Michael Scott Paper Company
Encyclopedia
"Michael Scott Paper Company" is the twenty-third episode of the fifth season of the television series The Office, and the 95th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on April 9, 2009.
In the episode, Michael
, Pam
and Ryan
try to get their new paper company off the ground, but end up bickering among themselves due to the stress and cramped office space. Meanwhile, Jim
tries to do a "rundown" for new boss Charles Miner
without admitting he does not know what a rundown is, while Dwight
and Andy
compete for the affections of the new receptionist, played by Ellie Kemper
.
The episode was written by Justin Spitzer
and directed by Gene Stupnitsky
. It included a guest appearance by Idris Elba
, who played new Dunder Mifflin vice president Charles Miner. The episode aired the same day as the Office episode "Dream Team
"; the debut episode
of the new NBC show Parks and Recreation
was shown between the two episodes. "Michael Scott Paper Company" included a new title sequence with footage of the series characters in the new Michael Scott Paper Company office setting, rather than the Dunder Mifflin setting from previous episodes. The episode received mostly positive reviews. According to Nielsen ratings
, it was watched by 8 million viewers and captured the most viewers in its time slot for adults between the ages of 18 and 49. "Michael Scott Paper Company" received a 2009 Emmy Award
nomination for Outstanding Sound Mixing in a Comedy Series.
(Steve Carell
), Pam
(Jenna Fischer
), and Ryan
(B. J. Novak
) are struggling to adjust to the work environment of the new Michael Scott Paper Company. The office space, which used to be a closet, is too small in which to operate. Water pipes run through the room, so they can hear the toilets flush from the Dunder Mifflin bathrooms above them. Ryan openly goofs off in front of Pam and Michael and insults both of them in their presence during phone conversations. Pam and Ryan bicker over who is responsible for which duties until Michael separates them into corners. Pam, who joined the company as a saleswoman, is given the corner where the photocopier sits. She is concerned that Michael will force her to be the receptionist, which is why she quit Dunder Mifflin in the first place. She goes upstairs and asks Charles Miner
(Idris Elba
) for her job back, but Charles had already given the job to a new employee, Kelly "Erin" Hannon
(Ellie Kemper
).
Michael hosts a pancake luncheon to introduce the company to potential clients, but only one person and the Dunder Mifflin employees show up. When Michael, Pam, and Ryan come close to giving up, the potential client from the luncheon calls asking for paper. Pam closes the sale and the three cheer in celebration.
In the Dunder Mifflin office, Charles asks Jim
(John Krasinski
) for a "rundown" of his client information. Jim does not know what a rundown is, but he is too embarrassed to ask because he has been making such a poor impression with Charles. Jim spends much of the day trying to figure out what a rundown is, making several failed attempts to figure it out by chatting vaguely about it with Charles and other coworkers. When he finally finishes what he believes is a rundown, Charles does not look at it and simply asks Jim to fax it to everyone on the distribution list. Jim does not know what the distribution list is either, but rather than asking Charles, he simply faxes the rundown to his father.
Meanwhile, Dwight
(Rainn Wilson
) and Andy
(Ed Helms
) strike up an unlikely friendship and plan a hunting trip, but their new friendship is tested by their mutual romantic interest in Erin. Both make passes at her, but eventually agree their friendship is more valuable than a romantic interest. However, they end up trying simultaneously to impress Erin during a competitive duet of John Denver
's "Take Me Home, Country Roads
", with Andy on a banjo and Dwight playing guitar; both sing, and Dwight sings part of the song in German. Erin is initially impressed with both of them, but winds up awkwardly sneaking out of the room as they play. The loud duet is finally stopped by a frustrated Toby
(Paul Lieberstein
). Angela
(Angela Kinsey
) is visibly annoyed by Dwight and Andy's budding friendship, as she has already been romantically involved with both of them.
and directed by Gene Stupnitsky
. It originally aired April 9, 2009, the same day as the episode "Dream Team
"; the debut episode
of the new NBC show Parks and Recreation
was shown between the two episodes. "Michael Scott Paper Company" was the fourth of six episodes guest starring Idris Elba
, best known as Stringer Bell
from The Wire
. Elba said he did not watch the episode after it aired because "I'm hypercritical about my work, so I try not to torture myself." According to the Season 5 DVD episode commentary, B.J. Novak came up with the story idea involving Jim and the "run-down" and worked it into Spitzer's final script. The episode included a new title sequence with footage of the series characters in the new Michael Scott Paper Company office setting, rather than the Dunder Mifflin setting from the previous episodes. Rainn Wilson and Ed Helms practiced the guitar competition in Ed Helms' trailer during lunch the day of the filming; Helms, a proficient bluegrass
banjo player, coached Wilson, who is proficient at guitar and drums. Wilson said he proposed doing a full studio cover of the song, with Creed Bratton
providing backup guitar and vocals, and selling it on iTunes
for charity. Helms said he was happy to have the opportunity to play banjo on screen, but did not feel the instrument made much sense for his character; Helms said, "It's so fun and weird, but he's a Connecticut preppy guy. How did he pick up a banjo? It's one of Andy's many mysteries, not all of which I even understand."
Prior to the episode's airing, NBC set up a web site for the new Michael Scott Paper Company at www.michaelscottpapercompany.com, which included a mission statement for the company, photos of the new office space and a downloadable copy of the coupon for "unparalleled customer service" featured in the episode. The official website for The Office included four cut scenes from "Michael Scott Paper Company" within a week of the episode's original release. In one 85-second clip, Dwight and Andy pretend to shoot, stab and throw grenades at each other in pantomime in anticipation of their hunting trip; they pretend to kill Jim and pester him until he plays dead, after which Charles walks in and believes he is napping. A second one-minute clip includes Pam and Ryan fighting around the new office until they are interrupted by a janitor who believes the room is still a closet and leaves water jugs on the floor. In a third, 40-second clip, Jim asks Charles directly what a "run-down" is, but when an annoyed Charles asks if this is "one of your pranks", Jim gives up and leaves. The fourth and final clip, which is 85 seconds long, features Andy and Dwight both making passes at Erin; Andy discusses how easy it would be to learn sign language
, while Dwight tells her to be careful not to get her hair or clothes caught in the nearby paper shredder.
song "Take Me Home, Country Roads
" while trying to impress the new receptionist. At one point, Toby is overheard through a vent discussing and praising the FX show Damages
while on the phone in a bathroom. He said it is as good as anything on HBO, a premium television channel known for such shows as The Sopranos
, Six Feet Under and The Wire
. During the workday, Ryan watches a YouTube
video of a rap music commercial for Flea Market Montgomery; the low-budget rap music advertisement for the Montgomery
, Alabama
flea market gained Internet fame. Michael uses Evite
, social-planning website for creating online invitations, to invite people to his pancake luncheon. On a whiteboard, Michael writes a quote of himself quoting Wayne Gretzky
, the popular ice hockey player who said "You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take". The new paper company office included Apple computers and a Nerf
basketball hoop. During a phone conversation, Ryan said he wants an iPod
music player that also serves as a phone, but not an iPhone
, which is essentially that very product; both items are Apple products. Michael listens to "Just Dance", a Lady Gaga
song, while driving his convertible to work, which he mistakes for a Britney Spears
song. Near the end of the episode, when Andy states that every song sounds better a cappella
, Dwight asks about the songs "Cherry Pie
" by Warrant
, "Enter Sandman
" by Metallica
and "Rebel Yell
" by Billy Idol
.
. The episode earned more ratings than "Dream Team", the other Office episode of the night, which had 7.2 million viewers. It also performed better than the Parks and Recreation pilot, which ran between the two Office episodes and had 6.8 million viewers. "Michael Scott Paper Company", as well as "Dream Team", had the most viewers in its time slot among adults between the ages of 18 and 49.
The episode received mostly positive reviews. Travis Fickett of IGN
said this and other recent episodes are "proving that the show has plenty of life in it and (that) The Office has still got it." He said the funniest element of the show was the emerging "bro-mance" between Dwight and Andy. Will Leitch of New York
magazine said, "The Office kind of needed this sort of shake-up, even if it’s something as simple as another room to put all our characters in." Keith Phipps of The A.V. Club
said he liked the plot aspects involve the new company, particularly the pancake breakfast and the first successful sales call: "I know the series probably has to revert to something like the old status quo at some point, but I almost wish it could stay in that dank little corner a little longer." Phipps, who gave the episode a B+ grade, said the "rundown" subplot between Jim and Charles was a bit strained by the end. Steven Mullen of The Tuscaloosa News
called the episode "stellar" and particularly praised the comedic chemistry between Andy and Dwight.
Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
said he was enjoying the new paper company storyline, but that "Michael Scott Paper Company" was not as funny as "Dream Team", which aired the same day. Sepinwall praised particular scenes such as Dwight and Andy's competitive duet and Kelly's plan to make Charles want her. She criticized the cramped new office space jokes as being less funny than those in previous episodes. Sepinwall also said the storyline between Jim and Charles was getting repetitive and, "It would help if the writers ever gave Idris Elba something funny to do." Margaret Lions of Entertainment Weekly
said, "This episode wasn't one of my favorites ... No bombs, no bits that failed, and by The Office's standards, nothing even particularly cringe worthy. But 'TMSPC' is more groundwork than payoff." She said Dwight's rendition of "Take Me Home, Country Roads" in German was "the absolute funniest moment of the episode".
In her list of the top ten moments from the fifth season of The Office, phillyBurbs.com writer Jen Wielgus ranked Michael's formation of the Michael Scott Paper Company in the downstairs storage closet as the number one, citing the "Dream Team", "Michael Scott Paper Company" and "Heavy Competition
" episodes in particular. She also said she specifically enjoyed the paper-shaped pancakes from "Michael Scott Paper Company". "Michael Scott Paper Company" was voted the twelfth highest-rated episode out of 26 from the fifth season, according to an episode poll at the fansite OfficeTally; the episode was rated 8.27 out of 10.
"Michael Scott Paper Company" received 2009 Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Sound Mixing in a Comedy Series. The nomination was shared by sound mixers Benjamin Patrick, John W. Cook and Peter J. Nusbaum. It marked one of 10 Emmy nominations The Office received during the show's fifth season.
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...
in the United States on April 9, 2009.
In the episode, Michael
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...
, Pam
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....
and Ryan
Ryan Howard (The Office)
Ryan Bailey Howard , played by B. J. Novak, is a fictional character on the US television sitcom The Office. He is based upon Ricky Howard from the original version of The Office , but his role is significantly expanded and he is a main character.-Character profile:Little is known about Ryan's...
try to get their new paper company off the ground, but end up bickering among themselves due to the stress and cramped office space. Meanwhile, Jim
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...
tries to do a "rundown" for new boss Charles Miner
Charles Miner (The Office)
Charles Miner was the Vice President of Northeast Sales for Dunder Mifflin, having taken over the position vacated by Ryan and Jan. He is portrayed by Idris Elba.-Character history:Charles is first introduced in "New Boss"...
without admitting he does not know what a rundown is, while Dwight
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...
and Andy
Andy Bernard
Andrew "Andy" Baines Bernard is a fictional character from the U.S. television series The Office. The character is highly insecure, yet egotistical, constantly mentioning his education at Cornell University...
compete for the affections of the new receptionist, played by Ellie Kemper
Ellie Kemper
Elizabeth Claire "Ellie" Kemper is an American actress, comedian and writer best known for her role as Erin Hannon in NBC's The Office.-Personal life:...
.
The episode was written by Justin Spitzer
Justin Spitzer
Justin Spitzer is an American television writer, whose credits include Scrubs and Courting Alex. He is currently serving as a staff writer on The Office...
and directed by Gene Stupnitsky
Gene Stupnitsky
Gene Stupnitsky is a film and television writer. He usually works with Lee Eisenberg.In television, he wrote for the NBC comedy series The Office from seasons 2 to 6, and served as a co-executive producer and directed two episodes with Eisenberg, "Michael Scott Paper Company" and "The Lover"...
. It included a guest appearance by Idris Elba
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba is a British television, theatre, and film actor. He has starred in both British and American productions. Elba grew up in Canning Town, East London. One of his first acting roles was in the soap opera Family Affairs. He has worked in a variety of TV roles including ...
, who played new Dunder Mifflin vice president Charles Miner. The episode aired the same day as the Office episode "Dream Team
Dream Team (The Office)
"Dream Team" is the twenty-second episode of the fifth season of the television series The Office, and the 94th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 9, 2009. In the episode, Pam and Michael try to keep each other motivated as the two form their new...
"; the debut episode
Pilot (Parks and Recreation)
"Pilot" is the first episode of the first season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 9, 2009. The episode was written by series co-creators Michael Schur and Greg Daniels, and directed by Daniels...
of the new NBC show Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is an American comedy television series on NBC that focuses on Leslie Knope , a mid-level bureaucrat in the parks department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series debuted on April 9, 2009; it has run for three seasons and...
was shown between the two episodes. "Michael Scott Paper Company" included a new title sequence with footage of the series characters in the new Michael Scott Paper Company office setting, rather than the Dunder Mifflin setting from previous episodes. The episode received mostly positive reviews. According to Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, it was watched by 8 million viewers and captured the most viewers in its time slot for adults between the ages of 18 and 49. "Michael Scott Paper Company" received a 2009 Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nomination for Outstanding Sound Mixing in a Comedy Series.
Synopsis
MichaelMichael 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...
), Pam
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,...
), and Ryan
Ryan Howard (The Office)
Ryan Bailey Howard , played by B. J. Novak, is a fictional character on the US television sitcom The Office. He is based upon Ricky Howard from the original version of The Office , but his role is significantly expanded and he is a main character.-Character profile:Little is known about Ryan's...
(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...
) are struggling to adjust to the work environment of the new Michael Scott Paper Company. The office space, which used to be a closet, is too small in which to operate. Water pipes run through the room, so they can hear the toilets flush from the Dunder Mifflin bathrooms above them. Ryan openly goofs off in front of Pam and Michael and insults both of them in their presence during phone conversations. Pam and Ryan bicker over who is responsible for which duties until Michael separates them into corners. Pam, who joined the company as a saleswoman, is given the corner where the photocopier sits. She is concerned that Michael will force her to be the receptionist, which is why she quit Dunder Mifflin in the first place. She goes upstairs and asks Charles Miner
Charles Miner (The Office)
Charles Miner was the Vice President of Northeast Sales for Dunder Mifflin, having taken over the position vacated by Ryan and Jan. He is portrayed by Idris Elba.-Character history:Charles is first introduced in "New Boss"...
(Idris Elba
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba is a British television, theatre, and film actor. He has starred in both British and American productions. Elba grew up in Canning Town, East London. One of his first acting roles was in the soap opera Family Affairs. He has worked in a variety of TV roles including ...
) for her job back, but Charles had already given the job to a new employee, Kelly "Erin" Hannon
Erin Hannon
Kelly Erin Hannon is a fictional character from the U.S. television series The Office. She is the office receptionist for the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin, a position previously held by Pam Halpert before she left the company. Erin is played by Ellie Kemper...
(Ellie Kemper
Ellie Kemper
Elizabeth Claire "Ellie" Kemper is an American actress, comedian and writer best known for her role as Erin Hannon in NBC's The Office.-Personal life:...
).
Michael hosts a pancake luncheon to introduce the company to potential clients, but only one person and the Dunder Mifflin employees show up. When Michael, Pam, and Ryan come close to giving up, the potential client from the luncheon calls asking for paper. Pam closes the sale and the three cheer in celebration.
In the Dunder Mifflin office, Charles asks Jim
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...
) for a "rundown" of his client information. Jim does not know what a rundown is, but he is too embarrassed to ask because he has been making such a poor impression with Charles. Jim spends much of the day trying to figure out what a rundown is, making several failed attempts to figure it out by chatting vaguely about it with Charles and other coworkers. When he finally finishes what he believes is a rundown, Charles does not look at it and simply asks Jim to fax it to everyone on the distribution list. Jim does not know what the distribution list is either, but rather than asking Charles, he simply faxes the rundown to his father.
Meanwhile, Dwight
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...
) and Andy
Andy Bernard
Andrew "Andy" Baines Bernard is a fictional character from the U.S. television series The Office. The character is highly insecure, yet egotistical, constantly mentioning his education at Cornell University...
(Ed Helms
Ed Helms
Edward Paul "Ed" Helms is an American actor and comedian known for his work as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as Andy Bernard on the US version of the sitcom/mockumentary The Office and for his role as Dr. Stu Price in The Hangover films.- Early life :Helms was born and raised...
) strike up an unlikely friendship and plan a hunting trip, but their new friendship is tested by their mutual romantic interest in Erin. Both make passes at her, but eventually agree their friendship is more valuable than a romantic interest. However, they end up trying simultaneously to impress Erin during a competitive duet of John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
's "Take Me Home, Country Roads
Take Me Home, Country Roads
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a song written by John Denver, Taffy Nivert, and Bill Danoff and initially recorded by John Denver. It was included on his 1971 breakout album Poems, Prayers and Promises; the single went to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100...
", with Andy on a banjo and Dwight playing guitar; both sing, and Dwight sings part of the song in German. Erin is initially impressed with both of them, but winds up awkwardly sneaking out of the room as they play. The loud duet is finally stopped by a frustrated Toby
Toby Flenderson
Toby Wyatt Flenderson, M.S.W. born 1971 is a character from the US television series The Office. He is played by Paul Lieberstein. He is an original character and has no equivalent in the British version of the show, The Office.-Overview:...
(Paul Lieberstein
Paul Lieberstein
Paul Bevan Lieberstein is an American screenwriter, actor and television producer. An Emmy Award winner, he is most widely known as a writer, producer, and as supporting cast member Toby Flenderson on the U.S...
). Angela
Angela Martin
Angela Noelle Martin is a fictional character from the US television series The Office played by American actress Angela Kinsey. She is an original character, and has no equivalent in the British version of the show, The Office.-Overview:...
(Angela Kinsey
Angela Kinsey
Angela Kinsey is an American actress. She currently appears as the uptight accountant Angela Martin on the hit NBC television series The Office.-Personal life:...
) is visibly annoyed by Dwight and Andy's budding friendship, as she has already been romantically involved with both of them.
Production
"Michael Scott Paper Company" was written by Justin SpitzerJustin Spitzer
Justin Spitzer is an American television writer, whose credits include Scrubs and Courting Alex. He is currently serving as a staff writer on The Office...
and directed by Gene Stupnitsky
Gene Stupnitsky
Gene Stupnitsky is a film and television writer. He usually works with Lee Eisenberg.In television, he wrote for the NBC comedy series The Office from seasons 2 to 6, and served as a co-executive producer and directed two episodes with Eisenberg, "Michael Scott Paper Company" and "The Lover"...
. It originally aired April 9, 2009, the same day as the episode "Dream Team
Dream Team (The Office)
"Dream Team" is the twenty-second episode of the fifth season of the television series The Office, and the 94th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 9, 2009. In the episode, Pam and Michael try to keep each other motivated as the two form their new...
"; the debut episode
Pilot (Parks and Recreation)
"Pilot" is the first episode of the first season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 9, 2009. The episode was written by series co-creators Michael Schur and Greg Daniels, and directed by Daniels...
of the new NBC show Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is an American comedy television series on NBC that focuses on Leslie Knope , a mid-level bureaucrat in the parks department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series debuted on April 9, 2009; it has run for three seasons and...
was shown between the two episodes. "Michael Scott Paper Company" was the fourth of six episodes guest starring Idris Elba
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba is a British television, theatre, and film actor. He has starred in both British and American productions. Elba grew up in Canning Town, East London. One of his first acting roles was in the soap opera Family Affairs. He has worked in a variety of TV roles including ...
, best known as Stringer Bell
Stringer Bell
Russell "Stringer" Bell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by English actor Idris Elba. Bell served as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale's second in command, assuming direct control of the Barksdale Organization during Avon's imprisonment...
from The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
. Elba said he did not watch the episode after it aired because "I'm hypercritical about my work, so I try not to torture myself." According to the Season 5 DVD episode commentary, B.J. Novak came up with the story idea involving Jim and the "run-down" and worked it into Spitzer's final script. The episode included a new title sequence with footage of the series characters in the new Michael Scott Paper Company office setting, rather than the Dunder Mifflin setting from the previous episodes. Rainn Wilson and Ed Helms practiced the guitar competition in Ed Helms' trailer during lunch the day of the filming; Helms, a proficient bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
banjo player, coached Wilson, who is proficient at guitar and drums. Wilson said he proposed doing a full studio cover of the song, with Creed Bratton
Creed Bratton
Creed Bratton is an American actor and musician, a former member of The Grass Roots...
providing backup guitar and vocals, and selling it on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
for charity. Helms said he was happy to have the opportunity to play banjo on screen, but did not feel the instrument made much sense for his character; Helms said, "It's so fun and weird, but he's a Connecticut preppy guy. How did he pick up a banjo? It's one of Andy's many mysteries, not all of which I even understand."
Prior to the episode's airing, NBC set up a web site for the new Michael Scott Paper Company at www.michaelscottpapercompany.com, which included a mission statement for the company, photos of the new office space and a downloadable copy of the coupon for "unparalleled customer service" featured in the episode. The official website for The Office included four cut scenes from "Michael Scott Paper Company" within a week of the episode's original release. In one 85-second clip, Dwight and Andy pretend to shoot, stab and throw grenades at each other in pantomime in anticipation of their hunting trip; they pretend to kill Jim and pester him until he plays dead, after which Charles walks in and believes he is napping. A second one-minute clip includes Pam and Ryan fighting around the new office until they are interrupted by a janitor who believes the room is still a closet and leaves water jugs on the floor. In a third, 40-second clip, Jim asks Charles directly what a "run-down" is, but when an annoyed Charles asks if this is "one of your pranks", Jim gives up and leaves. The fourth and final clip, which is 85 seconds long, features Andy and Dwight both making passes at Erin; Andy discusses how easy it would be to learn sign language
Sign language
A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
, while Dwight tells her to be careful not to get her hair or clothes caught in the nearby paper shredder.
Cultural references
Dwight and Andy sing and perform the John DenverJohn Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
song "Take Me Home, Country Roads
Take Me Home, Country Roads
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a song written by John Denver, Taffy Nivert, and Bill Danoff and initially recorded by John Denver. It was included on his 1971 breakout album Poems, Prayers and Promises; the single went to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100...
" while trying to impress the new receptionist. At one point, Toby is overheard through a vent discussing and praising the FX show Damages
Damages (TV series)
Damages is an American television drama series created by the writing and production trio of Daniel Zelman and brothers Glenn and Todd A. Kessler . It is broadcast in the United States on the DirecTV channel Audience Network after originally airing on FX and is produced by the creators' own...
while on the phone in a bathroom. He said it is as good as anything on HBO, a premium television channel known for such shows as The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
, Six Feet Under and The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
. During the workday, Ryan watches a YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video of a rap music commercial for Flea Market Montgomery; the low-budget rap music advertisement for the Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
flea market gained Internet fame. Michael uses Evite
Evite
Evite is a social-planning website for creating, sending, and managing online invitations.Evite was launched in 1998. The website is a free, advertisement-supported service. It was acquired by conglomerate IAC/InterActiveCorp in 2001. Liberty Media acquired it in 2010.- Usage :An event organizer...
, social-planning website for creating online invitations, to invite people to his pancake luncheon. On a whiteboard, Michael writes a quote of himself quoting Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, the popular ice hockey player who said "You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take". The new paper company office included Apple computers and a Nerf
Nerf
Nerf is a toy brand created by Parker Brothers and currently owned by Hasbro. The acronym NERF stands for "Non-Expanding Recreational Foam". Most of the toys are a variety of foam-based weaponry, but there are also several different types of Nerf toys, such as balls for sports like football,...
basketball hoop. During a phone conversation, Ryan said he wants an iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
music player that also serves as a phone, but not an iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, which is essentially that very product; both items are Apple products. Michael listens to "Just Dance", a Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
song, while driving his convertible to work, which he mistakes for a Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
song. Near the end of the episode, when Andy states that every song sounds better a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
, Dwight asks about the songs "Cherry Pie
Cherry Pie (Warrant song)
"Cherry Pie" is a song by the American glam metal band Warrant. "Cherry Pie" is the titular track from Warrant's album Cherry Pie, and both were released in 1990.-Background:...
" by Warrant
Warrant (American band)
Warrant is an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California, that experienced success from 1989-1996 with five albums reaching international sales of over 10 million. The band first came into the national spotlight with their debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, and one of its...
, "Enter Sandman
Enter Sandman
"Enter Sandman" is a 1991 song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the first single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich...
" by Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and "Rebel Yell
Rebel Yell (song)
"Rebel Yell" is the first song on the Billy Idol album of the same name. When first released in 1984, it charted outside the UK Top 40, but a re-issue in 1985 reached #6. It did not fare as well in the US, only reaching #46...
" by Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
.
Reception
In its original American broadcast on April 9, 2009, "Michael Scott Paper Company" was watched by 8 million overall viewers, according to Nielsen ratingsNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. The episode earned more ratings than "Dream Team", the other Office episode of the night, which had 7.2 million viewers. It also performed better than the Parks and Recreation pilot, which ran between the two Office episodes and had 6.8 million viewers. "Michael Scott Paper Company", as well as "Dream Team", had the most viewers in its time slot among adults between the ages of 18 and 49.
The episode received mostly positive reviews. Travis Fickett of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
said this and other recent episodes are "proving that the show has plenty of life in it and (that) The Office has still got it." He said the funniest element of the show was the emerging "bro-mance" between Dwight and Andy. Will Leitch of New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine said, "The Office kind of needed this sort of shake-up, even if it’s something as simple as another room to put all our characters in." Keith Phipps of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
said he liked the plot aspects involve the new company, particularly the pancake breakfast and the first successful sales call: "I know the series probably has to revert to something like the old status quo at some point, but I almost wish it could stay in that dank little corner a little longer." Phipps, who gave the episode a B+ grade, said the "rundown" subplot between Jim and Charles was a bit strained by the end. Steven Mullen of The Tuscaloosa News
The Tuscaloosa News
The Tuscaloosa News is a daily newspaper serving Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA, and the surrounding area in west central Alabama.The newspaper is a member of the New York Times Regional Media Group, a subsidiary of the New York Times Company, through the corporate entity of NYT Holdings, Inc., an...
called the episode "stellar" and particularly praised the comedic chemistry between Andy and Dwight.
Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
said he was enjoying the new paper company storyline, but that "Michael Scott Paper Company" was not as funny as "Dream Team", which aired the same day. Sepinwall praised particular scenes such as Dwight and Andy's competitive duet and Kelly's plan to make Charles want her. She criticized the cramped new office space jokes as being less funny than those in previous episodes. Sepinwall also said the storyline between Jim and Charles was getting repetitive and, "It would help if the writers ever gave Idris Elba something funny to do." Margaret Lions of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
said, "This episode wasn't one of my favorites ... No bombs, no bits that failed, and by The Office's standards, nothing even particularly cringe worthy. But 'TMSPC' is more groundwork than payoff." She said Dwight's rendition of "Take Me Home, Country Roads" in German was "the absolute funniest moment of the episode".
In her list of the top ten moments from the fifth season of The Office, phillyBurbs.com writer Jen Wielgus ranked Michael's formation of the Michael Scott Paper Company in the downstairs storage closet as the number one, citing the "Dream Team", "Michael Scott Paper Company" and "Heavy Competition
Heavy Competition
"Heavy Competition" is the 24th episode of the fifth season of the television series The Office, and the 96th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 16, 2009. In the episode, Michael enlists the help of Dwight in getting Michael's new paper company...
" episodes in particular. She also said she specifically enjoyed the paper-shaped pancakes from "Michael Scott Paper Company". "Michael Scott Paper Company" was voted the twelfth highest-rated episode out of 26 from the fifth season, according to an episode poll at the fansite OfficeTally; the episode was rated 8.27 out of 10.
"Michael Scott Paper Company" received 2009 Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Sound Mixing in a Comedy Series. The nomination was shared by sound mixers Benjamin Patrick, John W. Cook and Peter J. Nusbaum. It marked one of 10 Emmy nominations The Office received during the show's fifth season.
External links
- "Michael Scott Paper Company" at NBC.comNBCThe 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...