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Booze Cruise (The Office episode)
Encyclopedia
"Booze Cruise" is the eleventh episode of the second season of the American comedy
television series
The Office—the show's seventeenth episode overall. Written by Greg Daniels
and directed by Ken Kwapis
, the episode first aired in the United States on January 5, 2006 on NBC
. The episode featured Rob Riggle
and Amy Adams
as guest stars.
In the episode, Michael brings the office on a booze cruise
and plans on doing some "motivational" speaking
. After he learns that the captain of the boat has other plans, a power struggle emerges. Meanwhile, Pam and Roy's previously stagnant relationship blossoms, while Jim and Katy's begins to falter.
ship Princess -- in January. Michael Scott
(Steve Carell
) plans to use the cruise as both a party and a leadership training exercise, however "Captain Jack" (Rob Riggle
) keeps preventing him from giving a business lecture.
The captain puts Dwight Schrute
(Rainn Wilson
) in charge of a prop wheel, which Dwight thinks is real. Jim Halpert
(John Krasinski
), who has brought his girlfriend Katy (Amy Adams
) on the cruise with him, and Pam Beesly
(Jenna Fischer
) share an awkward moment alone on the deck away from their significant others. Michael continually tries to take charge of the event by standing next to the captain and interrupting everything he says. After Michael falsely declares that the ship is sinking, sending the passengers into a panic and causing one passenger to grab a life vest and jump off the ship, the captain temporarily detains him by zip tying him to he railing on the deck outside.
Just before Roy talks to the captain, Michael asks Jim who he would save on a sinking ship. Jim covers up in saying that he would save the customer, but makes it clear afterwards that he would save the receptionist. He approaches Pam to perhaps tell her his feelings at the same time that Roy is hearing a war story from the captain. A drunken Roy Anderson (David Denman
) is inspired to announce a date for his wedding with Pam, just before Jim can reach her. Jim is crushed and breaks up with Katy, realizing that he does not want to be with her. He confesses to Michael his feelings for Pam, which surprises Michael, who claims he has a "radar for things like that". As Jim is seemingly ready to give up on Pam, Michael, in an uncharacteristically serious moment, encourages him to pursue her. Jim's facial expression indicates that Michael's endeavors to motivate him in some way might have actually succeeded. Afterwards, Michael finally informs Dwight the wheel he has been steering is not real.
It is evident in deleted scenes that Jim, in giving his toast, intended to make an emotional speech about his close relationship with Pam, but is swiftly cut off by Dwight.
referred to this episode as "our Scranton
version of Scott Bond
's Titanic
." The idea to have the characters go on a booze cruise was from a friend of writer/actor B. J. Novak
, who had recently gone on one. Novak told Daniels about the trip, and Daniels then proceeded to write an episode about it.
The shooting for this episode was very different from most, due to it being shot outside the normal set, and instead of being shot during the day, filming took place from 6pm to 6am. It was shot in Long Beach Harbor
, California
. Due to it being shot on an actual boat, many cast members got sick. Rainn Wilson got especially sick on the second night, while Jenna Fischer and David Denman felt nauseous on the last night of shooting. While sound mixing the scene in with Jim and Pam on deck, producer Greg Daniels recalls that he had "seen it many, many times, but I was yelling, 'Do it, you idiot! Kiss her!'"
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
The Office—the show's seventeenth episode overall. Written by Greg Daniels
Greg Daniels
Gregory Martin "Greg" Daniels is an American television comedy writer, producer, and director.-Life and career:...
and directed by Ken Kwapis
Ken Kwapis
Ken Kwapis is an American film and television director and screenwriter. He specialized in the single-camera sitcom in the 1990s and 2000s and has directed feature films such as Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and He's Just Not That Into...
, the episode first aired in the United States on January 5, 2006 on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. The episode featured Rob Riggle
Rob Riggle
Robert Allen "Rob" Riggle, Jr. is an American actor, comedian and United States Marine Corps officer. He is best known for his work as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show from 2006–2008, as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2004–2005, and for his comedic roles in films such...
and Amy Adams
Amy Adams
Amy Lou Adams is an American actress and singer. Adams began her performing career on stage in dinner theaters before making her screen debut in the 1999 black comedy film Drop Dead Gorgeous...
as guest stars.
In the episode, Michael brings the office on a booze cruise
Booze cruise
Booze cruise is a British colloquial term for a brief trip from Britain to France or Belgium with the intent of taking advantage of lower prices, and buying personal supplies of alcohol or tobacco in bulk quantities...
and plans on doing some "motivational" speaking
Motivational speaking
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
. After he learns that the captain of the boat has other plans, a power struggle emerges. Meanwhile, Pam and Roy's previously stagnant relationship blossoms, while Jim and Katy's begins to falter.
Plot
The Dunder Mifflin crew goes on a cruise on a Lake WallenpaupackLake Wallenpaupack
Lake Wallenpaupack is a reservoir in Pennsylvania, USA. It was created in 1926 by PPL, the Pennsylvania Power & Light Company, for hydroelectric purposes. It is located near Hawley, on the border of Pike and Wayne counties in northeastern Pennsylvania...
ship Princess -- in January. Michael Scott
Michael Scott (The Office)
Michael Gary Scott is a fictional character on NBC's The Office, portrayed by Steve Carell, and based on David Brent from the original British version. Michael, the central character of the series, was the manager of the Scranton branch of paper and printer distribution company Dunder Mifflin Inc...
(Steve Carell
Steve Carell
Steven John "Steve" Carell is an American comedian, actor, voice artist, producer, writer, and director. Although Carell is notable for his role on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he found greater fame in the late 2000s for playing Michael Scott on The Office...
) plans to use the cruise as both a party and a leadership training exercise, however "Captain Jack" (Rob Riggle
Rob Riggle
Robert Allen "Rob" Riggle, Jr. is an American actor, comedian and United States Marine Corps officer. He is best known for his work as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show from 2006–2008, as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2004–2005, and for his comedic roles in films such...
) keeps preventing him from giving a business lecture.
The captain puts Dwight Schrute
Dwight Schrute
Dwight Kurt Schrute III is a character on NBC's The Office portrayed by Rainn Wilson. He originally exactly resembled Gareth Keenan from the original UK version of The Office. Dwight is the top salesman and former acting manager for the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and has won numerous awards for...
(Rainn Wilson
Rainn Wilson
Rainn Dietrich Wilson is an American actor and comedian. He is primarily known for his role as the egomaniacal Dwight Schrute on the American version of the television comedy The Office...
) in charge of a prop wheel, which Dwight thinks is real. Jim Halpert
Jim Halpert
James Duncan "Jim" Halpert is a fictional character in the United States version of the television sitcom The Office, played by John Krasinski. The character is based on Tim Canterbury from the original version of The Office...
(John Krasinski
John Krasinski
John Burke Krasinski is an American actor, film director, and writer. He is most widely known for playing Jim Halpert on the NBC sitcom The Office...
), who has brought his girlfriend Katy (Amy Adams
Amy Adams
Amy Lou Adams is an American actress and singer. Adams began her performing career on stage in dinner theaters before making her screen debut in the 1999 black comedy film Drop Dead Gorgeous...
) on the cruise with him, and Pam Beesly
Pam Beesly
Pamela Morgan "Pam" Halpert is a fictional character on the U.S. television sitcom The Office, played by Jenna Fischer. Her counterpart in the original UK series of The Office is Dawn Tinsley....
(Jenna Fischer
Jenna Fischer
Regina Marie "Jenna" Fischer is an American actress and director. She is most widely known for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Pam Halpert on the NBC situation comedy and mockumentary The Office, and has also appeared in several films, including Blades of Glory, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,...
) share an awkward moment alone on the deck away from their significant others. Michael continually tries to take charge of the event by standing next to the captain and interrupting everything he says. After Michael falsely declares that the ship is sinking, sending the passengers into a panic and causing one passenger to grab a life vest and jump off the ship, the captain temporarily detains him by zip tying him to he railing on the deck outside.
Just before Roy talks to the captain, Michael asks Jim who he would save on a sinking ship. Jim covers up in saying that he would save the customer, but makes it clear afterwards that he would save the receptionist. He approaches Pam to perhaps tell her his feelings at the same time that Roy is hearing a war story from the captain. A drunken Roy Anderson (David Denman
David Denman
David Denman is an American film and television actor.-Education:After graduating from Fountain Valley High School, Denman attended the summer training congress at American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco before receiving his B.F.A. from Juilliard.-Career:He made his film debut with Keanu...
) is inspired to announce a date for his wedding with Pam, just before Jim can reach her. Jim is crushed and breaks up with Katy, realizing that he does not want to be with her. He confesses to Michael his feelings for Pam, which surprises Michael, who claims he has a "radar for things like that". As Jim is seemingly ready to give up on Pam, Michael, in an uncharacteristically serious moment, encourages him to pursue her. Jim's facial expression indicates that Michael's endeavors to motivate him in some way might have actually succeeded. Afterwards, Michael finally informs Dwight the wheel he has been steering is not real.
It is evident in deleted scenes that Jim, in giving his toast, intended to make an emotional speech about his close relationship with Pam, but is swiftly cut off by Dwight.
Production
Greg DanielsGreg Daniels
Gregory Martin "Greg" Daniels is an American television comedy writer, producer, and director.-Life and career:...
referred to this episode as "our Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
version of Scott Bond
Scott Bond
Scott Bond is a trance music artist, producer, and promoter from Birmingham, England, who began DJing in 1989. He started out DJing at venues such as Cream, Miss Moneypenny's, Fun and Gatecrasher, which he co-founded. He has toured internationally with Gatecrasher...
's Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
." The idea to have the characters go on a booze cruise was from a friend of writer/actor B. J. Novak
B. J. Novak
Benjamin Joseph Manaly “B. J.” Novak is an American actor, stand-up comedian, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for being a writer and co-executive producer for and playing the role of Ryan Howard on the US version of The Office, as well as appearing in Inglourious Basterds...
, who had recently gone on one. Novak told Daniels about the trip, and Daniels then proceeded to write an episode about it.
The shooting for this episode was very different from most, due to it being shot outside the normal set, and instead of being shot during the day, filming took place from 6pm to 6am. It was shot in Long Beach Harbor
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Due to it being shot on an actual boat, many cast members got sick. Rainn Wilson got especially sick on the second night, while Jenna Fischer and David Denman felt nauseous on the last night of shooting. While sound mixing the scene in with Jim and Pam on deck, producer Greg Daniels recalls that he had "seen it many, many times, but I was yelling, 'Do it, you idiot! Kiss her!'"
Reception
Reviews for this episode were mostly good. Michael Sciannamea of TV Squad stated "This sitcom gets better every week" and that "What made this one quite good was that they didn't rely on Dwight too much, although the bits with him "driving" the boat were good." Monique Marcil of Zap2it said that the "28 seconds of silence between co-workers Jim and Pam capture all the awkwardness and longing of unspoken love better than any words could. And it's these private moments caught on film by the unseen documentary crew that give this otherwise tart sitcom its sweetness." In a poll done by OfficeTally.com, "Booze Cruise" was ranked as the fifth best episode of the second season. John Krasinski stated that "Booze Cruise" included his favorite scene to film from the entire series.External links
- "Booze Cruise" at NBC.com