S08E09 · EP 161
season 8 · 2011-12-01
Mrs. California
written by ? · directed by Charlie Grandy · 5.71M viewers · image The Office Wiki (CC BY-SA)

Episode DNA

19 scenes · 2 threads
absurd 14%awkward 13%tense 12%obsession 8%scheme 7%humiliation 4%avoidance 4%deadpan 4%social rule violation 3%double standard 3%

Story threads over runtime

click a block to open the scene
0:005:0010:0015:0020:00
A · Robert's wife scheme
B · Dwight's gym plot
01

Every scene

19 scenes · our breakdown
1 · Office bullpen · cold_openStanding desk debate

Dwight promotes standing desks, leading to a prank from Jim.

00:02–01:14social_rule_violation · petty_grievance
2 · Office bullpen · cold_openJim pranks Dwight again

Jim continues his prank on Dwight by hiding his chair.

01:14–02:18petty_grievance · humiliation
3 ▸ 02:18
3 · Andy's office · act1Robert warns Andy about Susan

Robert California tells Andy not to hire his wife Susan.

02:18–03:52scheme · double_standard
4 · Dwight's gym · act1Dwight shows his gym

Dwight opens a gym filled with farming equipment.

03:52–05:41obsession
5 · Office bullpen · act1Susan tours the office

Susan tours the office and considers accounting.

05:41–07:07social_rule_violation · negotiation
6 · Dwight's gym · act1Darryl rejects Dwight's gym

Darryl refuses to join Dwight's gym due to lack of real equipment.

07:07–08:06negotiation · deal
7 ▸ 08:06
7 · Andy's office · act1Andy hires Susan under pressure

Andy hires Susan after Robert insists, contradicting his earlier request.

08:06–09:24double_standard · scheme
8 ▸ 09:24
8 · Office bullpen · act1Robert calls Andy to undo hiring

Robert calls Andy to order him to get Susan out of the office.

09:24–10:11scheme · double_standard
9 · Office bullpen · act1Dwight recruits gym members

Dwight tries to recruit employees for his gym with a pay-what-you-weigh promotion.

10:11–10:39obsession · deal
10 · Office bullpen · act2Andy orders everyone to be mean to Susan

Andy asks the office to treat Susan poorly to drive her out.

10:39–13:22scheme · social_rule_violation
11 · Conference room · act2Susan confronts Robert about treatment

Susan tells Robert about the poor treatment and he calls Andy to the conference room.

13:22–13:44interrogation · confession
12 · Conference room · act2Susan realizes Robert's scheme

Susan figures out that Robert is behind the plan to drive her away.

13:44–14:28secret_exposed · betrayal
13 · Dwight's gym · act2Dwight pushes Darryl to exercise harder

Dwight criticizes Darryl's workout and pushes him to do more.

14:28–14:32obsession · humiliation
14 · Conference room · act2Confrontation in the conference room

Andy reveals Robert's earlier statement, leading to a confrontation.

14:32–17:12confession · betrayal
15 ▸ 17:12
15 · Office building · act2Jim escapes the conference room

Jim flees the conference room to avoid testifying.

17:12–17:36avoidance · pursuit
16 · Dwight's gym · act2Dwight makes Darryl stretch

Dwight forces Darryl to do embarrassing stretches in the gym.

17:36–18:25humiliation · obsession
17 · Conference room · act2Jim avoids answering in conference room

Jim avoids directly answering whether Robert told him not to hire Susan.

18:25–19:45avoidance · confession
18 · Parking lot · act3Andy apologizes to Susan in parking lot

Andy apologizes to Susan, who then asks him out on a date.

19:45–21:24seduction · comeuppance
19 · Dwight's gym · act3Dwight forces Darryl to reveal motivation

Dwight refuses to spot Darryl until he reveals his goal to impress Val.

21:24–21:32obsession · humiliation
03

Same DNA

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Episode facts

Wikipedia · Wikidata
Aired
2011-12-01
Overall
#161
Writers
Director
Charlie Grandy
Viewers
5.71M (US)
Pace
141 words/min · 84 questions

Where to watch

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In this episode

DS
Dwight Schrute184 episodes · drives 491 scenes
JH
Jim Halpert184 episodes · drives 443 scenes
RC
Robert California23 episodes · drives 37 scenes
AB
Andy Bernard151 episodes · drives 333 scenes
DP
Darryl Philbin119 episodes · drives 61 scenes
RH
Ryan Howard166 episodes · drives 46 scenes
EH
Erin Hannon98 episodes · drives 66 scenes
OM
Oscar Martinez173 episodes · drives 47 scenes