Baby Shower
Encyclopedia
"Baby Shower" is the fourth episode of the fifth season of the television series
The Office, and the show's seventy-sixth episode overall. The episode aired in the United States
on October 16, 2008 on NBC
.
In this episode, Michael
's ex-girlfriend Jan Levenson comes to the office for a baby shower, despite the fact that she has already given birth, to her daughter Astrid. Her arrival causes Michael to be rude to his love interest Holly
in order to fool Jan and causes Dwight
to spend most of his day testing out Jan's expensive new stroller.
(Rainn Wilson
) acts out the process of birth with a watermelon
, as Michael
(Steve Carell
) wants to be prepared for Jan's (Melora Hardin
) baby.
The Party Planning Committee is planning Jan's baby shower, and collects money for a present, to which many employees are reluctant to donate. Angela
(Angela Kinsey
) makes a "guess whose baby picture" game for the shower, and she is angered when Andy
(Ed Helms
) unintentionally makes fun of her picture.
Jim
(John Krasinski
) and Pam
(Jenna Fischer
) feel awkward trying to communicate with each other throughout the day, with Pam telling the documentary crew that the two of them were having an off day.
Jan arrives with her baby girl, Astrid, already born, much to everyone's surprise. The shower ends up taking place anyway, and Michael tries to pacify Jan by being cold to Holly
(Amy Ryan
), which makes her uncomfortable despite being foretold by Michael.
The present the office got for Jan ended up being a stroller
, which was unnecessary as she already had a more expensive $1200 Orbit Baby stroller. Dwight found this a ridiculous price to pay, stating that his bomb shelter cost that much, so he goes out to test the durability of the stroller as the shower continues. He straps the watermelon from the beginning of the show into the stroller and goes out to a dump-like area to throw the stroller into fences and off of small cliffs. He also ends up tying the stroller to the back of his car for his "bumper test."
Michael holds Astrid, only to find no connection, so he seeks advice from another "baby-daddy," Darryl
(Craig Robinson). Darryl mocks him, as the baby is not even Michael's. Jan acts coldly to Holly when they have a conversation, being direct when Holly attempts humour. Jan then retrieves her daughter from Angela and Andy, who were setting up a photo of the baby amongst vegetables. She leaves soon afterward, telling Michael in the parking lot not to date Holly. Michael hugs Holly when he goes back into the building and feels a connection he did not feel with Astrid. He then asks her out on a date, which she accepts, visibly moved.
Jim and Pam call each other at exactly the same time and leave each other messages that are extremely similar, hinting that perhaps they are not as disjointed as this day has made them feel but highlighting the difficulty they are both having with being apart.
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-sixth 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 16, 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
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...
's ex-girlfriend Jan Levenson comes to the office for a baby shower, despite the fact that she has already given birth, to her daughter Astrid. Her arrival causes Michael to be rude to his love interest 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...
in order to fool Jan and causes 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...
to spend most of his day testing out Jan's expensive new stroller.
Plot
DwightDwight 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...
) acts out the process of birth with a watermelon
Watermelon
Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind and fleshy center...
, as 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...
) wants to be prepared for Jan's (Melora Hardin
Melora Hardin
Melora Diane Hardin is an American actress, best known for her roles as Jan Levinson on NBC's The Office and Trudy Monk on USA's Monk.-Early life:...
) baby.
The Party Planning Committee is planning Jan's baby shower, and collects money for a present, to which many employees are reluctant to donate. 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:...
) makes a "guess whose baby picture" game for the shower, and she is angered when 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...
) unintentionally makes fun of her picture.
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,...
) feel awkward trying to communicate with each other throughout the day, with Pam telling the documentary crew that the two of them were having an off day.
Jan arrives with her baby girl, Astrid, already born, much to everyone's surprise. The shower ends up taking place anyway, and Michael tries to pacify Jan by being cold to 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...
), which makes her uncomfortable despite being foretold by Michael.
The present the office got for Jan ended up being a stroller
Stroller
Stroller may refer to:*A form of baby transport*Stroller , men's daytime semiformal wear*Stroller , showjumping champion...
, which was unnecessary as she already had a more expensive $1200 Orbit Baby stroller. Dwight found this a ridiculous price to pay, stating that his bomb shelter cost that much, so he goes out to test the durability of the stroller as the shower continues. He straps the watermelon from the beginning of the show into the stroller and goes out to a dump-like area to throw the stroller into fences and off of small cliffs. He also ends up tying the stroller to the back of his car for his "bumper test."
Michael holds Astrid, only to find no connection, so he seeks advice from another "baby-daddy," 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). Darryl mocks him, as the baby is not even Michael's. Jan acts coldly to Holly when they have a conversation, being direct when Holly attempts humour. Jan then retrieves her daughter from Angela and Andy, who were setting up a photo of the baby amongst vegetables. She leaves soon afterward, telling Michael in the parking lot not to date Holly. Michael hugs Holly when he goes back into the building and feels a connection he did not feel with Astrid. He then asks her out on a date, which she accepts, visibly moved.
Jim and Pam call each other at exactly the same time and leave each other messages that are extremely similar, hinting that perhaps they are not as disjointed as this day has made them feel but highlighting the difficulty they are both having with being apart.
Reception
"Baby Shower" received mixed reviews. IGN gave the episode a 7.5, saying that, "Dwight's ludicrous testing of the $1200 stroller goes on too long, is predictable and only intermittently funny. It also feels like we've done this before. The same can be said of Jim and Pam's phone-tag problem," and that it was one of the more mediocre episodes in a while." "Baby Shower" was voted the nineteenth highest-rated episode out of 26 from the fifth season, according to an episode poll at the fansite OfficeTally; the episode was rated 7.74 out of 10.External links
- "Baby Shower" at NBC.com