175-550: Dwight Kurt Schrute III ( / ˈ ʃ r uː t / ) is a character on the American television series The Office and is portrayed by American actor Rainn Wilson . Dwight is a salesman and assistant to Michael Scott , at the fictional paper distribution company Dunder Mifflin , before his promotions in later seasons of the show. He also runs a bed and breakfast at Schrute Farms, is a beet plantation owner, and in Season 7, becomes
350-400: A bachelor's degree . The posted résumé also stated: "My time spent at Dunder Mifflin was very enjoying. I had the opportunity to learn from an experienced and talented boss. My branch consistently was one of the top sellers of the company..." The Office (American TV series) The Office is an American mockumentary sitcom television series based on the 2001–2003 BBC series of
525-535: 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
700-765: A computer -like screen , computer viruses , video chat , tanning beds , home treadmills , and more. In 1963, the time travel-themed Doctor Who premiered on BBC Television. The original series ran until 1989 and was revived in 2005. It has been extremely popular worldwide and has greatly influenced later TV science fiction. Other programs in the 1960s included The Outer Limits (1963–1965), Lost in Space (1965–1968), and The Prisoner (1967). Star Trek (the original series), created by Gene Roddenberry , premiered in 1966 on NBC Television and ran for three seasons. It combined elements of space opera and Space Western . Only mildly successful at first,
875-507: A crossbow range at his farm (" Office Olympics ") and, when he was named official Security Supervisor of the Scranton branch, hinted that he might bring a bo staff to work. He maintained a hidden arsenal of weapons around the office, including pepper spray , nunchucks , throwing stars , a stun gun , a boomerang , handcuffs , a nightstick , a pair of brass knuckles and a Chinese sword , all of which were confiscated by Toby. Dwight
1050-486: A joint in the parking lot, which incites him to carry out a severe, and thorough, investigation. When he discovers that Michael might have been exposed to illegal drugs at a concert , he substitutes his own urine during the mandatory drug test. Dwight then resigns from his volunteer position at the Sheriff's Department, because he feels that he is no longer worthy of working there. In " Frame Toby ", Dwight states that he
1225-428: A space opera , went on to become a worldwide popular culture phenomenon , and the second-highest-grossing film series of all time. Since the 1980s, science fiction films , along with fantasy , horror , and superhero films, have dominated Hollywood's big-budget productions. Science fiction films often " cross-over " with other genres, including film noir ( Blade Runner - 1982), family film ( E.T.
1400-408: 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
1575-471: 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
1750-532: A Monster account for Dwight and uploaded his résumé a month before the episode aired. It can be found by employers with resume database access who search for salesmen in Scranton, Pennsylvania . The résumé stated that he was willing to relocate to another state, wanted a salary close to $ 30,000 (USD), desired the job title of "Regional Manager", was currently "Assistant to the Regional Manager", and had
1925-422: 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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#17327943392002100-493: 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
2275-434: A citizen, but you'd best be accepting a supporting actor Emmy nod this year, because, hot damn if you don't deserve it." Another positive review of the character was given by PopMatters , an online entertainment news site. The review stated: "One of the show's ironies is that Michael and Dwight, hapless though they might be within the office or in most social settings, are actually top salesmen". Dwight approaches sales with
2450-859: A cousin named Heindl, who has received numerous injuries and infections from an attack by a small dog. Dwight is trained in the art of surveillance and served as a volunteer [sheriff]'s deputy in Lackawanna County . He has a black belt in Goju-Ryu karate, and is the senpai at his dojo. Dwight is a pop culture and sci-fi enthusiast. In the episode " The Fire ", he mentioned the movie The Crow as being his favorite film. He hints at belief in fictional creatures such as androids , zombies and vampires . He enjoys playing table tennis , and states that many of his heroes are table tennis players. His musical tastes vary, but heavy metal seems to be recurring. He plays guitar and recorder , and sings. He
2625-626: A crisis point in " Conflict Resolution ", when Dwight threatens to quit unless Jim is transferred. Dwight occasionally pulls successful pranks on Jim in turn, most prominently in " Classy Christmas " where he subjects Jim to a barrage of pranks revolving around snowballs. Professionally, Dwight wins the 2005 Salesman of the Year Award, although, this is likely due to, at least in part, his theft of Jim's largest client. During " Initiation ", Dwight tells Ryan he regrets that he and Jim never got along. In " Traveling Salesmen ", Dwight quits and hugs Jim as
2800-405: 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
2975-448: A deal with Angela for five sessions of sex. He then proceeds to abuse his genitals in an effort to sterilize himself and fends off Angela's efforts to be romantic. In season 7 , after Angela meets a state senator whom she finds much more personable than Dwight, she voids the pact in " WUPHF.com ". In " Jury Duty ", it is revealed that, a month before her wedding to the state senator, Robert Lipton , Dwight and Angela had sex, as Robert
3150-517: A deleted scene from "Finale", Dwight stated that Michael sent him his "World's Best Boss" mug when he became Regional Manager. In the episode "Finale", as Jim explains that the "Bestest [sic] Mensch" (best man) in Dwight's wedding must be older than him, Dwight is disappointed. The camera then pans over to reveal that Michael returned, much to Dwight's surprise and delight, and Jim has arranged for him to fill in as best man. Michael watches as his "family"
3325-469: 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
3500-464: A duel between Dwight and Andy takes place, but both realize that Angela has been lying to them and break up with her. For quite some time afterwards, Dwight and Angela avoid each other. In the season 6 episode " The Delivery ", Dwight, witnessing Jim and Pam talk to customers about their unborn child, decides that he wants a child, and asks Angela to be the mother. They sign an elaborate contract, including eating guidelines for Angela to follow when she
3675-412: A farewell which surprises Jim as he does not know that Dwight quit. Later, Jim is irritated when Andy replaces Dwight and even says that he misses Dwight. Earlier in the same episode, Jim and Dwight make an incredibly efficient sales team, functioning well as a duo and thinking similarly in their tactics. The two were paired together when they began as traveling salesmen at the company. In " Company Picnic "
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#17327943392003850-562: 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
4025-535: A great and influential film. In 1954, Godzilla , directed by Ishirō Honda , began the kaiju subgenre of science fiction film, which feature large creatures of any form, usually attacking a major city or engaging other monsters in battle . 1968's 2001: A Space Odyssey , directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the work of Arthur C. Clarke , rose above the mostly B-movie offerings up to that time both in scope and quality, and influenced later science fiction films. That same year, Planet of
4200-677: A journey to the Moon and how the Earth 's motion is seen from there. Kepler has been called the "father of science fiction". Following the 17th-century development of the novel as a literary form , Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein (1818) and The Last Man (1826) helped define the form of the science fiction novel. Brian Aldiss has argued that Frankenstein was the first work of science fiction. Edgar Allan Poe wrote several stories considered to be science fiction, including " The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall " (1835), which featured
4375-602: 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);
4550-605: 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. Science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to SF or sci-fi ) is a genre of speculative fiction , which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology , space exploration , time travel , parallel universes , and extraterrestrial life . It often explores human responses to changes in science and technology. Science fiction
4725-430: 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
4900-552: A ramshackle bed and breakfast . According to one of Dwight's web logs on NBC.com's "Schrute-Space", he had an uncle, named Gunther, a goat farmer, who fled the Allied invasion of Germany and married a Finnish woman, with whom he had 17 children. He also had an Uncle Girt, who revealed that the Schrute family has an ongoing hatred of Harry S. Truman , because they were staunch supporters of Thomas Dewey . In another blog, he mentions
5075-455: A relationship with neighboring Brussels sprout farmer Esther Bruegger ( Nora Kirkpatrick ). When Dwight seems to be getting serious with Esther and the Senator has publicly dumped Angela, Angela breaks down and admits to Oscar Martinez that she still loves Dwight. On the day that he intends to ask Esther to marry him, Dwight instead proposes to Angela. She says yes, finally admitting that he is
5250-584: 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
5425-488: A scuffle. Ryan and Dwight later team up again in season 6, when Dwight plans to sabotage Jim's occupation, as branch co-manager. A subtle running joke throughout the series is Dwight's surprising success with attractive women, with Michael often failing to "hook up" at the same time. Despite Dwight's unusual appearance and mannerisms, he manages to attract women, who usually develop stronger feelings for him than vice versa. Michael has even pointed out how socially weird Dwight
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5600-457: 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
5775-418: A society (on Earth or another planet) that has developed in wholly different ways from our own." There is a tendency among science fiction enthusiasts as their own arbiter in deciding what exactly constitutes science fiction. David Seed says it may be more useful to talk about science fiction as the intersection of other more concrete subgenres. Damon Knight summed up the difficulty, saying "Science fiction
5950-495: A total estimated readership of at least 1 million), making it the world's most popular science fiction periodical . In 1984, William Gibson 's first novel, Neuromancer , helped popularize cyberpunk and the word " cyberspace ", a term he originally coined in his 1982 short story Burning Chrome . In 1986, Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold began her Vorkosigan Saga . 1992's Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson predicted immense social upheaval due to
6125-445: 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,
6300-532: A trip to the Moon . Jules Verne was noted for his attention to detail and scientific accuracy, especially in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (1870). In 1887, the novel El anacronópete by Spanish author Enrique Gaspar y Rimbau introduced the first time machine . An early French/Belgian science fiction writer was J.-H. Rosny aîné (1856–1940). Rosny's masterpiece
6475-582: A very palatable form... New adventures pictured for us in the scientifiction of today are not at all impossible of realization tomorrow... Many great science stories destined to be of historical interest are still to be written... Posterity will point to them as having blazed a new trail, not only in literature and fiction, but progress as well. In 1928, E. E. "Doc" Smith 's first published work, The Skylark of Space , written in collaboration with Lee Hawkins Garby , appeared in Amazing Stories . It
6650-629: A world of harmony and conformity within a united totalitarian state . It influenced the emergence of dystopia as a literary genre . In 1926, Hugo Gernsback published the first American science fiction magazine , Amazing Stories . In its first issue he wrote: By 'scientifiction' I mean the Jules Verne, H. G. Wells and Edgar Allan Poe type of story—a charming romance intermingled with scientific fact and prophetic vision... Not only do these amazing tales make tremendously interesting reading—they are always instructive. They supply knowledge... in
6825-476: Is Les Navigateurs de l'Infini ( The Navigators of Infinity ) (1925) in which the word astronaut, "astronautique", was used for the first time. Many critics consider H. G. Wells one of science fiction's most important authors, or even "the Shakespeare of science fiction". His works include The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of
7000-461: 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
7175-402: Is a submission signal in primates , and that whenever someone smiles at him, "all [he] sees is a chimpanzee begging for its life." Dwight owns many exotic pets including piranhas , frogs, an arctic wolf , a raccoon , a porcupine named Henrietta, and an opossum , although the wolf escaped due to poor restraints and he flushed his piranhas down the toilet. He also has an interest in bears, and
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7350-506: Is able to understand Dwight's inner feelings, as she successfully convinces him to deactivate his doomsday machine. It is implied at the end of the episode that Dwight, despite his outward contempt for his co-workers, feels a sense of responsibility (and possibly even affection) towards them. In a talking-head interview, in the episode " Tallahassee ", Dwight talks about how first impressions last forever. He recalls that, when he first met Pam, she said something to him that "slightly rubbed [him]
7525-611: 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
7700-456: Is acting, only for the woman to brush it off. In « dinner party », he arrives with a date to Michael’s house, the date being his former babysitter. In " Night Out ", Dwight hooks up with a female basketball player, while Michael fails in his attempts with other women. As Michael and Dwight leave the club, the woman calls out for Dwight to call her, which he says to Michael that he will not do. In " Niagara ", Michael and Dwight compete for
7875-420: 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
8050-491: 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
8225-573: Is fascinated with cars; he usually checks a car's suspension, especially muscle cars . His technological talents are limited, but he shows a passion for the online role-playing game Second Life . He also shows an interest in trains . In " Todd Packer ", it is revealed that Dwight does not know who Justin Bieber is, asking Jim "Who is Justice Beaver?", leaving Jim to answer "A crime-fighting beaver ." Dwight owns an impressive array of weaponry. In addition to Laser Tag and paintball equipment, he has
8400-555: 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
8575-510: 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 ),
8750-477: Is genuinely hurt or in danger (such as in " Money " and " Last Day in Florida ") and occasionally compliments his successes (such as in " Dwight K. Schrute, (Acting) Manager "). In " The Negotiation ", Dwight saves Jim from Roy Anderson who was attempting to punch Jim by pepper spraying Roy. However, continually refuses Jim's gestures of appreciation, stating that he only acted in the line of duty. However, when Jim
8925-528: Is greatly upset by this, and embarks on an affair with her. This affair culminates in a short-lived fight between Andy and Dwight, when they discover Angela has lied to both of them, about not having had sex with the other. However, by the end of the fifth season, Andy and Dwight become friends, and discover they both share a mutual interest in music and hunting. In the beginning of the series, Dwight feels threatened by Ryan Howard , to whom Michael often assigns personal tasks. He continues to resent Ryan, throughout
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#17327943392009100-685: Is known about Dwight's parents, except that his father used to take him hunting , cheated in games, made his siblings and him biscuits for breakfast every morning, and that he battled obesity , high blood pressure , and high cholesterol . Dwight lives in a nine-bedroom, one-bathroom farmhouse (with the single bathroom located under the porch), as revealed in " Office Olympics " on his family's 60-acre (24 ha) beet farm with his cousin Mose. The cousins sell beets to local stores, restaurants, and roadside beet stands. Dwight uses part of his farm to grow hemp . Dwight and Mose have also turned Schrute Farms into
9275-683: 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
9450-593: 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
9625-532: 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
9800-580: Is often called the first great space opera . The same year, Philip Francis Nowlan 's original Buck Rogers story, Armageddon 2419 , also appeared in Amazing Stories . This was followed by a Buck Rogers comic strip , the first serious science fiction comic . Last and First Men: A Story of the Near and Far Future is a " future history " science fiction novel written in 1930 by the British author Olaf Stapledon . A work of unprecedented scale in
9975-663: Is often good in crisis, he is shown to actually be quite gullible, ignorant, and naive. For this reason, he is easily tricked and pranked by his coworker Jim Halpert . Dwight often speaks in a halting, intense manner, even in casual conversations. At the office, his most recurring business wear is a mustard-colored, short-sleeved shirt with a dark necktie and a brown suit jacket. He often uses one-upmanship to better himself over his peers, such as boasting about how he trains specific parts of his body. Dwight will sometimes engage in jokes and games in attempts to please Michael, but often fails to do so because of Michael's perception of himself as
10150-596: Is often involved in Jim's pranks on Dwight, Dwight has, at certain times, displayed a curious sense of protectiveness towards her. In " Back from Vacation " and " Diwali ", he comforts a tearful Pam, and in " China ", he secretly allows Pam to save face when she feels vulnerable about her job abilities. In " The Job ", Dwight offers Pam the position of "Secret Assistant to the Regional Manager", and following Jim's advice concerning any offers from Dwight to be involved in something secret, she accepts. Though Jim presumably meant this as
10325-512: Is one of the most influential examples of social science fiction , feminist science fiction , and anthropological science fiction . In 1979, Science Fiction World began publication in the People's Republic of China . It dominates the Chinese science fiction magazine market , at one time claiming a circulation of 300,000 copies per issue and an estimated 3–5 readers per copy (giving it
10500-531: Is pregnant, and how the baby will be raised. While Angela is excited by the reconciliation, Dwight doesn't share her romantic feelings. When Dwight develops an interest in Pam's friend Isabel, he tells Angela to forget about the contract; this infuriates Angela, and she sues him in small-claims court. When an arbitrator tells them that the contract is valid and would involve a $ 30,000 settlement (because it would be illegal to force Dwight and Angela to procreate), Dwight cuts
10675-421: Is promoted to co-manager, Dwight's enmity returns to full force, and he conducts an ongoing campaign to depose Jim, who eventually resumes his old job as sales representative in " Manager and Salesman ". In the final episode of the series, " Finale ", Dwight asks Jim to be the best man at his wedding. Jim throws Dwight a commendable bachelor party rife with surprises (which Jim refers to as "guten pranken"). Before
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#173279433920010850-399: Is ready to debate the habits and characteristics of different species of bears. He also has expressed a surprisingly large affection towards baby otters, as shown in the cold opening of " Whistleblower ". In " Costume Contest ", Dwight claims to be able to sit on a fence, and that he is even able to sleep on one, stating that "The trick is to do it face down, with the post in your mouth". It
11025-560: Is related to fantasy , horror , and superhero fiction and contains many subgenres . Its exact definition has long been disputed among authors, critics, scholars, and readers. Subgenres include hard science fiction , which emphasizes scientific accuracy, and soft science fiction , focusing on social sciences. Other notable subgenres are cyberpunk , which explores the interface between technology and society, and climate fiction , addressing environmental issues. Precedents for science fiction are argued to exist as far back as antiquity, but
11200-410: Is revealed in the " Suit Warehouse " episode that as a child Dwight collected cat feces. In " Drug Testing ", Dwight states that he likes his co-workers, "with four exceptions", leaving it up to the audience to make educated guesses about whom these four exceptions are. Towards the middle of season 2, Dwight develops a secret relationship with Angela Martin. Pam begins to suspect a relationship between
11375-525: Is sitting together and is last seen dancing with Dwight. Dwight is frequently the victim of practical jokes by co-workers Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly, including putting his desk supplies in the snack machine, putting his stapler into Jello, and moving his desk into the men's restroom, and replacing Dwight's desk with breakway giftwrap replica, although it appears that he remains oblivious to Pam's involvement; these pranks tend to exploit his stubborn and gullible nature. Dwight's frustration with Jim's pranks reaches
11550-490: Is skilled at framing people, as well as animals, revealing that he once framed a raccoon for opening a Christmas gift, and a bear for eating out of the garbage , although he had made it obvious to the police that he wanted Toby to be imprisoned. In the episode " Women's Appreciation ", he is quoted as saying "Better a thousand innocent men are locked up than one guilty man roam free." In " Conflict Resolution ", Dwight states that he does not like to smile, as showing one's teeth
11725-475: 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
11900-470: 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
12075-549: Is the only character who has both appeared and had dialogue in every episode of the series. Actor Rainn Wilson received three nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of the character. Dwight Schrute is portrayed by American actor Rainn Wilson . Other actors that auditioned for the part were Seth Rogen , Matt Besser , Judah Friedlander and Patton Oswalt . All original series characters from
12250-398: 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
12425-413: Is unhappy when the open branch manager position goes to Deangelo Vickers , and when he learns that Michael did not recommend him for the job, as he led him to believe, he snubs Michael and goes to a meeting Vickers has called, leaving Michael standing outside, by himself. In " Goodbye, Michael ", Dwight is still frustrated with Michael, but his hostility turns into heartfelt appreciation as Michael hands him
12600-557: Is vocal about his views on justice, which is reflected in his television viewing habits, as he enjoys watching and has great admiration for Judge Judy , as well as Vic Mackey on The Shield . In " The Negotiation ", Roy Anderson attacks Jim, because he kissed Roy's fiancee , Pam, but Dwight intercepts the attack with pepper spray . Throughout the episode, Jim attempts to show his appreciation, but Dwight refuses to accept his gifts, simply stating " Citizens do not accept prizes for being citizens". In " Drug Testing ", Dwight finds half of
12775-542: Is what we point to when we say it." Forrest J Ackerman has been credited with first using the term "sci-fi" (analogous to the then-trendy " hi-fi ") in about 1954. The first known use in print was a description of Donovan's Brain by movie critic Jesse Zunser in January 1954. As science fiction entered popular culture , writers and fans active in the field came to associate the term with low-budget, low-tech " B-movies " and with low-quality pulp science fiction . By
12950-542: The Golden Age of Science Fiction . Science fiction has been called the "literature of ideas ", and continues to evolve, incorporating diverse voices and themes, influencing not just literature but film, TV, and culture at large. Besides providing entertainment it can also criticize present-day society and explore alternatives, and inspiration a " sense of wonder ". According to Isaac Asimov , "Science fiction can be defined as that branch of literature which deals with
13125-482: The Russian writer and paleontologist Ivan Yefremov presented a view of a future interstellar communist civilization and is considered one of the most important Soviet science fiction novels. In 1959, Robert A. Heinlein 's Starship Troopers marked a departure from his earlier juvenile stories and novels. It is one of the first and most influential examples of military science fiction , and introduced
13300-451: The information revolution . In 2007, Liu Cixin 's novel, The Three-Body Problem , was published in China. It was translated into English by Ken Liu and published by Tor Books in 2014, and won the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Novel , making Liu the first Asian writer to win the award. Emerging themes in late 20th and early 21st century science fiction include environmental issues ,
13475-400: The 1970s, critics within the field, such as Damon Knight and Terry Carr , were using "sci fi" to distinguish hack-work from serious science fiction. Peter Nicholls writes that "SF" (or "sf") is "the preferred abbreviation within the community of sf writers and readers." Robert Heinlein found even "science fiction" insufficient for certain types of works in this genre, and suggested
13650-453: The 41-year-old Wilson, has become one of the breakout characters in television comedy. Dwight is a survivalist geek, a student of karate who likes to shoot a crossbow and watch "Battlestar Galactica" on television. And he takes himself very, very seriously..." E! News commented that Rainn Wilson should be nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance of Dwight, commenting: "...Who's laughing now? Who's laughing now, Dwight Schrute? Oh, only
13825-559: The Apes (the original), directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des Singes by Pierre Boulle , was released to popular and critical acclaim, its vivid depiction of a post-apocalyptic world in which intelligent apes dominate humans . In 1977, George Lucas began the Star Wars film series with the film now identified as " Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope . " The series, often called
14000-472: 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
14175-445: 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
14350-583: The Extra-Terrestrial - 1983), war ( Enemy Mine - 1985), comedy ( Spaceballs - 1987, Galaxy Quest - 1999), animation ( WALL-E – 2008, Big Hero 6 – 2014), Western ( Serenity – 2005), action ( Edge of Tomorrow – 2014, The Matrix – 1999), adventure ( Jupiter Ascending – 2015, Interstellar – 2014), mystery ( Minority Report – 2002), thriller ( Ex Machina – 2014), drama ( Melancholia – 2011, Predestination – 2014), and romance ( Eternal Sunshine of
14525-555: The Rings and Harry Potter . In an episode commentary on the season 1 DVD, Wilson refers to Dwight as a " fascist nerd ." In a feature on the season 3 DVD, Wilson describes Dwight as "someone who does not hate the system but has a deep and abiding love for it". In " Lecture Circuit ", Dwight claims to remember his own birth, and his father, Dwight Schrute II, delivering him from the womb , and his mother biting off her umbilical cord . In " Grief Counseling ", Dwight states that he
14700-753: 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
14875-499: 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
15050-418: 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
15225-584: The Scranton-Stamford merger, Dwight loses his number two position to Jim and engages in an ongoing battle with new salesman Andy Bernard , to gain Michael's favor for "third-in-command". The struggle comes to a climax in " Traveling Salesmen ". In Season 4, Andy and Dwight are shown to work well together as a sales team, but Andy's successful pursuit of Angela, after she broke up with Dwight, was irritating to him. When Andy gets engaged to Angela, Dwight
15400-464: The Spotless Mind – 2004, Her – 2013). Science fiction and television have consistently been in a close relationship. Television or television-like technologies frequently appeared in science fiction long before television itself became widely available in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The first known science fiction television program was a thirty-five-minute adapted excerpt of
15575-554: 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
15750-559: The States and Empires of the Moon (1657) and The States and Empires of the Sun (1662), Margaret Cavendish 's " The Blazing World " (1666), Jonathan Swift 's Gulliver's Travels (1726), Ludvig Holberg 's Nicolai Klimii Iter Subterraneum (1741) and Voltaire 's Micromégas (1752). Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan considered Somnium the first science fiction story; it depicts
15925-501: The UK version of The Office were adapted for the US version of the show. Wilson watched every episode of the original British series, and was a fan before he auditioned for the U.S. version. Wilson had originally auditioned for Michael Scott , a performance he described as a "terrible Gervais impersonation". However, the casting directors liked his audition as Dwight much better and hired him for
16100-479: 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,
16275-521: The Worlds (1898). His science fiction imagined alien invasion , biological engineering , invisibility , and time travel . In his non-fiction futurologist works he predicted the advent of airplanes , military tanks , nuclear weapons , satellite television , space travel , and something resembling the World Wide Web . Edgar Rice Burroughs 's A Princess of Mars , published in 1912,
16450-498: The attention of Pam's best friend, Isabel. When Dwight starts talking about his farm, Michael tries to explain that no one can connect with his experiences as farmer, only for Isabel to become interested in Dwight's horses. Dwight ultimately manages to have sex with her, and she begins to develop deeper feelings for him which he does not return, although it is finally hinted in " The Delivery " that Dwight might have more intimate feelings for her than he originally let on. They meet again at
16625-500: The band created a T-shirt design that indirectly associates itself with Dwight by strongly resembling him. It is named "Guy Wearing Tie." In the episode " Valentine's Day ", Dwight is given a bobblehead doll as a Valentine's gift, from Angela. Following the episode, fans of the show petitioned NBC to make the bobblehead doll available for purchase on their online store. NBC responded by creating an initial run of 4,000 bobblehead dolls, which sold out almost immediately. The creator of
16800-420: The bar in " Happy Hour ", and bond further, kissing at the end of the episode. In season 9, he begins to date an attractive neighboring farmer named Esther ( Nora Kirkpatrick ). He ultimately ends his relationship with her in " A.A.R.M. ". In the final episode, Dwight marries Angela Martin . The Dwight Schrute character has had a very positive reception, and is often cited as one of the most popular characters on
16975-512: 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
17150-409: 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
17325-620: 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 "
17500-408: 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
17675-413: The concept of powered armor exoskeletons . The German space opera series Perry Rhodan , written by various authors, started in 1961 with an account of the first Moon landing and has since expanded in space to multiple universes , and in time by billions of years. It has become the most popular science fiction book series of all time. In the 1960s and 1970s, New Wave science fiction
17850-506: The creation of microrobots and micromachinery , nanotechnology , smartdust , virtual reality , and artificial intelligence (including swarm intelligence ), as well as developing the ideas of "necroevolution" and the creation of artificial worlds. In 1965, Dune by Frank Herbert featured a much more complex and detailed imagined future society than had previously in most science fiction. In 1967 Anne McCaffrey began her Dragonriders of Pern science fantasy series. Two of
18025-472: The devoted aficionado or fan—has a hard time trying to explain what science fiction is," and the lack of a "full satisfactory definition" is because "there are no easily delineated limits to science fiction." Another definition comes from The Literature Book by DK and is, "scenarios that are at the time of writing technologically impossible, extrapolating from present-day science...[,]...or that deal with some form of speculative science-based conceit, such as
18200-554: 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
18375-526: 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
18550-497: The episode, Phyllis catches Dwight having sex with Angela in the office. In the fifth season premiere, " Weight Loss ", Dwight and Angela have resumed a covert relationship, using a storage room in the warehouse to have sex. In " Crime Aid ", Andy and Angela set a date for their wedding. After some advice from Phyllis, Dwight gives Angela an ultimatum: call off the engagement, or he will no longer be with her. She chooses to marry Andy. When Andy learns about Angela's affair with Dwight,
18725-439: The episodes, ran from 1959 to 1964. It featured fantasy , suspense , and horror as well as science fiction, with each episode being a complete story. Critics have ranked it as one of the best TV programs of any genre . The animated series The Jetsons , while intended as comedy and only running for one season (1962–1963), predicted many inventions now in common use: flat-screen televisions , newspapers on
18900-433: The father of her son Phillip (" A.A.R.M. "). Dwight holds a high level of respect for Michael, viewing him as a model for success, and often participating with Michael's ill-conceived schemes. However, he betrays Michael numerous times, such as when he goes over Michael's head to vie for the manager's job in " The Coup ". Despite this, Michael frequently dismisses Dwight and often appears embarrassed by his antics; for much of
19075-762: The first science fiction novel . Some of the stories from The Arabian Nights , along with the 10th-century The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter and Ibn al-Nafis 's 13th-century Theologus Autodidactus , are also argued to contain elements of science fiction. Written during the Scientific Revolution and later the Age of Enlightenment are considered true science-fantasy books. Francis Bacon 's New Atlantis (1627), Johannes Kepler 's Somnium (1634), Athanasius Kircher 's Itinerarium extaticum (1656), Cyrano de Bergerac 's Comical History of
19250-486: The genre, it describes the history of humanity from the present onwards across two billion years. In 1937, John W. Campbell became editor of Astounding Science Fiction , an event that is sometimes considered the beginning of the Golden Age of Science Fiction , which was characterized by stories celebrating scientific achievement and progress . The "Golden Age" is often said to have ended in 1946, but sometimes
19425-409: The hospital. Instead of finding the iPod and bringing it back to her, Dwight completely rebuilds and repaints their kitchen, after discovering mold . He also advises Pam on how to keep her daughter, Cece, from crying, during " Viewing Party ", by relating his child rearing experiences. Dwight's odd friendship with Pam is explored again in " Doomsday ". At this point, Pam is the only one in the office who
19600-403: 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
19775-452: 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
19950-477: The implications of the Internet and the expanding information universe, questions about biotechnology , nanotechnology , and post-scarcity societies . Recent trends and subgenres include steampunk , biopunk , and mundane science fiction . The first, or at least one of the first, recorded science fiction film is 1902's A Trip to the Moon , directed by French filmmaker Georges Méliès . It
20125-457: 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
20300-721: The jokester of the workplace. Dwight is a former volunteer sheriff deputy , but had had to step down after breaking his pledge to help his boss, Michael, illegally pass a drug test by giving him his urine in the episode " Drug Testing ." He is also a notary public ; this creates difficulties when Angela desires to send him a notarized letter regarding their break-up. He lives on his family's beet farm alongside his cousin, Mose (played by producer/writer Michael Schur ). Dwight has affinities for paintball , ping pong , survivalism , Goju Ryu karate and weapons. Dwight also shows affinity for various science fiction and fantasy works; notably Battlestar Galactica , Star Wars , Lord of
20475-415: The late 1940s and the 1950s are included. In 1942, Isaac Asimov started his Foundation series , which chronicles the rise and fall of galactic empires and introduced psychohistory . The series was later awarded a one-time Hugo Award for "Best All-Time Series". Theodore Sturgeon 's More Than Human (1953) explored possible future human evolution . In 1957, Andromeda: A Space-Age Tale by
20650-447: 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
20825-464: 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
21000-456: The modern genre primarily arose in the 19th and early 20th centuries when popular writers began looking to technological progress and speculation. Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein , written in 1818, is often credited as the first true science fiction novel . Jules Verne and H.G. Wells are pivotal figures in the genre's development. In the 20th century, expanded with the introduction of space operas , dystopian literature, pulp magazines , and
21175-478: The novellas included in the first novel, Dragonflight , made McCaffrey the first woman to win a Hugo or Nebula Award . In 1968, Philip K. Dick 's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was published. It is the literary source of the Blade Runner movie franchise . In 1969, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin was set on a planet in which the inhabitants have no fixed gender . It
21350-493: The opening move of a prank, Pam instead uses it as a bonding opportunity between her and Dwight. The two briefly become best friends while he suffers a concussion in the season 2 episode " The Injury ". In the season 6 episode " The Delivery ", Dwight shows more signs of his begrudging friendship with Jim and Pam during Pam's pregnancy. In the episode, he is sent to the Halperts' house to retrieve Pam's iPod , while they are at
21525-437: 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
21700-435: 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
21875-413: The owner of the business park in which Dunder Mifflin is located. Throughout the series, Dwight repeatedly attempts to become regional manager of the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin by serving dutifully under the regional manager character Michael Scott . The character is based on Gareth Keenan from the original British version of the show , who was played by actor Mackenzie Crook . Notably, Dwight
22050-614: The play RUR , written by the Czech playwright Karel Čapek , broadcast live from the BBC's Alexandra Palace studios on 11 February 1938. The first popular science fiction program on American television was the children's adventure serial Captain Video and His Video Rangers , which ran from June 1949 to April 1955. The Twilight Zone (the original series), produced and narrated by Rod Serling , who also wrote or co-wrote most of
22225-468: The reaction of human beings to changes in science and technology ." Robert A. Heinlein wrote that "A handy short definition of almost all science fiction might read: realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method ." American science fiction author and editor Lester del Rey wrote, "Even
22400-524: 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
22575-447: The recommendation letter. At first, the letter does not seem to impress him, but, as he reads through, he realizes that Michael really does respect him. They are later seen engaging in a friendly paintball fight, and Dwight's loyalty to Michael is once again restored. After Michael left, Dwight did not have the same respect for Deangelo and Andy that Dwight previously had for Michael, implying that Dwight truly respects and values Michael. In
22750-437: 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
22925-419: The relationship while coming out of the office bathroom after quitting time, to find Dwight and Angela kissing (he then tells the documentary crew that, with his silence, the debt he feels to Dwight is repaid). In the episode " Fun Run ", Angela asks Dwight to care for her sick cat, Sprinkles. Instead of caring for the feline, Dwight feels he should kill it as a waste of resources, and then tells Angela Sprinkles
23100-429: 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
23275-526: 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
23450-401: 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,
23625-687: The role. Wilson based Dwight's hairstyle on the style he himself had when at the age of sixteen. In an interview, he said that he went to a barber to get "the worst haircut possible". When the series begins, Dwight Schrute is a competent salesman at the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin. Dwight formally holds the title of "Assistant to the Regional Manager" but constantly refers to himself as "Assistant Regional Manager", attempting to elevate himself to second-in-command to branch manager Michael Scott. Dwight craves authority over his co-workers and relishes any minor task that Michael or anyone else will give him. Although Dwight acts superior to many individuals and
23800-503: The same militaristic fervor as everything else in his life, and it pays off for him (maybe that's one of the reasons why, when Jim gives Dwight one of Benito Mussolini's speeches to deliver when he accepts a sales award in Season Two, Dwight delivers it so enthusiastically that he gets a standing ovation)". Metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada named a song "Assistant to the Regional Manager," alluding to Dwight's position. In addition,
23975-524: The same name created by (and starring) Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant . Adapted for NBC by Greg Daniels , 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
24150-427: 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
24325-417: The second season, often addressing him as "Temp", even after Ryan takes over Jim's position. In the beginning of season 2, Dwight's friendship with Michael was slightly torn during " The Fire ", when Michael seems to be viewing Ryan more favorably than Dwight, and in " Performance Review ", in which Michael must evaluate Ryan. In " Initiation ", Dwight decides to assist Ryan, during his first sales call, although
24500-469: 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
24675-449: 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
24850-458: The series, he also refuses to promote Dwight from "Assistant to the Regional Manager" to "Assistant Regional Manager". In later seasons, Dwight was shown to return the favor, such as Dwight telling Michael that he would have a better career if he'd taken a job at Home Depot. Several times throughout the series, however, it is revealed that Michael does care about Dwight's feelings, and the two sometimes share bonding moments. In " Training Day ", Dwight
25025-437: 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
25200-438: 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
25375-489: The show, Greg Daniels , joked about the bobbleheads, saying "Yes, they are fun, but they also serve a business purpose. People who want to manage by consensus can buy six and keep them nodding all the time to whatever they say." In 2010 Hallmark released a smaller talking version of the doll as part of their 2010 Christmas Keepsake Ornament selection. In " Halloween ", Jim and Pam uploaded Dwight's resume to " Monster.com , Craigslist , and Google." A producer actually did create
25550-529: The show. According to Entertainment Weekly , he is one of the "greatest sidekicks". In TV Guide 's list of the top 100 characters in television history, Dwight was ranked 85th. In an ABC News interview with Rainn Wilson, the interviewer commented that "Words barely describe Dwight Schrute, the suck-up salesman and assistant to the regional manager of the Scranton branch for the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company..." and "Dwight, as played by
25725-449: 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
25900-422: 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 "
26075-420: The ten million-plus people who watched as you pepper sprayed the living daylights out of Roy for trying to pop Jim in the face last night. My God, have I missed you, man. Mr. Schrute, you are the reason I love my job, my friend. It is the selflessly heroic actions of a man such as you that make television a nice place to be on a Thursday night. You may just be an everyday citizen who does not accept prizes for being
26250-515: The term speculative fiction to be used instead for those that are more "serious" or "thoughtful". Some scholars assert that science fiction had its beginnings in ancient times , when the line between myth and fact was blurred. Written in the 2nd century CE by the satirist Lucian , A True Story contains many themes and tropes characteristic of modern science fiction, including travel to other worlds, extraterrestrial lifeforms , interplanetary warfare, and artificial life . Some consider it
26425-442: 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
26600-435: 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
26775-464: 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
26950-528: The two embrace in celebration after Dwight sets Jim up to score the final point in volleyball. Dwight plans to demote Jim from the Assistant Regional Manager spot, and make him miserable, during " The Job ". Dwight's relationship with Jim mellows somewhat in later seasons, and they, at times, cooperate effectively on sales calls or running the office in Michael's absence, sometimes even socializing together. Jim often supports Dwight when he
27125-411: The two get off to a rough start when Dwight hazes him in a series of bizarre initiation rituals. Soon afterwards, Dwight takes Ryan on his first meeting, which ends in disaster. Ryan then eggs the potential customer's building out of spite, and Dwight develops some respect for him. During season 4, Dwight, along with Michael, comes to Ryan's rescue when they visit him in New York City, when he gets into
27300-452: The two, in " E-mail Surveillance ", by observing their interactions, suspicions that are strengthened in " The Injury " and " Conflict Resolution ", and confirmed by " Traveling Salesmen ", during which Angela confides in Pam about her relationship, using code names. In " Michael's Birthday ", Ryan discovers the relationship between the two when he overhears a coded conversation between them in the kitchen, while in "The Negotiation" Jim discovers
27475-531: The wedding Jim informs Dwight that, under Schrute tradition, he is not allowed to be best man as he is younger than him. Jim surprises him with the arrival of Michael Scott . The wedding proceeds in Schrute tradition with Michael as Dwight's new best man. Later in the episode Jim and Pam tell Dwight they are quitting so Jim can rejoin his sports marketing firm now based in Austin, but Dwight fires them instead so he can give them hefty severance packages . Although she
27650-424: 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
27825-408: The wrong way", and while he has since loved working with her, even stating that she is wonderful, due to that first impression, he hates her. In the episode "The Whale", Dwight openly tells Pam that he considers her his friend. In the final episode of the series, Dwight refers to Pam as his "best friend", and he ensures that she and Jim get a large severance as they leave Dunder Mifflin. As a result of
28000-473: 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
28175-409: 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,
28350-458: Was born a twin, but he "resorbed" his twin while still in his mother's womb (this occurrence is called twin embolization syndrome ), causing him to believe that he now has "the strength of a grown man and a little baby". He also claims to have been born weighing 13 lb 5 oz (6.0 kg), rendering his mother incapable of walking for three months and two days, and in " Baby Shower ", he claims to have performed his own circumcision . Little
28525-753: 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
28700-428: 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
28875-465: 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
29050-406: Was dead when he arrived. When he lets the truth slip out shortly after, Angela terminates their relationship. Jim, on a visit to Dwight's beet farm, finds Dwight sitting alone at night, contemplating Angela's cherub figurine and moaning in anguish. In the fourth season finale " Goodbye, Toby ", Dwight is obviously hurt when Angela's boyfriend, Andy, proposes to her. However, in the final scene of
29225-428: 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
29400-462: 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
29575-404: Was influential on later filmmakers , bringing a different kind of creativity and fantasy . Méliès's innovative editing and special effects techniques were widely imitated and became important elements of the cinematic medium . 1927's Metropolis , directed by Fritz Lang , is the first feature-length science fiction film. Though not well received in its time, it is now considered
29750-490: 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
29925-484: Was known for its embrace of a high degree of experimentation, both in form and in content, and a highbrow and self-consciously " literary " or " artistic " sensibility . In 1961, Solaris by Stanisław Lem was published in Poland . The novel dealt with the theme of human limitations as its characters attempted to study a seemingly intelligent ocean on a newly discovered planet . Lem's work anticipated
30100-497: Was not fulfilling Angela's sexual needs, so Dwight believes that he is the baby's biological father. In " New Guys ", it is revealed that he is not the father. In season 9, they become close again first when Dwight finds out that Robert is cheating on Angela with Oscar, and later in " Moving On " when Angela helps him take care of his elderly aunt. They share a kiss, but afterwards both say that she should remain faithful to her husband. After inheriting his aunt's beet farm, Dwight starts
30275-456: 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
30450-408: Was the first of his three- decade -long planetary romance series of Barsoom novels , which were set on Mars and featured John Carter as the hero . These novels were predecessors to YA novels , and drew inspiration from European science fiction and American Western novels . In 1924, We by Russian writer Yevgeny Zamyatin , one of the first dystopian novels, was published. It describes
30625-434: 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
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