With the writers strike over, NBC's The Office is returning to complete its fourth season starting on April 10th!
{sidebar id=1}Dwight Schrute himself, Rainn Wilson, joined writer/director/producer Greg Daniels for a Q & A about what fans can expect to see in the season's remaining six episodes. They cover everything from rumors of spinoffs to plot details and also touch on Wilson's new film, The Rocker which opens August 1st.
Q: My question is actually for both of you. Im wondering, you know, with the sitcom sort of becoming a lost art, what is the key to making a good one like you've done with The Office?
Daniels: Rainn, what do you think?
Wilson: Go ahead, Greg. Its all you.
Daniels: Well, theres the flip answer and the real answer, I guess. But, you know, I think its a lot about trying to be original and trying to be funny, and not being scared of also, you know, having some emotion in it or being real and taking the characters seriously. And developing a hit that was a hit in another country already.
Q: Right. And Rainn?
Wilson: I cant top that, but I will say that I think the multi-camera sitcom format, as it kind of petered out over the last couple of years, may just - were sticking to a - kind of tried and true formula. And then the shows became more about the formula than about what the show was trying to say or trying to do. So it was more about a group of characters sitting in a common area. Kind of - weve set up some punchlines and kind of making fun of each other. And it just got tired and worn out. And it just is - its the genre right now that needs some reinvention.
Q: Yeah, Greg, if you could just continue on that for a minute because you were talking about how you want to be unique and different, and yet you also want to be funny? I mean, you really did make some interesting - found a place along the spectrum here because if you had just done it with - as the British version with the very slow, dry humor, that wouldnt have worked, right? I mean, you found an American version which is a little sharper in the humor, a little quicker with the humor. Could you kind of talk about how you find that line?
Daniels: Yeah, sure. Well I think the British version is really, really great and I actually love the British version. And they intentionally - when you look at the scripts for the British version, its - you know, they - I think they resemble the scripts for the American version. But they made some decisions to really go very bleak with the production of it and it matched what they were trying to do which was to be very satiric and, you know, paint a very bleak picture of what this world was like. And, you know, we had an aim to be more of a character comedy that was less satiric and more about the, you know, the ups and downs of the characters. And knowing that we were going to be on for a lot longer, you know, we wanted to see positive sides to the characters, too. And I dont think we really got it 100% right until the second season in terms of the mix and the tone, although I really like our first season. I think its really funny. But, you know, once we started to have moments, you know, where - for example where, you know, Dwight is crushed at leaving his work or stuff like that, it kind of opens the characters up in a way where you feel a little bit more for them and youre also, I think, uncertain as to whats going to happen next because he might have a moment where you feel for them and then on the other hand, you might have a moment where theyre really just being played for laughs.
Q: Rainn, Im sure youve been asked this before, but have you ever worked in an office - even if only as a temp when the, you know, the acting work got thin? And if so, what kind of office worker were you? Were you a Dwight or a Jim, or a Ryan, or what?
Wilson: Well I was kind of - Ive worked in many offices before in my New York days of being a starving actor. I worked in a major New York charity as Assistant Office Manager and Special Events Coordinator. And I was also
Daniels: Assistant to the Officer Manager and Special Events Coordinator or Assistant Office Manager?
Wilson: I was Assistant to the Office Manager and Assistant Special Events Coordinator. Thank you. You got it?
Wilson: And then - thanks, Greg. That was a good setup. The
Daniels: Just trying to throw you off.
Wilson: And then I was also a Receptionist from the Pam Beesly mold at Kirshenbaum, Bond & Partners, an advertising agency in New York.
Q: And I didnt expect that. So you were the office Pam?
Wilson: I was Pam. So Ive done a lot of those things. I would - I guess, who was I closest to? I guess I was most like a Jim because my heart really wasnt into it. So - but I was also very capable which is a lot like Jim, too. I think Jim is very capable. So - but I dont think they missed me. And then
Q: Yeah, youre probably past needing to sell your capability in an office receptionist job.
Wilson: Well I guess I am, but Im - I guess Im kind of
Q: I like that youre worrying about it.
Wilson: No, Im not really worried about it. But I guess Im proud of the fact that in my past I was actually a really good waiter. I was an excellent waiter. Like I could have really gone somewhere as a waiter. And I was pretty decent in my office work, too. I was not very good at Marine Supply delivery which I did for about eight months at (Ballard Marine Supply & Hardware). I got in a couple car accidents and kept losing stuff.
Q: Well its comforting to know that if the show, you know, just drops off the map and the movie doesnt do well you have options.
Wilson: Yes, exactly.
Q: Except in the marine delivery field.
Wilson: Yeah. Thank you.
Q: Im kind of following up on that question. I find a lot of creative people who go slightly mad when theyre in office or corporate jobs. What is your opinion about that or from your own personal experiences?
Wilson: This is Greg Daniels. Im Greg Daniels. I created The Office. Im so cool. This is Rainn Wilson. Thats a great question. Yeah. You know, we all go a little bit mad even in the office setting, about eight hours into sitting under those fluorescent lights on the set of The Office. And surfing the web, and theres only so many times you can check CNN.com to see if a bomb has gone off somewhere. We start to go a little bit stir crazy and things start to get out of hand. So I think that is true. But recently weve kept ourselves entertained by doing Brian Baumgartner imitations and coaxing Ed Helms to do all of his imitations. He does an incredible Tom Brokaw and we love to have him say albondigas - the soup albondigas as Tom Brokaw and heres my imitation of Ed Helms saying albondigas as Tom Brokaw: "Meanwhile, albondigas"
Daniels: I think his Tom Brokaw is better than his Greg Daniels. I was going to say
Wilson: Does he have a Greg Daniels?
Daniels: No, you.
Wilson: Oh. And this is Greg.
Daniels: This is Rainn - duh. Im dumb. There you go. Hey were at each others throats now. Its a good thing that were not in the same physical location.
Wilson: I know. Id be pummeling him.
Erin Fox: Your sheriff outfit. Its so fantastic. But my burning question is is there going to be any love interest for Dwight that will be introduced right now because right now? You know, Angela has kind of moved on and - or shes trying to move on, and it looks like its just breaking Dwights heart. Do you think that hell have a love interest come in and try to make Angela jealous?
Wilson: I dont know, Greg. That gets into some dangerous territory there. What do you think we can say about that?
Daniels: Well, do you remember in your audition when you improvd his - some of his ex-girlfriends?
Wilson: Yes.
Daniels: Because Ive always - weve always had that on the board and that, I think, you know, it's part of his character that he has some exes out there. So
Wilson: Yes. Dwight - I improvised in the audition for the pilot which Greg -- by the way -- thanks for casting me.
Daniels: Oh, just wanted to bring that up again, yeah.
Wilson: Thanks for casting me because
Daniels: No problem.
Wilson: I have a career now. So thanks for that. And yeah, I had a - we had an improvisation of me and Jenna, and I told her that I had an ex-girlfriend who was stationed in Kuwait City, you know, as a Reservist.
Wilson: So I dont know if that is coming into play, but ex-girlfriends - yeah. I think well be seeing a lot more sides - a lot more facets of Dwight when it comes to dating and women.
Q: Absolutely. And I hope that they make it out to the beet farm.
Wilson: Maybe so. I want to say that this is something that I love about this show is that, you know, every season, every - even every episode - every couple of episodes, theres always some new aspect of Dwight that Greg and the writers want to explore. And thats such a rare thing, you know. So many shows have their comic sidekick character and this is - they do XY and Z. But I get emotional stories and comedic stories, and family stories - and lots of different textures. And I really appreciate getting to do that as an actor.
Q: I know. It was a great scene between you and Jim in the hallway where he finally opens up to you about the destruction of Pam and his heart, and all that stuff.
Wilson: Yeah.
Q: Youre very, very touching, so that was great.
Wilson: Oh, thanks.
Daniels: That was just lovely. We're going to play with time a lot, I think - like Lost. In the next six episodes. Its going to get suddenly weirdly sci-fi.
Wilson: Therell be a hatch under Dwights desk.
Q: So The Office is going to turn into Lost, huh?
Daniels: Well, you know
Q: Actually, Greg, I was just wondering are there any signs that Stephen and Ricky will write more episodes for the show or make a cameo, do you think?
Daniels: I don't know. Its a really good question. Stephen was going to direct one in December and, you know, were hoping to get him back next year. And, you know, as to cameos, we havent written any in. We - at one point, we had written in one for the character that played Gareth a couple of years ago. But we couldnt get him on because he was doing Pirates of the Caribbean or something. But its a possibility. But we dont have any plans right now.
Q: Now the upcoming episode is - Pam and Jim show up to Michaels dinner party. I was just wondering where was Dwight?
Wilson: Where was Dwight?
Q: Yeah. Well he didnt go to the dinner party, right?
Wilson: Well, you have to tune in on April 10 to find out. Its amazing what happens. Its going to rock your world.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about how you spent the break and what the first day back was like?
Daniels: Well mine was very boring. I just walked in circles a lot waving the placard and didnt, you know, travel anywhere or do anything. But the first day that we came back was very good for the writing staff because this was the longest break that we had had since the show started and people, you know, had time to kind of recharge their batteries in a good way. So we had a lot of fun tossing out ideas on our first day back.
Q: And Rainn?
Wilson: I did a little bit of picketing. I played a lot with my three and a half year old son, which was good. I think the strike was terribly painful for the families of Los Angeles - the working families of Los Angeles, but it was also great for the families of Los Angeles. And I went to Israel and I did some writing. And I worked on my backhand with my Zen tennis coach.
Q: And what was the first day back like?
Rainn Wilson: You know, its been - it has been a huge love fest. Its like - its kind of crazy. It doesnt make for great print journalism, but I will say that everyone - its like our other family and we - our other family got together. And - like at a big family reunion and its been really, really fun. And weve had a blast these first two weeks. It is great to see everyone again and batteries were definitely recharged.
Q: And I know you go through it every summer, but is it tough after a break like that to get back into being Dwight?
Wilson: You know, its - it does - theres like ten minutes when its like okay, wait, who is this guy again, right? And then, you know, I just put on the calculator watch and the glasses, and just be all, you know, inappropriate. And then it just works out fine. You go right back in the flow.
Q: How did the strike affect any of the larger story arcs for the season?
Daniels: Well, you know, we had some stuff that we were planning for the end of the year and we didnt end up having enough time to do what we had planned. But we came up with some other alternatives - things which we really like a lot and its probably good that way for the creative process. So I mean, you know, there - we didnt have a lot of stuff that we scrapped because we only had the one episode, you know, ready to be shot and thats the one we came back with where theyre, you know, invited out to the dinner party. And
Wilson: I heard there were plans for a Christmas episode
Daniels: You know what, we did? We had a whole Christmas episode. No, thats true. It wasnt 100% finished, the script. But were going - you know, well cannibalize it and use pieces of it, and stuff.
Q: You talked a little bit about the three camera sitcom formulas and Rainn talked a little bit about how Dwight is not just kind of the standard foil that you - you know, the wacky neighbor that you see on a lot of sitcoms. Greg, could you just talk about - it seems to me the natural tendency where you have some sort of breakout characters, a lot of shows tend to like gravitate towards where that sort of attention is going very much.
Daniels: Well the problem is that we started off, you know, with Phyllis just being one of the salespeople and weve kind of peaked too early by marrying her off to Bob Vance. And so its hard to capitalize on the breakout. But who are you talking about? Which character?
Q: No, I was just kind of talking generally as you seem to be very - actually very generous with all of those characters. I was going to say that you hadnt really fallen into that trap. I mean, thats something else that happens in the typical sitcom.
Daniels: Oh yeah. No, I understand what youre saying. Yeah, no. Well thats part of trying to, you know, kind of keep people off balance. You know what I mean? Its like you, you know, obviously its - Dwight is super funny and people love Dwight. And they buy Dwight dolls and stuff like that. But if it just became the Dwight Show, you know
Wilson: There would be nothing wrong with that.
Daniels: But yes, I think thats a complete quote there. As long as you know that the speaker shifted in the middle of the sentence.
Q: The question I wanted to ask is that because the show has always had such a tremendous online following, I decided to go to one of the original Office fan sites -- NorthernAttack.com. And I asked the fans there what theyd most like to know about the show right now. And the one question that came back a couple of times is whether theres any plans or at least any intention to have the characters see the documentary thats been filming in their office for the last three years and what kind of reactions you think that would have?
Daniels: I think - I mean, its great. We have talked about it. I dont think were there yet, but I definitely love it as a big, kind of game-changing story move. But, you know, hopefully when we do press that nuclear button, you know, itll be prepared for and everybody will be - you know, people will think its worth it.
Wilson: I think its hard. Once they see the documentary - Im just speculating here because I know nothing about those conversations. But I think once they see the documentary and you kind of deal with the fallout of that, I dont know how much longer you can then continue storylines, you know, with all the characters kind of living in the - being in the public eye and stuff like that.
Daniels: Well theres certain things that we have, like in our back pockets and I feel like if we ever got to a place where we were discussing storylines and we just had nothing, you know, then we would say all right, time to scramble the world and see what comes out of that. You know, time to shake the Boggle set.
Q: So, Dwight, your former lady love -- Angela -- is now pregnant and very much showing. A question for both of you and more so, probably for Greg. How are we going to deal with that when the show returns? Is that something that is going to be written into the show? And could that possibly be a little Schrute or maybe an Andy Bernard?
Daniels: Well its possibly in real life a little Schrute or Andy Bernard. Im not sure. But the actual - the character of Angela is different from the, you know, the human being Angela, even though they have the same name. But I think its confusing on our show because theres a lot of people with the same name. You know, Oscar is an actor and then theres also Oscar the person. And of course, the real confusing part is that Creed is the person. There is only Creed. Hes not aware hes in a show.
Wilson: There is no separation between Creed the person and Creed the actor.
Daniels: No, not at all.
Wilson: And Creed the character - whatsoever. Angela is like - its like a little person swallowed a watermelon. And everything about her looks exactly the same except she has this enormous tummy. And I think all of her scenes from here on out are going to be staged with her behind the copy machine.
Daniels: I think its going to be a nice drinking game for people to see if they can see the belly.
Wilson: Spot the fetus.
Q: Just a real quick follow-up. Do you guys have any special plans for the night of the big return?
Daniels: We should, shouldnt we? Thats like a really good idea.
Wilson: I heard Stephen was going to have a party, so maybe we could get all 50 of the folks on the line right now - we should just give them Steves address and April 10th. Hes at 1313 Luck Street. Thats Burbank, California - 91401.
Daniels: Second floor in the back.
Wilson: Yeah, so come on by. Come by early, too - like in the morning even. Im sure hed appreciate that.
Daniels: So April 10th is the date.
Wilson: Yes.
Daniels: And were having four - the last four episodes we run on April 3rd and I think John Krasinski is going to host it and show scenes from Leatherheads. Thats true, though.
Wilson: Really?
Daniels: Yeah. And then were going to do - then were coming back with originals - all originals, all in a row starting April 10th.
Wilson: Hey, its John Krasinski. I play Jim. Im on a mockumentary of The Office and heres scenes from my new movie.
Q: You talked before about multi-camera, traditional sitcoms. CBS seems to be having quite a bit of success with their Monday night lineup following the more traditional format. Do you guys feel like youre in competition - kind of an informal competition? You know, Thursday night on NBC was King of Comedy for so long. Do you feel like youre - theres a compare and contrast between CBSs Monday lineup and NBCs Thursday lineup?
Daniels: I feel intensely competitive with the Girls Gone Wild series of videotapes, myself - not so much the CBS lineup. But I dont know. If you were to look at the numbers and stuff, there - we might have different demographics. Im only guessing on that a little bit, just anecdotally speaking, from the people who I know that like our show and what they - what else they watch on the air. But no, I think its great. You know, if they can get that genre back, its all good for comedy writers.
Wilson: I think yeah, the more comedy the better, you know. The more quality comedy, the better and, you know
Q: I dont know how much you guys know those shows, but how do you think your comedy differs from the comedy thats on Monday night there at, you know, aside from style? Greg, you said you think the audience might be different.
Daniels: Yeah, I dont - I mean, thats something that you could look up. I dont have the numbers in front of me. You know, I dont really know
Q: Just in terms of how you approach humor and how they might?
Daniels: I dont really know. I actually dont watch that much other comedy shows. You know, I watch some of the stuff thats on our night. I like 30 Rock and My Name is Earl, and stuff like that. But I actually dont watch a lot of other - Im usually - when Im watching other TV, its like weird, you know, shows about meerkats or something.
Q: What about the - if you look at the tradition of Thursday night NBC comedy? Do you always feel like youre being compared to that and you want to make sure that, you know
Daniels: Were really in that tradition. I mean, I love that stuff. I loved Seinfeld. I, you know, loved Cheers. And I feel like our show is in that tradition and Im sort of proud to be on NBC Thursday. Its like the best place, I think, to be, you know.
Q: What do all those shows have in common - those shows and the shows that are on now?
Daniels: I dont know. Rainn, what do you think?
Wilson: Well I think they got really strong ensembles of really well-defined characters. And I think thats important in a comedy. You cant just have one funny person, you know, the great comedies you always remember everyone from Mary Tyler Moore, you know, not just Mary. And I think thats one thing thats in common.
Daniels: Yeah and theyre - I think theyre - also theyre kind of adult in the sense that theyre not family shows - all those, usually except for Cosby Show. And, you know, theyre kind of - I dont know
Wilson: And you cared about them. I mean, you
Daniels: Yeah, you cared about them.
Wilson: Yeah. And you heard about the characters. You wanted to see them do well. I dont know about Seinfeld, but
Daniels: I think, you know, there - they didnt do anything to make you care about them, but you did care about them.
Wilson: Yeah.
Daniels: Because they did stuff that you did secretly in your own home and they were so appealing. I dont know. I love those shows. I mean, I also liked Roseanne which was on ABC. You know, and - what are some of the great CBS shows?
Wilson: Well I think All in the Family, which was a British
Daniels: Yeah, All in the Family was awesome.
Wilson: That was a British import as well.
Daniels: Magnum P.I., I think, was CBS.
Q: Rainn, I know that earlier you mentioned your three and a half year old son, and I was actually wondering what he thinks of The Office, if hes ever watched it or if he, you know, gets confused because dads on TV or anything like that?
Wilson: Yeah, you know, hes - occasionally Ill be up on the TV screen for whatever reason - if Im like watching myself from some talk show appearance or an episode of The Office is playing, or something like that. And he says, that's dada. And then he goes back to whatever it was that he was doing. A train or a ball - or, you know, or hitting one of our dogs with a golf club. But yes, it seems - its pretty normal for him. Theres also a Dwight bobblehead up on the shelf, which he used to really be into. Now he just - he couldnt care less about it.
Q: Okay. And now what is - what about your wife? Does she like your persona as Dwight or does she kind of, you know, tell you please dont bring it home? I dont want to see Dwight when you come home after work or anything like that?
Wilson: We actually play funny sex games of Dwight and she will pretend to be, you know, anyone else in The Office pretty much, you know, depending - we have outfits for all of the different characters. No - this is going to be all over the media. Probably the worst thing I could have said. But yeah - I dont really tend to bring Dwight home with me so much because I would say were not too much alike. I dont know, Greg, what your - what you feel about that? But
Daniels: Yeah, Im not going to touch that one.
Wilson: You know, shes - my wife has a great, absurd sense of humor and she really appreciates me, you know, playing weirdoes and oddballs and she
Daniels: An accomplished novelist, I may add.
Wilson: Yes. And she is a novelist.
Q: Has she ever expressed interest in like writing for The Office or anything like that?
Wilson: Yes, she has written a 400-page spec script. Greg, I forgot to give it to you.
Daniels: Its all prose - very densely textured prose.
Wilson: Very prose, yeah. Its very prose-heavy. Its really - its written from the perspective of Oscars boyfriend, Gil. And yeah, hes - and in it hes suffering from emphysema. Its very moving. Its very, very, very sad. Greg, Ill
Daniels: Sound like Frank McCourts spec that I passed on.
Wilson: Who?
Daniels: Frank McCourt.
Wilson: Yes.
Daniels: Am I saying that right? The author of Angelas Ashes.
Wilson: Yeah. He wrote a good spec like that?
Daniels: It was just pretty good. It wasnt great.
Wilson: Oh, all right.
Daniels: But it was about the same length.
Q: Hey, welcome back guys. Its been too long.
Daniels: Can I just say - have you heard that before because I mean, I dont know if it was just me but I heard a lot of people saying thats the thing that they missed most during the strike?Not for me to say, of course, but if you wanted to say that on the other line so other people would write it, Id be - you know, Im not going to stand in your way.
Q: Absolutely. I would say that 90% of the questions into my website were about Office during the strike. You also were the faces, really, kind of the audience was going to on the strike lines. Every website has a quote from some Office writer or something. I dont know. Maybe youre funny. Who knows? I also want to let you know that, Rainn, my three and a half year old niece calls you squishy head because she has the little stress ball with your face from Target.
Wilson: Thats funny. My wife calls me squishy head, too, sometimes.
Q: Well there you go. My question now - Ive been lucky enough to sit through the Scranton convention and I was curious - a lot of the actors have said that they had this great adrenaline rush and the writers coming back from that convention and were really kind of gung-ho. And then all of a sudden the strike hit at the exact same time. So my question, I guess for Greg is were you able to kind of recapture that at all when you guys got back? Is there anything from the convention, from being in Scranton that youre going to add? And maybe Rainn, you could talk, too - were the people who were at the convention - what kind of stories have you heard? Those kinds of things - if you guys could talk about that for a couple minutes?
Daniels: Sure. The convention was very fun and, you know, it was a real wonderful experience to see how many thousands of fans came from all over the world and there were people from Ireland and Oregon. And, you know, all - really people came from a really great distance. And, you know, and this was my first time in Scranton although weve done so much research on the Internet. And I was really struck by how beautiful Scranton is, which is not what we really have been portraying in here from our show. And the street here in California. But we saw some of the sights like Nay Aug Park and the Treehouse, which is this amazing wheelchair accessible treehouse that theyve built over this gorge. And theres a lot of weird kind of Scranton-specific things that we saw, that, you know, will Im sure come into different episodes. And the entire writing staff was there and they all had different experiences at, you know, driving around and going to Scranton bars, and meeting the policewomen. And, you know, stuff like that. So I think it was very good for the creativity of everybody here.
Wilson: Really its a lovely town. Like there are big old buildings, 100 years old, all over the downtown - big brick buildings that have a really cool industrial look, and a lot of iron work. And stuff like that. And theres beautiful hills all around Scranton. Its like down in this little valley and theres lovely trees and hills all over the place. A very green city. Brought to you by the City of Scranton Tourist Bureau.
Q: I was actually just wondering -- for Greg -- do you have a favorite Office character that you like to write stories for? And I know its kind of awkward with Rainn right here, but you can be candid. Is there anybody that you really enjoy writing stories for?
Daniels: Well I do love the Dwight character, I have to say - and especially writing the Talking Heads, you know, the interview segments with Dwight. You know, when I was - when that book - I think I - you know, that book about how - whats that survival guide book? Basically I look at every survival guide as its published. I, you know, I get multiple copies because my friends all go - oh, Greg would be great for this. Hed love this, you know. And my, you know, wife just got me, you know, what would MacGyver do - some book about that. So there is something of that character that I really respond to that, you know - the thing about like - there was this special on the Discovery Channel, I think, a couple of weeks ago which I spent, you know, an hour taking notes on and being really fascinated by which was the ten greatest threats to the world, you know, from robots that come alive to the mega volcano, to, you know, new diseases and everything. And it was so great. And eventually this will filter its way into Dwights brain, I think.
Q: Are those talking heads segments - are those mostly scripted or is it kind of half scripted, half improvised?
Daniels: Theres usually a script, you know, to start from. And then the directors ask questions. And some of the actors - like Rainn, for example, will sometimes write stuff on his own and come in with them.
Wilson: Mostly its, you know, its this great - you know, its just a wealth of riches and the writing is so good and so funny. Theres so many times I go in and I cant imagine doing - even changing a word. I mean, its just, you know, perfect
Daniels: And yet you do.
Wilson: Recently Ive just been taking to saying them because theyre just so spot on and you cant really improve on it.
Daniels: Theres probably the same amount of improv.
Wilson: I think the writers would like to write for Creed a lot more. I think - my sense is that, you know, Creed works best in some little doses here and there. But I think the writers really get off on how crazy that mans brain is.
Daniels: Yeah. Thats definitely a thing about comedy writers - its like, you know, if you were to see breakdancers and then they all take turns, you know, spinning more wildly or something. And like what the comedy writers try to do is say the weirdest thing that they possibly can, that makes any sense.
Wilson: Cool.
Daniels: People do like Creed.
Q: You guys were both mentioned The Dwight Show as a - kind of a horrible spin-off of The Office. I was just wondering, you know, Joey moved from Friends to LA. How would you guys imagine a Dwight spin-off? Would he be on a beet farm? Would it all be in second life? Any ideas?
Daniels: Well we just joke around upstairs. We talk about the detective agency. Have you heard that, Rainn?
Wilson: No.
Daniels: Yeah.
Wilson: I think it would be like - in the Seventies, what was the one that was at - Dennis Weaver was on a horse and something
Daniels: McCloud.
Wilson: McCloud.
Daniels: Thats great, I love it.
Wilson: Yeah. McCloud was a fish-out-of-water cop in New York City and theres something appealing about that.
Daniels: I like that. That's perfect.
Wilson: There's something appealing about just watching Dwight going in an opposite direction, not having it be a comedy or a sitcom - but just having it be a reality show about a beet farmer. Kind of like Axe Man - its this new hit reality show about lumberjacks. You could just watch a beet farmer.
Q: You guys could combine the two and have like On the Beet - it could be like a pun with a detective agency and a beet farmer.
Wilson: Oh, nice.
Daniels: There arent enough pun titles for TV shows.
Q: No, I dont think there are. I was just wondering, Rainn - I realize you guys have Schrutinese now. Could you answer a question for me in Schrutinese? I was just wondering how the weather is today?
Wilson: Wait, what? What?
Q: I had a question about Schrutinese. I saw on the Schrute space today that there is an entire language
Wilson: Oh yeah.
Daniels: I think youve been reading fanfic.
Q: No, its - didnt you put that together, Rainn?
Wilson: Well I will - Im going to confess something that I have passed over the reigns of Schrute space to one of the staff writers this season. And hes been coming up with some really great stuff and he
Q: Its really insane. You guys should read it. He came up with a whole language of Schrutinese.
Wilson: I havent caught up with that one yet.
Daniels: Well thanks for looking at all the extra web material. You know, there is a lot of stuff on that and, you know, sometimes that, you know, goes on the air without either Rainn or me knowing - out onto the web. Part of the decentralized, kind of vibe we have here.
Q: Rainn, could I ask, if -- since theyve asked everything else -- if Dunder Mifflin went on strike, what would Dwight do? What would Dwight be doing all this time that Dunder Mifflin was on strike? And when they came back, what would life be like for him again?
Wilson: Boy, thats a good question.
Daniels: Yeah.
Wilson: If Dunder Mifflin went on strike - you know what Dwight would do? Dwight would join the Pinkertons and he would immediately try and bust the strike. And hed work for management. Hed go to corporate headquarters and figure out a way to bust up the union - maybe kind of join as a secret - under a different identity and rabble rouse, and be a counteragent. But he would love to join the Pinkertons, wear one of those hats, maybe carry a derringer and be a badass.
Q: And what would he - what would the first day of work be back - be like for him?
Wilson: He would be all about sales - all about sales.
Q: So I did want to ask Rainn a quick question about the movie, The Rocker. Can you tell us about it? And also, do you have a musical background yourself?
Wilson: Oh, gosh. Well thanks for asking about my movie. The Rocker stars George Clooney as a heavy metal singer. No it doesnt. I dont have George Clooney in my movie. The Rocker is a very funny movie. I saw it and its where I play a former heavy metal drummer from an up and coming heavy metal band. And I get kicked out of the heavy metal band right before they make it really big. And then 20 years later, my life has kind of gone nowhere and I get a second shot at fame by joining my high school nephews garage rock band. So I wear a nice heavy metal wig and I reveal a lot of my butt crack and my torso. And we rock out and I actually learned to play the drums for the movie. I do have a musical background. I played a lot of musical instruments in high school and in college - and still do. And - but I really enjoyed learning and playing the drums. And its a really sweet - if theres such a thing as a sweet family rock and roll comedy, this is it. Its kind of like School of Rock with teenagers. But its a good deal of fun.
Q: And what were those instruments that you grew up playing?
Wilson: Well I started on piano and then clarinet. And then saxophone and bassoon. And then xylophone or bells and baritone in the pep band. And then guitar.
Daniels: No tuba?
Wilson: I played a little bit of tuba. We played baritone. But it was - tuba was too hard.
Daniels: Like every comedy instrument there is.
Wilson: Pretty much - yeah, every comic - every clown instrument, I learned - anything having to do with getting a laugh. And then the recorder, oddly enough, for the show The Office where Dwight is - plays recorder and guitar whenever they need some musical accompaniment.
Q: I wanted to ask you guys a little bit more about writing the blogs. Rainn, how did you find writing them?
Wilson: I loved writing them. As I said, I kind of passed the torch off to one of the writers this year. I just was getting too busy and too much on my plate. And, you know, theres a lot more press obligations and Im working on some screenplays and stuff like that. But it was really fun. I - what I would love to find out is I remember Greg, when we were doing that pilot I was kind of writing a Dwight blog on the set and that was a long time ago now - 2004.
Daniels: Didnt that become the first Schrute space?
Wilson: I think it did become the Schrute - first Schrute space. And I think I was the first person to ever do a blog in character from a TV show. I could be wrong. I dont want to take credit for something that I dont deserve. But it was very - it was interesting. I think the blog was the perfect outlet for Dwight because blogs are - is probably the - its the first terrible creation of the 21st Century. You know, as people write about what movies they rented and what happened when they went to the drycleaners. And I think Dwight would - just loves to hold forth with a captive audience. So blogging was a perfect extension of the character.
Daniels: Before the writers strike, the Writers Guild was, you know, doing some kind of outreach to the members and they were saying, you know, one of the things that we should ask for is that all the character blogs need to be written by the writers. And I was like no thank you. You know, please continue to let the actors do their character blogs. But I dont - I think it is a very rare thing to have the actors do their own blogs. And, you know, it - you cant do that on every show. And this - one of the things about this show is hiring, you know, very multitalented actors who can improv and can write, and can play seven different comedy clown instruments. And thats how you get somebody who can, you know, who you - who -- me as a show runner -- would be very comfortable off on his own blogging in character without me really looking at it.
Q: Hey there. This is for Rainn. Rainn, Im curious about the fact that all of the characters in The Office are ridiculous in their own way and yet the setting is very, very real. And the audience has to accept, somehow, that all of these characters could be employed because otherwise the comedy just kind of falls apart without that base. Im wondering is that a fine line for you to walk because if you make Dwight too ridiculous, then the comedy kind of falls apart? We have to believe that he is employable, too.
Wilson: Yeah, I was - just the other day I was shooting a scene with Steve and I just had - Greg, you saw part of that scene. You were watching it for a different reason. But all I had to do was like run into Steves office and then I ran into Steves office - into Michael Scotts office as Dwight. And I turned to Steve and I was like wow, I just ran into your office like I was a cartoon character. And I was like why am I doing that? This is a documentary about a guy who works in an office, you know, theres a lot of people working in an office.
Daniels: I was in the other room listening with all the writers and I dont know exactly at which run, but Jen Salata said, "Oh my god, just - Rainn just did the funniest run." And she was saying that was her favorite part of the whole scene.
Wilson: Run and thats probably the one youll use. But its - yeah, you always have to - I always have to - we always do that. We kind of check in with each other and well go oh right, were not doing a comedy. Like we cant - lets tone down the broadness here and make it more real. And of course, the editors always use the broadest takes that we ever do.
Daniels: Well the thing is - I also think when you look at the show, you know, when you look at a real office, once you get to know the people who are in the office, you realize how, you know, bizarre they can be. You know, people can be very bizarre. And, you know, and I think that it certainly has been my experience - like I hear, you know - I dont know, I probably shouldnt say this. But I remember finding out just about these women that used to work with my mom who were also bikers. And you just - youre like - you couldnt write some of the stuff that they were doing because it would just seem too implausible.
Wilson: There was a businessman who came in to watch The Office being filmed and I think he had won it at some auction. It was a friend of a friend of Steves or something like that. And this guy was like, he - its like Michael Scott came in to watch Michael Scott being filmed. And he was like - he was giving Steve notes. He was giving Steve acting notes. He was giving Steve Carell acting notes. This was guy was like an investment banker who works in an office. And hes like hey, really great to meet you. I heard you had some stuff - hey, I really liked the take when you did blah, blah. That was funnier than the other take. And it was like right - thats a normal guy who works in an office.
Daniels: Yeah and when John Krasinski - the very, very beginning of the show to do a little method acting research, he took some friends to Scranton and they filmed the footage that was in - is in our opening sequence and they also filmed a lot of interviews. He went to paper companies. And one of the salesmen at one of the paper companies just started doing some of his voices, his impressions for John. And he had
Wilson: And we have it on videotape.
Daniels: Yeah, and he had like the most politically incorrect impressions. He was just doing, you know, for this videotape. And when we saw that, we were like oh, okay, so this is very, very real, you know.
Q: Greg, you made a couple of interesting tweaks for this season - one, putting Jim and Pam back together. Did you know that that was what you were going to do all along when you broke them up? And the other one is - is bringing in Ryan as - its not a villain, at least a new irritant. Were those also looking to the long haul?
Daniels: Well I dont really see much more than about a half a season ahead. Thats how far the headlights go on this bus. And so when, you know - Jim and Pam never were together before. This is the first time that theyve gotten together. They were almost together. And, you know, I dont - certainly we didnt have it planned in Season One, what was going to happen to them. And, you know, I know whats going to happen to them for the next, you know, maybe ten episodes. But thats about as far as I can see.
Q: And what about Ryan?
Daniels: Yeah. Well, you know, thats - I thought of that, you know, some time in Season Three. He seems like a funny statement about corporate America - just how the guy with a business school degree manages to rise.
Q: I guess this question is for Greg unless Rainn, you know some inside scoop. My readers love Karen. Will she be making any upcoming appearances in the next six episodes or beyond that?
Wilson: Well I think that shes - yes, shes coming back as Dwights love interest for the finale, right? Yeah.
Q: I love it.
Wilson: Please write that in. Thank you.
Daniels: I think shes fantastic, too. And well see what happens. We had a nice deal with the people that did the show that shes currently on to use her in the beginning of this season. And I think we have one more ability to use her as part of this arrangement that they made.
Q: I know you touched on this briefly, but because the season was short, and how did that - how did you guys shorten the storylines to fit into the six remaining episodes? And were some of the stuff - maybe, do you ever carry it on to next season?
Daniels: Well, you know, like we did - in the very first season, we did six episodes but they ordered seven scripts. So I had written an episode called Pet Day that never aired. And what generally happens is whatever was good from Pet Day got chopped up and used in other episodes just because the ideas were there. And theres - we have a really fun Christmas episode that we wrote that, you know, is fun right now. But by the time, you know, a year from now if you look back on it, youll realize that pieces of it are going to be used, Im sure. And thats okay. The process is like very creative and kind of churns, and bubbles and everything until it actually hits the air. And then thats what happened to this group of people.
But theres, you know, a lot of other footage that the documentary shot that they just threw out for one reason or another.
Q: Okay. So just the major storylines - will they be affected because of the shortened season?
Daniels: No, I dont think so. Certainly not affected in any kind of negative way. I mean, theres - theyll go in a different direction, but
Q: So The Office and now 30 Rock have these really - you know, from what I can tell, very rabid fan bases yet I cant really find anybody -- with the exception of How I Met Your Mother -- who watches the NBC - or Im sorry, the CBS comedies on Monday. And so I was wondering, you know, obviously you need ratings to keep the whole thing going. But whats sort of more important to you - the loyalty and the buzz or the actual numbers? Or do you just need to find a balance there?
Daniels: Well, you know, let me - Im looking now - Im going to look in my email because somebody sent me an email recently about a new form of ratings called like the content power ratings or something that the
Wilson: Yeah, it includes like digital downloads and lots of different aspects of shows.
Q: Yeah, which you guys get huge, right?
Wilson: Besides the Nielsen number of eyeballs.
Daniels: Yeah. We were number six in - of all TV shows in this form of looking at TV shows.
Wilson: I know like were - in the Nielsens were like number 30 or 35, or something. Were pretty far down the list and - but, you know, were in the top - I think were the number one or number two most TiVod show. And then were in the top ten for like advertising rates or something like that, I heard, to buy an ad - in case you were wanting buy an ad for Comcast. So
Daniels: Or, you know, just a friends birthday - you want to do a shout out or something.
Wilson: So its a different TV landscape. I think that with the Internet and iTunes and digital video recording, and stuff like that - like it just - a shows impact isnt just the number of people watching it on the night.
Daniels: Do you want me to just give you this thing? Its called - it was a thing called Beyond Nielsen - a New Rating for TV shows - MediaWorks Viewpoint: Optimedia Ranks Programs Based on Audience Involvement. And theres a guy named Antony Young and he is the President of Optimedia. And this is just an article that somebody forwarded to me. But it said that theres a new rating system that theyre using called the Content Power Rating and saying that the shows true market values in terms of audience size, but buzz and appeal, and PR, and involvement, and blogging and stuff. And we were the first comedy on that in the number six thing.
Q: Cool. Yeah I mean, I guess that speaks to the point, right? I mean, that people seem to be more passionate, more involved with your show and it sounds to me like the answer is that that probably means more to you than, you know, than the raw numbers.
Daniels: Well certainly if the advertisers start going for this Optimedia rating system, were going to be, you know, in like Flynn. But even if they still use the same rating system, I think that the - you know, I think that there is just - its like - its kind of like college campuses, sort of. You know, its like they dont necessarily count all those people, but, you know, you can find out just anecdotally what theyre watching and they seem to be watching our show a lot. And
Q: And then just very, very quickly. I know theres a lot of questions. I just wanted to see - Steve has a, like notoriously busy schedule. How did the strike affect, you know, his availability or did you have to work around anything huge, or anything like that?
Daniels: Well, you know, I think he was committed to this show for the time that we were supposed to be shooting the show and the strike came out of that time. You know, so we would have had another, you know, maybe eight episodes - or seven or eight episodes if there hadnt been a strike. But he didnt - I dont think he had to cancel any movies or anything.
Q: My question actually kind of sums up everything. What would you say to viewers who
Wilson: What is the meaning of life?
Q: Right. What would you say to people who havent watched the show or who arent sure theyre going to get back in - what would you say to entice them to start watching on April 10?
Daniels: Well I think that you dont have to have seen the beginning because its really about life in an office, and the characters are pretty much based on, you know, real kinds of people. And, you know, and if they tried it in the very beginning and found it too cold or something, you know, that problem has been addressed. You know, and I think that, you know - I dont know. What do you think, Rainn?
Wilson: I would say just buy the - the Season One DVD is really cheap because it was only six episodes. I would say go ahead and buy that.
Daniels: Also, its a character comedy and usually to really appreciate a character comedy, you have to know who the characters are. So you really - most people have to watch it one or two - you know, a couple of times before they go oh, that guy is not, you know, supposed to be the normal guy. That guy is saying these weird things because hes the weird guy, or, you know, whatever it is. You know, you have to kind of figure out where the...
Wilson: Dwight may look totally normal, but he really is an oddball.
Q: Ive got a question about The Rocker.
Daniels: Yeah. Ill answer that one, Rainn.
Wilson: Go ahead, Greg.
Q: I was just wondering what research you did to prepare for your role and how much hair metal was actually in your collection before you took on the role?
Wilson: Well I - you know, I had a lot of hair metal, you know, growing up in the Eighties. It was kind of inescapable, although I was more of a - kind of punk and new wave fan than a hair metal. But I went to high school at a hair metal high school in Shorecrest - suburban Seattle, and I heard a lot of Rat and Cinderella, and Whitesnake. And, you know, my research was - we had a drum coach who had been in a hair metal band. And this guy - fantastic guy. Stuart Johnson is his name. And when we played the drums, he really had me play in a metal way. He didnt just teach me the - kind of the, you know, time structures. It was about how a metal drummer sits behind the kit on the throne and how they interact with the crowd, and get the crowd going. And kind of how they used the double bass drum - and, you know, a lot of specifics of - that speak to, you know, a metal drummer. And then I got to go - I went and saw Rush. Theyre not really a hair metal band, but I got to see them on their warm-up for their tour and got to meet Neil Peart and - who is probably the greatest drummer of all time. And he let me sit behind his kit and play it. So I was initiated in the world of drumming.
Q: Okay. In regards to a couple of your other roles, how do you go from a very quiet mortician to an Eighties metal drummer in The Rocker with Christina Applegate as your love interest?
Wilson: Yeah. You know, its the power of acting. All Ill say is that, you know, I went to theater acting school where one day youre playing Hamlet and then the next day youre doing a very serious contemporary drama - and then youre, you know, doing improv. And, you know, I just come from a - you know, I come from a - well just a school of thought that, you know, part of what acting is, is transformation. And you always use yourself - draw on yourself. But, you know, you have the ability to transform into characters and thats what acting has always been about. And, you know, Id like - I like playing extreme characters but I like to think that I could also play a more normal guy if I had to. And, you know, thats how you explain going from a - I mean, if you look at my - just my TV and film stuff that Ive done, its been a lot of, you know, just psychos and superheroes and, you know, uptight guys. Andcrazy guys. And, you know, the whole
Q: I did love Arthur, though.
Wilson: Yes.
Q: Arthur was great. And not creepy, either, as some people would say.
Wilson: Oh, thanks for saying so.
Q: Hey guys, thanks so much. Im doing this call from a cell and it cut out a couple times, so I hope - I dont know if you addressed this already. But the rumor of the Dwight spin-off, did you say whether there was any truth to that?
Daniels: Oh god, you missed the funniest stuff. You got to get the transcript.
Wilson: Yeah, you got to - someone addressed that, but the rumor of the Dwight spin-off was like some - I was at the Tonys, I think, because I was presenting. And some guy from New York - I think it was like the New York Post. Hes like hey, Rainn, Ben Silverman is in charge at NBC now so whats next for Dwight. And I - as I walked by I was like I dont know, I smell a Dwight spin-off. And he goes, can I quote you on that? Can I quote you on that? And I just walked away and then it was like all over TV as this - its preposterous.
Daniels: I like that 1940s journalist that just
Wilson: He had a little fedora with a little pin that said press. That stuck in the - stuck in his hat.
Daniels: It was Ouija.
Wilson: It was Ouija.
Q: I love it. It was so reported as if it was totally happening, so thats great. And also, Ive been looking forward to this dinner party. Its been about four months now when I think I first heard about it. Can you - clues to anything, Greg or Rainn, thats coming up in the episode, that one or going forward - just any clues? Anything?
Daniels: Well I mean, thats a very - kind of a charged situation where Michael has been asking Pam and Jim to come have dinner with him and Jan over and over, and over again. And he finally manages this - through this kind of scam, to destroy all their excuses. And it just happens to be after the previous episode which is when he went to New York to try and help Jan with her deposition and he kind of blew her sort of wrongful termination lawsuit. So theres a lot of tension between them in that episode. And, you know, then, you know, coming up we have some episodes that, you know, follow off on that. Some of them involve the character of Ryan whose website initiative started the season off and is kind of crumbling underneath him and has gotten - for some reason has become like infested with sexual predators. And - which is just one of the problems his website has. And we have episodes coming up where Dwight and Michael are going to have joined Ryan in some of his club-hopping New York partying and, you know, try to - I think get involved in his life a little bit more. But theres some cool, weird things happening that I cant talk about and, you know, youll just have to see it to truly enjoy all the twists and turns.
Q: Very cool. Is there any hope for Dwight and Angela? Could there be a reconciliation?
Daniels: Where theres life, theres hope.
Wilson: Good answer.
Q: A question for Rainn about the bobblehead. A Star Trek actor once told me that the best part of having his own action figure is that he could play with himself in public. And what do you
Wilson: Can I use that line?
Q: Thats a great line. What do you think of having your own bobblehead? Is it great, is it surreal, what?
Wilson: I walked by the NBC store in New York and theres a wall of Dwight bobbleheads in the windows. Its the number one selling thing in the history of NBC Universal merchandising.
And its pretty crazy. I feel like Mr. Potato Head, you know. I think in the future the - I will be known not for the character of Dwight, but just for the bobblehead. And I think, you know, after, you know, in the far future humanity -- like ten thousand years from now -- will like uncover Dwight bobbleheads and think that I was a great leader of men.
Daniels: Yeah, weve actually made them out of a special titanium alloy. Its more expensive, but we want them to last so that aliens
Wilson: Going to last for any kind of apocalypse or anything like that.
Q: The Life After People special - like bobbleheads will be right up there with the Great Wall of China and
Daniels: Yeah, exactly - Hoover Damn.
Wilson: Well someone could put him in a time capsule, that would be awesome. How do I find someone who is going to do a time capsule? That would be a good episode, Greg.
Daniels: Well work on that.
Wilson: Dwight does a time capsule.
Daniels: Yeah, we should try and get one of those bobbleheads on the next, you know, mariner space program.
Wilson: Yeah, lets talk to NASA.
Q: Hey Greg, is there another British project or series that you might have your eye on thats right for adaptation for American audiences?
Wilson: East Enders, right Greg?
Daniels: Yeah, Footballers Wives. You know, I think its probably not for me to do just in terms of my growth as a person. But when Extras came out, I thought that was such a brilliant concept for a show. And, you know, it was very, you know, big here on HBO and everything. So I dont think they - anyone needs to do an adaptation of it. But what a good follow-up, I though. But I dont know, you know. I mean, I havent heard any great shows from England that are - Ive heard some great - Ive heard about some great sketch comedy shows, but I havent - I dont know what the next big English half hour is.
Q: And Rainn, your director Peter for The Rocker is British. Did you ever have any conversations with him about particular shows that would be really cool to adapt or work on?
Wilson: No, I didnt really talk to him about English comedies. Ive heard some - god, Im forgetting the name of one, recently someone told me that I had to watch, thats really great.
Greg Daniels: Was it sketch or was it a half hour?
Wilson: I think it was a half hour on BBC America, but Im forgetting the name of it. But Im sure theyre all gobbled up. People, you know, with the success of The Office theres like anything on the England, you know, airwaves - international air scoured now.I mean, Reveille just bought a show from Peru for gods sake. You know, they just were like hey, heres a great idea out of Peruvian television.
Daniels: Have you seen the Japanese show where its the human Tetris?
Wilson: No, Ive heard about that.
Daniels: Its really funny. You got to go on You Tube and look up human Tetris.
Wilson: Oh, we got to do an American adaptation because
Daniels: Yes, that would be a real fun one to do and I think they did sell the rights already.
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