Sabre (The Office)
Encyclopedia
"Sabre" is the 15th episode of the sixth season
of the U.S. comedy series The Office and the show's 115th episode overall. It was written by Jennifer Celotta
and directed by John Krasinski
, which marks his television directorial debut. It originally aired in the United States on NBC
on February 4, 2010.
In the episode, Michael has difficulties accepting their new policies of Sabre and its CEO Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates). Michael goes to David Wallace for advice, but he finds David in a sad unemployed depression. Jim and Pam fail in their interview for a local daycare center. Both Erin and Andy wait for the other to make the next move. Beginning with this episode, Ed Helms
is added to the opening credits.
(Zach Woods
), the coordinating director for emerging regions from Sabre, is going around greeting the branches. When Gabe arrives, Michael
(Steve Carell
) has everyone greet him with a standing ovation and Andy
(Ed Helms
) and Erin
(Ellie Kemper
) sing a Scranton-themed version of "Party in the U.S.A.
" by Miley Cyrus
and mispronounce "Sabre" (as sah-bray), per Michael's assumption that that was the correct pronunciation.
In a conference room meeting, Gabe shows a video of Florida-based printer sales company Sabre starring Christian Slater
and then shares some of the company's new policies, including the use of metallic drink containers, fewer vacation weeks, and site blocking of time-wasting sites like YouTube
and Twitter
, which is done in the background by IT assistant Nick (Nelson Franklin
). Michael expresses concerns about the change in these policies and requests a meeting with Gabe's superiors. Michael engages in a video chat with Sabre CEO Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates
) and expresses concerns about the new policies. Bennett replies that those policies came under a mismanaged company and that Michael would have "until the end of the day" to decide what he wants, and when he resists she says bluntly "I would take until the end of the day if I were you". Frustrated, Michael leaves the office to visit former Dunder Mifflin CFO David Wallace
(Andy Buckley) for advice.
Meanwhile, Jim
(John Krasinski
) and Pam (Jenna Fischer
) visit a daycare center with hopes to impress the director. Jim enters a bathroom and unexpectedly walks in on the day care director (Joey Slotnick
) in the bathroom on the toilet. Jim and Pam agree not to bring up the incident during the interview, but Pam mentions it anyway, hoping that her honest comments will help them directly confront the officer about why the interview is going poorly. The officer informs Jim and Pam that they should have considered that the interview is going poorly simply because the questions have not been answered satisfactorily, and snidely says they should consider that maybe, just maybe, they're not nearly as charming as they consider themselves to be.
Back at the office, Andy and Erin conduct interviews with the film crew, and each admit interest in dating. However, Andy thinks that the "ball is in Erin's court", while Erin assumes that after Andy's last spectacular display involving a band drumline that he will surely be the one to ask. Andy then awkwardly confronts Erin about her weekend plans, revealing that she has none. Andy exits with exasperation, hoping that his "hint" would be sufficient for her to ask.
Michael arrives unannounced at David Wallace's home, and finds that he has not shaved nor done anything productive recently. David's son plays the drums in the living room, while David's wife provides subtle hints that David should actually do something outside the house. Later, Michael and David go in the hot tub and discuss David's proposed business venture "Suck It", a vacuum that collects children's toys. Michael, realizing what has happened to David, leaves and expresses concerns for David's well-being to the camera crew.
Finally, Michael returns to the office and proclaims his allegiance to Sabre and its new policies. He proposes a toast with orange juice in the metallic Sabre bottles to the new management, which after drinking claims it's like drinking a battery. The episode closes with a vignette of David Wallace and his son playing a rock song dedicated to the "Suck It" toy vacuum.
helping it come in second in its timeslot and the most viewed episode of Comedy Night Done Right. The episode got mostly positive review from critics. Dan Phillips of IGN
gave the episode an 8.5, saying it was "Great" and that "The episode isn't the funniest of the season, but it is fun to see the show gear up for its next extended story arc. Whether or not the writers are really implying that we're all a little like Michael, it's clear they're once again casting him as the goofy hero, one who will help resist these new stuffy bosses in his uniquely funny ways. And at the very least, there's great potential in having Bates and Steve Carell square off for a run of episodes." Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club
gave it a A- saying that "The recession has fucked all sorts of shit up but it's been good for The Office. Wrestling with terrifying new financial realities has helped keep the show relevant and lively well into its sixth season. I'm excited about this current arc and look forward to more appearances from Kathy Bates, who did an awful lot with very little screen time as the faux-folksy, semi-terrifying head of Sabre."
The Office (U.S. TV series) season 6
The American television comedy The Office was renewed by NBC for a sixth season on January 15, 2009. The season premiered on September 17, 2009 and concluded on May 20, 2010. The episodes aired on Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. EDT as part of Comedy Night Done Right...
of the U.S. comedy series The Office and the show's 115th episode overall. It was written by Jennifer Celotta
Jennifer Celotta
Jennifer Ann Celotta is an American television producer and writer. Among her credits are Home Improvement, Malcolm in the Middle, Greg the Bunny, Andy Richter Controls The Universe and The Office...
and directed by 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...
, which marks his television directorial debut. It originally aired in the United States 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...
on February 4, 2010.
In the episode, Michael has difficulties accepting their new policies of Sabre and its CEO Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates). Michael goes to David Wallace for advice, but he finds David in a sad unemployed depression. Jim and Pam fail in their interview for a local daycare center. Both Erin and Andy wait for the other to make the next move. Beginning with this episode, 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 added to the opening credits.
Synopsis
Sabre has taken over the branches of Dunder Mifflin and Gabe LewisGabe Lewis
Gabriel Stuart "Gabe" Lewis is a fictional character on NBC's The Office. He first appears in the sixth season, where he is the Coordinating Director of Emerging Regions for the Sabre Corporate headquarters in Florida...
(Zach Woods
Zach Woods
Zach Woods is an American actor and comedian. From 2010-11, he portrayed Gabe Lewis on the NBC sitcom The Office. He was promoted to a series regular beginning in Season 7....
), the coordinating director for emerging regions from Sabre, is going around greeting the branches. When Gabe arrives, 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...
) has everyone greet him with a standing ovation 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...
) and Erin
Erin Hannon
Kelly Erin Hannon is a fictional character from the U.S. television series The Office. She is the office receptionist for the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin, a position previously held by Pam Halpert before she left the company. Erin is played by Ellie Kemper...
(Ellie Kemper
Ellie Kemper
Elizabeth Claire "Ellie" Kemper is an American actress, comedian and writer best known for her role as Erin Hannon in NBC's The Office.-Personal life:...
) sing a Scranton-themed version of "Party in the U.S.A.
Party in the U.S.A.
"Party in the U.S.A." is a pop song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The song was written by Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly, and Jessie J and produced by Dr. Luke. It was released on August 11, 2009, by Hollywood Records, as the lead single from Cyrus' first extended play The Time of Our...
" by Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
and mispronounce "Sabre" (as sah-bray), per Michael's assumption that that was the correct pronunciation.
In a conference room meeting, Gabe shows a video of Florida-based printer sales company Sabre starring Christian Slater
Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater is an American actor. He made his film debut with a small role in The Postman Always Rings Twice before playing a leading role in the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean...
and then shares some of the company's new policies, including the use of metallic drink containers, fewer vacation weeks, and site blocking of time-wasting sites like YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, which is done in the background by IT assistant Nick (Nelson Franklin
Nelson Franklin
Nelson Franklin is an American film and television actor. He played Nick, the I.T. worker that everyone at Dunder Mifflin treated poorly, in the series The Office. Franklin left the small role to pursue greater opportunity as a main cast member on the Fox comedy series Traffic Light. He appears...
). Michael expresses concerns about the change in these policies and requests a meeting with Gabe's superiors. Michael engages in a video chat with Sabre CEO Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates
Kathy Bates
Kathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
) and expresses concerns about the new policies. Bennett replies that those policies came under a mismanaged company and that Michael would have "until the end of the day" to decide what he wants, and when he resists she says bluntly "I would take until the end of the day if I were you". Frustrated, Michael leaves the office to visit former Dunder Mifflin 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) for advice.
Meanwhile, 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 (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,...
) visit a daycare center with hopes to impress the director. Jim enters a bathroom and unexpectedly walks in on the day care director (Joey Slotnick
Joey Slotnick
Joey Slotnick is an American film and television actor.-Biography:Slotnick was born in Chicago, Ill.His film roles include computer industry pioneer Steve Wozniak in the film Pirates of Silicon Valley, and a part in the 1996 blockbuster Twister...
) in the bathroom on the toilet. Jim and Pam agree not to bring up the incident during the interview, but Pam mentions it anyway, hoping that her honest comments will help them directly confront the officer about why the interview is going poorly. The officer informs Jim and Pam that they should have considered that the interview is going poorly simply because the questions have not been answered satisfactorily, and snidely says they should consider that maybe, just maybe, they're not nearly as charming as they consider themselves to be.
Back at the office, Andy and Erin conduct interviews with the film crew, and each admit interest in dating. However, Andy thinks that the "ball is in Erin's court", while Erin assumes that after Andy's last spectacular display involving a band drumline that he will surely be the one to ask. Andy then awkwardly confronts Erin about her weekend plans, revealing that she has none. Andy exits with exasperation, hoping that his "hint" would be sufficient for her to ask.
Michael arrives unannounced at David Wallace's home, and finds that he has not shaved nor done anything productive recently. David's son plays the drums in the living room, while David's wife provides subtle hints that David should actually do something outside the house. Later, Michael and David go in the hot tub and discuss David's proposed business venture "Suck It", a vacuum that collects children's toys. Michael, realizing what has happened to David, leaves and expresses concerns for David's well-being to the camera crew.
Finally, Michael returns to the office and proclaims his allegiance to Sabre and its new policies. He proposes a toast with orange juice in the metallic Sabre bottles to the new management, which after drinking claims it's like drinking a battery. The episode closes with a vignette of David Wallace and his son playing a rock song dedicated to the "Suck It" toy vacuum.
Reception
This episode was watched by 7.36 million viewers, with a 3.8 rating and a 10 share in the 18–49 demographic rising 3% from the last original episodeThe Banker (The Office)
"The Banker" is the 14th episode of the sixth season of the U.S. comedy series The Office and the show's 114th episode overall. It was written by Jason Kessler and directed by Jeffrey Blitz....
helping it come in second in its timeslot and the most viewed episode of Comedy Night Done Right. The episode got mostly positive review from critics. Dan Phillips of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the episode an 8.5, saying it was "Great" and that "The episode isn't the funniest of the season, but it is fun to see the show gear up for its next extended story arc. Whether or not the writers are really implying that we're all a little like Michael, it's clear they're once again casting him as the goofy hero, one who will help resist these new stuffy bosses in his uniquely funny ways. And at the very least, there's great potential in having Bates and Steve Carell square off for a run of episodes." Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
gave it a A- saying that "The recession has fucked all sorts of shit up but it's been good for The Office. Wrestling with terrifying new financial realities has helped keep the show relevant and lively well into its sixth season. I'm excited about this current arc and look forward to more appearances from Kathy Bates, who did an awful lot with very little screen time as the faux-folksy, semi-terrifying head of Sabre."