'The Office' Writer Paul Feig Reveals Now-Iconic 'Dinner Party' Episode Was 'Universally Hated' at First
By Rachel Reed
The Office is revered as one of the most binge-able shows of all time. From start to finish, the unforgettable NBC series is loaded with iconically awkward moments. The cringe-worthy parts are what makes the happenings at Dunder Mifflin so special. Still, fans considered one of the show's most memorable episodes too awkward to watch back in the day.
Paul Feig says that Season 4's "Dinner Party" was one episode that wasn't so well received when it first aired, reports Entertainment Weekly. In fact, the writer claims that it was even "universally hated," and that fans "just couldn't take it." Nowadays, things have really changed. "Dinner Party" is considered one of the show's most hilarious (and still most awkward) episodes ever.
"Just this vitriol came up," Feige recalled. "We made people so cringey-feeling that they just couldn't take it." As the publication notes, fans eventually came around, getting fully onboard with the grade-A awkwardness feelings "Dinner Party" continues to evoke, binge after binge session.
In case you need a refresher, the episode centers around Michael Scott and his girlfriend Jan hosting an intimate soiree amidst a very rough patch in their relationship. The events of the evening escalate to a place so unsettling that it's hard to sit through, even from afar. Who could forget moments like Michael's infamous "Snip snap, snip snap" outburst? The guest list includes Jim, Pam, Andy, and Angela. Crashers include Dwight and his childhood-babysitter-turned-dinner-date. Forever yikes.
So what changed for fans with this one? Feig says that rewatching turned out to be the cure, explaining, "What's happened now is, once you've seen it once and you know what's coming, then you can really enjoy it." True!