Wonderful Finale for a great series. I cried. A lot. A LOT.
The perfect ending. :)
What can you say about the farewell of a show that has meant so much to so many people?It is the kind of event that you can only judge to some extent because at a certain point the "love letter to the fans" that Craig Daniels wrote draws you in emotionally and you end up loving it. I guess I deserve to give this show the best tribute I can. Let me start here, I am a big fan, and all my life I have been bullied and never had very many friends. The last few years have been especially tough for me and I have struggled with very intense things that have led to some very serious actions, to say the least. I have grown up with these characters as part of my life and throughout my life they have served as friends when I had no other ones. The last few years these characters have been there for me and seeing them grow has helped me grow. A show that means so much to me had to finish perfectly or it all would be ruined. I sat down already teary eyed knowing that they would be gone from my life in an hour. The episode delivered great laughs, but it delivered a lot more. The episode delivered very intimate moments that were much needed. Plot lines that begun throughout the show came to a good conclusion and old stars returned with perfect timing. It was a sweet, beautiful, amazing, perfect love letter from the amazing cast to all of it's fans. I must admit that I was in tears seeing how much the characters had grown since we first visited this little town of Scranton Pennsylvania. The story line of the friendship between Dwight and Jim is particularly heart- warming. Every character ended up just where they should have and the final shot was perfection. "Sometimes goodbyes are a *****" but this perfect love letter softened the blow. The show will be missed, but it did end perfectly.
This episode received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards. Greg Daniels was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Ben Patrick, John W. Cook, and Rob Carr were nominated for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation. David Rogers and Claire Scanlon won for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series, marking the fifth win for The Office at the Emmys overall and the series' first win since 2009.Rogers and Scanlon also won an ACE Eddie award for Best Edited Half-Hour Series for Television.
Trivia
+Near the end, Stanley delivers a soliloquy about losing seven pounds and then bows his head and raises his right fist. This scene is a homage to two black American sprinters, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who won gold and bronze medals in the 1968 Olympics. They generated controversy by raising their fists while on the medal stand as the national anthem was being played.
+We find out Pam's weight in this episode. According to the scale calculations, the entire team weighed 2,336 lbs when Pam was on the scale and 2,210 lbs when she got off. So Pam weighs 126 lbs.
+When Jim visits Pam at her Residential Advisor room, Jim misdirects the cameraman away and closes the door. This is the only time where you hear the "documentary" camera crew, namely a sigh.
+Holly's real first name is Hollis.
+When Holly is shown at her desk, right before she finds Kelly making her juice, you can see her name plate revealing her real first name to be Hollis.
+There is a point where Jim is talking about having to spend his lunch with different people while Pam is away, during this time Michael is shown without a goatee, which he has had the entire episode because Ryan has one. Michael is shown afterwards leading a meeting with his goatee still there.
+It is revealed via Holly's whiteboard that the remaining Dunder Mifflin branches in operation are: 1) Scranton, PA; 2) Nashua, NH; 3) Camden, NJ; 4) Utica, NY; 5) Buffalo, NY; 6) Albany, NY; 7) Yonkers, NY; 8) New York City Corporate Center.
+As Pam is running over to Jim at the gas station, she comments that "Montclair would have been closer" (as in, to meet halfway). Montclair is a real city in northern New Jersey popular for its arts centers and restaurants.
Goofs
Continuity
+Michael's goatee disappears in a lunchroom scene and returns for a weigh in. He later shaves it off.
+Pam comments to Jim at the gas station that: "Montclair would have been closer, so you have to buy lunch". This is untrue. Montclair, NJ, is 1 hour/ 50 minutes away from Scranton, PA (Jim) - but only 55 minutes from midtown Manhattan (Pam). That is not at all halfway between the two locations. Newton, NJ, would have been a better compromise.
Spoilers
Jenna Fischer actually kept the engagement ring that her future husband, Jim, gave to her in this episode. She has been seen wearing it sometimes in public and in interviews.
Trivias
+The kiss between Michael and Oscar in the conference room was not scripted. The scene had been shot a couple of times with Steve Carell not kissing Oscar Nunez. Then on one take, Oscar saw "[Carell's] lips coming closer and closer". Nunez recalled "I'm like, 'Dear God, he's going to kiss me.' And sure enough, he planted one on my face." The other cast members were laughing during the kiss but because the camera stay focused on Carell and Nunez, the scene was still usable.
+It won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.
+First appearance of Andy Bernard (Ed Helms).
+The exterior shot of the Stamford Branch was formerly the office location for the company Starwood, and is directly across the water from NBC Sports in Stamford, CT. NBC is the network that aired The Office.
*Old fashioned murder mystery on a ship.*
A nice easy breezy murder mystery. Full of fun. Don't count on anything serious or deep here just sit back with your popcorn and a soda and enjoy the movie. Nothing offencive here. Just an adult murder mystery romp. We don't get many like these anymore. Ignore the people who like to criticize everything because they think they are actual critics. Chemistry between Aniston and Sadler is awesome. I hope they make more movies together. Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler are the best!
My Score: 7/10.
^^*Trivias*^^
+This movie set a new Netflix record. In the first 3 days 30,869,863 accounts watched the film. 13,374,914 North American accounts & and an additional 17,494,949 accounts watching worldwide.
+The movie seems to be an Agatha Christi-esque style murder mystery thriller. At the end of the movie, we see the characters of Audrey and Nick on a train named "The Orient Express". This is a direct homage to Agatha Christie's famous "Murder on the Orient Express" (1935) novel.
+Adam Sandler's real life wife, Jackie Sandler, makes a cameo appearance as the flight attendant on the plane.
+When Audrey goes to the first-class section of the plane, a passenger is watching a clip of Game Over, Man! (2018), another film directed by Kyle Newacheck.
+In the movie Nick mentions a guy named Eric Lamonsoff. Kevin James played a character named Eric Lamonsoff in Grownups and Grownups 2, also starring Adam Sandler. Most of Sandler's films reference that last name, in a nod to his old friend.
+Andrea Bendewald who plays a customer in the salon Jennifer Aniston is working at in the start of the movie. Andrea is Jennifer's best friend. She was maid of honour at her wedding to Brad Pitt. She also guest starred in Jennifer's sitcom "Friends"
+Adam Sandler's and Jennifer Aniston's second film together. The first was Just Go with It (2011).
+In 2013, a report surfaced from a German financier that Colin Firth, Adam Sandler and Emily Blunt would be joining Charlize Theron in the movie, which turned out to be false. Coincidentally, Sandler did become attached to the project in 2018, though Theron had already left.
+When Nick and Audrey arrive at Malaga Airport (Spain), the airport shown is actually Milan Malpensa Airport (Italy), not Malaga Airport.
+This is the third film featuring Luke Evans and Gemma Arterton together following Clash of the Titans (2010) and Tamara Drewe (2010).
+Charlize Theron was once attached.
+The shield shown by Nick on the plane and in the store is a patrolmen's shield yet he was referred to as a Sergeant.
+Luke Evans and Victor Turpin, who both appeared in "Murder Mystery", are a couple in real life.
+During the interrogation, the character yells 187. That is a California code for murder, not world or US code.
+John Madden was once attached to direct the movie. Anne Fletcher was attached to direct the movie later.
+The Rolls-Royce that Cavendish owns is a Phantom Drophead Coupe, License plate number EQU 617. Recent models (2016) approaches $533,000 new. It gets 14 MPG, has a 412 cubic inch, 453 horsepower V-12 engine, and weighs in at 5,780 pounds. (16.8l/100km, 6.8l V12, 2.6t)
+Game-Over Man (another netflix movie) is playing on the airplane when Jennifer Aniston's character is wandering around the plan.
Spoilers
+Body count: 6
+At the end of the movie when Nick and Audrey are on the train, the camera pans out and we see the name of the train is Orient Express. This is in reference to another famous murder mystery movie, Murder on the Orient Express.
Trivias
+When Charles Miner comes to Dunder Mifflin, he says he used to work at Saticoy Steel. Saticoy Street is the street where the building used for the exterior shot of "The Office" is located, as well as the sound stage where The Office is filmed, in Van Nuys, California.
+While talking to David in New York Michael says "I've never driven my car to the top of Mt. Washington." This is a reference to Mount Washington in New Hampshire, the tallest peak in the Northeastern United States. Driving to the top of the mountain is a popular family activity for residents of the region and "This car climbed Mt. Washington" bumper stickers are commonplace in New England and other Northeastern states.
+John Krasinski said Idris Elba was initially an intimidating presence on the set, due to the ruthless character he plays on The Wire. However, Krasinski said Elba proved to be "incredibly nice and incredibly funny."
Goofs
Character error
Jim and Charles discuss Jim's position of Assistant Regional Manager which is referred to as a made up position. Jim was actually given the position by David Wallace after the Stanford branch was rolled into the Scranton branch.
Trivias
+During the flashbacks of past episodes, a clip of the hot dog eating contest from the episode "Beach Games" is shown. Michael suggests dipping the hot dogs in the water "so it will slide down your gullet more easily", which a small majority of the group replies "that's what she said." This clip was not a part of the original episode, but an outtake.
+Steve Carell's hair is a bit shorter because he had it cut for his Dinner For Schmucks (2010) character.
+Even though this is a compilation of flashbacks from previous episodes, this is the lowest rated episode out of the entire series.
+Clips from 44 individual episodes were used to create more than 50 flashback scenes.
+Pam's painting of the office is replaced with a picture of a golf green and a sand trap. It reads "Failure is always an option.", and is seen most clearly when Michael is saying goodbye to the banker.
Soundtrack Credits
Sing
(uncredited)
Written by Fran Healy
Performed by Travis
Lazy Scranton
(uncredited)
Performed by Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson
Scranton, The Electric City
(uncredited)
Written by Jason Kessler
Performed by Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson
Features
The Office: Pilot (2005) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Dwight finds his stapler suspended in Jell-O).
The Office: Diversity Day (2005) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Kelly slaps Michael; Pam rests her head on Jim's shoulder during office meeting).
The Office: Health Care (2005) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Dwight discusses medical conditions with employees).
The Office: Basketball (2005) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Pam kisses Roy).
The Office: Hot Girl (2005) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Jim and Pam encourage Dwight to ask out the purse girl).
The Office: The Dundies (2005) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Pam falls off her barstool; Pam kisses Jim).
The Office: Sexual Harassment (2005) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Michael refers to a picture of Stanley's daughter as "hot"; Michael hugs and kisses Phyllis; Jim baits Michael into saying "That's what she said").
The Office: Office Olympics (2005) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Phyllis and Kevin play Flonkerton ).
The Office: The Fight (2005) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Dwight takes a couple jabs at Michael; Dwight finds his desk missing).
The Office: The Client (2005) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Pam and Jim listen to music together on his iPod).
The Office: Christmas Party (2005) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Kevin asks Michael why he got the Christmas tree so big; Pam looks inside the teapot Jim gave her).
The Office: The Injury (2006) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Michael and Dwight in the doctor's office).
The Office: The Carpet (2006) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Michael and Dwight dump binders and papers on the floor).
The Office: Boys and Girls (2006) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Michael knocks over shelves with forklift).
The Office: Take Your Daughter to Work Day (2006) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Michael introduces Creed to the children of various office employees).
The Office: Drug Testing (2006) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Pam tells a jinxed Jim, "You can tell me anything.").
The Office: Conflict Resolution (2006) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Michael adds a "that's what she said" after he asks about a "Phyllis-Angela dispute", and Angela replies "You already did me."; Michael reads a complaint filed by Ryan about Creed).
The Office: Gay Witch Hunt (2006) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Oscar shoves Angela out of his way, and Dwight tries to go after him; Michael kisses Oscar; Jim leaves Pam after kissing her on Casino Night).
The Office: Branch Closing (2006) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Kelly kisses Ryan in celebration).
The Office: The Merger (2006) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Michael asks "Can't we all just get along?").
The Office: Back from Vacation (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Jan forcefully kisses Michael).
The Office: Traveling Salesmen (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Jim slams the brakes in his car).
The Office: The Return (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Andy punches hole in wall; Oscar asks where Dwight is).
The Office: Business School (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Dwight traps the loose bat and Meredith's head inside a garbage bag).
The Office: The Negotiation (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Dwight kisses Angela, and Jim discovers them).
The Office: Safety Training (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Dwight and Michael test the trampoline with a watermelon).
The Office: Product Recall (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Jim impersonates Dwight).
The Office: Beach Games (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Michael directs Phyllis to dip her hot dog in the water; Stanley charges at Jim, both in sumo suits).
The Office: The Job (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Pam's talking head wishing Jim well on his new job, ending with Jim interrupting the interview to ask her to dinner).
The Office: Fun Run (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Michael hits Meredith with his car; Pam walks in on Michael while he is changing in his office).
The Office: Dunder Mifflin Infinity (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Kelly tells Ryan that she's pregnant).
The Office: Launch Party (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Phyllis throws her crumpled-up notes in Angela's face).
The Office: Money (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Darryl advises Kelly to access her "uncrazy side").
The Office: Survivor Man (2007) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Dwight tries to knock Michael unconscious while driving).
The Office: Dinner Party (2008) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Michael complains to Jan about his vasectomies).
The Office: Weight Loss (2008) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Michael wobbles into the conference room in his sumo suit as his Michael Klump character; Jim proposes to Pam).
The Office: The Surplus (2008) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Angela kisses Andy).
The Office: Moroccan Christmas (2008) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Dwight finds his desk and chair wrapped in gift wrap).
The Office: Stress Relief (2009) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Dwight's fire drill).
The Office: Golden Ticket (2009) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Jim slaps Dwight).
The Office: Casual Friday (2009) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Meredith exposes herself).
The Office: Gossip (2009) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Andy jumps onto an empty refrigerator box).
The Office: Niagara: Part 2 (2009) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Jim and Pam kiss at their wedding; Pam rests her head on Jim's shoulder at Niagara Falls).
The Office: Double Date (2009) (TV Episode)
Flashback scene (Pam slaps Michael).
Trivias
+This is the only episode in the series to be directed by Stephen Merchant, co-creator of the original The Office (2001).
+When Dwight is showing Andy and Angela the Schrute Farms photos, the man in the chair in the first photo is the same man from The Office: Job Fair (2008) who is recruiting interns for a funeral home.
Goofs
Continuity
+When Jim and Dwight are practicing their sales call with Michael, the time shown on Jim's wristwatch bounces around to many different times.
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
From the first scene we notice the unusually subdued colors, which successfully conveys a cold, sad mood, long before we realize that Kutner is dead. Many people were thoroughly shocked by his suicide, as I would have been, had I not been slightly spoiled by an article which said someone on House would commit suicide. Since House M.D. doesn't like to do the expected thing, I kinda predicted that it was Kutner who would kill himself. His discussion with Taub about suicide a few episodes before just seemed to point that way, if you knew what to look for. However, the last scene with House and Kutner in the previous episode had me convinced that his suicide would still be far away, which was some great misdirection by the writers.
I didn't really care about the medical mystery this episode, even though Meat Loaf turned in a nice performance, so my whole focus was on the drama side. For the first time in a long while they showed us a Gregory House who actually cared (as well as showed it) and was thoroughly shaken by what had occurred. Although he would never admit it, Kutner was so much like House it was sometimes scary. He took risks, had a similar sense of humor (Yes, a cat.), as well as keen intuition. In the end the fact there's no reason for Kutner's suicide makes this episode that much more chilling and realistic, which is probably the main reason for some of the hate this episode receives.
Throughout "Simple Explanation" one thing particularly stood out for me. The performances. Everyone was on top of their game this time. However, the Special Gold Acting Star™ with Sparkles (sold separately) goes to Peter Jacobson, who acted his ass off and actually made me cry when he broke down at the end, although the big funeral montage just before that might've had something to do with that... you know, weakened my defenses, which makes my crying in no way unmanly, I tells you.
Trivia
+Michael says that there is no Wikipedia entry for "office robbery statistics." Now, when you look up "office robbery statistics" on Wikipedia, it brings up the Crime Aid episode of the office.
+The call from Michael to Pam at the beginning is a shout out to the Ricola commercial, famous at the time of release.
+While speaking privately to Phyllis, Dwight mentions Angela's affinity for Sheetz. Sheetz is an actual set of convenience stores located throughout the Pennsylvania area and headquartered in Altoona, PA.
+At one point during the auction, there is an extra that makes a bid and raises his hand. This is the same guy that had Michael steal food from his plate at Benihanas. He also comes out of the elevator outside of the office in another episode.
Goofs
Continuity
+Darryl auctions off a drink with the warehouse crew, which Jim wins and they all walk off together, leaving the warehouse. When they auction off the next item, Jim can be seen sitting in his chair behind Creed.
+When Holly locks the camera crew out of the building, the "lock" she operates was not there when the door was open.
+When Jim is driving to New York to see Pam, you can see the dashboard clearly lit up but the hand of speedometer doesn't move as he accelerates and decelerates.
Soundtrack Credits
The Heart of Rock & Roll
Written by Johnny Colla and Huey Lewis
Performed by Huey Lewis & The News
Consider Yourself
written by Lionel Bart
Performed by Ed Helms
Trivia
+Holly is the second person to tell Michael that The Office is a work place and not a family. Ed Truck was the first one.
Goofs
Continuity
+Meredith claims that she has been sleeping with the Hammermill rep (Bruce Meyers) for a discount for the past 6 years. However Michael opened up the relationship with Hammermill in "The Convention" which was chronologically just 2 years before.
+Outside goes from daylight to dark, and back to daylight all during one business day.
Trivias
+While arguing with Andy, Dwight mentions Dartmouth. Actress Mindy Kaling, who plays Kelly Kapoor, graduated from Dartmouth College in 2001.
+Michael's favorite song is Tom Cochrane's "Life Is a Highway".
+Michaels says corporate decided to transfer Holly back to her old branch in Nashua however holly previously states she is from Des Moine Iowa and when she started Toby trained her in "the ways of the company" indicating she did not formerly work for Dunder Mifflin.
Goofs
Continuity
+Due to her relationship with Michael, Holly is transferred back to her old branch in Nashua, NH. Yet, in episode 4.14 when Holly first arrived at the Scranton office, she stated she was from Des Moines, IA and had been working for an entirely different company.
+When Darryl and Michael are supposedly driving back to Scranton, PA from Nashua, NH after a long day, the sun is setting on the driver's (Darryl's) side of the truck. If they were indeed traveling south, the setting sun would be in the Western sky and on the passenger's (Michael's) side of the truck.
Soundtrack Credits
Life Is a Highway
Written by Tom Cochrane
Performed by Tom Cochrane
Sung by Steve Carell, Craig Robinson, and Amy Ryan
Trivia
+When Michael asks A.J. what his name is and A.J. responds, Michael then asks "What kind of name is A.J.? What, do you race cars?" There have been three profession NASCAR drivers named A.J. (A.J. Foyt, A.J. Fike and A.J. Allmendinger).
+Emmy award winning editor Claire Scanlon is an uncredited extra when Michael Scott gives his lecture at the Nashua office. She is sitting in the front row in front of actor Rob Huebel who plays A.J. She however did not edit this episode.
+Michael and Pam discuss potentially apologizing to fired employee Tony Gardner, last seen in #3.8:The Office: The Merger (2006). This apology apparently DID happen at some point soon after the events shown here, given Tony's appearance in Michael's movie, part of #7.16:The Office: Threat Level Midnight (2011).
When speaking to Michael on the curb outside of the Nashua, NH, Dunder Mifflin office, Pam very briefly "flashes" the camera when sitting.
Goofs
Holly's nameplate in the Nashua, NH, office is noticeably different from her Scranton, PA, one. Her old one listed her name as Hollis "Holly" Flax and had her job title affixed underneath.
Trivias
+One of the excuses Michael gives Pam to use as a reason he can't come to the phone is "I'm trapped in a oil painting". This is something that happens in "The Witches", a book by Roald Dahl who also authored "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory".
+Episode having the ever so popular Steve Carell 'Thank You' GIF that became viral.
+When Michael asks Dwight why he has a diary, Dwight tells him it's "to keep secrets from my computer". This is a callback to the episode "Launch Party", when Jim and Pam pull a prank on Dwight, making him believe the Dunder Mifflin website had achieved sentience through his computer.
+After disposing of his Willy Wonka costume, Michael wears Andy's blazer for the remainder of the day.
Goofs
Miscellaneous
When Pam, Dwight, and David are on the speaker phone in the conference room with the marketing people in New York, Michael rushes in and is irate saying that it was his idea for giving a discount to companies who get a "Golden Ticket", not Dwight's. As Michael announces that it was his idea and yelling at Dwight, David leans in to the phone and says loudly, "We're gonna call you back, guys" to the marketing people. But David, nor anyone else in the room, hangs up the phone.
Trivias
+This episode is B.J Novak's (who plays Ryan, and is a writer and producer for the show) favourite episode of The Office.
+Jim has a framed picture of himself holding a baby on his desk
+Dwight's middle name is Kurt.
Character error
+Stanley declares that he has no disabilities to speak of, but several later plot-threads reveal that he actually suffers from diabetes.
Continuity
+During the scene in which Dwight comforts Michael's burned foot with a hand-held electric fan, Michael's crutches are leaning against the wall behind Pam. At first, they are overlapped. In the next shot, they are apart. In the following shot, they are overlapped, once again.
+In the opening scene, the wallpaper on Pam's computer changes from the standard Windows XP background to a Dunder-Mifflin background, and then back again.
+Billy Merchant says someone took the handicapped parking spot, and the camera pans to Michael making an uncomfortable face, implying that Michael was the one who took the handicapped parking spot. However, it is indicated that Dwight picked up Michael from his house to bring him to the office. Also, Michael later on says he is unable to drive, and that Jim has to drive.
+When Jim, Dwight, and Michael are loading into Meredith's minivan to take Dwight to the hospital, Michael wants to know why Meredith drives a minivan. Jim says, "She has a kid," and Michael follows with "She has one kid and no husband and she's not going to get one driving this thing." From Episode #1.4, "The Alliance", we already know that Meredith has "two kids" according to Dwight's brief biography on Meredith as Michael tries to write something witty in her birthday card.
Factual errors
In the hospital the ER doctor orders Dwight a CT. Later the nurse advises that all metal needs to be removed and won't allow Michael in the CT room until he looses all metal on his personage. This wouldn't be necessary for a CT which uses X-Rays and is not magnetic. The only metal that would hinder the procedure is metal that would show in the actual image. For the example of a head scan, earrings would need to be removed. Furthermore, the actual procedure done on Dwight is in an MRI machine which would react with metal.
**Trivias**
+James Gandolfini's voice is distinctly different in this first episode than it would be in future ones. After this episode, Gandolfini used a dialect coach to sound more like a mobster from Newark, New Jersey.
+This pilot was filmed in the summer of 1997. The show was picked up for series a year later.
+In this episode, the pork store used as the mob's hangout is named Centanni's Meat Market, an actual butcher shop in Elizabeth, New Jersey. But producers soon after found an abandoned location in Kearny, NJ, converted it into the fictional Satriale's Pork Store, and used that site throughout the rest of the series. But mistakenly--or indifferently--a quick image of Satriale's, not Centanni's, is included in this pilot's opening montage, as it also would be for the next eight years of the "Sopranos".
+In the pilot episode, Father Phil is portrayed by Michael Santoro, but in all future episodes, he is portrayed by Paul Schulze.
+As the show's creator and executive producer David Chase is also given a writer's credit for every one of the "Sopranos"'s 86 episodes. Chase also directed two of these episodes: this original pilot and the highly controversial series finale over eight years later.
+Michele DeCesare, who plays Meadow's friend Hunter, is the daughter of series creator David Chase.
+The main reason James Gandolfini was cast instead of Michael Rispoli, who was also considered for the role of Tony Soprano, is that David Chase felt that, while both actors were likable and could make that work for Tony, Michael was a much more lighthearted person than James. Chase felt the elements of self-darkness would be a better fusion into the character of Tony.
+This marks the only episode in which the scenes shot inside the famous Soprano home, were filmed inside a real house in North Caldwell, New Jersey. After this episode, a replica of the inside house was built and used to film the rest of the series.
+Tony's complaint to Dr. Melfi about the loss of the Gary Cooper "strong silent type" in American culture becomes an oft-repeated regret in the series.
+On the episode commentary, David Chase says he regrets adding the song, "I Wonder Why", during the scene where Tony chases the man who owes him money.
+Tony is referred to here as "the boss" as well as "the Don of New Jersey". Yet in the next episode, new character Jackie Aprile is the (acting) boss and Tony is only one of many crew captains, or a capo, though he is considered the heir apparent.
+In the pilot, Tony Soprano's Jersey accent is much less pronounced than in his "final" character. He speaks more softly and in general, seems to be a little more "gentle".
+The role of Uncle Junior, played by Dominic Chianese, almost went to Robert Loggia who had been seriously considered for it. Loggia would appear later in four episodes of the series as Michele "Feech" La Manna. Chianese is also the show's only cast member who had played a featured role in The Godfather: Part II (1974), as Johnny Ola.
+While Tony and Livia are visiting the nursing home, a group of elderly people is shown watching The Rockford Files (1974) on TV. Creator David Chase got his big break in television as a writer and producer on that show.
+In the pilot episode, Tony's Russian goomah, is played by Irina Peltsin is portrayed by Siberia M. Federico, but in all future episodes, she is portrayed by Ukrainian actress Oksana Lada.
+This episode is titled "The Sopranos" on the DVD release and the show's official site. But it was titled "Pilot" when originally aired and is still titled as such in reruns.
+James Gandolfini earned the first Emmy nomination of his career for this episode.
+The appearance of Jamie-Lynn Sigler (Meadow) changes from this episode compared with the rest due to an obvious nose job she had. She also lost significant weight before the second episode was filmed as she was suffering from a serious eating disorder.
+The date on the newspaper Tony opens at the beginning of the episode is Wednesday, June 17, 1998.
+The episode won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Series.
+Drea de Matteo appears in the pilot as a hostess but was not cast as Adriana La Cerva until later. The Sopranos: Denial, Anger, Acceptance (1999), they reference her working as a hostess to explain her appearance in the pilot.
+The song played during the final scene and over the credits is, "The Beast in Me", by Nick Lowe.
+Father Phil (Michael Santoro) asks Carmela (Edie Falco) what Tony (James Gandolfini) thinks about Goodfellas (1990). Tony's (James Gandolfini) shrink Dr. Jennifer Melfi played by Lorraine Bracco starred in Goodfellas (1990) as Karen Hill. Michael Imperioli who stars in this show as Tony's cousin Christopher, also appeared in Goodfellas (1990).
+The song played during the scene where Tony first passes out is Giacomo Puccini's "Chi il bel Sogno di Doretta". This song is also played at the end of The Sopranos: Irregular Around the Margins (2004).
+The theme song for The Rockford Files (1974) is heard in the nursing home. David Chase wrote 20 episodes of the show.
Goofs
-Character error
At 47 minutes the character Meadow Soprano (played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler) refers to the character Silvio Dante as Mr. Van Zandt which is the name of the actor and not the name of the character.
-Continuity
At the barbeque at Tony's house, in the end, Christopher is seen sitting, holding a nearly full beer bottle, yet when Tony picks him up a few seconds later and Christopher drops the bottle, the sound it makes is that of an empty bottle.
-Crew or equipment visible.
Whenever the ducks are swimming in Tony's pool they begin to flap their wings as if trying to fly. Just as Tony yells for his kids to come to witness it, someone can be seen slamming their foot down near the edge of the pool where the ducks are swimming to scare them into flapping their wings and flying away.
-Factual errors
1)When on the footbridge with Alex, Hesh and Pussy, Alex is wearing a cast over his pant leg. A cast would never be applied over clothing.
2)The ducks in Tony Soprano's swimming pool in the pilot episode are all female. There are several remarks about the group of ducks being a family. No male ducks are within that group.
-Revealing mistakes
Tony runs down the guy in the park with Christopher's Lexus and the Lexus has damage, but only to the headlamp - the park and signal lamp is only dangling with no damage to the bumper surrounding them. The damage is staged, likely having removed the screws that hold the park and signal lamps in place and pulled them out by hand, allowing them to rest on the wiring harness.
*One Of The 'Coolest' Movies Ever*
Top gun, loved and loathed by many alike. The film that launched Tom Cruise's career. I'm a student and watching Top Gun for me is an amazing uplifting experience. A 'feel good' movie that could lift the worse of moods. The film executes cheese to perfection, yes there are some silly lines but there are some real good ones too! The aerial action sequences are truly amazing, and for 1986 nothing short of magnificent.
Top Gun is a film that achieves its objectives, to entertain. If you're looking for intelligent writing or mass thought provocation, this film isn't for you. Top Gun is best suited to those who desire to switch off their brain and enjoy.
My score: 7/10.
Trivias
+Ed Helms was included for the first time on the opening credits. He would be the first actor since the beginning of the show and after 6 seasons to be included on the opening credits. Until then, only Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer and B.J. Novak appeared on the intro.
+One of three episodes John Krasinski directed in the series. The two others are S8E3, "Lotto", and S9E6, "The Boat".
+The scissors Erin throws Michael during the cold open are made of rubber.
+Owen Daniels, Greg Daniels' son, reprises his role as David Wallace's son Teddy in this episode.
+While singing the Party in the U.S.A., Erin sings "look to my right and I see the Electric City sign" while she looks to her left.
+When Michael and David are in the hot tub, David is drinking a Yuengling beer. Yuengling was started in Pottsville, PA, just an hour away from Scranton.
Goofs
Continuity
When Michael goes to David Wallace's house and asks if he can come in, David says "Yeah, we're just finishing lunch". Later in the scene, David's wife is in front of the microwave which says it is 9:25.
Soundtrack Credits
Party In The U.S.A.
(uncredited)
Written by Jessie J, Lukasz Gottwald and Claude Kelly
Performed by Ed Helms and Ellie Kemper
Sabre
(uncredited)
Performed by Ed Helms and Ellie Kemper
Suck It
(uncredited)
Performed by Andy Buckley and Owen Daniels
Trivias
+Mindy Kaling thought of the idea of Ryan dying his hair blond.
+B.J. Novak wore a baseball cap in public between the times his hair was dyed and when the episode aired, in order to make the reveal a surprise, and even kept the cap on when he and the rest of the cast and crew did a public forum and Q&A session.
+In the beginning of the episode, in Michael's condo, the flat screen TV Jan broke in the dinner date episode can be seen still hanging on the wall.
+Last appearance of Ranjit Chowdhry as Vikram in the show.
+When cooking breakfast on their first day at the new paper company, Pam and Michael both pull at the bowl of egg yolks and it ends up with Michael getting a the egg yolk all over himself, including his face. He now literally and metaphorically has "egg on his face" after what had just happened with his Dunder Mifflin exit.
Soundtrack Credits
Take Me Home, Country Roads
Written by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert, John Denver
Performed by Ellie Kemper, Rainn Wilson and Ed Helms
Trivia
+Michael marks the watermelon (which he and Dwight are pretending is the baby) with his initials MGS. (Michael Gary Scott)
+When Jim says it's 5:03pm it could be a reference to the episode. The third episode of the fifth season.
+Phyllis laughs at the beginning while Dwight and Michael are pretending to have a baby.
+The song that Jan sang to her baby was Son Of A Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield. The song showed the damaged state of mind that Jan had.
+When Jim is leaving the office at the end of the episode, the stroller gifted to Jan by everyone can be seen parked by the door (obviously left behind by Jan, who rejected the gift in favor of the much more expensive stroller she brought with her).
Goofs
Errors in geography
+When Michael is shown holding a baby, he is shown next to a Nerium oleander bush. However, this particular flower does not grow in Pennsylvania. It only grows in warm climates such as California (where the show was filmed).
Soundtrack Credits
The Office Theme
Written by Jay Ferguson
Trivias
Jim previously pretended to be Michael Scott in The Office: Halloween (2005).
Spoilers
In this episode Dwight assumes that Michael is worried that's someone is "after him" because of Michaels constant checking on the front door. Oscar replies to the annoyed affect of, "Has anyone ever been after anyone in this office?" This is an ironic foreshadowing as in Season 9, Episode 8: "The Target", Angela orders a hit on Oscar.
Trivias
+Roles of Kelly's parents were played by Mindy Kaling's real life parents.
+On Jim's desk, you can see a plaque the reads, "Jim Halpert Asst. Regional Manager." The position thought to have been made up by Dwight.
+One of two times Jim is drunk at work.
+The song that Jim and Andy sing together as they drink at work is "Closer To Fine" by The Indigo Girls.
+This is the first of two times John Krasinski sings 'Closer to Fine' by Indigo Girls on camera, the second being in the movie The Hollars (2016), which he also directs.
Spoilers
In this episode Michael proposes to Carol to no avail. However Carol is played by Steve Carell's wife, Nancy.
Soundtrack Credits
Crazy in Love
Written by Jay Z (as Shawn Carter), Richard Christopher Harrison, Beyoncé (as Beyoncé), and Eugene Record
Performed by Beyoncé (as Beyoncé)
Closer to Fine
Written by Emily Saliers
Performed by John Krasinski and Ed Helms
The Diwali Song
Performed by Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson.
Trivias
+The first cut of this episode lasted 45 minutes.
+When Michael calls for a grief counseling circle in the conference room, Pam describes the movie "Million Dollar Baby," Ryan describes +"The Lion King," and Kevin describes "Weekend at Bernie's."
+In this episode, the Stamford office discusses the order for "Fairfield County Schools." However, Connecticut schools are not run by counties but rather by individual town and regional districts, meaning Fairfield County wouldn't be the ones placing a paper order.
+Dwight says his grandfather was reburied in an old oil drum. This must be the same grandfather whose tux he inherited.
+This episode was filmed after the fifth episode, "Initiation".
*Goofs*
Continuity
First, they talk about Ed Truck like he still worked at Dunder-Mifflin, Michael says he's retired when he appears in The Office: The Carpet nine months earlier. In that episode Michael goes on about how he hates Ed Truck, so it's either a continuity error or the writers expect us to remember that episode and assume Michael is overly grief-stricken over his death to get attention from his coworkers. The way it's portrayed Michael's grief really comes off as a continuity error and he seems to really care deeply for Ed Truck.
Plot holes
In the episode, Karen wants a bag of Herr's Salt and Vinegar chips, but there aren't any in the vending machine. However, when she walks by the vending machine you can see the chips in slot B1.
Spoilers
During the bird funeral, the cast wore coats despite the hot summer weather.
Trivias
In the final shot, the actor playing the sensei who judges Michael and Dwight's fight can be seen breaking character and struggling to hide laughter.
When everyone gets off the elevator after the fight, Rainn Wilson struggles not to smile after running into the door.
When Dwight calls his sensei, Ira, He gets cut off before saying "Arigato Goazai Mashta" which is an incorrect pronouncation. The correct form for what he is meaning to say is "Arigatou gozaimashita" which is a thanks to something that has been done to you. For instance you could say it to a teacher after a lesson. Along with "Sempai" which should be "Senpai" and Michael falsely identifying a Kanji as "California Roll" are just a few of the moments satirizing Dwight and Michaels "fighting knowledge".
Ryan has a different phone in this episode (a flip phone) than he did in the episode, "The Fire," in which he has a Palm Treo 650 smartphone.
Spoilers
When Michael gives his reasons for beating up Dwight, he says that Dwight lied about going to a dentist appointment. In the season 3 episode, the coup, Dwight uses the excuse of a dentist appointment to go meet Jan in order to take Michael's job. ¡
I absolutely loved the ending. I knew Neal couldn't be dead - that pretty much ends residuals if people know he dies. The baby was adorable, Peter and El were so happy, Mozzie was still Mozzie and Neal was off on another adventure. I like to think he eventually does meet up with Peter again. The icing on the cake was the smile on Peter's face when he realizes Neal is really alive. Great Ending!
I laughed so hard at this episode, I almost had a fart attack myself.
*China's first big science fiction movie, so beautiful!*
This movie is adapted from his novel of the same name. To be honest,it didn't disappoint me.I'm sure you've never seen a science fiction Chinese movie like this!.
The idea of running away with the planet is so crazy, but so beautiful!
The film shows the Chinese people's unique feelings towards their home,family and land.And it does not display individualism like the Hollywood superhero movies, nor does it publicize any political idea, but only the courage and unwilling to be destroyed when facing a desperate situation.
Although I don't like Jing Wu's "Wolf warrior", as far as his performance in "Wandering earth" is concerned, well done! I recommend you to watch it. You'll never forget it.
My Score: 6/10
Don't understand the hate
Seems like all the other commenters haven't actually seen this movie and are just upset that it's a remake. Yes, it's a remake, but it's its own movie, too.
I thought it stood on its own, differentiated itself nicely from the original while also updating the story in a way that feels timely and fresh. I also found it surprisingly funny, sweet, heartfelt, and utterly enjoyable. A great change of pace from all the cynical, mean-spirited comedies these days and endless parade of Marvel movies.
Eugenio Derbez is a successful Mexican Comedian and Anna Farris is as cute as funny as she has always been, and the 2 of them give balance and heart to this movie. It is fun to watch and lighthearted. Not an Oscar-winning movie, but truly a fun movie to spend 90 minutes laughing.
WARNING: The jokes have a mixture of US and Mexican humor. You may not get all of them, but you will still have fun with the actors' performances.
My Score is 7/10.
Trivias
+The Vance Refrigeration employees who sell Michael the fake drugs are actually writers and producers on the show, Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky.
+Michael references Scream 2 (1997) and its killer, Ghost Face (Timothy Olyphant). Olyphant later appeared in The Office: The Sting (2010) and The Office: Costume Contest (2010) as Danny Cordray, a rival salesman who joins Dunder Mifflin as a traveling salesman.
+The house used for Jim's parents' house is located at 13831 Calvert Street in Van Nuys, California.
Goofs
Continuity
+Right after the opening credits, Michael and Dwight are looking at Toby from Michael's office window and it's dark outside. The very next scene Michael is calling David and it's light outside.
+When Pam is telling Jim that she loves the house in the garage, and asking if they have to sleep in Jim's parents' bedroom, a wire from the boom mic is visible for about 2 seconds at the top of the screen. This is actually a wire from the garage door, which can be seen when Jim opens the garage.
Trivia
+The hotel that Michael et al go to, is the same hotel featured in the movie Cedar Rapids, also starring Ed Helms.
+The bar in Winnipeg that they go to is actually a bar in downtown Los Angeles called Seven Grand.
+The song Jim is whistling just after the opening credits is "Might As Well" by Something for Rockets.
Goofs
Errors in geography
+It is highly unlikely that a Canadian hotel employee in Winnipeg would speak with a French -Canadian accent. Only in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces is French widely spoken, and almost not at all in Manitoba (4%).
+Michael Scott wants to see a menu in first class, but the flight attendant says there are no meals served on flights that are less than two hours. A direct flight from Winnipeg to Scranton, PA takes almost three hours.
+Dwight audibly pans Pam's painting of the office building because it has too many shadows. The last time he checked "the office is not in the Andromeda Galaxy" because that galaxy has more than one sun, which would, indeed, create more shadows.
Features
Solitaire (1981) (Video Game)
Creed is seen playing this game on his computer
Jim Halpert: [to Pam] I'm in love with you.
Trivias
+In this episode, Michael says he's donating his money to Comic Relief, even though it no longer exists. This was an homage to the original British series, where an entire episode (#2.5) was devoted to raising money for Comic Relief.
+In "Casino Night" Creed is shown stealing from a vending machine. He holds up a candy bar. This a bar made by Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, a company founded in Scranton.
+Creed mentions the excellent pea soup at the soup kitchen. He would be referring to the St. Francis of Assisi Soup Kitchen at 500 Penn Ave. in Scranton (right across the street from the Penn Paper building shown in the opening credits of the show). The soup kitchen is for the homeless.
+In his beginning monologue to the camera, Michael states that he considers himself to be an accomplished "philanderer." This word is often applied to men who engage in sexual relationships with multiple women simultaneously. The word he should have used is "philanthropist," which is more aligned with people who support charities.
+Michael's line, "Jan Levinson, I presume", is a reference to Journalist Henry Morton Stanley's reported first words to adventurer Dr. David Livingstone, "Dr. Livingstone, I Presume", when the former found the latter in Africa.
+After Michael makes his speech to get casino night started, he says "let's get it started--- black eyed crows". He is referencing to the song by the Black Eyed PEAS "Let's Get It Started" but has the group name wrong. This was a deliberate but subtle joke.
+In this scene where Michael and all the others are playing poker, Michael goes all in on the first hand and Toby calls his bet but Michael folds his cards berfore there is a flop. It is never shown what Michael's losing had was.
Spoilers
In "Casino Night" Dwight tells Pam & Jim his tux belonged to his grandfather & that he was buried in it. He again wears it in the beginning of the episode "The Farm", when announcing the death of his Aunt Shirley. However, according to Schrute tradition, they shoot their dead before burial to make sure they are "completely dead". If his grandfather had been buried in this tux, there should've been bullet holes.
