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The Convention (The Office episode)
Encyclopedia
"The Convention" is the second episode of the third season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's thirtieth episode overall. Written by the writing team of Gene Stupnitsky
and Lee Eisenberg
, and directed by Ken Whittingham, the episode originally aired in the United States on September 28, 2006 on NBC
.
In the episode, Josh and Jim from Dunder Mifflin Stamford, as well as Michael and Dwight from Dunder Mifflin Scranton leave for Philadelphia for the annual office supply convention. Michael, angry at both Jim for leaving the Scranton branch, as well as Josh for being superior to him, tries to one-up both Jim and Josh at every opportunity. Meanwhile, Kelly sets up Pam on a double date with one of her friends which goes nowhere. Toby's interest in Pam is piqued, beginning an unrequited crush on his part.
(Steve Carell
) and Dwight Schrute
(Rainn Wilson
) from the Scranton
branch of Dunder Mifflin, Josh Porter (Charles Esten) and Jim Halpert
(John Krasinski
) from the Stamford
branch, and Jan Levenson (Melora Hardin
) from the corporate headquarters all descend upon Philadelphia for an office supply convention. Michael is bitter that Jim left Scranton for Stamford and tries to one-up Josh at every opportunity. Michael also spreads the word that he is throwing a party in his hotel room that night. Later in the evening, Michael surprises everyone with the news that he has broken Staples
's exclusive hold on Hammermill products.
In Scranton, Kelly Kapoor
(Mindy Kaling
) sets up Pam Beesly
(Jenna Fischer
) on a double date with her neighbor Alan, a cartoonist for the local newspaper. Kelly is quietly disappointed that Pam intends to wear just her normal work clothes to the date. On the double date, Kelly appears to be the only one having a good time. Pam chats awkwardly with the cartoonist, who at one point sneaks a peek down Pam's shirt, and they fail to hit it off. At Michael's party, Jim attends as the only guest, and explains that he did not leave Scranton because of Michael (in which Jim claimed him as a great boss), but rather because Pam rejected him, twice. The two mend their friendship just as other guests arrive, and Michael promises he would take care of the situation.
and Lee Eisenberg
, and the third episode of the series directed by Ken Whittingham
. This episode originally had a scene with Angela and Dwight in the office kitchen. Producer Greg Daniels
stated: "They had a couple lines, there was a pause, and then Angela said, 'I'm late
', turned around, and left." This would imply that she may be pregnant. The scene was cut because Daniels ultimately concluded, "It was a big move, but we had it in a show that had a lot of other big moves. ... You don't introduce a C plot line of an illicit office romance and then all of a sudden have one of the characters get knocked up!" Executive producer
and show runner
Greg Daniels
had hoped to get Mackenzie Crook
, Martin Freeman
, and Lucy Davis
from the original British Office series
to appear in the episode as their respective characters (Gareth Keenan
, Tim Canterbury
, and Dawn Tinsley
) but was unsuccessful due to scheduling conflicts. Pittsburgh Steelers
running back
Jerome Bettis
was the first "celebrity cameo" on the series, where he appeared as himself. Dwight asks Michael why he's called "The Bus", and Michael responds "Because he's afraid to fly", possibly in a mistaken reference to John Madden
or The A-Team character B.A. Baracus.
among persons aged 18–49, meaning that 3.8 percent of all people aged 18–49 watched the episode, and ten percent of all people in the age group watching TV at the time watched the episode. It received an estimated audience of 7.8 million viewers overall, and ranked #1 in its time period among men 18–34.
The episode was received generally well by critics. Brian Zoromski of IGN
stated that: "Any episode that places Michael and Dwight outside of their normal office environment is set up for some very funny (and usually awkward) situations and 'The Convention' is no exception. Some of the episode's best uncomfortable moments centered on Michael believing he's the life of the party and that he's Jim's friend. Michael and Dwight pretending to laugh along to an inside joke made by Jim's new boss, Josh, is a prime example. Michael's comment, 'I love inside jokes. Love to be part of one someday,' creates the kind of uncomfortable silence that The Office excels at." Also on IGN, the show received a 9.8 out of 10 "Incredible" rating from the IGN staff, and an average rating of 9.4 from readers. Abby West, of Entertainment Weekly
, praised the interactions between characters as some of the highlights of the episode, stating "Jim is the show's salt — he makes everyone else seem just a little better. He's the perfect straight man to showcase Michael's insanity..." West also commented on the awkwardness of the relationship between Ryan
and Kelly
, stating that "Speaking of weird love connections, I'm really starting to worry about Ryan, who's now letting crazy Kelly force-feed him. What happened to him?" Mat Brewster, of BlogCritics Magazine, felt that the episode didn't live up to the status set by the previous episode "Gay Witch Hunt
", stating "this week’s episode, “The Convention,” failed to live up to my expectations."
Gene Stupnitsky
Gene Stupnitsky is a film and television writer. He usually works with Lee Eisenberg.In television, he wrote for the NBC comedy series The Office from seasons 2 to 6, and served as a co-executive producer and directed two episodes with Eisenberg, "Michael Scott Paper Company" and "The Lover"...
and Lee Eisenberg
Lee Eisenberg
Lee Eisenberg is a film and television writer. He usually works with Gene Stupnitsky.-Life and career:In television, he wrote for the NBC comedy series The Office from seasons 2 to 6, and served as a co-executive producer and directed two episodes with Stupnitsky, "Michael Scott Paper Company" and...
, and directed by Ken Whittingham, the episode originally aired in the United States on September 28, 2006 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 episode, Josh and Jim from Dunder Mifflin Stamford, as well as Michael and Dwight from Dunder Mifflin Scranton leave for Philadelphia for the annual office supply convention. Michael, angry at both Jim for leaving the Scranton branch, as well as Josh for being superior to him, tries to one-up both Jim and Josh at every opportunity. Meanwhile, Kelly sets up Pam on a double date with one of her friends which goes nowhere. Toby's interest in Pam is piqued, beginning an unrequited crush on his part.
Plot
Michael ScottMichael 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...
) and Dwight Schrute
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...
) from the Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
branch of Dunder Mifflin, Josh Porter (Charles Esten) and Jim Halpert
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...
) from the Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
branch, and Jan Levenson (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:...
) from the corporate headquarters all descend upon Philadelphia for an office supply convention. Michael is bitter that Jim left Scranton for Stamford and tries to one-up Josh at every opportunity. Michael also spreads the word that he is throwing a party in his hotel room that night. Later in the evening, Michael surprises everyone with the news that he has broken Staples
Staples, Inc.
Staples Inc. is a large office supply chain store, with over 2,000 stores worldwide in 26 countries. Based in Framingham, Massachusetts, United States, the company has retail stores, serving customers under its original name in Austria, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Norway,...
's exclusive hold on Hammermill products.
In Scranton, Kelly Kapoor
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...
) sets up Pam Beesly
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,...
) on a double date with her neighbor Alan, a cartoonist for the local newspaper. Kelly is quietly disappointed that Pam intends to wear just her normal work clothes to the date. On the double date, Kelly appears to be the only one having a good time. Pam chats awkwardly with the cartoonist, who at one point sneaks a peek down Pam's shirt, and they fail to hit it off. At Michael's party, Jim attends as the only guest, and explains that he did not leave Scranton because of Michael (in which Jim claimed him as a great boss), but rather because Pam rejected him, twice. The two mend their friendship just as other guests arrive, and Michael promises he would take care of the situation.
Production
"The Convention" was the fourth episode of the series written by the writing team of Gene StupnitskyGene Stupnitsky
Gene Stupnitsky is a film and television writer. He usually works with Lee Eisenberg.In television, he wrote for the NBC comedy series The Office from seasons 2 to 6, and served as a co-executive producer and directed two episodes with Eisenberg, "Michael Scott Paper Company" and "The Lover"...
and Lee Eisenberg
Lee Eisenberg
Lee Eisenberg is a film and television writer. He usually works with Gene Stupnitsky.-Life and career:In television, he wrote for the NBC comedy series The Office from seasons 2 to 6, and served as a co-executive producer and directed two episodes with Stupnitsky, "Michael Scott Paper Company" and...
, and the third episode of the series directed by Ken Whittingham
Ken Whittingham
Ken Whittingham is an American television director.His most notable directorial work includes a number of episodes from each of the television series 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Suburgatory, The Middle, Parenthood, The Bernie Mac Show, Scrubs, Everybody Hates Chris, The Office, My Name Is Earl,...
. This episode originally had a scene with Angela and Dwight in the office kitchen. Producer Greg Daniels
Greg Daniels
Gregory Martin "Greg" Daniels is an American television comedy writer, producer, and director.-Life and career:...
stated: "They had a couple lines, there was a pause, and then Angela said, 'I'm late
Menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle is the scientific term for the physiological changes that can occur in fertile women for the purpose of sexual reproduction. This article focuses on the human menstrual cycle....
', turned around, and left." This would imply that she may be pregnant. The scene was cut because Daniels ultimately concluded, "It was a big move, but we had it in a show that had a lot of other big moves. ... You don't introduce a C plot line of an illicit office romance and then all of a sudden have one of the characters get knocked up!" Executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
and show runner
Show runner
Showrunner is a term of art originating in the United States and Canadian television industry referring to the person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television seriesalthough such persons generally are credited as an executive producer...
Greg Daniels
Greg Daniels
Gregory Martin "Greg" Daniels is an American television comedy writer, producer, and director.-Life and career:...
had hoped to get Mackenzie Crook
Mackenzie Crook
Paul Mackenzie Crook is a British actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Gareth Keenan in The Office and Ragetti in the Pirates of the Caribbean films.-Life and career:...
, Martin Freeman
Martin Freeman
Martin John C. Freeman is an English actor. He is known for his roles as John in Love Actually, Tim Canterbury in the BBC's Golden Globe-winning comedy The Office, Arthur Dent in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dr. John Watson in Sherlock and Mr. Madden...
, and Lucy Davis
Lucy Davis
Lucy Clare Davis is an English actress. She is best known for playing the character Dawn Tinsley in the BBC comedy The Office and as Dianne in the horror-comedy movie Shaun of the Dead.-Career:...
from the original British Office series
The Office (UK TV series)
The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious...
to appear in the episode as their respective characters (Gareth Keenan
Gareth Keenan
Gareth Keenan is a fictional paper salesman on BBC's comedy The Office. He is portrayed in the series by Mackenzie Crook as a gaunt, self-important team leader proud of his alleged lieutenant status in the Territorial Army...
, Tim Canterbury
Tim Canterbury
Tim Canterbury is a main character in the BBC sitcom The Office, played by Martin Freeman. He is a 30-year-old sales representative for paper merchants Wernham Hogg and lives with his parents. He spent one year at a university before dropping out, and one day hopes to return to get a psychology...
, and Dawn Tinsley
Dawn Tinsley
Dawn Tinsley is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom The Office, played by Lucy Davis. She is a receptionist for paper merchants Wernham Hogg and is engaged to warehouse worker Lee. Her American The Office equivalent is Pam Beesly...
) but was unsuccessful due to scheduling conflicts. Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Jerome Bettis
Jerome Bettis
Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...
was the first "celebrity cameo" on the series, where he appeared as himself. Dwight asks Michael why he's called "The Bus", and Michael responds "Because he's afraid to fly", possibly in a mistaken reference to John Madden
John Madden (American football)
John Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into...
or The A-Team character B.A. Baracus.
Reception
"The Convention" received a 3.8/10 in the Nielsen ratingsNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
among persons aged 18–49, meaning that 3.8 percent of all people aged 18–49 watched the episode, and ten percent of all people in the age group watching TV at the time watched the episode. It received an estimated audience of 7.8 million viewers overall, and ranked #1 in its time period among men 18–34.
The episode was received generally well by critics. Brian Zoromski 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...
stated that: "Any episode that places Michael and Dwight outside of their normal office environment is set up for some very funny (and usually awkward) situations and 'The Convention' is no exception. Some of the episode's best uncomfortable moments centered on Michael believing he's the life of the party and that he's Jim's friend. Michael and Dwight pretending to laugh along to an inside joke made by Jim's new boss, Josh, is a prime example. Michael's comment, 'I love inside jokes. Love to be part of one someday,' creates the kind of uncomfortable silence that The Office excels at." Also on IGN, the show received a 9.8 out of 10 "Incredible" rating from the IGN staff, and an average rating of 9.4 from readers. Abby West, of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, praised the interactions between characters as some of the highlights of the episode, stating "Jim is the show's salt — he makes everyone else seem just a little better. He's the perfect straight man to showcase Michael's insanity..." West also commented on the awkwardness of the relationship between 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...
and 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....
, stating that "Speaking of weird love connections, I'm really starting to worry about Ryan, who's now letting crazy Kelly force-feed him. What happened to him?" Mat Brewster, of BlogCritics Magazine, felt that the episode didn't live up to the status set by the previous episode "Gay Witch Hunt
Gay Witch Hunt
"Gay Witch Hunt" is the third season premiere of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's twenty-ninth episode overall. Written by executive producer and show runner Greg Daniels and directed by Ken Kwapis, the episode first aired in the United States on September 21, 2006...
", stating "this week’s episode, “The Convention,” failed to live up to my expectations."
External links
- "The Convention" at NBC.com