'The Office' Screens Michael's Long-Awaited Movie, 'Threat Level Midnight'

By Tara Ariano, The Set | Friday, February 18, 2011, 7:31 AM

Pull that yarn....

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When fans of "The Office" think back to the Season 2 episode "The Client," they probably remember the A-plot best, since it marked a rare moment of professional competence on the part of Michael (Steve Carell) as he brokered a huge sale, and also because it was the first episode to feature any kind of canoodling between Michael and his then-boss, Jan (Melora Hardin). But the B-plot also established a significant piece of "Office" lore, with the discovery of Michael's unproduced screenplay, "Threat Level Midnight." Last night, producers gave fans even more payoff than the initial read-through from "The Client" provided, as Michael announced to his Dunder Mifflin staffers that he had finally completed filming on the project and was ready to screen it for them.

The world premiere of "Threat Level Midnight" was, obviously, a huge event in the world of the show. We learn that, previously, the Dunder Mifflin staffers had only seen an unfinished cut, which Michael turned off in a fit of pique when they didn't treat it with the appropriate respect (by which, of course, I mean they cracked up uncontrollably). So when Michael expresses his willingness to screen the film in its entirety, Pam (Jenna Fischer) urges her colleagues to control themselves. As she explains in an interview, all the Dunder Mifflin employees are in it, so it will be like watching old home movies. Michael also lets us know that he's shot "TLM" over a matter of years, which means that "Office" fans can look forward to cameos from departed Dunder Mifflin staffers Roy (David Denman), Karen (Rashida Jones), and the aforementioned Jan.

NBC has also made "Threat Level Midnight" a huge event outside the world of the show. There's an official site for the film at ThreatLevelMidnight.com, where you'll find a link to purchase the full (25-minute) movie on iTunes. And in case you're not convinced that "TLM" truly does have something for everyone, it also highlights a clip of the dance sensation that's about to sweep the nation: "The Scarn."