Drug Testing

"Drug Testing" is the twentieth episode of the second season of The Office. It was written by Jennifer Celotta and directed by Greg Daniels. It first aired on April 27, 2006.

Synopsis

Dwight finds half of a joint in the parking lot of Dunder Mifflin and takes advantage of his volunteer sheriff deputy status by interviewing the staff to get to the bottom of it. Meanwhile, Jim does an impression of Stanley and gets caught. When he and Pam speak at the same time (impersonating Stanley's response), Pam calls "jinx" so Jim can't talk until he buys her a Coke, which isn't an issue until he discovers the vending machine is sold out. When Dwight sets up urine testing, Michael worries that a "clove cigarette" he smoked at an Alicia Keys concert will show up.

Michael holds an anti-drug meeting for the entire office, where he over-expresses his hatred of drugs. He tries to get out of the testing, but Dwight continues to insist that he must take part. Michael pressures Dwight for a cup of his "clean" urine, but Angela is against the idea. Jim continues to hold up his end of the jinx. Pam continues to tease him, until she gets to the point where she says, "you can tell me anything", which creates an awkward silence. Michael passes his drug test (with Dwight's urine); Dwight turns in his volunteer badge over his actions. Pam buys Jim his Coke, which he buys off of her so she can find out what's been happening with Dwight the whole day. Michael feels guilty, so he makes Dwight an "Honorary Security Advisor" for Dunder Mifflin Scranton. Jim wonders aloud what Dwight gets out of his relationship with Michael, while the camera focuses on him and Pam, suggesting that the two have a similarly confusing relationship.

Deleted scenes

Jim does impressions of Kevin and Angela for Pam.
In a talking head interview, Dwight is so determined to find the culprit that he is prepared to pray "to Thor himself."
In a talking head interview, Toby doesn't think Michael is taking drugs, but maybe he should.
Jim secretly does an impression of Dwight right in front of him.
In a talking head interview, Dwight talks about Jim and concludes, "If that were my life, I'd do drugs."
Phyllis tells Stanley that she told Dwight he wasn't acting withdrawn. Stanley barely acknowledges her.
Stanley ignores Dwight's call to be interviewed.
Pam toys with Dwight by admitting that she "was a teensy bit high... in the parking lot at the Quick and Easy."
Meredith comes to Jim because Pam told her he had something to tell her. Jim is under the jinx and says nothing. Meredith assumes the worst.
Kelly puts a customer on hold when she is called by Dwight.
Dwight takes notes during the conference: "Creed - Shifty eyes. Ryan - Dilated pupils. Kelly - Hyperactive." Michael makes up more absurd drug "facts". Jan (via speaker phone) excuses herself from the meeting, which is the first time the others were aware she was even listening.
Pam shows the camera the flyer that Michael made up for the conference. "Drugs: Let's not and say we did."
Kelly returns to her desk after the conference and realizes that her customer has been on hold the whole time.
In talking head interviews, Angela and Meredith talk about how they aren't worried about drug testing.
Pam forwards a call from Brenda to Jim's phone. Jim is under the jinx and doesn't answer. Jim holds up a sign for the camera: "It's ok... She'll call back!"
Dwight turns in his volunteer sheriff's uniform and badge, neither of which he was authorized to have in the first place. The sheriff discovers other things Dwight was doing without authorization.
Leo and Gino, the workers at Vance Refrigeration, discard a joint in the parking lot.

Trivia

Michael's list of drugs reads "crack, cocaine, pot, blow, acid, hookah, heroine, speed". There are a number of errors on this list:
Toby accurately points out that hookah isn't a drug. Furthermore, "blow" is a slang term for cocaine, and "crack" is a form of cocaine, so they are redundant.
Additionally, the list features many slang terms from drugs, not the actual term. "Blow" is a slang term for cocaine, as stated above. Additionally, "speed" is slang for amphetamines, "acid" is slang for LSD, and "pot" is slang for marijuana.
Adding to the list, Michael writes the word "heroine" instead of "heroin"; "Heroine" is the feminine form of the word "hero", while heroin is a strongly addictive opiate.
The cast and crew joke that this episode must have been the most times any television show has said the word "urine". The word urine is used 16 times.
The kind of marijuana Creed identifies during his interrogation is an actual variety of cannabis.
Steve Carell injured his finger, and it swelled up so much that he couldn't get his wedding ring off. The finger was bandaged to disguise the ring.^[1]

Interesting Notes

It is not clear how Creed was able to pass drug testing, as he evidently still uses cannabis.

Amusing details

After Pam tells a Jinxed Jim that he can finish his conversation with Kelly, she turns to leave, and Jim quickly glances at her butt.

When Michael asks Dwight for his urine, the camera reveals a picture of everyone in the office that was taken and Photoshopped (by Michael) in "Conflict Resolution". However, "Conflict Resolution" was aired after "Drug Testing".

Cultural references

Dude where's my office? is a play on the title of the 2000 movie Dude, Where's My Car? about two dimwits who have lost their car.
A doobie is slang for a marijuana cigarette. The Doobie Brothers is an American rock group from the 1970's and early 1980's. Michael combines them in a strange way.
Seacrest out, is a catch phrase sign-off of television personality Ryan Seacrest. Peace out is a hippie good-bye. Michael combines the two in a somewhat nonsensical way.
Jinx is a children's "game". When two people say the same thing at the same time, the person who doesn't say "jinx" first must remain silent until the jinx is released. Traditional conditions including buying the winner a Coke (as occurs in this episode) or having one's name said three times.
Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong form the comedy team Cheech & Chong which relied heavily on drug humor.
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe is a children's counting rhyme. It has a disputed racist history and is considered offensive by some.
To bring out the big guns is a common expression meaning to bring a more powerful technique to some type of conflict or competition.
Alicia Keys is an R&B singer.
Let's not and say we did is an idiom used to decline a suggestion. It literally means that one should claim to have done something without having done it.

Quotes

see Drug Testing Quotes

Cast

Main Cast

Supporting Cast

Recurring Cast

Guest Cast

Marilyn Brett as Linda the Urinalysis Technician

References

↑ Supersize Office Finale, Supersize Blog!, Jenna Fischer's blog for TV Guide, May, 11 2006.

[jenna_tvguide_200605-1] Supersize Office Finale, Supersize Blog!, Jenna Fischer's blog for TV Guide, May, 11 2006.

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