Before they had announced Poehler I was hoping that her husband Will Arnett was going to have a spot on the show. I read something that said he was originally casted as the Dwight character, but recieved both offers from the Office and Arrested Development at the same time and picked the latter.

I think Arnett could have played a great idiot boss.

Really? Arrested debuted in November 2003 and The Office was March 2005. It seems strange that a show would cast so much in advance (even if they thought they might have started at the beginning of the season in September 2004). Wikipedia lists a bunch of people who were lined up for Michael Scott, including Paul Giamatti and Bob Odenkirk, but nobody else for Dwight.

He'd run a very tight ship.

With a pool table.

It's a gaming ship.

I could be wrong, I wish I could remember where I read it from... maybe Entertainment Weekly... I don't remember. All the same, I think he would have worked for the new Office.

This sucks, but hopefully it'll work out for the better:

Actor Craig Robinson - who plays Darryl Philbin on The Office - was pulled over for a traffic violation and found to be in possession of ecstasy and methamphetamine. He was also under the influence of various drugs. The actor - who is also currently appearing in Pineapple Express - will be charged with two counts of felony. (Source: People)

Meth? REALLY? I'd rather live in a neighborhood of 100 potheads than within 100 feet of ONE meth addict. I've been keeping up with the Office webisodes and Darryl constantly steals the show throughout, talk about ICE cream...

WTF? Meth? Maybe he really was in the Latin Kings.

X and meth together is a popular combo.

So, any chance it gets incorporated into the show, should he get locked up? Maybe write him off by saying he's locked up. Then when he returns, he could get a visit from PRISON MIKE~!

I'm pretty sure Jay Cal has it reversed - Rainn Wilson originally auditioned for the part of Gob Bluth in Arrested Development, but was ultimately beaten out by Will Arnett. Wilson, of course, would go on to fill the role of Dwight.

Source

Only if Darryl admits that they eat gruel sandwiches.

Don't forget to get your Special Edition Season 4 DVD Gift Set from Best Buy...



Includes a T-shirt, water bottle, and wristband from The Rabid Run.

I think both shows ultimately made the right choice, but just imaging Dwight as Michael Bluth's brother made me smile.

Double.

I'm rewatching season 2 now and just finished "Bring your daughter to work day," and it's really something seeing the footage of Michael on the kid's show two seasons on. I remember thinking "dude, I know you're a moron but there is no fucking WAY you're considering raising another dude's baby with crazy ass Jan, right?" But seeing him, as a kid, mind you, say that line about getting married and having a hundred babies so he could have a hundred friends and NO ONE could say no to being his friend, man, kind of makes it easier to believe.

How long is Amy Ryan supposed to be on The Office? Since I would imagine after being nominated for an Oscar she's going to be having movie offers coming out of the ying yang.

She has filmed scenes for five episodes this season. Paul Lieberstein said he'll be back fairly quickly. The idea for him leaving was apparently based on a former Office writer that saved up enough money to "live poor" in Hawaii and ended up coming back in 2 weeks.

Here's the preview for the season premiere.

For the first time, we see what happens over eight weeks of the summer, as a Dunder Mifflin weight loss initiative causes the branch to diet and become obsessed with their weight. Michael pursues a friendship with his new HR rep, Holly. Jim misses Pam who attends art school in New York. Dwight, Andy and Angela attend to unfinished business.

Question: how much money does one have to save up to do such a thing?

He didn't say, but apparently more than this dude saved.

Been watching last season throughout the last week at work so pretty excited to see the new season. I actually forgot how last season ended and am looking forward to the last two episodes which I might get through tomorrow depending on if I can download Heroes overnight or not.

Rob

...in the rain, at a gas station? REALLY JIM!? Awesome regardless.

Just an all around awesome episode. Every love triangle they're building as the potential to be something great.

So many things to love.

Pam reprezenting for the 212 was hilarious... and adorable.

Dwight bear macing food.

Fire-d guy! Ryan's list (and the way he wrote Jim's name down), Michael copying his goatee, Kelly rejecting him, everything about Ryan coming back was great except for the fact that Ryan is a tool.

The friendship between Holly and Oscar is nice.

Kelly buying a tapeworm from Creed. "That was not a tapeworm."

Dwight and Angela ducking out to the warehouse none too discreetly. I have come to feel that my theory has been proven. Angela is celebate and prudish, except that she cannot contain herself when it comes to Dwight.

The proposal was great. EVERYONE had their guard down. I had totally forgotten about it, and Pam probably felt the same. Perfect.

Michael stumbling into a GREAT in with Holly, and then tearing it up was a great letdown. So, so close.

I was absolutely mesmerized by Michael and that FUCKING AWESOME goatee he was sporting. And Jim finally proposed, which was somewhat unexpected which I loved even more. I honestly believed he'd wait until Pam finished. Speaking of Pam, anyone else think something's going to happen with that art school guy Pam is buddies with? Something seems odd.

From Jim making a dig at Roy to Ryan playing nice (loved him adding names to those he will eventually destroy) to the special Biggest Loser-type theme, this was a wonderful episode. I need to watch it again to make sure I got everything, and that's a good thing.

I had never thought of that, actually. That's brilliant. This episode was so great, and reminded me of the awesome 2nd and 3rd seasons.

Also, I loved Michael Scott growing a David Brent goatee, and Stanley doing the '68 Olympics fist in victory. That last one was almost on par with the Arrested Development references to Susan Smith and the murder of Bob Crane.

I thought for sure Jim was breaking up with Pam at the end so the proposal caught me totally off guard. Great episode. Rice-a-Ronnie had me cracking up the whole time for some reason.

Loved it.

2-1-2 may have been the highlight for me.

Did anyone else notice Michael's goatee inexplicably gone in the lunch scene but he had it again the next time we saw him? This was before he shaved it off. That and why Meredith's face was all broken out and fucked up, both without any real explanation made the episode feel a little thrown-together for me, but everything else was still grand.

Kelly was really adorable in this episode too. And Ryan, as usual, a total douche.

The proposal definitely caught everyone off guard.

Michael tearing up the tickets was perhaps the most cringe-inducing scene ever in the Office and that says a lot.

I also noticed that when Dwight bear maced the fruit in the vending machine that it was full of fruit flies. Not only did people not buy the healthy vending food, but Dwight felt the need to bear mace it when it came down to the weight loss wire. That is awesome on so many levels.

A new season of this show is like reuniting with your very best friend.

No no no. Michael trying to get the fat guy from the other branch up onto the stage will NEVER be topped. A close second is the blind date episode where Michael says he isn't Michael and then gets busted a second later. AWK.... WARD.

Great episode.

The proposal was a little underwhelming but I'm sure I'm in the minority in thinking that. I'm sure we aren't done the Jim/Pam saga so a better re-proposal is coming down the line.

Pam/the new guy at her school is definitely going to lead somewhere though I'm not sure where. Maybe Jim will turn into the super-jealous type as I can't see Pam just flat out cheating. It'd be interesting if Jim turned into Roy in some ways.

Rob

Damn...Jim becoming Roy might seriously just break my heart.

Am I the only one surprised that...


I figured they'd put that off for a while. Leave it to the Office to buck all the sitcom trends.

I thought the final scene with Toby was painfully hilarious. The dubbed Entourage clip made it even better.

Also, I really wish they hadn't blown off the "Holly thinks Kevin is retarded" thing so quickly.

I agree. I hope there is a deleted scene that gives a better pay off, because I really wanted to see more resolution than that.

I'm hoping they didn't blow it off and Holly just felt bad for calling him mentally challenged to his face which is why she ran away in shame.

Rob

I don't know, I thought it was a hilarious bit at the end of last season, but I felt it was losing steam early into the episode, I think it was smart to get the payoff now.

At the same time, I kinda wish Phyllis had just blown Dwight's cover after what he did to her.

I was a little hesitant going in because the one hour episodes last season were some of the weaker ones, but making it a summary of seven weeks helped with the flow. I think it was arguably their best season opener.

And yes, I definitely see Pam's new friend becoming the new Jim. I don't know if Jim will necessarily "become" Roy, but it would be nice to explore how his character would act towards someone who basically was how he was for the last three years.

And come on, there were at least five moments in the infamous "Jan's lawsuit" episode more cringe-inducing than anything in tonight's show.

Now that I think about it, the entire Dinner Party episode was more cringe-worthy.

Would Dwight care? Angela doesn't want it coming out because of her whole image and her relationship, Dwight's only ever kept it quiet because Angela wanted it that way.

Wasn't Pam's design school thing only 3 months long? Unless she get's a job in NYC she should be back in Scranton in the next episode.

I think Dwight would care, since it would certainly embarrass Angela in front of the entire office. Dwight cares for her, it isn't just some office nookie for him.


I'm pretty sure there were fruit flies in an earlier scene (when Jim was having lunch in the break room).

And, hey, Harry Crane from Mad Men is Pam's new friend.

Ya I was going to point that out as well. Guy is on TV's best drama & comedy, pretty fucking cool for him.

My favorite parts that haven't been mentioned are Dwight's apology to Phyliss, "I'm sorry I created a ruse that forced you to exercise", the disingenuous look on his was so great.

Also the "Andy Bernard doesn't lose contests, he win's or quits because the contest is unfair."

I think I butchered both of those lines but I imagine you all remember...

ultimoDANK

Awesome, awesome, awesome. The first episode of these seasons are usually really great, and this was no exception. What's strange is, a lot of you keep thinking something will happen with the art school guy, ignoring the fact that this show is run to be completely contrary to the usual formula. Haven't any of you thought for a second that it's a red herring?

There's too many funny things not mentioned yet to list here, but I will say that there hasn't been enough love for how funny, and sad it was of Dwight to leave Phyllis out in the middle of nowhere. I half-expected her to call Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration, but calling home office was the more logical thing to do. Dwight continually asking for an apology from Phyllis was pretty good too. Not to mention Michael telling Dwight to sit down, only to have Dwight turn and face the wall.

dwight still refusing to go 50/50 on the fake sale was the greatest.

Doesn't mean that's the end of his character though. Karen followed Jim from Stamford to Scranton. I don't think it's a red herring just yet simply because it's so early in the season and I can't see Jim & Pam going a whole season engaged or married without some small struggles. Either way, it'll be something to keep an eye out for.

Ryan is my new favorite character, him groveling to Jim was priceless.

Sure, he loves her but, I think that's why Dwight would be, ultimately, happy if someone else spilled the beans on them, forcing things out into the open. He's in love with a woman who is engaged to another man, after all, that's not a good situation to be in for him, even if she's screwing him on the side now, he can't actually want her to continue being in a relationship with Andy (and eventually marrying Andy) if he really is in love with her.

Also, Phylis would lose her continued power over Angela, which she probably enjoys more than she would the one time fun of getting back at Dwight.

Thanks for brining this up. I forgot how he "haggled" over the split and how awesome that was.

Loved the episode, and it actually felt like one big episode instead of 2 regular ones. The format of the spacing worked out very well.

Andy just seems headed for a meltdown of epic proportion. This season is shaping up nicely.

I dunno if anybody else noticed this, but the dude Pam is hanging out with looks like Jim and Roy's love child.