer]

He doesn't. And he super regrets not snatching it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Aw, that would have been a good one to snatch.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know, I know.

[Angela Kinsey]

Someone has it. It's the one and only. Well, you know, when Dwight comes back in the office, I remember I have this moment where I'm talking to Oscar and Greg was like, when he walks in the room, I want Angela Martin in the moment to sort of let her guard down, you know? So I'm blatantly looking at him with such, like, love in my eyes and happiness. And, you know, we're still reserved. We just shake hands, right? Yeah, but there's so much emotion, like, between the two of us, and Michael's just oblivious.

[Jenna Fischer]

But then you shake hands with him. You welcome him back with a handshake.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Now, I need to ask you a question, Angela. Have you not been in touch? I mean, you guys to seem aren't seeing one another outside of the office. You don't go to each other's homes, talk on the phone.

[Angela Kinsey]

I think so, but I think he was miserable at his job, and I was the reason he wasn't at the job he wanted to be at. And to see him come back in the office and to know that he's back where he wants to be. And it's so layered what he did for me. And then the risk I took going to Michael, all that emotion is playing out in that moment.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. It's not that it's the first time you guys have seen each other in a month. It's that he's back where he belongs.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. And we both made sacrifices for each other.

[Jenna Fischer]

Right.

[Angela Kinsey]

And so it sort of takes our relationship to this next place. I think very subtly of, like, he did that for me, and I went out of my comfort zone and did this thing for him. And he knows that and I know it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Right.

[Angela Kinsey]

So I think it's that. But of course, Michael's oblivious, and we. We look at each other with love in our eyes and shake hands, and then that's it. The party is well underway, though. Lady.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Like, while we're shaking hands and doing all this, everyone's having a good time. And Jenna, we have a fantastic Phyllis dance. Catch.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Michael says to Pam, hey, Pam, shake yours and I'll shake. And she's like, no.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'M not gonna do that. But guess who's so, like, Delighted? Phyllis. At 25 minutes, 18 seconds. You guys know that Phyllis was a burlesque dancer, and you are seeing a straight up real deal burlesque shimmy in the background by Phyllis.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'll tell you what, that shimmy was not in the script.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, of course not.

[Jenna Fischer]

So I don't know where we got that, but I think Phyllis.

[Angela Kinsey]

I think Phyllis just improvised that.

[Jenna Fischer]

And she used to dance. Phyllis is in.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

But also, I just want to say, Angela, I want to point out this party's going great. That Angela didn't plan. That's all.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm sorry. She was there. She was just sort of zoned out. But she was part of the planning.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know, but it's just. Maybe we should take note of what a great party it is.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my God.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my God.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I titled the next scene Oof.

[Jenna Fischer]

We have another Oof.

[Angela Kinsey]

This scene is just called Oof.

[Jenna Fischer]

This was Heartbreak in the break Room. Was titled Oof.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is Heartbreak in the Conference Room.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. So here's what happens, you guys, Karen and Jim, they're sitting side by side in the conference room. They're not even talking or looking at each other.

[Angela Kinsey]

They're not even looking at each other. That's the even. The saddest, like, ugh, part is that when he says he's still independent, he.

[Jenna Fischer]

Won'T even look her in the eye.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. She just gets up and walks away. She's like, f this.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Because she says, do you still have feelings for her? And he says, yeah. And I just want to say, Jim, yes. Wishy washy Jim is gone, and we have real Jim back again.

[Angela Kinsey]

Jim is back, and he's owning his feelings.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, we are happy. So this episode ends with Dwight, who thinks the party is for him. By the way, even though the sign says welcome back, Oscar, there's three signs.

[Angela Kinsey]

There's three signs that say welcome back, Oscar.

[Jenna Fischer]

But somehow Dwight is like, this party's for me. He gets to hit the pinata, and he just destroys it. Destroys it.

[Angela Kinsey]

He destroys it. Then he goes through the office just whacking all the pinatas that were decorative pinatas hanging through the bullpen. In the DVD commentary for this episode, they talk about the fact that as rain started hitting pinatas, Phil Shea was like, hold up. Wait, wait, wait. I have duplicates for this one, this one, and this one. You cannot hit that one or that one. Oh, my gosh. So when you see rain kind of like running through, he had, like, a little roadmap of which pinata he could hit and he couldn't hit. So if you see him run right past a perfectly good pinata, it's because we didn't have a duplicate for it, so we had to run across to another one and whack it.

[Jenna Fischer]

These are the details people don't know that actors have in their brains when they're doing a scene.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

We only have one more thing to talk about, Angela, which is Andy is going to anger management and he's going to crush it.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's supposed to be 10 weeks. He's going to knock it out in five. He has a whole plan through his.

[Jenna Fischer]

Usual name repetition, personality mirroring and positive reinforcement through nods and smiles. He's going to do this in five weeks. And in fact, he does do it in five weeks. Ed, the character of Andy is gone for the next five episodes and then he returns. And we had a lot of fan questions about this, Angela. Chelsea Lane, Erin Westra, Amanda Gerson, Brianna Kernan, Kaylee Waiting, all asked, did Ed Helms have to be written out because he had to film something else? No. No. We had asked Ed about this. So I don't know if you guys remember back in Gay Witch Hunt, when I had talked to Ed about how he came to be on the show. Remember, he said he was originally only hired for a short period of time, and it wasn't until later that they decided to add him as a series regular? Well, I guess, Angela, how did he explain it? He said that by the time they decided to make him a series regular, they had actually written all of the episodes to finish out his initial little contract. And this episode was supposed to end with Andy punching the wall and being fired and never coming back again.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. In this episode, we basically lose Andy and then we're soon going to lose Karen. Right. And that would have wrapped up all of the Stanford extra character storylines, but everyone just fell in love with Ed and just how Andy was the perfect foil for Dwight and they wanted him back and they had to sort of figure that out. How does that work? What does that contract look like? We already have these scripts without him, so they sorted it all out in five weeks and Andy comes back.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. And it was so, so great. And in the meantime, I remember that they were wanting to also keep Rasheeda around a little bit longer, but she ends up getting a job on Parks and Rec.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Which stays sort of in the Office family, which is really fun.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Because Parks and Recreation was created together by Greg Daniels and Mike Scher.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yep. Well, lady, before we say goodbye to the return, did you happen to catch what the anger management class, what the name of the company was? No, I loved it so much. It's on the door as they go in.

[Jenna Fischer]

What is it?

[Angela Kinsey]

Calm visions.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, you know what? I'm already less angry.

[Angela Kinsey]

Are you having calm visions?

[Jenna Fischer]

I am.

[Angela Kinsey]

I am.

[Jenna Fischer]

Done.

[Angela Kinsey]

Done. Well, that was the return, everybody. Thank you so much for listening. Big thank you to Ed Helms for being our guest and Greg Daniels and as always, Ken Sabornak, Kintapedia. And, you know, Jenna and I, we reach out to people like crazy. If it's as simple as, like, a text to Creed to jog his memory or I DM'd Yvette. Like, I'm just always so appreciative by how many people. Jenna, respond in a timely manner and get back to us and help us make these podcasts happen.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, listen, guys, we will see you next week with one of my favorite episodes, Ben Franklin.

[Angela Kinsey]

Ben Franklin, we'll see you then.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love Ben Franklin so much. We'll talk about it next week.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right, bye, everyone. Have a good one.

[Jenna Fischer]

Bye. Thank you for listening to Office Lady's second drink.

[Angela Kinsey]

This episode was initially created in collaboration with Earwolf.

[Jenna Fischer]

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

[Angela Kinsey]

Our executive producer is Cassie Jorkins and our audio engineer and associate producer is Molly Nugent. Odyssey's executive producer is Leah Reese Dennis.

[Jenna Fischer]

Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz. Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton.

[Angela Kinsey]

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