Second Drink: The Deposition - Office Ladies Recap

Podcast: Office Ladies

Published: 2026-01-19

Duration: 1 hr 18 min

Summary

The episode dissects 'The Deposition' from 'The Office,' highlighting the chaotic deposition scene with Michael Scott as a witness and ping pong rivalry at the Dunder Mifflin office. Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey also discuss behind-the-scenes anecdotes and unused storylines.

What Happened

In 'The Deposition,' Michael Scott is called as a witness when Jan sues Dunder Mifflin, leading to a comedic yet emotionally charged courtroom scenario. Michael's loyalty to Jan and Dunder Mifflin is tested, especially when his personal journal is read aloud, revealing intimate details about his relationship with Jan, which leaves him feeling betrayed.

Back at the office, a subplot unfolds with Jim losing to Daryl in a ping pong match, leading to Kelly trash-talking Pam. The writers originally considered using CGI for the ping pong ball but ultimately had the actors play for real, despite challenges with the ball's noise during dialogue scenes.

Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey discuss the missed opportunity of a deleted storyline where Dwight gets stuck in a wall. They also explore the distinction between 'trash talk' and 'smack talk,' noting that the dictionary treats them as synonyms, despite Kelly's line suggesting otherwise.

Angela Kinsey shares how her kitchen table was turned into a ping pong table, connecting the on-screen ping pong rivalry to real-life experiences in the writers' room. The episode's ping pong theme was inspired by the writers' actual ping pong games during breaks.

The ladies recall the corporate setting transformation for the deposition scene, with the reception area being turned into a deposition room. They touch upon the performance review Jan wrote for Michael post-relationship, which was harsh and recommended his dismissal.

Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey remember Lester Lewis, a writer for 'The Office' who passed away in 2013, and his contributions to the show. They also mention the challenges faced during the 2007 Writers Guild strike, which shortened the show's fourth season.

Key Insights

• The episode's ping pong subplot was inspired by real-life games played by the writers during breaks, and the actors played the matches for real instead of using CGI, despite challenges with the ball's noise during dialogue scenes.
• Michael Scott's personal journal was read aloud during Jan's lawsuit deposition against Dunder Mifflin, revealing intimate details about their relationship and leaving Michael feeling betrayed.
• A deleted storyline from the episode involved Dwight getting stuck in a wall, which was ultimately not included in the final cut.
• The 2007 Writers Guild strike impacted 'The Office' by shortening its fourth season, affecting the show's production schedule and storyline development.