The Fight (The Office)

Office episode
name = The Fight


Michael and Dwight duel in "The Fight"
ep_num = 12
prod_code = 02007
date = November 1, 2005
writer = Gene Stupnitsky &
Lee Eisenberg
director = Ken Kwapis
season = 2

"The Fight" is the sixth episode of the second season of the television series "The Office" (U.S. version). It was written by Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg and directed by Ken Kwapis. It originally aired on November 1, 2005.

ynopsis

Michael has but one thing to do: sign a few dozen routine documents. To procrastinate, Michael makes Ryan update emergency contact information of the staff. When Michael gets Ryan's mobile phone number, he constantly prank calls Ryan with crude impersonations of Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson, and Saddam Hussein.

Talk of Dwight's karate experience gets Michael's competitive juices flowing, leading to a lunchtime match between the two at Dwight's dojo. Jim goes too far flirting with Pam, and she abruptly shuts him down when their co-workers take notice.

After a pathetic showing by both combatants, Michael emerges victorious over Dwight, which leads to Dwight changing his emergency contact from "Michael Scott" to "The Hospital". At the end of the day, Michael promotes Dwight from Assistant to the Regional Manager to Assistant Regional Manager, most likely to ensure that Dwight will still idolize him despite the hard feelings over their lunchtime battle. The rest of the staff, fed up with Michael's inability to accomplish even the simplest task, are forced to forge his signatures on the documents so they can go home.

Deleted scenes

The Season Two DVD contains a number of deleted scenes from this episode. Notable cut scenes include:
*Brief scenes of Dwight at the dojo and Michael and Dwight preparing to fight.
*Jim asks Dwight whom he could take on in a fight.
*Dwight discusses the result of the fight.
*Michael delivers Pam "part one" of the forms, but it is just the emergency contact information.

Notes

*Rainn Wilson (Dwight) is a certified yellow belt.Novak, B.J. (November 1, 2005). [http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Interviews-Features/Article/default.aspx?posting={AE026F8A-1D75-4F5D-B4E9-55C1E6579C99} "The Office" Presents: Karate Kidding"] , "TVGuide.com"]
*While filming the fight, the friction in Wilson's protective piece of wraparound headgear cut his face.
*Michael' statement that "There would be two punches: me punching you and you hitting the floor" is a misquote from "The Breakfast Club". The original statement made by Emilio Estevez's character, was "Two hits: me hitting you and you hitting the floor."
*When Dwight is searching for his desk, the camera pans to B.J. Novak (Ryan) and on his computer he is on his MySpace page.
*This episode makes the first reference to the Dunder Mifflin Albany, New York branch. Jim mentions to the camera how that branch is working through lunch to avoid downsizing, in comparison to Michael extending it by an hour for the staff to witness his showdown with Dwight. "Valentine's Day" introduces Craig, the manager of the Albany branch.
*Before Jim deletes his email message to [e-mail], the text of the email reads as follows (spelling errors retained)::"PAM- :Hey, if that was weird today, I just wanted toa t".
*Michael quotes the famous "You talking to me?" line. He then states "Raging Bull", Pacino". In reality the line is from "Taxi Driver" and spoken by Robert De Niro.
*Jim alludes to the Jets, a street gang from the musical "West Side Story", even snapping his fingers in the same style.
*Kevin says "sweep the leg", a reference to "The Karate Kid".
* At 21:08, it is possible to view Dwight's business card. His phone number is listed as having the 717 telephone prefix. When this episode aired in 2005, that prefix had changed to 570.
*Improv comedian Lance Krall, who plays Dwight's sensei, is a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and was once ranked sixth in the United States in his weight class.

References

External links

* [http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/episodes/season2/207/ "The Fight"] at NBC.com
* [http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Interviews-Features/Article/default.aspx?posting={AE026F8A-1D75-4F5D-B4E9-55C1E6579C99} BJ Novak's Blog on "The Fight"] on [http://www.tvguide.com/ TVGuide.com]
* [http://www.northernattack.com/archives/the-fight/ "The Fight"] at NorthernAttack.com