Office Writers Interview About Season 5

Here is an interview with The Office's writers about season 5. Enjoy!

July 31: OfficeTally interviews The Office writers at Comic-Con
Re: Holiday episodes:
Interviewer: Will you be doing any holiday episodes? A lot of fans miss Christmas, and Halloween …

Greg: We missed it, too. We had such a good Christmas one written, and there is a Halloween episode, or there will be Halloween during an episode, it won’t all be about Halloween, coming up.

Interviewer: For Season 5?

Greg: Yes. (To other writers) What are we doing for Christmas this year? (To Justin) You wrote it, right? (To me) Hang on a second … (Walks over to Justin, and they start whispering out of earshot … gah!)

Interviewer (to Lee): Darn!

Greg: Okay, yeah. It’s the Christmas episode.

Re: Season 5:
Interviewer: I was wondering what, if anything, can you tell me about Season 5? We know that the season premiere is an hour long …

Jen: It is an hour long.

Interviewer: Can you tell me who the writer is?

Jen: Gene [Stupnitsky] and Lee [Eisenberg] wrote it. The Emmy-nominated Gene and Lee now, from ‘Dinner Party.’ And actually, for the first time ever, we’re going to see what happens over the summer. You know how we usually jump forward in terms of the documentary and we skip a gap? We’re going to see the summer. Every act is a different week. So the first episode will be eight weeks long. It’s week 1 of the summer, week 2 of the summer, week 3, week 4, week 5, week 6, week 7, week 8. And it’s weight loss. It’s a group weight loss competition. They’re competing against other branches in a weight loss challenge. And we’re going to check in with them.

Interviewer: Is this episode called “Weight Loss”?

Jen: It’s between being called “Weight Loss” and “Summer.” My guess is it’s going to be called “Weight Loss.”

Interviewer: Will Holly be in the premiere?

Jen: Yup. Holly’s coming back. She’ll definitely be in the premiere. And Jan will have a baby at some point.

Jen: We’re going to have a baby shower. There’s going to be a baby shower for Jan’s baby.

Michael makes the office throw a baby shower for this baby that is not even his.

Great YouTube Video

I really enjoyed watching an entire montage of classic Office "that's what she said" moments. Here is the link.... tell me what you think....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oktSEw7izB4

Office Love Triangle- Holly, Michael, and Jan

The love triangle started in the Season 4 finale will continue into Season 5. NBC execs confirmed that both Melora Hardin (Jan) and Amy Ryan (Holly) will be returning for all of Season 5. When we last left them, Holly asked Michael to go out with her for dessert (hubba hubba). Michael, who has a crush on Holly (and it appears that Holly has one on him), suggested that she goes with Kevin for dessert because Kevin knows good places (in the mean time, Kevin thinks Holly is in to him, but she really thinks he is "slow" as Dwight put it). Jan is now very pregnant with a sperm donor's baby and Michael left her message saying that he would go with her to her lamaze classes (but first "what is lamaze?"), so there is a good chance they will get back together (even after their embarassing Dinner Party fight). Could it be more complicated? Melora Hardin (Jan) says in a recent interview that Jan and Holly will have encounters and that Jan realizes she is a threat. She also said that Jan will be determined to break them up. I personally hope that he ends up with Holly in the very end, but I have a feeling that he is going to go for Jan at first. Hopefully, he comes to his senses and goes after Holly (before Kevin), but I will feel bad that Jan is alone (but it is her fault, she is a psycho and she wanted this baby without Michael). I hope Michael gets a chance to have a family with somebody good. I guess we will have to stay tuned to see what happens.

8 EMMY NOMS!

The Office was nominated for eight Emmys this year. Even though Jim and Pam were snubbed, it is still very exciting. I hope they win, but we will have to wait until September 21 to find out. They were nominated in the following categories:

- Outstanding Comedy Series- The Office (Local Ad Episode)
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series- Steve Carell (Michael), Goodbye, Toby
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series- Rainn Wilson (Dwight), Money
- Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series- Paul Lieberstein, Money
- Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series- Paul Feig, Goodbye, Toby
- Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series- Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky, Dinner Party
- Outstanding Picture Editing for a Comedy Series- Dave Rogers and Dean Holland, Goodbye, Toby
- Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama or Comedy Series- Ben Patrick, John W. Cook II, Peter J. Nusbaum, Local Ad

Steve the Skater

Just another fun fact for you: Steve Carell is a huge hockey fan. He even plays on an adult hockey team in L.A. where he lives (and films The Office). He is very good at ice skating and they took advantage of that in Season 2 when they took Michael skating for his birthday.

Season 5 Predictions...

Here are my predictions (and hopes) right now for Season 5....

• Angela will break off her engagement with Andy
• Pam and Jim will get engaged even though the distance between them (Pam at art school and Jim in Scranton) will cause some relationship problems
• I think that Michael and Jan will probably get back together, but I want Holly and Michael to become a couple
• The office will take a visit to prison to visit Ryan
• Kevin will try to put the moves on Holly
• Dwight and Angela will get back together
• Toby will come back (who else is Michael going to pick on)
• Creed will still be an old creeper

Win at the TV Land Awards

The cast of The Office attended the TV Land Awards, an award show honoring classic TV shows (i.e. The Brady Bunch). At the award show, The Office was awarded the Future Classic Award, which is a big honor. Steve Carell (Michael Scott), Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute), Oscar Nunez(Oscar Martinez), Ed Helms (Andy Bernard), Brian Baumgartner (Kevin Malone), Leslie David Baker (Stanley Hudson), Creed Bratton (Creed Bratton), Kate Flannery (Meredith Palmer), Angela Kinsey (Angela Martin), Greg Daniels (executive producer and creator), and Teri Weinberg and Ben Silverman (executive producers) were there to accept the award. Angela looks good (she had a baby one month ago!)

Fun Run

I know that it has been a while since I updated the blog.... Sorry... I have been busy.

OK... briefly... the Fun Run...

A great episode!

The office finally knows about Jim and Pam (Everyone, this is a day that will live in infamy. Because today is the day that Jim and Pam become one. Let the bells of Dunder Mifflin chime out your love" -Michael Scott). But why was Toby saying about not letting them fill out an office relationship form. Does he think that they are not going to last. I hope he is wrong... PB & J Forever.

And now Ryan is Mr. HotShot coming back from corporate trying to bring them into the modern times. I felt bad for Michael when Ryan snapped at him at the beginning (even though he kind of deserved it). It cracked me up when Michael was texting and Ryan tried to copy him.

There were many funny parts but Kelly MADE the episode. I loved when everyone was putting up a banner that said "Welcome Back Ryan!" and she walks in in a sexy dress and was like.... "OH... is Ryan coming back? I did not know." YEA RIGHT! But the best part was when she wanted to get back together with Ryan, so she told him that she was pregnant. Then there was a clip of her shaking her head. Then Ryan told her said that they would talk about it over dinner and she goes "Yea! We have a date!" Hilarious!

Dwight and Angela are over. Even though Dwight offered Angela Garbage the cat, she says, "Every time I look in your eyes, I see Sprinkles’ stiff, lifeless body." Dwight replies, "Then don’t look in my eyes. Look right here. It’s an old sales trick." I feel bad for Dwight because he loved Angela, but it was still funny when he was crying in Michael's car about Angela. Will they get back together? I guess only the next episode will tell. Even though, they are both weirdos, they belong together (maybe for that reason). They prove that even nerds and a person who is no fun can find love. :-)

And finally, Michael was stressed out because Creed convinced him that Ryan was trying to update the office and get rid of all the old people. Consequently, Creed dyes his hair black and spikes it. He wants the vending machines to be filled with Red Bull because sometimes, "a guy just needs to ride the bull." "Later, skater!" Michael has one of his infamous meetings. At this one, he convinces everyone that "Well, we have learned that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, because it's illegal, and you will go to jail."

Ryan asks Pam out and Pam turns him down (obviously, she is with Jim). This causes Jim to say, "I guess he cannot get any girl he wants."

Michael tries to prove that gift baskets work better than websites in getting back old clients and ends up driving into Lake Scranton. ("Computers tried to murder him in the lake.")

Season 4 Premiere: The Fun Run

What an excellent start to the season! I have waited for months for The Office to start again, and it finally has with one of my favorite episodes ever. Not only were there hysterical moments during the show, but it also involved some major plot developments between many of the characters that we have come to know and love.

The show opens with Michael showing how his day begins: he eats his breakfast which was homemade by Jan (well actually, she bought the milk.... it's organic!), he says goodbye to the now jobless Jan who is still sleeping, and he drives to work. On the way to work he hits Meredith, one of his employees.

Then, Jim tells us that he has broken up with Karen and she no longer is working is Scranton. He claims he's single, but he has been spending more time with Pam and they both look happier than ever. Kevin is immediately suspicious that they are a couple, even though Oscar says that there is no evidence for this.

Michael announces that Meredith was hit by a car (which he happened to be in.... and driving!) and that she has only suffered a crack in her pelvis. The office is obviously shocked and appalled with Michael (even though Dwight reassures him, "It's only Meredith")

Michael informs Ryan, now working at corporate, about what just happened and Michael tries to ensure him that everything is okay ("We're in double jeopardy so we're fine.... I mean 'What is we are fine'")

The whole crew, with the exception of Dwight who must feed and give medications to Angela's sick cat sprinkles. Meredith looks very bad (causing Kelly to say, "She looks awful" and Michael to reply that "she looked that way before I hit her"). Michael asks for her forgiveness but Meredith refuses.

Everyone returns to the office including Dwight who informs Angela that Sprinkles is dead. Angela is heartbroken and Michael announces that the office must be cursed! Therefore, Michael calls a staff meeting to determine what can be done to eliminate this curse (make a sacrifice to "Like a giant buffalo. Or some sort of monster... something with the body of a walrus with the head of a sea lion, or something with the body of an egret. With the head of a meer cat. Or just the head of a monkey with the antlers of a reindeer. With a body of.... a porcupine." ) and Dwight goes to visit Meredith in the hospital. While he is there, he not only tries to unplug her because the amount of energy being used to keep her alive "could power a small fan for two days", but also because he is a farmer and he believes in putting animals in pain out of their misery (hint, hint, for later in the episode). Dwight also discovers that Meredith may have been exposed to rabies (when Dwight put a bag over her head that contained a bat during Season 3, when she was bitten by a rat, or when she was bitten by a racoon).

By end of that day at work, Pam and Jim both claim they are single and Kevin finally gives up on the thought that they are together. However, the cameramen catch a clip of Jim getting into Pam's car and they KISS! FINALLY!! The next day in the office, they are shown the clip by the cameramen. At first they deny that they are together, but then Pam blurts out, "WE'RE DATING!" and they both say that they have not told anyone but it has been really great. AGAIN... FINALLY!

Dwight tells Michael this news and Michael believes that he saved Meredith by putting her in the hospital because other wise she might not have found out that she has been exposed rabies. He decides to have his own fundrasier called Michael Scott's Dunder-Mifflin Scranton Meredith Palmer Memorial Celebrity Rabies Awareness Fun Run Race for the Cure. The entire office is raising money for the fundraiser and then they will be running (Andy is taking special precautions to prevent nipple chaffing).

Pam has to tell Michael something, so she knocks on his door, he says come in, and so she does. Then she catches him naked... with a certain part exposed (poor Pam... that could scar someone for life). Later, they discover that they have raised seven hundred dollars for rabies ($500 from Michael and Jan, and some money from Dwight who was told that it was going towards bat birth control). However, two hundred dollars is spent on a giant check and $160 spent on a stripper dressed a nurse for them to give the check too (there were no rabies doctors or nurses available).

Before the race, Jan tells Pam to stay away from Michael because he is hers (she heard that Pam had walked in on him) and Michael downs a ton of Fettucine Alfredo (one minte before the race.... the wrong time for carb overloading). Then, the race begins. Dwight tells Michael that he gave Toby Immodium (oops! He meant laxatives so that Toby would have to stop often), but instead Toby runs without having to stop to go the bathroom unlike he usually does. Jim and Pam decide to walk, enjoy their day, and stop at an estate sale. Kevin and Stanley decide to go to a restaurant and then drive to the finish line. Angela believes that Dwight killed her cat and Dwight then admits that he did because he could not stand watching the animal suffer. He sang her her favorite song and put her in the freezer. Angela is infuriated and she hits Dwight.... uh, oh.... I hope they do not break up. Michael runs so fast that by the end he cannot go any farther and it is up to Pam and Jim to encourage him to keep going. They do and he makes it to the finish line. He "pukes his guts out," but he "never pukes his heart out." Then is taken to the hospital for dehydration where he runs into Meredith who forgives him because he tried to help (with the fundraiser).

The highlight of the episode was that Jim and Pam are finally together.... I have waited long enough, but now that it has finally happened.... it is so worth it.

I cannot wait until next week!

Quote of the Week: September 23rd

"It was a crime of passion, Jan. Not a disgruntled employee. Everyone here is extremely gruntled."
- Michael Scott,
after Roy attacks Jim.

The Stars of The Office Clean Up Nicely

Steve Carell (up for the award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Michael) looked nice in a tuxedo. He arrived with his wife, Nancy Walls (who you may remember as Michael's girlfriend, Carol on The Office). Here he is frolicking on stage with Jon Stewart and Steve Colbert after they announced at they wanted to give the award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series to him because Ricky Gervais (the winner for Extras) was not in attendance.

Rainn Wilson (up for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Dwight) looked sophisticated, yet Dwight-ish. He came with his wife, Holiday Reinhorn.

Jenna Fischer (up for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Pam) looked great in a gold dress with a rather large bow.

Other Office stars in attendance included John Krasinski (Jim), Melora Hardin (Jan), Mindy Kaling (Kelly), Rashida Jones (Karen), Angela Kinsey (Angela), Brian Baumgartner (Kevin), Kate Flannery (Meredith), and B.J. Novak (Ryan).

Pictures Courtesy of Yahoo, Getty Images, E! Online and The Office Tally

The Office Takes Home One Emmy Award!

Greg Daniels, a writer from The Office, took home the award for Best Writing for a Comedy Series in the Gay Witch Hunt episode of The Office (the first episode of season three).

I am glad he won. I just wish the show would have won in the other categories where it was nominated. Here were the other awards it was up for:

Best Comedy Series *Won by 30 Rock
Best Lead Actor in a Comedy – Steve Carell (Michael) *Won by Ricky Gervais (Extras)
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy – Rainn Wilson (Dwight) *Won by Jeremy Piven (Entourage)
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy – Jenna Fischer (Pam) * Won by Jaime Pressley (My Name Is Earl)
Best Writing for a Comedy Series – Greg Daniels (“Gay Witch Hunt”)
Best Writing for a Comedy Series – Michael Schur (“The Negotiation”) *Won by Greg Daniels (The Office)
Best Directing for a Comedy Series – Ken Kwapis (“Gay Witch Hunt”) *Won by Richard Shepard (Ugly Betty- "The Pilot")

Photo Courtesy of The Office Tally