Just realized the deleted scene from The Office where Michael hits Meredith with his car changes the whole tone of that episode

I always thought that cold open was supposed to be just random absurd humor, but after watching the extended cut they put on Peacock last month, Michael actually looks visibly shaken in the parking lot instead of just laughing it off. Has anyone else seen the full version where he calls Toby before the commercial break?

2 comments

2 Comments

graceblack2d ago

Wait, was there a version where he calls Toby before the break? I never caught that part. I used to think it was just slapstick, like when he hit that pigeon with his car, but watching him fumble with his keys in the extended cut made me realize they were actually trying to show he felt bad about it. The way he just stares at the parking lot before walking inside really does change how you see the rest of the episode.

jamie_white2d ago

Honestly I think you're mixing that up a bit. The extended cut doesn't have him calling Toby before the break. That scene where he fumbles with his keys is actually from the original broadcast version on NBC, it's just that most people forget it because it's edited weirdly in syndication. The real difference in the extended cut is that they added a full thirty seconds of him just sitting in his car with the engine off, staring at the dashboard. That's the part that makes it clear he's actually wrestling with guilt, not just being awkward. The pigeon thing was definitely pure slapstick though, no argument there.