‘The Office’: The Episode So Hilarious The Cast Barely Got Through It
Every once in a while, a show comes around that changes the way people view a genre. The Office was that show for comedy. A brilliant blend of hilarious scripted writing and laugh out loud improvisational moments, it’s a series that seems to only get funnier with time. Part of what makes The Office so outrageously humorous is the way the cast commits to staying in character. But sometimes, even they struggled to contain their laughter.
Season 4 Episode 13
There are many brilliant episodes within this extraordinary series. But one, that constantly stands out to fans is Season 4 Episode 13, also known as the iconic “Dinner Party” episode. In this episode, Michael tricks couple Jim and Pam into coming over to his condo and having dinner with him and his girlfriend (and everyone’s former boss) Jan. New couple, Angela and Andy, also score an invite, while Dwight gatecrashes later on with his former babysitter.
“Dinner Party”
The sheer level of discomfort throughout the entire night breeds a type of humor that fans had never seen before. Even by The Office’s standards “Dinner Party” is in a league all on its own. The episode has long since been dubbed a known fan favorite, but what most people don’t know is that it’s actually a cast favorite also.
A favorite episode of the cast
Ellie Kemper (who plays Erin in The Office cast) confessed that “Dinner Party” is her favorite episode to watch. Steve Carell (who played the iconic Michael Scott) on the other hand, confessed that this particular episode was his favorite to act in. “I always liked the episode entitled The Dinner Party where Michael and Jan have people over. It turns into a who’s afraid of Virginia Wolf. I enjoyed acting in it. It was a very difficult episode to get through because we were laughing constantly,” Carell admitted to ESPN.
The flat-screen TV
One scene that was particularly hysterical, involved Michael’s “flat-screen TV.” The TV is maybe 13 inches on a good day, but it’s Michael’s pride and joy because it’s a flat-screen TV. Michael boasts that sometimes he likes to stand (not sit) in front of it and watch for TV hours. Another LOL moment comes when he pushes the tiny TV about two inches into the wall claiming it gives the room “more space” when he has company. But as funny as that scene was to watch, it was apparently even funnier for the cast to film.
The cast couldn’t stop laughing
In an interview with Rolling Stone, the cast of The Office confessed how hysterical the bit with the flat screen was. “When he’s showing us his flatscreen television. And it’s so tiny. We laughed so hard, like, tears were streaming down our faces,” Jenna Fischer (Pam) stated. “Every time they turned on the camera, either [Fischer] or me would just be absolutely in fits of laughter. It probably took the longest of any of the other scenes, because we had to literally take a break and walk away to stop laughing. And I don’t even know what we were laughing about. I think we were hot and exhausted,” Melora Hardin (Jan) admitted.
Comedic gold
And any diehard fan of The Office can attest that this is the truth. The bloopers from this episode alone are comedic gold. Nothing beats the sound of John Krasinski (Jim) squealing in delight as he struggles to not break character in this memorable scene. At one point, after a fit of giggles, Carell even says, “Oh Jesus, this is terrible. We’ll never finish this episode.” Luckily for us, the cast did finish this absurd episode and we’re sure it’ll keep us laughing for years to come.
