Life In The Office

When the gang from Dunder-Mifflin decided to hit a “Happy Hour,” they didn’t just go to a dinky, hole-in-the-wall pub like nearby Poor Richard’s; they also didn’t bother with trendy Farley’s in downtown Scranton. No, they went to a mythical, over-the-top extravaganza of an entertainment center: Sid & Dexter’s Sports Bar. This Taj Mahal of taverns is clearly modeled after Dave & Buster’s Sports Bar, a chain that is practically everywhere in the United States, except for where I live in the Pacific Northwest… uh, and it’s also not to be found in Scranton Pennsylvania. Or anywhere near there. But that’s understandable. There are plenty of Dave & Buster’s Sports Bars in southern California, and that’s where The Office writers live. So that’s where the gang from Dunder-Mifflin will go.

Practically everyone in Sid & Dexter’s is drinking a Lion’s Head Beer, from a microbrewery in Wilkes Barre, Pa. Wilkes Barre is sort of Scranton’s “sister city,” not that either town wants to admit that. But the fact that almost everyone is drinking a Lion’s Head indicates to me that the prop department was sent a case of the beer, and they handed out all 24 of the bottles. The Lion’s Head Brewery also churns out Stegmaier and Gibbons Beer, two local old-school brews that have been around for so long that even I think of them as “Your grandfather’s beers.”  They also make Pocono Pale Ale, a beer I’ve never tasted, but I like the name, and that’s half the fun. It would have been a hoot to see Meredith pounding a few Pocono Pale Ales!

They haven’t mentioned her hometown since she’s reappeared in the show, but Isabelle is back. She’s the dental hygienist from Carbondale, Pa. Dwight arrogantly referred to her as a “bumpkin,” which is hilariously like the pot calling the kettle black. Schrute Farm have never been exactly pinpointed, but according to TripAdvisor, Dwight lives in rural Honesdale, Pa. Carbondale would be the biggest metropolis anywhere near Schrute Farm. We all know that Dwight is pretty self-sufficient, in most areas. But not the medical field, as he has admitted that he is unable to crush his own kidney stones. So, he would have some use for Carbondale, which has two hospitals, not to mention dental hygienists. He should refer to the good citizens of Carbondale as “city slickers.”
When Angela confronts Dwight and Isabelle in the parking lot, she is angrily waving the baby contract. She yells  at Dwight that she will see him in Lackawanna County Court. I’m guessing that the The Office writers like the melodic lilt of “Lackawanna.” That name sings, doesn’t it?
The Scranton Strangler was mentioned again in this episode, and it appears that it is becoming a running gag on the show. This is probably not exactly the kind of publicity that thrills the Greater Scranton Chamber Of Commerce.
In Deleted Scene #2, Pam’s friend is engaging in a futile flirtation with Michael Scott. She asks him where he lives in Scranton, and he answers “The north of Elm area.” I found Elm Street on Google maps, and it is in South Scranton, off the main drag, Pittston Avenue. Nearby on the Google map are two very interesting designations: Poor Richard’s Pub, and Alfredo’s Pizza. Office fans know that both of those places are close to where the “Scranton Business Park” would be located if it existed. I think that this is a thrilling discovery. There aren’t very many business listed on that Google map. It can’t just be a coincidence that Poor Richard’s and Alfredo’s are there. The logical conclusion is: whoever drew up that Google map must be a huge Office fan!
~ Bob