The Office

The Office is a 30 minute-long sitcom produced by the Deedle Dee Productions and Reveille Productions in association with NBC. It is based on the British series of the same name that was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and was adapted for American audiences by producer Greg Daniels. The pilot first premiered on television on March 24, 2005.

The show stars Steve Carell as Michael Scott, Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, John Krasinski as Jim Halpert and Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly and focuses on the day-to-day lives of the employees of the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Although a fictional and scripted show, it is shot in documentary format with characters often acknowledging the presence of the cameras, even using talking head segments.

The Office is currently airing its sixth season.

Season 1

Main article: Season 1

A documentary crew arrives to the Dunder Mifflin Scranton Branch to experience a day of work at a seemingly ordinary paper company. However this office is anything but ordinary.

Oblivious Regional Manager Michael Scott sees himself as "a friend first, boss second, and entertainer third." Michael is entirely unaware that his co-workers would only seldom agree. Michael's offensive shenanigans and jokes turn them off rather than make them laugh.

Michael fights to keep spirits up despite the looming threat of downsizing and bleak outlook of the branch.

Salesman Jim Halpert doesn't care much for his job. His workdays mainly feature flirting with engaged receptionist Pam Beesley, and pulling pranks on co-worker and Assistant to the Regional Manager Dwight Shrute.

Dwight, the top salesman in the office, worships Michael who is annoyed and yet seemingly pleased by Dwight's habit of sucking up to him. Dwight is best characterized by his humorous obsession with power and authoritarian style in the workplace.

Pam, the receptionist, is engaged to warehouse worker Roy. However she seems to have a greater connection with Jim who has a secret crush on her. Pam and Jim's favorite hobby in the office is to annoy and orchestrate pranks on Dwight.

Season 2

Season 2 picks up with the first episode, The Dundies. Despite Jim's relationship with Katy starting at the end of the first season, Jim continues to struggle with intense feelings for Pam whose rocky engagement with Roy continues.

Michael purchases a condo, with Dwight's assistance. A few episodes later into the season, Michael sleeps with his boss Jan Levinson after securing a major client, Lackawanna County, (Scranton's entire county). In the aftermath Michael is convinced that Jan is officially his girlfriend which she frequently denies and attempts to keep secret. In the season finale, Michael instead hooks up with his real estate agent, Carol from earlier in the season leaving Jan unhappy.

Dwight and Angela begin a highly secretive relationship after having sex at Jim's BBQ party. Pam becomes convinced that something is going on between the two.

When Pam and Roy set a wedding date, Jim makes a mistake in telling Michael about his feelings for Pam. This results in Michael accidentally revealing it to the entire office. Depressed at the inevitability of Pam getting married, Jim decides to transfer to the Stamford branch at the end of the season. In the season finale, Casino Night, Jim tells Pam that he is in love with her and the two share a passionate kiss.

Season 3

Main article: Season 3

Jim Halpert begins the season in the Stamford branch, having moved there to avoid the pain of his unrequited feelings for Pam, who (unknown to Jim) cancelled her wedding with Roy. When the Stamford and Scranton branches merge, the two are brought back together, but things aren't the same: Jim has a new girlfriend.

The season's primary dramatic focus is the gradual emergence of a newer, more confident Pam.

Season 4

Main article: Season 4

Jim and Pam are revealed to be happily dating, meanwhile other Office relationships are less blissful. Dwight kills Angela's cat Sprinkles which leads to a breakup. Dwight is depressed throughout the season and tries in vain to win her back. Andy begins to woo Angela into a relationship and after finding her a new cat succeeds. Michael's relationship with Jan crashes after a disastrous dinner party but finds new affection for Toby's HR fill in, Holly Flax in the season finale.

Following the Season 3 finale, Ryan makes a big jump from Junior Salesman to Vice President of Regional Sales, replacing Jan at corporate and becoming Michael's superior. Ryan creates a new website called Dunder Mifflin Infinity to help the company become more competitive and up to date. It soon becomes clear that Ryan is in over his head. The website is infiltrated by sexual predators and the overall performance of the website is underwhelming. In order to boost the reputation of the website he commits fraud and is arrested in the season finale.

Jim is blindsided when Ryan lectures him on his job performance and even hints at the possibility of firing him. The subtle threat comes to nothing when Ryan is arrested.

Toby decides to leave and go to Costa Rica, leaving Dunder Mifflin behind and Michael throws a party in the season finale, Good Bye Toby, to display his happiness. Michael takes a liking to the new HR rep Holly Flax.

Andy proposes to Angela in front of the Office and she accepts. Jim delays his plan to propose to Pam on the same night. Phyllis then walks in on Angela and Dwight having sex in the office to close season 4.

Season 5

Main article: Season 5

Midway through the episode Weight Loss, Jim proposes to Pam after meeting her at a distant gas station. Through the first half of the season, Michael continues to have relationship problems after his break-up with Holly. In the episode Lecture Circuit Part 2, after stealing a file from Holly's computer in Nashua, it is revealed that Holly still has feelings for Michael and regrets ending the relationship.

Season 6

Pam reveals to the office that she is pregnant in Gossip. In Niagara, Pam and Jim get married in Niagara Falls. In that episode, it is revealed that Michael is dating Helene Beesly, Pam's mom. In The Lover, Pam is exceedingly angry at Michael for dating her mother, and in Double Date because of her age, Michael, to Pam and Jim's dismay, breaks up with Helene on her birthday.

In Murder, it is revealed that Dunder Mifflin is going bankrupt and will be insolvent by the end of the year, and corporate is forced to face an angry crowd of shareholders in Shareholder Meeting. It is revealed that Secret Santa, that David Wallace will be fired, among many others at corporate, and that Dunder Mifflin Scranton employees are safe. As of Secret Santa, Dunder Mifflin has been bought out.

Throughout the season, Kelly and Ryan have been having an on again, off again relationship. They are seen dancing together in Niagara, and in a deleted scene in Secret Santa, Kelly tells Santa (Phyllis) that she wants Ryan for Christmas. A relationship continues to bud between Erin Hannon and Andy Bernard. In Murder, Andy asks out Erin, but since they are both in character when Andy asks her out, they are both unsure whether really they are going on a date. Erin and Andy both said they didn't mean it, however, they both, in talking heads, both admitted they thought the date was real. In Secret Santa, Andy is Erin's secret santa, and gives her presents based on the 12 Days of Christmas. However, Erin is hurt by the animals. But, Andy repays her by getting 12 drummers, drumming which makes her seemingly very happy.

Awards

The Office has been honored with numerous award nominations. The following is a selected list of awards the show has won. See a complete list of awards and nominations by clicking here.

Emmy Awards - Outstanding Comedy Series - 2006
Golden Globes - Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical, Steve Carell - 2006
Peabody Awards - Outstanding Comedy Series - 2007

Other Media

The first five seasons are available on DVD.
The Office: The Accountants is a series of short webisodes.
Fake Public Service Announcements
Olympics Promos
2006 NBC Primetime Preview
58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
Creed Thoughts


The Office
Seasons	6
Episodes	113
Original Airdate	March 24, 2005
Created by	Ricky Gervais Stephen Merchant & Greg Daniels