Conflict Resolution (The Office episode)
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| The Office episode |
| "Conflict Resolution" | |
 Michael attempts to resolve a conflict |
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| Episode No. | 27 |
| Prod. Code | 220 |
| Airdate | May 4, 2006 |
| Writer(s) | Greg Daniels |
| Director | Charles McDougall |
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The Office Season 2 |
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| List of all The Office episodes... | |
"Conflict Resolution" is the 21st episode of the second season of The Office (U.S. version). It was written by Greg Daniels and directed by Charles McDougall. It first aired on May 4, 2006.
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[edit] Synopsis
Angela discovers she has not been invited to Pam's wedding. I.D. pictures are also being taken in the office, following Dwight's appointment as Honorary Security Advisor of the office park in "Drug Testing". Oscar complains to H.R. Director Toby about Angela's baby poster. When Michael overhears the discussion, he tells Toby he wants to try to resolve the conflict himself. Using a manual, he decides that Oscar will wear a T-shirt of the poster so that Angela can look at it but Oscar won't have to. He takes every other unresolved office complaint from Toby (by force) to try and resolve them himself with disastrous results ahead. Michael notes to his pleasure that there are no complaints filed against him, but Toby shows the camera a separate file in a locked drawer specifically for complaints against Michael.
Pam hand-delivers her "save the date" to Angela. Michael starts reading the (confidential) complaints out loud in front of the office and the employees start feeling both angry and awkward at the complaints made by and against them. Pam is angry about a complaint against her for planning her wedding during office hours, which she blames Angela for making. After another prank by Jim when his security I.D. badge labels him as a security threat and his middle name is typed as "Fart" and not "Kurt", Dwight storms off and makes another complaint to Toby, but he discovers his complaints about Jim were never filed by Toby and just sat in a box under his desk. Dwight demands Michael take action against Jim. Shortly after, Dwight begins looking up potential job openings in other Dunder Mifflin branches to verbally taunt Jim (which seems to work by Jim's irritated facial expression).
Michael locks Dwight and Jim together in a room for a "cage match", where they're not allowed to leave until they come to an understanding. As Jim explains each prank he pulled on Dwight, he starts to realize how unfunny they are when they're listed back to back and feels regret at how he spends his time in the office. At this point, tensions are high in the office and no one speaks to one another. Michael tries to resolve them by getting the I.D. photographer to get a group shot of the staff. As Michael attempts to get one good group shot (at $20 a piece), Jim confesses to Pam that it was he who registered the complaint about Pam's wedding planning. The following day, he leaves a message on Pam's voicemail stating he won't be in because he has a doctor's appointment in the city, but we see that he is actually seeing Jan for a sales position at another Dunder Mufflin branch in Stamford, Connecticut and Toby is seen storing the papers full of the conflicts in the warehouse.
[edit] Deleted scenes
- Dwight finds his desk encircled in police tape. Jim secretly calls Dwight's phone, but Dwight cannot answer because it would require him to cross the police tape.
- Michael explains that in real life, unlike television, some days are boring and uneventful.
- Dwight annoys the photographer in various ways.
- In talking head interviews, Michael explains that he hates it when people don't tell each other why they're angry. He gives as an example how he would repeatedly ask, "What's wrong, Dad?" without getting a response. Later, he tells a story about two women who claim to be the mother of the same baby but messes up the ending. In the conference room, he dedicates himself to resolving all the old cases "before Toby can kill or rape another person". Michael later expresses surprise that Dwight "went postal". He also claims credit for coming up with the "cage match" idea.
- Pam asks the photographer if he does weddings.
- Dwight gives Pam "Level Red" security clearance.
- Meredith and Kevin get their pictures taken.
- Phyllis, sore at Stanley, declines to forward a mis-directed call to him.
- The building security guard hassles Dwight before letting him into the building, while meanwhile waving the other employees through. By the time Dwight clears security, he misses the elevator.
[edit] Trivia
- The poster Oscar complains about was given to Angela by Toby in the Secret Santa swap in "Christmas Party".
- The final scene in which Toby places the box of complaints on a shelf with hundreds of similar boxes is a nod to the final scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark. (see also: the Government Warehouse plot device)
- Roy's last name is finally revealed on the "Save the Date" card that Angela holds up to the camera: Anderson. This means that if Pam decided to take his last name in their marriage, her name would be Pamela Anderson.
- Creed's turning to his side after having his picture taken suggests that he has had run-ins with the law.
- The five styles in The Mediators toolchest are lose/lose, win/lose, compromise, win/win, and win/win/win
- Scott Adsit plays the photographer in the episode. He stars in 30 Rock.
[edit] External links
- Jenna Fischer's Blog on "Conflict Resolution" at TVGuide.com
- "Conflict Resolution" at NorthernAttack.com
- Memorable Quotes From "Conflict Resolution" at QuotesFromTheOffice.com
