Greg: This is Rainn — duh. I’m dumb. There you go. Hey we’re at each other’s throats now. It’s a good thing that we’re not in the same physical location.
Rainn: I know. I’d be pummeling him.
Question: Is there going to be any love interest for Dwight that will be introduced right now because right now? You know, Angela has kind of moved on and — or she’s trying to move on, and it looks like it’s just breaking Dwight’s heart. Do you think that he’ll have a love interest come in and try to make Angela jealous?
Rainn: I don’t know, Greg. That gets into some dangerous territory there. What do you think we can say about that?
Greg: Well, do you remember in your audition when you improv’d his — some of his ex-girlfriends?
Rainn: Yes.
Greg: Because I’ve always — we’ve always had that on the board and that, I think, you know, it’s part of his character that he has some exes out there. So …
Rainn: Yes. Dwight — I improvised in the audition for the pilot which Greg — by the way — thanks for casting me.
Greg: Oh, just wanted to bring that up again, yeah.
Rainn: Thanks for casting me because …
Greg: No problem.
Rainn: … I have a career now. So thanks for that. And yeah, I had a — we had an improvisation of me and Jenna, and I told her that I had an ex-girlfriend who was stationed in Kuwait City, you know, as a Reservist.
So I don’t know if that is coming into play, but ex-girlfriends — yeah. I think we’ll be seeing a lot more sides — a lot more facets of Dwight when it comes to dating and women.
I want to say that this is something that I love about this show is that, you know, every season, every — even every episode — every couple of episodes, there’s always some new aspect of Dwight that Greg and the writers want to explore.
And that’s such a rare thing, you know. So many shows have their comic sidekick character and this is — they do X, Y, and Z. But I get emotional stories and comedic stories, and family stories — and lots of different textures. And I really appreciate getting to do that as an actor.
Greg: We’re going to play with time a lot, I think — like Lost. In the next six episodes. It’s going to get suddenly weirdly sci-fi.
Rainn: There’ll be a hatch under Dwight’s desk.
Question: So The Office is going to turn into Lost, huh? Actually, Greg, I was just wondering are there any signs that Stephen and Ricky will write more episodes for the show or make a cameo, do you think?
Greg: I don’t know. It’s a really good question. Stephen was going to direct on … in December and, you know, we’re hoping to get him back next year. And, you know, as to cameos, we haven’t written any in. We — at one point, we had written in one for the character that played Gareth a couple of years ago.
But we couldn’t get him on because he was doing Pirates of the Caribbean or something.
But it’s a possibility. But we don’t have any plans right now.
Question: Now the upcoming episode is — Pam and Jim show up to Michael’s dinner party. I was just wondering where was Dwight?
Rainn: Well, you have to tune in on April 10 to find out. It’s amazing what happens. It’s going to rock your world.
Question: Can you talk a little bit about how you spent the break and what the first day back was like?
Greg: Well mine was very boring. I just walked in circles a lot waving the placard and didn’t, you know, travel anywhere or do anything. But the first day that we came back was very good for the writing staff because this was the longest break that we had had since the show started and people, you know, had time to kind of recharge their batteries in a good way.
So we had a lot of fun tossing out ideas on our first day back.
Rainn: I did a little bit of picketing. I played a lot with my three and a half year old son, which was good. I think the strike was terribly painful for the families of Los Angeles — the working families of Los Angeles, but it was also great for the families of Los Angeles.
And I went to Israel and I did some writing. And I worked on my backhand with my Zen tennis coach.
Question: And what was the first day back like?
Rainn: You know, it’s been — it has been a huge love fest. It’s like — it’s kind of crazy. It doesn’t make for great print journalism, but I will say that everyone — it’s like our other family and we — our other family got together.
And — like at a big family reunion and it’s been really, really fun. And we’ve had a blast these first two weeks. It is great to see everyone again and batteries were definitely recharged.
Question: And I know you go through it every summer, but is it tough after a break like that to get back into being Dwight?
Rainn: You know, it’s — it does — there’s like ten minutes when it’s like okay, wait, who is this guy again, right? And then, you know, I just put on the calculator watch and the glasses, and just be all, you know, inappropriate. And then it just works out fine.
Wow, this is amazing tanster. Long, but worth the reading time. Thanks for posting this! :)
Awesome. Perfect for after-lunch-time-filler-at-work reading.
I like the idea of them showing the documentary to the characters. Well, not now, but end of Season 5 maybe? Shake things up a bit. Put them all in the public eye, see how they all really see each other, etc. I think it would be an interesting change of pace!
This is great! Exactly what I needed to tide me over until April 10th. Also, I can’t wait to see John host that mini marathon on the 3rd.
That was awesome. Thank you so much. I can’t wait to see how the destruction of DMI plays out!!
Good stuff. I can’t wait to find out what contrivance Michael used to get Pam and Jim to come to dinner.
“Weather” heads? Huh?
[from tanster: yeah, i thought that was funny, too!]
That was an awesome post-lunch read…Awesome. Awesome Blossom!!
I think it’d be great if on the last episode they all sat down to watch the documentary and it started to show like the first 20 seconds on the first episode and there was this “low battery” light blinking on the bottom of the screen…then it just goes black with the words “no battery power” or something….
love the drinking game idea! totally watching for angela’s belly on the 10th :)
Great read! I loved Rainn saying that George Clooney was in The Rocker. Sounds like John got quite the ribbing about his ~fancy~ movie role.
Loved this! I also think showing the documentary should happen in one of the ending episodes of the series. It needs to happen, but it will definitely signal an end to the show. I can’t wait to see how Greg does it (but hopefully it’s not for a while!)
My dwight bobblehead broke :( I just have a Dwight head sitting creepily next to my printer now
Worth the read! Thanks Tanster! Loved Rainn’s line about the bobbleheads being found years from now. Can’t wait to see what twist and turns are ahead!
And great questions about whether they changed the story lines to fit the shortened season – it’s great to know they’ve taken bits of other story lines and incorporated them into this season…like we’re not going to miss out on any great stories because of the strike!
Okay, maybe I’m missing it somewhere, but who was the interviewer here?
Mesmerizing.
But who is “Question”?
Tanster?
[from tanster: “Question” is various members of the press.]
That was a great time lunch time killer! Thanks for posting Tanster! I can’t wait to see Michael and Dwight hanging out with Ryan in New York.
Wow – that was the most enthralling thing I’ve read in quite a while. Thanks so much for posting!
Side note: Greg Daniels used the phrase “in like Flynn.” For some weird reason, that majorly cracked me up.
That was great!!!!! By the way Greg said “you know” like a million times. Still Awesome!!!!!!!
Hilarious reading – thanks Tanster!
I love hearing these two be so candid with their responses. Rarely do we get a window into people’s souls… But I’m glad to say that Rainn and Greg’s souls are awesome. The entire interview was well done with wonderful questions that true fans will love! Thanks so much for posting!
That was great.
I can’t say how much I appreciate you bringing the insider info to us. I love hearing/reading about the passion and creativity of the writers and performers on this show. It’s so much fun, and better yet, totally justifies the time I spend laughing and re-laughing over this show! Thank you!
Thanks for posting it, tanster. I have to say that personally I am a bit bummed that they keep fleshing out the Dwight character in far more detail than they do Jim Halpert.
MMMMmmmm. So Good. Thanks to all!
#14 Alamedaman: That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day.
#14… I feel your pain. My bobblehead’s cappa was detaited too. He’s got a permanent neck brace of blue tape right now.
Also my favorite moments in this was the hatch under Dwight’s desk and Spot the Fetus.
Oh and the idea that somewhere out there someone is now planning on putting Dwight into a time capsule.
Wow great stuff here! Greg stating they will be playing with time this season, the idea of the characters seeing the documentary, John Krasinski and friends shooting the Scranton footage in the opening, and the Pet Day script! I think that it would be awsome if the characters saw the documentary and were in the public eye at the beginning of the final season, there are some really golden ideas behind that concept. I think eventually the idea will be put to use, but probably not for awhile.