When Jim points out the “hierarchy mobile” to Dwight and tells him that they’re missing an Assistant To The Assistant To The Regional Manager, Rainn came up with the line “I’d need more string, but it’s doable.” Such a wonderful little Dwight moment that his consideration of a new position rests on how it would be able to fit in his mobile.
After Jim crowns Dwight and runs after Pam, Rainn came up with the line, “From now on anyone who needs to speak to me, has got to go through me first,” which I loved and ended the scene with. Early on our Executive Producer Greg Daniels told us in editing, “Whatever’s funniest wins. Doesn’t matter if a writer wrote it, or an actor made it up on the spot. We go with what’s best.”
One hilarious improv that was cut out, was after Jim reassigns “performing a test on a baby.” He gives it to Dwight and leaves. But as Dwight sits behind his desk looking out at the bullpen, a “summoning bag” gets thrown at him and hits the blinds behind him. As the new A.A.R.M., he gets up and asks if Jim wants him, and Jim responds from the doorway, “Nope, just returning it.” Dwight immediately sits down and another bean bag hits him. Jim then says “Now I need you!” It was very funny, but took away from leaving us with Dwight’s intensity on what to do about Baby Phillip, which was better for the story.
twoblackballz: Was the warehouse scene with the A.A.R.M challenge a callback to Office Olympics? Also, what was your favorite scene of this episode to shoot?
David: The obstacle course wasn’t really a callback, but I can definitely see the similarities in using regular office equipment in a different way than they’re originally intended. I loved the upside down office chairs as turnstiles and the boxes of paper as hurdles. The episode’s writer Brent Forrester and I worked on the course with our Art Department and Set Decorators and I wanted Rainn Wilson’s input since he was the one doing the course. He came up with the elevation at the end, using paper boxes as steps, and finishing on a palette of boxes.
I was blessed with such a great script with so many great scenes that it’s hard to say what’s my favorite. I loved Dwight pulling over Angela and getting to film a car stunt. I had a blast filming Darryl’s dance with the rest of the gang. I loved shooting the whole day with Andy waiting in line and auditioning for America’s Next A Capella Sensation! There are literally tons of others from Jim talking to Dwight about love, Jim giving Pam the teapot card after she watches the DVD, and almost every scene with Baby Phillip!
gabagool: How many times did you guys cry while shooting this episode?
There was not a ton of crying on set during the filming of this episode. Even though we knew the show was very close to ending, the cast and crew were in great spirits and firing on all cylinders. However, on my second to last day of shooting, after filming Dwight pulling over Angela, and proposing, we then went to Poor Richard’s and blocked and rehearsed the last scene of the episode where the gang watches the premiere of the documentary. After rehearsal we broke for lunch and then had our table read for… our series finale.
That’s when the crying started. That final table read was an amazing experience and cast members, crew, writers, producers and even a director who had the rest of his afternoon to shoot all either cried or at the least got teary. It took a while to settle down when it was time to come back and shoot the bar scene.
Tiffany: That Jim/Pam moment was such a turning point in their relationship. How was the feeling on set shooting that scene?
Wow! Great Q&A! Thanks to David for taking the time to carefully answer so many questions, and thanks to Tanster for asking all of them!
I love that John wrote a special note to Jenna!! I am so going to miss Jim and Pam!!
John writing a special message in the card without Jenna knowing is a total Jim move….It’s like they really are a unit. I always thought they had a great chemistry together.
Okay, and I’m a mess now after reading about John writing the note to Jenna that made her react like that! Absolutely the best Q & A ever – can we get a special edition box set of all 9 seasons with Dave doing audio commentary for every episode?!
[ from tanster: i second that! ]
Thank you, David, for answering these questions! So cool to know that you were “the voice”.
John and Jenna are so freaking awesome. JAM has always reminded my husband and I of our relationship, he says I’m his Pam, but John and Jenna’s friendship is what makes their characters so…magical.
Wow! Wonderful Q&A — thank you!
He answered my question! Thanks for answering, and thanks tanster for organizing!
Give it up for Stanley the Manly! LDB is the man for sitting through all the talking heads.
The best Q&A ever! This was fascinating, fun to read and informative. I love how much care and thought and detail are put into these amazing episodes. I’m going to miss this show and all the talented people who work on it. Thank you David Rogers and Office Tally!
Wow, that was amazing! Thank you, Dave Rogers. Incredible insight into the episode and how sweet was it that JK wrote a special note to JF in the card.
Amazing Q&A. It really makes the episode that much better (and it was close to perfect to begin with).
Wow, only John and Jenna know what’s in the card, that’s amazing!! It makes the scene even more potent.
My unanswered question has always been… who is the father of Jan’s baby? It always seemed to me that she had some extra knowledge when she told people she went to the sperm bank. My theory is that Astrid is really Hunter’s, OR… Jan picked out Kevin from the sperm bank donor book.
The information about the card made me happy. It’s like the hug and the “Thank you” was not only between Jim and Pam, but a genuine moment between John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer, which just makes it awesome.
Thank you so much for this!
The one unanswered question I still have and don’t really expect to be resolved is whether Kevin is really the biological father of Astrid…
Wow that was an amazing Q and A, as someone has already
said, thanks to David for answering and Tanster for asking them.
Awesome Q&A. Love this stuff.
Jan got an anonymous donation from a donor bank. The only way to know if Kevin was the father would be to do a genetic test with him….but why would Jan ever do that?! It wouldn’t make any sense to reveal a father.
Great Q&A! I really enjoyed reading it :)
Thank you so much for the awesome insight, David! And thanks for the organization of this Q and A, Tanster! You’re both so great. And as always, even more obsessed with JAM after reading about this private card. Can they get any more perfect?!
Wow, just wow. I read this right after seeing the video “The Faces of Jim.” I miss them already!
Really great Q&A. This was awesome of David.
I’m still confused about the Beesly/Beesley thing. Didn’t Jim’s video say Beesley?
Wow. Great Q&A! Thanks so much for answering my question. I actually forgot that Dwight had used a dirty diaper for the DNA test. I’m also glad that the content of the card won’t be revealed…it’s much better that way.
What will we do now? Now that the Office is officially over? Will the characters watch themselves now?
the only unanswered question – why did Michael hate Toby so much? Greg Daniels mentioned he might do a backstory on that but never did…I would love to know!
I wonder if that means that LDB technically has the most screen time of any actor on the show. I hope that reflects in his syndication royalties! :)
Thank you David, it was a very informative and moving Q&A. Glad you contributed to the show.
@ash
Some things, like the card from Jim to Pam, are better left unexplained. And I’m glad they never addressed that.
The common guess for Toby is that, Toby being HR, he didn’t answer to Michael Scott, wasn’t compelled to take part in his charades and may have transmitted over the years reports and complaints to the headquarters, as he was supposed to do.
Anyway, Dwight did fire Toby in the finale, something Michael could never do. Either David Wallace changed the rules, or he approved first Dwight’s request for undisclosed reasons (Toby not reporting that Andy was missing?)
And it still made it more effective that Michael’s hatred for Toby is so irrational. If there had been a concrete reason for it, we would have linked Michael’s behavior with the original incident. Without explanation, it was even more childish and effective.
Great Q&A, thanks for this!
Question though: from which episode is the deleted scene Tyson refers to in his question – with Jim talking about his best first date with Pam?
Amazing! Thank you!
I thought the misspellings of Pam’s last name were addressed in a commentary from one of the Niagara episodes. They said that at the rehearsal dinner, on the sign outside of the door, beesley was spelled wrong on purpose.listen to commentary though
Did erin end up with plop?