Robert California brings his wife into the office for a job, and tells Andy behind her back not to give her one which turns disastrous. Meanwhile, Dwight opens a gym in the building and tries to get Darryl to join it.
WAR
25
Wins Above Replacement
“Mrs. California” ranks #149 of 183 The Office episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 72.9 — Solid. The episode packs 49 scored jokes at 2.3 per minute, averaging 6.5 on craft and 6.5 on impact, with Dwight landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Dwight: Picture someone doing something heroic. Now, was he sitting or standing? Not counting FDR
Dwight Observational Absurdist ★ Rewatch Creed: I used to say I wanted to live long enough to see a black president. I didn't realize how easy that would be. So now I want to live long enough to see a really, really gay president or a supermodel president
Creed Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: But a gym turns fat into cash
Dwight Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Susan: Last time I had a job, I remember I hated the boss' wife. Of course, she was married to Robert
Susan Setup/Punchline Misdirection ★ Rewatch Jim · Creed: Creed, I was never here, all right? Okay. What about your friend?
Jim Creed Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 49 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Unknown coworker: Wow, your hair is really thinning
Dwight: Picture someone doing something heroic. Now, was he sitting or standing? Not counting FDR
Dwight Observational Absurdist ★ Rewatch Dwight: Every second you sit there is an hour off your life
Dwight Absurdist Character Comedy Dwight: I feel like you're in a suicide cult
Jim: Hey, guys, let's just all admit it, okay? Dwight's better than us
Jim Irony/Sarcasm Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Dwight · Coworker: Taking a load off, huh? No. Putting a load on, more like
Jim · Dwight: Think fast. Ha ha... That's real creative
Dwight · Jim: I could. I just don't feel like it, loser... Because you're sitting? Standing
Andy: Andrew Baines Bernard... I love filling these out 'cause it's like Oh, I'm taking a test but I know the answers
Andy Character Comedy Observational Robert California: Under no circumstances can that be allowed to happen
Jim: But if I were you, I wouldn't hire his wife
Jim Deadpan/Understatement Observational Andy: That's why my foundation, the Dream For A Wish Foundation, is gonna put them out of business
Andy Absurdist Character Comedy Andy · Robert California: We're 100% staffed up... Andy, let's see if there's a good fit first then we'll talk
Dwight: Your path from obesity begins right here
Dwight Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Creed: I used to say I wanted to live long enough to see a black president. I didn't realize how easy that would be. So now I want to live long enough to see a really, really gay president or a supermodel president
Creed Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: Chairs wear out faster. It takes more freon to keep them cool. They flush the toilets more often. Plus, their massive BMs bust the rivets on my pipes
Dwight: But a gym turns fat into cash
Dwight Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Susan · Ryan: It's actually Ryan... Oh, Ryan. Yeah... Bitch
Erin · Ryan: I was watching a movie and Meryl Streep had two secretaries... I was watching a movie and a bunch of apes took over San Francisco
Dwight: Sales is really not so hard, okay It's paper. We have it, and they want it so bad they are willing to pay for it
Dwight Deadpan/Understatement Absurdist Dwight · Phyllis: It's the second-easiest job in the world... Being a mom
Andy: What I wouldn't give for one of Phyllis's classic room-clearing farts right now
Andy Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Darryl: This is not a gym. This is like a scene out of Saw V
Darryl: Obviously, you know how a gym works. So you know I'm not gonna pay money for this
Darryl Deadpan/Understatement Reaction Beat Robert California: I am the CEO, and I am telling an employee of mine what to do. Let me beat around the bush for a second
Robert California · Andy: Say 'hello, grandma.'... Hi, gam-gam
Robert California: You numbskull! You were given a very simple task
Andy: We promised we'd never say good-bye
Andy Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Kevin: We have a gym at home. It's called the bedroom. Who's spotting who?
Dwight: You gotta get the black people to do it to get the white people to do it. Then you gotta get the black people to stop doing it
Dwight Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Susan · Oscar: Who walks around with their passport? Well, I do. Always ready for adventure. Have you had any? No
Unknown coworker: How can we do that? She's simply wonderful
Erin: I know exactly which stapler to give her
Erin Visual Gag Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Angela · Susan: That's Gerald... Oh, wow. So cute... Is he in a ladle? Yeah, he's in a ladle
Susan · Angela: Excuse me, waiter there's a dog in my soup... It's not that kind of ladle
Susan: Last time I had a job, I remember I hated the boss' wife. Of course, she was married to Robert
Susan Setup/Punchline Misdirection ★ Rewatch Robert California: I should step out, get to the ATM before that homeless man sets up camp for the night
Andy: Okey-dokey, artichokey
Andy Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Susan · Andy: My husband can be a very difficult man to read, can't he? Yes. The dude is an enigma
Susan Andy Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Dwight · Kevin: Is that the same philosophy you apply to buffalo wings? I want you to bring that same buffalo wing passion to this gym
Dwight · Kevin: I'm gonna make you look like Lebron James... It's Lejon Brames
Andy · Robert California: Robert storms in and he says 'In four seconds my wife's gonna be in here, I told her she could work here, Under no circumstances can that be allowed to happen.' You lying son of a bitch
Andy: He just rolled out and crawled out
Andy Physical/Slapstick Visual Gag Jim · Creed: Creed, I was never here, all right? Okay. What about your friend?
Jim Creed Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: You wish that every exercise was strutting around the gym like the Fonz? Well, how do you think the Fonz got so cool? He stretched his pelvic bowl
Dwight Absurdist Character Comedy Jim: She literally makes me work harder. She makes me smarter. She makes me remember why I'm here. And between us she's on maternity leave right now and I would love to leave this room and see her face
Jim Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight · Kevin: You're nothing! You're so weak! You call yourself a man? This doesn't help me. I don't respond to that kind of strategy
Kevin · Dwight: To look good for Val... Val Kilmer? I don't buy it that doesn't make any sense
Dwight: I am gonna make you the buffest dude Val Kilmer has ever seen
⏩ The part you fast-forward
Our scorer flagged 08:00-09:00 as the stretch with the fewest or weakest comedic moments. Everything else lands harder.
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