Whistleblower (The Office)

Last updated
"Whistleblower"
The Office episode
Episode no.Season 6
Episode 26
Directed by Paul Lieberstein
Written by
Cinematography byMatt Sohn
Editing by
Production code626
Original air dateMay 20, 2010 (2010-05-20)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
 Previous
"The Chump"
Next 
"Nepotism"
The Office (American season 6)
List of episodes

"Whistleblower" is the twenty-sixth and final episode of the sixth season of the American comedy series The Office and the show's 126th episode overall. It originally aired on May 20, 2010 on NBC in the United States.

Contents

In the episode, the press learns that Sabre printers catch on fire and Jo (Kathy Bates), suspecting that someone within the Scranton branch leaked the information, sets out to discover who the whistleblower is.

It was written by Warren Lieberstein and Halsted Sullivan and directed by Paul Lieberstein. [1] The episode received mixed reviews from critics and was watched in 6.60 million households.

Synopsis

The press finds out that Sabre's printers can overheat and catch on fire. CEO Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates) shows up to the office in hopes of finding out who the whistleblower is. Everyone suspects Andy Bernard (Ed Helms), who adamantly denies he leaked the information, even though he was the first in the office to learn of it. Jo has Nick (Nelson Franklin), the IT guy, check everyone's computer to find evidence for a potential leak, and he is constantly harassed while trying to do so. Jo and Gabe Lewis (Zach Woods) interview everyone as well to find the potential leak, starting with Michael Scott (Steve Carell). Although Michael suggests some very harsh treatment of the offender, which proves his innocence to Jo, he insists that no one in the office would have leaked the information.

During the interviews, Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) comes in and offers Jo a long list of people she should fire to convince her it was not him. Jo believes him and recommends that he invest the money he made this year in real estate. After a lot of consideration, Dwight decides to attempt to buy the Scranton Business Park, and suggests in a conversation with Hank (Hugh Dane) the security guard that he will implement sweeping changes to the place.

Meanwhile Michael tries to get Andy to confess he told the press. When Andy suggests that Darryl Philbin (Craig Robinson) could be the whistleblower, Michael confronts him. Darryl admits he told a female reporter at a bar after work about the videotaped printer catching on fire. Pam Halpert (Jenna Fischer) voluntarily confesses to Michael that she told another mother at the day-care center whose husband is a reporter. He asks her and Darryl to meet him in the parking lot. Kelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling) joins them as she had revealed the news on her various social networking sites. The three suggest to Michael that he should try to talk to Jo about the situation so that they can confess but keep their jobs.

Michael tries to convince Jo to let the offenders off lightly which causes her to suspect that he knows the identity of the leak. Michael refuses to say anything, so Jo takes him to the hangar with her private jet to talk with him about his problems. Michael admits many of the stresses he has had throughout the year, including missing Holly Flax. Jo says that even though she will have to do a recall on the printers, she loathes the thought of having to make a public apology, fearing that is all she will be remembered for after she dies. Michael, who has already been enjoying the media attention over the printers so much that he enlisted the other employees to artificially raise the web counter on TV spots of him, offers to make the public apology for her.

Gabe finishes interviewing everyone and deduces that Andy is the one who talked with the press. Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) defends Andy, and the office descends into haphazard speculations on the whistleblower's identity. Former CFO David Wallace (Andy Buckley) reveals himself as another leak as he heard about it from a former client and then told other former clients and potential clients out of spite. Nick announces that he is quitting to go teach inner city children in Detroit how to use computers. When Dwight and others mock him, Nick explodes and reveals personal computer information about many of the employees, including Andy's QuickTime video he shot with Darryl and a letter/email he sent to a local newspaper. The few employees who did not leak information to the press proceed to jeer at Andy for the rest of the day. However, Erin Hannon (Ellie Kemper) commends Andy's bravery, and he leaves smiling.

Michael gives a public apology to a news crew, after which Jo tells him to let her know if she can help with any of his problems. When Michael half-jokingly asks to bring Holly back to Scranton, Jo sincerely tells him she will look into it, leaving him at a loss for words as the episode ends.

Production

The Office actor, writer and producer Paul Lieberstein directed the episode. PaulLieberstein.jpg
The Office actor, writer and producer Paul Lieberstein directed the episode.

"Whistleblower" was written by Warren Lieberstein and Halsted Sullivan and directed by Paul Lieberstein. It was Warren's and Halsted's second writing credit of the season after "Koi Pond" and Paul's fourth directing credit after "Money", "Two Weeks" and "Gossip". [1] "Whistleblower" originally aired May 20, 2010 as the twenty-sixth episode and season finale of season 6. The episode guest stars Kathy Bates as Jo Bennet, Zach Woods as Gabe Lewis, and Andy Buckley as David Wallace. It is Andy Buckley's second guest appearance after getting fired from Dunder Mifflin since "Sabre". It was Kathy Bates' fourth appearance on the show, after first appearing in "Sabre". Zach Woods made his ninth appearance on the show.

Cultural references

While talking with his real estate agent on his cellphone, Dwight states that the office park is 1725 Slough Avenue. "Slough" is a reference to the UK edition of The Office which is set in Slough, United Kingdom.

Reception

In its original American broadcast, "Whistleblower" was viewed by an estimated 6.60 million viewers with a 3.4 rating/10% share in the 18–49 demographic coming second in its timeslot after the season finale of Grey's Anatomy , receiving the same rating as last week's episode, "The Chump" and dropping 3% from last years finale, "Company Picnic" according to Nielsen Media Research. [2] The episode, "Whistleblower" ranked 13th in the weekly 18–49 demographic ratings and ranked becoming the highest rated show on NBC that week. [3]

Cindy White of IGN gave the episode a 7.8 saying it was "Good" and "This was probably the weakest finale in the show's history, coming in just below "Hot Girl", which ended the first six-episode run by at least introducing a new potential love interest for Jim." [4] Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club gave this episode a B+, stating "tonight’s episode capped off a solid season on a promising note, tantalizing us with the prospect of Holly’s return." [5] Joel Keller of AOL's TV Squad gave the episode a negative review for not having enough plot twists saying "'Whistleblower' was no 'Casino Night.' It wasn't even close. In fact, it sent the season out on a lame note, indicative of how up and down this season has been." [6]

Darren Franich of Entertainment Weekly gave the episode a positive review and wrote "This was an interesting way for The Office to end its sixth, and least cohesive, season: an admission that not a whole lot happened, followed by a callback to a plotline from last season. Still, there was some real heft to this closing episode—enough to give me some hope. [7] Will Leitch of New York said "The Office's season six was usually funny and always big-hearted, but there was never much at stake." [8] James Poniewozik of Time criticized the show for the lack of stakes during the season, but stated "The season finale, 'Whistleblower', in some ways was characteristic of this season, in that some of its best moments came from characters at the periphery of the story. But it was also at best a sign of what this season could have been, and ended on at least a glimmer of hope for the next one." [9]

TV Fanatic gave the episode a 3.5/5.0 saying "Instead, what shaped up like an seismic confrontation between Michael and Jo turned into a heart-to-heart of sorts. Enjoyable in its own right, yes. Epic finale material? Eh." [10] M. Giant of Television Without Pity gave the episode a B+. [11] Rick Porter of Zap2it said "While the entire conversation between Michael and Jo on her private jet was wonderful, a lot of the investigation into the leak of Sabre's printer problems was not." [12]

Related Research Articles

The Office is an American mockumentary sitcom television series that depicts the everyday work lives of office employees at the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. It aired on NBC from March 24, 2005, to May 16, 2013, spanning a total of nine seasons. Based on the 2001–2003 BBC series of the same name created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, it was adapted for American television by Greg Daniels, a veteran writer for Saturday Night Live, King of the Hill, and The Simpsons. It was co-produced by Daniels' Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille Productions, in association with Universal Television. The original executive producers were Daniels, Gervais, Merchant, Howard Klein, and Ben Silverman, with numerous others being promoted in later seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Bernard</span> Fictional character on NBCs The Office

Andrew Baines Bernard is a fictional character portrayed by Ed Helms in the NBC comedy television series The Office. He is introduced in Season 3 of the show as an employee of his organization's Stamford branch when Jim Halpert transfers to the branch. He transfers to the Scranton branch when it merges with the Stamford branch.

"Goodbye, Toby" is the fourth season hour-long finale of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's seventy-first and seventy-second episodes overall. Written by Paul Lieberstein and Jennifer Celotta, and directed by Paul Feig, the episode first aired in the United States on May 15, 2008, on NBC.

David Wallace (<i>The Office</i>) Fictional character in the American comedy series The Office

David Wallace is a fictional character in the American comedy series The Office, portrayed by Andy Buckley. Wallace is introduced in the second season as the new chief financial officer of Dunder Mifflin. Wallace is named after David Foster Wallace, a favorite author of John Krasinski and executive producer Michael Schur. The other characters almost exclusively refer to him by the full name "David Wallace", rather than by, for example, simply his first name. His character is established as a wealthy executive at the corporate headquarters in New York with an opulent suburban home, wife, Rachel, and two kids – one son and one daughter. Despite his differing lifestyle from the members of the Scranton branch, David tolerates and understands the eccentricities and flaws of Regional Manager Michael Scott, and appreciates employees Jim Halpert and Toby Flenderson. He is let go in the sixth season following the absorption of Dunder Mifflin by Sabre. He later sells his patent for a toy vacuum, called "Suck It," to the U.S. military for $20 million and subsequently acquires Dunder Mifflin for an undisclosed sum of money, becoming CEO in the eighth-season finale, "Free Family Portrait Studio".

<i>The Office</i> (American season 6) Season of television series

The sixth season of the American television comedy The Office premiered in the United States on NBC on September 17, 2009, and concluded on May 20, 2010. The season consisted of 22 half-hour episodes, and 2 hour-long episodes to comprise the 26 total episodes of material created. The Office is an American adaptation of the British TV series of the same name, and is presented in a mockumentary format, portraying the daily lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictitious Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. The season stars Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B. J. Novak, and Ed Helms, with supporting performances from Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Creed Bratton, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Ellie Kemper, Angela Kinsey, Paul Lieberstein, Oscar Nunez, Craig Robinson, and Phyllis Smith.

"The Cover-Up" is the twenty-fourth episode of the sixth season of the American comedy series The Office. It aired on May 6, 2010 on NBC in the United States.

<i>The Office</i> (American season 7) Season of television series

The seventh season of the American television comedy The Office premiered on September 23, 2010 and concluded on May 19, 2011 on NBC. The season consisted of 26 half-hours of material, divided into 22 half-hour episodes and two hour-long episodes. The seventh season aired on Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. (ET) as part of Comedy Night Done Right. It stars Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B. J. Novak, and Ed Helms, with supporting performances from Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Creed Bratton, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Ellie Kemper, Angela Kinsey, Paul Lieberstein, Oscar Nunez, Craig Robinson, Phyllis Smith, Zach Woods, and Amy Ryan. This was the last season to feature Michael Scott, played by Carell, as the lead character. The seventh season was released on DVD and Blu-ray in region 1 on September 6, 2011.

"Sex Ed" is the fourth episode of the seventh season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 130th episode overall. Written and directed by Paul Lieberstein, the episode aired on NBC in the United States on October 14, 2010. The episode features the return of several recurring characters, most notably Melora Hardin as Jan Levinson, Linda Purl as Helene Beesly, and Nancy Carell as Carol Stills. Actresses Amy Pietz and Amy Ryan — who portray Donna Newton and Holly Flax — only make vocal cameos, though Ryan is credited as a starring role.

"China" is the tenth episode of the seventh season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's 136th episode overall. It originally aired on NBC on December 2, 2010. The episode was written by Halsted Sullivan and Warren Lieberstein, and directed by Charles McDougall. The episode guest stars Mark Proksch as Nate and Hugh Dane as Hank.

"PDA" is the sixteenth episode of the seventh season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's 142nd episode overall. Written by Robert Padnick and directed by series creator Greg Daniels, the episode was shown on February 10, 2011, on NBC. This episode received positive reviews and was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Comedy.

"Search Committee" is the two-part finale of the seventh season of the American television comedy series The Office. It comprises the 151st and 152nd episodes of the series overall and the 25th and 26th episodes of the seventh season. It originally aired on NBC on May 19, 2011 in the United States. In the episode, Deangelo's replacement is sought out through a search committee process led by Jim. Meanwhile, Angela becomes engaged to her state senator boyfriend, Robert, while the rest of the office believes he is gay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nellie Bertram</span> Fictional character

Nellie Bertram is a fictional character on the U.S. comedy television series The Office, portrayed by Catherine Tate. She first appears as a guest star in the seventh season, where she interviewed for the Regional Manager position at the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch. She is an original character, and has no counterpart in the original British version of the series.

"Dwight K. Schrute, (Acting) Manager" is the twenty-fourth episode of the seventh season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's 150th episode overall. The episode was written by Justin Spitzer and directed by Troy Miller. It originally aired in the United States on May 12, 2011 on NBC. The episode also features guest appearances from Kathy Bates, Cody Horn and Michael Schur.

"The List" is the eighth season premiere of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 153rd episode overall. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on September 22, 2011. It was written and directed by executive producer B. J. Novak.

"After Hours" is the sixteenth episode of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's 168th episode overall. The episode aired on NBC in the United States on February 23, 2012. "After Hours" was written by co-executive producers Halsted Sullivan and Warren Lieberstein and directed by Brian Baumgartner, who portrays Kevin Malone on the series, marking his directorial debut.

"Last Day in Florida" is the eighteenth episode of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's 170th episode overall. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 8, 2012. "Last Day in Florida" was written by Robert Padnick and directed by Matt Sohn. The episode features the final appearance of Lindsey Broad and guest stars Georgia Engel.

"Turf War" is the twenty-third and penultimate episode of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 175th episode overall. The episode originally aired on NBC on May 3, 2012. "Turf War" was written by Warren Lieberstein and Halsted Sullivan, and was directed by Daniel Chun. The episode guest stars Chris Bauer, Andy Buckley, and Dan Castellaneta.

"Free Family Portrait Studio" is the twenty-fourth episode and season finale of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 176th episode overall. The episode originally aired on NBC on May 10, 2012. "Free Family Portrait Studio" was written and directed by B. J. Novak, who also wrote and directed the season premiere "The List". The episode guest stars Andy Buckley, Jack Coleman, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Jerry Minor, and Michael Schur.

"Paper Airplane" is the twentieth episode of the ninth season of the American comedy television series The Office. It originally aired on NBC on April 25, 2013. The episode features guest stars Roseanne Barr, Nora Kirkpatrick, Mark Proksch, Blake Robbins, and Bobby Ray Shafer. It was also the final half-hour episode of the series, being the fourth-to-last episode aired.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Office: Whistleblower". OfficeTally. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  2. Gorman, Bill (May 21, 2010). "TV Ratings: Grey's Anatomy Rules Finale Thursday; Bones, FlashForward, CSI, Parks, 30 Rock, Ref Rise". TV By The Numbers. Archived from the original on December 27, 2010. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  3. Seidman, Robert (May 25, 2010). "TV Ratings Top 25: Dancing Tops Idol With Viewers Again, Lost Finale Wins With Adults 18–49". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 12, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  4. White, Cindy (May 21, 2010). "The Office: "Whistleblower" Review". IGN . Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  5. Rabin, Nathan (May 21, 2010). ""Whistleblower"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  6. Keller, Joel (May 21, 2010). "'The Office' – 'Whistleblower' Recap (Season Finale)". TV Squad . Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  7. Franich, Darren (May 21, 2010). "'The Office' recap: Cheap foreign printers attacking innocent Americans". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  8. Leitch, Will (May 21, 2010). "The Office Recap: The Holly Hint". New York Magazine. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  9. Poniewozik, James (May 21, 2010). "Office Watch: Wait 'Til Next Fiscal Year". TIME. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  10. Gibbs, L.J (May 21, 2010). "The Office Season Finale Review: "Whistleblower"". TV Fanatic. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  11. Giant, M. (May 21, 2010). "The Office TV Show – Whistleblower". Television Without Pity. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  12. Porter, Rick (May 21, 2010). "'The Office' finale: There will be no questions. Are there any questions?". Zap2it . Retrieved May 22, 2010.