‘The Office’: Jenna Fischer Says This 52-Second $250K Scene Was Meant to Throw Fans Off

For many fans around the world, The Office is one of the all-time television classics. The series ran on television from 2005 through 2013, and although it was not totally original — it is based on a British show of the same name — the American version quickly became one of the most-watched shows on NBC. The actors in the show were, in large part, responsible for making the show such a hit — and for many fans, Pam, played by the talented character actor Jenna Fischer, was one of the shining stars. Recently, during an episode of “The Office Ladies” podcast, Fischer opened up about one of the show’s most expensive scenes, and how it was designed specifically to throw fans off. 

‘The Office’ is a fan-favorite television show

The Office followed the day-to-day lives of a group of people who work at the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Helmed by Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell, the staff and employees struggle with the boring nature of their jobs all while building relationships with each other.

The show was filmed in a revolutionary single-camera setup, allowing the characters to speak directly to the camera. Fans loved not only the format, but the characters as well, and not long after its debut, The Office earned a reputation as must-watch television.

The Office earned a slew of awards during its time on the air, including four Primetime Emmy Awards. Even when it went off the air in 2013, viewers kept up with their favorite characters through reruns — and these days, The Office is still fan-favorite viewing. 

Jenna Fischer played Pam in ‘The Office’

One of the central characters in The Office was Pam Beesley, played by Fischer. She played Pam as an understated career woman, dedicated to performing well at her job while working to allow herself to experience a full, happy life.

Eventually, Pam establishes a romance with her co-worker Jim, and their relationship became one of the enduring legacies of The Office.

Fischer has gone on to work on many projects, but it is the role of Pam that has really endeared her to fans — and Fischer herself has always embraced the character. Sher and her co-star on The Office, Angela Kinsey, recently started a podcast called “The Office Ladies,” where they reminisce about their time on the show, and in a recent episode, Fischer opened up about one particularly memorable, very expensive scene in The Office. 

What expensive scene was meant to shock fans?

In “The Office Ladies” podcast, Fischer talked about the season five premiere of The Office, when fans were shocked by Jim and Pam’s surprise engagement. “So first of all, I just want you guys to know that [showrunner] Greg [Daniels] spoke with us about this. He said that he really wanted Jim’s proposal to Pam to be in the season premiere,” Fischer said.

She added: “He thought, No. 1, that would be unexpected. You usually end seasons with proposals. So he thought this would be a real shock.” Fischer went on to describe how expensive the gas station engagement scene was to film, taking a total of nine days to create the set and enlisting the aid of a special effects team to create the perfect backdrop.

“In the end, this was the single-most expensive scene shot in the entire run of the show,” Fischer revealed. “It lasted 52 seconds and it cost $250,000.” In spite of how expensive the scene was, it was incredibly memorable for fans, going on to become one of the most iconic scenes in the history of the beloved show.