Sex Ed (The Office)
Encyclopedia
"Sex Ed" is the fourth episode of the seventh season of the American comedy
television series
The Office, and the show's 130th episode overall. Written and directed by Paul Lieberstein
, the episode aired on NBC
in the United States on October 14, 2010. This episode got mostly positive reviews.
Andy uses the situation to host a sex ed class after the office ridicules Meredith behind her back. With some prodding from Dwight, Michael decides to tell his former lovers he has herpes, despite not yet having gone to a doctor. He calls Donna first, abruptly telling her to get tested. Michael then calls Holly, joking around with her before they have a more serious discussion about how Holly is with her boyfriend AJ for the last year and a half. Much to Michael's dismay, she reveals her feelings that he over-romanticized their relationship. Michael and Dwight drive out to tell Carol, Jan and Pam's mother, Helene.
After bribing the office with free pizza, Andy hosts a sex education
class, which is actually a vague attempt to subtly find out if Gabe and Erin are having sex. Distraught after realizing that they are having sex and after everyone mocks him, Andy throws a tantrum, hurling a box of pizza at the wall and storming out of the conference room.
Michael and Dwight meet up with Jan, who is now a fairly successful office manager for a hospital and single mother. After Jan gives Michael a brutal description of why their relationship failed and watching her play with her daughter Astrid, Michael reveals he has herpes. He states afterwards that he questions his own judgment, because he thought Jan was "The One" or "at least one of The Ones" and he was so off-base on that. He meets up with Helene, Pam's mother, at a playground and after an awkward conversation where she also points out his skewed sense of memory, he insults her and walks off. He meets up with realtor Carol while she is conducting an open-house, who after attempting to be polite, also becomes abrupt and points out his faults too.
Gabe takes Andy to his cubicle and admonishes him for his behavior, revealing he is aware why Andy hosted the sex ed class. He also explains to Andy that the only reason he asked Erin out was because Andy gave his blessing, which Andy reveals was just a result of his difficulty saying no to how politely Gabe asked him. Gabe tells Andy that he's going to let this whole situation slide this time and advises him to leave the whole Erin thing behind him. Afterward, Andy walks into Darryl's office and cries, which an uncomfortable Darryl reacts to by giving him supportive advice:
"Look you need to pick yourself up. Man up, right? Son, you'll win this in the end. It's all about heart and character. Be your best self."
He reveals in a talking-head cutaway that he gives this advice to everyone:
"I have no idea what his problem is. It's my standard advice. It's a good advice right?"
Michael calls Holly only to get her voicemail. He leaves her a heartfelt message that what she said hurt and when seeing all his exes that day, he hadn't been happy to see any of them. But when he talked to her, he was happy talking to her as much as she was happy to hear from him. That he doesn't understand why she wants to downplay what they had, but he remembers them perfectly and considers what they had as special. Before hanging up, he awkwardly adds that she should be tested for herpes.
The final scene is a confrontation between Dwight, Michael and Oscar. Michael and Dwight want all of the names of Oscar's former lovers since Michael once kissed him. In disgust, Oscar walks out of Michael's office.
It's not revealed whether or not Michael has Herpes in the episode. The speculation is put to rest in "Garage Sale
" when Michael claims it was just an in-grown hair.
The episode was written and directed by showrunner and executive producer Paul Lieberstein
, who also plays Toby Flenderson
on the show.
The episode features several return appearances of former recurring characters. Amy Ryan
appears in a voice-only role as Holly Flax
, who was last seen in the fifth season finale, "Company Picnic
"; Amy Ryan is billed among the rest of the starring cast receiving the "and" credit. Melora Hardin
appears as Jan Levenson, who was last seen in the fifth season episode, "Baby Shower
"; Melora Hardin is billed as a special guest star. Amy Pietz
appears as Donna, also in a voice-only role; she had a recurring role near the end of the sixth season. Linda Purl
appears as Helene Beesly, who had a recurring role in the sixth season. Nancy Carell (wife of Steve Carell
) appears as Carol Stills, who was last seen in the third season episode, "A Benihana Christmas
".
The official website of The Office included one deleted scene from "Sex Ed". In the clip, Kelly asks Jim how she should deal with Ryan not completely loving her.
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
television series
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 130th episode overall. Written and directed by Paul Lieberstein
Paul Lieberstein
Paul Bevan Lieberstein is an American screenwriter, actor and television producer. An Emmy Award winner, he is most widely known as a writer, producer, and as supporting cast member Toby Flenderson on the U.S...
, the episode aired 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 the United States on October 14, 2010. This episode got mostly positive reviews.
Synopsis
Michael arrives to the office with a fake mustache to hide what he thinks is a pimple over his mouth. Everyone at work discovers the blemish by accident and they discuss how it looks like herpes. During the discussion, Meredith also reveals to everyone how she has genital herpes, much to the discomfort of her co-workers.Andy uses the situation to host a sex ed class after the office ridicules Meredith behind her back. With some prodding from Dwight, Michael decides to tell his former lovers he has herpes, despite not yet having gone to a doctor. He calls Donna first, abruptly telling her to get tested. Michael then calls Holly, joking around with her before they have a more serious discussion about how Holly is with her boyfriend AJ for the last year and a half. Much to Michael's dismay, she reveals her feelings that he over-romanticized their relationship. Michael and Dwight drive out to tell Carol, Jan and Pam's mother, Helene.
After bribing the office with free pizza, Andy hosts a sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
class, which is actually a vague attempt to subtly find out if Gabe and Erin are having sex. Distraught after realizing that they are having sex and after everyone mocks him, Andy throws a tantrum, hurling a box of pizza at the wall and storming out of the conference room.
Michael and Dwight meet up with Jan, who is now a fairly successful office manager for a hospital and single mother. After Jan gives Michael a brutal description of why their relationship failed and watching her play with her daughter Astrid, Michael reveals he has herpes. He states afterwards that he questions his own judgment, because he thought Jan was "The One" or "at least one of The Ones" and he was so off-base on that. He meets up with Helene, Pam's mother, at a playground and after an awkward conversation where she also points out his skewed sense of memory, he insults her and walks off. He meets up with realtor Carol while she is conducting an open-house, who after attempting to be polite, also becomes abrupt and points out his faults too.
Gabe takes Andy to his cubicle and admonishes him for his behavior, revealing he is aware why Andy hosted the sex ed class. He also explains to Andy that the only reason he asked Erin out was because Andy gave his blessing, which Andy reveals was just a result of his difficulty saying no to how politely Gabe asked him. Gabe tells Andy that he's going to let this whole situation slide this time and advises him to leave the whole Erin thing behind him. Afterward, Andy walks into Darryl's office and cries, which an uncomfortable Darryl reacts to by giving him supportive advice:
"Look you need to pick yourself up. Man up, right? Son, you'll win this in the end. It's all about heart and character. Be your best self."
He reveals in a talking-head cutaway that he gives this advice to everyone:
"I have no idea what his problem is. It's my standard advice. It's a good advice right?"
Michael calls Holly only to get her voicemail. He leaves her a heartfelt message that what she said hurt and when seeing all his exes that day, he hadn't been happy to see any of them. But when he talked to her, he was happy talking to her as much as she was happy to hear from him. That he doesn't understand why she wants to downplay what they had, but he remembers them perfectly and considers what they had as special. Before hanging up, he awkwardly adds that she should be tested for herpes.
The final scene is a confrontation between Dwight, Michael and Oscar. Michael and Dwight want all of the names of Oscar's former lovers since Michael once kissed him. In disgust, Oscar walks out of Michael's office.
It's not revealed whether or not Michael has Herpes in the episode. The speculation is put to rest in "Garage Sale
Garage Sale (The Office)
"Garage Sale" is the nineteenth episode of the seventh season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's 145th episode overall. The episode was written by Jon Vitti and was directed by series star Steve Carell...
" when Michael claims it was just an in-grown hair.
Production
Paul Lieberstein
Paul Bevan Lieberstein is an American screenwriter, actor and television producer. An Emmy Award winner, he is most widely known as a writer, producer, and as supporting cast member Toby Flenderson on the U.S...
, who also plays Toby Flenderson
Toby Flenderson
Toby Wyatt Flenderson, M.S.W. born 1971 is a character from the US television series The Office. He is played by Paul Lieberstein. He is an original character and has no equivalent in the British version of the show, The Office.-Overview:...
on the show.
The episode features several return appearances of former recurring characters. 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...
appears in a voice-only role as Holly Flax
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...
, who was last seen in the fifth season finale, "Company Picnic
Company Picnic
"Company Picnic" is the fifth season finale of the American comedy television series The Office, and the 100th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 14, 2009...
"; Amy Ryan is billed among the rest of the starring cast receiving the "and" credit. 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:...
appears as Jan Levenson, who was last seen in the fifth season episode, "Baby Shower
Baby Shower
"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....
"; Melora Hardin is billed as a special guest star. Amy Pietz
Amy Pietz
Amy Pietz is an American film and television actress.-Early life:Pietz was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the adopted daughter of Nancy, a nurse, and Arnold Pietz, a truck driver. She trained throughout her childhood in ballet and prepared to go professional, but eventually decided not to due to...
appears as Donna, also in a voice-only role; she had a recurring role near the end of the sixth season. Linda Purl
Linda Purl
Linda Purl is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for portraying Ben Matlock's daughter Charlene Matlock in season one of Matlock.-Early life and education abroad:...
appears as Helene Beesly, who had a recurring role in the sixth season. Nancy Carell (wife of 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...
) appears as Carol Stills, who was last seen in the third season episode, "A Benihana Christmas
A Benihana Christmas
"A Benihana Christmas" is the tenth and eleventh episode of the third season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the thirty-eighth episode overall. It was written by Jennifer Celotta and directed by Harold Ramis...
".
The official website of The Office included one deleted scene from "Sex Ed". In the clip, Kelly asks Jim how she should deal with Ryan not completely loving her.