Branch Closing
"Branch Closing" | |
---|---|
The Office episode | |
Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 7 |
Directed by | Tucker Gates |
Written by | Michael Schur |
Cinematography by | Randall Einhorn |
Editing by | Dean Holland |
Production code | 307 |
Original air date | November 9, 2006 |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Guest appearances | |
| |
"Branch Closing" is the seventh episode of the
The series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the
According to Nielsen Media Research, an estimated 8.05 million viewers watched "Branch Closing" on its first broadcast. Critical reception to the episode was very positive, with one reviewer opining that it "expertly combines character-driven and situational humor, while realistically presenting a major change that advances the stories of all the characters. The result is a fantastically funny, enjoyable and realistic half-hour."[1]
Plot
Jan Levinson (Melora Hardin) informs Michael Scott (Steve Carell) that the Scranton branch will close, with a few people transferred to Stamford and the rest laid off. Michael takes the news badly, and soon tells the rest of the office prematurely.
Michael and
Stamford branch manager
The Scranton branch is relieved when they hear they are saved, and Kelly is thrilled that she and Ryan do not have to break up after all. When Michael and Dwight get the news, they celebrate their success, believing, erroneously, that they accomplished it. After agonizing over the decision, Jim accepts the position and suggests to
Production
"Branch Closing" was written by co-executive producer
The same night the episode first aired,
In her weekly blog post for
Reception
"Branch Closing" first aired on NBC in the United States on November 9, 2006. According to Nielsen Media Research, it was watched by an estimated 8.05 million viewers.[9] The episode was broadcast again on March 1, 2007, in its normal timeslot, receiving a viewership of 6.5 million people and a 3.0/8 rating share among adults aged 18 to 49. This was consistent with other repeat airings of the series on Thursday nights; the episode also retained 100 percent of its adult audience from its lead-in, My Name Is Earl.[10]
"Branch Closing" has received generally positive reviews from television critics. IGN's Brian Zoromski rated it 10 out of 10, making it one of only two third-season episodes he deemed a "masterpiece".[11] He explained that the episode "is a perfect example of why The Office is the best-written comedy currently on the air. The episode expertly combines character-driven and situational humor, while realistically presenting a major change that advances the stories of all the characters. The result is a fantastically funny, enjoyable and realistic half-hour."[1] Michael Sciannamea of AOL TV felt that because of the poor economy, the episode "surely hit home with quite a number of people," and added that it shows that Michael "does have a soul... you ended up rooting for him to save the day."[12] Sciannamea highlighted Stanley's reaction to the branch closure as one positive element, though he criticized the Ryan-Kelly storyline as "tiresome".[12]
Entertainment Weekly columnist Abby West lauded the episode, writing that it "had almost everything we could want: all the major players in the mix, an unexpected (not-really) twist, a juicy little revelation, and the short-term promise of a Jim/Pam reunion."[13] She was pleased with the emphasis on Jim and the way he "wonderfully bookended the conflicting emotions Michael inspires".[13] West also believed that the "writers did a great job of creating the sense of crisis that resulted in the Scranton branch instead absorbing Stamford (I never trusted that Josh guy) even though fans of the original knew it was going to end up that way."[13] Television Without Pity graded "Branch Closing" with an A.[14]
References
- ^ a b Zoromski, Brian (November 10, 2006). "The Office: "Branch Closing" Review". IGN. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- ^ Tucker Gates (director), Michael Schur (writer) (November 9, 2006). "Branch Closing". The Office. Season 3. Episode 7. NBC.
- MySpace. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
- ^ a b c "NBC'S 'THE OFFICE' WEB EVENT STREAMS ONLY ON NBC.COM". The Futon Critic. November 6, 2006. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- ^ "Charles Esten: Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
- ^ Skerry, Kath (November 9, 2006). "Office Thursday on Give Me My Remote". Give Me My Remote. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
- ^ Flannery, Kate (November 8, 2006). "Episode 7: Branch Closing". TV Guide. Archived from the original on March 29, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- Universal Studios Home Entertainment. 2007. The Office: Season Three Disc 1
- ^ "Nielsen primetime ratings report: Nov. 6โ12, 2006. (Statistical table)". Daily Variety. November 15, 2006. Archived from the original on March 25, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
- ^ "March 6, 2007 Press Release ("Branch Closing")" (Press release). NBC. May 8, 2007. Retrieved July 23, 2012.[dead link] Alt URL
- ^ "The Office: Season 3". IGN. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
- ^ a b Sciannamea, Michael (November 9, 2006). "The Office: Branch Closing". AOL TV. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- ^ a b c West, Abby (November 10, 2006). "Next Stop, Scranton". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
- ^ Giant, M. "Branch Closing". Television Without Pity. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
External links
- "Branch Closing" at NBC.com
- "Branch Closing" at IMDb