Costume Contest
Encyclopedia
"Costume Contest" is the sixth episode of the seventh season of the American comedy
television series
The Office, and the show's 132nd episode overall. Written by Justin Spitzer
and directed by Dean Holland
, the episode aired on NBC
in the United States on October 28, 2010. This episode received positive reviews.
In the episode, Michael freaks out when Darryl goes over his head by taking an idea to corporate. The employees partake in a Halloween costume contest in the office. Meanwhile, Pam tries to get the truth from Danny about their dating history.
) with Pam (Olive Oyl
). As the day goes on, several people realize their costume might not win, so they leave the office to switch into something more recognizable or provocative.
Gabe, dressed up as Lady Gaga
, informs the staff of a sales idea where delivery drivers can suggest additional products for the customers they deliver to, increasing sales for the company. Michael realizes this idea sounds similar to a suggestion made by Darryl a long time ago; Michael, however, had initially shot down the idea, believing it to be no good. When Jim informs Michael that warehouse worker Madge has made her first sale, Michael decides to confront Corporate about stealing Darryl's idea. It is then revealed Darryl actually pitched the idea to Gabe, who sent it up to corporate, and has already received credit.
New salesman Danny invites everyone to a Halloween party at his bar after work. Almost everyone in the office is aware that Danny and Pam had a two-date fling four years ago. Kevin (dressed as Michael Moore
) and Andy (Bill Compton) start a false rumor that Pam doesn't want people going to Danny's party, which incites Danny to confront Jim and Pam in order to determine the validity of the rumor. The conversation quickly turns to Pam and Danny's dating history, and while the three initially laugh about how their coworkers have been exaggerating its significance, it soon becomes clear that both Jim and Pam want to know exactly why she was rejected. Danny tells Jim he didn't call back was because Pam couldn't stop talking about Jim during their dates, but when Pam reveals she never mentioned Jim, Danny admits that he found her too "dorky." At the end of the episode, Jim comes into the office wearing his Popeye costume, carrying Cece (dressed as Swee'Pea
), much to the delight of Pam.
Michael becomes progressively more agitated over the fact that Darryl went over his head, and tries to get Darryl to apologize in front of everyone for 'backstabbing' him. Darryl refuses, criticizing Michael's poor judgment of his idea. Michael changes his outfit to Darryl's warehouse uniform in anger, and tries to rally the office behind him in declaring Darryl a backstabber. The two bring their argument to Gabe, where Darryl expresses his opinion that Michael has never done anything for him: Ed Truck hired him, Jo promoted him, and Gabe listened to him, whereas Michael always said no. Michael realizes he needs to listen more to his employees: Darryl apologizes to Michael and Michael apologizes to Darryl for "being such a jerk". Darryl wishes he was still operating down in the warehouse, but Andy inspires Darryl to further his career at Dunder Mifflin by recounting how he got involved with his a cappella group.
At the end of the episode, Oscar, who changed out of his costume to regular work clothing, is declared the winner of the coupon book. A series of interviews reveal several employees' reasons for voting for Oscar – Kelly wanted to vote on whom she thought was least likely to win, Ryan for the underdog, and Creed because he thought Oscar was wearing an excellent Edward James Olmos
costume.
, an editor on the series, and written by Justin Spitzer
. Holland also directed the fifth season episode, "The Duel
". It was the second episode to feature Timothy Olyphant
in a guest appearance as Danny Cordray, he was billed as a special guest star. David Koechner
appears as Todd Packer
, last seen in the sixth-season episode, "St. Patrick's Day
".
Within the week of the original air date, Hulu
released four deleted scenes from the episode. In the first 87-second clip, Dwight and Michael try to destroy Darryl's idea by having a fake fight which eventually fails. In the second 79-second clip, Dwight kisses up to Darryl in case he is promoted. In the fourth 50-second clip, Toby and Kelly explain why they want the coupon book while Oscar looks for something good in the book.
The episode received positive reviews from critics. James Poniewozik of Time
said, "It started excellently with "What can Stanley ignore" precredit sequence and it rolled on from there." He also said that this episode contained a number of nice character moments. Joel Keller of AOL
's TV Squad called the episode a "slow-building but ultimately winning episode". Margaret Lyons of Entertainment Weekly
called the episode "the funniest episode of The Office since season 5".
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
The Office, and the show's 132nd episode overall. Written by Justin Spitzer
Justin Spitzer
Justin Spitzer is an American television writer, whose credits include Scrubs and Courting Alex. He is currently serving as a staff writer on The Office...
and directed by Dean Holland
Dean Holland
Dean Holland is an Emmy Award-winning, American film editor, television director and producer best known for working on Entourage and the NBC comedy shows The Office and Parks and Recreation...
, the episode aired on NBC
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 October 28, 2010. This episode received positive reviews.
In the episode, Michael freaks out when Darryl goes over his head by taking an idea to corporate. The employees partake in a Halloween costume contest in the office. Meanwhile, Pam tries to get the truth from Danny about their dating history.
Cold open
Stanley accidentally confuses Jim's mug of orange juice for his own mug of coffee, but does not appear to notice the difference. This leads a surprised Jim, along with the rest of the office, to determine what else Stanley won't notice. Kevin dresses as Phyllis; Andy sits at his desk while wearing a tie with no shirt; Jim places a cardboard box with the computer desktop on it over Stanley's monitor; Michael wears fake teeth; Michael talks about a Dunder Mifflin branch on Jupiter during a staff meeting where all the employees except Stanley are facing a different direction; Pam wears a mustache; and Dwight brings a pony into the office...with Stanley not realizing any of those things happened. However, he does notice that the office clock behind him is five minutes slow, and that it's 5PM, so he immediately heads out of the office.Plot
The office becomes excited over the annual Halloween costume contest when Pam offers a Scranton-area coupon book as the prize for the winner. The coupons contained offer a total $15,000 in savings, which leads the staff (save for Oscar, who does not participate) to believe that the coupon book is literally worth $15,000. This, of course, still isn't enough to convince Jim to wear a matching couples costume (PopeyePopeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
) with Pam (Olive Oyl
Olive Oyl
Olive Oyl is a cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar in 1919 for his comic strip Thimble Theatre. The strip was later renamed Popeye after the sailor character that became the most popular member of the cast; however Olive Oyl was a main character for 10 years before Popeye's 1929...
). As the day goes on, several people realize their costume might not win, so they leave the office to switch into something more recognizable or provocative.
Gabe, dressed up as Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
, informs the staff of a sales idea where delivery drivers can suggest additional products for the customers they deliver to, increasing sales for the company. Michael realizes this idea sounds similar to a suggestion made by Darryl a long time ago; Michael, however, had initially shot down the idea, believing it to be no good. When Jim informs Michael that warehouse worker Madge has made her first sale, Michael decides to confront Corporate about stealing Darryl's idea. It is then revealed Darryl actually pitched the idea to Gabe, who sent it up to corporate, and has already received credit.
New salesman Danny invites everyone to a Halloween party at his bar after work. Almost everyone in the office is aware that Danny and Pam had a two-date fling four years ago. Kevin (dressed as Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
) and Andy (Bill Compton) start a false rumor that Pam doesn't want people going to Danny's party, which incites Danny to confront Jim and Pam in order to determine the validity of the rumor. The conversation quickly turns to Pam and Danny's dating history, and while the three initially laugh about how their coworkers have been exaggerating its significance, it soon becomes clear that both Jim and Pam want to know exactly why she was rejected. Danny tells Jim he didn't call back was because Pam couldn't stop talking about Jim during their dates, but when Pam reveals she never mentioned Jim, Danny admits that he found her too "dorky." At the end of the episode, Jim comes into the office wearing his Popeye costume, carrying Cece (dressed as Swee'Pea
Swee'Pea
Swee'Pea is a character in E.C. Segar's comic strip Thimble Theatre/Popeye and in the cartoon series derived from it. His name refers to the flower known as the Sweet Pea...
), much to the delight of Pam.
Michael becomes progressively more agitated over the fact that Darryl went over his head, and tries to get Darryl to apologize in front of everyone for 'backstabbing' him. Darryl refuses, criticizing Michael's poor judgment of his idea. Michael changes his outfit to Darryl's warehouse uniform in anger, and tries to rally the office behind him in declaring Darryl a backstabber. The two bring their argument to Gabe, where Darryl expresses his opinion that Michael has never done anything for him: Ed Truck hired him, Jo promoted him, and Gabe listened to him, whereas Michael always said no. Michael realizes he needs to listen more to his employees: Darryl apologizes to Michael and Michael apologizes to Darryl for "being such a jerk". Darryl wishes he was still operating down in the warehouse, but Andy inspires Darryl to further his career at Dunder Mifflin by recounting how he got involved with his a cappella group.
At the end of the episode, Oscar, who changed out of his costume to regular work clothing, is declared the winner of the coupon book. A series of interviews reveal several employees' reasons for voting for Oscar – Kelly wanted to vote on whom she thought was least likely to win, Ryan for the underdog, and Creed because he thought Oscar was wearing an excellent Edward James Olmos
Edward James Olmos
Edward James Olmos is an American actor and director. Among his most memorable roles are William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, Lt...
costume.
Production
"Costume Contest" was directed by Dean HollandDean Holland
Dean Holland is an Emmy Award-winning, American film editor, television director and producer best known for working on Entourage and the NBC comedy shows The Office and Parks and Recreation...
, an editor on the series, and written by Justin Spitzer
Justin Spitzer
Justin Spitzer is an American television writer, whose credits include Scrubs and Courting Alex. He is currently serving as a staff writer on The Office...
. Holland also directed the fifth season episode, "The Duel
The Duel (The Office)
"The Duel" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 84th overall episode. In the episode, Andy learns his fiancee Angela is having an affair with Dwight, and the two challenge each other to a physical fight to win her affections...
". It was the second episode to feature Timothy Olyphant
Timothy Olyphant
Timothy David Olyphant is an American actor whose notable roles in television drama series include Deadwood as Seth Bullock, Justified as Raylan Givens, The Office as Danny Cordray, and Damages as Wes Krulik...
in a guest appearance as Danny Cordray, he was billed as a special guest star. David Koechner
David Koechner
David Michael Koechner is an American comedian, musician, and character actor. Koechner began studying improvisational comedy in Chicago at the ImprovOlympic, under the teachings of Del Close, before joining the Second City Northwest...
appears as Todd Packer
Todd Packer
Todd Finch Packer is a fictional character on NBC's The Office, portrayed by David Koechner, and based on Chris Finch from the original British version.-Overview:Todd is a boorish Outside Sales Representative...
, last seen in the sixth-season episode, "St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day (The Office)
"St. Patrick's Day" is the 19th episode of the sixth season of the U.S. comedy series The Office and the show's 119th episode overall. It was written by Jonathan Hughes and directed by Randall Einhorn....
".
Within the week of the original air date, Hulu
Hulu
Hulu is a website and over-the-top subscription service offering ad-supported on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, and Obstacle on October 20th 2011 Nickelodeon and CBS and many other...
released four deleted scenes from the episode. In the first 87-second clip, Dwight and Michael try to destroy Darryl's idea by having a fake fight which eventually fails. In the second 79-second clip, Dwight kisses up to Darryl in case he is promoted. In the fourth 50-second clip, Toby and Kelly explain why they want the coupon book while Oscar looks for something good in the book.
Halloween costumes
- Michael as MacGruberMacGruberMacGruber was a recurring sketch on the NBC television series Saturday Night Live, first appearing on the show in January 2007. The sketch stars Will Forte as special operations agent MacGruber, who is tasked in each episode with deactivating a ticking bomb but becomes distracted by personal...
, then Darryl (Oscar's afro wig and a warehouse uniform) before changing back - Dwight as "The Scranton Strangler"
- Jim as PopeyePopeyePopeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
- Pam as Olive OylOlive OylOlive Oyl is a cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar in 1919 for his comic strip Thimble Theatre. The strip was later renamed Popeye after the sailor character that became the most popular member of the cast; however Olive Oyl was a main character for 10 years before Popeye's 1929...
- Ryan as Justin BieberJustin BieberJustin Drew Bieber is a Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager...
- Andy as Bill Compton
- Stanley as a samurai warriorSamuraiis the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
- Kevin as Michael MooreMichael MooreMichael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
- Creed as a mummyMummyA mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
- Meredith as Sookie StackhouseSookie StackhouseSookie Stackhouse is the fictional protagonist and narrating voice of Charlaine Harris' The Southern Vampire Mysteries and the television adaptation, HBO's True Blood.-Biography:...
- Kelly as SnookiNicole PolizziNicole Elizabeth "Snooki" Polizzi is an American reality television personality who appeared on the MTV reality show Jersey Shore starting in 2009.- Early life :Polizzi was born in Santiago, Chile...
, then Katy PerryKaty PerryKaty Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a... - Erin as a hideous monsterMonsterA monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
- Angela as a penguinPenguinPenguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
, then a sexy nurse - Toby as a hoboHoboA hobo is a term which is often applied to a migratory worker or homeless vagabond, often penniless. The term originated in the Western—probably Northwestern—United States during the last decade of the 19th century. Unlike 'tramps', who work only when they are forced to, and 'bums', who do not...
- Oscar as a 70s pimp, then a "rational consumer" (but mistaken by Creed to be Edward James OlmosEdward James OlmosEdward James Olmos is an American actor and director. Among his most memorable roles are William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, Lt...
) - Darryl as DraculaCount DraculaCount Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula and archetypal vampire. Some aspects of his character have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian general and Wallachian Prince Vlad III the Impaler...
- Phyllis as Supreme Court Justice Sonia SotomayorSonia SotomayorSonia Maria Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 2009. Sotomayor is the Court's 111th justice, its first Hispanic justice, and its third female justice....
- Gabe as Lady GagaLady GaGaStefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
- Todd Packer as a pregnant nunNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
- Bob Vance as Dirty Harry
- Cece as Swee'PeaSwee'PeaSwee'Pea is a character in E.C. Segar's comic strip Thimble Theatre/Popeye and in the cartoon series derived from it. His name refers to the flower known as the Sweet Pea...
Reception
In its original American broadcast on October 28, 2010, "Costume Contest" was viewed by an estimated 8.07 million viewers and received a 4.0 rating/11% share among adults between the ages of 18 and 49. The episode's rating improved 15% from the previous episode. In Canada, the episode was watched by 826,000 viewers.The episode received positive reviews from critics. James Poniewozik of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
said, "It started excellently with "What can Stanley ignore" precredit sequence and it rolled on from there." He also said that this episode contained a number of nice character moments. Joel Keller of AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
's TV Squad called the episode a "slow-building but ultimately winning episode". 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...
called the episode "the funniest episode of The Office since season 5".
External links
- "Costume Contest" 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...