via press release:
NBC TO DELIVER SPECIAL ONE-HOUR BABY EPISODE OF 'The Office' ON MARCH 4 (9-10 P.M. ET)
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - February 8, 2010 - NBC will broadcast the highly anticipated baby episode of "The Office" as a special one-hour show on Thursday, March 4 (9-10 p.m. ET) rather than as two separate half-hour episodes over two weeks as previously announced.
In the special hour-long episode of "The Office" titled "The Delivery Part 1 and 2," Pam's (Jenna Fischer) contractions begin but she and Jim (John Krasinski) are determined to wait it out as long as possible so they can have more time at the hospital. Meanwhile the rest of The Office tries to distract Pam from the pain with food and entertainment.
In the second half hour, Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) anxiously waits for Pam and Jim's baby to be born. Back at The Office, Erin (Ellie Kemper) makes Andy (Ed Helms) jealous when she has lunch with Kevin (Brian Baumgartner).
From Deedle-Dee Productions, Reveille and Universal Media Studios comes the hilarious documentary-style look into the humorous and sometimes poignant foolishness that plagues the world of 9-to-5 in the half-hour comedy "The Office," based on the award-winning BBC hit.
Since its premiere on NBC in March 2005, "The Office" has established itself as a genuine hit, earning prestigious television honors such as the 2006 Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, 2006 Peabody Award, 2006 and 2008 AFI Honor, Producers Guild Award, Writers Guild Award, SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy, Ace Eddie Award for editing and a Television Critic's Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy.
"The Office" is executive-produced by Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels, who developed the series for American audiences, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein and Paul Lieberstein.
Why did I think “baby episode” meant toddlers would be replacing the actors?
Because that would probably net better ratings.
what a great idea—-the office rocks
Jay-
I thought the same thing.
I was under the impression NBC was going to put them on during the regular scheduled time.
It’s too bad TO has to show this kind of crap. Baby episode — jumping the shark….
Unless the baby becomes Dundler Mifflin’s new account manager, I doubt this will alter the DNA of the show much.
The Office’s Jim and Pam story has, from the very beginning, been the most predictable and least compelling aspect of the show. First they fell in love. Then they got married. Then they had a baby.
You are so right copasetic. It’s terrible that a show about the American workplace uses such…authentic portrayals of love in their main characters. Here are some other ways they could have done it–so they could have been hip and defied convention!
Ally McBeal: First they fall in love. He gets married. Her realizes he loves her. Then he dies.
Dawson’s Creek: Set the entire show up based on the premise of the two characters getting together. Then girl gets with guys best friend. And that’s the end.
Lois and Clark: They fall in love. They get married. But it wasn’t real, because she was a cloned frog. Then people stopped watching.
Wonder Years: They meet. They fall in love. They have classic drama hardships. Then in the last episode, the narrator says in a voice-over that in the future he marries someone else.
Damn the Office for being…normal.
Snore… Did I miss the episode with them kissing in a tree?
Pam’s (Jenna Fischer) contractions begin but she and Jim (John Krasinski) are determined to wait it out as long as possible so they can have more time at the hospital.
I think I’m stupid, but why would they would staying at the office as long as possible, even during the contractions, allow them to spend MORE time at the hospital?
If they want more time at the hospital, wouldn’t they go right away?
I know the answer is going to be totally obvious, but I can’t figure this out.
Insurance only covers so much time at the hospital.
“They fall in love. They get married. But it wasn’t real, because she was a cloned frog.” – Lolwut?
Alan: The idea is to maximize post-partum recovery at the hospital.
Pam wants to deliver the baby at 12:10 a.m. so she gets an extra day at the hospital under her insurance plan. The baby may have other ideas.
@James
Authentic? If The Office was authentic, then Pam would be much less beautiful, Jim would be the office’s biggest slacker, Michael would have been fired long ago, and Oscar and Toby would be gettin’ it on.
Superman married a cloned frog?
@DenverDean, having a baby doesn’t automatically mean jumping the shark, just like death doesn’t automatically mean jumping the shark and just like a new character doesn’t automatically mean jumping the shark.
After the birth, the baby will set up a stock trading account and do annoying webcams from a computer in the office while Jim and Pam try to work.
Wow. this will probably get 10 million viewers.
Cool. I love “The Office.”