The Office Episode 8.13 Jury Duty

Andy appears at the top of the warehouse stairs and tells Val he needs the space. She tells the warehouse staff to leave and then admonishes Andy to clean up when he's done. Andy tosses a CD onto a boombox and begins to dance wildly by himself to the theme from "Footloose." He cuts across the floor, popping bubble wrap, blowing packing peanuts up into the air, spooling plastic wrap off a wide roll - wreaking havoc as he vents his frustrations. Dancing is his stress buster.

Jim returns to the office after a week away at jury duty. His co-workers ask about his case. Jim explains that it was a hit and run and they found him not guilty. In an interview, Jim explains that he was indeed called to jury duty on Monday, but was then excused for the week. He confesses that the next day he chose to stay home and help Pam out with the kids - and he did the same thing on the days that followed.

Erin announces that Angela's had her baby - a month early. The staff considers visiting her in the hospital, but only Oscar, Kevin, Erin and Gabe end up heading over. They find a less than welcoming Angela in her hospital room with her husband - the Senator - and the new baby. But Oscar quickly notices that the baby does not appear to be premature.

Andy wants more details on Jim's court experience - and so do his coworkers. Many of them have been inconvenienced by Jim being absent from the office. Jim starts scrambling and ultimately ends up embellishing his imaginary judicial tale. Toby offers some of his own experiences from his time on the Scranton Strangler trial, including praising the lunchtime empanadas his jury ate from Ernesto's. Jim agrees that Ernesto's was his favorite restaurant too. But Toby corrects him: Ernesto's is a food truck, not a restaurant. Dwight is suspicious.

Back at their desks, Dwight quizzes Jim further about the case. He catches him in an inconsistency and immediately and publicly calls him out as a liar. Andy emerges to investigate the ruckus and promptly tells Dwight to take a chill pill. Dwight calms down and explains his suspicions to Andy. He gets Andy to agree that if Jim is found to be lying, then Jim should be fired.

Overcome with guilt, Jim confesses to Andy in a stairwell. Jim tells his boss that he wants to come clean to the office. But Andy rejects the notion; his public agreement to fire Jim if he were found to be lying would paint him into a corner. "What we need is a good old fashioned Connecticut cover-up," he tells Jim.

Dwight's determined to catch Jim in his lie. He summons Ernesto, the food truck owner to the office to visit with the staff. Ernesto quickly recognizes Toby, but he clearly doesn't know Jim. Jim pays for lunch for the gang and Ernesto leaves. Now Dwight insists that Jim recount his story in detail. Jim's off-balance. Andy steps in, saying he drove Jim to the courthouse everyday; Jim adds that his car broke down. Dwight is more incredulous than ever.

In Angela's hospital room, Oscar, Kevin and Erin are somewhat confused. Oscar's premature baby outfit gift is clearly the wrong size, but Angela maintains her fiction that the baby arrived early. It's clear to Oscar that Angela is covering up the date of conception. He's also sure that Angela's husband is gay.

Jim can't take it anymore. He announces to the office that he spent the week at home. Dwight is ecstatic; the day he's dreamed of - when Jim would be fired - has finally arrived. Jim's co-workers are angry and let him know it. Andy is crushed; his credibility is in tatters. Dwight insists that Andy fire Jim but Andy refuses. He gives Jim a public reprimand - a mild slap to the face. Dwight's incensed and storms out. In the parking lot, he leaves a series of urgent messages for Gabe. He wants the Sabre bureaucrat to do his job and fire Jim.

Oscar asks Angela about the age of the baby, and she admits it was conceived nine months prior; she and the Senator conceived out of wedlock she tells her co-workers, swearing them to secrecy. A while later, in the hospital hallway, Dwight storms in looking for Gabe. Oscar can't hold onto his secret. As Dwight hears about the baby's true age, the gears begin spinning in his mind. If the baby was conceived before the wedding, he realizes it's quite possible that he could be the father. He enters the hospital room and sizes up the kid: prominent forehead, short arms - he's a Schrute!

Pam, Cece and the new baby Phillip accompany Jim to the office. Jim hopes that his co-workers seeing his family might extricate him from the spot he's put himself in. Pam parades the baby around and announces that little Cece has brought everyone gifts: drawings. But the drawings are clearly not the work of a two year old. The office again has caught a Halpert in a lie. Both kids start crying, and the situation deteriorates. But the office tide soon turns; the team feels sorry for the burden the kids are putting Pam and Jim through. They can only imagine what Jim must have faced at home while he was avoiding the office.

Dwight talks with Angela alone in her hospital room. He's sure the child is his, but Angela says absolutely not. Dwight insists that they had sex a month before the wedding - and that it's clear the baby looks like him. Angela holds her ground as the Senator comes back in. Dwight holds the baby and compares its facial structure to the Senator's. He's certain the child has Schrute blood. As he leaves, he tells the maternity nurse to cancel the planned circumcision.

Dwight returns to the office smoking a celebratory cigar. He beams with pride, noting how much bigger he feels now that he's a father. Gabe asks him what he wanted to talk to him about. Nothing important, Dwight tells him. In interview, Dwight too shows some sympathy for Jim. "Kids drive us dads crazy," Dwight says. "Sometimes I feel like they're raising us."