One of the most emotionally resonant scenes in The Office aired in February 2007. Pam Beesly proudly displays her artwork at a show, but is disappointed when almost no one from Dunder Mifflin attends. She overhears a harsh critique of her work from Oscar and his partner, but then Michael Scott arrives and genuinely compliments her drawing of the office. A funny moment involving a candy bar in Michael’s pocket quickly gives way to a heartwarming gesture as he hangs the drawing up at work. It’s a perfect ending to a standout episode, “Business School,” from the show’s fantastic third season.
This episode was directed by Joss Whedon, who is famous for creating Buffy the Vampire Slayer and later directing The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. He also directed an episode in Season 4 called “Branch Wars.” But how did he come to direct this particular episode? Let’s take a look at the story behind it.
How Did This Connection Come to Be?
Joss Whedon wasn’t the first big-name director to work on The Office. He joined an impressive group that included Jon Favreau, Marc Webb (director of The Amazing Spider-Man), J.J. Abrams, Jason Reitman, Seth Gordon (known for Four Christmases), Harold Ramis, and Paul Feig – all of whom directed episodes of the beloved NBC comedy.
Joss Whedon became involved in the show through two connections. First, he was friends with the show’s creator, Greg Daniels, a former writer for Conan O’Brien. Second, he was also friends with Jenna Fischer, whom he’d met through Daniels.
Beyond Joss Whedon’s involvement, what’s the connection between “Business School” and Buffy the Vampire Slayer? You’d have to ask Dwight Schrute – unless he’s hiding, nervously watching to see if his coworker Jim has turned into a vampire.
This refers to one of the two smaller storylines in the episode. The main plot follows Michael joining Ryan Howard at business school. While there, Michael is mortified to realize how negatively Ryan views him as a boss.
Michael is upset, but he avoids a chaotic scene when Dwight removes a ceiling tile and a bat flies out. Jim, always up to something, seizes the moment and, with Karen’s help, pretends the bat bit him. Dwight, easily convinced by outlandish stories, genuinely believes Jim and obsessively watches him, convinced he’s in danger.
The bat – and the coworker who resembled a vampire – appearing at that time was just a lucky accident. Joss Whedon wasn’t behind it, but it was a perfectly timed and memorable way for him to start directing the show.
Enjoying this episode of The Office? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!
Read More
- Epic Games Store Giving Away $45 Worth of PC Games for Free
- 10 Ridley Scott Films With the Highest Audience Scores on Rotten Tomatoes
- When Is Hoppers’ Digital & Streaming Release Date?
- Sunday Rose Kidman Urban Describes Mom Nicole Kidman In Rare Interview
- America’s Next Top Model Drama Allegations on Dirty Rotten Scandals
- There’s Blood In The Water In Thrash First Footage – Watch The Trailer
- All The Howl Propaganda Speaker in Borderlands 4
- Overwatch Co-Creator Says His Departure Came From “Biggest F*** You Moment” After Meeting CFO
- PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Classics Catalog lineup for July 2025 announced
- 10 Movies That Were Secretly Sequels
2026-03-14 02:10