Branch Closing
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| The Office episode |
| "Branch Closing" | |
 Dwight saves Stanley after a fax from his future self in "Branch Closing". |
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| Episode No. | 35 |
| Prod. Code | 307 |
| Airdate | November 9, 2006 |
| Writer(s) | Michael Schur |
| Director | Tucker Gates |
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The Office Season 3 |
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| List of all The Office episodes... | |
"Branch Closing" is the seventh episode of the third season of The Office (U.S. version). It was first aired on November 9, 2006. It is the first episode to have a "Producer's Cut" on NBC.com, with deleted scenes edited into the full episode and broadcast on the website. [1] This uncut episode is not available in any form outside of the US.
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[edit] Synopsis
Jim is using the Stamford fax machine as Karen arrives for the day and she questions it. Jim says it is hard to explain. In a talking head, he explains that he occasionally faxes Dwight messages from "his future self" on Dwight Schrute stationery, stolen before Jim transferred. In Scranton, Dwight gets a fax saying that someone is going to poison the coffee at 8 A.M. Dwight looks up to see Stanley emerge from the breakroom about to take a sip of coffee. Dwight sprints to him and knocks the mug from Stanley's hand, saying that he will thank him later.
Jan Levinson enters Michael's office. He mentions he loves to start the morning with "a hearty bowl of Jan" and sings "call me Levinson in the morning" to the tune of "Angel of the Morning". Jan informs Michael that the board has voted to close the Scranton branch, adding that the board has asked her to thank Michael for his years of service. She then informs Michael that a small number of people will be transferred to Stamford while the rest will receive severance packages. Michael asks if he is a "small number person" or "severance" person. Jan replies that they have not made final decision on personnel yet, but quietly adds that he will be a severance person. Michael gets extremely emotional over this news, as the rest of the office stares through his window, wondering what Jan has told him. In an interview, Dwight indicates his close friendship with Michael enables him to read his mood like a book. He envisions the current title of Michael's book to be Something Weird is Going On: What Did Jan Say? The Michael Scott Story, by Michael Scott with Dwight Schrute.
Michael hints to the office and then breaks the news prematurely and angrily, going so far as to label Toby a "traitor" when Toby reveals Jan told him minutes before Michael. Stanley says that he couldn not be happier, as he plans to retire and use his severance package to travel with his wife. Ryan says that it makes perfect sense that it happens today, since he has just received a box of a thousand business cards with this office address and phone number. Angela states that in her mind, everyone is to blame for this. Kelly says that if she stays and Ryan loses his job, she would kill herself, like Romeo and Juliet. She then clarifies her actions would emulate the Claire Danes version of the Shakespeare classic.
Jim thinks that it would be weird to see Scranton disappear since he always knew that Scranton would close someday, but he just figured it would be for reason like Michael selling the building off for some magic beans. Pam thinks it is a blessing in disguise—actually not even in disguise—since she sometimes answers the phone at home with "Dunder-Mifflin, this is Pam" and now she does not have to do that anymore. Roy says he is not sure about working there if Pam is not going to be there. He says Cinderella's "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)", pretty much says what he is feeling better than he could, "in words". Ryan tells Kelly that it would not work out since they will be working separately. With the camera on him, he shows joy in how this is working out perfectly for him since he got his experience, will get a great recommendation letter from Michael and minus Kelly.
Michael and Dwight plan to confront the CFO at the New York office to get him to change his mind. Michael finds out in the drive that Dwight has the CFO's address on his cell phone for the Christmas card list and questions why since Dwight has never met him. Dwight replies that they will now have something to talk about when he does. They end up sitting outside the CFO's house when they are informed by the CFO's secretary that he is out of the office for the day. Michael and Dwight rehearse what Michael is going to say to the CFO while they wait.
Meanwhile, Jan informs Josh that he will be taking over Dunder-Mifflin Northeast, which will be all of the offices north of Stamford. However, Josh reveals that he has leveraged his new position into senior management at Staples. Jim comments to the camera, "say what you would about Michael Scott but that is something Michael would never do."
Jan tells Jim that the situation changes to Stamford closing and Scranton absorbing the other branch and offers him the #2 man job at the new Northeast branch. Jim says he is unsure, as he has unresolved personal issues at the Scranton branch (which Jan assumes are due to Michael). Karen says that if asked, she would go to Scranton, and asks Jim if he will take the job at Scranton. He answers that he does not know yet, but recommends that she quit Dunder Mifflin and move to New York. As for Andy, he creates a mess in the break room when the situation changes to Stamford closing. Near the end of the episode, he reverses course, saying that he will accept the job in Scranton, and tells Karen that she should go there if offered a job. Karen then says to the camera that she is glad he said it, because even though she does not think he is into her, she is kind of into him.
Back in Scranton, Jan drops by to reveal to the rest of the staff of the reverse change. With the exception of Stanley, the office is relieved that their jobs are safe and goes to celebrate. Instead of joining, Pam questions Jan if anyone from Stamford will be coming back to Scranton.
Michael and Dwight wait outside the house in the car and Dwight reveals that one of his favorite moment at Scranton is Michael taking him to the hospital and telling Dwight he cared. Pam receives a rumor that Jim is coming back to Scranton and she now thinks that staying is a good thing since she doesn't have to find a new job and there is no new adjustment.
Late in the evening, Dwight checks his voicemail informing them the branch survived. The pair joyously bump chests, believing they saved the day, but unsure how they did so.
At the end of the episode, Toby said that he made plans for Costa Rica. Saying that he was dreaming of selling his house, moving, and learning how to surf, until Jan tells everyone that the branch is not closing. He says, "Costa Rica will still be there... when I'm 65.".
[edit] Producer's cut
In subplots, Meredith seeks a potential paramour based on a deal she once made to get physical with a coworker on the final day of employ, and Creed sells the electronics and furniture from his area of the office.
Meredith first believes that she makes the future sexual liaison pact with Michael, but he says it is not so. Toby is equally unhelpful on the matter. Finally, Gary Trundle, Meredith's former coworker from another branch's warehouse, calls to remind her of a deal he had made with her long ago. Meredith plans a rendezvous at her place in 20 minutes. She confirms the closing to Gary even though she knows that the decision to close has been reversed.
Dwight searches through the CFO's garbage outside his home, learning that he is rich (as he has a satellite TV bill) and drinks coffee, "possibly to disguise the smell of cocaine".
Pam's line about the closing being a blessing has been changed from her being able to no longer answer her home phone like she does the office phone to her fantasy about quitting.
Jim's line about his theory that Scranton would close "because Michael sold the building for magic beans" is changed to an awkward high school reunion that ends up with everyone moving in with him.
Andy asks Jim what he's going to do if he should get laid off. When Jim asks Andy, he says that Cornell has a great alumni network and he might go back there to teach. Jim then asks where he went to college, mocking Andy's frequent reference to his alma mater.
In an extended scene, we find out that Ryan and Kelly's relationship may be more than it seems. Kelly appears to have a strange power over Ryan. He claims he "can't explain" the attraction and why they remain together.
Creed takes pictures of office property on his desk and advertises the items online. He makes several deals throughout the day and ultimately earns $1,200 selling Dunder-Mifflin property from a branch now scheduled to remain open.
[edit] Trivia
- Michael's ring tone on his cell phone is the Black Eyed Peas song "My Humps."
- There is only one Sal's Pizza in Scranton and their order menu is posted in the office kitchen, which would indicate the office is (somewhat) close to 505 Linden St.
- During Michael's talking head segments, which feature him angry at the changes, Steve Carell does not blink.
- When Kevin tells Pam that they are going to Poor Richard's, he mentions that Creed will be buying shots. This is most likely because Creed had just made $1200 selling electronics from the office, however, the original cut of the episode does not show that plot line and causes the statement to be slightly out of context.
- At the end of the show, when Michael and Dwight are sitting in front of the house, there appears to be lights on upstairs, and the porch light is also on.
- Currently, castmember Jenna Fischer thinks this episode is "the best one we've ever done. I'm not kidding."[2]
[edit] References
- ^ NBC'S 'THE OFFICE' WEB EVENT STREAMS ONLY ON NBC.COM
- ^ Fischer, Jenna. November 6, 2006. New York Here I Come!, MySpace.com
