163-641: Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, Inc. is a fictional paper and office supplies wholesale company featured in the American television series The Office . It is analogous to Wernham Hogg in the British original of the series, and Papiers Jennings and Cogirep in the French Canadian and French adaptations, respectively. Originally, the company was completely fictitious, but eventually, the brand
326-740: A Chabad-Lubavitch synagogue, an Orthodox synagogue, and two Reform synagogues. Albany is also home to one of the few Karaite synagogues outside Israel. As of 2008, the total membership in Albany's synagogues was estimated at 12,000-13,000, with half the members residing outside the city. Since the early 2000s, there has been an increase in Orthodox Jews moving to Albany from the New York Metro area, largely due to cheaper housing prices and closer walking proximity to synagogues. The Islamic community in Albany and its surrounding suburbs
489-512: A Comcast subsidiary . The episode " Boys and Girls " showed that the company strongly resisted unionization efforts by its employees, to the point of closing down a branch , as many real companies do or threaten to do in the same situation. The office and warehouse of the Scranton branch office were sets on the production company's office in Van Nuys, California , although a real office
652-427: A Rochester office was also mentioned in the episode titled " Lecture Circuit ". The Dunder Mifflin website also lists a Yonkers branch. Albany is yet another mentioned New York location, which in a deleted scene in " Stress Relief " is revealed to have closed. It is also said that there are branches in other states, including: Akron, Ohio ; Camden, New Jersey ; and Nashua, New Hampshire . In " Company Picnic ", it
815-535: A buyout of the Michael Scott Paper Company, the three are rehired with Pam promoted to sales and Ryan returning as a temp. During the chaos a new receptionist, Erin , is hired to fill the vacancy originally left by Pam. The season ends with a scene that subtly alludes to Pam's (unplanned) pregnancy. The sixth season consists of 26 half-hours of material, divided into 22 half-hour episodes and two hour-long episodes. Jim and Pam marry and have
978-558: A fur-trading post and was the first documented European structure in present-day Albany. Commencement of the fur trade provoked hostility from the French colony in Canada and among the natives, all of whom vied to control the trade. In 1618, a flood ruined Fort Nassau, but the Dutch replaced it with Fort Orange on the mainland in 1624. Both forts were named in honor of the leading family of
1141-418: A 14-year-old girl enslaved by Volkert P. Douw ; and Bet, a 12-year-old girl enslaved by Philip S. Van Rensselaer . On January 6, 1794, the three were sentenced to death. Governor George Clinton issued a temporary stay of execution, but Dinah and Bet were executed by hanging on March 14, and Pompey on April 11, 1794. In 1797, the state capital was moved permanently to Albany. From statehood to this date,
1304-408: A 40-minute time slot. Season three introduced the first of occasional hour-long episodes (approximately 42-minute running time, also suitable for being shown as two separate normal episodes in reruns). The first season consists of six episodes; the shortest season of the series. The series starts by introducing Dunder Mifflin 's employees via a tour given by branch manager Michael Scott for both
1467-471: A Comedy Series . Carell was reportedly paid $ 175,000 per episode starting in the third season. Krasinski and Fischer were paid around $ 20,000 at the beginning of the series, and around $ 100,000 per episode by the fourth season. A typical episode for a half-hour time slot runs 20 + 1 ⁄ 2 minutes. The final episode of season two introduced the first of what would be several "super-sized" episodes that had an approximately 28-minute running time for
1630-474: A Staples, just not as big", says co-producer Kent Zbornak—as do some of those companies. "Since Dunder Mifflin could be considered among our competitors", says Chuck Rubin, an Office Depot executive, "I think Michael Scott is actually the perfect person to run their Scranton office." The company was depicted as based in New York City, with branches in smaller Northeastern cities. Episodes are set in
1793-422: A baby named Cecelia Marie Halpert. Meanwhile, Andy and Erin develop an interest in each other, but find their inherent awkwardness inhibits his attempts to ask her out on a date during a murder-mystery game meant to distract the members of the office. Jim is promoted as co-manager. Rumors of bankruptcy begin to surround Dunder Mifflin, and by Christmas, Wallace announces to the branch that Dunder Mifflin has accepted
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#17328017752861956-540: A branch office in Stamford, but Mason's has remained open. In 2009, it had an accounting scandal that resulted in a $ 545,000 payment to corporate customers, much as Dunder Mifflin had to deal with the arrest of Ryan Howard for fraud the year before. The company's "clearly dysfunctional" top-down management style is a major source of tension on the show, notes Chicago-based writer Ramsin Canon. Corporate headquarters rejects
2119-493: A buyout from Sabre Corporation, a printer company. While Wallace and other executives are let go, the Scranton office survives due to its relative success within the company. Michael Scott is now the highest-level employee at Dunder Mifflin. In the season finale , Dwight buys the office park. Michael agrees to make an announcement to the press regarding a case of faulty printers. When Jo Bennett, Sabre CEO, asks how she can repay him, Michael responds that she could bring Holly back to
2282-466: A city the size of Albany. One report from 2000 offers religious affiliations for Albany County. According to the data, 59.2% of Albany County residents identified as Christian : 47% are Roman Catholic , 8.4% are mainline Protestants , 2.7% are Evangelical Protestants , and 1.1% are Eastern or Oriental Orthodox Christians. Residents who practice Judaism make up 4.2% of the population and Muslims represent 0.2%. As of April 1, 2020, Albany's population
2445-405: A date, which she joyfully accepts. In the final scene, we learn Ryan has been awarded Jan's job. NBC ordered a fourth full season of thirty half-hour episodes but ended with only 19 due to a halt in production caused by the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike . The season consists of nine half-hour and five hour-long episodes for a total of 19 episodes of material created. Karen has left
2608-469: A documentary camera crew and first-day temp Ryan Howard . Salesman Jim Halpert has a crush on receptionist Pam Beesly , who helps him play pranks on co-worker Dwight Schrute , even though she is engaged to Roy Anderson, who works in the company's downstairs warehouse. Rumors spread throughout the office that Dunder Mifflin's corporate headquarters is planning to downsize an entire branch, leading to general anxiety. Still, Michael chooses to deny or downplay
2771-426: A few days' sail from New York City. Albany reported a population of 3,498 in the first national census in 1790, an increase of almost 700% since its chartering. On November 17, 1793, fire broke out at a stable belonging to Leonard Gansevoort , destroying 26 homes on Broadway, Maiden Lane, James Street, and State Street. Three were arrested and charged with arson : Pompey, a man enslaved by Matthew Visscher; Dinah,
2934-562: A gas station halfway between Scranton and New York City, where they meet for a visit. Pam ultimately returns from New York to Scranton, where Jim has bought his parents' house for the two of them. Having avoided jail and only been sentenced to community service, Ryan bleaches his hair and starts working at a bowling alley. Michael initiates a romance with Holly until she is transferred to the Nashua, New Hampshire branch, Toby returns to Scranton to replace Holly, and their relationship ends. When Andy
3097-602: A lovable but dim-witted man who revels in juvenile humor and frequently indulges in gambling; and Oscar Martinez ( Oscar Nuñez ), who is intelligent and cultured, but often patronizing, and whose homosexuality and Hispanic heritage made him a frequent target of Michael's unintentional off-color comments. Rounding out the office are the laconic salesman Stanley Hudson ( Leslie David Baker ), who cannot stand Michael's constant references to his Black American heritage (he also does not like to take part in time-wasting meetings and often solves crossword puzzles or sleeps during them);
3260-484: A millionaire, to repurchase Dunder Mifflin from Sabre, putting Sabre completely out of business and giving Andy the manager position once again. The final season consists of 25 episodes. Albany, New York Albany ( / ˈ ɔː l b ə n i / AWL -bə-nee ) is the capital and oldest city in the U.S. state of New York , and the seat of and most populous city in Albany County . It
3423-430: A new website for online sales; he also learns that his boss, David Wallace , favors Jim, and thus Ryan attempts to sabotage Jim's career. Ryan is soon arrested and fired for misleading the shareholders and committing fraud related to the website's sales numbers. Toby announces he is moving to Costa Rica and is replaced by Holly Flax , who quickly shows a liking for Michael. Pam decides to follow her artistic interests and
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#17328017752863586-505: A plan to have the county pay for the construction and have the state sign a lease-ownership agreement. The state paid off the bonds until 2004. It was Rockefeller's only viable option, and he agreed. Due to the clout Corning gained from the situation, he gained inclusion of the State Museum, a convention center, and a restaurant, back in the plans—ideas which Rockefeller had originally vetoed. The county gained $ 35 million in fees and
3749-532: A polo field on Loudon Road, it moved to Westerlo Island in 1909 and remained there until 1928. The Albany Municipal Airport—jointly owned by the city and county—was moved to its current location in Colonie in 1928. By 1916 Albany's northern and southern borders reached their modern courses; Westerlo Island , to the south, became the second-to-last annexation, which occurred in 1926. Erastus Corning 2nd , arguably Albany's most notable mayor (and great-grandson of
3912-584: A relationship, much to Andy's chagrin, and Andy attempts to win Erin's affection back. Holly, Michael's former girlfriend, returns to Scranton to fill in for Toby, who is on jury duty for the "Scranton Strangler" trial. Michael and Holly eventually restart their relationship. After the two get engaged, Michael reveals he will be leaving Scranton to move to Colorado with Holly to support her elderly parents. Jim and Pam adjust to parenthood, while Angela starts dating state senator Robert Lipton and gets engaged off-screen in
4075-457: A secret. Kelly Kapoor develops a crush on Ryan, and they start dating off and on. When Roy finally agrees to set a date for his wedding to Pam, at a company booze cruise, Jim grows depressed and considers transferring to the Stamford, Connecticut branch, but tells Pam in the season finale that he is in love with her. Even though Pam insists she is with Roy, the two kiss, and Jim transfers to
4238-471: A trademark for the name in 2020, they were denied because Jay Kennette had already registered the trademark in 2017, and was selling merchandise well before NBC. A fourth-season episode, " Dunder Mifflin Infinity ", said the company was founded in 1949 by Robert Dunder ( John Ingle ) and Robert Mifflin, initially to sell brackets for use in construction. The fifth-season episode " Company Picnic " said that
4401-789: A veteran writer for Saturday Night Live , King of the Hill , and The Simpsons , the show depicts the everyday work lives of the office employees at Scranton, Pennsylvania , branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company , and aired from March 24, 2005, to May 16, 2013, with a total of nine seasons consisting of 201 episodes . The show was co-produced by Daniels' Deedle-Dee Productions , Reveille Productions (later Shine America) and 3 Arts Entertainment (although uncredited) in association with Universal Television . The original executive producers were Daniels, Gervais, Merchant, Howard Klein and Ben Silverman , with numerous others being promoted in later seasons. Like its British counterpart,
4564-528: Is a salesman and the Assistant to the Regional Manager, an imaginary title created by Michael. John Krasinski portrays Jim Halpert , a salesman and, in later seasons, assistant manager or co-manager who is known for his wittiness and his practical jokes on Dwight. Halpert is based upon Tim Canterbury and, at the start of the series, is known to have feelings for receptionist Pam Beesly , who
4727-548: Is accepted to attend a three-month graphic design course at the Pratt Institute in New York City. In the season finale, Jim almost proposes to Pam but is interrupted by Andy proposing to Angela, who reluctantly agrees. Phyllis then catches Dwight and Angela having sex in the office. The fifth season consists of 28 half-hours of material, divided into 24 half-hour episodes and two hour-long episodes, one of which aired after Super Bowl XLIII . Jim proposes to Pam at
4890-745: Is announced that the Camden and Yonkers branches have closed and that the Buffalo branch is about to close. In " Boys and Girls ", a Pittsfield, Massachusetts branch was mentioned by Jan as having been shut down when their warehouse workers unionized. The episode " Turf War " focuses on the closing of the Binghamton branch and how reps from the Syracuse branch are competing with Scranton employees for Binghamton's old clients. Business writer Megan Barnett has pointed out parallels between Dunder Mifflin and
5053-420: Is another example of this. Daniels has said that it does not count as film score as long as it already appeared in the episode. The Office features an ensemble cast . Many of its characters are based on characters in the original British series. While these characters generally have the same attitudes and perceptions as their British counterparts, the roles were modified to fit the American show. The show
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5216-437: Is credited for an "unparalleled cycle of commercial investment and development" in Albany due to his "aggressive business development programs". Prior to the recession of the 1990s , downtown Albany was home to four Fortune 500 companies. After the death of Corning and the retirement of Congressman Sam Stratton , the political environment changed. Long-term office holders became rare in the 1980s. Local media began following
5379-491: Is engaged to warehouse worker Roy. Pam, played by Jenna Fischer , is based on Dawn Tinsley . She is shy but often collaborates with Jim in his pranks on Dwight. B. J. Novak portrays Ryan Howard , who for the first two seasons is a temporary worker but is promoted to a sales representative in the third season . He later ascends to be the company's youngest vice president, North East Region, and director of new media until his innovations are exposed as corporate fraud and he
5542-555: Is fired in the third season for attacking Jim; and the vice president for regional sales for Dunder Mifflin Jan Levinson ( Melora Hardin ), who later becomes Michael's rather toxic love interest. Toward the end of season five, the bubbly and naive Erin Hannon ( Ellie Kemper ) is introduced as Pam's replacement at the reception and develops a unique bond with Michael when he becomes almost a father figure in her life. A story arc at
5705-510: Is fired. He then gets a job in a bowling alley and later briefly works for the Michael Scott Paper Company. After this and a stint in rehab, he again eventually ends up as a temporary worker at the Scranton branch. The accounting department includes Angela Martin ( Angela Kinsey ), an uptight and ultra-religious woman who likes to keep things orderly and make sure situations remain as businesslike as possible; Kevin Malone ( Brian Baumgartner ),
5868-703: Is home to the oldest Christian congregation in Upstate New York and the Mother Churches of two Christian dioceses . As of June 2010 , eight churches or religious buildings in the city were listed on the National Register of Historic Places , one of which— St. Peter's Episcopal Church on State Street—is a National Historic Landmark . Established in 1642, the congregation of the First Church in Albany (Reformed) , also known as
6031-683: Is known for its relatively large cast, and many of its actors and actresses are known particularly for their improvisational work. Steve Carell stars as Michael Scott , regional manager of the Dunder Mifflin Scranton Branch. Loosely based on David Brent , Gervais' character in the British series, Scott is a well-intentioned man whose oblivious attempts at humor often offend and annoy his peers and employees, and sometimes draw reprimands from his superiors. Rainn Wilson portrays Dwight Schrute , based on Gareth Keenan , who
6194-537: Is later forced to merge the Stamford branch with the Scranton branch. Michael takes this merger very seriously. Transferred to the Scranton branch are saleswoman Karen Filippelli , whom Jim has begun dating, and the anger-prone preppy salesman Andy Bernard , along with other Stamford employees who all eventually quit within the first few episodes of being there. Pam is newly single after calling off her engagement to Roy, and Jim's unresolved feelings for her and his new relationship with Karen lead to shifting tensions between
6357-601: Is located on the west bank of the Hudson River , about 10 miles (16 km) south of its confluence with the Mohawk River . The city is the economic and cultural core of New York State's Capital District , a metropolitan area including the nearby cities and suburbs of Colonie , Troy , Schenectady , and Saratoga Springs . With an estimated population of 1.1 million in 2013, the Capital District
6520-532: Is made aware of Dwight and Angela's continued affair, both men leave her. Newly hired Vice President Charles Miner implements a rigid managerial style over the branch that causes Michael to resign in protest. Michael opens the Michael Scott Paper Company in the same office building, enticing Pam and Ryan to join as salespeople, and though his business model is ultimately unsustainable, Dunder Mifflin's profits are immediately threatened. In
6683-699: Is now the SUNY System Administration Building . In 1853, Erastus Corning , a noted industrialist and Albany's mayor from 1834 to 1837, consolidated ten railroads stretching from Albany to Buffalo into the New York Central Railroad (NYCRR), headquartered in Albany until Cornelius Vanderbilt moved it to New York City in 1867. One of the ten companies that formed the NYCRR was the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad , which
Dunder Mifflin - Misplaced Pages Continue
6846-732: Is represented by at least four major mosques in the region. The Muslim population increased substantially starting in the late 2000s, with the arrival of many refugees from countries such as Iraq , Syria , and Afghanistan . Exact numbers on religious denominations in Albany are not readily available. Demographic statistics in the United States depend heavily on the United States Census Bureau , which cannot ask about religious affiliation as part of its decennial census . It does compile some national and statewide religious statistics, but these are not representative of
7009-445: Is set. Scranton has been associated internationally with Dunder Mifflin due to the show's international reach. In a 2008 St. Patrick's Day speech in the suburb of Dickson City , then- Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland, Bertie Ahern , referred to the city's fictional branch office. The name is also at the center of a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by NBCUniversal against Jay Kennette Media Group; when NBC tried to obtain
7172-1019: Is significant, totaling 59.4 inches (151 cm) per season, but with less accumulation than the lake effect areas to the north and west, as it is farther from Lake Ontario . However, Albany is close enough to the Atlantic coast to receive heavy snow from Nor'easters and the city occasionally receives Alberta clippers . Winters can be very cold with fluctuating conditions; temperatures drop to 0 °F (−18 °C) or below on nine nights per annum. Summers in Albany can contain stretches of excessive heat and humidity, with temperatures of 90 °F (32 °C) or hotter on nine days per year. Record temperature extremes range from −28 °F (−33 °C), on January 19, 1971, to 104 °F (40 °C) on July 4, 1911. The neighborhoods of Albany include Arbor Hill ; Center Square, "[an] eclectic mix of residential and commercial [buildings], including bars, night clubs, restaurants, and stores"; Pine Hills ; and
7335-475: Is that a camera crew is filming Dunder Mifflin and its employees, seemingly around the clock. The presence of the camera is acknowledged by the characters, especially Michael Scott, who enthusiastically participates in the filming. The characters, especially Jim and Pam, also look towards the camera when Michael creates an awkward situation. The show's main action is supplemented with talking-head interviews or "confessionals" where characters speak one-on-one with
7498-470: Is the child's biological father). Darryl starts falling for the new warehouse foreman, Val. Dwight is tasked with traveling to Tallahassee, Florida , to assist Sabre special projects manager Nellie Bertram ( Catherine Tate ) in launching a chain of retail stores, along with Jim, Ryan, Stanley, Erin, and new office temp Cathy Simms . Cathy is also revealed to have ulterior motives for the trip, as she intends to seduce Jim. Still, she fails. Robert later kills
7661-458: Is the third most populous metropolitan region in the state. As of 2023, Albany's population was 101,228. The Hudson River area was originally inhabited by Algonquian -speaking Mohican . The area was settled by Dutch colonists, who built Fort Nassau in 1614 for fur trading and Fort Orange in 1624. In 1664, the English took over the Dutch settlements, renaming the city Albany in honor of
7824-398: Is then promoted to regional manager and works hard to make a good impression on Robert, asking Dwight to be his number two. Pam and Jim are expecting their second child, Phillip, at the start of the season, to coincide with Fischer's real-life pregnancy. Angela is also pregnant with her first son, also named Philip, with State Senator Robert Lipton (although it is implied that Dwight Schrute
7987-421: The 1830 and 1840 censuses, Albany was ranked as the ninth-largest urban place in the nation; it dropped back to tenth in 1850 . This was the last time the city was one of the top ten largest urban places in the nation. Albany also has significant history with rail transport , as the location of two major regional railroad headquarters. The Delaware and Hudson Railway was headquartered in Albany at what
8150-645: The Albany Pine Bush , an area of pitch pine and scrub oak , and has arid, sandy soil that is a remnant of the ancient Lake Albany . Due to development, the Pine Bush has shrunk from an original 25,000 to 6,000 acres (10,100 to 2,400 ha) today. A preserve was set up by the State Legislature in 1988 and is on the city's western edge, spilling into Guilderland and Colonie; it is the only sizable inland pine barrens sand dune ecosystem in
8313-479: The All-America City Award in both 1991 and 2009. Albany is about 150 miles (240 km) north of New York City on the Hudson River . It has a total area of 21.8 square miles (56 km ), of which 21.4 square miles (55 km ) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km ) (1.8%) is water. The city is bordered on the north by the town of Colonie (along with the village of Menands ), on
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#17328017752868476-752: The Gaelic name for Scotland. The Dutch briefly regained Albany in August 1673 and renamed the city Willemstadt ; the English took permanent possession in 1674 with the Treaty of Westminster . On November 1, 1683, the Province of New York was split into counties, with Albany County being the largest: it included all of present New York State north of Dutchess and Ulster Counties in addition to present-day Bennington County , Vermont, theoretically stretching west to
8639-472: The Legislature had frequently moved the state capital between Albany, Kingston , Poughkeepsie , and the city of New York . Albany is the tenth-oldest state capital in the United States and the second-oldest city that is a state capital, after Santa Fe , New Mexico. Albany has been a center of transportation for much of its history. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Albany saw development of
8802-525: The Mall at Steamtown received an annual report and complimentary ream of paper. A nearby elevator shaft is also decorated with the company logo. While the Scranton branch's address, 1725 Slough Avenue, does not exist (the street name was invented as a tribute to the original British version of the show , set in Slough , near London), the company logo can be seen two places in the city's downtown section outside
8965-660: The Port of Albany-Rensselaer opened in 1932. In 1829, while working as a professor at the Albany Academy , Joseph Henry , widely regarded as "the foremost American scientist of the 19th century", built the first electric motor . Three years later, he discovered electromagnetic self-induction (the SI unit for which is now the henry ). He went on to be the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution . In
9128-595: The Scottish title of the Duke of York (later James II of England and Ireland and James VII of Scotland ): the Duke of Albany . The city was officially chartered in 1686 under English rule. It became the capital of New York in 1797 after the formation of the United States. Albany is the oldest surviving settlement of the original British thirteen colonies north of Virginia. In the late 18th century and throughout most of
9291-734: The Stadt Huys became home to the Albany Committee of Correspondence (the political arm of the local revolutionary movement), which took over operation of Albany's government and eventually expanded its power to control all of Albany County . Tories and prisoners of war were often jailed in the Stadt Huys alongside common criminals. In 1776, Albany native Philip Livingston signed the Declaration of Independence at Independence Hall in Philadelphia . During and after
9454-536: The W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus . Albany County Republican Chairman Joseph C. Frangella once quipped, "Governor Rockefeller was the best mayor Albany ever had." Corning, although opposed to the project, was responsible for negotiating the payment plan for the Empire State Plaza . Rockefeller did not want to be limited by the Legislature's power of the purse , so Corning devised
9617-512: The television commercial Michael created, as he, in turn, insisted on his ideas for the commercial. Ryan Howard ( B. J. Novak ), who began as a temp , becomes Michael's new boss because he has an M.B.A. despite never having sold any paper or paper products. The show's depiction of a dysfunctional corporate culture has led some commentators to liken Dunder Mifflin to the software maker Initech in Mike Judge 's cult comedy Office Space and
9780-469: The turnpike and by 1815, Albany was the turnpike center of the state. The development of Simeon De Witt 's gridded block system in 1794—which renamed streets that had originally named after the British royal family with names of birds and mammals instead —was intersected by these major arterials coming out of Albany, cutting through the city at unexpected angles. The construction of the turnpike, in conjunction with canal and railroad systems, made Albany
9943-735: The "People of the Waters That Are Never Still". The Mohawks, one of the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy , were based in the Mohawk valley and noted for their fur trading and their access to trade between the Iroquois and other nations. The Mohawk became strong trading partners with the Dutch and English. It is likely that the area was visited by European fur traders perhaps as early as 1540, but
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#173280177528610106-702: The 18th and 19th centuries were furs, wheat, meat, and lumber. By 1865, there were almost 4,000 saw mills in the Albany area and the Albany Lumber District was the largest lumber market in the nation. The city was also home to a number of banks. The Bank of Albany (1792–1861) was the second chartered bank in New York. The city was the original home of the Albank (founded in 1820 as the Albany Savings Bank), KeyBank (founded in 1825 as
10269-682: The 1920s. During the 1990s, the State Legislature approved the $ 234 million "Albany Plan", "a building and renovation project [that] was the most ambitious building project to affect the area since the Rockefeller era." Under the Albany Plan, renovation and new building projects were initiated around the downtown area. Many state workers were relocated from the Harriman State Office Campus to downtown, helping its retail businesses and vitality. The first decade of
10432-513: The 1990s, the New York State Legislature approved for the city a US$ 234 million building and renovation plan, which spurred redevelopment downtown. In the early 21st century, Albany's high-technology industry grew, with great strides in nanotechnology . The Hudson River area was originally inhabited by Algonquian -speaking Mohican (Mahican), who called it Pempotowwuthut-Muhhcanneuw , meaning "the fireplace of
10595-676: The 19th, Albany was a center of trade and transportation. The city lies toward the north end of the navigable Hudson River. It was the original eastern terminus of the Erie Canal , connecting to the Great Lakes , and was home to some of the earliest railroads in the world. In the 1920s a powerful political machine controlled by the Democratic Party arose in Albany. In the latter part of the 20th century, Albany's population shrank because of urban sprawl and suburbanization. In
10758-595: The 21st century saw a real possibility for a long-discussed and controversial Albany Convention Center; it opened in 2017 with the goal of making Albany a viable location for large events hosted by statewide organizations. Albany remains an important location for business presence, given its role as de facto seat of Tech Valley and being home to the state capitol. Fortune 500 companies with offices in Albany include American Express , J.P. Morgan and Chase , Merrill Lynch , General Electric , Verizon , Goldman Sachs , International Paper , and Key Bank . Albany won
10921-472: The British Office series for American television and served as the showrunner for the first four seasons. He then left the position when he co-created the comedy series Parks and Recreation with fellow Office writer Michael Schur and divided his time between both series. Paul Lieberstein and Jennifer Celotta were named the showrunners for the fifth season. Celotta left the series after
11084-445: The British series, to appear in the third season, but scheduling conflicts prevented them; however, Ricky Gervais made two appearances in the show's seventh season as David Brent . The Office was filmed with a single-camera setup in cinéma vérité style to create the look of an actual documentary, with no studio audience or laugh track, allowing its " deadpan " and "absurd" humor to fully come across. The show's primary premise
11247-586: The Commercial Bank of Albany), and Norstar Bank (founded as the State Bank of Albany in 1803). American Express was founded in Albany in 1850 as an express mail business. In 1871, the northwestern portion of Albany—west from Magazine Street—was annexed to the neighboring town of Guilderland after the town of Watervliet refused annexation of the territory. In return for this loss, portions of Bethlehem and Watervliet were added to Albany. Part of
11410-584: The Corning years, as people moved to newer housing in the suburbs, followed by most of the downtown businesses moving there as well . While cities across the country grappled with similar issues, the problems were magnified in Albany: interference from the Democratic political machine hindered progress considerably. In 1960, the mayor sold the city's stake in the airport to the county, citing budget issues. It
11573-454: The Dunder Mifflin logo as souvenirs . NBC sells branded T-shirts, mugs, calendars, and other items at its website, as well as in the NBC store located in New York City . In 2006, the website 80stees.com ranked Dunder Mifflin second only to Duff Beer from The Simpsons as the best fictional brand. At the first annual The Office convention in Scranton in 2007, fans who had paid for reserved seating at an "uncommon stockholders meeting" in
11736-553: The Dutch Revolt, members of the House of Orange-Nassau . Fort Orange and the surrounding area were incorporated as the village of Beverwijck (English: Beaverwick or Beaver District ) in 1652, and the city of Albany in 1686. In these early decades of trade, the Dutch, Mohican, and Mohawk developed relations that reflected differences among their three cultures. Albany is one of the oldest surviving European settlements from
11899-789: The Mohican nation". Based to the west along the Mohawk River , the Iroquoian-speaking Mohawk called it Sche-negh-ta-da , "through the pine woods", referring to the path they took there. According to Hendrick Aupaumut , the Mohicans came to the area from the north and the west. They settled along the Mahicannituck, which is now called the Hudson River, and called themselves the Muh-he-con-neok ,
12062-839: The North Dutch Church (on North Pearl Street), is the second-oldest Reformed Church in America . The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Eagle Street and Madison Avenue, built 1852) is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany , led by Bishop Edward Scharfenberger , and the Cathedral of All Saints (South Swan Street and Elk Street, built 1888) is the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany . As of 2023,
12225-491: The Pacific Ocean; Albany became the county seat . Albany was formally chartered as a municipality by provincial Governor Thomas Dongan on July 22, 1686. The Dongan Charter was virtually identical in content to the charter awarded to the city of New York three months earlier. Dongan created Albany as a strip of land 1 mile (1.6 km) wide and 16 miles (26 km) long. Over the years Albany would lose much of
12388-664: The Revolution, Albany's population consisted mostly of ethnic Dutch descendants. Settlers migrating from New England tipped the balance toward British ethnicity in the early 19th century. Jobs on the turnpikes, canals, and railroads attracted floods of Irish immigrants in the early 19th century, especially in the 1840s during the Great Famine , solidifying the city's Irish base. Michael Nolan became Albany's first Irish Catholic mayor in 1878, two years before Boston. Polish and Italian immigrants began arriving in Albany in
12551-553: The Revolutionary War, Albany County saw a great increase in real estate transactions. After Horatio Gates defeated John Burgoyne at Saratoga in 1777, the upper Hudson Valley was generally at peace as the war raged on elsewhere. Prosperity was soon seen all over Upstate New York . Migrants from Vermont and Connecticut began flowing in, noting the advantages of living on the Hudson and trading at Albany, while being only
12714-753: The Scranton branch after her breakup with Jim and becomes the regional manager at the Utica branch. A self-employed Jan moves herself and her candle business into Michael's condo, until the dissolution of their relationship midway through the season during an intimate dinner party including Pam, Jim, Andy, Angela and Dwight. This episode showcases what has become a very toxic and unhealthy relationship between Michael and Jan. After Dwight's crude (though well-intentioned) method of euthanasia of Angela's ailing cat without her permission, she leaves him for Andy, leading Dwight into depression. Ryan, in his new corporate life in New York City, attempts to modernize Dunder Mifflin with
12877-499: The Scranton branch after the two offices merge; the shallow and talkative customer service representative Kelly Kapoor ( Mindy Kaling ); the promiscuous alcoholic supply relations representative Meredith Palmer ( Kate Flannery ); human resources representative Toby Flenderson ( Paul Lieberstein ), who is loathed, and often the target of abuse, by Michael; warehouse foreman Darryl Philbin ( Craig Robinson ); warehouse dock worker and Pam's fiancé Roy Anderson ( David Denman ), who
13040-425: The Scranton branch, but other branches have been mentioned and seen. The now-closed Stamford, Connecticut branch was seen when Jim Halpert ( John Krasinski ) transferred there during the first half of the third season. Another episode, " Branch Wars ", gave viewers a brief glimpse of the Utica branch, one of several purportedly in upstate New York . Zbornak says that the city was on the shortlist for where to base
13203-418: The Scranton branch. The seventh season consists of 26 half-hours of material, divided into 21 half-hour episodes, one "super-sized" episode, and two hour-long episodes. This was the final season for Steve Carell , who plays Michael Scott , as NBC did not renew Carell's contract. Beginning with this season, Zach Woods , who portrays Gabe Lewis , was promoted to a series regular. Erin and Gabe have begun
13366-543: The South End. Historically, Albany's population has been mixed. First dominated by Mohican and Mohawk, then Dutch and Germans, it was overtaken by the British in the early 19th century. Irish immigrants soon outnumbered most other ethnicities by the mid-19th century, and were followed by Italians and Poles . In the mid-to-late 20th century, the African-American population increased with thousands of people from
13529-554: The Stamford branch soon after. The general threat of downsizing continues throughout the season as well. The third season consists of 17 half-hour episodes, four 40-minute "super-sized" episodes, and two one-hour episodes. The total number of episodes is 25. The season starts with a brief flashback to (and additional footage from) the last episode of season two, "Casino Night", when Jim kissed Pam and confessed his feelings for her. Jim briefly transfers to Dunder Mifflin's Stamford branch after Pam confirms her commitment to Roy. Corporate
13692-633: The United States, and is home to many endangered species, including the Karner Blue butterfly . Albany is in the humid continental climate zone ( Köppen climate classification : Dfa), and features cold, snowy winters, and hot, humid summers; the city experiences four distinct seasons. Albany is in plant hardiness zone 6a near downtown and along the shore of the Hudson and 5b at its western end. Albany receives 40.7 inches (1,030 mm) of precipitation per year, with 138 days of at least 0.01 in (0.25 mm) of precipitation each year. Snowfall
13855-479: The Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon , both of whom are fans of the series, and filmmakers Jon Favreau , Harold Ramis , Jason Reitman , and Marc Webb . Episodes have been directed by several of the actors on the show including Steve Carell , Rainn Wilson , John Krasinski , B. J. Novak , Ed Helms , Brian Baumgartner , Mindy Kaling and Paul Lieberstein . Before the second episode airing,
14018-512: The beginning of the third season, Ed Helms and Rashida Jones joined the cast as members of Dunder Mifflin Stamford. Jones later left the cast, becoming a regular on Parks and Recreation in February 2007, and NBC announced that Helms was being promoted to a series regular. Four of the show's writers have also appeared in the show. B. J. Novak was cast as the reluctant temp Ryan Howard after Daniels saw his stand-up act . Paul Lieberstein
14181-409: The camera. Actor John Krasinski shot the footage of Scranton for the opening credits when he found out he was cast as Jim. He visited Scranton for research and interviewed employees at actual paper companies. To create the show's documentary style, the producers hired cinematographer Randall Einhorn , known for directing episodes of Survivor , who gave the show its "rough and jumpy" feel. This
14344-620: The characters or heard on radios, computers, or other devices; however, songs have been played during montages or the closing credits, such as " Tiny Dancer " by Elton John (" The Dundies ") and " Islands in the Stream " by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton (" E-mail Surveillance "). Featured music tends to be well known, and often songs reflect the character, such as Michael's attempt to seem hip by using " Mambo No. 5 " and later " My Humps " as his cell phone ringtone. Michael confusing Lady Gaga 's " Just Dance " with Britney Spears ' " Gimme More "
14507-408: The characters. Producer Michael Schur said that the series would strictly follow the documentary format. The producers and directors had long discussions on how scenes could work in the documentary format. For example, in the fourth-season episode " Did I Stutter? ", a scene featured Michael going through a long process to go to the bathroom without passing Stanley. The producers debated whether it
14670-480: The city received $ 13 million for lost tax revenue. Having the state offices in the city enabled it to keep good jobs and retain middle-class residents. Another major project of the 1960s and 1970s was the construction of Interstate 787 and the South Mall Arterial . Construction began in the early 1960s. A proposed Mid-Crosstown Arterial never came to fruition. One of the project's main results
14833-439: The city residents was 52.3% white ; 27% black or African American ; 0.06% Native American or Native Alaskan ; 7.4% Asian ; 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander ; .06% from other races; and 3.6% from two or more races. A total of 9.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Non-Hispanic Whites were 52.0% of the population in 2010, compared to 87.0% in 1970. As of 2010, 20.0% of Albany's population
14996-502: The city was home to twelve Catholic churches and four Episcopal churches. Despite its history of Christendom , in 2019 the Albany-Schenectady-Troy MSA was found to be among the most post-Christian cities in the United States in a study by Christian polling firm The Barna Group . A significant Jewish presence has existed in Albany as early as 1658. As of 2010, Albany is home to two Conservative synagogues,
15159-504: The co-founders met on a tour of Dartmouth College . U.S. News & World Report likens it to many actual companies in its size range: "It is facing an increasingly competitive marketplace. Like many smaller players, it just can't compete with the low prices charged by big-box rivals like Staples , OfficeMax and Office Depot , and it seems to be constantly bleeding corporate customers that are focused on cutting costs themselves." The show's creators share this assessment—"It's basically
15322-403: The drama surrounding county politics (specifically that of the newly created county executive position); the loss of Corning (and eventually the machine) led to a lack of interest in city politics. The election of Gerald Jennings was a surprise, and he served as mayor from 1994 until his retirement at the end of 2013. His tenure essentially ended the political machine that had been in place since
15485-453: The early years, African-Americans lived together with Italians, Jews, and other immigrants in the South End, where housing was older and less expensive. The black community has grown as a proportion of the population since then; African Americans made up three percent of the city's population in 1950, six percent in 1960, 12 percent in 1970, and 30 percent in 2010. The change in proportion is related mostly to middle-class white families moving to
15648-554: The end of season four has Holly Flax ( Amy Ryan ) transferred to the office as Toby's replacement. She becomes a love interest for Michael, as they share very similar personality traits. Jo Bennett ( Kathy Bates ) is the CEO of Sabre. This company takes over Dunder Mifflin, and Gabe Lewis ( Zach Woods ), introduced in the middle of season six, is a Sabre employee who is assigned to the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch as
15811-526: The end of the year. He booked his role in The Office just three weeks later. Fischer prepared for her audition by looking as boring as possible, creating the original Pam hairstyle. In an interview on NPR 's Fresh Air , she recalled the last stages of the audition process for Pam and Jim, where the producers paired up the potential Pams and Jims (four of each) to gauge their chemistry. When Fischer finished her scene with Krasinski, he told her that she
15974-604: The exposure (and increase in business) and has a ground-floor showroom where it sells both its products and T-shirts with the tower. In 2008 it announced it would add a Dunder Mifflin logo to the circular insets near the top of the tower. As of December 2021, this logo can be seen through Google's Street View at the corner of Vine Street and Penn Avenue. Mifflin Avenue ends adjacent to the Penn Paper & Supply building. The show's success has led to selling actual products with
16137-621: The extent and duration of those visits are unclear. Permanent European claims began when Englishman Henry Hudson , exploring for the Dutch East India Company on the Half Moon ( Dutch : Halve Maen ), reached the area in 1609, claiming it for the United Netherlands . In 1614, Hendrick Christiaensen built Fort Nassau on Castle Island (now called Port of Albany ), in the Hudson River. The fort acted as
16300-424: The former mayor of the same name), was elected in 1941. Although he was one of the longest-serving mayors of any city in United States history (1942 until his death in 1983), one historian describes Corning's tenure as "long on years, short on accomplishments," citing Corning's preference for maintaining the status quo as a factor that held back potential progress during his tenure. While Corning brought stability to
16463-543: The hub of transportation for pioneers going to Buffalo and the Michigan Territory in the early and mid-19th century. In 1807, Robert Fulton initiated a steamboat line from New York to Albany, the first successful enterprise of its kind anywhere in the world. By 1810 , with 10,763 people, Albany was the tenth-largest urban place in the nation. The town and village north of Albany known as "the Colonie"
16626-403: The idea for " The Dundies " as the pilot episode. After the writers knew who the cast was, they were allowed to write for the actors, which allowed the show to be more original for the following episode, " Diversity Day ". Following the mixed reaction toward the first season, the writers attempted to make the series more "optimistic" and to make Michael Scott more likable. They also established
16789-452: The ignored customer service complaints that Kelly has neglected while working at Dunder Mifflin. Clark is later moved to sales. Initially, the actors who portray the supporting office workers were credited as guest stars , but then were named series regulars during the second season. The show's large ensemble was mainly praised by critics and led to the series winning two Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in
16952-457: The information, but he eventually considered the experiment a failure. According to Jenna Fischer , the series used an unusual casting process that did not involve a script. For example, the producers asked the actors several questions and they responded as the characters they were auditioning for. NBC programmer Kevin Reilly originally suggested Paul Giamatti to producer Ben Silverman for
17115-493: The land annexed to Guilderland was ceded back to Albany in 1910, setting up the current western border. The train carrying the body of slain President Abraham Lincoln came through Albany on the way to Illinois and some claim the ghostly image of that train remains. Albany opened one of the first commercial airports in the world, and the first municipal airport in the United States, in 1908. Originally on
17278-658: The land to the west and annex land to the north and south. At this point, Albany had a population of about 500 people. In 1754, representatives of seven British North American colonies met in the Stadt Huys , Albany's city hall , for the Albany Congress ; Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania presented the Albany Plan of Union there, which was the first formal proposal to unite the colonies. Although it
17441-437: The legal bill and possible verdict the company would incur should a suit be filed—as Michael's former supervisor, Jan Levinson ( Melora Hardin ) did in one episode, alleging wrongful termination . Greg Daniels , the show's creator, said many episode plotlines are based on anecdotes recounted during the sensitivity training he and the other members of the show's cast and crew are required to take annually as employees of NBC,
17604-447: The main love interests. Krasinski attended school with B. J. Novak , where the two were best friends. Before Krasinski landed the role, he considered quitting acting. He discussed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that he moved to New York City and gave himself two to three years for his acting career to succeed or he would quit. He did not enjoy waiting tables and struggling to find roles, but his mom told him to wait it out until
17767-575: The mall: on one of the pedestrian overpasses along Lackawanna Avenue, and a lamppost banner in front of City Hall . In November 2011, Staples Inc. announced that they would be selling their product of manufactured paper under the "Dunder Mifflin" name, under license from NBC's parent company, Comcast . The Dunder Mifflin products were produced and sold by Quill.com , a wholly owned subsidiary of Staples. The brand expanded its paper product line beyond manufactured paper in November 2012. In August 2022,
17930-464: The matronly saleswoman Phyllis Lapin ( Phyllis Smith ), who dates and then marries Bob Vance ( Robert R. Shafer ) from Vance Refrigeration, a company whose office is across the hall from Dunder Mifflin; eccentric quality assurance representative Creed Bratton ( Creed Bratton ), who has a mysterious criminal history; Andy Bernard ( Ed Helms ), a salesman from the Stamford, Connecticut branch of Dunder Mifflin introduced in season three who transfers to
18093-454: The mayorship and was reelected twice. He encouraged redevelopment of historic structures and helped attract federal dollars earmarked for that purpose. What Corning had saved from destruction, Whalen refurbished for continued and new uses. The Mayor's Office of Special Events was created in an effort to increase the number of festivals and artistic events in the city, including a year-long Dongan Charter tricentennial celebration in 1986. Whalen
18256-570: The nameless company in which the Dilbert comic strip is set. Dunder Mifflin is also depicted as needing help to accommodate the demands of a diverse workforce . Episodes have focused on sensitivity training sessions and other informal efforts. Sexual harassment has occurred often enough, however, that it has lent its name to an episode . Employment lawyer Julie Elgar started a blog analyzing each episode for plot developments likely to be actionable if they occurred in real life and estimating
18419-538: The north and south ends of the city attracted thousands of immigrants to the city for industrial jobs. Intricate wrought-iron details constructed in those years remain visible on what are now historic buildings. The iron industry waned by the 1890s due to increased costs associated with a newly unionized workforce and the opening of mines in the Mesabi Range in Minnesota . Albany's other major exports during
18582-587: The office interiors and exteriors are at a different location in Van Nuys. Some viewers have presumed that the Pennsylvania Paper & Supply Company 's tower, a downtown Scranton landmark that appears in video footage shot by cast member John Krasinski for the show's opening credits , is the Dunder Mifflin office. The real company, which also sells paper and office supplies, has welcomed
18745-454: The office of mayor, it is said even those who admire him greatly cannot come up with a sizable list of "major concrete Corning achievements." Corning is given credit for saving—albeit somewhat unintentionally—much of Albany's historic architecture. During the 1950s and 1960s, a time when federal aid for urban renewal was plentiful, Albany did not have growth in its economy or infrastructure. It lost more than 20 percent of its population during
18908-469: The original Thirteen Colonies and the longest continuously chartered city in the United States. When New Netherland was captured by the English in 1664, the name was changed from Beverwijck to Albany in honor of the Duke of Albany (later James II). Duke of Albany was a Scottish title given since 1398, generally to a younger son of the King of Scots . The name is ultimately derived from Alba ,
19071-437: The original main cast include Ed Helms , Rashida Jones , Amy Ryan , Mindy Kaling , Craig Robinson , James Spader , Ellie Kemper , and Catherine Tate . The Office received moderately positive reviews from critics (except for the pilot episode which received mixed reviews) during its short first season , but the following seasons, particularly Carell's performance, received significant acclaim from television critics as
19234-435: The original team of writers. Kaling, Novak, and Lieberstein also served multiple roles on the series, as they played regular characters on the show, as well as wrote, directed, and produced episodes. Credited with twenty-four episodes, Kaling is the most prolific writer among the staff. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant , who created the original British series, are credited as executive producers and wrote both pilot and
19397-553: The production held a convention at the Meadowlands in New Jersey . Dubbed "Dundercon", the event allowed fans to meet up with cast members from the show. The Office (American TV series) The Office is an American mockumentary sitcom television series based on the 2001–2003 BBC series of the same name created by (and starring) Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant . Adapted for NBC by Greg Daniels ,
19560-575: The real-life W.B. Mason paper company based near Boston , in Brockton, Massachusetts . It is similarly regional in focus, serving corporate and institutional customers in New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. Like Dunder Mifflin, its original product line ( rubber stamps ) was something other than paper, and it faced stiff competition from national and international chains. It, too, has
19723-524: The realities of the situation to maintain employee morale. The second season is the series' first 22-episode season and has its first 28-minute "super-sized" episode. Many workers seen in the background of the first season are developed into secondary characters and romantic relationships begin to develop between some of them. Michael makes out with and then spends the night with his boss, Jan Levinson , but does not have sex with her. Dwight and Angela become romantically involved, but keep their relationship
19886-437: The regional director of sales. In season seven, Bennett's friend Nellie Bertram ( Catherine Tate ) is interviewed to replace Scott and later serves as a replacement regional manager for Bernard in season eight after Robert California ( James Spader ) has become the new CEO of Sabre. In season nine, Clark Green ( Clark Duke ) and Pete Miller ( Jake Lacy ) join as new customer service representatives who attempt to catch up on
20049-484: The retail store project, and Erin decides to stay in Florida as an elderly woman's live-in helper. Andy goes to Florida to win back Erin, allowing Nellie to claim the manager position as her own. Robert tells Andy that he has been demoted back to a salesman, but Andy refuses to accept the news, which causes him to be fired. Andy becomes motivated to begin a Dunder Mifflin comeback and joins with former CFO David Wallace, now
20212-526: The role of Michael Scott, but the actor declined. Martin Short , Hank Azaria and Bob Odenkirk were reported to be interested in the part. In January 2004, Variety reported that Steve Carell , of the Comedy Central program The Daily Show with Jon Stewart , was in talks to play the role. At the time, he was already committed to another NBC midseason replacement comedy, Come to Papa , but
20375-401: The role. Carell was later joined by his wife Nancy Carell when she was cast to play Carol Stills, a love interest of Michael Scott. When asked what it was like working with her husband, Carell said she was intimidated at first as she had retired from acting years prior, but they had so much fun together. John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer were cast in their respective roles as Jim and Pam,
20538-513: The rural South, as part of the Great Migration . As historian (and Albany Assemblyman) John McEneny puts it, Dutch and Yankee, German and Irish, Polish and Italian, black and Chinese—over the centuries Albany's heritage has reflected a succession of immigrant nationalities. Its streets have echoed with a dozen languages, its neighborhoods adapting to the distinctive life-style and changing economic fortunes of each new group. Until after
20701-427: The season finale. After Michael's replacement Deangelo ( Will Ferrell ) is seriously injured on the job, Jo creates a search committee to interview candidates and choose a new manager for the office. In the meantime, Dwight Schrute, and later Creed Bratton, took over as acting manager. The eighth season consists of 24 episodes. James Spader joins the cast as Robert California, the new CEO of Dunder Mifflin/Sabre. Andy
20864-469: The series was filmed in a single-camera setup without a studio audience or a laugh track , to mirror the look of an actual documentary. It debuted on NBC as a mid-season replacement and ended its nine-season run on May 16, 2013, with a two-part series finale . Its original main cast was Steve Carell , Rainn Wilson , John Krasinski , Jenna Fischer , and B. J. Novak . It experienced numerous changes to its ensemble cast during its run. Stars outside
21027-449: The series was quickly canceled, allowing his full commitment to The Office . Carell later said that he had only seen about half of the original pilot episode of the British series before he auditioned. He did not continue watching for fear that he would start copying Gervais' characterizations. Other people who were considered or auditioned for the role included Ben Falcone , Alan Tudyk , Jim Zulevic , and Paul F. Tompkins . Rainn Wilson
21190-437: The show's canon and storyline by Daniels. Deleted scenes have sometimes been restored in repeats to make episodes longer or draw back people who have seen the episode before to see the bonus footage . In an experiment, a deleted scene from " The Return " was made available over NBC.com and iTunes , explaining the absence of a character over the next several episodes. Daniels hoped that word of mouth among fans would spread
21353-438: The show's characters, content, structure, and tone diverged considerably from the original British series. These seasons were included on several critics' year-end top TV series lists, winning several awards including a Peabody Award in 2006, two Screen Actors Guild Awards , a Golden Globe Award for Carell's performance , and four Primetime Emmy Awards , including one for Outstanding Comedy Series , in 2006. The eighth season
21516-470: The show, with some of its writers having ties to Central New York , and that they always intended for at least a branch office to be located there, for reasons of phonetics . "Utica was just such a different-sounding name than Scranton", Zbornak says. But also, "we had done a little research and thought our kind of business could survive in Utica." A Buffalo branch has been mentioned in several episodes, and
21679-449: The sixth season and Lieberstein stayed on as showrunner for the following two seasons. He left the showrunner spot after the eighth season for the potential Dwight Schrute spin-off, The Farm , which was eventually passed on by NBC. Daniels returned to the showrunner position for the ninth and final season. Other executive producers include cast members B. J. Novak and Mindy Kaling . Kaling, Novak, Daniels, Lieberstein and Schur made up
21842-483: The suburbs and black families remaining within city limits during the same time period. Since 2007, the number of Burmese refugees to Albany has increased. The Burmese refugee community consists mostly of people of Karen ethnicity. An estimated 5,000 Burmese refugees reside in Albany as of January 2015 . Like most cities of comparable age and size, Albany has well-established Orthodox Christian , Roman Catholic , Protestant , and Jewish communities. Albany
22005-422: The supporting characters of the series more, giving them relatable personalities. They also made the lights in the office brighter, which allowed the series to differentiate itself from the British series. A common issue with the scripts, according to Novak, is that they tended to run too long for the regular 22-minute time slot, leading to several cuts. For example, the script for the episode " Search Committee "
22168-442: The theme song is played over the closing credits , which previously rolled in silence. Ferguson described his theme as "against type; it has this vulnerability, this yearning to it that soon explodes into this overdone optimism which then gets crushed - which is pretty much what the show is about." The mockumentary format of the show contains no laugh track , and most of the music is diegetic , with songs either sung or played by
22331-435: The third-season episode " The Convict ". Merchant later directed the episode " Customer Survey ", while Gervais appeared in the episodes " The Seminar " and " Search Committee ", reprising his role as David Brent from the British series. Randall Einhorn is the most frequent director of the series, with 15 credited episodes. The series also had several guest directors, including Lost co-creator J. J. Abrams , Buffy
22494-464: The three. Meanwhile, Michael and Jan's relationship escalates, which causes them to behave erratically on the job. On the other hand, Dwight and Angela continue their steamy secret relationship. In the season's finale , Jim, Karen, and Michael interview for a corporate position that turns out to be Jan's, who is fired for poor performance. Jim is offered the job but rejects it off-screen, opting instead to remain in Scranton without Karen and ask Pam out on
22657-581: The wave of immigration in the latter part of the 19th century. Their numbers were smaller than in many other eastern cities mainly because most had found manufacturing jobs at General Electric in Schenectady. The Jewish community had been established early, with Sephardic Jewish members as part of the Beverwijck community. Its population rose during the late 19th century, when many Ashkenazi Jews immigrated from eastern Europe. In that period, there
22820-485: The west by the town of Guilderland , and on the south by the town of Bethlehem . The former Foxes Creek, Beaver Kill, and Rutten Kill were diverted underground in the 19th century. There are four lakes within city limits: Buckingham Lake ; Rensselaer Lake at the mouth of the Patroon Creek; Tivoli Lake , which was formed as a reservoir and once connected to the Patroon Creek; and Washington Park Lake , which
22983-424: The writers spent time conducting research in offices. This process was used for Daniels' other series King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation . The pilot is a direct adaptation of the first episode of the original British series. Daniels chose to go this route because "completely starting from scratch would be a very risky thing to do" owing to the show being an adaptation. He had briefly considered using
23146-473: Was "too feisty" for the character, but called her back for the part of Angela Martin , which she won. Flannery first auditioned for the part of Jan Levinson-Gould before landing the role of Meredith Palmer. Baumgartner originally auditioned for Stanley, but was eventually cast as Kevin. Ken Kwapis , the director of the pilot episode, liked the way Phyllis Smith , a casting associate, read with other actors auditioning so much that he cast her as Phyllis . At
23309-496: Was 99,224. With a 2013 Census-estimated population of 1.1 million, the eight county Capital District, encompassing Albany, Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga, is the third-most populous metropolitan region in the state. As of the 2010 census , Albany's population density was 4,572.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,765.5/km ). There were 46,362 housing units at an average density of 2,166.4 per square mile (836.5/km ); 5,205 of these units (11.2%) were vacant. The racial makeup of
23472-409: Was already used in the drama series LAX (2004–2005). Thus, the final choice was an original track written by Jay Ferguson and performed by The Scrantones. The theme is played over the title sequence, which features scenes of Scranton, various tasks around the office, and the main cast members. Some episodes of the series use a shortened version of the theme song. Starting with the fourth season,
23635-608: Was also an influx of Chinese and east Asian immigrants, who settled in the downtown section of the city. Many of their descendants have since moved to suburban areas. Asian immigration all but halted after the Immigration Act of 1924 . Albany saw its last large immigration pattern as part of the Great Migration when many African Americans moved there from the American South before and after World War I to fill industrial positions and find other opportunities. In
23798-475: Was annexed in 1815. In 1825 the Erie Canal was completed, forming a continuous water route from the Great Lakes to New York City. Unlike the current Barge Canal , which ends at nearby Waterford , the original Erie Canal ended at Albany; Lock 1 was north of Colonie Street. The Canal emptied into a 32-acre (13 ha) man-made lagoon called the Albany Basin , which was Albany's main port from 1825 until
23961-753: Was cast as human resources director Toby Flenderson on Novak's suggestion after his cold readings of scripts. Greg Daniels was originally unsure where to use Mindy Kaling on-screen until the opportunity came in the script for the second episode, " Diversity Day ", where Michael needed to be slapped by a minority. "Since [that slap], I've been on the show" (as Kelly Kapoor ), Kaling said. Michael Schur has also made several guest appearances as Dwight's cousin Mose , and consulting producer Larry Wilmore has played diversity trainer Mr. Brown . Plans were made for Mackenzie Crook , Martin Freeman and Lucy Davis , from
24124-428: Was cast as power-hungry sycophant Dwight Schrute , and he watched every episode of the British series before he auditioned. Wilson had originally auditioned for Michael, a performance that he described as a "terrible Ricky Gervais impersonation"; however, the casting directors liked his audition as Dwight much more and hired him. Seth Rogen , Matt Besser , Patton Oswalt , and Judah Friedlander also auditioned for
24287-465: Was criticized for declining quality, with Carell's departure in season seven seen as a contributing factor. However, the ninth and final season ended the series with a generally positive response. The series finale , which originally aired on May 16, 2013, was viewed by an estimated 5.7 million viewers and garnered critical acclaim. In 2016, Rolling Stone named The Office one of the 100 greatest television shows of all time. Greg Daniels developed
24450-428: Was facilitated by the main set's open floor plan, purposely designed by showrunner Daniels, production designer Donald Lee Harris (Matt Flynn became production designer later), and pilot director Ken Kwapis to allow camera operators to catch characters "unaware". Unlike most sets, the office layout was built with immovable walls to emphasize its airless, claustrophobic atmosphere—"trapping" the documentary film crew with
24613-754: Was formed by damming the Beaver Kill. The highest natural point in Albany is a USGS benchmark near the Loudonville Reservoir off Birch Hill Road, at 378 feet (115 m) above sea level . The lowest point is at the Hudson River—which is still technically an estuary at Albany and is affected by the Atlantic tide —at an average of 2 feet (0.61 m) above sea level at low tide and 4 feet (1.2 m) at high tide. The interior of Albany consists of rolling hills which were once part of
24776-462: Was his favorite Pam, to which she reciprocated that he was her favorite Jim. Adam Scott and John Cho both auditioned for the role of Jim, and Kathryn Hahn also auditioned for the role of Pam. The supporting cast includes actors known for their improv work: Angela Kinsey , Kate Flannery , Oscar Nunez , Leslie David Baker , Brian Baumgartner , Melora Hardin and David Denman . Kinsey originally auditioned for Pam. The producers thought she
24939-490: Was initially 75 pages, which was 10 pages too long. A complete script was written for each episode; however, actors were given opportunities to improvise during filming. Fischer said, "Our shows are 100 percent scripted. They put everything down on paper. But we get to play around a little bit, too. Steve and Rainn are brilliant improvisers.". These improvisations led to a large number of deleted scenes with almost every episode of The Office , all of which are considered part of
25102-431: Was known from then on as Albany County Airport until a massive upgrade and modernization project between 1996 and 1998, when it was rebranded Albany International Airport . Governor Nelson Rockefeller (1959–1973) ( R ) tried to stimulate the city with new monumental architecture and large, government-sponsored building projects; he drove construction of the Empire State Plaza , SUNY Albany 's uptown campus, and much of
25265-554: Was never adopted by Parliament , it was an important precursor to the United States Constitution . The same year, the French and Indian War , the fourth in a series of wars dating back to 1689, began. It ended in 1763 with French defeat , resolving a situation that had been a constant threat to Albany and held back its growth. In 1775, with the colonies in the midst of the Revolutionary War ,
25428-456: Was possible, and Einhorn walked through the scene to see if a camera operator could get everywhere to shoot the whole scene. Later seasons relaxed the format, with the camera crew often going where actual documentary crews would not. This also changed the series' writing and comedy styles, an inconsistency criticized by some reviewers and fans. When it came to choosing the theme music for The Office , producer Greg Daniels had several tracks he
25591-502: Was separating the city from the Hudson River. Historian Paul Grondahl has described Corning as shortsighted with respect to use of the waterfront, saying the mayor could have used his influence to change the location of I-787, which now cuts the city off from "its whole raison d'être " In 1967, the hamlet of Karlsfeld was the last annexation by the city, sourced from the Town of Bethlehem. When Corning died in 1983, Thomas Whalen assumed
25754-453: Was the first railroad in the state and the first successful steam railroad running regularly scheduled service in the country. While the key to Albany's economic prosperity in the 19th century was transportation, industry and business also played a role. Largely thanks to the city's Dutch and German roots, beer was one of its biggest commodities. Beverwyck Brewery , originally known as Quinn and Nolan ( Nolan being mayor of Albany 1878–1883),
25917-467: Was the last remaining brewer from that time when it closed in 1972. The city's location at the east end of the Erie Canal gave it unparalleled access to both raw products and a captive customer base in the west. Albany was known for its publishing houses, and to some extent, still is. Albany was second only to Boston in the number of books produced for most of the 19th century. Iron foundries in both
26080-434: Was thinking of using: existing songs including " Better Things " by The Kinks , " Float On " by Modest Mouse , and " Mr. Blue Sky " by Electric Light Orchestra , and several original pieces artists contributed to the producers via a cattle call . Daniels decided that the cast would vote on what song to use and gave them four of the choices. Most of them wanted "Mr. Blue Sky", but that option turned out to be invalid as it
26243-427: Was under the age of 18, 19.3% was aged 18 to 24, 29.2% was aged 25 to 44, 18.1% was aged 45 to 64, and 13.4% was aged 65 years or older. The median age was 31.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males. Some 81.3% of the population had completed high school or earned an equivalency diploma. As of the 2000 census , the top five ancestry groups in
26406-413: Was used in the show's first season. For episodes in season two and beyond, scenes set in the parking lot used the exterior of the production company's office building. Since the stage set had no windows, writer Jennifer Celotta 's office was dressed to look like Michael Scott 's when the script called for him or someone else to look out the window into the parking lot. In the second and subsequent seasons,
26569-404: Was used to sell products at Staples and other office supply outlets. Two websites were created to support the fictional company, one with the image of a public website, and one meant to look like the corporation's intranet . NBC sold branded merchandise at its NBC Universal Store website. Its logo was prominently displayed in several locations in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania , where the show
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