Initiation (The Office episode)

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The Office episode
"Initiation"
Episode No. 33
Prod. Code 03005
Airdate October 19, 2006
Writer(s) B.J. Novak
Director Randall Einhorn

The Office Season 3
September 2006 - May 2007
  1. Gay Witch Hunt
  2. The Convention
  3. The Coup
  4. Grief Counseling
  5. Initiation
  6. Diwali
  7. Branch Closing
  8. The Merger
  9. The Convict
  10. A Benihana Christmas
  11. Back from Vacation
  12. Traveling Salesmen
  13. The Return
  14. Ben Franklin
  15. Phyllis' Wedding
  16. Business School
  17. Cocktails
  18. The Negotiation
  19. Safety Training
  20. Product Recall
  21. Women's Appreciation
  22. Beach Games
  23. The Job
List of all The Office episodes...
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"Initiation" is the fifth episode of the third season of The Office (U.S. version). It aired on October 19, 2006.[1] It was written by B.J. Novak and directed by Randall Einhorn.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

Before taking Ryan on his first sales call, Dwight takes him to his beet farm, where he alternately conveys useful sales advice and forces Ryan to undergo various hazing rituals. Ryan gets fed up and walks out.

Jan instructs Pam to keep a log of Michael's activity, and throughout the day, she dryly notes Michael's antics, including a Bill Cosby impression for a potential customer and waiting in line with Stanley for a free soft pretzel, while hinting to Michael that he should focus on being productive.

At Dunder-Mifflin Stamford, Karen discovers that Jim swapped his squeaky chair for hers, but Jim foils her efforts to switch them back.

After consuming his sugary pretzel, Michael emerges from his office and launches into a hyperactive, sugar-fueled speech before falling asleep at his desk.

At the end of the day, Pam realizes that Michael's antics secured a large sale. She takes a call from Jim (who was trying to call Kevin), and the two talk for hours and begin to reconnect. Ryan and Dwight return from the disastrous sales call, and Pam says goodbye to them as they leave. Jim misinterprets her parting phrase, and the two awkwardly end their conversation.

[edit] Deleted scenes

The Season Three DVD contains a number of deleted scenes. Notable cut scenes include:

  • Pam compares Jan and Michael to Mommy and Daddy fighting. "Except Mommy outranks Daddy."
  • Pam explains that if they find Ryan's body in a heavily-wooded area, she owes Jim $30. "It's an old bet."
  • Ryan recaps his life so far while walking along a dirt road.
  • Dwight takes Ryan to the family cemetery.
  • Stanley makes a "That's what she said" joke.

[edit] Notes

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
For a list of songs featured in this episode, see List of songs featured on The Office.
  • This episode was originally scheduled to air before "Grief Counseling".[2]
  • Dwight asks (or starts to ask) Ryan four brain teasers:
  1. There are two coins totaling 15 cents; one of them is not a nickel. What are they?
  2. A man and his son get into a car accident. When they are at the hospital, the doctor says: "There's no way I can operate on this boy. He's my son." Why? This joke is also told in the series finale of the UK version of The Office.
  3. A man hangs himself, and the detective finds a puddle of water, but nothing he could have stood on. How did this man hang himself?
  4. A hunter leaves his base camp one morning and travels one mile due south. He then turns and travels one mile due east. At this point, he shoots a bear. Taking the direct route, he travels one mile due north and is back at the base camp. What kind of bear did he shoot?
  • While Michael writes his log, he says "Light salad, three points....That's in the wrong list." This is a reference to Weight Watchers and their systems of tracking down food eaten each day and assigning points values to different foods.
  • According to the announcement made over the office's public address system, the complimentary soft pretzels are provided "as a thank you to our loyal tenants." The announcement is made by Billy Merchant, identified in "The Injury" as the Scranton Business Park properties manager.
  • While "testing" Ryan, Dwight asks him what the DHARMA Initiative (a reference to Lost) is. In a deleted scene from "The Job," Dwight asks the same question of Andy.
  • While in the pretzel line, Kelly tells Michael the plot of Lazy Sunday, which is parodied by Michael and Dwight in the episode "The Merger". They call their parody "Lazy Scranton". Kelly (Mindy Kaling) was a former writer on Saturday Night Live, the show that featured "Lazy Sunday."
  • According to Dwight's trivia answer, Dunder-Mifflin co-founder Robert Mifflin killed himself, not because of depression but because "he hated himself."
  • Michael revealed to Creed in "The Carpet" that his greatest fear is becoming his former boss.
  • The figurine Mose whittled as a part of his gift basket is actually a rendition of the Venus of Willendorf.
  • Dwight repeatedly calls Ryan "Temp" even though Ryan was hired permanently prior to "Gay Witch Hunt".
  • When Pam tells Jim that she can type 90 words per minute, he replies by saying that not even Mavis Beacon—the logotype persona for the typing program Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing—could type that fast. Jenna Fischer worked several years as a receptionist and types at 85 words per minute. Before Pam's typing speed was established, Fischer imagined Pam as not being able to type that fast and intentionally slowed down.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ CHANGES/ADDITIONS TO THE NBC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY, OCT 12 2006 - THURSDAY, OCT 12 2006
  2. ^ Kinsey, Angela. October 19, 2006. blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=32799810&blogID=182445884&Mytoken=EAFA6276-75ED-40CE-9C0B975FEF96535A52549839 The Initiation, MySpace.com
  3. ^ blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=27753303&blogID=58007903

[edit] External links