The Secret

The Secret
Season	2
Episode	13
Production Code	02014
Airdate	January 19, 2006
Written by	Lee Eisenberg & Gene Stupnitsky
Directed by	Dennie Gordon
Episodes timeline
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Previous	The Injury
Next	The Carpet
Next	The Carpet

"The Secret" is the thirteenth episode of the second season of The Office. It was written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and directed by Dennie Gordon. It first aired on January 19, 2006.

Synopsis

Michael finds it difficult to keep Jim's secret. When Oscar is out sick, Dwight investigates and unknowingly discovers Oscar faked being sick to spend the day with his boyfriend.

Trivia

• There are many secrets in this episode: Jim's crush on Pam, Oscar's gay relationship, and Dwight and Angela's relationship.
• As of this episode, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, and Phyllis Smith are listed as cast regulars.

Deleted scenes

The Season Two DVD will most likely contain a number of deleted scenes from this episode. Notable cut scenes include:

• Michael plays with his new putting toy. On his second attempt, the ball goes under the bookshelf. While Dwight retrieves the ball, Michael accidentally knocks his "World's Best Boss" mug off his desk, destroying it. He retrieves a new mug from the drawer.
• In a talking head interview, Dwight expounds on the hazards posed by dust bunnies.
• Michael surveys his worker bees and decides that he is the King Bee, nay, the Ace Bee.
• Ryan shows the camera an unfinished TV Guide crossword puzzle from Michael's office. In answer to "Mary-Kate and Ashley _____ (5 letters)" Michael wrote "Judd?"
• In a talking head interview, Michael explains that he rushed a few fraternities but decided not to accept any offers, which turned out well since no offers were made.
• Dwight tries to extract information about Oscar from Ryan.
• Michael buys Jim a Hooters t-shirt from the gift shop.

Amusing details

• When Dwight asks Ryan if he can handle running spring cleaning, he flashes a page from his notebook. Dwight takes his investigation so seriously, he even made himself a fake badge.
• Immediately after Dwight brags in a talking head interview that he can spot a liar, he fails to detect that Michael is lying to him.
• The birthday apron Jim wears has balloons under it to give the impression that the person wearing it has boobs.
• During Michael's talking head interview defending his magic shop spending spree, he is wearing a false thumb, which magicians use to conceal objects.

Cultural references

• Spring cleaning is the tradition of cleaning one's house at the beginning of the spring season.
• Michael sings Our lips are sealed by the Go-Go's but misidentifies the artist as The Bangles.
• Michael announces, "It's Grrrrrrape!", mimicking cereal mascot Tony the Tiger's exclamation "They're grrreat!"
• Bogey at 3 o'clock is military jargon for "unidentified object on the right."
• Michael's proclamation "We are not worthy!" and accompanying mock prostration come from the recurring Wayne's World sketch on Saturday Night Live.
• There is no such movie More Secrets of a Call Girl.
• The Hokey Pokey is a dancing song. It is performed pretty much as shown in the episode, except that "front side" is more typically mundane body parts such as "left hand". Coincidentally, the original copyright holders are from Scranton.

Cast

Main Cast

• Steve Carell as Michael Scott
• John Krasinski as Jim Halpert
• Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly
• Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute
• B.J. Novak as Ryan Howard

Supporting Cast

• Leslie David Baker as Stanley Hudson
• Brian Baumgartner as Kevin Malone
• Kate Flannery as Meredith Palmer
• Angela Kinsey as Angela Martin
• Oscar Nunez as Oscar Martinez
• Phyllis Smith as Phyllis Lapin

Recurring Cast

• Creed Bratton (actor) as Creed Bratton
• Tom W. Chick as Gil
• Mindy Kaling as Kelly Kapoor
• Paul Lieberstein as Toby

Guest Cast

• Lindsay Stoddart as Dana (Hooters waitress)