The One Memorable 'Office' Cold Open Scene That Wasn't Originally Planned

No show does a cold open quite like The Office.

As reported by Mashable, one of the most memorable cold open scenes from the fan-favorite NBC show was actually an accident. The Office Ladies podcast gave us the inside scoop. Warning: it's even funnier than we could've imagined.

So remember the episode "Performance Review" from way back in Season 2? The cold open includes a classic Dwight and Jim squabble in which Dwight bothers Jim while bouncing on an exercise ball, or as he calls it, his "fitness orb." As expected, Jim grows increasingly annoyed. After learning the orb only costs $25, he stabs it with a pair of scissors. Dwight comes crashing down, and it's gold.

Well, Jenna Fischer revealed that the iconic moment was not supposed to happen that way. "Ladies and gentleman, it was not meant to pop. I traded messages with Phil Shea, props master, and he told me all about the fitness orbs," she recalled.

According to the Pam Beesly actress, they'd practiced the stab on three of the 17 orbs. Each time, John Krasinski (Jim) stuck the scissors in and it deflated ever so slowly, with Rainn Wilson (Dwight) "melting" to the ground. By take number 13, they were sure it was going to happen the same way, as long as Krasinski avoided hitting the ball's seam. He didn't.

"You can see the shock on Rainn's face, and he fell to the floor," Fischer added. "We were all completely shocked, like, 'Oh my god.' And you can totally see John break — his shoulders — and very quickly, [because] he’s such a pro, he turns his back and just like leaves."

Just when you thought The Office couldn't get anymore binge-worthy, we're given another awesome reason to relive the magic of Dunder Mifflin.