This Season 2 Episode of ‘The Office’ Helped Save the Sitcom

Brian Baumgartner, who famously played Kevin Malone on “The Office,” shared that before it became a hit sitcom, the cast was told to pack up their trailers and move home because it wasn’t clear they would get a full season 2 order.

“They gave us our trailers back, and we cleaned them up and went home, and they said, ‘I hope we can do some more (episodes),'” Baumgartner recalled after shooting the sixth episode of the season before a hiatus.

Baumgartner joined former “Glee” actors Jenna Ushkowitz and Kevin McHale on their podcast “And That’s What You REALLY Missed,” which recaps and chronicles some of the behind-the-scenes stories of their Fox musical comedy series. Baumgartner shared his experience as a beloved accountant and the growing success of the now-small-screen classic.

The second season of “The Office,” which consisted of 22 episodes, was initially canceled after six episodes. After that, the actors were sent home with no promise of returning. It wasn’t until the following February that they were given the green light to complete the remaining 16 episodes, which were a huge success.

Baumgartner credits the opportunity to return mainly to Steve Carrell, who plays the iconic Michael Scott. During the break from filming, Carrell’s career skyrocketed. He even won his first Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for the series.

Then, the 10th episode of the season, “Christmas Party”, reached over 10 million viewers when it aired in December 2005.

“That’s when things changed,” he said. “Like, oh, we’re going to be here for a while.”

“The Office” ended up being one of the most popular television comedies of its era and continues to be a highly coveted streaming property. Baumgartner said the experience was “crazy.”

Although it was off the air for 11 years, the love for the sitcom never died. Continued interest in the series sparked a reboot that is currently in the works. Peacock has officially ordered the revival, and production is set to begin in July. The new show will star Domhnall Gleeson and “White Lotus” star Sabrina Impacciatore.

Listen to the full episode “And This Is What You REALLY Missed” here.

“The Office” is available to stream on Peacock.