Crime Aid
Encyclopedia
"Crime Aid" is the fifth episode of the fifth season of the television series
The Office, and the show's seventy-seventh episode overall. The episode aired in the United States
on October 23, 2008 on NBC
.
In this episode, Michael and Holly allow the office to be robbed after having sex in the office and neglecting to lock the door, so they organize an auction to raise money. Meanwhile, Dwight insists Angela makes a decision between him and Andy.
(Jenna Fischer
) finds that living in New York has become too expensive. Michael
(Steve Carell
) assists her by getting her a job at the Dunder Mifflin corporate office.
It is revealed that Michael and Holly
(Amy Ryan
) are dating. One night, the two have sex in the stairwell in the office building and forget to lock the building door. As a result, thieves break in to the building and the Dunder Mifflin office and steal the computers and various other belongings. Realizing the robbery was their fault, Michael and Holly decide to set up an auction in the warehouse to raise money to match the value of items stolen. Jim
(John Krasinski
) finds a message from the night before on his work phone from an intoxicated Pam, who was out with friends at the time, and Jim jokingly remarks that she is the "future mother of my children".
Michael allows all the staff to auction off any item they choose. Holly decides to auction off a yoga lesson, which Michael is the only one to place a bid for, and Phyllis decides to auction off a hug. Darryl
(Craig Robinson) auctions off an opportunity for someone to join him and the rest of the warehouse workers at a bar for beers at that exact moment. Michael tries to make a bid, but Darryl denies his bid, saying it would be a "conflict of interests". Jim makes a bid, which Darryl immediately accepts, and they leave. The auction seems to be a complete failure until CFO David Wallace
(Andy Buckley) arrives to help raise money by auctioning off a weekend at his place in Martha's Vineyard
.
Meanwhile, Angela
(Angela Kinsey
) and Andy
(Ed Helms
) have set a date for their wedding, which upsets Dwight
(Rainn Wilson
). Phyllis
(Phyllis Smith), knowing Dwight's connection with Angela, attempts to console him. She suggests that he give Angela an ultimatum: call off the wedding or lose out on him. Angela ultimately says no to Dwight, so he asks Phyllis for more advice. Phyllis tells him that since she rejected him and his ultimatum that he should move on. Dwight then becomes bitter towards Phyllis, but later realizes she was trying to help, so he shows his appreciation by bidding for her hug auction, which he loses to her husband Bob Vance (Robert R. Shafer
). The hug actually sells for $1,000, after Bob outbids Andy, David Wallace and Dwight.
At the bar, Jim encounters Pam's ex Roy
(David Denman
), who joins him and the warehouse workers for some beers. Jim reveals to Roy that he is engaged to Pam, which Roy congratulates him on, and also mentions that Pam is at art school in New York. He tells Roy about the night before which she spent with friends, to which he responds that he thought Jim was her friend, visibly bothering him. Jim then decides to drive to New York to visit Pam, but just before he gets on I-80
to get to New York
, turns around because he is "not that guy and [they're] not that couple".
The most anticipated item at the auction is a pair of front row Bruce Springsteen
tickets from Michael, and when it becomes time to open the bid for them, Michael claims he cannot find them and tells everyone that they were stolen in the robbery. At the end of the episode, Michael tells Holly that he lied about the tickets being stolen and about the tickets in general, though Holly already figured he didn't have them. They kiss, catching the eye of a visibly displeased David Wallace, who says he was unaware that Michael and Holly were romantically involved.
entry for Office Robbery Statistics." Eventually, Office Robbery Statistics was redirected to this page, to prevent further attempted creations.
Michael again displays his lack of music knowledge when giving Darryl his list of Top 10 Bruce Springsteen songs. They included three by Huey Lewis and the News
, "Fast Car
" by Tracy Chapman
, and "Short People
" by Randy Newman
, all of which are drastically different from Springsteen's style of music (Tracy Chapman even being a different gender).
A goof: During the bidding scene, Jim bids on having a round of beers with Darryl and the warehouse guys. He gets up and leaves, but when the next prize up for bidding is Creed, you can see Jim sitting behind Creed.
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 seventy-seventh episode overall. The episode aired in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on October 23, 2008 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 this episode, Michael and Holly allow the office to be robbed after having sex in the office and neglecting to lock the door, so they organize an auction to raise money. Meanwhile, Dwight insists Angela makes a decision between him and Andy.
Plot
PamPam 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,...
) finds that living in New York has become too expensive. 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...
(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...
) assists her by getting her a job at the Dunder Mifflin corporate office.
It is revealed that Michael and 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...
) are dating. One night, the two have sex in the stairwell in the office building and forget to lock the building door. As a result, thieves break in to the building and the Dunder Mifflin office and steal the computers and various other belongings. Realizing the robbery was their fault, Michael and Holly decide to set up an auction in the warehouse to raise money to match the value of items stolen. 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...
) finds a message from the night before on his work phone from an intoxicated Pam, who was out with friends at the time, and Jim jokingly remarks that she is the "future mother of my children".
Michael allows all the staff to auction off any item they choose. Holly decides to auction off a yoga lesson, which Michael is the only one to place a bid for, and Phyllis decides to auction off a hug. Darryl
Darryl Philbin
Darryl Mathias Philbin is a fictional character from the US television series The Office. He is played by Craig Robinson.-Overview:Darryl Philbin is the foreman of the warehouse of the Scranton branch of fictitious paper distributor Dunder Mifflin....
(Craig Robinson) auctions off an opportunity for someone to join him and the rest of the warehouse workers at a bar for beers at that exact moment. Michael tries to make a bid, but Darryl denies his bid, saying it would be a "conflict of interests". Jim makes a bid, which Darryl immediately accepts, and they leave. The auction seems to be a complete failure until 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) arrives to help raise money by auctioning off a weekend at his place in Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
.
Meanwhile, 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:...
) and Andy
Andy Bernard
Andrew "Andy" Baines Bernard is a fictional character from the U.S. television series The Office. The character is highly insecure, yet egotistical, constantly mentioning his education at Cornell University...
(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...
) have set a date for their wedding, which upsets 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...
). Phyllis
Phyllis Lapin
Phyllis Margaret Vance is a fictional character from the US television series The Office. She is played by Phyllis Smith.-Biography:...
(Phyllis Smith), knowing Dwight's connection with Angela, attempts to console him. She suggests that he give Angela an ultimatum: call off the wedding or lose out on him. Angela ultimately says no to Dwight, so he asks Phyllis for more advice. Phyllis tells him that since she rejected him and his ultimatum that he should move on. Dwight then becomes bitter towards Phyllis, but later realizes she was trying to help, so he shows his appreciation by bidding for her hug auction, which he loses to her husband Bob Vance (Robert R. Shafer
Robert R. Shafer
Robert Shafer is an American actor who has amassed a substantial cult-following for having played Officer Joe Vickers in the 1989 horror-comedy Psycho Cop and the sequel Psycho Cop 2. Shafer, sometimes credited as Bobby Ray Shafer, is best known for playing Bob Vance on The Office...
). The hug actually sells for $1,000, after Bob outbids Andy, David Wallace and Dwight.
At the bar, Jim encounters Pam's ex Roy
Roy Anderson (The Office)
Royson "Roy" Allan Anderson is a fictional character from the US television series The Office, portrayed by David Denman. His counterpart in the original UK series of The Office is Lee.-Overview:...
(David Denman
David Denman
David Denman is an American film and television actor.-Education:After graduating from Fountain Valley High School, Denman attended the summer training congress at American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco before receiving his B.F.A. from Juilliard.-Career:He made his film debut with Keanu...
), who joins him and the warehouse workers for some beers. Jim reveals to Roy that he is engaged to Pam, which Roy congratulates him on, and also mentions that Pam is at art school in New York. He tells Roy about the night before which she spent with friends, to which he responds that he thought Jim was her friend, visibly bothering him. Jim then decides to drive to New York to visit Pam, but just before he gets on I-80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
to get to 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...
, turns around because he is "not that guy and [they're] not that couple".
The most anticipated item at the auction is a pair of front row Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
tickets from Michael, and when it becomes time to open the bid for them, Michael claims he cannot find them and tells everyone that they were stolen in the robbery. At the end of the episode, Michael tells Holly that he lied about the tickets being stolen and about the tickets in general, though Holly already figured he didn't have them. They kiss, catching the eye of a visibly displeased David Wallace, who says he was unaware that Michael and Holly were romantically involved.
Reception
"Crime Aid" was voted the tenth highest-rated episode out of 26 from the fifth season, according to an episode poll at the fansite OfficeTally; the episode was rated 8.35 out of 10. After the initial airing of the show, there were a flood of attempted creations of the Wikipedia entry Office Robbery Statistics, because of Michael's line "It is not known how many office robberies occur every second, because there is no WikipediaWikipedia
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
entry for Office Robbery Statistics." Eventually, Office Robbery Statistics was redirected to this page, to prevent further attempted creations.
Trivia
C.R.I.M.E. A.I.D. stands for "Crime Reduces Innocence, Makes Everybody Angry, I Declare."Michael again displays his lack of music knowledge when giving Darryl his list of Top 10 Bruce Springsteen songs. They included three by Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts...
, "Fast Car
Fast Car
"Fast Car" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman. It was released as a single in April 1988 from her self-titled 1988 debut album Tracy Chapman...
" by Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her singles "Fast Car", "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Give Me One Reason" and "Telling Stories". She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.-Biography:Tracy Chapman was born in Cleveland,...
, and "Short People
Short People
"Short People" is a song by Randy Newman from his 1977 album Little Criminals, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The verses and chorus seem to be a pointed attack on the short...
" by Randy Newman
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
, all of which are drastically different from Springsteen's style of music (Tracy Chapman even being a different gender).
A goof: During the bidding scene, Jim bids on having a round of beers with Darryl and the warehouse guys. He gets up and leaves, but when the next prize up for bidding is Creed, you can see Jim sitting behind Creed.
External links
- "Crime Aid" at NBC.com