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

In accordance with Brian Baumgartner, the success of “The Workplace” would possibly simply be its personal Christmas miracle.

The actor, greatest identified for his function 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 concerning the beloved sitcom’s festive episodes and the affect 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 “exterior” 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 exterior. And as I am certain you guys have or will speak about, like, that very first Christmas episode,” he informed 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 turned our largest viewers because the premiere,” he added of the season 2 episode, “Christmas Celebration.” “And from there, you realize, then Steve [Carell] wins the Golden Globe, like, three or 4 weeks later, all the pieces 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 turned clear we had been gonna be round for some time.”

Fischer, who performed Pam, remembered the vacation episodes as among the most “joyous” to make. “We actually could be in these, like, group social gathering conditions for a lot of the episode.”

“I am certain we had been very arduous 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, in the course of the present’s second season. Extensively thought to be 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 social gathering that rapidly goes off the rails. Initially, the staff is ready to trade considerate presents via a Secret Santa sport, however Michael turns it right into a chaotic Yankee Swap (White Elephant) trade.

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

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 present. Because the social gathering progresses, Michael tries to salvage the temper by shopping for liquor for the staff, resulting in hilariously awkward moments.

The episode strikes a stability between humor and coronary heart, additional growing Jim and Pam’s budding romance whereas showcasing Michael’s determined want for validation. It turned 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-Digicam Image Enhancing for a Comedy Collection and performed a major function in constructing momentum throughout its second season, serving to “The Workplace” transition right into a mainstream hit.

The trio reminisced a few 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 via the scene with out breaking into laughter.

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