New Boss

"New Boss" is the twentieth episode of the fifth season of The Office and is the show's 92nd episode overall. It was written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky who also wrote Weight Loss and The Surplus. It aired on March 19, 2009. It was viewed by 7.95 million people.

Cold open
Jim, Dwight, Pam, and Michael try to come up with ideas for Michael's 15 year anniversary. Jim is wearing a tuxedo, prompted by a memo sent by Dwight encouraging a more rigid dress code that happens to coincide with his and Angela's preferred manner of dress. Michael, impressed by Jim's classy attire, gives his ideas preferential treatment...even though Jim just rephrases Dwight's suggestions. Dwight storms out of the conference room in anger.

Synopsis
Charles Miner, the new regional supervisor, arrives at the Scranton branch. Michael and Charles had met at a previous meeting with David Wallace and gotten along fine. Though Michael has gone to all the trouble of bringing in bagels from which he has cut out chunks so that they will resemble the letter C, he neglected to tell the staff their new VP was coming today. Charles is also unhappy to find out that Michael has not communicated some new guidelines to save money: watching expenses, managing petty cash flow, corporate approval for overtime and fewer parties.

Charles also notices Jim's tuxedo. Normally unflappable, Jim has a hard time explaining his reasoning. Charles looks unimpressed and slightly groans. Pam explains that it took Jim 40 minutes to get ready.

Michael quickly resents what he feels is his position being usurped. He calls David Wallace to complain about this unwanted supervision. When he tries to learn more about Charles, he is only able to learn that Charles used to work at Saticoy Steel. Michael is shocked that he didn't work in the paper industry and tells Charles that he doesn't need to be managed, explaining Ryan's and Jan's largely ineffective styles.

Michael, worried, continues to call David. When David doesn't answer, Dwight tells the receptionist, Stephanie, that he is "Michael Scotch" and that he has David's son in the car held captive. Michael, shocked, calls back and says that everything is fine.

Feeling uncomfortable at Charles' constantly watching him, Jim asks the camera not to document him. Michael and Charles get into an argument when Charles overrides Michael authorizing overtime for Kevin. After resorting to increasingly childish behavior, Michael orders the PPC into the conference room. In the meantime, Kelly asks Angela if she should seduce Charles. Angela snaps, "No one wants to see that."

After finding out from a resentful Phyllis that the PPC stands for Party Planning Committee and that hours are wasted on meetings, Charles bursts into the conference room to find out what they are doing. Michael protests that some great ideas for his party are being suggested, especially by Jim. Charles reads Jim's list which includes a two-way petting zoo ("You pet the animals and they pet you back") and instantly dissolves the committee.

Furious that Charles won't allow the Party Planning Committee to continue, Michael threatens to call David Wallace. Charles explains that he will tell David what he needs to know. After several weeks in which David has come to realize that Michael has little control over his branch, contacts David constantly over issues he should be able to resolve himself and resorts to extreme tactics to get a return call, David has apparently realized that the Scranton branch succeeds despite Michael, not because of him. This policy has been implemented so that Charles will perform the same role as Jan and Ryan, limiting Michael's contact with David. Not wanting to give up having the CFO's ear, Michael storms off to New York to confront David.

Knowing he's gotten off on the wrong foot with Charles, Jim tries to explain that he really is a hard worker, a productive employee and a good second-in-command. Charles apparently was never told that Jim is the office's number two and Jim is unable to explain the position's purpose well, leaving Charles to believe that this is just an imaginary position.

Michael arrives at Corporate and catches David coming out of the men's room, furious that he's been brushed off all day due to alleged meetings. He protests that he's worked for the company for 15 years, has been loyal to it and made sacrifices for it. He shouldn't have to drive all the way to New York City to speak with the CFO. David agrees and attempts to placate Michael by allowing the 15th Anniversary Party and telling him that he will attend it. Michael realizes he's being humored and he abruptly quits Dunder Mifflin. As he walks out the door he says, "You have no idea how high I can fly".

Kelly puts on makeup in the break room and explains how she foresees any potential children between Charles and her having issues due to race but deems it all worth it. She then excitedly says she is going to have Charles take her out for a steak dinner, prompting a confused Phyllis to tell her that Charles left a while ago. Kelly anxiously runs into the parking lot in the rain only to see Angela with Charles' scarf, whom she chases for it. Angela, with her makeup ruined in a talking head, says that Charles and Kelly are not meant for each other because "Charles is a sophisticated man, and he doesn't need to go dumpster diving for companionship."

Deleted scenes
On the Season 5 DVD there were several deleted scenes. Notable cuts include:
 * The office talks about Charles Miner. Creed asks who Charles is working for.
 * Dwight mocks Jim about Charles not liking him.
 * Michael tells Charles that in the mid-90's, the PPC was started. Charles doesn't care and says that the party isn't important.
 * Michael says he will stand for micro-managing, but then tells the crew he won't.
 * Charles makes fun of Jim's work ethic. Pam asks Jim to leave her desk.
 * Michael has mixed emotions for quitting his job. He calls his mom, cries, laughs, and eats.

Connections to previous episodes

 * Michael tells Charles that he planned to have egg salad for lunch despite the fact that he adamantly refused Oscar's offer to share his egg salad on the plane to Winnipeg in “Business Trip”, likening the smell of egg salad to a bag of baby poop.
 * Phyllis's resentment of the Party Planning Committee continues after she is forced to step down as its head in "Lecture Circuit".
 * It is likely that David hired Charles to act as a proxy to Michael after the events of the previous episode "Golden Ticket" which left him exasperated at Michael. After Michael's question about hiring Cirque du Soleil, he ignores Michael's calls for the rest of the day.

Goofs

 * The number two position is not fake, despite the conversation between Jim and Charles. In Season 3, Jan Levinson tells Jim that he is the number two for Scranton, and Jim accepts. In "The Merger", it is revealed that the position even comes with a pay raise, confirming that it is a recognized post.
 * Though many fans thought that Michael said, "I acquit," Jenna Fischer's MySpace blog confirmed that Michael, in fact said, "I quit."
 * When Kelly and Angela are looking for Charles, Michael's convertible PT Cruiser is in the office parking lot even though he drove to New York to talk to David Wallace.

Amusing details

 * Since The Office is filmed in California, rain is a rarity. However, rain is falling heavily in this episode.
 * Charles does evidently look to be getting along well with Michael in their initial meeting with David Wallace. In "Broke", it is revealed that he puts in a lot of effort to please David Wallace in the same way Dwight does with Michael.
 * Charles Miner continues the streak of Michael having problems with the VP of Northeast Sales.
 * While Dwight is stalling everyone in the breakroom with the history of Scranton, the entire branch looks down in boredom except Kevin who smiles in amusement and Jim who shakes his head at the camera.
 * David's secretary Stephanie transfers Michael to Charles Miner instead, likely on David's instructions.
 * Ironically, as opposed to Michael's quick dislike of him, Charles, while uncomfortable with Michael's antics, does not appear to have a problem with Michael until the former's infantile reaction and impressions of him.
 * Michael opts to not inform the office about corporate's major decisions such as cutting down on discretionary spending, overtime and possibility of lay offs, purely so they would not be upset.
 * Michael says "ASAP as possible," which is redundant because the "AP" in "ASAP" already stands for "as possible."
 * While explaining his position as second in charge of the office, Charles asks Jim if he is the Assistant to the Regional Manager, prompting Jim to clarify that he is Assistant Regional Manager in the same way Dwight does; just after incorrectly explaining that the position was previously made up to appease Dwight.
 * Kelly appears to be talking to the camera crew and viewers while putting on makeup, only to show that Phyllis is in the room as well, potentially who she was addressing.
 * Dwight looks at the tape dispenser on the desk before making up the name Michael Scotch.
 * Michael considers throwing a chair down in an attempt to throw a tantrum as he leaves the office, only to opt for pushing the chair a slight distance instead.
 * Michael asks David Wallace if he knew Charles Miner was canceling his 15th Anniversary party, prompting David to say he did not know the specifics of Michael ordering figs. This implies that contrary to Michael's belief, Charles did relay information from Michael to David just as he said he would.

Trivia

 * Michael claims that Kevin has no sexual history, forgetting that Kevin had been engaged to Stacy.
 * Michael assumes that Charles Miner is married, whereas Kelly and Angela assume he is single. The truth has yet to be revealed.
 * When Charles orders lunch for the office, the second delivery person carries the food in a cardboard box labeled "Quality Snack Foods". Quality Snack Foods was a New England food wholesale distributor based in Boston, but the logo on the box does not match the company logo. It is more likely just a generic box.
 * As this episode surrounds Michael's 15th anniversary, it can be inferred that he started work on March 19, 1994, assuming that this episode is set on its airdate. However, in the season 7 episode Michael's Last Dundies, he is said to have worked at Dunder-Mifflin, as of April 21, 2011 (that episode's airdate) for "9,986,000 minutes". This means that, if one takes that figure to mean the number of minutes since he began his job, and not just his time present in the office, Michael has worked at Dunder-Mifflin for a minimum of 19 years as of Michael's Last Dundies, and 17 years as of this episode. Then again one must remember that a year was supposed to have passed between season 6 and 7.
 * B.J. Novak (Ryan Howard) is credited and his character is mentioned but does not appear in this episode.
 * Idris Elba considers The Office as his only comedic acting job. He is also the second of four cast members of the drama The Wire to appear on The Office. The others are: Amy Ryan, who played Holly Flax; David Costabile, as a banker in Season 6's, "The Banker"; and Chris Bauer, as Harry Jannerone in Season 8's "Turf War".
 * Charles worked at "Saticoy Steel", a nod to Saticoy Street, the location of Chandler Valley Center Studios, where The Office is filmed.
 * Charles Miner is one of only two Dunder Mifflin superiors who take a dislike to Jim, following Ryan Howard.

Cultural references

 * Déclassé means "fallen from one's social class".
 * Using --er, I hardly know her is a popular joke used when a word ends in an "er." For example, when Michael tells Pam, "Miner' ("Mine Her"), I hardly know her, it implies that Pam asked Michael to in fact, "mine her."
 * Charles says that Dunder Mifflin will stop matching contributions. In the United States, a 401(k) plan is a retirement plan allowing a worker to save money for retirement. Companies often choose to match employee contributions a job benefit.
 * Pam mentions that Michael skipped the "Ace Ventura talking butt thing", referring a scene from the comedy movie . Watch it.
 * Pam's story ends with "It's cupcakes and strippers all the way down," a variation on the phrase  referring to infinite regress.
 * is a peak in New Hampshire.

Quotes
For quotes see: New Boss Quotes.

Main cast

 * Steve Carell as Michael Scott
 * Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute
 * John Krasinski as Jim Halpert
 * Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly
 * B.J. Novak as Ryan Howard (Mentioned Only)

Supporting cast

 * Ed Helms as Andy Bernard
 * Leslie David Baker as Stanley Hudson
 * Brian Baumgartner as Kevin Malone
 * Creed Bratton as Creed Bratton
 * Kate Flannery as Meredith Palmer
 * Mindy Kaling as Kelly Kapoor
 * Angela Kinsey as Angela Martin
 * Oscar Nunez as Oscar Martinez
 * Phyllis Smith as Phyllis Vance

Special guest star

 * Idris Elba as Charles Miner

Recurring cast

 * Andy Buckley as David Wallace

Guest cast

 * Suzanne Watson as Stephanie
 * Lisa K. Wyatt as Lynn