As always, Dave gives us the view as a Scranton Insider:
Wow, what an uncomfortable episode. If I worked with Michael, I’d have to kill him. Lucky for me, I’m not a Dunder-Mifflin employee.
While this week’s episode was great (and set up a real cliffhanger as the season finale), it was a bit skimpy on the local Scranton references. Right off the bat, Michael talks about having his hair cut at Fantastic Sam’s. I’ve got to admit, I never heard of this. A quick search on Google Maps revealed a location on Township Boulevard in neighboring Wilkes-Barre. Could Michael drive all that way out there for a haircut? We know that Dwight makes the commute daily, as (I believe) he once revealed that he lives “…outside Wilkes-Barre.” Correct me if I’m wrong.
Speaking of where the different characters live, don’t you think it’d be fun to see more episodes that put them outside of the office itself? I enjoyed the booze cruise episode, as well as seeing the gang ice skate for Michael’s birthday. Imagine Dwight at home, or maybe a Dunder-Mifflin cookout in Michael’s back yard? The mind reels.
Anyway, later in the episode we saw Jim in the break room and drinking from his “Restoring the Pride” mug again. This mug first appeared in the episode “Dwight’s Speech.” “Restoring the Pride” was the slogan of a campaign to revitalize the downtown area of Scranton. It’s nice to see the prop department having Jim use the same mug.
Finally, towards the end of the episode, Michael is sitting at this desk with a can of Crystal Cola by his side. The Crystal Beverage Company is located right in Scranton, and features such great flavors as Cherokee Red and the highly addictive 50/50, which is lime and grapefruit. Believe me, it’s fantastic.
That’s it for this week, folks. Like I said, not a whole lot of references this time around. Come back next week for a super-sized analysis of the super-sized finale! Don’t leave Scranton, Jim!
I think that if The Office lasts long enough, we’ll see them out of the office more and more, and the stories may even become more often not office-related.
But yeah we were talking about how we’d like to see them in their homes and Dwight’s cousin’s ranch!
There was one flawed semi-reference at the end in Jim’s voicemail message. He’s calling to cover for going to New York for the job interview and tells Pam “I have a doctor’s appointment in the city tomorrow, so…”
This was debated heavily on the Television Without Pity boards last Thursday night and Friday, started by me, about what Jim meant by “the city”. Some people thought he meant New York.
I think he meant Scranton, and that it was bad writing. 1) they already work in the city. 2) who says “the city”? We say “downtown.”
And he didn’t mean New York either (although I had trouble convincing the New Jersey people on the TWoP boards who do say “the city” and think everyone else does too) because you wouldn’t travel from Scranton go to a doctor in New York unless you have serious health problems, so that wouldn’t be a good cover story to tell Pam.
Jim
I noticed this, too. You’re right, I’d certainly say, “I have a doctor’s appointment downtown.” But, since Dunder-Mifflin is already downtown, I’d just say, “I have a doctor’s appointment today.” No need to add the “downtown.”
No one refers to downtown as “the city.” Tsk, tsk, Office writes (and good on you, Jim!).
noooooooo.
i hate hate hate HATE all of the episodes outside of the office.
it’s fun to see all that they can do in there.
the chilis/booze cruise/boxing/basketball episodes just didn’t do it for me.
About two weeks ago the Electric City / Diamond City papers did a feature on The Office and how accurate the portrayal of Scranton is.
I’m not sure if anyone pointed this out, but on an old episode, possibly from Season 1, the vending machine holds Gertrude Hawk candy bars , which are made right in Dunmore. I wish my vending machine at work sold them!
Pam’s wedding to Roy is one month from today!
The reason I know what is because I’m getting married in the same town on the same day!!! I’ve never heard of this “VA” Pam is having her wedding at. I hope Pam doesn’t go through with it!!!
Real inside baseball thoughts for Scrantonians (ex & current). Exactly where do these characters live? What neighborhoods? What little towns surrounding Scran-uh are home to them?
Just thinking about the backstories. I definitely think Dwight is originally from Noxen (family trees don’t branch there). Michael, probably from Taylor (or Dickson City) but moved to the Abingtons when he got this job. Jim? Old Forge, maybe. But he live in an apt in the Hill Section, probably near his student hovel at “da U.”
Pam? Green Ridge girl. Roy is Dunmore. Angela? Waverly or Chinchilla. Phyllis–Jessup. Any other suggestions?
I’ve pondered the same thing stella. Jim’s house looked like it could be in Swinick (sp?). Pam went to Marywood, but her mom lives in upstate NY, so I’ll say she’s from NY. Michael might be a Taylor/Old Forge guy, lives in Glenmaura now. I pictured Dwight as growing up in the Mid-Valley or Valley View area and the beet farm being out in Scott Twp.
No way Roy is from Dunmore, his reaction to Katy saying she went to O’Hara made it seem like he didn’t really know where the school was. Also, he only played them in a football playoff game he said. I would bet he is from somewhere in the Poconos and went to the U before dropping out.
Stella, homerun on the towns and where everyone is from. Phyllis? Grand Slam!
And speaking of Gertrude Hawk candy bars, wasn’t that what Creed “found” in the candy machine last night?
John Webster
webster@rock107.com
webster107.blogspot.com
sjb, I missed the O’Hara reference for Roy. Maybe he’s from downdaline, Exeter maybe. Michael wouldn’t make enough to live at Gloccamora. Middle management/jr exec zip code is 18411.
John, btw, I think Creed is from “Archibald.” He lived over the High & Dry as a kid & perfected his 5 finger discounting at De Eynon. Heyna?
(An aside, why would a developer name his starter castle enterprise “The Hills of Archibald”? When I was going to VV, calling someone a “hiller” was the lowest insult–implied no indoor plumbing.)
stella, you may be right about Michael. I live in Philly now so my housing costs ideas might be out of whack a bit. But he is a single guy with no social life, so he probably has a good bit of cash in the bank, so you never know…
Don’t know about Jim @ Glenmaura…wasn’t there an episode with a party at his place, with his roommate…gotta be somewhere in Green Ridge.
Stella, good on on the high and dry! Too funny. Prefer Barrets now that I work for a living.
Ewwww.. Barrett’s. Drive another mile and a half to the Windsor. Best wings in the world.
There is a Sam’s Barber Shop on Pittston Ave, heading towards Moosic. It’s the kind of place that your grandfather would have taken your father to. Probably the same staff, too. $7 for a haircut, I believe.
Michael is middle management. He doesn’t make enough to live in Glenmaura. He’s all Abingtons — aspirational.