The Next Day at... The Office VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 MARCH 28, 2008 This issue is a bit lengthy as we introduce our cast of characters. However, as all those with HR IN THIS ISSUE: responsibilities know, background information is critical. A Description of all relevant characters. Our Main Characters N E X T W E E K : Michael Scott: Michael is the kind-hearted Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton. Born and raised in Scranton, he has no prospect of advancing or moving elsewhere. Michael thinks of himself as a friend first, boss A Summary of the season to date. second and “probably an entertainer/comedian third”. In his constant search for friendship and approval, Mi- chael can be socially awkward. Often entirely inept and insensitive to even basic HR issues, Michael has a knack for coming through when it counts, thus keeping his job safe for now. Dwight K. Schrute: Dwight is the eccentric Assistant to the Regional Manager (though he considers himself the Assistant Regional Manager). Dwight is passionate about paper, and is one of Scranton’s top salesmen. He lives on a beet farm and is a voluntary Sherriff’s Deputy on the weekends. Despite his know-it-all mentality, Dwight is actually naïve and often easily tormented by co-worker Jim Halpert. For some time, Dwight was ro- mantically linked to co-worker Angela Martin. However, that relationship came to an abrupt end when he killed her cat. Jim Halpert: Jim is a young, intelligent salesman who seems capable of bigger things, and yet stuck in his Dun- der Mifflin tracks. Jim has always had feelings for Pam, the office secretary, his perfect match. However, for two seasons Pam was engaged to another man. When Jim laid his feelings on the line, Pam rejected him, prompting his transfer to the Stamford branch. After settling into his new life, the Stamford branch was shut down, and he was forced to move back to Scranton – where a now single Pam awaited. After some time, the inevitable hap- pened and they began dating BUT WITHOUT RUINING THE SHOW. Pam Beesly: Pam is the office secretary. Keenly aware of Michael’s shortcomings, she often looks after him though he may not know it. For a long time, she was engaged to Roy, a Dunder Mifflin Warehouse worker. All the while though, she felt a deep connection to Jim. When she broke off her engagement with Roy, she was able to explore her own interests, including art and graphic design, before she began dating Jim. The Supporting Cast Jan Levinson: Michael’s former boss at Corporate. A Ryan Howard: Once a wet behind the ears “temp” tryst with Michael turned into a full blown relationship, in Scranton, Ryan completed his MBA and shot requiring the two to file a “love contract” with the through the ranks at Dunder Mifflin to replace Jan as Company before Jan lost her job due to increasingly Michael’s boss at Corporate. He recently intro- erratic behavior. After filing a failed sex harassment duced “Dunder Mifflin Infinity” a web-based evolu- suit, Jan moved into Michael’s condo, where she tion of the Company that strikes fear into the hearts spends most days watching TV in her pajamas. of old-school salesmen like Michael and Dwight. Continued on page 2... P A G E 2 The Supporting Cast (continued from page 1) Andy Bernard: Andy is a give as gifts, so she is forced to him the “fun-police” and once salesman. He is the office kiss shop at the American Girl proclaimed, “Toby Flenderson up – constantly complimenting store, where she buys clothes is everything that is wrong Michael or anyone else he designed for large colonial with the paper industry.” perceives to have authority. dolls. She was romantically Andy recently underwent an- involved with Dwight (though ger management training after few in the office knew about Kelly Kapoor: Kelly is a cus- an Office outburst. He likes to it), but that ended when tomer service rep. She is quite remind everyone that he went Dwight euthanized her cat talkative – she drives her co- to Cornell, where he sang in Sprinkles by putting it in her workers crazy covering such the a cappella group, “Here freezer. topics as dating and celebrity Comes Treble.” gossip. She used to be roman- tically involved with Ryan, but Oscar Martinez: Oscar is that ended when Ryan had the Stanley Hudson: Stanley another accountant. After opportunity to move on to Hudson is another sales repre- being involuntarily “outed” by bigger and better things (at sentative. As one of the only Michael, Oscar apparently Dunder Mifflin, of course). African Americans in the Of- threatened to sue the Com- fice, Stanley is often subjected pany. The lawsuit never mate- to inappropriate remarks by rialized, as the Company gave Meredith Palmer: Meredith Michael. While he clearly does him some paid vacation and a works in the purchasing de- not enjoy his job, Stanley is Company vehicle in exchange partment. She seems to have a there for one reason and one for a release. bit of an alcohol problem, al- T H E N E X T ways sneaking in extra drinks reason only: to earn a living. D A Y A T . at Company functions. Mere- T H E O F F I C E Kevin Malone: Kevin is also dith suffered a serious injury Phyllis Lapin: Phyllis is the an accountant. He is perhaps when run over in the parking final sales representative in best known as the drummer lot by none other than Michael Scranton. She has known Mi- and lead singer of his band Scott. chael since high school. It “Scrantonicity.” They have would be a healthy competi- never actually played in public, tion to determine who is less narrowly missing their big Creed Bratton: Creed bright – Michael or Phyllis. She break when the wedding be- “works” in quality assurance. recently married Bob Vance, of tween Pam and Roy (their first While it’s not clear exactly Vance Refrigeration. gig) was canceled. what he does, one thing is clear: he will do whatever he must to survive including lying Angela Martin: Angela is an Toby Flenderson: Toby is and stealing. A product of the accountant. To say she is the Director of HR. His soft 60s, Creed is the oldest em- merely uptight would kind. spoken (and legally compliant) ployee at the Office, and is She finds the clothes at Baby approach is all but obliterated afraid of being “phased out.” Gap are often too flashy to by Michael who derisively calls Well, there you have it, the ensemble which will spur us all on to new heights of HR compliance. Next week we will send out a brief update covering recent happenings on the show so we will all be ready to join this illustrious crew in full swing for their April 10th premier. The Next Day at... The Office I N T H I S VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 APRIL 7, 2008 ISSUE: A recap of season four thus far Season Four So Far... Trivia Season Four opened with a doning a Dunder Mifflin and more disconsolate from bang back in September as charity run and heading off being dumped by Angela. N E X T Michael ran over Meredith in together in one vehicle You may recall that Dwight WEEK: the Company parking lot. clearly kissing before they killed Angela’s cat Sprinkles. A review of The entire crew visited drive away. They instantly Sprinkles was beginning to the April Meredith in the Hospital. admitted to their now con- get old. Rather than let her 10th episode Dwight thought it might be summated relationship. age gracefully, Dwight, while appropriate to pull the plug babysitting for Sprinkles, Other major developments on her (despite only suffer- decided it would be more in Season Four include ing pelvic injuries) because humane to place Sprinkles in Ryan’s introduction of the the amount of electricity the freezer where she website Dunder Mifflin Infin- which could be saved by kill- clawed apart Angela’s frozen ity. Believing he is a cool as ing her would power a small food before dying an oblivi- his new title, he brought fan for two days. ously horrible death. Need- Pam into the creation of the less to say, Angela has not We also learned that Ryan website graphics to possibly forgiven Dwight. Making (a temp for several seasons ignite a romance with her. matters worse, Angela has in the Scranton office) has Pam shut Ryan down saying caught the eye of Andy who been promoted to Corpo- “I am dating Jim.” This has has been mak- rate and now is Michael’s been a run- ing a serious boss. Michael handled this ning gag as “play” for her, typically well stating that Ryan has “hit” including an Ryan is simply a “little fish in on two other office serenade a big pond whereas back in women in the with two friends Scranton, I am still top dog show in prior It seems that Andy has joining him in a fairly large pond. So who seasons and on convinced Angela to over a speaker- is the real boss – the dog or each occasion “Take a Chance” on him phone to sing a fish?” was told that ABBA’s “Take A Chance On they were already dating The opening episode also Me.” Remarkably, Angela Jim. saw Pam and Jim confronted seemed impressed. with footage of their aban- Dwight has become more Continued on Page 2... P A G E 2 Season Four So Far..