Brian Baumgartner Reflects On ‘The Office’’s Christmas Episode

Based on Brian Baumgartner, the success of “The Workplace” may simply be its personal Christmas miracle.

The actor, greatest identified for his position as Kevin Malone, joined former co-stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey on a particular vacation bonus episode of their “Workplace Women” podcast to reminisce in regards to the beloved sitcom’s festive episodes and the influence that they had.

Baumgartner, who starred within the hit NBC sequence from 2005 to 2013, mirrored on how his reminiscences of the present’s vacation episodes are deeply tied to what was taking place “outdoors” the fictional world of “The Workplace.”

The actor admitted that he believes that “The Workplace”’s first Christmas episode was a turning level that catapulted the present to mainstream success and solidified its place in tv historical past.

“It is about what was taking place outdoors. And as I am certain you guys have or will speak about, like, that very first Christmas episode,” he instructed Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. “It did not launch the present. It wasn’t the primary episode of the present. However that episode actually launched the success of the present.”

“That episode grew to become our largest viewers because the premiere,” he added of the season 2 episode, “Christmas Celebration.” “And from there, , then Steve [Carell] wins the Golden Globe, like, three or 4 weeks later, all the things begins taking place.”

“We turned a nook,” Kinsey, who performed Angela, chimed in. “, at that time, we did not actually have a full order for the season. They usually began — after that, it grew to become clear we had been gonna be round for some time.”

Fischer, who performed Pam, remembered the vacation episodes as a few of the most “joyous” to make. “We actually can be in these, like, group celebration conditions for many of the episode.”

“I am certain we had been very onerous to wrangle,” she added. “We had been most likely, like, attempting to make a TV present with a room filled with 6-year-olds or one thing, doing all our bits.”

The primary Christmas episode of “The Office,” titled “Christmas Celebration,” aired on December 6, 2005, throughout the present’s second season. Extensively considered a fan favourite, it’s credited with serving to solidify the sequence’ reputation.

The episode follows Michael Scott (Steve Carell) as he throws an workplace Christmas celebration that shortly goes off the rails. Initially, the group is ready to change considerate items by means of a Secret Santa recreation, however Michael turns it right into a chaotic Yankee Swap (White Elephant) change.

This creates stress as some workers had put vital effort into their items, like Jim (John Krasinski), who provides Pam (Jenna Fischer) a teapot stuffed with mementos referencing their inside jokes. Others, like Michael, ignored the $20 reward restrict, with Michael gifting a $400 iPod to showcase his generosity and search approval from the group.

The episode highlights the quirky dynamics of the workplace, from Angela’s strict management over the Christmas tree to Kevin’s pleasure over a footbath reward. Because the celebration progresses, Michael tries to salvage the temper by shopping for liquor for the group, resulting in hilariously awkward moments.

The episode strikes a steadiness between humor and coronary heart, additional growing Jim and Pam’s budding romance whereas showcasing Michael’s determined want for validation. It grew to become a cultural touchstone and stays a vacation basic.

“Christmas Celebration” additionally marked a turning level for the sequence, demonstrating how “The Workplace” may flip relatable office situations into comedic gold. It earned the present its first Emmy nomination for Excellent Single-Digital camera Image Modifying for a Comedy Sequence and performed a major position in constructing momentum throughout its second season, serving to “The Workplace” transition right into a mainstream hit.

The trio reminisced a couple of chaotic second from the 2009 episode “Secret Santa,” the place Carell’s Michael Scott, dressed as Santa, had Kevin (performed by Baumgartner) sit on his lap. Fischer shared that the forged couldn’t make it by means of the scene with out breaking into laughter.

“In the event you watch that episode, individuals are breaking within the background,” Fischer mentioned. “We by no means, ever received a take the place folks held it collectively the entire time lengthy sufficient to really put the present collectively. I believe they simply gave up. They had been like, ‘Overlook it. That is what it’s.’”