# The Office: 04 Feb 2011 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 4, 2011, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122 "2011-02-04T05:29:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/61 "2011-02-06T00:43:22Z")
> [@koufax](#): > > As I stated last year at about the same time, I don’t WATCH it, I MONITOR it. :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > But they get lazy with the unrealistic scenarios. All they had to do was have Michael leave his coat with the phone and wallet in Jim’s car. Who takes off their coat while outside before going inside to the bathroom? In winter? In PA? > [@](#): > > And then Jim is pounding on the bathroom door and yelling, but Michael doesn’t hear him but walks out the door like everything is ok? I’ve been in many a gas station bathroom with fans so loud that there’s no way you’d hear anyone pounding on the door. Also, maybe he was popping out a deuce and couldn’t get his pants up quick enough to get there before Jim left anyway. > [@](#): > > And why wouldn’t Jim tell the camera crew to tell Michael where he went? That’s a legitimate question, though maybe the camera crew’s contractually prevented from interacting so directly such unless there’s a life in danger or something of that sort. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/62 "2011-02-06T08:04:17Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > That’s a legitimate question, though maybe the camera crew’s contractually prevented from interacting so directly such **unless there’s a life in danger or something of that sort**. Even that’s clearly not the case, as seen in the episode with the senile old man wandering through the streets during a wedding. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/63 "2011-02-06T15:09:41Z")
I think at this point we should think of the “documentary” aspect of the storyline as it is in _Modern Family_; there’s no actual camera crew, but it’s the artistic device used in the show. It was a lot easier to believe that there was a camera crew in the UK original when there were only twelve episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/64 "2011-02-06T15:35:02Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I think at this point we should think of the “documentary” aspect of the storyline as it is in _Modern Family_; there’s no actual camera crew, but it’s the artistic device used in the show. It was a lot easier to believe that there was a camera crew in the UK original when there were only twelve episodes. We went over this recently in an Office thread. There is most definitely a camera crew as the “cast” has recognized the presence of the camera and the crewmembers on multiple occasions. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/65 "2011-02-06T15:41:18Z")
The crew has interacted with the cast before, but they had no reason to do so here. It wasn’t like Michael was in any danger. Its like an Amazing Race crew following a team as they drive for two hours the wrong way. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/66 "2011-02-06T15:44:35Z")
Exactly. And there was no need for a contractual obligation. The crew knows that Michael wandering around clueless is better footage than the crew telling Michael where Jim went. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/67 "2011-02-06T17:41:15Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > There is most definitely a camera crew as the “cast” has recognized the presence of the camera and the crewmembers on multiple occasions. Yep. In this episode, Michael even tries to wave the camera away and says “No” to the camera guy following him as he is walking away from the gas station. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/68 "2011-02-06T20:46:39Z")
It probably would have been a reasonable idea to have Jim or the guy Jim asked at the gas station to turn to the camera guy at some point and ask him to give Michael the message. Maybe Jim didn’t because he’s used to them and knows they won’t, but if I’m the guy Jim asked to wait and give a message, the first thing I do is ask the camera guy. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/69 "2011-02-06T20:59:27Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > It probably would have been a reasonable idea to have Jim or the guy Jim asked at the gas station to turn to the camera guy at some point and ask him to give Michael the message. Maybe Jim didn’t because he’s used to them and knows they won’t, but if I’m the guy Jim asked to wait and give a message, the first thing I do is ask the camera guy. Maybe those things did happen and they got edited out of the “documentary” that we are watching. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/70 "2011-02-07T17:52:12Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > also, i’d like to say, 5 years ago if you told me that Pam from the office would no longer be the most desirable woman(receptionist) on set? i would have lit your pants on fire. but that’s the way life is, isn’t it? totally unexpected but… i want to engage in romantic relations with erin… traumatic orphaning-induced craziness and all. Would it be feasible to start a “hottest Office girl” … or “most bangable Office girl?” poll thread? Jan isn’t that hot, but she’s got a desirable “stick the dick in the crazy” aspect to her. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/71 "2011-02-07T18:01:05Z")
Don’t overlook Angela. I think she might quietly be the hottest, and the most likely to be animalistic in the sack. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/72 "2011-02-07T18:29:25Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Don’t overlook Angela. I think she might quietly be the hottest, and the most likely to be animalistic in the sack. Angela outside of her Angela makeup is surprisingly attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/73 "2011-02-07T19:33:44Z")
I really liked the episode, although I was wondering why Jim didn’t go tell the clerk what he wass dong instead of some guy at the pumps. He really panicked a little too much inthat scene, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/74 "2011-02-07T19:39:36Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I really liked the episode, although I was wondering why Jim didn’t go tell the clerk what he wass dong instead of some guy at the pumps. He really panicked a little too much inthat scene, IMO. He’s a first time dad with a baby who has a fever who has been locked inside a car. I’m surprised he didn’t just take off without saying anything. ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122/75 "2011-02-07T22:17:58Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I really liked the episode, although I was wondering why Jim didn’t go tell the clerk what he wass dong instead of some guy at the pumps. He really panicked a little too much inthat scene, IMO. I think he also assumed that the guy worked at the gas station since he was wearing a work shirt with a name patch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-04-feb-2011/570122.md?page=3)