The Merger (The Office)

Office episode
name = The Merger


ep_num = 36
prod_code = 03008
date = November 16, 2006
writer = Brent Forrester
director = Ken Whittingham
season = 3

"The Merger" is the eighth episode of the third season of "The Office" (U.S. version). It aired on November 16, 2006, as a special 40-minute episode.

ynopsis

The Scranton and Stamford branches prepare for the upcoming merger. Pam professes excitement over the merger, including the return of Jim. Andy proclaims he'll be the No. 2 man in Scranton in six weeks time through "name repetition, personality mirroring and never breaking off a handshake."

A rivalry between Dwight and Andy begins over the number two position in the office. At the welcoming party, Michael plays a videotape he has created called "Lazy Scranton", which features he and Dwight rhyming over the music of "Saturday Night Live"'s "Lazy Sunday".

Phyllis helps Karen investigate the source of a terrible smell, and they realize that Karen smelled Phyllis' perfume. Phyllis states that it was a present from Bob Vance, and is offended when his name means nothing to Karen. Karen later makes amends (thanks to Jim's assistance) by asking Phyllis if Bob Vance owns Vance Refrigeration.

Michael embarrasses new employee Tony by attempting to push him onto a table with the rest of the new employees; this causes Tony to quit. However, an angered Michael fires him instead, unintentionally entitling him to severance pay. Michael learns that Jim is the number two in the office, which prompts Andy and Dwight to argue over who is number three.

After a plan to unite the employees goes awry, they find that they have a common interest: their contempt of Michael. Jim tells Pam that he is seeing someone. Dwight and Andy trade barbs on the way to the parking lot.

Deleted Scenes

The Season Three DVD contains a number of deleted scenes. Notable cut scenes include:
*Kevin and Angela react to Jim's return.
*When Jim and Pam start goofing around, Ryan asks them to stop so he can get work done.
*Karen notes that she and Meredith have the same thermos. Meredith offers to share her alcohol.
*Andy introduces himself to Kevin.
*Michael says that if Phyllis and Karen start hanging out, they will start sharing the same menstrual cycle.
*Hannah and Meredith fight over desk space.
*Michael believes that differences are the reason that people can't all get along.
*Michael performs a magic trick, and Andy and Dwight suck up.

Notes

*"The Daily Show" correspondents Ed Helms and Steve Carell reunite in this episode.
*This episode references "Saturday Night Live" twice: Michael's orientation film parodies "Lazy Sunday", and Michael and Andy perform Haddaway's "What Is Love" and other elements of "A Night at the Roxbury".
*Michael mistakenly attributes the statement "Can't we all just get along?" to "the Reverend King" instead of Rodney King.
*Andy takes Oscar's desk, which is temporarily available because Oscar is on an extended vacation ("Gay Witch Hunt").
*Staples paid to place a red-and-white-logo shredder in the episode, which contains scenes in which Kevin praises it before accidentally shredding his credit card. A cast -autographed unit was auctioned on eBay with proceeds benefiting Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Staples is the main competitor of Dunder-Mifflin, and has been previously mentioned numerous times. The actual shredders have the logo stamped on outer metal shell, and no color.
*Hooters received yet another mention in "The Secret".
*The version of this episode available for purchase on iTunes is missing both scenes featuring Kevin and his paper shredder, most likely because the Staples product placement agreement may not have included distributable episodes. These scenes are also missing from the DVD release of The Office Season 3.
*Tony Gardner is the first employee from Stamford who quits. This is perhaps a reference to the war movie "Platoon" where the first soldier killed is also named Gardner. Earlier in the episode Dwight talks about firing someone on the first day like prisoners of war.
* During the argument between Dwight and Andy, Dwight says, "I hope 1985 has a time machine." The time travel movie "Back to the Future" was released in 1985.
* When the episode was rebroadcast on March 8, 2007, the following scenes were deleted in order to fit the episode into a half-hour time slot:
**The Stamford branch packs their belongings and Andy questions Jim about Michael. The first act opens with Michael and Dwight setting name plates on desks, moved ahead of Pam bringing in groceries.
**The entire Kevin subplot featuring his shredder.
**Jim and Toby's awkward greeting.
**Kelly filling Jim in on the progress of various celebrity couples.
**Michael bars the Scranton employees from eating the snacks intended for "the guests" during the orientation.
**The conversation among employees after Michael's failed scheme to unite them is shortened, including Karen finding out who Bob Vance is.
**The final argument between Dwight and Andy is replaced with the scene where Jim is named number two in the office. The scene leading into this, featuring Jan's phone call to Michael in response to Tony's firing and declaring Jim is the number two, was cut.
*In the scene where Michael shows the "Lazy Scranton" orientation video, as he turns to press play, the reflection in the monitor shows that no one is sitting in the conference room during that shot.
*When Michael and Dwight sing about employees using the building's compact parking spaces, they outline Pam's car with their hands.
**

External links

* [http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/episodes/3008_1.shtml#main The Merger] at NBC.com