Got a ‘Goodbye, Toby’ question for Jen?

I am so psyched that our final Q&A of the season is with The Office’s co-executive producer and writer, Jen Celotta!

Do you have a question for Jen about last night’s episode, ‘Goodbye, Toby’? Jen co-wrote the episode with Paul Lieberstein.

Submit your question here.

This post will close at 6pm Pacific Time tonight, so get your questions in today!

Remember, non-spoilerish questions about ‘Goodbye, Toby’ only. Thanks!

P.S. Check if your question was answered last night in Paul Lieberstein’s live blog!

144 comments

  1. Did Andy have the proposal planned?? Or was it just a coincidence that his parents were at Toby’s going away party? (Thought that was hilarious by the way haha)

  2. Why did Angela say ‘okay’ to Andy? She never really seemed that engaged in the relationship, and even Andy seemed on the ropes in ‘Night Out’.

    What program will Pam be going into at Pratt?

  3. First let me say, I loved this episode! My question is this: Do ya’ll “argue” over who gets to write for Creed? Holy crap! His lines kill me every single time! Kudos to whoever came up with his lines this episode. Awesome!

  4. Jen, Great episode! I actually have two questions:
    1) Was Mike Schur pulling double-duty in the episode as Mose and the security guard escorting Ryan out? It sure looked a lot like him!
    2) The Dwangela moment at the end was obviously the infidelity hinted at in the spoilers but was that the first time it happened or just the first time they got caught?

  5. Excellent episode overall–I really loved it–but why did you have to break my heart? I am still feeling blue. To get so very close to a JAM proposal and then take it away was just mean.

  6. Hi Jen,
    Thanks for the solid episode. My question…did Jim turn Ryan in to the authorities as an act of revenge? If not, how did Ryan get caught?

  7. The Michael/Holly dynamic is terrific. They’re actually cute together. It’s like the show has been reincarnated with Michael and Holly as the new Jim and Pam (does that make Kevin Roy? Yikes). Is there any comment you can make on them?

    (Toby’s exit interview scene was pure genius. Michael’s hatred versus his infatuation. Just brilliant. I just loved every second of it. )

  8. The YouTube video with Ryan – was that actually hosted on YouTube prior to the airdate of the episode, or was it just a computer mockup?

  9. Was it really hot the day you filmed the outdoor party scenes? Everyone looked really sweaty.

    Michael’s singing and dancing was hilarious. How many takes did Steve do, and was everyone else cracking up?

  10. feel free to answer some, none, or all of these:

    We only saw two dwight pranks (“special” kevin and the raccoon). were more filmed?

    Wasn’t jim and pam’s first kiss at chili’s ??

    Are b.j. and paul both leaving the writing staff?

  11. How many takes of Jim’s “I’m going to propose tonight” did ya’ll do? He seems so genuinely excited and shocked that it’s going to happen — at least he THINKS SO!! :)

  12. Hey Jen! Loved it. As far as the proposal goes, were there any other incidents you guys were considering to prevent Jim from proposing? I silently was hoping for Roy to show up. Thanks and enjoy your summer!

  13. Last night was amazing!
    Were there alternative questions in the Toby exit interview that you can share? We have such great lines from Michael/Toby interactions, I will miss them. “I hate so much about the things you choose to be.” Who will fill the void for Michael’s hatred?

  14. Jim told Michael that his first kiss with Pam was at the office. Didn’t Jim and Pam first kiss a Chili’s or is there another kiss we don’t know about?

  15. So, what was your reasoning on holding off on Jim’s proposal? Do you think Jim/Pam need to experience some things before they get engaged?

  16. First, I want to say — the “Kevin is slow” sideplot was one of the funniest you have ever done. And I love that DWIGHT came up with that — a halfway decent prank! Love it!

    Beyond this, can someone please explain the “Jan goes to a sperm bank” timeline or even how it’s possible? Wasn’t she drinking heavily at that time? And isn’t she completely flat broke?

  17. My question is about the YouTube video as well. How did Jim know about it to look it up and show everyone? He saw the video AFTER he left the vm for Ryan – I dunno. If you can expand on the “in between” time, I would appreciate it.

    btw – glad you held off on the Jam proposal – I’m not ready for that yet :)

  18. Is this the way you always envisioned season 4 ending or did it change because of the writer’s strike?

  19. Holly’s character is so interesting. I hope we see more of her next season.

    Can you talk about how you developed her character as someone who really “gets” Michael… and yet is so normal?

  20. Thanks to some high-res screencaps, we’ve been able to find the original URL of the Youtube video of Ryan’s termination, as well as the account that posted it.

    Neither of these exist anymore. What gives? We deserve to see Ryan go down, too!

  21. Hi Jen!

    GREAT episode…. one of the best ever.

    Do you enjoy writing for a finale more than a regular episode? Is there more pressure to write a finale episode? Basically how do they differ in the writers room.

    Thanks for such an awesome episode…. mostly for making sure Ryan got in trouble :) I can’t wait for next season!

  22. If Jan wanted to have a “good shot” with her sperm-bank child and that’s why she didn’t “pick” michael’s sperm, why did she invite him to Lamaze class with her?

  23. A couple of questions:

    1. Angela is a very Christian woman, in this sense do you think what her and Dwight did was not in line with her character? Was this considered before it was written?

    2. Holly shares a striking resemblance look-wise to Jan, was this done on purpose?

  24. I remember hearing something about a green screen being used? Was that rumor true, and if so, what scene(s) was it used for?

  25. Did you always have the JAM storyline playing out as it did, or did you have them not get engaged because of the strike.

    I knew they probably wouldn’t get engaged, but it made me sad that Pam was so sad. Sad.

  26. I was really hoping we would find out why Michael hates Toby so much in this episode, but no luck. Can you tell us what happened with these two that makes Michael treat him that way?

  27. I was confused by Pam’s last talking head. Did she really expect Jim to propose following Andy’s spectacle?

  28. Please tell us anything (how was this developed, behind the scenes tidbits, keeping Holly endearing as opposed to offensive, etc.) about the Kevin/Holly storyline. This may very well be my favorite bit of the entire series. I kind of looked psychotic walking to work this morning, laughing to myself, recalling their interaction.

    Was there any particular reason Pratt was the chosen school as opposed to School of Visual Arts in NYC or Univeristy of the Arts in Philly?

    Amazing season finale, thank you!

  29. Hi Jen! Pam’s line: “And that is the first time I’ve ever used the word perfect in here!” was really funny! What I was wondering is if that’s really true, and if so, did you guys read through old scripts to check if she’d never said that before? (That must have been a lot of reading, haha!)

  30. Are we to assume that Angela has been cheating on Andy with Dwight for a while or was their tryst an engagement driven act?

  31. Did you know in developing the Holly character that she would be more like Michael than not?

  32. Was Jim trying to recreate their first “date” (from the Client) for the proposal by having the fireworks?

  33. Do you have an explanation of how Toby can leave his daughter and flit off to Costa Rica? I’ll miss Toby anyway, but that fact really rankles.

    Also, I thought the prank on Kevin and Holly was sheer brilliance, especially as Kevin was just being himself. It put all of his actions under this skewed microscope, and every second was absolutely hilarious. So I have to ask, were those scenes difficult to film without laughing?

  34. Why would Toby be moving to Costa Rica if he has kids?

    Also, wasn’t Jim and Pam’s first kiss at Chili’s?

  35. Hi Jen! Thanks for doing this (you too, tanster)!

    Is Pam going to have to quit DM in order to attend art school? Or is DM sending her to art school as some sort of internship (as Jan once alluded to)?

  36. I only have one question.

    Why is Angela such a hussy? Just kidding. Actually, that last bit was really funny. Had you been planning the Dwight/Angela scene all season?

  37. The idea of Pam leaving for the summer totally surprised me. How did you come up with that twist?

  38. Are you worried that some actions by characters are a bit unredeemable? Jan going to the sperm bank and Angela cheating on Andy kind of bothered me. Angela, especially, seemed out of character.

  39. When did you know that Jan was going to be pregnant? At the beginning of the season, or later on?

  40. Terrific episode last night! The Office really does have the best season finales.

    Was it difficult for the writers to figure out how they wanted the Jim and Pam storyline to play out? Did you all know from the beginning that the only proposal we would see would be a faux one?

  41. Hi Jen,
    I thought when Dwight said “It’s my fault” that was one of the best lines/scenes in Office history was written in this episode. It was subtle yet extremely effective. A great shot, a great line, great acting, overall a perfect scene. We never get to see Dwight that honest and that vulnerable, a real person with real emotion. Was it your idea to show this side of him?

  42. Yeah I have a lot of questions. First of all: how dare you?

    How dare you not give us a Jim & Pam proposal?

    Was it hard to make the decision to give the fans the hope but not the payoff in the end? How did the actors feel about putting off the engagement?

  43. Hi Jen! :)
    Last night was amazing! Thanks for such a great episode, Steve was so good in this one! Great Kevin moments too!
    I felt so sad for Pam in her last talking head and when she took pictures with Toby…:(

    Question: Angela obviously doesn’t love Andy so why did she say yes(or at least OK ;))when he proposed?

    This was the biggest surprise of the whole show for me…

    TIA!

  44. You guys made some really interesting character choices with Angela in this episode… What was the motivation behind her saying yes to Andy? Did you guys have a lot of discussion about the idea of her violating her own moral standards and acting like a “hussy”?

  45. Hi Jen, thanks for your time. I was wondering if Michael’s line about Holly working at a bakery was a reference to the trailer that has been shown for the new Get Smart movie?

  46. Wow, one of my top favorite eps, ever Jen. Congratulations! And thanks Tanster for hosting this Q&A.

    The song playing when Jim is about to propose and is upstaged by Andy was (as you know) “Just my imagination”. Is this choice indicative of Jim or of Andy?

    And just a little whine…please don’t let us miss the proposal :-(

    Thanks.

  47. Hey Jen why wasn’t this the right time for the Pam and Jim engagement since it seems you guys were building it up since the return from the srtrike?

  48. Was it your intention to plant “fake” foreshadowing as to how the episode was going to end? There were moments I thought Pam was going to propose to Jim, Toby to Pam, that Pam was pregnant… All the “fake” foreshadowing had me going crazy!

  49. For a moment you had me utterly terrified that Toby was going to try and kiss Pam!My question to you however is how much the strike interefered with the arc you were trying to do with Jim’s character. Was the crux of his arc originally what you had planned it to be for the finale and was a proposal even a part of it?

    p.s. Amy Ryan was amazing! Please pay whatever she may demand to keep her on the show!

  50. Oscar’s comment about Ryan’s beard stole the show! Which came first: the line and then who to give it to, or wanting something really funny for Oscar to say?

  51. Thanks so much for a wonderful episode and for making yourself available to the fans. I am so intrigued by the unseen camera crew. Again in this episode, you have both Pam and Jim discussing pretty private stuff (engagement and lack thereof) with the camera crew. Do you writers ever talk about what kind of relationship people like Jim and Pam have with the camera crew? Do they go out for beers? Some sort of connection must have developed over the years to make Jim and Pam so open to them.

  52. I have a question: How dare you.
    No really, did you shoot any alternate endings?
    Great episode. It looks to me like you have set it up for Season 5 to be one of the best yet.

  53. I am just wondering what happened behind the scenes from Jim’s first call to Ryan and the second call (where he had Pam dial) after the youtube scene. Here are my questions:
    Did Jim make a call to David Wallace to alert him of the sales fraud?
    How did Oscar know what was going on?
    Did Jim have Oscar investigate the sales fraud behind the scenes?

  54. I LOVED this episode! Excellent job, though the JAM part was a bit excruciating. Way to throw us off.

    I was sort of expecting Toby to part with the Dunder Mifflin employees with some semblance of retaliation towards Michael or a semi-confession to Pam (Though he obviously wouldn’t do anything drastic…because it’s Toby). Was there ever a point that you planned on having Toby have a more dramatic exit from the show?

  55. When Jim referenced the first JAM kiss, was he thinking of the one at his desk during the season 2 finale?

  56. Hi Jen, I have two questions.

    1. Why was there the need for the high-security surrounding the finale? After watching the episode, I’m trying to think of what, exactly, everyone wanted to keep underwraps…

    2. When writing and filming this episode, specifically the absence of the Jim/Pam proposal, you had to anticipate some pretty negative fan reaction. What would you say to those who are extremely miffed by the bait-and-switch technique in regards to the JAM engagment?

  57. Knowing how the Schrutes love wildlife, how did you guys come up with the idea to use a raccoon for the car prank?

  58. Hi Jen,

    I just have some questions I was going to ask.

    -Who do you think you are?

    -What gives you the right?

  59. Great Episode, best of the season IMO!

    Was it always intended that Ryan get busted for fraud? He was pushing the sales team to enter every sale in the website from almost the beginning of the season, so it seems like it could have been the plan from the start.

  60. We kept hearing that someone would be leaving Dunder Mifflin for good in the finale, and Jenna Fischer said it would be a shocker. Should we assume that person was Ryan? I was thinking Toby in an episode with that title wouldn’t be that shocking!

  61. Loved the episode! I liked the big plot lines, but I especially enjoyed Creed and the Kevin/Holly bits. Who writes Michael’s song parodies? Also, how did you get that ferris wheel into the parking lot?

  62. Were there any acting choices made when shooting that took a scene/line in an unexpected direction and surprised you or Paul, pleasantly or otherwise?

  63. This episode feature quite a few characters we rarely get to see, like Hank, Mose, and even the Vance Refrigeration movers. Did you purposely design this episode to include so many cast members or did the thought of adding them come after?

  64. What was the writers’ thought process for Jim/Pam this season? Why did you decide to end their season 4 story on such a sad note?

  65. How could Angela have snuck away from Andy on the night they got engaged?

  66. What was up with Pam’s “I thought Toby was kind of cute” line and overall behavior towards him, especially after him inappropriately getting too close for comfort a few episodes ago?

    Also echoing #30’s question. She just came off as kind of dim in this episode to me.

  67. Why would Michael actually give his watch to Toby? Isn’t that the same “seyko” watch from his infamous wall certificate?

    Great episode :)

  68. Would there have been a different ending for Jam if the strike never happened?

  69. Did you guys have to create a YouTube account to show that Ryan video?

  70. 1-Why did you guys decide to have Ryan arrested for fraud rather than his obvious drug problem?
    2-Was it hard for Angela and Rainn to film the last scene with her baby bump getting in the way?

  71. What plots or ideas were dropped because of the reduced number of episodes resulting from the strike?

    Were there any problems with standards over the Kevin/Holly threadline?

    Great episode!

  72. What a great episode! I think it’s so awesome that the “Background characters” are getting more time in the spotlight :)

    My question: how long have Dwight and Angela been back together? Or, did the engagement finally make Angela realize that she really does love Dwight, and this was the first time they had messed around since they broke up?

  73. Classic Office ep!

    Just wondering why you all decided it was Meredith that would open the car, why not our favorite criminal Creed ?

  74. Hey, I was just wondering about how long did you plan out the “Jen is pregnant” story line?

  75. Hi, Jen!

    One one thing has been bothering me regarding the finale – if Andy had been carrying that ring around for six years before getting caught up in the moment with the fireworks and all that, what in the hell were his parents doing there all the way from Connecticut??? Did we miss something a la Meredith and the deleted scenes?

    My husband, who had not seen the Tonight Show clip with Dwight and Meredith’s sandwich, was completely confused over why she’d be part of the whole raccoon-in-the-car prank. You’d think Meredith would be a little more careful around raccoons! :)

    Thanks!

  76. Jen, that was an awesome finale! Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions!

    My question: What is Pam’s reaction to Toby’s inappropriate touching of her knee in “Night Out”? When it first happened, she looked pretty shocked and confused. Yet in “Goodbye, Toby,” she seems oblivious to that incident as she describes how she enjoyed Toby’s presence in the office and how she found him cute. Did she just try to block out that awkward moment?

    Thanks!

  77. O.K I have two questions
    1. Was it a deliberate move to put the Jim and Pam storyline on the back burner and highlight some new questions to be answered with the other characters? The season two and three finales ended on pretty big Jim and Pam cliffhangers, and this one leaves us thinking more about all of the characters, not just them.
    2. Are the writers sad to see Toby go? His sad-sack deadpan lines were always so funny, how are you going to fill the void of Toby’s particular outlook on Office life?

  78. I just wanted to know who wrote the brilliant line “Mr. Andrew Bernard. It’s got a nice ring to it.”? Thanks!

  79. Sorry, one other question…

    Was that your voice over the phone talking to Phyllis about the ‘Anti-gravity machines’?

  80. Do you think if we got to see the beginning of the Dwangela sex scene it would have gone something like the beginning of the kiss scene from Casino Night, except with Angela on the phone and Dwight walking in?

  81. Loved the episode, it had me cracking up and on the edge of my seat the whole time! Quite a feat! I was wondering what your favorite line or joke was in this episode? Also, how much did the other writers contribute to this episode? Thanks so much and congratulations on a fantastic finale and season!

  82. Did Paul request to be written off and if so, as co-writer of the episode, did you ever feel like ignoring Paul’s request and writing the story so Toby didn’t move to Costa Rica…so we could get more Toby?

  83. Absolutely wonderful episode – I think one of my favorites.
    Do you think Jim’s advice to Michael about taking it slow might have been wrong? I mean, it sounded good, but look how long it took Jim and Pam to get together. And now Michael seems to be ending up with Jan again, who is just using him (she didn’t even want to have his baby). It seems like Jim’s advice made Michael too careful.

    Oh.. and I loved the yoda conversation and when they both said “Acting!!!….Lovitz”

  84. Whos genius idea was the Kevin storyline? That was SO hilarious! Were there any other Kevin-Holly scenarios that didn’t make the cut that were discussed or filmed?

    Thanks Jen & Tanster!!

  85. What were some of the alternative ideas for the finale? Did you ever have the slightest inclination to bring back Roy or Karen or even Madge (whatever may have happened to her)?

    Loved the episode!!!

  86. Awesome episode! I absolutely cannot wait until next season! Just a couple of questions:

    1) There seemed to be a number of callbacks to earlier episodes, some overt, but several really subtle ones. Were those planned, or did they just happen naturally?

    2) Holly seems very comfortable with the fact that there’s a camera crew that’s been documenting this particular office for like four years now, and now she gets to be filmed too. Are we to assume she was filled in, or is it just in her nature to roll with surprises like that?

  87. Do you get pressure/advice from NBC execs as to how they want certain story lines to go? Is that why we were left with no engagement for Jim and Pam?

  88. What happened to Michael’s out-dated ring tones? It’s sad to see such a great running gag die a silent death. Mambo #5…My humps…default ring? Sigh.

  89. Just one question about Pam…was the interaction between her and Toby supposed to be a hint of somthing we don’t know yet or was it just that Toby has liked Pam forever? Great episode, thanks Jen and Tanster!

  90. Hi Jen! Thank you so much for doing this! Did Pam know that Jim didn’t propose because of Andy and was just disappointed? Thank you so much to you and Tanster for your time!

  91. Hi Jen! Fantastic episode! I loved it!!!

    Why were Andy’s parents at the party? That seemed a little random to me, unless Andy was planning to propose. They looked just like I’d imagine them to look though; love the argyle sweater on his dad.

    I can’t believe we have to wait a whole summer for conclusions to those monstrous cliffhangers!! You sure know how to keep viewers on their toes! :)

  92. Was it hard for the cast to get through the scene when Toby yelled for a camera?
    Thanks! Great Episode!

  93. i love the interaction between michael and toby. i’m so sad that he is not going to be on the show anymore although i know he is going to continue writing. was it hard to make the decision to have toby move to costa rica? do you think viewers will miss the interaction between toby and michael?

  94. Was Ryan’s downfall and arrest always part of the plan or was that thought up at the last minute?

    Also I completely loved the finale.

  95. Was Michael’s shoe money a nod to Steve’s upcoming role as Maxwell Smart?

  96. I liked seeing how disappointed Pam was that the proposal didn’t happen. Did part of this disappointment come from her thinking that Andy had set up the fireworks and everything, leaving her to think maybe proposing never even crossed Jim’s mind?

  97. I was absolutely deflated when Andy stood up to propose. Was that how you wanted the audience to feel or was it merely to leave us wistfully hanging on for the next season?

  98. Great episode! But how did you manage to film Dwight and Angela’s sex scene without including her ever-so-pregnant belly?

  99. Hi Jen! Loved the episode, by far the best finale yet… couple of questions:

    1. What were some alternative ideas for the episode?
    2. How much of it was improvised?!

    – Thanks so much for answering our questions, and CANNOT wait until season 5.

  100. Wow, this episode completely dominated all of Season 4. How did you choose Meredith to be the one working alongside Dwight in this episode. Hazing the new HR rep with Dwight seems more like a “Kevin” thing to do.

  101. Hi, I LOVED this episode!
    My question: I know that for the season three finale you had written multiple endings. Did you do that for this season’s finale? Perhaps one ending in a Jim/Pam engagement? What were they?

  102. Considering how long it took for the Jim/Pam tension to come to a head – or rather, a relationship – was it hard for the cast to act out yet another cliffhanger?

    Thanks!

  103. Sorry, I have another question: with Dwight and Angela in the end, was that the first time that had happened or is that the first time they were actually caught; and if so, why did Angela say ‘okay’? Thanks!

  104. Going along with #96’s post, I also wonder if The Office writers got pressure from NBC executives to do things a certain way and that is why Jim and Pam did not get engaged.

    If that is the case, The Office needs to go to another network.

  105. Why did you choose to let the audience know that Michael was going to go to the lamaze (sp?) class with Jan instead of leaving his choice between pregnant Jan and affectionate Holly as a cliffhanger?

  106. Did you guys know from the get-go that you wouldn’t have Jim do the proposal this season? I know the fans had a lot of conflicting opinions. Is there a reason you decided to leave that storyline open?

  107. So who turned Ryan in? Was it Oscar?

    Was it intentional to have Holly look so much like Jan in her pre-Michael days?

  108. What a fantastic episode!

    I was wondering if Toby ever did anything specific to Michael or if Michael just hates him because he’s a killjoy. Also, how did y’all decide what type of person to make Holly? Did you ever consider making her a control-freak or something?

    Thank you, and thanks Tanster!!

  109. Hey, Jen!
    I had a question about Jim’s ring he was going to give Pam. Is that a cast or crew members ring or is it just one of those little plastic rings you buy out of a vending machine for a quarter?:)

  110. Why did you decide to not have Jan’s baby be Michael’s? Was it to maintain Michael’s flexibility in the dating department?

  111. It seems like Paul had much less screen time in past episodes written by him, presumably so he could focus on his “writer duties.” Since we know that writers are actively involved when their episodes are being filmed, was it a challenge for Paul to be in front of the camera so much in this episode?

  112. I have to start by saying how much I love the episodes you write Jen, they’re always great!!!

    Now my q: Was Jim and Pams’ conversation about her getting into the design school in NY and Jim’s “See how easy that is?”-comment a callback to “Boys & Girls” in season 2 where a similar discussion took place between Pam and Roy (and with a Roy’s reaction then being the total opposite of Jim’s reaction now)?

  113. What was that tune that Dwight had as the ringtone on his cell phone? I instantly recognized when I heard it, but I can’t figure out what song it is, and it’s driving me nuts!!!

  114. who wrote that “cold open” with Jim, Pam and Dwight with his cellphone? the first time i saw it on Leno when Steve was on, I nearly pissed myself with laughter!

    could you tell us now that Toby has left and i don’t think it was ever explained. why did Michael hate Toby so much?

    Was that the first time Dwight and Angela…the new office mattress…hooked up since their breakup?

  115. Great episode last night! We were wondering if the inclusion of the fireworks was a nod to season 2’s episode “The Client” when Jim and Pam watched the fireworks from the top of the building. Jim said he was romantic and reminding her of their first “date” would definitely have been memorable.

  116. How long did it take to write the season finale? I know people always ask how long it takes to shoot an episode, but how long does it really take to write an [awesome] episode like that?

    Were you able to go in the direction you wanted with season 4, since the WGA strike took away almost half of the season- did you still manage to fit all the bigger plot twists you planned into the shortened season or are you going to bring some of them into season 5?

  117. I’m re-watching the episode right now, and it looks like Kevin was about to break when he’s at the vending machine and Holly points out he’s holding a penny. Did the cast break a lot during the scenes where Holly thinks Kevin is slow?

  118. In the end with Holly’s talking head she says something along the lines of “It was a good day.” Is this a reference to Jim and Pam’s “It was a good day” remarks from previous seasons?

  119. I noticed that Dwight’s reaction to Andy and Angela’s engagement did not seem too sad. Did their affair begin before this episode (I’m thinking in “Job Fair” when they were along together)?

  120. Dinner Party made it seem that Jan didn’t want to bring a child into the world (snip snap snip snap). But if that was when they broke up and she went to the sperm bank while they were still together, what made her change her mind?

  121. How many alternative endings were filmed? Do you film other alternative versions of main events (like maybe Angela rejects Andy’s proposal on the spot???) and then edit the main story afterwards to maintain secrecy?

  122. Hi Jen,
    Can you explain more about why you decided to have Andy interrupt Jim’s proposal? I understand wanting to leave us with a JAM cliffhanger, but I’m having trouble believing that Andy would just happen to interrupt at the exact second that Jim was going to propose. It seemed like a typical TV contrivance to manufacture drama and, with all due respect, I have come to expect more from The Office.

  123. Were the people playing Andy’s parents just hired actors or were they Ed Helm’s real parents (or anyone else’s parents on the office set)?

  124. So was that supposed to be the first time Angela cheated on Andy with Dwight? BTW…best scene ever!

  125. What was it like blocking/filming the final Dwight/Angela scene with Angela Kinsey being so pregnant?

  126. Jen ~ I LOVED this episode! And I have to say, as someone who’s had alot of experiences with the mentally-challenged population both personally and professionally, I found the Kevin storyline very funny and very tastefully done. I found myself thinking “I wish the world was filled with more people like Holly!” :)

    Question: Who were the other “band” members? Members of the crew? Casted musicians? Friends who jam with Craig?

  127. Why was Allentown, which is over an hour away from Scranton, chosen as the location for Jan’s lamaze class?

    Thanks.

  128. Goodbye, Toby was a stunning close to the season. Thank you for writing such a unique and funny episode. In particular, I love the turn Jim and Pam’s storyline has taken. Thank you for making them realistic, rather than a fairytale.

    I’ve noticed a lot of negative fan reaction to the fact that Jim didn’t propose. Did you anticipate this reaction from fans?

    When did the story arc of Jim’s almost proposal come to fruition? Was it something planned before the writer’s strike?

    Jan’s baby was a shocker to say the least. Where did she get the money to go to a sperm bank? Candles? ;-)

  129. Are the writers consciously throwing in “Animal House” references in recent episodes? I noticed in the finale that Michael said “Toga” in that John Belushi voice. In the episode “Job Fair”, is Michael also paraphrasing ‘Animal House’ when he leans over Jim’s shoulder and says “Kiss her, kiss her good”?

  130. The end of this finale mirrored the end of the Season 2 finale (except Dwight and Angela did a lot more than kiss!) — did you intend this?

  131. “Just My Imagination” was playing in the background of the almost Jim/Pam proposal. Was the song choice intentional?

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