Performance Review

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"Performance Review"
The Office episode
Dwight smirks in "Performance Review".
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 8
Directed by	Paul Feig
Written by	Larry Wilmore
Production code	209
Original air date	November 15, 2005
Episode chronology
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List of The Office (U.S. TV series) episodes

"Performance Review" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's fourteenth episode overall. It was written by Larry Wilmore and directed by Paul Feig. It first aired on November 15, 2005 on NBC.

In this episode, Michael conducts job performance reviews with his employees, and struggles to get Jan to talk about their romantic relationship from the previous episode. Meanwhile, Jim and Pam trick Dwight into thinking that it is Friday, when it is in fact Thursday.

Synopsis

Michael meets with each of his employees to discuss their job performance. He plunders the employee suggestion box for ideas to impress his own boss, Jan, but the ruse backfires and he embarrasses himself. Michael relentlessly pesters Jan about their previous romantic connection but she bluntly rejects him, especially when, during the office's suggestion box meeting, she discovers that everyone in the Scranton branch is aware of the incident. As Jan storms out of the office, she admonishes Michael before complimenting him and reluctantly stating that she is not ready for a relationship. Meanwhile, the stunned staff listens in.

Encouraged by Jim and Pam, Dwight mistakes a Thursday for a Friday and arrives at the office very late the next day.

Production

Deleted scenes

• Michael gives Oscar his performance review.
• Dwight gives Jim advice for his performance review.
• Michael is confused by a telephone message from Jan.
• Jim uses increasingly obscure baseball euphemisms to ask Michael about his relationship with Jan.
• Jim deflects a question about office romances.
• A sequence of suggestions takes Ryan all over the office.
• Jan reacts to Dwight's "boning Jan" remark.
• Jim accidentally leaves today's newspaper on his desk.
• Dwight learns that Ryan got a raise.
• Extension of Dwight psyching himself up in the stairwell.
• Michael calls Jan's ex-husband.
• Jan is furious to learn that Michael talked with her ex-husband.
• Michael describes the office with a confused metaphor involving organs of the body.

Cultural references

To summarize why he deserves a raise, Dwight utilizes a Lex Luthor quote from the "Hothead" episode of Smallville.^[1] In order to trick Dwight into thinking that Thursday was actually Friday, Pam and Jim discuss who Donald Trump fired on The Apprentice, which was in its 4th season at the time this episode aired.^[1]

Broadcast and reception

Television Without Pity gave the episode an A- rating.^[1]

References

External links

• "Performance Review" at NBC.com
• "Performance Review" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Performance Review" at TV.com