Company Picnic
Encyclopedia
"Company Picnic" is the fifth season finale of the American comedy television series The Office, and the 100th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on May 14, 2009. In the episode, Michael
plans to win back his ex-girlfriend Holly
at a Dunder Mifflin company picnic, while the rest of the Scranton office get involved in a competitive company volleyball tournament.
The episode was written by Paul Lieberstein
and Jennifer Celotta
, and directed by Ken Kwapis
. It marked return appearances of former guest stars Amy Ryan
as Holly Flax and Idris Elba
as Charles Miner
. Actress Jenna Fischer
is not as talented a volleyball player as she is portrayed in the episode, so some of her scenes were modified with computer-generated imagery
.
The scene in which Jim and Pam discover the pregnancy includes no dialogue, and is a homage to a similar scene in the original British version of The Office
, where Tim Canterbury
silently proclaims his love for Dawn Tinsley
. The episode also features a sketch about the history of Dunder Mifflin which parodies the film Slumdog Millionaire
.
"Company Picnic" received generally positive reviews, particularly for the return of Holly and the scene in which Jim discovers Pam is pregnant. According to Nielsen ratings
, the episode was watched by 6.72 million viewers. It was the lowest-rated episode of the season and had the lowest original episode rating for The Office in two years, which reviewers said was especially surprising given that it was a season finale episode.
(Steve Carell
) plans to win back his ex-girlfriend Holly
(Amy Ryan
), whom he has not seen since she was transferred to Nashua
. Holly arrives with her boyfriend A. J. (Rob Huebel
), who tells Michael the couple are designing a house together. CFO David Wallace
(Andy Buckley) allows Michael and Holly to do a presentation about the history of Dunder Mifflin, and the two spend time in the woods to come up with ideas. Jim
(John Krasinski
) and Pam
(Jenna Fischer
) run into Charles Miner
(Idris Elba
) for the first time since he left Scranton, and Charles is still short with Jim. Dwight
(Rainn Wilson
) brings his new best friend, Rolf (James Urbaniak
), who makes constant insults to Angela
(Angela Kinsey
) for breaking Dwight's heart; Dwight tells Rolf to stop, much to Angela's surprise. The Scranton branch competes in the picnic's volleyball tournament, facing off the other branches of Dunder Mifflin. They initially struggle until Pam reveals herself to be a very talented volleyball player. With her help, they reach the final round where they face the corporate head office.
Michael and Holly perform a skit that parodies Slumdog Millionaire
(called "SlumDunder Mifflinaire"), presenting Dunder Mifflin trivia in the form of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
, as well as acting out torture scenes featured in the film. Nobody, except Stanley
(Leslie David Baker
), finds their presentation amusing, but things take a turn for the worse when they reveal that the Buffalo
branch of Dunder-Mifflin will be closing in the near future due to the economy. The Buffalo branch was unaware of this, so David reluctantly reveals it to be true. David then berates Michael for revealing this as he had told Michael in confidence, and Michael insists he thought they already knew about it. As Michael and Holly talk about next year's presentation, he prepares to ask for her back but stops himself, deciding not to ruin the moment. As Holly leaves with A. J., Michael says he believes he will eventually be reunited with Holly, although potentially not for a long time--and he's fine with this because "I'm in no rush".
The Scranton branch faces off against the corporate branch, commenting that they deserve to lose for deciding to close down Buffalo. The game is close, and Pam ends up injuring her ankle, although she wants to continue. Seeing an opportunity to remove Scranton's best player from the game, Charles insists that Pam take a seat on the grounds of her injury being a company liability. Determined to beat corporate, and specifically Charles, Jim takes Pam to a local hospital to get an X-ray while Dwight stalls the game to give them time to get back. When the doctor calls Jim into the room for an update, the doctor informs Jim and Pam of some news that causes them to be ecstatic. The news is not heard by the camera crew, but Jim then calls Dwight to send in the substitute players, suggesting that the happy news is a reason to keep Pam from playing volleyball, hinting that Pam is pregnant.
The episode was written by Paul Lieberstein
and Jennifer Celotta
, and directed by Ken Kwapis
. "Company Picnic" was the 100th overall episode of The Office, and show creator Greg Daniels
said he was especially proud the series made it to that landmark because he felt it meant he did not disappoint Ricky Gervais
and Stephen Merchant
, who created the original British version of the show
. Daniels said, "I remember interviewing with them seven years ago, and this (100th episode) was certainly the goal, so I'm very pleased that we got to 100 episodes in a strong fashion. I think the show is in a very good place right now." Steve Carell said he was especially pleased with the landmark because when the show began, people had doubts it would live up to the original series and were skeptical about its mockumentary
style: "It's sort of remarkable, especially with this show because I don't think anybody felt it would go past the pilot. ... I think most everyone was kind of dubious about our chances of pulling it off." Likewise, Ben Silverman
, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment
and an Office executive producer, said, "It's a thrill that we got to 100 episodes, and probably incredibly surprising looking back at the process it took. But the reality is, we believed in it."
"Company Picnic" was filmed in Malibu, California
. The episode featured about 360 extras, and was shot over the course of four days. Actor Ed Helms
said of the episode, "What the writers did is really fun and creative. It doesn't boil down to passive aggressive little picnic games with a vengeance. There's a lot more going on than that." The episode marked return appearances of former guest stars Amy Ryan as Holly Flax and Idris Elba as Charles Miner. Ryan has said she would love the prospect of returning to The Office in future episodes, but that there are currently no plans for such a return: "I think that door [to return] will always be open, just because it's such a nice party to go to. But that said, there are no plans any time soon for them to be reunited again."
In an interview with The Office fansite "OfficeTally", Celotta said she and Lieberstein had only about one weekend to finish the script and distribute it to the actors, so there was little discussion about their individual volleyball abilities. Once the scripts were circulated, the writers learned that Jenna Fischer was not very good at volleyball and had trouble making certain motions with her arm over her head due to a previous injury. As a result, director Ken Kwapis arranged for stunt doubles to perform some of the volleyball moves; a handful of scenes were also shot with Pam doing an overhead motion with the ball being added later using computer-generated imagery
. The opening credits were trimmed down to ten seconds and no post-credits scene
was used in order to keep the episode within the network-mandated 21 minutes and 35 seconds. The producers considered making the episode an hour long like other season finales from past seasons, like "The Job
" and "Goodbye, Toby
", but they found they did not have enough plot points to conclude in "Company Picnic" and would have had trouble filling a full hour.
Precautions were taken to prevent secrets from the season finale being revealed; only certain staff members were provided with copies of the episode, which were given on watermarked DVDs and distributed to secret hiding places. The writers wanted Michael to have a big plan to get Holly back, but to realize throughout the course of the day that his relationship with Holly was something special and that he did not want to disrupt it; they felt it showed that Michael had become more mature, calm and confident about this relationship than that of Jan Levenson and others in his past. The first scene with Michael and Holly discussing their sketch possibilities in a secluded area was filmed with three cameras: one focusing on each side of the two actors, and one from the front of both of them to establish that the picnic was still going on behind them. Due to space limitations, the latter angle was filmed through a mirror (with the actors appearing to be opposite sides) and then the image was reversed and undistorted in post-production.
Although the "SlumDunder Mifflinaire" skit and the scenes in which it was prepared were all scripted, Carell and Ryan improvised several of the moments including Michael's "Yay!" cheer upon getting an answer right, the bow Carell and Ryan take at the end while the Buffalo branch employees are angry, and Michael's Indian accent. Carell improvised with several different accents on the set, with the producers settling on the one that sounded most like the character from the film, although he used his regular accent when answering the final question in the skit. Carell and Ryan also made up the Jaws
song parody ("Dunder...Dunder...") while filming, and Carell made up the subsequent line "We're circling it" about their good sketch idea. The extras were told not to laugh or react at all to the "SlumDunder Mifflinaire" sketch, but Carell and Ryan were not told of those instructions in order to create a genuine stage fright
awkwardness among the two actors; Ryan in particular was thrown off guard by their lack of response.
The ending sequence with Pam and Jim in the hospital was filmed at the North Hollywood Medical Center using the Sacred Heart Hospital set from Scrubs
. Although the good news Jim and Pam learn in the hospital was never specifically stated, episode writer Jen Celotta confirmed that the news was that Pam was pregnant; the script included an off-hand question from a nurse to Pam about whether she was pregnant so that viewers would make the connection later. Celotta said the idea of the pregnancy came as the writers were working on this specific episode, although she felt the show had always been heading in that direction. The series producers considered filming the scene with audible dialogue, but they thought the scene was more powerful without audio and felt actors John Krasinski and Jenna Fisher "are such great actors and have the ability to convey so much without hearing their dialogue." Celotta said the show's producers have no plans to release the scene with audio. While filming Jim Halpert's emotional reaction to the pregnancy news, Krasinski and director Ken Kwapis discussed the fact that Jim has been surrounded by this camera crew for the last five years, so he would be glad to share this moment with them. The moment when Jim looked directly at the camera, in particular, was meant to convey the idea that he was celebrating the news with the crew. The script did not call for tears, but Krasinski cried naturally as part of his performance.
Lieberstein and Celotta originally planned to have Mose Schrute, Dwight's cousin and a popular minor character, appear in the episode along with Dwight, but actor Michael Schur
was unable to attend because he was busy directing "Rock Show
", the first season finale of the NBC series Parks and Recreation
, which Schur co-created along with The Office creator Greg Daniels. Instead, the writers created the role of Rolph, and several of the actors suggested James Urbaniak be cast in the role. Celotta said she intends to have both Urbaniak and Schur come back to the show in future episodes; she said of Schur, "Who knew Mose would run a show some day? We'll get him one of these days, rest assured." Jennie Tan, the creator of The Office fansite OfficeTally.com, appeared as an extra during the picnic scenes; her site has grown so large she has become known by the cast and crew of the show, who invited her to appear on the season finale. Brian Stack, a writer and actor on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
, had a small role as the Buffalo branch employee who yells angrily at David Wallace. The Office editor Dave Rogers makes a cameo appearance as the volleyball player who tells Andy he is wearing expensive sunglasses. After filming wrapped, the cast and crew held a 100th episode party, where Dave Rogers presented a montage of "100 Moments" of The Office, with one moment from each episode.
When the Pam character discusses her impressive volleyball ability, she says she played volleyball in junior high, senior high, college and went to volleyball camps most summers. However, in the episode "Job Fair
", she said her high school gym brings back memories of her faking PMS to get out of playing basketball and volleyball. Writer Jen Celotta acknowledged this was a continuity error: "Yeah, we screwed up. I didn't remember that she said that, specifically about volleyball. And we really do try to be careful about those things."
The official website for The Office included three cut scenes from "Company Picnic" within a week of its original release. The first clip, one minute and fifty seconds long, is an extended sequence of company picnic scenes, including Michael talking about how excited he is to see Holly, Stanley convincing Creed to stand in his sunlight to provide shade, and Dwight and Andy mocking the Utica team by calling them "You-sucks-ti-ca!" The clip also featured a brief appearance of Meredith's son Jake, played by Spencer Daniels
, who has not appeared in the show since the second season episode, "Take Your Daughter to Work Day". In the second one-minute long deleted scene clip, Andy yells at his volleyball teammates when they make a mistake, a Buffalo branch player snaps at his own team, and Charles makes fun of Jim from the sidelines. In the third 30-second clip, Dwight bullies and pesters everyone about the final point of the volleyball game against corporate, prompting Meredith to throw the game by throwing the ball at Dwight during her serve. Within a week of the original broadcast of "Company Picnic", the official NBC store website made the red Scranton branch T-shirts and black New York City corporate T-shirts worn by characters in the episode available for sale.
The "SlumDunder Mifflinaire" sketch is a reference to the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire; references to the film included the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, the torture scenes intercut with the game show and Carell's impersonation of Slumdog actor Dev Patel
's voice. Before settling on Slumdog Millionaire, Michael and Holly considered writing Dunder Mifflin-themed parodies of the 1975 Steven Spielberg
film Jaws
and the 1985 science fiction adventure film Back to the Future
. While discussing the Jaws idea, they hum John Williams
' Jaws "Main Title" song
, substituting the famous two-note theme with the words "Dunder...Dunder..." During the sketch, Michael and Holly announce the closing of a Dunder Mifflin branch in Buffalo, the second largest city in the state of New York
. Alan Pergament of The Buffalo News
said of the city's inclusion in the episode, "It ruined the party for the Buffalo workers but made the episode a lot of fun, especially for Buffalo viewers." Holly and A.J. come from the Dunder Mifflin branch in Nashua
, New Hampshire
.
Michael compared his relationship to Holly to that of the protagonists in the 1989 romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally...
. "Company Picnic" writer Jennifer Celotta said the final scene with Jim and Pam reacting to her pregnancy while the cameras film from outside the hospital room was an homage to a scene in the British version of The Office. In that scene, Tim Canterbury
proclaims his love for Dawn Tinsley
in a meeting room, but Tim turns off his microphone first so the cameras pick up only their reactions and no sound. Celotta said of the scene, "We are all big fans of the moment that Tim takes off his mic and tells Dawn how he feels. Such an intimate moment that, to me, it feels like it's nice to have it just be theirs."
. It was the lowest original episode rating for The Office in two years, a fact commentators said was especially surprising given that the episode was a season finale. The rating was a 13 percent drop in viewership from the previous week's episode, "Cafe Disco
", which was seen by 7.71 million viewers. It also unseated "Casual Friday
", which was seen by 7.3 million viewers, as the lowest-rated episode of the fifth season. "Company Picnic" received a 3.9 rating/12 share among viewers aged between 18 and 34, and a 3.5 rating/9 share among viewers between 18 and 49.
Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
described the episode as "a great end to what may have been my favorite season of The Office to date." He said the episode included great laughs and sublime dramatic moments, including Michael's moment with Holly after the sketch and the silent moment in which Jim learns Pam is pregnant. Sepinwall said Jim's moment of composing himself in the hallway after calling Dwight in that scene was, "Maybe Krasinski's single best moment on the series to date." Margaret Lyons of Entertainment Weekly
said she had "some mixed feelings" about the episode and wished it had more from Ryan
, Creed
and Kelly
, but she especially praised the ending scene with Jim and Pam, which she said she did not expect. Dan Hooper of VH1
's Best Week Ever
said, "Office finale was awesome, as we expected, capping about seven straight weeks of just top-notch episodes with great character moments, a legitimately interesting plot, and just laugh line after laugh line, reminding us all (why) we spent time talking about this show every week." Hooper also praised NBC for not advertising the twist ending: "They didn’t stupidly dramatize it, and it ended up being a really nice, really fitting end" to the season.
Nathin Rabin of The A.V. Club
, who gave the episode a B+ grade, said it was "long on pathos and awkwardness but short on laughs", but described it as "a very satisfying way to end a very satisfying season". Although Rabin said the final scene with Jim and Pam was filmed and handled artfully, he also expressed concern that the subplot could turn into a cliched device, and said "part of me felt it was a rather pat, heavy-handed way of ending the season on a dramatic note." Will Leitch
of New York
magazine expressed concern about the dangers of television shows adding a pregnancy subplot, but said of the episode, "For now, we’ll bask in the happiness of two main characters who have waited a long time for it." Leitch, who called Holly the show's "most beloved guest star", also complimented the way the episode handled Michael and Holly's brief reunion: "The couple and the producers seem to have come to the same conclusion about this relationship: Holly (Amy Ryan) can’t actually stay with Michael (Steve Carell), so let’s just enjoy her while she’s here." Travis Fickett of IGN
complimented the episode but said it "doesn't really reach that high", which he said was disappointing following a string of eventful episodes. He praised the Holly character and the way Jim and Dwight worked so well together during the volleyball game, and although he said the final scene was a nice moment between Jim and Pam, he also said the twist was "predictable and telegraphed
".
TV Guide
listed the final scene about Pam's pregnancy as one of the twelve top television moments from the week it aired. "Company Picnic" was voted the ninth highest-rated episode out of 26 from the fifth season, according to an episode poll at the fansite OfficeTally; the episode was rated 8.36 out of 10.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in the United States on May 14, 2009. In the episode, Michael
Michael Scott (The Office)
Michael Gary Scott is a fictional character on NBC's The Office, portrayed by Steve Carell, and based on David Brent from the original British version. Michael, the central character of the series, was the manager of the Scranton branch of paper and printer distribution company Dunder Mifflin Inc...
plans to win back his ex-girlfriend Holly
Holly Flax
Hollis "Holly" Partridge Flax is a fictional character from the US television series The Office played by Amy Ryan. She was an original character, and not based on a character from the British version of the show...
at a Dunder Mifflin company picnic, while the rest of the Scranton office get involved in a competitive company volleyball tournament.
The episode was written by Paul Lieberstein
Paul Lieberstein
Paul Bevan Lieberstein is an American screenwriter, actor and television producer. An Emmy Award winner, he is most widely known as a writer, producer, and as supporting cast member Toby Flenderson on the U.S...
and Jennifer Celotta
Jennifer Celotta
Jennifer Ann Celotta is an American television producer and writer. Among her credits are Home Improvement, Malcolm in the Middle, Greg the Bunny, Andy Richter Controls The Universe and The Office...
, and directed by Ken Kwapis
Ken Kwapis
Ken Kwapis is an American film and television director and screenwriter. He specialized in the single-camera sitcom in the 1990s and 2000s and has directed feature films such as Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and He's Just Not That Into...
. It marked return appearances of former guest stars Amy Ryan
Amy Ryan
Amy Ryan is an American actress. She has been nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her performance in Gone Baby Gone and is also known for her roles in the HBO series The Wire, playing Port Authority Officer Beadie Russell; In Treatment, playing psychiatrist Adele Brousse; and The...
as Holly Flax and Idris Elba
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba is a British television, theatre, and film actor. He has starred in both British and American productions. Elba grew up in Canning Town, East London. One of his first acting roles was in the soap opera Family Affairs. He has worked in a variety of TV roles including ...
as Charles Miner
Charles Miner (The Office)
Charles Miner was the Vice President of Northeast Sales for Dunder Mifflin, having taken over the position vacated by Ryan and Jan. He is portrayed by Idris Elba.-Character history:Charles is first introduced in "New Boss"...
. Actress Jenna Fischer
Jenna Fischer
Regina Marie "Jenna" Fischer is an American actress and director. She is most widely known for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Pam Halpert on the NBC situation comedy and mockumentary The Office, and has also appeared in several films, including Blades of Glory, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,...
is not as talented a volleyball player as she is portrayed in the episode, so some of her scenes were modified with computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
.
The scene in which Jim and Pam discover the pregnancy includes no dialogue, and is a homage to a similar scene in the original British version of The Office
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...
, where Tim Canterbury
Tim Canterbury
Tim Canterbury is a main character in the BBC sitcom The Office, played by Martin Freeman. He is a 30-year-old sales representative for paper merchants Wernham Hogg and lives with his parents. He spent one year at a university before dropping out, and one day hopes to return to get a psychology...
silently proclaims his love for Dawn Tinsley
Dawn Tinsley
Dawn Tinsley is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom The Office, played by Lucy Davis. She is a receptionist for paper merchants Wernham Hogg and is engaged to warehouse worker Lee. Her American The Office equivalent is Pam Beesly...
. The episode also features a sketch about the history of Dunder Mifflin which parodies the film Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
.
"Company Picnic" received generally positive reviews, particularly for the return of Holly and the scene in which Jim discovers Pam is pregnant. According to Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, the episode was watched by 6.72 million viewers. It was the lowest-rated episode of the season and had the lowest original episode rating for The Office in two years, which reviewers said was especially surprising given that it was a season finale episode.
Synopsis
Employees arrive at a Dunder Mifflin company picnic, where MichaelMichael Scott (The Office)
Michael Gary Scott is a fictional character on NBC's The Office, portrayed by Steve Carell, and based on David Brent from the original British version. Michael, the central character of the series, was the manager of the Scranton branch of paper and printer distribution company Dunder Mifflin Inc...
(Steve Carell
Steve Carell
Steven John "Steve" Carell is an American comedian, actor, voice artist, producer, writer, and director. Although Carell is notable for his role on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he found greater fame in the late 2000s for playing Michael Scott on The Office...
) plans to win back his ex-girlfriend Holly
Holly Flax
Hollis "Holly" Partridge Flax is a fictional character from the US television series The Office played by Amy Ryan. She was an original character, and not based on a character from the British version of the show...
(Amy Ryan
Amy Ryan
Amy Ryan is an American actress. She has been nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her performance in Gone Baby Gone and is also known for her roles in the HBO series The Wire, playing Port Authority Officer Beadie Russell; In Treatment, playing psychiatrist Adele Brousse; and The...
), whom he has not seen since she was transferred to Nashua
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
. Holly arrives with her boyfriend A. J. (Rob Huebel
Rob Huebel
Rob Huebel is an American actor, comedian and writer best known for his sketch comedy work on the MTV series Human Giant. He currently co-stars on the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital.-Early life:...
), who tells Michael the couple are designing a house together. CFO David Wallace
David Wallace (The Office)
David Wallace is a character in the American television show The Office and was the chief financial officer of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, before being fired in late 2009 after the company was bought by Sabre. He is portrayed by Andy Buckley.- Character history :David Wallace was...
(Andy Buckley) allows Michael and Holly to do a presentation about the history of Dunder Mifflin, and the two spend time in the woods to come up with ideas. 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...
(John Krasinski
John Krasinski
John Burke Krasinski is an American actor, film director, and writer. He is most widely known for playing Jim Halpert on the NBC sitcom The Office...
) and Pam
Pam Beesly
Pamela Morgan "Pam" Halpert is a fictional character on the U.S. television sitcom The Office, played by Jenna Fischer. Her counterpart in the original UK series of The Office is Dawn Tinsley....
(Jenna Fischer
Jenna Fischer
Regina Marie "Jenna" Fischer is an American actress and director. She is most widely known for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Pam Halpert on the NBC situation comedy and mockumentary The Office, and has also appeared in several films, including Blades of Glory, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,...
) run into Charles Miner
Charles Miner (The Office)
Charles Miner was the Vice President of Northeast Sales for Dunder Mifflin, having taken over the position vacated by Ryan and Jan. He is portrayed by Idris Elba.-Character history:Charles is first introduced in "New Boss"...
(Idris Elba
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba is a British television, theatre, and film actor. He has starred in both British and American productions. Elba grew up in Canning Town, East London. One of his first acting roles was in the soap opera Family Affairs. He has worked in a variety of TV roles including ...
) for the first time since he left Scranton, and Charles is still short with Jim. 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...
(Rainn Wilson
Rainn Wilson
Rainn Dietrich Wilson is an American actor and comedian. He is primarily known for his role as the egomaniacal Dwight Schrute on the American version of the television comedy The Office...
) brings his new best friend, Rolf (James Urbaniak
James Urbaniak
James Christian Urbaniak is an American actor. Urbaniak was born in Bayonne, New Jersey. He lives in Santa Monica, California with his wife Julie and their twins, son Severn Jerzy and daughter Esme Maeve....
), who makes constant insults to Angela
Angela Martin
Angela Noelle Martin is a fictional character from the US television series The Office played by American actress Angela Kinsey. She is an original character, and has no equivalent in the British version of the show, The Office.-Overview:...
(Angela Kinsey
Angela Kinsey
Angela Kinsey is an American actress. She currently appears as the uptight accountant Angela Martin on the hit NBC television series The Office.-Personal life:...
) for breaking Dwight's heart; Dwight tells Rolf to stop, much to Angela's surprise. The Scranton branch competes in the picnic's volleyball tournament, facing off the other branches of Dunder Mifflin. They initially struggle until Pam reveals herself to be a very talented volleyball player. With her help, they reach the final round where they face the corporate head office.
Michael and Holly perform a skit that parodies Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
(called "SlumDunder Mifflinaire"), presenting Dunder Mifflin trivia in the form of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a television game show which offers large cash prizes for correctly answering a series of multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty. The format is owned and licensed by Sony Pictures Television International. The maximum cash prize is one million pounds...
, as well as acting out torture scenes featured in the film. Nobody, except Stanley
Stanley Hudson
Stanley James Hudson is a fictional character from the US television series The Office. He is played by Leslie David Baker. Stanley's counterpart in the UK series is Malcolm.-Overview:...
(Leslie David Baker
Leslie David Baker
Leslie David Baker is an American film and television actor who plays Stanley Hudson on The Office. He also had several small roles in Scrubs and appeared on That '70s Show as a janitor after a Ted Nugent concert and played an office worker in several of OfficeMax's "Rubberband Man" series of...
), finds their presentation amusing, but things take a turn for the worse when they reveal that the Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
branch of Dunder-Mifflin will be closing in the near future due to the economy. The Buffalo branch was unaware of this, so David reluctantly reveals it to be true. David then berates Michael for revealing this as he had told Michael in confidence, and Michael insists he thought they already knew about it. As Michael and Holly talk about next year's presentation, he prepares to ask for her back but stops himself, deciding not to ruin the moment. As Holly leaves with A. J., Michael says he believes he will eventually be reunited with Holly, although potentially not for a long time--and he's fine with this because "I'm in no rush".
The Scranton branch faces off against the corporate branch, commenting that they deserve to lose for deciding to close down Buffalo. The game is close, and Pam ends up injuring her ankle, although she wants to continue. Seeing an opportunity to remove Scranton's best player from the game, Charles insists that Pam take a seat on the grounds of her injury being a company liability. Determined to beat corporate, and specifically Charles, Jim takes Pam to a local hospital to get an X-ray while Dwight stalls the game to give them time to get back. When the doctor calls Jim into the room for an update, the doctor informs Jim and Pam of some news that causes them to be ecstatic. The news is not heard by the camera crew, but Jim then calls Dwight to send in the substitute players, suggesting that the happy news is a reason to keep Pam from playing volleyball, hinting that Pam is pregnant.
Production
Paul Lieberstein
Paul Bevan Lieberstein is an American screenwriter, actor and television producer. An Emmy Award winner, he is most widely known as a writer, producer, and as supporting cast member Toby Flenderson on the U.S...
and Jennifer Celotta
Jennifer Celotta
Jennifer Ann Celotta is an American television producer and writer. Among her credits are Home Improvement, Malcolm in the Middle, Greg the Bunny, Andy Richter Controls The Universe and The Office...
, and directed by Ken Kwapis
Ken Kwapis
Ken Kwapis is an American film and television director and screenwriter. He specialized in the single-camera sitcom in the 1990s and 2000s and has directed feature films such as Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and He's Just Not That Into...
. "Company Picnic" was the 100th overall episode of The Office, and show creator Greg Daniels
Greg Daniels
Gregory Martin "Greg" Daniels is an American television comedy writer, producer, and director.-Life and career:...
said he was especially proud the series made it to that landmark because he felt it meant he did not disappoint Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
and Stephen Merchant
Stephen Merchant
Stephen James Merchant is an English writer, director, radio presenter, comedian, and actor. He is best known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, as the co-writer and co-director of the popular British sitcom The Office, as the co-writer, co-director and a co-star of Extras, and as the...
, who created the original British version of the show
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...
. Daniels said, "I remember interviewing with them seven years ago, and this (100th episode) was certainly the goal, so I'm very pleased that we got to 100 episodes in a strong fashion. I think the show is in a very good place right now." Steve Carell said he was especially pleased with the landmark because when the show began, people had doubts it would live up to the original series and were skeptical about its mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
style: "It's sort of remarkable, especially with this show because I don't think anybody felt it would go past the pilot. ... I think most everyone was kind of dubious about our chances of pulling it off." Likewise, Ben Silverman
Ben Silverman
Benjamin Noah "Ben" Silverman is the founder and CEO of Electus, a next generation entertainment studio staked by IAC's Barry Diller....
, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and an Office executive producer, said, "It's a thrill that we got to 100 episodes, and probably incredibly surprising looking back at the process it took. But the reality is, we believed in it."
"Company Picnic" was filmed in Malibu, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The episode featured about 360 extras, and was shot over the course of four days. Actor Ed Helms
Ed Helms
Edward Paul "Ed" Helms is an American actor and comedian known for his work as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as Andy Bernard on the US version of the sitcom/mockumentary The Office and for his role as Dr. Stu Price in The Hangover films.- Early life :Helms was born and raised...
said of the episode, "What the writers did is really fun and creative. It doesn't boil down to passive aggressive little picnic games with a vengeance. There's a lot more going on than that." The episode marked return appearances of former guest stars Amy Ryan as Holly Flax and Idris Elba as Charles Miner. Ryan has said she would love the prospect of returning to The Office in future episodes, but that there are currently no plans for such a return: "I think that door [to return] will always be open, just because it's such a nice party to go to. But that said, there are no plans any time soon for them to be reunited again."
In an interview with The Office fansite "OfficeTally", Celotta said she and Lieberstein had only about one weekend to finish the script and distribute it to the actors, so there was little discussion about their individual volleyball abilities. Once the scripts were circulated, the writers learned that Jenna Fischer was not very good at volleyball and had trouble making certain motions with her arm over her head due to a previous injury. As a result, director Ken Kwapis arranged for stunt doubles to perform some of the volleyball moves; a handful of scenes were also shot with Pam doing an overhead motion with the ball being added later using computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
. The opening credits were trimmed down to ten seconds and no post-credits scene
Post-credits scene
A post-credits scene is a short clip that appears after some or all of the closing credits of a film have run...
was used in order to keep the episode within the network-mandated 21 minutes and 35 seconds. The producers considered making the episode an hour long like other season finales from past seasons, like "The Job
The Job (The Office)
"The Job" is the third season finale of the U.S. version of The Office, and the show's 52nd and 53rd episode overall. It aired in the United States on April 19, 2007 on NBC. It is the season's second hour-long episode...
" and "Goodbye, Toby
Goodbye, Toby
"Goodbye, Toby" is the fourth season hour-long finale of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's seventy-first episode overall...
", but they found they did not have enough plot points to conclude in "Company Picnic" and would have had trouble filling a full hour.
Precautions were taken to prevent secrets from the season finale being revealed; only certain staff members were provided with copies of the episode, which were given on watermarked DVDs and distributed to secret hiding places. The writers wanted Michael to have a big plan to get Holly back, but to realize throughout the course of the day that his relationship with Holly was something special and that he did not want to disrupt it; they felt it showed that Michael had become more mature, calm and confident about this relationship than that of Jan Levenson and others in his past. The first scene with Michael and Holly discussing their sketch possibilities in a secluded area was filmed with three cameras: one focusing on each side of the two actors, and one from the front of both of them to establish that the picnic was still going on behind them. Due to space limitations, the latter angle was filmed through a mirror (with the actors appearing to be opposite sides) and then the image was reversed and undistorted in post-production.
Jaws (film)
Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
song parody ("Dunder...Dunder...") while filming, and Carell made up the subsequent line "We're circling it" about their good sketch idea. The extras were told not to laugh or react at all to the "SlumDunder Mifflinaire" sketch, but Carell and Ryan were not told of those instructions in order to create a genuine stage fright
Stage fright
Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia which may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience, whether actually or potentially . In the context of public speaking, this fear is termed glossophobia, one of the most common...
awkwardness among the two actors; Ryan in particular was thrown off guard by their lack of response.
The ending sequence with Pam and Jim in the hospital was filmed at the North Hollywood Medical Center using the Sacred Heart Hospital set from Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
. Although the good news Jim and Pam learn in the hospital was never specifically stated, episode writer Jen Celotta confirmed that the news was that Pam was pregnant; the script included an off-hand question from a nurse to Pam about whether she was pregnant so that viewers would make the connection later. Celotta said the idea of the pregnancy came as the writers were working on this specific episode, although she felt the show had always been heading in that direction. The series producers considered filming the scene with audible dialogue, but they thought the scene was more powerful without audio and felt actors John Krasinski and Jenna Fisher "are such great actors and have the ability to convey so much without hearing their dialogue." Celotta said the show's producers have no plans to release the scene with audio. While filming Jim Halpert's emotional reaction to the pregnancy news, Krasinski and director Ken Kwapis discussed the fact that Jim has been surrounded by this camera crew for the last five years, so he would be glad to share this moment with them. The moment when Jim looked directly at the camera, in particular, was meant to convey the idea that he was celebrating the news with the crew. The script did not call for tears, but Krasinski cried naturally as part of his performance.
Lieberstein and Celotta originally planned to have Mose Schrute, Dwight's cousin and a popular minor character, appear in the episode along with Dwight, but actor Michael Schur
Michael Schur
Michael Herbert Schur is an American television producer and writer, best known for his work on the NBC comedy series The Office and Parks and Recreation, the latter of which he co-created along with Greg Daniels...
was unable to attend because he was busy directing "Rock Show
Rock Show (Parks and Recreation)
"Rock Show" is the sixth episode and season finale of the first season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 14, 2009. It was written by Norm Hiscock and directed by Michael Schur...
", the first season finale of the NBC series Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is an American comedy television series on NBC that focuses on Leslie Knope , a mid-level bureaucrat in the parks department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series debuted on April 9, 2009; it has run for three seasons and...
, which Schur co-created along with The Office creator Greg Daniels. Instead, the writers created the role of Rolph, and several of the actors suggested James Urbaniak be cast in the role. Celotta said she intends to have both Urbaniak and Schur come back to the show in future episodes; she said of Schur, "Who knew Mose would run a show some day? We'll get him one of these days, rest assured." Jennie Tan, the creator of The Office fansite OfficeTally.com, appeared as an extra during the picnic scenes; her site has grown so large she has become known by the cast and crew of the show, who invited her to appear on the season finale. Brian Stack, a writer and actor on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show that featured Conan O'Brien as host from June 1, 2009 to January 22, 2010 as part of NBC's long-running Tonight Show franchise...
, had a small role as the Buffalo branch employee who yells angrily at David Wallace. The Office editor Dave Rogers makes a cameo appearance as the volleyball player who tells Andy he is wearing expensive sunglasses. After filming wrapped, the cast and crew held a 100th episode party, where Dave Rogers presented a montage of "100 Moments" of The Office, with one moment from each episode.
When the Pam character discusses her impressive volleyball ability, she says she played volleyball in junior high, senior high, college and went to volleyball camps most summers. However, in the episode "Job Fair
Job Fair (The Office)
"Job Fair" is the seventeenth episode of the fourth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's seventieth episode overall. Written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and directed by Tucker Gates, the episode first aired in the United States on May 8, 2008 on NBC...
", she said her high school gym brings back memories of her faking PMS to get out of playing basketball and volleyball. Writer Jen Celotta acknowledged this was a continuity error: "Yeah, we screwed up. I didn't remember that she said that, specifically about volleyball. And we really do try to be careful about those things."
The official website for The Office included three cut scenes from "Company Picnic" within a week of its original release. The first clip, one minute and fifty seconds long, is an extended sequence of company picnic scenes, including Michael talking about how excited he is to see Holly, Stanley convincing Creed to stand in his sunlight to provide shade, and Dwight and Andy mocking the Utica team by calling them "You-sucks-ti-ca!" The clip also featured a brief appearance of Meredith's son Jake, played by Spencer Daniels
Spencer Daniels
Spencer Eli Daniels is an American film and television teen actor.He was born in Los Angeles, California. Daniels began acting professionally at the age of ten. Daniels has appeared in over ten films including Star Trek and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button...
, who has not appeared in the show since the second season episode, "Take Your Daughter to Work Day". In the second one-minute long deleted scene clip, Andy yells at his volleyball teammates when they make a mistake, a Buffalo branch player snaps at his own team, and Charles makes fun of Jim from the sidelines. In the third 30-second clip, Dwight bullies and pesters everyone about the final point of the volleyball game against corporate, prompting Meredith to throw the game by throwing the ball at Dwight during her serve. Within a week of the original broadcast of "Company Picnic", the official NBC store website made the red Scranton branch T-shirts and black New York City corporate T-shirts worn by characters in the episode available for sale.
Cultural references
Dev Patel
Dev Patel is a British actor. He is best known for playing Jamal Malik in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire , for which Patel won a number of awards, including a Critics' Choice Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award...
's voice. Before settling on Slumdog Millionaire, Michael and Holly considered writing Dunder Mifflin-themed parodies of the 1975 Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
film Jaws
Jaws (film)
Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
and the 1985 science fiction adventure film Back to the Future
Back to the Future
Back to the Future is a 1985 American science-fiction adventure film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. The film tells the story of...
. While discussing the Jaws idea, they hum John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
' Jaws "Main Title" song
Jaws (soundtrack)
The original soundtrack for Jaws was released by MCA in 1975, and as a CD in 1992, including roughly a half hour of music that John Williams redid for the album...
, substituting the famous two-note theme with the words "Dunder...Dunder..." During the sketch, Michael and Holly announce the closing of a Dunder Mifflin branch in Buffalo, the second largest city in the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Alan Pergament of The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News is the primary newspaper of the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area, and the area's only daily newspaper. It is the only newspaper owned by Berkshire Hathaway.-History:...
said of the city's inclusion in the episode, "It ruined the party for the Buffalo workers but made the episode a lot of fun, especially for Buffalo viewers." Holly and A.J. come from the Dunder Mifflin branch in Nashua
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
.
Michael compared his relationship to Holly to that of the protagonists in the 1989 romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally...
When Harry Met Sally...
When Harry Met Sally... is a 1989 American romantic comedy film written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. It stars Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The story follows the title characters from the time they meet just before sharing a cross-country drive, through twelve years or...
. "Company Picnic" writer Jennifer Celotta said the final scene with Jim and Pam reacting to her pregnancy while the cameras film from outside the hospital room was an homage to a scene in the British version of The Office. In that scene, Tim Canterbury
Tim Canterbury
Tim Canterbury is a main character in the BBC sitcom The Office, played by Martin Freeman. He is a 30-year-old sales representative for paper merchants Wernham Hogg and lives with his parents. He spent one year at a university before dropping out, and one day hopes to return to get a psychology...
proclaims his love for Dawn Tinsley
Dawn Tinsley
Dawn Tinsley is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom The Office, played by Lucy Davis. She is a receptionist for paper merchants Wernham Hogg and is engaged to warehouse worker Lee. Her American The Office equivalent is Pam Beesly...
in a meeting room, but Tim turns off his microphone first so the cameras pick up only their reactions and no sound. Celotta said of the scene, "We are all big fans of the moment that Tim takes off his mic and tells Dawn how he feels. Such an intimate moment that, to me, it feels like it's nice to have it just be theirs."
Reception
In its original American broadcast on May 14, 2009, "Company Picnic" was watched by 6.72 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratingsNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. It was the lowest original episode rating for The Office in two years, a fact commentators said was especially surprising given that the episode was a season finale. The rating was a 13 percent drop in viewership from the previous week's episode, "Cafe Disco
Cafe Disco
"Cafe Disco" is the twenty-seventh episode of the fifth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the 99th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 7, 2009. Feeling the office is overworked after the recent reign of Charles Miner,...
", which was seen by 7.71 million viewers. It also unseated "Casual Friday
Casual Friday (The Office)
"Casual Friday" is the twenty-sixth episode of the fifth season of the television series The Office, and the 98th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 30, 2009...
", which was seen by 7.3 million viewers, as the lowest-rated episode of the fifth season. "Company Picnic" received a 3.9 rating/12 share among viewers aged between 18 and 34, and a 3.5 rating/9 share among viewers between 18 and 49.
Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
described the episode as "a great end to what may have been my favorite season of The Office to date." He said the episode included great laughs and sublime dramatic moments, including Michael's moment with Holly after the sketch and the silent moment in which Jim learns Pam is pregnant. Sepinwall said Jim's moment of composing himself in the hallway after calling Dwight in that scene was, "Maybe Krasinski's single best moment on the series to date." Margaret Lyons of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
said she had "some mixed feelings" about the episode and wished it had more from Ryan
Ryan Howard (The Office)
Ryan Bailey Howard , played by B. J. Novak, is a fictional character on the US television sitcom The Office. He is based upon Ricky Howard from the original version of The Office , but his role is significantly expanded and he is a main character.-Character profile:Little is known about Ryan's...
, Creed
Creed Bratton (character)
Creed Rowland Bratton a.k.a. "William Charles Schneider" is a fictional character from the U.S. television series The Office. Confusion may arise from the fact that the character is played by and partially based on the musician of the same name, Creed Bratton...
and Kelly
Kelly Kapoor
Kelly Rajnigandha Kapoor , is a fictional character from the US television series, The Office. She is played by Mindy Kaling, who is also a writer and producer for the show....
, but she especially praised the ending scene with Jim and Pam, which she said she did not expect. Dan Hooper of VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Best Week Ever
Best Week Ever
Best Week Ever is a weekly television program on the United States cable/satellite network VH1. It started airing in 2004 and was put on hiatus in the summer of 2009...
said, "Office finale was awesome, as we expected, capping about seven straight weeks of just top-notch episodes with great character moments, a legitimately interesting plot, and just laugh line after laugh line, reminding us all (why) we spent time talking about this show every week." Hooper also praised NBC for not advertising the twist ending: "They didn’t stupidly dramatize it, and it ended up being a really nice, really fitting end" to the season.
Nathin Rabin of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
, who gave the episode a B+ grade, said it was "long on pathos and awkwardness but short on laughs", but described it as "a very satisfying way to end a very satisfying season". Although Rabin said the final scene with Jim and Pam was filmed and handled artfully, he also expressed concern that the subplot could turn into a cliched device, and said "part of me felt it was a rather pat, heavy-handed way of ending the season on a dramatic note." Will Leitch
Will Leitch
William F. Leitch is a writer based in New York City and the founding editor of the Gawker Media sports blog Deadspin...
of New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine expressed concern about the dangers of television shows adding a pregnancy subplot, but said of the episode, "For now, we’ll bask in the happiness of two main characters who have waited a long time for it." Leitch, who called Holly the show's "most beloved guest star", also complimented the way the episode handled Michael and Holly's brief reunion: "The couple and the producers seem to have come to the same conclusion about this relationship: Holly (Amy Ryan) can’t actually stay with Michael (Steve Carell), so let’s just enjoy her while she’s here." Travis Fickett of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
complimented the episode but said it "doesn't really reach that high", which he said was disappointing following a string of eventful episodes. He praised the Holly character and the way Jim and Dwight worked so well together during the volleyball game, and although he said the final scene was a nice moment between Jim and Pam, he also said the twist was "predictable and telegraphed
Telegraphing (entertainment)
Telegraphing, in the creation or performance of creative works, is the undercutting of suspenseas by advance disclosure or extreme hinting of an element in a composition, narrative plot, or recitation...
".
TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
listed the final scene about Pam's pregnancy as one of the twelve top television moments from the week it aired. "Company Picnic" was voted the ninth highest-rated episode out of 26 from the fifth season, according to an episode poll at the fansite OfficeTally; the episode was rated 8.36 out of 10.
External links
- "Company Picnic" at NBC.comNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...