S01E03 · EP 3
season 1 · 2005-04-05
Health Care
written by ? · directed by Ken Whittingham · 5.83M viewers · image The Office Wiki (CC BY-SA)

Episode DNA

24 scenes · 4 threads
awkward 18%tense 12%absurd 9%lie 8%cheerful 8%avoidance 7%social rule violation 6%scheme 5%humiliation 4%negotiation 4%

Story threads over runtime

click a block to open the scene
0:005:0010:0015:0020:00
A · Health Plan Selection
B · Michael Avoids Responsibility
C · Dwight's Power Trip
D · Jim and Pam's Prank
01

Every scene

24 scenes · our breakdown
1 · Dunder Mifflin Office · cold_openPam Suggests Michael Is Like a Doctor

Michael asks if choosing a health plan makes him their doctor; Pam says yes, like a specialist.

00:31–00:56lie · social_rule_violation
2 · Jan's Office · act1Jan Says Gold Plan Unavailable

Jan tells Michael none of the plans have acupuncture and even she isn't on the Gold Plan.

00:56–02:05negotiation · misunderstanding
3 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act1Jim Refuses Health Plan Task

Jim declines Michael's offer to pick the health plan, suggesting Dwight instead.

02:05–02:45avoidance · scheme
4 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act1Dwight Accepts and Gets Workspace

Dwight eagerly accepts the health plan assignment and sets up in the conference room.

02:45–04:54escalation · impersonation
5 ▸ 04:54
5 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act1Michael Rationalizes Delegation

Michael explains that delegating to Dwight is a test for both of them.

04:54–06:37lie · double_standard
6 ▸ 06:37
6 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act1Jim and Pam Mock Dwight's Signs

Jim and Pam laugh at Dwight's discarded workspace sign drafts.

06:37–07:11petty_grievance · humiliation
7 ▸ 07:11
7 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act1Dwight Defends His Cheap Plan

Dwight explains his philosophy of slashing benefits and compares it to the wild.

07:11–07:18social_rule_violation · obsession
8 ▸ 07:18
8 · Michael's Office · act1Michael Hides in His Office

Michael pretends to be busy on fake calls to avoid employee complaints.

07:18–08:25avoidance · lie
9 ▸ 08:25
9 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act1Jim and Pam Confront Dwight

Jim and Pam try to get Dwight to show compassion for coworkers.

08:25–10:04social_rule_violation
10 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act1Employees Confront Michael in Office

Employees confront Michael about Dwight's memo; Michael blames Dwight and promises a surprise.

10:04–11:15lie · avoidance
11 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act1Michael Rationalizes the Surprise

Michael explains that the surprise promise will make employees love him.

11:15–11:57lie
12 ▸ 11:57
12 · Conference Room · act2Dwight Asks for Disease List

Dwight orders employees to write down diseases they need covered.

11:57–12:52social_rule_violation · investigation
13 ▸ 12:52
13 · Travel Agency · act2Michael Plans Surprise Trip Alone

Michael calls a travel agent about a weekend getaway, considering Atlantic City.

12:52–14:15negotiation · scheme
14 ▸ 14:15
14 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act2Jim and Pam Invent Fake Diseases

Jim and Pam have fun making up fake diseases for the forms.

14:15–14:51scheme · humiliation
15 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act2Michael Calls About Coal Mine Trip

Michael calls a friend who runs a tourist attraction about a coal mine elevator ride.

14:51–17:01negotiation · misunderstanding
16 ▸ 17:01
16 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act2Dwight Collects Disease Forms

Dwight collects the anonymous disease forms from employees.

17:01–17:43investigation · social_rule_violation
17 · Michael's Office · act2Michael Struggles for Surprise Idea

Michael tries to improvise a surprise idea but fails.

17:43–17:59obsession · avoidance
18 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act2Dwight Accuses Jim of Fraud

Dwight accuses Jim of writing fake diseases and threatens to interview everyone.

17:59–19:45interrogation
19 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act2Dwight Questions Pam About Health Care

Dwight asks Pam why she wants health care and suggests she use Roy's plan.

19:45–20:39interrogation · humiliation
20 · Conference Room · act2Jim Locks Dwight in Conference Room

Jim refuses to confess to fraud, calls Dwight a jackass, and locks him in the conference room.

20:39–21:10scheme · humiliation
21 · Conference Room · act2Dwight Calls Jan for Help

Dwight calls Jan to demand permission to fire Jim but is rebuked.

21:10–21:51impersonation · humiliation
22 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act2Michael Throws Ice Cream Sandwiches

Michael returns and throws ice cream sandwiches to employees, saying it's not the big surprise.

21:51–25:16avoidance · lie
23 · Conference Room · act3Dwight Reads Diseases Aloud

Dwight reads submitted diseases aloud, including inverted penis and anal fissures.

25:16–27:30humiliation · social_rule_violation
24 · Dunder Mifflin Office · act3Employees Confront Michael at Day's End

Employees confront Michael about Dwight's plan and the missing surprise.

27:30–31:08lie · avoidance
03

Same DNA

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Episode facts

Wikipedia · Wikidata
Aired
2005-04-05
Overall
#3
Writers
Director
Ken Whittingham
Viewers
5.83M (US)
Pace
129 words/min · 157 questions

Where to watch

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In this episode

MS
Michael Scott152 episodes · drives 1262 scenes
PB
Pam Beesly184 episodes · drives 289 scenes
JL
Jan Levinson64 episodes · drives 32 scenes
JH
Jim Halpert184 episodes · drives 443 scenes
DS
Dwight Schrute184 episodes · drives 491 scenes
KM
Kevin Malone184 episodes · drives 56 scenes
SH
Stanley Hudson184 episodes · drives 16 scenes
OM
Oscar Martinez173 episodes · drives 47 scenes