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The Fire (The Office episode)
Encyclopedia
"The Fire" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American comedy
television series
The Office, and the show's tenth episode overall. Written by B. J. Novak
and directed by Ken Kwapis
, the episode first aired in the United States on October 11, 2005 on NBC
. Amy Adams
guest stars.
In the episode, Michael takes it upon himself to teach Ryan about business, but soon everyone is forced to evacuate the office due to a fire. While outside, Michael continues to show an interest in Ryan, causing Dwight to be jealous. Meanwhile, Jim organizes games to play outside.
(Jenna Fischer
) learns that Jim
(John Krasinski
) and Katy have started dating. Michael
(Steve Carell
) gives Ryan
(B.J. Novak) a glowing checkpoint review. When Ryan expresses his interest in starting his own business someday, Michael takes it upon himself to teach Ryan the "ten rules of business". The fire alarm sounds, and while Dwight
(Rainn Wilson
) and Angela
(Angela Kinsey
) both attempt to take charge of the evacuation, Michael pushes others out of the way in his escape out of the building.
The employees play games to pass the time, including "Desert Island Picks" and "Who Would You Do?" When Ryan reveals that he is attending business school at night, Michael becomes enamored of his newfound protégé. Dwight becomes noticeably jealous of Ryan's newfound favor with Michael, and he is seen sulking in his car to the tune "Everybody Hurts
" by R.E.M.
When Michael mentions that he left his cell phone in the office, Dwight rushes back into the building to fetch it.
Michael asks Ryan to call his cell phone to help Dwight find it. The phone rings. It is in Michael's pocket. Dwight emerges, coughing, from the building and reveals that the fire was started by Ryan, who left a cheese pita in the toaster-oven set to "oven" instead of "toaster". Dwight and Michael mock Ryan and dub him "The Fire Guy" by doing a song parody of the Billy Joel
song "We Didn't Start the Fire
".
. Kwapis had previously directed "Pilot", "Diversity Day
", and "Sexual Harassment". "The Fire" was written by B. J. Novak
, who also acts on the show as Ryan Howard
. Novak had previously penned the episodes "Diversity Day
" and "Sexual Harassment".
The episode was filmed in 100-degree weather, but according to cast member B. J. Novak, they "couldn't look hot". The area outside the building was shot in Van Nuys, California in what Novak called a "bad area". The firemen in the scene were played by actual firemen. The crew of The Office had someone in Scranton take photographs of the firefighter costumes, so they would be accurate. However, in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Scranton firefighter Art Franklin pointed out that the uniform is actually tan, instead of the black ones seen on the show.
. This means that 3.7 percent of all households with an 18 to 49 year old living in it watched the episode, and nine percent had their television tuned to the channel at any point. "The Fire" was watched by 7.6 million viewers.
"The Fire" received mostly positive reviews from critics. TV Squad's Michael Sciannamea wrote that "The Fire" was "another good episode." Sciannamea went on to write that "show has definitely improved and it's nice to see the other characters emerge". "Miss Alli" of TelevisionWithoutPity.com graded the episode with a "B+". In a poll done by Office fansite OfficeTally.com, viewers ranked "The Fire" as the tenth most popular episode out of the twenty-two episodes of season two.
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 tenth episode overall. Written by 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...
and directed by Ken Kwapis
Ken Kwapis
Ken Kwapis is an American film and television director and screenwriter. He specialized in the single-camera sitcom in the 1990s and 2000s and has directed feature films such as Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and He's Just Not That Into...
, the episode first aired in the United States on October 11, 2005 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...
. Amy Adams
Amy Adams
Amy Lou Adams is an American actress and singer. Adams began her performing career on stage in dinner theaters before making her screen debut in the 1999 black comedy film Drop Dead Gorgeous...
guest stars.
In the episode, Michael takes it upon himself to teach Ryan about business, but soon everyone is forced to evacuate the office due to a fire. While outside, Michael continues to show an interest in Ryan, causing Dwight to be jealous. Meanwhile, Jim organizes games to play outside.
Plot
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,...
) learns that 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 Katy have started dating. 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...
) gives 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) a glowing checkpoint review. When Ryan expresses his interest in starting his own business someday, Michael takes it upon himself to teach Ryan the "ten rules of business". The fire alarm sounds, and while 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...
) and 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:...
) both attempt to take charge of the evacuation, Michael pushes others out of the way in his escape out of the building.
The employees play games to pass the time, including "Desert Island Picks" and "Who Would You Do?" When Ryan reveals that he is attending business school at night, Michael becomes enamored of his newfound protégé. Dwight becomes noticeably jealous of Ryan's newfound favor with Michael, and he is seen sulking in his car to the tune "Everybody Hurts
Everybody Hurts
"Everybody Hurts" is a song by R.E.M., originally released on the band's 1992 album Automatic for the People and was also released as a single in 1993. It peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, #7 on the UK Singles Chart and #3 on the French Singles Chart.-History:Much of the song was written by...
" by R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
When Michael mentions that he left his cell phone in the office, Dwight rushes back into the building to fetch it.
Michael asks Ryan to call his cell phone to help Dwight find it. The phone rings. It is in Michael's pocket. Dwight emerges, coughing, from the building and reveals that the fire was started by Ryan, who left a cheese pita in the toaster-oven set to "oven" instead of "toaster". Dwight and Michael mock Ryan and dub him "The Fire Guy" by doing a song parody of the Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
song "We Didn't Start the Fire
We Didn't Start the Fire
"We Didn't Start the Fire" is a song by Billy Joel. Its lyrics are made up from rapid-fire brief allusions to over a hundred headline events between March 1949 and 1989, when the song was released on his album Storm Front...
".
Production
"The Fire" was the fourth episode of the series directed by Ken KwapisKen Kwapis
Ken Kwapis is an American film and television director and screenwriter. He specialized in the single-camera sitcom in the 1990s and 2000s and has directed feature films such as Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and He's Just Not That Into...
. Kwapis had previously directed "Pilot", "Diversity Day
Diversity Day
"Diversity Day" is the second episode of the first season of the American version of The Office. Written by B. J. Novak and directed by Ken Kwapis, it first aired in the United States on March 29, 2005, on NBC. The episode guest stars Office consulting producer Larry Wilmore as Mr...
", and "Sexual Harassment". "The Fire" was written by 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...
, who also acts on the show as Ryan Howard
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...
. Novak had previously penned the episodes "Diversity Day
Diversity Day
"Diversity Day" is the second episode of the first season of the American version of The Office. Written by B. J. Novak and directed by Ken Kwapis, it first aired in the United States on March 29, 2005, on NBC. The episode guest stars Office consulting producer Larry Wilmore as Mr...
" and "Sexual Harassment".
The episode was filmed in 100-degree weather, but according to cast member B. J. Novak, they "couldn't look hot". The area outside the building was shot in Van Nuys, California in what Novak called a "bad area". The firemen in the scene were played by actual firemen. The crew of The Office had someone in Scranton take photographs of the firefighter costumes, so they would be accurate. However, in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
, Scranton firefighter Art Franklin pointed out that the uniform is actually tan, instead of the black ones seen on the show.
Reception
"The Fire" received 3.7/9 in the ages 18–49 demographic 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...
. This means that 3.7 percent of all households with an 18 to 49 year old living in it watched the episode, and nine percent had their television tuned to the channel at any point. "The Fire" was watched by 7.6 million viewers.
"The Fire" received mostly positive reviews from critics. TV Squad's Michael Sciannamea wrote that "The Fire" was "another good episode." Sciannamea went on to write that "show has definitely improved and it's nice to see the other characters emerge". "Miss Alli" of TelevisionWithoutPity.com graded the episode with a "B+". In a poll done by Office fansite OfficeTally.com, viewers ranked "The Fire" as the tenth most popular episode out of the twenty-two episodes of season two.
External links
- "The Fire" at NBC.com