Robert California
Encyclopedia
Robert California is a fictional character on The Office, played by James Spader
. He has no counterpart on the original British version of the series
.
" as an interviewee for the Scranton branch manager's job. During his job interview, he is asked by Toby
how his experience selling refinery equipment translates to Dunder Mifflin's smaller scale. Robert answers with, "it does not make a difference whether a man wants a hundred dollars worth of paper
or a hundred million dollars of deep sea drilling equipment, what he wants is respect," because, according to him, "there is no such thing as a product; only sex." Gabe
voices that he's concerned Robert might be overly qualified, and asks him if he thinks that he might be, only for Robert to ask him if he looks like a person who would waste his own time. After he leaves the interview, Jim
admits that while Robert creeps him out, he believes he might be a genius.
After the interview, he stops by Dwight
's Caffeine Corner in the lobby, and attempts to sabotage Merv Bronte (Ray Romano
), who is on his way up for his interview by telling him that the people in the office act like they're in prison. When Dwight questions Robert why he feels qualified to judge a place after a mere interview, he studies Dwight for a moment. Dwight tells him to stop, but Robert states he's already "figured him out". Dwight then asks him if he even knows anything about paper, to which Robert responds to by saying he saw an episode of how they make paper on Sesame Street
. Dwight, disgusted, orders him to leave.
Later, in a talking-head interview held in the parking lot, Robert tells the camera he is sure he will be offered the job, as it is a call he has received many times.
", it is revealed that Robert was hired as the branch manager over the summer, but quickly drives to Florida and convinces Sabre CEO Jo Bennett
to give him her job. He appoints Andy Bernard
as the regional manager. Jim notes that Robert spends half his time working out of the conference room, and occasionally wanders around the office picking random people to have strange conversations with, an experience that Jim describes as simultaneously terrifying and highly desirable. Robert makes a list of the people in the office, dividing them between perceived "winners" and "losers"; he takes the winners out to lunch. When confronted about the list, he states that those are his impressions, and they could change, challenging the office with: "winners: prove me right; losers: prove me wrong". Andy later imposes on Robert and makes up a new list, perceiving Robert's losers as Andy's winners. Robert quietly seems to respect Andy for it.
During "The Incentive
", Andy tries to get on Robert's good side by picking out a tie that he thinks will impress him. Robert challenges Andy to get the branch to double their sales with a motivational speech. Upon why he chose Andy for the job, he says of Andy that he is "all surface...uncomplicated, what you see is what you get" and that causes people to rally behind him, because he is an underdog. Robert later says, even if it's an underdog to unexceptional people. He also detects that Erin is attracted to Andy and tells Andy that he's aware of it, before saying he's already lost interest in that little tidbit of information.
Andy organizes a garden party
at Schrute Farms during "Garden Party
", to impress Robert. When he arrives, various employees make attempts to kiss up to him, most notably Ryan and Gabe, who offer their jackets. Robert also discusses the possibility of holding his birthday party at Schrute Farms, with Dwight.
In "Spooked
", Robert tries to figure out everyone's deepest fears in order to tell a ghost story that simultaneously frightens the entire office, itself a conscious effort to prevent the staff from allowing fear to run their lives.
During "Doomsday
", Robert is unhappy after discovering that an accounting error allowed a billed order to go to a client for free. He orders Andy to correct the error and Andy turns to Dwight, who uses a system nicknamed "the doomsday device". The device will count the number of errors made in the office and will generate an email report to Robert. Dwight also reveals several emails that are unflattering of Robert, including Jim, Oscar and Kelly that all discuss his creepiness. When the staff initiates an error email report to Robert, Andy tasks Jim with intercepting him at his squash session. The ploy is successful, particularly when Dwight decides to stop sending the report after a crisis of conscience. Although Jim plays quite poorly against Robert, who is particularly skilled at the game.
In "Pam's Replacement
", Robert joins Andy, Darryl and Kevin's band with a surprising talent for the harmonica
but it gradually appears that when Robert's musically talented friends come to play, the original trio are phased out.
When Andy takes much of the staff to visit "Gettysburg
", Robert is elated to see those who stayed behind and calls them the "free thinkers" and has a staff meeting where they'll present all their best ideas. While many of the ideas are shot down by Robert, he takes a shine to Kevin's cookie idea with the vending machine. Although he perceives Kevin's simple ideas as metaphors, he eventually realizes that Kevin is literally speaking. This is made when Ryan , who's been trying to make a good impression on Robert, exposes one of Kevin's ideas as being nothing more than a simple idea.
James Spader
James Todd Spader is an American actor best known for his eccentric roles in movies such as Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero, Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Crash, Stargate, and Secretary...
. He has no counterpart on the original British version of the series
The Office (UK TV series)
The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious...
.
Season 7
California first appeared in the season 7 finale "Search CommitteeSearch Committee
"Search Committee" is the hour-long finale of the seventh season of the American television comedy series The Office. It is the 151st and 152nd episodes of the series overall and the 25th and 26th episodes of the seventh season. It was written by show runner and executive producer Paul Lieberstein...
" as an interviewee for the Scranton branch manager's job. During his job interview, he is asked by 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:...
how his experience selling refinery equipment translates to Dunder Mifflin's smaller scale. Robert answers with, "it does not make a difference whether a man wants a hundred dollars worth of paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
or a hundred million dollars of deep sea drilling equipment, what he wants is respect," because, according to him, "there is no such thing as a product; only sex." Gabe
Gabe Lewis
Gabriel Stuart "Gabe" Lewis is a fictional character on NBC's The Office. He first appears in the sixth season, where he is the Coordinating Director of Emerging Regions for the Sabre Corporate headquarters in Florida...
voices that he's concerned Robert might be overly qualified, and asks him if he thinks that he might be, only for Robert to ask him if he looks like a person who would waste his own time. After he leaves the interview, 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...
admits that while Robert creeps him out, he believes he might be a genius.
After the interview, he stops by 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...
's Caffeine Corner in the lobby, and attempts to sabotage Merv Bronte (Ray Romano
Ray Romano
Raymond Albert "Ray" Romano is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian, best known for his roles on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and in the Ice Age film series. He recently starred in the TNT comedy-drama Men of a Certain Age.-Early life:Romano was born in Queens, New York to Italian...
), who is on his way up for his interview by telling him that the people in the office act like they're in prison. When Dwight questions Robert why he feels qualified to judge a place after a mere interview, he studies Dwight for a moment. Dwight tells him to stop, but Robert states he's already "figured him out". Dwight then asks him if he even knows anything about paper, to which Robert responds to by saying he saw an episode of how they make paper on Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. Dwight, disgusted, orders him to leave.
Later, in a talking-head interview held in the parking lot, Robert tells the camera he is sure he will be offered the job, as it is a call he has received many times.
Season 8
In "The ListThe List (The Office)
"The List" is the eighth season premiere of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 153rd episode overall. The episode original aired on NBC in the United States on September 22, 2011. It was written and directed by executive producer B. J. Novak...
", it is revealed that Robert was hired as the branch manager over the summer, but quickly drives to Florida and convinces Sabre CEO Jo Bennett
Jo Bennett
Joleen MaryAnn "Jo" Bennett is a fictional character from the US comedy television series The Office, who first appeared in Season 6. She is the CEO of Sabre, who purchased Dunder Mifflin, and is played by Kathy Bates.-Biography:...
to give him her job. He appoints Andy Bernard
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...
as the regional manager. Jim notes that Robert spends half his time working out of the conference room, and occasionally wanders around the office picking random people to have strange conversations with, an experience that Jim describes as simultaneously terrifying and highly desirable. Robert makes a list of the people in the office, dividing them between perceived "winners" and "losers"; he takes the winners out to lunch. When confronted about the list, he states that those are his impressions, and they could change, challenging the office with: "winners: prove me right; losers: prove me wrong". Andy later imposes on Robert and makes up a new list, perceiving Robert's losers as Andy's winners. Robert quietly seems to respect Andy for it.
During "The Incentive
The Incentive
"The Incentive" is the second episode of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 154th episode overall. It was written by Paul Lieberstein and directed by Charles McDougall. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on September 29, 2011...
", Andy tries to get on Robert's good side by picking out a tie that he thinks will impress him. Robert challenges Andy to get the branch to double their sales with a motivational speech. Upon why he chose Andy for the job, he says of Andy that he is "all surface...uncomplicated, what you see is what you get" and that causes people to rally behind him, because he is an underdog. Robert later says, even if it's an underdog to unexceptional people. He also detects that Erin is attracted to Andy and tells Andy that he's aware of it, before saying he's already lost interest in that little tidbit of information.
Andy organizes a garden party
Garden party
A garden party is a social gathering with food provided, in the open in a park or a garden. An event described as a garden party is usually more formal than other similar gatherings, which may be called just parties, picnics, barbecues, etc,...
at Schrute Farms during "Garden Party
Garden Party (The Office)
"Garden Party" is the fourth episode of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 156th episode overall. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on October 13, 2011. It was written by co-executive producer Justin Spitzer and was directed...
", to impress Robert. When he arrives, various employees make attempts to kiss up to him, most notably Ryan and Gabe, who offer their jackets. Robert also discusses the possibility of holding his birthday party at Schrute Farms, with Dwight.
In "Spooked
Spooked (The Office)
"Spooked" is the fifth episode of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 157th episode overall. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on October 27, 2011. It was written by Carrie Kemper and directed by Randall Einhorn...
", Robert tries to figure out everyone's deepest fears in order to tell a ghost story that simultaneously frightens the entire office, itself a conscious effort to prevent the staff from allowing fear to run their lives.
During "Doomsday
Doomsday (The Office)
"Doomsday" is the sixth episode of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 158th episode overall...
", Robert is unhappy after discovering that an accounting error allowed a billed order to go to a client for free. He orders Andy to correct the error and Andy turns to Dwight, who uses a system nicknamed "the doomsday device". The device will count the number of errors made in the office and will generate an email report to Robert. Dwight also reveals several emails that are unflattering of Robert, including Jim, Oscar and Kelly that all discuss his creepiness. When the staff initiates an error email report to Robert, Andy tasks Jim with intercepting him at his squash session. The ploy is successful, particularly when Dwight decides to stop sending the report after a crisis of conscience. Although Jim plays quite poorly against Robert, who is particularly skilled at the game.
In "Pam's Replacement
Pam's Replacement
"Pam's Replacement" is the seventh episode of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 159th episode overall. The episode aired on NBC in the United States on November 10, 2011...
", Robert joins Andy, Darryl and Kevin's band with a surprising talent for the harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
but it gradually appears that when Robert's musically talented friends come to play, the original trio are phased out.
When Andy takes much of the staff to visit "Gettysburg
Gettysburg (The Office)
"Gettysburg" is the eighth episode of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 160th episode overall. The episode aired on NBC in the United States on November 17, 2011.-Plot:...
", Robert is elated to see those who stayed behind and calls them the "free thinkers" and has a staff meeting where they'll present all their best ideas. While many of the ideas are shot down by Robert, he takes a shine to Kevin's cookie idea with the vending machine. Although he perceives Kevin's simple ideas as metaphors, he eventually realizes that Kevin is literally speaking. This is made when Ryan , who's been trying to make a good impression on Robert, exposes one of Kevin's ideas as being nothing more than a simple idea.