Employee Transfer
Encyclopedia
"Employee Transfer" is the sixth episode of the fifth season of the television series
The Office, and the show's seventy-eighth episode overall. The episode aired in the United States on October 30, 2008 on NBC
.
In this episode, Michael struggles with the fact that his girlfriend Holly is being transferred back to her old branch in Nashua, NH
, after CFO David Wallace discovers their relationship. Meanwhile, Pam and Jim's two brothers play a prank on Jim, and Dwight irritates his romantic rival Andy by taking an interest in Andy's old school, Cornell University
.
(Jenna Fischer
) is embarrassed when she is the only person at corporate wearing a costume on Halloween
. Pam's intended costume is Charlie Chaplin
, but because her mustache was applied with grease paint which she cannot remove, she shows annoyance that she cannot remove her hat, as she then resembles Adolf Hitler
. In Scranton, Stanley
(Leslie David Baker
) wears a Creature from the Black Lagoon
mask in order to sleep at work and not get caught while Creed
(Creed Bratton
), Kevin
(Brian Baumgartner
) and Dwight
(Rainn Wilson
) dress up as Heath Ledger
's version of the Joker
from The Dark Knight
. Kelly
(Mindy Kaling
) dresses up as Carrie Bradshaw
from Sex and the City
, and Ryan
(B. J. Novak
) tries to woo her. Ryan dresses as Gordon Gekko
from the film Wall Street, which Kelly associates with the GEICO gecko. Oscar
(Oscar Nunez
) dresses up like Uncle Sam
, Meredith
(Kate Flannery
) is a cheerleader, Phyllis
(Phyllis Smith) is Raggedy Ann
, and Andy
(Ed Helms
) is a cat from the Broadway
show Cats
. Angela
(Angela Kinsey
) is in the same kitten outfit as she was in "Halloween". Jim
's (John Krasinski
) outfit is minimalist as usual, dressing up as a guy named "Dave" (a costume consisting of his normal attire, with a name tag).
Holly
(Amy Ryan
) has been transferred back to her old branch in Nashua, New Hampshire
after CFO David Wallace
discovered her relationship with Michael
(Steve Carell
). Michael and Darryl
(Craig Robinson) help her move using Darryl's truck. Michael and Holly want to continue their relationship, but as they get closer to Nashua, Holly starts to come to the realization that their relationship is not going to work with the long distance, citing the seven hour drive. Michael continuously begs her to keep their relationship alive as he fears he will go back to Jan
. Michael had originally intended to spend the weekend with Holly before heading back to Scranton, but after they move her stuff into her new house, he changes his mind and decides to head back with Darryl. Michael and Holly share one last embrace before he leaves. In the truck, Darryl tries to console Michael by teaching him to sing the blues
, which Michael does not understand but ultimately joins in.
Jim meets Pam in New York for lunch with his brothers, Tom (Blake Robbins) and Pete (Tug Coker). Pam, Tom, and Pete arrive early to discuss a prank Pam wants to play on Jim that involves her engagement ring. Tom and Pete, however, think of playing a prank involving her interest in art, which she agrees to, though she appears to be mildly offended. When Jim arrives, Tom and Pete begin mocking Pam's interest in art, and Jim continuously comes to her defense. When the argument becomes heated, Tom and Pete reveal it was a prank, and Jim and Pam stare awkwardly at each other. Later, when Jim and Pam are walking outside of the restaurant, Pam explains her original idea for the prank, which Jim appreciates much more than his brothers' idea. Moments later, Jim receives a text message from his brother stating his approval of Pam and welcoming her to the family.
Meanwhile, back in Scranton, Dwight comes in wearing a Cornell
sweatshirt, which irritates Andy, who thinks Dwight is mocking him. Dwight tries to talk about Cornell with Andy and tells him that he is going to apply there. He further installs a Cornell pennant and a Cornell mascot bobblehead in his area. Unable to take any more of Dwight's mocking, Andy calls the university and is given permission to give Dwight his interview for admission. Andy has no intention of allowing Dwight to pass, but during the interview, Dwight notices inconsistencies with Andy's questions such as asking who was Cornell's 8th president, which Dwight answers correctly as Dale R. Corson
, but Andy replies with Cornell's 7th president, James A. Perkins
. Then Dwight starts writing down his critique of Andy's interviewing skills, which he tells him he is going to send to the university. Dwight additionally gets to Andy by proclaiming his newfound desire to change his application to the "vastly superior Dartmouth
," which becomes the last straw for Andy. After a heated physical struggle with the conference room table, Andy gives up. At the end of the episode, Andy comes into the office in overalls, a farmer's hat, and a basket of beet
s, saying he is starting his own beet farm, hence trying to be like Dwight. Dwight, however, is quick to point out Andy's knowledge of beets, or lack thereof. Through the day Angela is seen to be annoyed by both Andy and Dwight's antics, but does not speak up against either one.
's performance as The Joker
in the 2008 film, The Dark Knight
. Actor Creed Bratton said of his costume, "I worked pretty hard to get him down. A lot of people said it was really eerie and kind of uncomfortable."
The song "Life is a Highway
" written and originally performed by Tom Cochrane
is featured during the road trip.
Jack Bauer
is mentioned in the interview between Dwight and Andy.
' s top ten moments from the fifth season of The Office. However, "Employee Transfer" was voted the fourth lowest-rated episode out of 26 from the fifth season, according to an episode poll at the fansite OfficeTally; the episode was rated 7.20 out of 10.
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-eighth episode overall. The episode aired in the United States on October 30, 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 struggles with the fact that his girlfriend Holly is being transferred back to her old branch in Nashua, NH
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
, after CFO David Wallace discovers their relationship. Meanwhile, Pam and Jim's two brothers play a prank on Jim, and Dwight irritates his romantic rival Andy by taking an interest in Andy's old school, Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
.
Synopsis
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,...
) is embarrassed when she is the only person at corporate wearing a costume on Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
. Pam's intended costume is Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
, but because her mustache was applied with grease paint which she cannot remove, she shows annoyance that she cannot remove her hat, as she then resembles Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. In Scranton, Stanley
Stanley Hudson
Stanley James Hudson is a fictional character from the US television series The Office. He is played by Leslie David Baker. Stanley's counterpart in the UK series is Malcolm.-Overview:...
(Leslie David Baker
Leslie David Baker
Leslie David Baker is an American film and television actor who plays Stanley Hudson on The Office. He also had several small roles in Scrubs and appeared on That '70s Show as a janitor after a Ted Nugent concert and played an office worker in several of OfficeMax's "Rubberband Man" series of...
) wears a Creature from the Black Lagoon
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Creature from the Black Lagoon is a 1954 monster horror film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, and Whit Bissell. The eponymous creature was played by Ben Chapman on land and Ricou Browning in underwater scenes...
mask in order to sleep at work and not get caught while Creed
Creed Bratton (character)
Creed Rowland Bratton a.k.a. "William Charles Schneider" is a fictional character from the U.S. television series The Office. Confusion may arise from the fact that the character is played by and partially based on the musician of the same name, Creed Bratton...
(Creed Bratton
Creed Bratton
Creed Bratton is an American actor and musician, a former member of The Grass Roots...
), Kevin
Kevin Malone
Kevin Jaye Malone is a character in the United States television series The Office. He is played by Brian Baumgartner. Kevin's counterpart in the UK series is Keith Bishop.-Biography:...
(Brian Baumgartner
Brian Baumgartner
Brian Baumgartner is an Emmy Award-winning American film and television actor, best known for playing Kevin Malone on The Office.-Personal life:...
) and 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...
) dress up as Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
's version of the Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
from The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight (film)
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...
. Kelly
Kelly Kapoor
Kelly Rajnigandha Kapoor , is a fictional character from the US television series, The Office. She is played by Mindy Kaling, who is also a writer and producer for the show....
(Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling
Vera Mindy Chokalingam , better known as Mindy Kaling, is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer who plays Kelly Kapoor on the NBC sitcom The Office. Kaling is also a co-executive producer and writer of several of the show's episodes.-Early life:Kaling was born Vera Chokalingam in...
) dresses up as Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Preston is the fictional narrator and lead character of the HBO sitcom/drama Sex and the City, portrayed by actress Sarah Jessica Parker. She is a semi-autobiographical character created by Candace Bushnell, who published the book Sex and the City, based on her own columns in the New York...
from Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
, and Ryan
Ryan Howard (The Office)
Ryan Bailey Howard , played by B. J. Novak, is a fictional character on the US television sitcom The Office. He is based upon Ricky Howard from the original version of The Office , but his role is significantly expanded and he is a main character.-Character profile:Little is known about Ryan's...
(B. J. Novak
B. J. Novak
Benjamin Joseph Manaly “B. J.” Novak is an American actor, stand-up comedian, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for being a writer and co-executive producer for and playing the role of Ryan Howard on the US version of The Office, as well as appearing in Inglourious Basterds...
) tries to woo her. Ryan dresses as Gordon Gekko
Gordon Gekko
Gordon Gekko is the main antagonist of the 1987 film Wall Street and the antihero of the 2010 film Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, both by director Oliver Stone...
from the film Wall Street, which Kelly associates with the GEICO gecko. Oscar
Oscar Martinez
Oscar Jual Paul Martinez is a fictional character from the US television series The Office. He is played by Oscar Nunez.-Overview:Oscar Martinez is an accountant at the paper distributor Dunder Mifflin. He is a first generation Mexican-American. Oscar is also openly homosexual after being...
(Oscar Nunez
Oscar Nunez
Oscar Nunez , sometimes credited as Oscar Núñez, is a Cuban American actor and comedian.He currently appears as Dunder Mifflin's paper supply accountant, Oscar Martinez, on NBC's The Office.-Career:...
) dresses up like Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam is a common national personification of the American government originally used during the War of 1812. He is depicted as a stern elderly man with white hair and a goatee beard...
, Meredith
Meredith Palmer
Meredith Elizabeth Palmer is a fictional character from the US television series The Office. She is played by Kate Flannery. She is an original character and has no equivalent in the British version of the show, The Office....
(Kate Flannery
Kate Flannery
Katherine Patricia "Kate" Flannery is an American actress best known for playing the role of Meredith Palmer on the NBC hit series The Office.-Personal life:...
) is a cheerleader, 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) is Raggedy Ann
Raggedy Ann
Raggedy Ann is a fictional character created by American writer Johnny Gruelle in a series of books he wrote and illustrated for young children. Raggedy Ann is a rag doll with red yarn for hair and has a triangle nose...
, 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...
) is a cat from the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
show Cats
Cats (musical)
Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
. 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:...
) is in the same kitten outfit as she was in "Halloween". 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...
's (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...
) outfit is minimalist as usual, dressing up as a guy named "Dave" (a costume consisting of his normal attire, with a name tag).
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...
) has been transferred back to her old branch in Nashua, New Hampshire
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
after 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...
discovered her relationship with 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...
). Michael and 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) help her move using Darryl's truck. Michael and Holly want to continue their relationship, but as they get closer to Nashua, Holly starts to come to the realization that their relationship is not going to work with the long distance, citing the seven hour drive. Michael continuously begs her to keep their relationship alive as he fears he will go back to Jan
Jan Levinson
Janet "Jan" Levenson is a fictional character from the US television series The Office. Though her last name is commonly misspelled as "Levinson", NBC spells it as "Levenson". Her counterpart in the UK version is Jennifer Taylor-Clarke...
. Michael had originally intended to spend the weekend with Holly before heading back to Scranton, but after they move her stuff into her new house, he changes his mind and decides to head back with Darryl. Michael and Holly share one last embrace before he leaves. In the truck, Darryl tries to console Michael by teaching him to sing the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, which Michael does not understand but ultimately joins in.
Jim meets Pam in New York for lunch with his brothers, Tom (Blake Robbins) and Pete (Tug Coker). Pam, Tom, and Pete arrive early to discuss a prank Pam wants to play on Jim that involves her engagement ring. Tom and Pete, however, think of playing a prank involving her interest in art, which she agrees to, though she appears to be mildly offended. When Jim arrives, Tom and Pete begin mocking Pam's interest in art, and Jim continuously comes to her defense. When the argument becomes heated, Tom and Pete reveal it was a prank, and Jim and Pam stare awkwardly at each other. Later, when Jim and Pam are walking outside of the restaurant, Pam explains her original idea for the prank, which Jim appreciates much more than his brothers' idea. Moments later, Jim receives a text message from his brother stating his approval of Pam and welcoming her to the family.
Meanwhile, back in Scranton, Dwight comes in wearing a Cornell
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
sweatshirt, which irritates Andy, who thinks Dwight is mocking him. Dwight tries to talk about Cornell with Andy and tells him that he is going to apply there. He further installs a Cornell pennant and a Cornell mascot bobblehead in his area. Unable to take any more of Dwight's mocking, Andy calls the university and is given permission to give Dwight his interview for admission. Andy has no intention of allowing Dwight to pass, but during the interview, Dwight notices inconsistencies with Andy's questions such as asking who was Cornell's 8th president, which Dwight answers correctly as Dale R. Corson
Dale R. Corson
Dale R. Corson was the eighth president of Cornell University. Born in Pittsburg, Kansas, in 1914, Corson received a B.A. degree from the College of Emporia in 1934, his M.A. degree from the University of Kansas in 1935, and his Ph.D...
, but Andy replies with Cornell's 7th president, James A. Perkins
James A. Perkins
James A. Perkins was the seventh president of Cornell University. Born in 1911 in Philadelphia, Perkins graduated with high honors in 1934 from Swarthmore College and received a doctorate in political science from Princeton University in 1937...
. Then Dwight starts writing down his critique of Andy's interviewing skills, which he tells him he is going to send to the university. Dwight additionally gets to Andy by proclaiming his newfound desire to change his application to the "vastly superior Dartmouth
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
," which becomes the last straw for Andy. After a heated physical struggle with the conference room table, Andy gives up. At the end of the episode, Andy comes into the office in overalls, a farmer's hat, and a basket of beet
Beet
The beet is a plant in the Chenopodiaceae family which is now included in Amaranthaceae family. It is best known in its numerous cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is the purple root vegetable known as the beetroot or garden beet...
s, saying he is starting his own beet farm, hence trying to be like Dwight. Dwight, however, is quick to point out Andy's knowledge of beets, or lack thereof. Through the day Angela is seen to be annoyed by both Andy and Dwight's antics, but does not speak up against either one.
Cultural references
Creed, Dwight and Kevin all dress in the style of Heath LedgerHeath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
's performance as The Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
in the 2008 film, The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight (film)
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...
. Actor Creed Bratton said of his costume, "I worked pretty hard to get him down. A lot of people said it was really eerie and kind of uncomfortable."
The song "Life is a Highway
Life Is a Highway
"Life Is a Highway" is a song written by Tom Cochrane, from his 1991 album Mad Mad World. The song was Cochrane's most famous song, as it was a number one hit in his native Canada. The song also peaked at number six on the Billboard charts in the United States in 1992...
" written and originally performed by Tom Cochrane
Tom Cochrane
Tom Cochrane, OC Canadian musician and humanitarian, best known for his hit songs "Life Is a Highway", "Lunatic Fringe", "Human Race" and "I Wish You Well". Cochrane fronted the Canadian rock band Red Rider and has won seven Juno Awards...
is featured during the road trip.
Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer is the main protagonist of the American television series 24. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C...
is mentioned in the interview between Dwight and Andy.
Reception
Holly's transfer to Nashua ranked number 4 in phillyBurbs.comExternal links
- "Employee Transfer" at NBC.com