Webisode: The Third Floor

Summary

Office Ladies: Webisode Breakdown – "The Third Floor"

Episode: Webisode: The Third Floor
Release Date: August 13, 2025
Hosts: Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey
Title of Podcast Episode: The Third Floor
Podcast: Office Ladies

---

Introduction to "The Third Floor"

In this engaging episode of Office Ladies, co-hosts Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey delve into the "The Third Floor", a webisode from The Office series where Ryan Howard takes on the role of a horror movie director within the mundane setting of the Dunder Mifflin office.

---

Breaking Down the Webisode

Overview of the Webisode

Jenna opens the discussion with enthusiasm about Ryan's venture into horror filmmaking.
Jenna Fischer [02:19]: "Welcome back to Office Lady 6.0. Angela. Are you ready for some jump scares? Maybe some eerie music and a really scary villain?"

Angela expresses her hesitance towards horror movies, especially those featuring zombies.
Angela Kinsey [02:42]: "Love. I hate them. But I want to tell you I'm just thankful that there are no zombies in this one, because I really hate zombies."

Jenna counters with her love for zombies, highlighting their differing tastes. This sets the stage for their nuanced discussion of the webisode's horror elements.

Behind the Scenes Insights

The hosts share exclusive behind-the-scenes anecdotes, enhancing the listener's appreciation for the webisode's production. They reference interviews with cast members like Mindy Kaling and BJ Novak, who provide insights into the creative process behind Ryan's horror project.

BJ Novak [13:18]: "Ryan is directing a horror film that he thinks will be sort of the paranormal activity set in an office picked up by the documentary crew and by the main characters in the office."

Jenna and Angela highlight how the webisode captures the subtle complexities of Ryan's character and his passion for filmmaking, contrasting it with his usual office antics.

Character and Plot Discussion

The hosts provide a detailed synopsis of the webisode's plot, focusing on Kelly and Aaron's transition from music to acting in Ryan's horror film.

Jenna Fischer [14:34]: "Kelly and Erin are conducting an interview with Meredith, who is playing a fortune-teller type woman."

They discuss key scenes, such as the jump scares orchestrated by Aaron and Ryan's creative costumes, emphasizing the blend of humor and horror that The Office is renowned for.

Angela Kinsey [18:12]: "Your level of helpfulness is making me think you're not in charge."

This notable quote from Ryan during a tense moment exemplifies the show's ability to intertwine humor with character development.

Costumes and Effects

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the intricate costumes and practical effects used in the webisode.

Jenna Fischer [24:07]: "I thought it was fantastic. I thought they did a great job with it. It was very, very creative."

They particularly highlight Ellie's transformation into a monster character, praising the hair and makeup team's efforts.

Angela Kinsey [25:24]: "That was absolutely the longest I was in hair and makeup at the office."

The hosts also critique Ryan's costume as the horror movie director, adding a humorous take on his over-the-top appearance.

Jenna Fischer [26:17]: "I would describe it as full douchebag."

---

Assignment: Watching John Carpenter's "The Thing"

To deepen their analysis, Jenna assigns Angela the task of watching the first 24 minutes and 30 seconds of John Carpenter's classic horror film, The Thing. This assignment serves as a parallel to Ryan's filmmaking endeavors in the webisode.

Jenna Fischer [08:58]: "I asked her to watch the first 24 minutes and 30 seconds of John Carpenter's the Thing."

Angela's Reaction to "The Thing"

Angela shares her candid reactions to the assignment, providing a deeper layer to the discussion about horror elements.

Angela Kinsey [50:17]: "I was like, this was a terrible idea."

She narrates her experience of watching the film, highlighting her discomfort and the intense suspense that contrasted with her usually adamant dislike for horror movies.

Angela Kinsey [57:38]: "It's a really good plot. It's a simple plot. Here are my first reactions."

Her detailed recounting of The Thing emphasizes the film's effectiveness in building paranoia and suspense, aligning with Ryan's attempt to inject similar elements into the office setting.

Jenna's Review of Ryan's Movie

Jenna offers a comprehensive critique of Ryan's homemade horror film, applying both her own criteria and the traditional elements of great horror movies.

Jenna Fischer [39:40]: "I think Ryan's film has it all."

She praises the film's atmosphere, suspense, and plot clarity, while also noting areas for improvement, such as the lack of creative kills.

Jenna Fischer [41:19]: "I think a good horror movie has creative kills. And in this one, we kind of get the same kill over and over."

Despite the shortcomings, Jenna commends the effort and creativity behind the webisode, appreciating it as a solid effort for a homemade production.

Angela Kinsey [42:03]: "I would give it two thumbs up. I would."

---

Conclusion: Embracing New Experiences

The episode concludes with Jenna and Angela reflecting on their friendship and the importance of encouraging each other to step out of comfort zones.

Jenna Fischer [62:48]: "Look at that. Jenna. We're just like in our friendship, we're just encouraging each other to grow and experience new things."

They emphasize that it's never too late to explore new interests, underscoring the podcast's theme of personal growth and collaboration.

---

Notable Quotes

• Jenna Fischer [16:03]: "I want to express myself, but I have nothing to say and no medium with which to do it."
• Angela Kinsey [18:12]: "Your level of hysteria makes me think you're not in charge."
• Jenna Fischer [39:54]: "I think Ryan's film has it all."
• Angela Kinsey [57:38]: "It's a really good plot. It's a simple plot. Here are my first reactions."

---

Summary

In this detailed episode of Office Ladies, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey offer an in-depth analysis of The Office webisode "The Third Floor", exploring Ryan's foray into horror filmmaking. Through lively discussions, exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, and personal anecdotes, the hosts illuminate the creative nuances of the webisode. Angela's assignment to watch The Thing further enriches the conversation, allowing for a comparative critique that highlights both the strengths and areas for improvement in Ryan's homemade horror film. The episode not only celebrates the creativity of the cast but also underscores the value of friendship and personal growth.

---

Note: Timestamps correspond to the segments where the notable quotes and discussions occur within the episode.

Transcript

[Jenna Fischer]

The State Farm Personal Price Plan gives you options to choose from to help you find the right amount of coverage for you. And you know what. Choosing from options.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know, I love options. They make me happy.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know why I love mini desserts is because I don't want to pick one thing. Options. This is what's so cool about State Farm because they help you make the right choice for you and to help you save for the things you really want.

[Angela Kinsey]

Because of the options, the State Farm Personal Price Plan can help you create an affordable price. When you choose to bundle home and auto insurance, you have options to choose from to help best fit your needs.

[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]

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

[Jenna Fischer]

Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state. As a young adult, finding the right path to your future can feel overwhelming.

[Angela Kinsey]

It starts with Year Up United's tuition free job training program Career Pathways.

[Jenna Fischer]

If you're without a bachelor's degree but have a high school diploma or ged, you can get Skills first training to succeed in the industries you're passionate about. All while earning a weekly educational stipend to offset basic expenses.

[Angela Kinsey]

From there, you'll have access to internships and hands on experiences with Fortune 500 companies. And with Europe United's job placement services and personalized coaching and mentorship, you can put your knowledge, skills and most importantly, confidence into practice.

[Jenna Fischer]

Apply to Europe United today and take the first step toward achieving the career you want. Visit europe.org to learn more. 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 Lovers podcast just for you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Each week we will dive deeper into the world of the Office with exclusive interviews, behind the scenes details and lots of BFF stories.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're the Office Lady 6.0.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hello. Hi.

[Jenna Fischer]

Welcome back to Office Lady 6.0. Angela. Are you ready for some jump scares? Maybe some eerie music and a really scary villain?

[Angela Kinsey]

Why would I be ready for any of that?

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know, but you better get ready because today we're breaking down the webisode the Third Floor, which is all about Ryan making a horror movie.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, Jenna, I know you're very excited for today's episode. You love a good horror movie. Love. I hate them. But I want to tell you I'm just thankful that there are no zombies in this one, because I really hate zombies.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love zombies. Give me all the zombies.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, Ryan tried to have zombies. We'll get to it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, I know. I got excited.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is one thing you and I do have in common, though.

[Jenna Fischer]

What do we have in common?

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I don't know if we should talk about it, but we both had a really strong reaction to the season of the Last of Us. You know, Josh had me watch it. He wanted me to watch it.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know, how did Josh get you to even start watching this? You watched the whole first season?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

And then you got hooked. I was very excited. Cause this is our first zombie crossover moment.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. I mean, I love Pedro. I love Pedro Pascal.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, we all love Pedro Pascal, which is why this season was so very upsetting to us because we didn't play the video game. Everybody, Jenna and I did.

[Angela Kinsey]

Didn't know.

[Jenna Fischer]

We didn't know what was going to happen. And after it happened, I was so upset. Spoiler. If you. Okay, if you don't know the video game and if you haven't watched this show yet, just like, fast forward. Maybe fast forward, because I actually need to talk about this. And I know we're a little late to talking about it because everyone expressed this same outrage about two months ago.

[Angela Kinsey]

But truly, if you haven't played the video game and you haven't seen season two, just fast forward about 50 seconds from now.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, guys, Pedro Pascal's character has the most gruesome death in episode two. In episode two, I kept waiting. I was like, wait, what, Shirley? Oh, here she comes. She's gonna come rescue him. No, no, no.

[Angela Kinsey]

And here's the thing. I'm not watching anymore.

[Jenna Fischer]

I can't watch it anymore.

[Angela Kinsey]

He was my guy.

[Jenna Fischer]

You broke my heart. Why would I keep going out with a guy who broke my heart like that? Like, the show is a man who I was in love with, and he trampled on my heart. I can't go back to him. I can't go back to him. It was too much for me. And I sent a text to our group thread where I was like, what is. And I Googled. I was like, what am I?

[Angela Kinsey]

You gave me three, like, angry messages. Like, angry long messages about what the hell just happened here. Yeah, we both were pretty bummed about that. Josh is still watching, so he has continued without me. I was like, I can't. I was like, babe, here's the thing. You can't ask me as someone who hates zombies, I hate zombies.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep.

[Angela Kinsey]

You can't ask me to watch a zombie show with the one thing that kept me watching it is gone.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

That was the only reason I was there.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. It wasn't the only reason I was there. But I am so distraught that I have not been able to keep watching it. I think I might. I think I will get over this hurt. But listen to me, everybody. We all know. I was trying to explain it to Lee. Cause Lee doesn't watch it with me. He's like. I don't get, like, just this one person died. I'm like, babe, babe, it's Pedro Pascal, okay? He is like. I tried to come up with, like, an analogy. I was like, he is. Remember what Meg Ryan was to, like, an 80s romantic comedy movie. Just, like, an utter delight from the moment she's on screen until the end. Like, just makes you happy watching her. That is the feeling I get when I watch Pedro Pascal in anything. Just a delight. I'm happier now.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know what it is for me? I'm invested. Whatever he's in, I'm so invested. I still really, really need you to see his arc in Game of Thrones. I really need you to get to Dorne.

[Jenna Fischer]

I am so sorry. I saw a red carpet interview with him where someone said, will you ever have such a brutal death as you had in Game of Thrones that will upset fans? And he said, yes, I think there will be. Because he knew what was gonna happen in the Last of Us.

[Angela Kinsey]

I still need you to see him in Game of Thrones, Sam.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Cassie Jerkins]

I need you to watch that episode at least.

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't wanna just tune in to see him die.

[Angela Kinsey]

You need to see the minute he comes on screen, his presence, it's so different from the other characters you've seen him play. I need you. I need you to see him. My introduction to him was in Game of Thrones.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. My introduction to him was in Narcos.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, he's great in Narcos.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. I will watch Game of Thrones for Pedro Pascal. Like, done. I will do it. What season is he? Like, how far in.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, could she just pick up with that season, Sam? She doesn't have to, like, watch all the way to when they have the Dorne brothers sisters on.

[Jenna Fischer]

So he first appears in season four, episode one. Oh, my God.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thank you, Cassie.

[Jenna Fischer]

You guys, I say just go there. Don't. I got pretty far into Game of Thrones when I committed to watching it. Like, I'm pretty sure I've told you. When is that red lady on that extra?

[Cassie Jerkins]

The red Wedding?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Isn't that in season three or something?

[Angela Kinsey]

No, no. You're not talking about the Red Wedding. You're talking about the red lady who had sex with the black spot.

[Cassie Jerkins]

Oh, okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Her. Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know what season that is, but that was around where it lost me.

[Cassie Jerkins]

I would pick up. I would start season three. I would watch season three, have you, and then treat yourself with a first episode of season four at the end.

[Angela Kinsey]

Have you seen the Red Wedding episode?

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know what happens in a Red Wedding.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, you would know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Never mind.

[Angela Kinsey]

Never mind. That's a great episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay. Well, we might have to make a list for her. Well, you know what? We should probably take a break, because when we come back, we are gonna break down the third floor. And Jenna, as our resident horror movie expert, you're gonna give us your assessment of Ryan's attempt at this genre.

[Jenna Fischer]

I will. I will. I tried to give it my best critique.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

But that's not all, everybody. I gave Angela an assignment that I'm so excited about. I asked her to watch the first 24 minutes and 30 seconds of John Carpenter's the Thing.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yep.

[Jenna Fischer]

Because that is about the same amount of time that I watched the first John Wick movie on my first viewing. I have completed it. Everyone but Angela said she would watch that same length of any horror movie I chose.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I did.

[Jenna Fischer]

And I have no idea what her reaction is. Don't tell me yet, but I cannot wait to hear your thoughts. And, Angela, I want you to know that I tried really hard to pick a movie that was not just a horror movie, but also a classically great film. I didn't just try to, like, give you some slasher scary thing.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's true, and I appreciate that. I truly knew nothing about this movie.

[Jenna Fischer]

I.

[Angela Kinsey]

Before I watched it, I did not Google it. I did not look it up. I really watched it not knowing anything. So it was just my honest reaction as I started watching it. And I will share that with you.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, well, we'll take a break and be right back.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my gosh. What if you just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday? What are you going to do? How can you find amazing candidates fast? Easy. We got the answer for you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Just use indeed when it comes to.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hiring, Indeed is all you need. You don't need to struggle to keep your job. Posts seen on other job sites. Indeed, sponsored jobs help you stand out and hire fast.

[Jenna Fischer]

I mean, here's the thing. If you have a job opening, who's doing the Work while you're looking for the new person.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right. Maybe you, maybe you. You don't need another thing on your plate. You need help hiring the person to help you take care of extra workload.

[Jenna Fischer]

Outsource to Indeed. In the minute we've been Talking to you, 23 hires were made on Indeed. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with.

[Angela Kinsey]

Indeed and listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsor job credit to get your jobs more visibility@ Indeed.com officeladies just go to Indeed.com officeladies right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.

[Jenna Fischer]

Indeed.com officeladies Terms and conditions apply.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hiring Indeed is all you need. I have been sort of in that nesting mode. This happens every time when the kids go back to school. I kind of take a look around the house and I'm like, you know what? It's time. We need new sheets. We have pillowcases with some holes in them. Like, I'm going to give the house a zhuzh. And right now, Macy's is having their biggest home sale of the season.

[Jenna Fischer]

Lady, I am replacing all of my cookware with stainless steel cookware.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I become very passionate about it. And Macy's currently has 10 to 30% off kitchen appliances, but also just like kitcheny stuff.

[Angela Kinsey]

They also have 40% off charter club bedding, sheets and accessories, as well as the hotel collection bedding, sheets and accessories. And I'm hitting up that sale hard.

[Jenna Fischer]

They also have 30 to 50% off dinnerware, glassware, table linens, and more. I just want to put it out there. The holidays are going to be here before we know it. Make sure you have enough napkins for everybody. Like, now go to this sale. Get ready. Figure it out.

[Angela Kinsey]

Now shop Macy's biggest home sale of the season. Shop now@macy's.com or in store.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, we are back. And this webisode series has some really fun bonus content on Peacock. Like there is this cool black and white film flip book of behind the scenes of this shoot.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was really fun to watch. And you know what, there's also some interviews with the cast. I thought we should kick this off with what Mindy and BJ had to say about this webisode series are following.

[Jenna Fischer]

The tradition of the characters wanting to put on a show.

[BJ Novak]

Ryan is directing a horror film that he thinks will be sort of the paranormal activity set in an office picked up by the documentary crew and by the main characters in the office. Like the little things that fall through the cracks. I think that's the best thing to show in a webisode. So I really liked when the group did subtle sexuality, that girl band that Kelly and Aaron did. And I really like this horror film that they're all working on. It's funny, like the side projects that just get completely ignored by everyone in the office. And so somehow, for the webisodes, we capture them.

[Jenna Fischer]

I like that.

[Angela Kinsey]

I do, too. So it's really fun that they get to explore what Ryan's passions or hobbies are. And I guess he's a big horror film fan.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I think it's more that he's a filmmaking fan. And this, to me, kind of goes with his character trait of how he got into photography for a while. I feel like the horror movie part is just his way into being a, like, film director.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. And entertainment. Well, there's more cast interviews. We'll sprinkle those in as we go.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, here are a few stats about this webisode. It was released on October 28, 2010. This was during season 7 of the Office. We aired the episode Costume Contest the same day as this webisode. It was kind of our nod to Halloween. This webisode was also nominated for a Webby Award. So episode one is titled Kelly and Erin Move On. This whole series of webisodes were written by Kelly Hannon, Jonathan Hughes, and Mary Wall. And they were directed by Mindy Kaling. Here is your summary. Kelly and Aaron are going to pivot away from subtle sexuality. They're not going to make music anymore. Their new creative outlet is going to be acting in Ryan's horror film.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. As the series starts, we are at front reception. Kelly and Aaron are listening to the tail end of their song, I'm Just the Girl Next Door. Aaron thinks it's their best one yet, but they are disappointed by how many views the video's getting. It's not getting very many.

[Jenna Fischer]

Two.

[Angela Kinsey]

Two.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's it. Dare I say it's the two of them watching it.

[Angela Kinsey]

So Kelly declares that music and dance are dead. That's it. That must be the reason.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's why Aaron does add. It's also the economy.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, okay. So there are multiple reasons. They say maybe it's time to move on. But don't worry, they're not giving up on fame. They're just giving up on music. So we cut to a little sitting area outside the break room. Kelly and Erin are now with Kevin. They are sitting on the floor.

[Angela Kinsey]

They're having a Floor chat?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Like a little brainstorming session. I've never seen this. I found it super creative and interesting and fun.

[Angela Kinsey]

Fun? Yeah. I loved it. It kind of reminded me a little bit about when there was that group in the little supply closet having a meeting, like Kelly and Toby.

[Jenna Fischer]

And yes, that was added back to the superfan episode of what was that? Hot Girl.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, yeah. It was a really, really creative way to shoot this. Kelly has like a little. Had a paper, I guess, for her brainstorming session. I need you to hear how Kelly kicks things off.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

I want to express myself, but I have nothing to say and no medium with which to do it. That's it. She has something she wants to say. She doesn't know what it is. She has no way to do it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Go, go.

[Jenna Fischer]

What are your ideas?

[Angela Kinsey]

Kevin, you're up.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, Kevin explains that there's more than one way to express yourself. And he reveals that he writes poetry. What?

[Angela Kinsey]

All along Kevin is a poet.

[Jenna Fischer]

He reads one of his haikus. Here's what it is. Beauty approaches. I am brought under its spell. I long to be with.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Because he ran out of syllables.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's it.

[Jenna Fischer]

We'll never know.

[Angela Kinsey]

Ryan is in the adjacent room and he is yelling at someone over the phone. He's very upset.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. He's talking about, like, ancient zombies traipsing through Scranton, out for blood. Ryan is on the phone with someone, trying to get them to participate.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm. It sounds like he needs.

[Jenna Fischer]

Would you say?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, it sounds like he needs a lot of background actors to play zombies.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And we find out that he is called the Evergreen Old Folks Home. Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

I need to play this talking head where Ryan describes the film he's trying to make. But more than anything, I need you to hear when it cuts back to his side of the phone call with the manager of the retirement home. Because what he says just cracked me up.

[BJ Novak]

50 ancient zombies traipsing through the pothole ridden streets of Scranton, out for blood. Sounds scary, right? Too bad you'll never see it because the idiot manager at the Evergreen Old Folks Home thinks it sounds exploitative. So that's where we're at right now. Okay. Your level of hysteria makes me think maybe you're not in charge. Is there a supervisor? I.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's what your level of hysteria makes me believe. You're not in charge.

[Angela Kinsey]

Look what I wrote. My favorite line in this episode is when Ryan says, okay, your level of hysteria makes me think you're not in charge.

[Jenna Fischer]

I literally wanna, like, put that On a post it note for the next time I might need it when I'm trying to talk to somebody who is not helping me on a custom customer service call.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know what it made me?

[Jenna Fischer]

Some version of that. Like your level of helpfulness is making me think you're not in charge.

[Angela Kinsey]

It actually made me think of Cassie, because how you guys call Cassie, you and your partner call about your cable.

[Jenna Fischer]

I thought the same thing.

[Angela Kinsey]

I thought the same thing. I was like, cassie needs to say, okay. Your level of hysteria makes me think you're not in charge. I'll try it in the next six.

[Jenna Fischer]

Months when we have to make that call.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

So Ryan explains his situation to Kelly. Like, what's going on? And Kelly volunteers to be in the movie.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Ryan is going to reject this idea. But then Kelly's like, look, I scream all the time. I'm really good at screaming. I can scream for free. And he's like, okay, fine. Fine.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. He says if the director of Paranormal Activity can make it work, so can he.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'll have you know I have not ever seen Paranormal Activity.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, shocker, neither have I. Sam, the.

[Cassie Jerkins]

First one is very, very good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

You guys have seen it?

[Cassie Jerkins]

Yes. The rest of the six or seven.

[Angela Kinsey]

You can skip six or seven.

[Cassie Jerkins]

I'm not kidding. But the first one is really good.

[Jenna Fischer]

I can't watch. I have some limits.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, I didn't know this.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, I was gonna explain this a little later when I was sort of talking about my passion for horror movies, But I don't love supernatural horror or haunted house stories and paranormal activity.

[Cassie Jerkins]

You're gonna hate this.

[Jenna Fischer]

Kind of both.

[Angela Kinsey]

Is it because you could believe it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't want to feel creeped out in my own home. Like, I already have a problem sleeping if I hear any creaks or noises. So I don't need, like, extra. That's so interesting. Cause that's the only type of horror movie I like to watch. Really? Yeah, I only like ghost stories. I don't like someone trying to kill and stab me. See, I can't fight back against a ghost. So, like, I don't know how to win that scenario. Oh, yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

I think it's.

[Jenna Fischer]

Cause I don't believe in it. So I don't know. Yeah, I mean, we've talked about how I have the lady in my closet and all that stuff. Listen, so I just don't need to imagine her getting angry at me or anything.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I mean, I am like. I am not messing with the spirit world. You know what I'm Saying that's how I feel. I am not messing with it. I think I've shared this with you guys that I was going to audition for a role in the movie the Conjuring, and they sent me the script, and this is when we were on the Office, and I ultimately had a conflict, but they sent me the script, and I was like, oh, I'll read it. And I was reading it in my trailer on the set of the Office, like, on my break, and I was so terrified. It scared the crapola just reading it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Wow.

[Angela Kinsey]

Scared the crap out of me.

[Jenna Fischer]

I wonder if being in the movie would have been some sort of, like, therapy for that, though, because you would see how fake it was.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, no, no. But it's based on a true story.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yeah, that's right.

[Angela Kinsey]

That one is based on a true story.

[Jenna Fischer]

And I did see that movie, and it's really good. Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay. Anyway. Okay. So you do have limits to this genre.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm glad to know that I do.

[Angela Kinsey]

Because I don't want to watch anything where some ghost is coming for me ever. Ever.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I did not pick that for you.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. Well, this episode of the web series ends with Kelly and Erin. They're so excited that they're going to be in this movie, you know, that they're back, and they start singing this little song, and it goes like this.

[Jenna Fischer]

We found our outlet. We found our outlet. No more singing and dancing for us.

[Angela Kinsey]

We found our out. We found an outlet. We found an outlet. Go to 2 minutes and 34 seconds. Because Kate Flannery is just being Kate. She is not Meredith at all in this moment. Look at her. She's just Kate.

[Jenna Fischer]

She's just eating chips, kind of bobbing her head to their song. Yeah. All right, next up, episode two, titled Lights, Camera, Action. It opens with Angela making a copy on the copy machine when Aaron, wielding a butcher knife, jumps out and scares her. Angela is very upset, but Ryan is thrilled.

[Angela Kinsey]

He is thrilled. He says, aaron, you were amazing. And then he turns to Angela so earnestly and goes, you are so good.

[Jenna Fischer]

Angela's like, I am just scared.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And Angela comes to find out that the knife that Aaron is wielding at her is not even a fake knife. They were too expensive. Ryan says, we have plenty of real knives.

[Angela Kinsey]

They probably should have got a fakie knife that looked more like a real knife. Cause that knife is so clearly fake.

[Jenna Fischer]

I thought it looked like a fakie knife, too. That's so funny.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, you know, when we rehearsed the scene, they said, okay, Angela. They didn't know what I screamed like. You know, they were like, you're gonna get a jump scare. Just scream like you're terrified. And Brian, as Kevin, is standing kind of close to me, and I screamed like I screamed. And Brian looked at me like, what? What the hell? It, like, kind of made him jump.

[Jenna Fischer]

Now, here's my question. We have discussed that when you jump scare Angela Kinsey, she might kick or punch you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Because you really do not like it.

[Angela Kinsey]

My first instinct is to hit. Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

So how was this for you shooting this? I feel like this is your tickling scene. Remember how? I really hate being tickled. But I had to let Roy tickle Pam, and Pam had to like it. It was like went against.

[Angela Kinsey]

This was okay for me because Angela is angry.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

She's furious. She kind of slams the papers down on the copier. And so that was. I could play that.

[Jenna Fischer]

You could use it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I could. I was furious that they were jump scaring me. Okay, well, in this moment, we also finally get to see Aaron's costume. Right. And Mindy and Ellie share in these behind the scenes interviews about it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I am the monster. I'm a combination of Jeffrey Dahmer on let's see this side and Lizzie Borden on this side. She looks hideous. When I first saw her, they would bring her in, like Laverne brought her in, costumes brought in and were like.

[Angela Kinsey]

What do you think?

[Jenna Fischer]

And I was, like, recoiled because it was so good. It was, like, so gruesome and terrible. Oh, I have no doubt that hair, makeup, and costumes had so much fun with this.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah, I do love that. Mindy said she looked hideous. I reached out to Ellie about this. I sent her a screen grab of her in this costume. And I said, ellie, please tell me anything that you remember about the hair and makeup process for this look. And I sent her a picture of herself as this character, and she wrote. And then she said, oh, my goodness. This webisode, I loved it. That was absolutely the longest I was in hair and makeup at the office.

[Jenna Fischer]

Wow.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was two to three hours.

[Jenna Fischer]

Wow.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. She said, and get this, I still have the poster. She said, but I don't know where to display it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, they made a poster.

[Angela Kinsey]

They made a poster of her looking like that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, that's pretty cool.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. But I also get why maybe she isn't hanging it in the hallway.

[Jenna Fischer]

She should just hang it up as a Halloween decoration every year.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, that's a great idea.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay. Well, Jenna, as our resident horror movie expert, what did you think of Ellie's costume as this monster character.

[Jenna Fischer]

I thought it was fantastic. I thought they did a great job with it. It was very, very creative. But the costuming I really want to talk about is Ryan.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, honey.

[Jenna Fischer]

As the horror movie director.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh. I had a whole thing that says right here, we have got to break down Ryan's outfit.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. I would describe it as full douchebag.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's great.

[Jenna Fischer]

And in my limited time in the sort of horror movie circles, through my fandom and getting to meet horror movie directors, they really do dress like that.

[Angela Kinsey]

Do they really?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, he's got on the Elvis sunglasses from, like the Vegas years. He's got on a zip up hoodie.

[Jenna Fischer]

And like a beanie.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. But his zip up hoodie isn't just a normal zip up hoodie. It looks like the X ray of someone's chest. I mean, listen, like the rib cage.

[Jenna Fischer]

Maybe they don't dress like this anymore. But like, back in the day, it was a really weird way of dressing. And it made me laugh out loud when I saw him. I was like, I have literally met that guy. I think I actually know who they are satirizing with that outfit. Like, I think I know. I won't say.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, come on.

[Jenna Fischer]

But I think I know who it is and it made me laugh out loud.

[Angela Kinsey]

You have to tell me later.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, I love the guy, but yes, there's like a whole, like, presentational outfit.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my gosh. I have no idea who this is.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, now Gabe is talking to Ryan and he's explaining to Ryan, look, you can't scare people in the office.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Ryan's like, I'm sorry, I don't remember seeing anything in the handbook about not being able to shoot horror films in the office. And Gabe is like, well, it does say you cannot bring weapons to work.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right. Then Aaron appears with an ax, and Kelly yells for Gabe to run. Gabe is completely panicked.

[Jenna Fischer]

He's in a corner. He's like, there's nowhere run where there's nowhere to run.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then Ryan's like, got it. Got the shot.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Turns out Kevin was filming from over at Kelly's desk. Then Gabe is now angry at them, and he says, quote, it is petrifying and frankly, unprofessional, this behavior. To which Ryan replies, it's unprofessional for you, but for me, making films is my profession.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, Ryan. Oh, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan. Gabe threatens to stop all production. And Ryan pivots quickly in the moment, and he's like, wait, your voice just then it sounded so commanding.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And he asks him if he will be the voiceover talent for the movie. The narrator, Gabe, is instantly flattered and agrees to do it. I want everyone to go to 1 minute, 36 seconds. Why? Everyone is breaking. They are What? Ellie is breaking, but she kind of just makes it part of her character. Mindy is trying really hard not to break. Brian is breaking so badly that he ducks behind bj. He turns his body and tilts his head down.

[Jenna Fischer]

What are they laughing at?

[Angela Kinsey]

And then when it cuts back to Zach woods, he looks like he's trying not to laugh. So I don't know what happened in that moment. I have a feeling Zach woods improvised a few moments here.

[Jenna Fischer]

I bet he did. I mean, if I had to think about it, I feel like maybe he started doing some sort of, like, voiceover bit.

[Angela Kinsey]

Or when he says, my voice is so nasal, it sounds like dot, dot, dot. I bet he gave them a bunch of different versions of what his nasally voice sounds like. You're probably right, but they are all losing it.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's very funny. Well, Ryan realizes that he's going to be the first filmmaker to wear all four hats.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wow.

[Jenna Fischer]

Writer, director, actor, and producer.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wow.

[Jenna Fischer]

Gabe mentions that Clint Eastwood has already done that multiple times. But then Ryan says, but does he play his own score? And he has a saxophone that he starts playing.

[Angela Kinsey]

Where has the saxophone been this whole scene? It's just like, ready to go?

[Jenna Fischer]

I guess so. And who knew that Ryan plays the saxophone?

[Angela Kinsey]

Who knew?

[Jenna Fischer]

This is the big reveal at the end of the episode.

[Angela Kinsey]

Kevin's a poet, Ryan plays the saxophone.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're learning so much, so much.

[Angela Kinsey]

Up next is episode three. It's titled the Final Product. And before we get into this breakdown, I have to share this little nugget from the behind the scenes interviews. It's Zach woods talking about trick or treating as a kid when he was growing up. It's hilarious.

[E]

When I was a kid, I was really into Halloween. I got my friends together and we choreographed a full dance to the Bee Gees. You know, the Staying Alive. I would lip sync. We would bring a boombox and go for from door to door, and then we would press play and I would lip sync Staying Alive and they would do this whole choreographed dance behind me. I remember going to one man's door and doing this whole choreographed dance and he was like, do you want candy? I can't wait all night. Like, he got real irate. And I remember immediately being like, oh, this was a terrible idea.

[Angela Kinsey]

I want to see footage of That I need to see Zach woods as a kid hitting a doorbell, saying trick or treat and then singing the Beachies. Like, I need that in my life.

[Jenna Fischer]

I feel like we need to remind him of this story that he told, because if you've done that, that's ingrained in you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I feel like he could, like, bust that out anytime.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh. Oh, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, well, listen. Episode three, the final product, is exactly as advertised. It is the movie.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm. There is this sort of opening title credit, and it's got a warning. It says, quote, the following preview has been approved by the motion Picture association of Evil and is suitable for sadistic audiences only. Watch at your own risk.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. We open on a voiceover, and it's Gabe. Yeah. And he is narrating that. She thought it was just another typical day at work. And who he's talking about is Kelly, who is conducting an interview with Meredith, who is playing. What would you say, like, a fortune teller type woman kind of woman.

[Angela Kinsey]

She's got a shawl over her head, kind of wrapped around her neck. She's got a patch over one eye.

[Jenna Fischer]

She wants to buy some paper, but she has no money. And when Kelly won't sell her paper, Meredith puts a curse on her.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

She summons serial killers from the past to unite and haunt the third floor for all eternity.

[Angela Kinsey]

And Kelly's like, whatever, this is the second floor. So I'm all good. I'm not on the third floor.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, it's fine. She doesn't care that she has caused a curse for everyone on the third floor.

[Angela Kinsey]

You got it wrong, lady.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Now we see Kevin, and he's in his mall cop outfit. Remember his Halloween? Mall Cop?

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yes, yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's got a toupee, a mustache. He's like the security guard character.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And it's dark. He's using his flashlight.

[Jenna Fischer]

He's in the hallway, kind of out by the elevator bay. And Vance refrigeration.

[Angela Kinsey]

And he sees Aaron wielding the ax from earlier.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. It's actually a cool shot. You sort of then see a shadow of him, and you see a shadow of an axe hacking at the shadow of him. And, like, blood splurting everywhere.

[Angela Kinsey]

It cuts to Creed. He has a talking head, you guys. He's a member of the press. He has a hat, and he has a little sign that says press.

[Jenna Fischer]

He is. And I need you to hear this talking head because he's gonna tell you what's happened. And it's great.

[Angela Kinsey]

I've never seen anything like it. Has the right arm of Lizzie Borden.

[BJ Novak]

The left arm of Jeffrey Dahmer, the.

[Angela Kinsey]

Heart of Jack the Ripper, and the legs of all the serial killers who ever got away.

[Jenna Fischer]

So there you have it. That's our monster.

[Angela Kinsey]

I also love the callback to saxophone playing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I didn't even. I just heard that in that clip.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is playing the score.

[Jenna Fischer]

You're right. So during this Creed talking head as he's describing the monster, we see Aaron as the monster in B roll. She's got an axe in her Lizzie Borden hand. She has a fork in her Jeffrey Dahmer hand. And then you see her sort of like, wobbly legs getting ready to run.

[Angela Kinsey]

Aaron now goes after Angela, then Gabe.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep.

[Angela Kinsey]

Kelly asks the janitor, who's being played by Ryan, why are these crimes happening on the second floor? Remember? Cause it's the third floor.

[Jenna Fischer]

The third floor has the curse.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, he tells her they added a basement during renovations. So this is the third floor. Kelly's like.

[Jenna Fischer]

Kelly begs the old woman to reverse the curse, but it's too late. The murdering corpse of Aaron appears at Kelly's cubicle and then sort of like low speed chases her through the office. As Kelly begs for her life, she tries to throw a candy dish that.

[Angela Kinsey]

Does make Erin trip for a minute.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is true.

[Angela Kinsey]

She does trip, but she bounces back up. And when Kelly opens the elevator door, she's like, hitting the button. Hitting the button.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep.

[Angela Kinsey]

And it opens.

[Jenna Fischer]

And there is Erin inside the elevator. She's transported.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And she kills Kelly.

[Angela Kinsey]

The title card flashes on the screen. The third floor coming to theaters. Tbd.

[Jenna Fischer]

Tbd. And there you have it.

[Angela Kinsey]

There you have it. How fun to shoot this. It was really fun. I love doing my scene, and I know Ellie had a blast as well. These webisodes were always so much fun because you got to just do so many wacky things. But, lady, let's go to break because when we come back. Jenna, will you give us your overall assessment of Ryan's movie?

[Jenna Fischer]

I will. And Angela, you will share with us about watching the first 24 minutes and 30 seconds of John Carpenter's the Thing.

[Angela Kinsey]

I will.

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know if it is normal to have an attachment to a lunch meat, but I really love Horsehead brand lunchmeats.

[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.

[Angela Kinsey]

Same. 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 gonna like it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm.

[Jenna Fischer]

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]

You know how it goes. Getting super into something that can lead to watching it, listening to it, reading about it, maybe even picking up something to go with it. That's where prime comes in.

[Jenna Fischer]

Amazon prime isn't just fast free delivery, though to be honest, that's a lifesaver. It's also prime video, Amazon music, and so much more.

[Angela Kinsey]

Whatever the interest, it's on Prime.

[Jenna Fischer]

Lately there's been a dive into new recipes, catching up on lifestyle documentaries and building the perfect playlist to match. And prime has been part of it all.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's like a one stop shop for any passion, whether it's fashion, food, family, or discovering the next favorite show.

[Jenna Fischer]

So for anyone always exploring something new or rediscovering something meaningful, prime is right there.

[Angela Kinsey]

Whatever you're into, it's on Prime.

[Jenna Fischer]

From streaming to shopping, it's on Prime.

[Angela Kinsey]

Visit Amazon.comprime to get more out of whatever you're into Amazon.com Prime Jenna, this may surprise you, but I am not a doctor.

[Jenna Fischer]

No, you are not.

[Angela Kinsey]

However, I do love their scrubs.

[Jenna Fischer]

I already know what you're talking about. Figs, right?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. I mean, I recently went for a checkup and everyone was wearing figs and I was like, you guys look cute, you look stylish, comfortable. And I'm really happy they're a sponsor because we get to talk about how great they are.

[Jenna Fischer]

They really are. So here's a little info on Figs. The company was co founded by two business women and best friends a lot like us.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love it. Totally us. And they make the highest quality scrubs out there. Figs are wrinkle resistant and really durable, but still super soft and breathable and just really comfortable. They come in a bunch of different styles too and they even make loungewear.

[Jenna Fischer]

So if you work in healthcare, know someone who does or just want to try out some seriously comfy essentials. Head to wear. Figs.com right now, you can get 15% off your order with code FIGSRX. That's wherefigs.com promo code FIGSRX at checkout for 15% off your first order.

[Angela Kinsey]

We are back. All right, Jenna, let us know. How does Ryan's movie fare on your horror movie scale?

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. I wanted to do a good job with my critique.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

So according to the Internet AI, there are certain elements that all good horror movies have.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh.

[Jenna Fischer]

And I agreed.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh.

[Jenna Fischer]

So a great horror movie is a blend of atmosphere, suspense, and plot.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

I would add that a good horror movie also has a few jump scares and a great villain, whatever that villain might be. Maybe it's a ghost. Maybe it's an actual monster. Maybe it's your own dark thoughts.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. I think Ryan's film has it all.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wow.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Are you surprised? I thought it was great. I thought it was a really good. Like, I'm thinking about if I am a local filmmaker and I'm making a movie in my office with my friends. I thought it was excellent.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wow.

[Jenna Fischer]

I thought it had a great plot. The plot was very clear. I thought it had good suspense. I thought there was great atmosphere with Kevin as the security guard kind of wandering dark in the hallway. Like, I thought it was a great use of the space. Like, again, if I'm imagining that Ryan is a real person and Dunder Mifflin is a real place, I thought he used the space creatively. I thought it was shot well. I mean, probably because Matt Sohn was shooting it, but it's shot very well. But I would argue that there is one thing that it is missing.

[Angela Kinsey]

What?

[Jenna Fischer]

I think a good horror movie has creative kills.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh.

[Jenna Fischer]

And in this one, we kind of get the same kill over and over. It's just sort of the same bloody handprint going down a wall.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, that might have been all of the special effects they could afford.

[Jenna Fischer]

And also because the people they were killing, they weren't part of the movie, so they couldn't really. All they were getting was just like, someone screaming and then a bloody handprint down the wall. Sure, sure.

[Angela Kinsey]

Like, Angela Martin is not gonna participate. She's, like, done exactly right.

[Jenna Fischer]

But honestly, I felt like it was really pretty good for a homemade horror film. A plus for homemade horror film. I thought it was great.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, well done. Kelly Hannon, Jonathan Hughes, and Mary Wall.

[Jenna Fischer]

Great writing and great directing.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mindy.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

So, lady, two thumbs up then.

[Jenna Fischer]

I would give it two thumbs up. I would. But, you know, that is for the circumstances that this film is made. I did think maybe I could give a list of my favorite horror films that are like a real big thumbs up for me.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Just because, you know, I do love them.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm very curious.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, well, I already mentioned that there are certain sub genres of horror that are not my thing. Like, I am not a fan of the supernatural horror, the haunted house. We talked about that. But I also do not love torture horror.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, no, no. I don't want to see any of that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Those are movies like Saw or Hostel. Those are torture horror.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, no.

[Jenna Fischer]

And I've seen them. I saw the first Saw. I saw the first Hostel. They were too much for me. I also don't usually go for monster horror, which is what the third floor is.

[Angela Kinsey]

But isn't that also the assignment you gave me?

[Jenna Fischer]

No, that is not necessarily monster horror. I think maybe it is, but I'll get to that. True. Just like solid monster horror would be like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, Friday the 13th, where there's like a masked killer on the loose.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Like a type of just monster after you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

However, I love zombies, so.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm, love.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think that's a kind of monster. But for whatever reason, that one makes the list for me. I also mostly love my favorite. My favorite is psychological horror and paranoia horror. And I think that is what the thing is. The thing definitely has monster Y elements, but it's mostly paranoia horror. And that is my favorite genre.

[Angela Kinsey]

So do you like the movie what Lies Beneath? Cause I think that's like very scary.

[Jenna Fischer]

Do I know that movie?

[Angela Kinsey]

What Lies Beneath?

[Cassie Jerkins]

Michelle Pfeiffer? Yeah, yeah, it's great.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's really good.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, well, I will watch it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Immediately the crap out of me.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

I watched it years ago, not really realizing that it was a scary movie and it's terrifying.

[Jenna Fischer]

I cannot wait.

[Angela Kinsey]

Do you agree?

[Cassie Jerkins]

Yeah, it stands up.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I can't wait.

[Angela Kinsey]

Ok.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is so exciting.

[Angela Kinsey]

I didn't think I would be giving you a scary movie.

[Jenna Fischer]

What a gift.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, you'll have to let me know.

[Jenna Fischer]

But like paranoia horror would be like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I love the Donald Sutherland Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I love Stepford Wives.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, I haven't seen that.

[Jenna Fischer]

So here is my list of 10 favorite horror movies for all y' all out there who might want to partake. But before I give this list, I full disclosure. I have not seen the Babadook or Midsommar.

[Angela Kinsey]

I don't know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Too scared. Have you seen the Babadook?

[Cassie Jerkins]

I have I think you would like Babadook. I don't think you would like Midsommar.

[Jenna Fischer]

Babadook is great. Highly recommend. I need to watch it. Yes.

[Cassie Jerkins]

Yeah. Especially based on your parameters of what you like in horror movies. I think you'll like it a lot.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. But it has a kid in it. And another thing that sometimes scares me is when a child's trying to kill their parent.

[Cassie Jerkins]

Well, you'll see.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, here we go. Angela, don't watch this movie, but it is by Peter Jackson, who is, you know, Lord of the Rings. He made a horror film. One of his first films is a comedy horror film called Dead Alive. It is.

[Angela Kinsey]

Is it zombies?

[Jenna Fischer]

Mm, kind of.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's.

[Jenna Fischer]

People get infected.

[Angela Kinsey]

It is the goriest no, thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Movie I've ever seen until this year's movie with Demi Moore, the Substance. The Substance?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. No, I didn't see that.

[Jenna Fischer]

When I saw the Substance, I was like, there we go. You have taken the crown from Dead Alive. Something I thought could never happen. Okay, number two on my list is Final Destination 2.

[Cassie Jerkins]

That's the one with the truck.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's the one with the truck, Sam. The first one is the plane. The second one is the truck.

[Angela Kinsey]

I have seen none of them.

[Jenna Fischer]

Don't drive on a highway again after you've seen Final Destination 2. Number 3. I put this on here. I saw it a long time ago, and it was a favorite of mine for a long time, but I haven't been able to get myself to rewatch it, which is Cabin Fever by Eli Roth.

[Cassie Jerkins]

Cabin Fever's good.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's great. It's great. Okay, number four, the descent. Ugh. Thumbs up from Cassie.

[Cassie Jerkins]

Cassie's out of her chair standing up.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Angela. It's all women. It's all women spelunkers. They go in a cave.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. Thank you. I don't want to be trapped underground with anyone.

[Jenna Fischer]

It is an amazing horror movie, and it has this underlining theme of, like, dealing with grief. One of the women has had something happen in her life, and they go spelunking to kind of, like, help her through this difficult time in her life. And there is stuff in the cave. Yeah, well, yeah, it's very orc. Like Lady.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Imagine orcs in a cave.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, number five is It Follows.

[Angela Kinsey]

I don't like anything called it.

[Cassie Jerkins]

Oh, you would. I think you would like It Follows.

[Angela Kinsey]

I don't think so.

[Jenna Fischer]

It Follows also has a great theme about women. And what would you say? The perils of misogyny.

[Cassie Jerkins]

Original Sin, I guess.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, it's great. Number six is David Cronenberg's the Fly.

[Angela Kinsey]

I have seen the Fly.

[Jenna Fischer]

Similar to the thing, I think.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, a little. I saw that, like, in college. And, like, I look at flies differently now.

[Jenna Fischer]

How can you not?

[Angela Kinsey]

How can you not?

[Jenna Fischer]

It changes you forever.

[Angela Kinsey]

It does.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, number seven, George Romero's dawn of the Dead. The original dawn of the Dead, not.

[Angela Kinsey]

The Brad Pitt one.

[Jenna Fischer]

Brad Pitt isn't in any of the dawn of the Dead.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, he's in a zombie movie. Thank you. Thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, the remake of dawn of the Dead is also very good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, it's all zombies. I'm not doing it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Number eight is A Nightmare on Elm Street Part three. This is my exception to not loving monster horror. I actually love Freddy Krueger because there is a paranoia element with not being able to sleep and people not believing you that someone's attacking you in your dreams.

[Angela Kinsey]

In high school, all of my friends got together and they made me watch Nightmare on Elm Street. I hated it. I hated it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, number three is the one where she actually gets put, like, in an insane asylum, and then they're drugging her to go to sleep, and so she gets super stuck in her dreams. And Freddy Krueger, it's so good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Ugh.

[Jenna Fischer]

Number nine, another paranoia horror. The faculty by Robert Rodriguez.

[Cassie Jerkins]

That's what's his name. He's having a resurgence right now.

[Jenna Fischer]

Josh Hartnett.

[Cassie Jerkins]

Yes, that's right.

[Jenna Fischer]

Sure is. He's so good.

[Cassie Jerkins]

Elijah Wood's in that too.

[Jenna Fischer]

Mm, I think so.

[Cassie Jerkins]

Angela, how would you be with, like, a comedic, like, Shaun of the Dead?

[Angela Kinsey]

I watched Shaun of the Dead.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And that it was okay. I didn't like the zombie part.

[Cassie Jerkins]

Okay, fair enough.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right. And then finally on my list, and I'm saying it 10th, but it might be my number one is John Carpenter's the Thing. So, Angela, I am turning it over to you. I cannot wait to hear your assessment. And you saw. I just want you to realize of the 10 movies that I just listed, I really picked the one that I thought you would actually like.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I really appreciate that. I really do. Because all of those that you listed prior sounded horrible, and I'm thankful I did that.

[Jenna Fischer]

I want you to know that those were the other choices.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, well, you know what? In rewatching the Third Floor and all of these behind the scenes interviews, I did discover that I'm not the only the office cast member that doesn't like horror movies. Okay, here's what Mindy and BJ had to say about the genre.

[Jenna Fischer]

I actually feel very uncomfortable in horror movies.

[BJ Novak]

I'm not a horror fan. I'm not a horror guy. I can't even say the word horror. It sounds like something else when horror.

[Angela Kinsey]

So I have good company. But I did watch the thing, and lady, I videoed myself so I could see and play back my honest reactions to watching it.

[Jenna Fischer]

You videoed yourself?

[Angela Kinsey]

I videoed myself watching it. I watched it during the day, in the afternoon, because I didn't want to get scared. And I have all these videos of me watching it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my gosh.

[Angela Kinsey]

And reacting in real time. And here are some of my very first reactions. I am quoting myself. I transcribed the video.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

Because to play it would be 24 minutes. And I thought, I can't play 24 minutes of me reacting.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

So I will share with you my first reactions to this movie.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right.

[Jenna Fischer]

I cannot wait to hear these.

[Angela Kinsey]

Sam, Cassie, Jenna. And the thing is, I have the whole video, so I can't share part of it in stories. Maybe. Here it is. First of all, I should tell you that this movie has a very slow build. And I was so invested that I ended up watching the whole movie. Oh, my God, my ears. Oh, my God. God, my. My ears. Okay, that was such a great reaction, Jenna. Oh, my God.

[Jenna Fischer]

You watched the whole thing?

[Angela Kinsey]

I watched the whole thing. What?

[Jenna Fischer]

You watched it all? But it is like, I had you cut off at, like, the most cliffhangery spot you did, but with enough time to reveal the first, like, monstery, gross thing.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, so. So here were my first reactions.

[Jenna Fischer]

I was just gonna ask you. Cause you did text me, and you said I might need to watch a little further. And I was just wondering if you got to the dogs.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's all.

[Jenna Fischer]

I was like, oh, I wonder if. I can't believe she didn't turn it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Off after the dogs. Okay, okay. Like I said, I started to just record myself watching it for the first time, and I ultimately just hit stop because I didn't even want the distraction.

[Jenna Fischer]

Of myself watching yourself basically, in my periphery.

[Angela Kinsey]

I just was so invested in the movie. I just wanted to be an audience member.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's a good plot.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's a really good plot. It's a simple plot. Here are my first reactions. And now I am quoting myself. Creepy music. Just film titles and creepy music. Yeah, still film titles and creepy music.

[Jenna Fischer]

It goes on a while.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, it's a starry night. Something's flying in the sky. Oh, it's a spaceship. It was, like, burning through the atmosphere. Now it says the thing and there's like, lightning. The screen now says, Antarctica 1982. It looks really cold.

[Jenna Fischer]

So cold.

[Angela Kinsey]

So cold. There's a helicopter. They're getting lower. There's a guy, like, leaning out of it with binocular things. Oh, there's a dog. I think it's a husky. It might be a wolf. I can't tell. It's running like crazy. Running, running, running. The dog just looked right at the helicopter and now it's running. Oh, no, they're going to shoot it. Why? I am so mad at this helicopter right now. Run, dog. Jenna. I'm going to be so mad if they kill this dog. Oh, wait, there's a sign. United States National Science Institute, Station 4. Oh, there's a lot of dudes. There's a ping pong table. They're making whiskey. Oh, they're drinking whiskey. Oh, it's Kurt Russell. He's playing chess, like on an old timey computer. Wait a second. This computer has a really sexy voice. She's like, my move to rook three. Kurt is very scruffy. I like it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, he lost.

[Angela Kinsey]

And he's so mad. He's, like, pouring whiskey into the computer. He fried it. Hey, there's a guy on roller skates.

[Jenna Fischer]

There's a guy on roller skates.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then I just really freak out. Cause I'm like, now the helicopter's circling back. Now they're firing at the dog. What is wrong? Then he gets out of the helicopter. And then he, like, throws a grenade, but by accident, I think he throws it backwards. And he burns up his own helicopter.

[Jenna Fischer]

Blows up his friend and his whole helicopter. Yeah.

[Cassie Jerkins]

What was the first time you yelled out loud at the screen?

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, when they were shooting at the dog.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. I have it. I have it on video. Oh, there's a dog. There's a husky.

[Jenna Fischer]

He's running, running, running.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's looking at the helicopter.

[Jenna Fischer]

And now he's running away from the helicopter. And the helicopter's, like, coming in anyway.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's running. It's running. Oh, no, they're gonna shoot it. Why don't you shoot the dog? Anyway? Okay, so what we learn is this helicopter, they're speaking Norwegian.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep.

[Angela Kinsey]

And they, like, are trying to shoot the dog.

[Jenna Fischer]

Right.

[Angela Kinsey]

One of the American guys shoots the Norwegian guy because he's shooting at the dog, but he ends up shooting one of their dudes in the leg.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. I mean, all the Americans know, these American scientists in Antarctica, all they know is that a helicopter has landed. It is blown up. Someone has left the helicopter and is shooting at them. And so they kill the guy. And then the lone survivor is this dog that they then adopt that they.

[Angela Kinsey]

Bring into their science station in Antarctica. But this one guy's a doctor, and he's like, hey, I want to know, like, where they. What's going on with them. Maybe they'd gone stir crazy. Like, let's go see. There's a storm coming. That's never a good thing. And then the guy Kurt Russell plays Mac, he wears like a.

[Jenna Fischer]

By the way, you're welcome. I only gave you the Pedro Pascal of his time. Oh, he's Mr. Kurt Russell. He's scruffy and super hot, and his voice is amazing.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's. Yeah, Mac. He's. He's Mac with his sideways cowboy hat.

[Jenna Fischer]

He drinks so much whiskey.

[Angela Kinsey]

Everybody drinks. Everyone's drinking.

[Jenna Fischer]

They're drinking constantly. I don't understand how they ever drinking vodka and work done at this facility.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Whatever they're supposed to be doing there.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mac and this doctor, they go to the Norwegian station, right?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. To see, like, what happened.

[Angela Kinsey]

It has been blown to bits. It's charred. It's frozen.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep.

[Angela Kinsey]

And they find this, like, grossest looking thing. Thing. It's so gross. It looks like it has two heads and multiple appendages. And the doctor's like, we're taking it back with us. I'm like, what? That was the second time I yelled, Sam.

[Jenna Fischer]

But hold on. It's not gonna matter if they brought that thing back.

[Angela Kinsey]

Cause the dog is there.

[Jenna Fischer]

But I don't know that. You don't know that.

[Angela Kinsey]

So right now I'm thinking, you're idiots. Why would you take this weird thing back? And then immediately they get it back and they start an autopsy on it. It's so disgusting.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's where I stopped it for you. I thought maybe that's all Angela can stand.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, I was in. I was in. Because I'm like, this thing on this autopsy table is going to kill them all. But what I didn't know is the dog I had been rooting for.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

All along.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep.

[Angela Kinsey]

Had been mutated by the thing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep.

[Angela Kinsey]

And it splits in half in a dog kennel. And all these, like, things come flying out of it. And it, like, gets all the other dogs.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And part of it, you see, wiggles out.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I'm like, oh, that's gonna.

[Cassie Jerkins]

They're all a perfect description of the movie.

[Jenna Fischer]

The Thing.

[Cassie Jerkins]

This is perfect.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then immediately I'm like, they're all dead. We know this now. They're all going to die.

[Jenna Fischer]

Listen, we don't have to describe the whole movie anyway, but it is so good, and it goes on and on. And there is such paranoia because they don't know who's infected and who's not.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's very hard to tell who's infected. Also, they're not great at communicating with one another and they separate. I'm always like, why? When they're like, you two go there. I'm like, they're dead.

[Jenna Fischer]

It was. Here's the other thing about this movie that is so amazing. It's from so long ago. There is no CGI crapola in this movie. It's not computer generated. It is all practical effects. I have to give a shout out to the special effects guy. It's Rob Botten. And he was only 22 years old when he did the effects for this movie. He also did the effects for Total Recall. You know that scene in Total Recall where the lady's face splits open? Oh, yeah, that's him. But the practical effects in this are nuts. How about the scene where. I'm sure you didn't see it coming. I don't know how you made it through it. When they go to do the, like, the kajunk of the CPR on the guy who, like, has the heart attack. And they do the kajunk.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And then you know what happens? His whole.

[Angela Kinsey]

He explodes.

[Jenna Fischer]

His whole chest opens up and, like, a giant mouth, like, eats off the hands of the person who was doing the kajunk. Yes. Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

No spoiler.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was.

[Jenna Fischer]

Listen, it doesn't matter that I've told you, it's still gonna kick your ass when you see it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Listen, that was disgusting. But honestly, the part when the dog exploded and then all the little things came out of him was worse for me.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Once I had seen that, yeah. I could handle whatever else that thing had coming for everyone.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

The way it does absorb other people is so disgusting. And the one guy on roller skates keeps, like, finding people's clothes ripped. And he's like, hey, you guys do a better job cleaning up. I'm like, they're dead. They are dead. And what I also really liked about this movie was just how much time and patience the director had. He was so patient. He didn't rush any moment. And I really liked that. And then I thought the ending was just so good. So good. It does not wrap up with a bow. And I really liked it. I really liked it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm so glad, lady. It's great performances. It's great writing. It also has A little bit of that survivalist aspect to it. I'm always interested in things that are set in wilderness or the cold. You know, I love that. It's just this. The isolation of these people, you know?

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah. Winter has just set in, so they're just screwed. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, one of the comments I didn't share was the very first time I saw the giant ice cube. Oh, yeah. I was like, giant ice cube. Probably holds some kind of Frankenstein thing. Not good.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

But, yeah, great movie. Great movie. I liked it. Thank you for suggesting it. Not making me watch those other ones, that would have been too much for me.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I just have to say, lady, now that we know that I have watched Lord of the Rings and I've seen the orcs.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm not sure there was much more about this movie that was more gory or terrifying than, like, an orc being born in Lord of the Rings. Oh, no.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's disgusting. The way they kind of plop down in that gelatinous, like, giant mud hole. No, it's so gross.

[Jenna Fischer]

What is it about horror movies you don't like? Because it can't be the violence and the gore, because you watch very violent stuff all the time. Narcos, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings. Like, what is it that you don't like?

[Angela Kinsey]

I don't like. Like, suspense. I don't like stress. I don't like waiting for the jump scare. Just get to it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. So, like. And that makes sense to me because a lot of the violence in Game of Thrones, it's like revenge or war.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's battle or something.

[Jenna Fischer]

Battle.

[Angela Kinsey]

When I see.

[Jenna Fischer]

You can do battle. Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

When I see a battle scene, I'm like, okay, they're here to fight. It's gonna go down. But if I'm just walking into my kitchen late at night, pour myself a glass of milk, and I open the fridge and then I shut it, and there's a guy there. I don't like it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I get it.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I know it's coming. I know it's coming. Also, one of the things, like, right at the beginning of this movie, there's this, for no reason, an establishing shot of a big tank of gasoline. I'm like, oh, they're gonna need that now. I'm waiting. I'm waiting. What do they need the gasoline for? Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. All right. Anyway, my heart is so happy. Thank you for the gift of watching this movie and for liking it. I did not know if you. I mean, I just didn't expect you to like it, but I'm so glad you did it.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's really well done. It's really well done. There you go. You guys. Look at that. Jenna. We're just like in our friendship, we're just encouraging each other to grow and experience new things.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is a really exciting year.

[Angela Kinsey]

We're in our 50s and look at.

[Jenna Fischer]

Us, we're doing it. This should prove to anyone it's never.

[Angela Kinsey]

Too late to experience something new.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, well, thank you everyone for joining us today. I loved this webisode and I love today's episode.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And thank you, Ellie Kemper, for always answering my crazy text messages. And we hope you guys have a great week.

[Jenna Fischer]

We'll see you next time. Thank you for listening to Office Ladies.

[Angela Kinsey]

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

[Jenna Fischer]

Our executive producer is Cassie Jerkins, our audio engineer is Sam Kieffer, and our associate producer is Ainslie Bubico.

[Angela Kinsey]

Odyssey's executive producer is Leah Rees Dennis.

[Jenna Fischer]

Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz.

[Angela Kinsey]

Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton. What does a confident smile say to you?

[Jenna Fischer]

And maybe more importantly, what does it say about you?

[Angela Kinsey]

With Smile Generation? It says you're taking care of more than just your teeth.

[Jenna Fischer]

Because confidence doesn't start and stop at a bright smile. It's about your whole body wellness.

[Angela Kinsey]

Smile Generation reimagines oral health as the gateway to long term confidence. Why? Because oral health issues have been linked to heart disease, diabetes and even cognitive conditions. When you care for your smile, you're investing in your future and that confidence. It starts with feeling supported with Smile Generation trusted providers, you're not just another patient, you're a partner.

[Jenna Fischer]

They prioritize personal, patient focused care that truly listens to you. Plus, with education and preventative care at the core, Smile Generation empowers you to understand the connection between your mouth and your overall health so you can stop issues before they start.

[Angela Kinsey]

Here's your chance to take the first step. Smile Generation is offering a $59 new patient special. That's a comprehensive exam, cleaning and X rays a two hundred ninety dollar value.

[Jenna Fischer]

New patients only offer not valid for Tricare or Medicare Advantage may be covered by insurance, subject to plan restrictions.

[Angela Kinsey]

Book by December 31, 2025.

[Jenna Fischer]

Visit SmileGeneration. Com officeladies for full terms and to book now.