"Casino Night" is the second season finale of the American comedy television series "The Office", and the twenty-eighth episode overall. Written by Steve Carell, who also acts in the show as Michael Scott, and directed by Ken Kwapis, the episode originally aired in the United States on May 11, 2006 on NBC. The episode guest stars Nancy Carell as Carol Stills and Melora Hardin as Jan Levinson. The series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. In this episode, the office hosts a casino night, to which Michael Scott (Carell) inadvertently invites two dates.
Introduction
Casino Night
Casino Night | Introduction
"Casino Night" Casino Night Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context. Casino Night
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Pam returns to the office and talks to her mother over the phone about Jim's confession. Jim enters the room and approaches her as she hastily hangs up. She begins to say something but Jim kisses her, and after hesitating, she returns the kiss, ending with the two staring at each other in silence.
Casino Night | Plot
She slaps him and walks away, with the two quietly enjoying the experience. Jan and Carol share an awkward conversation when they realize Michael has invited them both. Jim tells Jan that he's made a decision about the transfer. After Roy leaves, Jim tells Pam that he is in love with her. After a stunned pause, she states she cannot be with him. He tells her he wants to be more than friends, but she claims he "misinterpreted things." Heartbroken, Jim apologizes for misinterpreting their friendship and discreetly wipes a tear from his cheek as he walks away. Jan leaves Michael and Carol, noticeably upset from the night's events, and it is revealed she packed an overnight bag in her car, implying she had planned to spend the night with Michael.
Casino Night | Plot
Meanwhile, Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) decides to transfer to Dunder Mifflin's Stamford branch and reveals to Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) his feelings for her. The episode was the first of the series to run as a "supersized" episode, featuring twenty-eight minutes and twenty seconds of content rather than the standard twenty minutes and thirty seconds. In addition, the episode was the first of the series to be written by Carell; he had suggested the idea for the episode to executive producer Greg Daniels, who thoroughly enjoyed the idea and green lit the script. "Casino Night" also introduces the musical exploits of Kevin Malone, played by Brian Baumgartner.
Casino Night | Introduction
And as they leave shortly after arriving, Roy tells Pam that "your art was the prettiest art of all the art", but asks her to leave so that they can go home. They then break up shortly after during the episode "Cocktails", when Pam confesses to Roy that she kissed Jim on "Casino Night". In response, an enraged Roy started trashing the bar they were meeting at, and Pam calls the relationship off immediately.
Roy Anderson (The Office) | Season 3
The website generated over 2,800 signatures. On April 20, NBC announced it would be extending the season finale by ten minutes. Although other NBC shows "Will & Grace" and "My Name Is Earl" that aired on the same night had extended episodes, cast members David Denman and John Krasinski credited in interviews the petition for the extended time. Denman and Krasinski both believed that the petition was partially responsible for the other two shows getting extended times as well. The filming of the episode's ending caused a "huge divide among the writing staff and the director and the cast". Carell, Kwapis, and the actors wanted the moment when Pam and Jim kiss to "follow the characters and the emotion of the moment" by having the action captured in full by the show's cameramen.
Casino Night | Production
The "will they or won't they" tension between Jim and Pam is a strong story line in the early episodes of "The Office", encompassing much of Seasons 1 to 3. In the finale of Season 2, Casino Night, Jim confesses his love for Pam but she denies him. They later on kiss in the episode but Pam rejects him yet again. In the opener of Season 4, the two characters are revealed to be dating, and as such, other character romances, such as the romance between fellow co-workers Dwight Schrute and Angela Martin, begin to move more toward the forefront of episodes.
Pam Beesly | Jim Halpert
"Casino Night" received widespread critical acclaim from television critics. Michael Sciannamea of TV Squad stated that "This episode, the season finale, was, in a word, brilliant. You could not ask for a better way to tie up story lines that occurred over the course of a season while opening up new ones at the same time." Sciannamea went on to praise Carell's writing, as well as the progression of the relationship arcs in the show. Brian Zoromski of IGN said that "'Casino Night,' was full of great character development, awkward situations and laugh-out-loud moments." Zoromski enjoyed the unfolding of the Jim-Pam relationship during the latter half of season two, and the climax of it in the season finale.
Casino Night | Reviews
The writing staff, on the other hand, wanted Pam and Jim's moment to be private and only heard via the mics; Daniels explained, "The writing staff was itching to do something kind of weird [with the scene] and have it be a private moment that the doc crew didn't know was going to happen and so only heard on their mics and came running around the corner to film."
Casino Night | Production
In the season-two finale, "Casino Night," he confesses his love for Pam in the office. Pam, whose wedding to Roy was planned out and just weeks away, clearly shows her anguish but gently turns him down. Jim tearfully walks away, later kisses her in the office, and the season ends. In the season-three premiere "Gay Witch Hunt," it is revealed that he did transfer to Stamford despite the fact that Pam has called off her wedding and he clearly still harbors intense feelings for her. His reason is later stated as "It's just, I kinda put it all on the line.
Jim Halpert | Seasons 1–3
Michael Scott (Steve Carell) organizes a casino charity event in the warehouse, and unwittingly winds up with two dates for the evening, his boss Jan Levinson (Melora Hardin) and his real-estate agent Carol Stills (Nancy Carell). Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) and Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) go through audition tapes for her wedding band and discover that colleague Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner) has his own band. Jim, upset about Pam's impending marriage to Roy Anderson (David Denman), tells the documentary crew that he met with Jan about transferring to the Stamford, Connecticut branch of Dunder Mifflin because he has "no future here." During Casino Night, Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) wins a game of craps and kisses Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey) on the cheek, disregarding their attempts to keep their intimate relationship a secret.
Casino Night | Plot
He also enjoyed and praised the development of two minor characters, Kevin Malone and Creed Bratton, the latter played by the actor of the same name. He ultimately awarded the episode a ten out of ten, denoting a "Masterpiece". Jacob Cliffton of Television Without Pity awarded the episode an "A". Gillian Flynn of "Entertainment Weekly" noted that, unlike other shows that featured resolved sexual tension, "The Office" was in no worry of being cancelled. She based this deduction on the fact that the show "isn't based entirely on the endearing flirtation between" Jim and Pam. In a 2011 poll conducted by fansite "OfficeTally, "fans voted "Casino Night" as their favorite of all "Office" episodes that had been aired at that time.
Casino Night | Reviews
"It was an episode full of big laughs and neat little character moments, as well as a number of gags rooted in camera placement. Ah, but I'm leaving out the big moment, that glorious milestone where years and years of flirtation, meaningful glances and missed chances finally paid off in a surprisingly satisfying, genuinely surprising beauty of a scene where Jim proposed to Pam outside a truck stop in the pouring rain." Aubry Arminio of "Entertainment Weekly" also lauded the episode's more dramatic aspects over the comedic moments: "That’s what was so great about yesterday’s episode: I’ll admit I wasn’t rolling on the floor laughing, but I did find myself clutching my hand over my heart several times.
Weight Loss (The Office) | Reception
"Casino Night" is the second season finale of the American comedy television series "The Office", and the twenty-eighth episode overall. Written by Steve Carell, who also acts in the show as Michael Scott, and directed by Ken Kwapis, the episode originally aired in the United States on May 11, 2006 on NBC. The episode guest stars Nancy Carell as Carol Stills and Melora Hardin as Jan Levinson. The series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. In this episode, the office hosts a casino night, to which Michael Scott (Carell) inadvertently invites two dates.
Casino Night | Introduction
Twice. And she said no. Twice." in "The Convention." Though in later seasons, after Ryan Howard's promotion, the relationship between him and Jim seems to be tense, in earlier seasons the two seem to be friendly. In "Casino Night," they are shown talking, laughing and drinking together.
Jim Halpert | Seasons 1–3
Not all goes smoothly when Jim accidentally reveals Pam's pregnancy to all the guests, including Pam's very old-fashioned grandmother, and Andy injures his scrotum while dancing. Meanwhile, Michael and Dwight both try to hook up with women, with mixed results. The episode was met with positive reviews from critics and fans. Although not all television critics reacted positively to Andy's dancing injury sub-plot, "Niagara" has nonetheless come to be considered a classic episode of the series. In a poll conducted by "OfficeTally" at the end of season six, the episode was named the second best episode of the series after the second-season finale, "Casino Night." The episode was viewed by 9.42 million households with a 4.8 rating/12% share in the 18–49 demographic making it the second highest viewed episode of the season after "The Delivery."
Niagara (The Office) | Introduction
She reconciles with Roy at Phyllis's wedding as a response to watching Jim date Karen. In an attempt at a fresh start with Roy, Pam comes clean about Jim kissing her during "Casino Night". Roy flies into a violent rage and Pam ends the relationship on the spot. The next day, Roy attempts to attack Jim in the office but is stopped by Dwight's pepper spray and is summarily fired. After losing his job, Roy meets Pam for coffee and says that even though Jim is dating Karen, she should at least make an effort to date him (in as much as she called off the wedding because of him).
Pam Beesly | Roy Anderson
Dwight is upset and shuts down the exercise to invite everyone to set off fireworks outside, but only Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner) follows. When the staff discuss their worst first dates, Pam astounds them with a story of how her date forgot about her and left her behind at a high school hockey game. Their astonishment increases when they realize the date was her now-fiancé, Roy. Later, Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) and Pam break off their respective evening plans to enjoy an impromptu dinner on the roof and watch Dwight and Kevin fool around with fireworks. The next day Jim half-jokingly remarks to Pam that this was their first date.
The Client (The Office) | Plot
In an interview later in the episode, Jim announces that he will propose to Pam that evening. Just as Jim is preparing to propose, however, Andy Bernard stands up and makes his own impromptu proposal to Angela. Having had his thunder stolen by Andy, Jim reluctantly puts the ring back in his jacket pocket, leaving Pam visibly disappointed as she was expecting Jim to propose that night. In the Season 5 premiere, "Weight Loss", Pam begins her three-month course at the Pratt Institute. In this episode, Jim proposes in the pouring rain at a rest stop, saying that he "can't wait".
Pam Beesly | Seasons 4–6
It is also later revealed that Michael underwent three vasectomies in the course of trying to please Jan. Throughout the evening, Jan plays a song by her former assistant, Hunter. Titled "That One Night", the lyrics of the song strongly suggest an intimate encounter once occurred between Jan and Hunter. In the kitchen, Jan quietly confronts Pam with a false assumption that Michael and Pam had once dated, while Michael attempts to get Jim and Andy to invest in Jan's candle-making business for "only $10,000". Jim's attempt to escape the party with Pam by pretending his apartment has flooded is unsuccessful.
Dinner Party (The Office) | Plot
In an awkward attempt to lighten the mood, Brian makes a joke referencing how he consoled Pam when she broke down after her fight with Jim over the phone in "Customer Loyalty". After the lunch Jim admits, with some prodding, that he is angry that Pam did not tell him about this incident. Pam explains that she had not wanted to add to his worries, which only makes Jim angrier, but he brushes the matter off to avoid an argument. The couple had planned on sharing an evening bottle of wine for Valentine's Day, but Jim later tells Pam he wants to go down to Philadelphia instead because he fears they would only end up fighting.
Couples Discount | Synopsis
Alan Sepinwall of HitFix wrote positively of the finale scene, noting that "it really worked", and that Krasinski and Fischer were "terrific" during the sequence. However, he said that the "comedy parts of 'Paper Airplane' were so dire I'm not going to dwell on them at all". Erik Adams of "The A.V. Club" awarded the episode a "C+" and felt that the finale scene, while set up to be emotional, was "hollow". He argued that the tension does not feel as threatening as it should; he compared it to the second season episode "Casino Night", which had invoked real fears about the future of Jim and Pam.
Paper Airplane (The Office) | Reviews
Jenna Fischer admitted that filming the episode was a relief because she had "been carrying around the secret cliff-hangers for two months". Toby Flenderson, who is portrayed by writer Paul Lieberstein, stated during the episode "I'm gonna chase that feeling" after winning at a game of poker. The line was originally intended to lead to a subplot wherein Toby develops a gambling addiction, but the storyline was later abandoned. The episode was the fifth episode of the season and the seventh of the entire series directed by Ken Kwapis. During the editing of the episode, executive producer Greg Daniels publicly addressed NBC in an interview, stating, "I'd like to get a supersized episode, because it’s a really long script with a lot of good stuff." In response, fans of the show set up an online petition to "supersize" the season finale.
Casino Night | Production
David Wilcox of "The Citizen" wrote that the fight between Pam and Jim was "welcome" because their relationship had grown stale ever since they had "hooked up and started living their perfect little lives together." Wilcox praised the way in which the fight was written, and wrote that he "couldn't help smiling. Not because the fight wasn't wrenching to watch. But because it was." Cindy White of IGN awarded the episode a 7.8 out of 10, denoting a "good" episode. She reasoned that while the episode was funny but largely forgettable, the final scene made it worth watching. Not all reviews were as positive.
Customer Loyalty (The Office) | Reviews
Kelly reasons that she would donate her winnings to Kobe Bryant's foundation, only because he bought his wife a large ring. When Michael mentions donating money to "Afghanistanis with AIDS", the conversation gets confused, and the various office workers being talking about Afghanis, Afghans, and the nonsensical "Afghanistanannis". In a talking head, Michael notes that AIDS is not a humorous disease, and is one of the many things that is off-topic in comedy, including the assassination of John F. Kennedy and The Holocaust. However, he notes that the assassination of Abraham Lincoln recently became funny. While looking through the various cover bands, Jim and Pam stumble upon a Kiss tribute and Jim tells Pam that her wedding should have three stages like Lollapalooza.
Casino Night | Cultural references
"Casino Night" was the first episode of the series written by Steve Carell. Initially, Carell suggested to executive producer Greg Daniels that an episode should revolve around a casino night. When it came time to plan the finale for the show, Daniels chose the idea and picked Carell to write the script. Parts of the script were fleshed out during the flights to and from New York City when the show was filming the earlier episode "Valentine's Day". Later, Carell had only one weekend to write the bulk script. Daniels was very happy with the rough script and noted that Carell "came in with a great draft".
Casino Night | Production
The well-practiced impersonator answers each question correctly without hesitation, much to Dwight's anger and disbelief. In the break room, Karen confronts Pam about Jim and Pam's kiss and asks if she is still interested in Jim. Made nervous by the questioning, Pam uses misleading wording, babbles uncontrollably, and at the end of the conversation blurts out "I'm sorry." Karen finds her behavior baffling but not suspicious. At the bachelor party, Bob Vance refuses a lap dance, so Michael volunteers. During the lap dance, Michael becomes concerned that this is cheating on Jan Levinson (Melora Hardin) and brings the show to an abrupt close.
Ben Franklin (The Office) | Synopsis
In “Fun Run” Pam and Jim tell the Camera Crew that they are dating, after being seen kissing after work in the last episode of season 3. In "Local Ad," Jim develops an avatar of himself for Dwight's game Second Life. Pam notes that his online alter ego plays guitar and is a Philadelphia sportswriter, implicitly revealing Jim's lesser-known aspirations, and a callback to "Email Surveillance" from season two, in which he has a guitar in his bedroom. In the episodes "Survivor Man" and "Night Out," Jim takes on his role as manager while Michael is out of the office.
Jim Halpert | Seasons 4–6
The two have a lengthy conversation and begin to reconnect. Jim misinterprets Pam's parting phrase to Ryan as being directed at him, and the two end their conversation, much to their sadness. The episode ends with a brief talking head of Stanley, counting down the days left in the year until the next Pretzel day.
Initiation (The Office) | Synopsis
"A.A.R.M." features a dramatic scene in which Jim presents a DVD of the highlights of his relationship with Pam, topped with him finally presenting her with a card he wrote in the second season episode "Christmas Party". The idea to have Jim finally give Pam his card had been considered in the writers' room for some time, but only during "A.A.R.M." did the writers feel it was the right time. In addition, the episode contained several scenes that were purposely staged to be reminiscent of past episodes of the series, with scenes mimicking unique shots in both the third season installment "Gay Witch Hunt" and the sixth season episode "The Delivery".
A.A.R.M. | Introduction
The episode first aired in the U.S. on May 10, 2007, attracting 7.2 million viewers and a 3.9/11 ratings share among adults aged 18 to 49. It ranked fourth in its timeslot behind episodes of "", "Ugly Betty", and "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?". It was a special 28-minute "supersized" episode. "Entertainment Weekly" columnist Abby West considered Pam's speech to be "a terrific payoff for those of us invested (some might say too much) in the Jim-Pam-Karen love triangle." West also praised other aspects of the episode, such as the fire walk and the sequences with Stanley; to her, "everyone brought his or her A game (in hilarity, if not in effort) to the race to succeed Michael." IGN's Travis Fickett rated "Beach Games" 8.5/10, an indication of a "great" episode.
Beach Games | Reception
The episode received wide acclaim from television critics and earned a Nielsen rating of 3.9 in the 18–49 demographic, being seen by 7.7 million viewers. It is generally considered by both critics and audiences to be one of the show's greatest episodes.
Casino Night | Introduction
When the argument becomes heated, Tom and Pete reveal it was a prank, and Jim and Pam stare awkwardly at each other. Later, when Jim and Pam are walking outside of the restaurant, Pam explains her original idea for the prank, which Jim appreciates much more than his brothers' idea. Moments later, Jim receives a text message from his brothers stating their approval of Pam and welcoming her to the family.
Employee Transfer | Synopsis
White did, however, call Pam and Jim's discussion about their lottery fantasy "the weakest part of the episode". Dan Forcella of TV Fanatic awarded the episode three out of five stars. He called the premise "an interesting buddy story" with "a tremendously inspiring speech from Andy to Darryl". Despite the lackluster rating, Forcella wrote that the episode had its fair share "of hilarious moments". Screencrave reviewer Jeffrey Hyatt awarded the episode a six out of ten and wrote that the episode was not an "a-plus episode [but] the show still delivered some kick-ass dialogue that had me laughing out loud." Critical reception to Jim, Dwight, Kevin, and Erin in the warehouse was more mixed.
Lotto (The Office) | Reviews
Pam's fiancé Roy Anderson (David Denman) and Darryl Philbin (Craig Robinson) leave, taking Pam with them. In the parking lot, Roy and Pam argue, and Pam returns alone to the restaurant, where she begins drinking beer and margaritas. Heckled by other customers, Michael decides to end the show, but an intoxicated Pam leads the office in encouraging him to continue. Relieved upon winning the Dundie for "Whitest Sneakers", Pam gives a drunken acceptance speech and kisses Jim on the lips. This leaves Jim surprised, but happy. As Jim recaps the Dundies for the camera, Pam stares at Jim with dazed fascination and then falls off her stool, and Dwight springs to her rescue, thinking Pam is having a seizure.
The Dundies | Plot
There is no audio as the camera shows Jim and Pam embrace, looking shocked and ecstatic. It is implied that she is pregnant and is confirmed in the Season 6 premiere, "Gossip". Jim and Pam marry early in the season, at Niagara Falls, during the highly anticipated, hour long episode, "Niagara". The ending of the episode, in which their co-workers dance down the aisle, is an imitation of a viral YouTube video — JK Wedding Entrance Dance. Following the wedding, a multi-episode story arc begins in which it is revealed that Michael hooked up with Pam's mother the night of the wedding.
Pam Beesly | Seasons 4–6
Michael enjoys Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll" in his office at a high volume. After consuming his sugary pretzel, Michael emerges from his office and launches into a hyperactive, sugar-fueled speech before falling asleep at his desk. At the end of the day, Pam realizes that Michael's antics secured a large sale. At Dunder Mifflin's Stamford branch, Karen Filippelli (Rashida Jones) discovers that Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) swapped his chair for hers, but Jim foils her efforts to switch them back. The two flirt for a while before Karen steals Andy Bernard's (Ed Helms) chair. Later that night, Jim, who was trying to call Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner), ends up talking to Pam on the phone for the first time since the two kissed.
Initiation (The Office) | Synopsis
It's also revealed in this season that Phyllis has a small crush on Jim. In a deleted scene in Traveling Salesmen, she tells Karen that Jim "is so hot", and goes on ask Karen if he wears boxers or briefs. Also, in a deleted scene in Beach Games, she calls Jim "eye candy", comparing his looks to that of George Clooney (which may be a reference to the film Leatherheads which was being filmed at the time and featured John Krasinski, who plays Jim, and George Clooney).
Phyllis Vance | Seasons 3–4
But the night does not turn out as he plans, and Michael ends up angering or humiliating the majority of the office staff. Meanwhile, after Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) argues with her fiancé, she becomes obviously intoxicated and kisses Jim Halpert (John Krasinski). "The Dundies" was the second episode of the series directed by Greg Daniels. Many of the scenes at the Chili's had to be changed so the restaurant would allow filming, most notably the scenes where Pam falls over. "The Dundies" was viewed by an estimated 9.0 million viewers and received a 4.3/10% rating share among adults between the ages of 18 and 49, making it the highest episode of the series since the show's pilot.
The Dundies | Introduction
While that is going on, the other employees subtly duel over the thermostat. At the end of the episode, Jim tells Pam that he will be going to Australia and unfortunately, he will be missing her wedding because of it.
Dwight's Speech | Plot
Pam begins to worry that she is making Jim do something that he does not want to do. She confronts her husband and admits that she thinks she might not be good enough for him. He asks the in-series documentary crew's help; the crew makes a DVD of the highlights that they have collected of Jim and Pam's relationship. The final scene that they use is from the second season Christmas episode "Christmas Party" in which Jim gives Pam a teapot as a gift, but takes back his accompanying note to her. After Pam watches the DVD, Jim presents her with the actual, unopened note.
A.A.R.M. | Plot
The first episode featured rounds of Blackjack, Caribbean Stud, and Roulette. Sitting Pretty seats were given in sets of 3, 3, and 2, leaving 4 players to play in the Death Match. Round 1 featured Alan, Brandon, Dave, Evelyn, Ken, and Mike at the Blackjack table. Brandon swept the round with quiet strategy and a luck streak. Brandon, Alan, and Ken all won Sitting Pretty seats. Round 2 featured David, Jerry, Joanna, Katie, Steve, and Todd playing Caribbean Stud. Joanna was a big talker, but couldn't get it together. Jerry, David, and Todd won the next 3 seats.
King of Vegas | Episode 1: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Fed up with Kelly's continued taunting, Pam challenges her to a game of ping pong, but the two play poorly. Jim and Darryl quickly bore of watching them and decide to play ping pong in the conference room. The episode concludes with Dwight playing a high-intensity game of ping pong against his cousin Mose Schrute (Michael Schur), with the two at an apparent stalemate.
The Deposition (The Office) | Plot
Having re-opened his old memories, Jim re-enters the office, goes right to Pam and kisses her passionately, and indirectly confesses in an interview that he loves her. Jim is quietly pleased when Dwight returns to his desk along with his annoying and overbearing personality.
Money (The Office) | Plot
"Casino Night" originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 11, 2006. The episode received a 3.9 rating/10 percent share among adults between the ages of 18 and 49. This means that it was seen by 3.9 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds, and 10 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. The episode was viewed by 7.7 million viewers, and retained 93 percent of its lead-in "My Name is Earl" audience. For his work on this episode, Steve Carell was nominated for and won the .
Casino Night | Ratings
Sitting in the lobby area waiting for the security guard to arrive, the employees vote by a show of hands that Andy and Angela are a better couple than Jim and Pam.
Night Out (The Office) | Plot
At the conclusion of the interview, Dwight triumphantly announces that he recorded hypertension when Jim said he does not find the new temp attractive, but as Jim continues to insist he is telling the truth Dwight admits that he recorded equal hypertension on every question, including Jim's name. Pam realizes that Jim has unusually high blood pressure, which his father also suffers from, and forgets about the issue in order to focus on her husband's health. CEO Robert California (James Spader) surprises Andy Bernard (Ed Helms), Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner), and Darryl Philbin (Craig Robinson) when he asks to join their band after he finds them having a jam session in the warehouse.
Pam's Replacement | Synopsis
It's one of those episodes that's just too silly not to love." Leonard Pierce of "The A.V. Club" gave the episode a B saying "Overall, this was a strong if not essential episode – it didn't move any major story arcs along at all, but it was solidly funny, and proved that the show can survive taking both Jim and Pam out of the picture for a full episode". Joel Keller criticized the main plot saying "It was more than a post wedding let down; it was one of the worst episodes in years" The episode currently ranks 23rd on the OfficeTally's ranking list of Season 6 episodes.
Mafia (The Office) | Reception
Early in season 9, Jim is restless about his life in Scranton and helps a friend start a Sports Marketing business, Athlead, in Philadelphia but he keeps it a secret from Pam until the third episode "Andy's Ancestry". Although Pam is happy for his decision, she is concerned about the fact that he had kept it a secret from her and she is later disturbed to hear about just how much of their money he had invested. Jim begins spending part of each work week in Philadelphia, but in "Customer Loyalty", the strain of this on Pam is evident when she breaks down in tears, and is comforted by Brian, the boom mic operator of the film crew.
Pam Beesly | Season 9
In a final 38-second clip, Kelly visits Michael's office to ask what he will do with his life, then starts talking about her own fantasy of running off to Mexico with Charles. B. J. Novak wrote a talking-head segment for Toby, where he compares Michael to a movie on a plane because "it's not great, but it's something to watch, and when it's over you're like, how much longer is this flight? Now what?" An original draft for the episode included more dialogue between Pam and Jim about the decision, in which Pam brought up Jim's impulsive decision to buy his parents' house without consulting her in the episode "Frame Toby," but it was ultimately cut because they felt it added too much time to get to the resolution.
Two Weeks (The Office) | Production
Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) notices some things that lead her to suspect that Dwight and Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey) are dating. However, she discreetly abandons her suspicions when she asks Phyllis Lapin (Phyllis Smith) if she noticed any office romances and Phyllis guesses that Pam meant her and Jim. Jim and Pam bond when she sees Jim's room for the first time and looks through his high school yearbook. After ruining an improv class, Michael decides to crash Jim's party, much to the staff's dismay and Dwight's naïve delight. Michael awkwardly tries his hand at karaoke but Jim then joins in, easing the tension considerably.
Email Surveillance | Plot
In Season 4, Pam retains the assertiveness she developed in the third season. In the season 4 premiere, "Fun Run", Jim and Pam confess that they have started dating after the camera crew catches them kissing. The office ultimately learns of their relationship in "Dunder Mifflin Infinity". In "Chair Model", after teasing Pam about his impending proposal, Jim tells the documentary crew he is not kidding around about an engagement and shows them a ring he bought a week after he and Pam started dating. In the next few episodes, Jim fake-proposes to Pam multiple times. In "Goodbye, Toby", Pam discovers she's been accepted at Pratt Institute, an art and design school in Brooklyn.
Pam Beesly | Seasons 4–6
"The Secret" was written in roughly 26 hours and was the fastest episode written for the series at the time. The title for the episode is purposely vague and refers to Jim's hidden feelings for Pam, Dwight and Angela's relationship, and Oscar's homosexuality. "The Secret" is also the first episode where many of the actors not credited in the opening sequence are credited directly afterwards instead of as guest appearances. The scenes at the Hooters restaurant were filmed relatively early in the day, and a majority of the scenes were improvised by Carell. "The Secret" received largely positive reviews from television critics and was watched by 8.7 million viewers, ranking as the forty-fourth most-watched television episode of the week.
The Secret (The Office) | Introduction
Pam initially accepts this, but realizing that the silence between them is worse than fighting, she tells Jim he should stay and fight with her, and Jim agrees.
Couples Discount | Synopsis
Margaret Lyons of "Entertainment Weekly" praised the episode, comparing it positively to previous episodes "Casino Night" and "Booze Cruise": "not as heavy or emotional, certainly, but still a chance to see our Dunderheads in a charming and demonstrative not-quite-work environment." Lyons also complimented a number of changes in the series the episode seemed to indicate, including shifting allegiances, goodwill where there used to be bad and a possible budding romance between Andy and Kelly. Alan Sepinwall, television journalist with "The Star-Ledger", said the episode, "started off seeming like a dumb and pointless idea before gradually revealing itself to be a fun, and even welcome, diversion." Sepinwall said the episode was not as funny as other recent ones, but that he enjoyed seeing the characters interact this way together, and particularly liked seeing Dwight and Phyllis bond, "even as he treated her like a racehorse".
Cafe Disco | Reception
Jim is seen driving home, and Pam's voicemails act as a voice-over, closing out the episode.
The Carpet | Synopsis
They all agree to the plan, but Jim forgets to tell the security guard they are staying late. After working until 9:00 pm, they find the parking lot gates locked, and are unable to return to the office because Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) locked the door from the inside, and Dwight has both the spare and master keys. Jim calls Hank the security guard (Hugh Dane), who puts off coming to let them out because Jim neglected to collect money for his last annual tip. Pam accidentally injures Meredith by hitting her head with a football that was found in the parking lot.
Night Out (The Office) | Plot
He has been caught stealing at least twice by Jim. In the episode titled "Local Ad," Jim buys breakfast for Pam because she slept at her desk all night. When she wakes, Jim explains that Creed snatched her hash browns while she was asleep on her keyboard. Creed's lack of shame or morals extends beyond mere kleptomania. He places his wedding card on another guest's gift, and blatantly stares at Pam's chest when she wears a low-cut sweater. When she asks him to stop, he serenely says, "In a minute." In a deleted scene, Creed says that he has a friend named Jorge who will hook Toby up with anything he wants, including "this amazing coffee that you snort".
Creed Bratton (The Office) | Lack of morals
She argued that "it left me wanting to tune in next week and see what’ll happen next", largely because of the "surprising amount of character development". Dan Forcella of TV Fanatic awarded the episode four out of five stars. He was complimentary towards the main plot, and he felt empathy towards Michael because he felt that "Gabe is the absolute worst". In addition, Forcella wrote that Pam and Jim's subplot "had its moments, as well", and called the scene featuring Jim feeding Dwight pizza "fantastic". Not all reviews were glowing, however. Alan Sepinwall gave the episode a critical review, calling it "dreadful".
Viewing Party | Reception
At Brian's house, Pam tells him that upon seeing the old footage she thinks Jim's feelings for her have largely faded, and Brian agrees. When she asks about what the crew filmed, he tells her that every important moment was captured even when not wearing their microphones. Realizing the extent to which their privacy has been violated, Pam storms out of Brian's house. On re-watching the promo, Pam decides she is glad that the history of her relationship with Jim has been captured. Angela Lipton (Angela Kinsey) and Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez) call Angela's husband Senator Robert Lipton (Jack Coleman) to inform him that the documentary will probably out him and reveal that Angela slept with Dwight.
Promos (The Office) | Synopsis
Pam and Jim finally getting together went over well with most critics. Zap2It's Rick Porter thought "the show handled the PB&J (Pam Beesly and Jim) stuff as well as it always has, underplaying the romance as much as the NBC marketing folks overplay it." Although Christine Fenno from "Entertainment Weekly" was happy about Pam and Jim finally dating, she was critical of them being secret about it, reasoning "I mean, nobody's cheating. Can't the Pam and Jim plotline have a bigger obstacle than self-imposed, weakly enforced secrecy?" "TV Guide"s Jack Rodgers was glad "the writers aren't jerking us around anymore, and the pair are finally busted when Jim hops a ride home with Pam after work." Reviews for Michael in this episode were a little bit more mixed.
Fun Run | Reception
Prior to the group going to their first casino, Barnes gives them different identities. At the first casino, George becomes overwhelmed by the game and Elyse jumps in to help. After their first night, they make $6,000. The film goes into a montage of the students at the casino and outside of the casino, earning and spending their money on luxurious items. One night at the casino, Elyse is approached by a man who claims he chases gamblers. Elyse asks him if he noticed any pros at the casino that night and he points out Scott, saying that it is obvious that he is a card counter.
The Last Casino | Summary
However, it was Toby's revelation that made it all worthwhile." Travis Fickett of IGN said that the episode was "still satisfying, even when it's not one of the show's funnier episodes", but "it's a bit of a shame this episode wasn't a home run, because having Dwight and Michael hit the clubs is a funny idea." Fickett went on to praise the episode's awkward moment between Toby and Pam, when Toby placed his hand on Pam's leg, and Toby's subsequent escape by hopping the fence. Fickett stated that, for Toby's growing love of Pam, and growing jealousy of Jim, "this is pretty great pay off".
Night Out (The Office) | Reception
When Pam stops and looks he says he has a question to ask her. After a second or so of hesitation, he asks her if she will wait while he ties his shoes. She laughs and they continue walking hand in hand. At the end of the episode, Michael and Dwight are seen singing "American Pie" and dancing in the same cemetery at night, presumably having never left.
Chair Model | Plot
Upset about Pam's new relationship, he sends out a memo asking for no public displays of affection in the office. In the episode "Business School", Pam asks Toby to come to her art show, and he says he cannot make it because of his daughter's play. He then gets really upset and yells, "Damn it!" and questions if maybe he does not have to go to see his daughter's play and instead could go see Pam's art show. In "Night Out", Pam thinks that a joke Toby told was funny, and he gets really excited and puts his hand on her leg.
Toby Flenderson | Pam
"The Lover" is the 7th episode of the sixth season of the American comedy series "The Office" and the show's 107th episode overall. It was written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and directed by Eisenberg. It originally aired on October 22, 2009 on NBC. The series—presented as if it were a real documentary—depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. In this episode, Jim and Pam return from their honeymoon and discover that Michael is dating Pam's mother, which infuriates her. Meanwhile, Dwight tries to install a recording device in Jim's office, by giving him a wooden mallard as an apology for their long rivalry.
The Lover (The Office) | Introduction
and Megan fight about Megan persuading her to eliminate Chance and Megan tells her it was her decision and approaches her and Craig tells her to go back with the contestants. Heather comes up on stage to discuss her issues with Megan and once from there, the two of them fight and Heather says Megan had her sloppy seconds (12 Pack), which Megan denies happening. Heather states that 12 Pack is a bigger loser than the Entertainer because he lives with his parents and Entertainer has to drive him around. She also says that she had sex 6 times with 12 Pack and never had an orgasm.
I Love Money (season 1) | Reunion
He called it one of the laziest half-hours of the show and gave it a C−. Cindy White of IGN said that the episode needed a stronger A-plot writing that the plots "felt like a meal made up of two tasty side dishes". She gave it a 7 out of 10. Hanna Lawrence of "Hollywood.com" praised the episode for being believable and for showing things that happen in real life. She also praised the Jim–Pam plot for showcasing the couple as not completely "perfect". She called the band subplot "weak".
Pam's Replacement | Reviews
Her character in this episode, however, is far from the bubbly, chatty character that Kelly later becomes. The second episode of the series was the first to feature predominantly original writing, as the pilot episode contained many jokes from the British series pilot. During one of Michael's impersonations, a racial expletive spoken by Michael had to be censored by the producers for NBC. Daniels was terrified that the scene would leak unedited, so he personally oversaw the censoring of the master copy. The scene where Pam rests her head on Jim's shoulder after Dwight has stolen his sale and Jim smiles and says "not a bad day after all" came about when Greg Daniels spoke to the writers about wanting to have small, happy interactions between Jim and Pam and mentioned the head-on-shoulder idea, which B.
Diversity Day (The Office) | Production
This causes some tension between Angela and Pam, and Angela reveals to the camera that she never likes to apologize. Eventually, they decide to merge the parties and Angela sings her favorite song, "The Little Drummer Boy," on the karaoke machine for the office. At Phyllis' wedding, Angela and Dwight slow-dance together outside the chapel. After Roy Anderson tries to attack Jim Halpart as revenge for kissing Pam on the office's casino night and Dwight saves Jim with a bottle of mace, Angela asks around the office to hear the story of Dwight's bravery. During "Product Recall," Angela is temporarily in charge of answering phone calls due to an inappropriate water mark on Dunder Mifflin's stationary.
Angela Martin | Seasons 1-3
It received critical acclaim, unlike the first season. In its "The Top 10 Moments from The Office", IGN ranked Pam's drunken scene at Chili's as number five. Michael Sciannamea of TV Squad stated that "This season's first episode showed a marked improvement over the final episode from last season", and went on to praise the episode's expansion of supporting characters as one of the main reasons for the improvement. In a Flashback review, Travis Fickett of IGN complimented the episode for creating the personalities of the supporting characters and for the workers affection towards Michael in the episode. He also praised the Jim and Pam moments in the episode.
The Dundies | Release and reception
In season seven, some of Jim's vulnerabilities are displayed. Jim displays some mild jealousy when he meets Danny Cordray, a superior paper salesman who went on a few dates with Pam while he was in Stamford. In "Costume Contest," after hearing that Danny never called Pam back because she was too "dorky" for him, Jim is inspired to dress up in his Popeye costume with Cece dressed as Swee'Pea for her (who is dressed as Olive Oyl), which he was initially reluctant to do, marking the first time he is seen dressed up in an actual costume. In "Classy Christmas," Jim falls victim to numerous snowball-themed pranks devised by Dwight.
Jim Halpert | Season 7
"The Coup" first aired on October 5, 2006 in the United States on NBC. It received a Nielsen rating of 4.1/11. This means that it was seen by 4.1% of all 18- to 49-year-olds, and 11% of all 18- to 49-year-olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. The episode placed as the 24th most-watched episode for the week in that demographic. The episode received mixed reviews from television critics. IGN columnist Brian Zoromski rated "The Coup" 7.8/10, indicating it as a "good" episode. He felt that after the "brilliant" episode from the previous week, "The Coup" was "somewhat anticlimactic, as Jim doesn't interact at all with the Scranton branch and the Pam-Jim storyline is pretty much ignored." Despite his disappointment with Jim's storyline, Zoromski commented that the "best moments of the episode were the completely random ones, such as Dwight knowing that Jan wears blouses from Liz Claiborne and earrings from Ann Taylor." AOLTV's Michael Sciannamea was also unhappy with Jim's scenes, writing that they were "beginning to grate on [him].
The Coup (The Office) | Reception
Nick Campbell of TV.com was unhappy that the episode did not show or comment on Pam and Jim's fight in the previous episode. He felt that the beginning of the dinner scene was nice, due to the two's banter. However, he felt that the end pretended as if they had not discussed the move in any previous episodes. Campbell felt that Odenkirk was used in a good way, but that was "a waste of amazing talent at the real estate office". He also felt that Dwight and Angela's kiss was a good progression for their story. Erik Adams of "The A.V.
Moving On (The Office) | Reviews
Later, when Jim and Pam admit they are dating and ask to fill out a disclosure form, he hesitates to give them a form saying they should wait and see. In "Night Out", Toby awkwardly rubs her knee while they share a laugh (and while Jim sits just on her other side), and the rest of the office watches in horror. In his mortification, Toby immediately announces that he is moving to Costa Rica before jumping over the locked gate and fleeing. In "Goodbye, Toby", Toby purchases a DSLR camera just to get a picture with Pam. On the eve of his departure, Pam confesses to the cameras that she always thought Toby was "kind of cute".
Pam Beesly | Toby Flenderson
Jim gives Pam a beautiful bracelet and he is equally amazed at the comic book she gives him. Jim and Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) agree to a snowball fight after Jim throws a snowball at Dwight indoors. When he is first challenged outside, however, he finds the doors chained. Dwight then emerges from a snowman, throwing multiple snowballs at Jim and leaving him with a bloody nose. Throughout the day, Dwight torments Jim with increasingly elaborate snowball ambushes, some of which involve Dwight disguising himself as Pam (he explains that he has a wig for every person in the office) and making a spring-loaded trap present.
Classy Christmas | Synopsis
In the season premiere, "Fun Run", Kevin openly suspects Jim and Pam of "hooking up" and is determined to prove his speculations to his neighboring accountant Oscar. Oscar is not convinced, but Kevin is vindicated in the episode "Dunder Mifflin Infinity", when Jim and Pam reveal their relationship to their coworkers.
Kevin Malone | Seasons 3–4
Cornet complimented the turn in the Jim-Pam-Brian storyline, and for the writers using Brian as a catalyst for a "real conversation between Pam and Jim", instead of a love triangle between the three. She also went on to praise their final scene, for showcasing "what "The Office" has created with these two characters – a human, and real relationship." Cornet gave the episode a 6.9, considering it an "okay" episode.
Couples Discount | Reviews
On the double date, Kelly appears to be the only one having a good time with Ryan Howard (B. J. Novak). Pam chats awkwardly with Alan, who at one point sneaks a peek down Pam's shirt, and they fail to hit it off. At Michael's party, Jim attends as the only guest and explains that he did not leave Scranton because of Michael (whom Jim claims is a great boss), but rather because Pam rejected him, twice; Michael promises he will talk to Pam about the situation, but Jim tells him not to. Finally, the two mend their friendship just as two other guests arrive.
The Convention (The Office) | Plot
He particularly liked the joke of Andy attending all his honeymoons: "The thought of Andy forlornly embarking on a couple's massage solo or sharing a romantic hot-air balloon ride with himself was funny and sad in the best "Office" tradition." "Entertainment Weekly" writer Jeff Labrecque said the episode was "unusually sweet", but said the double date with Pam, Jim, Phyllis and Bob "felt slightly undercooked". Josh McAuliffe of "The Times-Tribune" of Scranton, Pennsylvania, said the episode was "a highly amusing, if not fantastic, half-hour" and particularly praised the opening scene involving the phone system salesman.
Blood Drive (The Office) | Reception
Jim and Pam, out of solidarity to Nellie, sabotage the magician's tricks until he reaches breaking point, angrily yelling at everyone, and Dwight kicks him out. Nellie and Robert commend the employees for throwing a good party, but Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner) complains that the carrot cake has actual vegetables in it, which Pam made as a prank. When Jim and Pam leave for the day, Pam asks Hank Tate (Hugh Dane) why he let the magician into the elevator when he was asked not to. Hank, busy reading a magazine, claims not to have noticed him, stating that as a magician he could have slipped by.
Welcome Party | Synopsis
Dahl continued, "Each episode's premise can be entirely mundane and inconsequential. It will still mine laughs from the situation at hand. We also had some nice development in the Jim-Pam-Karen triangle, with Pam giving Jim relationship advice, then bawling her eyes out afterwards. Maybe the best scene in the episode saw Dwight comfort her." Television Without Pity graded the episode with an A.
Back from Vacation | Reception
In season 5, Jim and Roy run into each other at a bar and Roy learns that Jim and Pam are engaged. The mood is somewhat awkward, but Roy is congratulatory, but then makes a somewhat passive-aggressive comment, seemingly meant to make Jim feel insecure about his current role in Pam's life, which tempts him to drive to Pratt, where she is attending art classes. Jim gets on the freeway, but changes his mind and remembers that he trusts Pam. Jim didn't want to treat Pam the same way Roy treated her.
Pam Beesly | Roy Anderson
He then tries to take off his dress shirt and tie, but a Chili's employee stops him. After the party is over, Pam runs to the camera and screams "I would just like to say that this was the best Dundies ever! Whoo!". In the parking lot, Pam admits to Jim that it was she who wrote the graffiti. She begins to ask Jim a question, but stops when she notices the camera. A Chili's employee then talks to the camera and says that Pam apparently was sneaking drinks off of others' tables, which is against the restaurant's rules. He then tells the audience that he Xeroxed her driver's license and she is never welcome at Chili's again.
The Dundies | Plot
What was the point? If it was only to demonstrate that Jim is morphing into a bad guy, there are other ways to do so. Sure, it'll hurt Maxine, but ... hmm. Still seems kind of random." She also said "we didn't love Maxine last week, but this episode just seemed completely random. We're excited to find out the mini-dome stuff, but this episode didn't really advance that much. Felt more like a place-holder." Ashley Knierim of "The Huffington Post" said regarding the show's plot "We're only three episodes away from the end of the season, and it's pretty clear the writers have decided to have a few drinks and write whatever pops into their minds."
Let the Games Begin (Under the Dome) | Critical reception
Rabin praised the episode's "sharp little character moments", like Oscar's deadpan speeches and Ryan's gambling schemes. "IGN" writer Dan Phillips said the episode further developed the relationship between Jim and Michael, and Phillips liked that they found common ground at the end. He also praised "laugh-out-loud gags", like the revelation about Creed and Meredith. "New York" magazine writer Will Leitch said it was smart to make Jim a smug, flawed manager, and said "it was impossible not to love the quiet final scene with Michael and Jim bonding over the hatred their co-workers feel for them". Margaret Lyons of "Entertainment Weekly" said the episode felt like a "placeholder", although she said it improved upon a second viewing.
The Promotion (The Office) | Reception
She declared that it "was AMAZING. Jenna Fischer blew me away with that speech. It's what I have been hoping for since the first episode of this season. It didn't end with Jim swooping in and kissing Pam but there's still one episode left in the season. So that's what we have to ponder over the next week." Jay Black of AOLTV also enjoyed the episode. He wrote, "I thought that it was a bit more low key than some of the previous episodes (hilarious sumo outfits not withstanding) and that suited me just fine. I thought that Michael's ridiculousness, always a difficult balancing act, was reigned-in to just this side of believable where it belongs.
Beach Games | Reception
He rated the episode a "B". "New York" writer Michael Tedder praised the writers for going back to the show's early style of ongoing plotlines and the suspense in the Jim-Pam arc. Mark Trammell of TV Equals wrote that the episode "was not as good an episode as the premiere [but] the seeds were being sown for other payoffs down the line in the season." Bonnie Stiernberg of "Paste" was not so positive, saying the whole episode and season storyline was "predictable" and a "wasted opportunity", and that it ultimately did not live up to the producers' promise to "shake things up in Scranton".
Roy's Wedding | Critical response
He named the highlight of the episode "Michael's overwrought 'The Faces of Scranton' presentation played over U2's 'With or Without You.'" Betsy Bozdech of DVD Journal called the episode "memorable" and noted that it illustrated Pam and Jim's relationship ebb and flow. Francis RizzoIII of DVD Talk declared that Ryan's statement about beginning to date Kelly before Valentine's Day was "one of the funniest lines in the entire season." After the episode, fans wanted their own bobblehead dolls of Dwight. A petition was started to get NBC to sell them at their online store. NBC responded by creating an initial run of 4,000 bobblehead dolls, which sold out almost immediately.
Valentine's Day (The Office) | Reception
In response, Pam reaches out to Karen, and the two plan a rival party. Jim appears uncomfortable with Pam and Karen's new friendship. Roy comes into the break room and chats with Pam. After he leaves, Karen suggests that Pam should date Roy. Pam pauses to tell Karen her history with Roy before instead replying with "maybe." The rival Christmas parties begin, and the office staff members are forced to choose sides. Pam and Karen's party is a hit, while Angela's is a dreary affair. Michael and Andy each return with a waitress as their "new girlfriend" (though neither is the one who waited on them at the restaurant).
A Benihana Christmas | Plot
Inside, they find photos of her with another man and deduce him to be an ex-boyfriend. When Nellie finds them with the photos, she explains that she lost everything when they broke up. One of the photos shows him as a stage magician, which they realize is the root of her distaste of magicians. Jim calls Pam back ordering her to reconsider some of the party ideas. Pam tries to convince the other employees to little or no avail. At the party, the employees vent their hatred of Nellie onto Pam to avoid admitting the truth, making Pam uncomfortable. The magician that was hired (Brett Gelman) arrives, much to Nellie's dismay.
Welcome Party | Synopsis
Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) and Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) return from their honeymoon in Puerto Rico and Michael Scott (Steve Carell) tells Jim that he has been dating Pam's mother, Helene (Linda Purl), after spending the night with her at their wedding in Niagara. Jim is shocked and tells Michael not to mention anything to Pam (which he reluctantly agrees to do) and to break it off with Helene immediately (which he does not agree to). However, when Jim and Pam give Michael a gift from Puerto Rico, Michael asks if Pam thinks he should date who he wants. He then lets it slip he is dating Helene, and Pam storms out of the office and into the parking lot, screaming all the way down.
The Lover (The Office) | Synopsis
"Drug Testing" was written by Jennifer Celotta and directed by show runner and executive producer Greg Daniels. Fischer noted that the subplot featuring Jim unable to talk was important because "Pam and Jim can say a lot to one another without any words at all", a reference to the "27 seconds of silence" the two shared in the earlier episode "Booze Cruise". Michael has a bandage around his finger in this episode because Steve Carell hurt his finger during the week and was unable to remove his wedding ring due to the swelling. Instead of cutting off his ring, the crew simply wrapped a bandage around it.
Drug Testing (The Office) | Production
The third season consists of 17 half-hour episodes, four 40-minute "super-sized" episodes, and two one-hour episodes. The season starts with a brief flashback to (and additional footage from) the last episode of season 2, "Casino Night", when Jim kissed Pam and confessed his feelings for her. Jim briefly transfers to Dunder Mifflin's Stamford branch after Pam confirms her commitment to Roy. Corporate is later forced to merge the Stamford branch with the Scranton branch. Michael takes this merger very seriously. Transferred to the Scranton branch are saleswoman Karen Filippelli, whom Jim has begun dating, and the anger-prone preppy salesman Andy Bernard, along with other Stamford employees who all eventually quit within the first few episodes of being there.
The Office (American TV series) | Season 3
In response, Pam becomes hostile towards the rest of the office. Michael complains to Toby Flenderson (Paul Lieberstein) about Pam's behavior, but when Toby tries to coax Pam into discussing the issue, she becomes angry with Toby as well. Pam brings Michael into the kitchen and orders him to stop dating Helene, and Michael responds by saying he will "start dating her even harder." At the end of the day, Michael feels bad and says goodnight to Pam, without response. Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) apologizes to Jim for their feuds, and offers him a token of his desire for peace with a wooden mallard, actually a concealed recording device which he means to use to gather damaging information about Jim.
The Lover (The Office) | Synopsis
During the singles party, Angela mentions that two men previously had a duel over her in Ohio, which is the second duel fought over her. This is a reference to "The Duel", an "Office" episode from earlier in the fifth season, in which Andy and Dwight duel for her affections in the Dunder Mifflin parking lot. In the beginning of the "Blood Drive" episode, Jim, Pam, Michael and Dwight drive a phone salesman away by repeatedly saying "Ayyyy!" in the style of Fonzie, the popular character from the sitcom "Happy Days". The mysterious woman leaves a single pink glove behind after meeting Michael, in a similar fashion to the classic folk tale "Cinderella".
Blood Drive (The Office) | Cultural references
A station in Kentucky nevertheless refused to air this episode. Pam's mother was played by Shannon Cochran in this episode of the series, in the first appearance of the character at this point in the show. Cochran was unable to return to play the character for the season six episode "Niagara", due to scheduling conflicts with a year-long theater contract, and was thus replaced by Linda Purl.
Sexual Harassment (The Office) | Production
Alan Sepinwall of "The Star-Ledger" described the episode as "a great end to what may have been my favorite season of "The Office" to date." He said the episode included great laughs and sublime dramatic moments, including Michael's moment with Holly after the sketch and the silent moment in which Jim learns Pam is pregnant. Sepinwall said Jim's moment of composing himself in the hallway after calling Dwight in that scene was, "Maybe Krasinski's single best moment on the series to date." Margaret Lyons of "Entertainment Weekly" said she had "some mixed feelings" about the episode and wished it had more from Ryan, Creed and Kelly, but she especially praised the ending scene with Jim and Pam, which she said she did not expect.
Company Picnic | Reception
Pam and Toby are shown to have a good relationship. Pam has shown much displeasure at Michael's harsh treatment of Toby. Toby has had a crush on Pam ever since she called off her wedding with Roy and Jim went to Stamford, but he is too shy to tell her his feelings. In "Cocktails" Toby spends his whole evening trying to win a stuffed animal duck at a claw machine for her. When he finally wins, Pam gives back the stuffed animal and asks, "Don't you have a daughter?" In "Dunder Mifflin Infinity" Toby is the first to find out about Jim and Pam's relationship when he sees her kiss him on the cheek in the break room.
Toby Flenderson | Pam
Early in season 8, it is revealed that Jim will be a father for the second time as Pam is expecting a son (where Pam jokingly calls him "Little Michael Scott").The delivery wasn't featured in the show, and Philip's first appearance would be during the episode "Jury Duty". Jim also had to deal with a crush from co-worker Cathy Simms, who unsuccessfully tried to seduce him while they were part of the Sabre Store team in Tallahassee, during the episode of the same name. In "New Guys," Jim reveals that he was given an offer to help his friend start a sports marketing company in Philadelphia called Athlead.
Jim Halpert | Season 8–9
But Fickett said the series needed to address why Pam was staying with the company: "Jim and Pam still work there because, well, that's part of the show – but there really isn't a very good reason as to why these two would still be at this dead end job." Will Leitch of "New York" magazine described "Blood Drive" as "mostly a placeholder episode", although he said it was "legitimately touching" when the cast stays late with Michael during the party. Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club, who gave the episode a B+ grade, said the episode included both pathos and "big laughs".
Blood Drive (The Office) | Reception