In season 1 episode 4 of The Office, Michael Scott throws a birthday party for Meredith to boost morale. Meanwhile, Dwight asks Jim to form an alliance to protect themselves from downsizing. This page includes the full script and every quote from "The Alliance".
Dwight Schrute:Michael!?
Michael Scott:Oh! God. Dwight, come on...
Dwight Schrute:I wanted to talk to you about the downsizing?
Michael Scott:There's no downsizing.
Dwight Schrute:I, but if there were, I'd be protected as assistant regional manager?
Michael Scott:Assistant to the regional manager Dwight.
Dwight Schrute:Yeah, so I don't have to worry?
Michael Scott:Look, look, look. I talked to corporate, about protecting the sales staff. And they said they couldn't guarantee it if there's downsizing, okay?
Michael Scott:But there's no downsizing, so just don't...
Dwight Schrute:Bottom line. Do I need to be worried?
Michael Scott:Mmm, mm, mm. Maybe.
Michael Scott:It looks like there's gonna be downsizing. And it's part of my job, but... blah! I hate it. I think the main difference between me and Donald Trump is that, uh, I get no pleasure out of saying the words, "You're fired." (as Donald Trump) "You're foir-ed. Uh, you're foir-ed." It just makes people sad, and an office can't function that way. No way. (as Donald Trump) "You're foir-ed." I think if I had a catchphrase it would be, "You're hired, and you can work here as long as you want." But that's unrealistic, so...
Dwight Schrute:It's a real shame, 'cause studies have shown that more information gets passed through water-cooler gossip than through official memos. Which puts me at a disadvantage, because I bring my own water to work.
Stanley Hudson:Why'd you do this?
Dwight Schrute:I didn't do it. What do you mean? Oh, the water cooler was brought over here for... maintenance. So what do you guys hear? What's the scuttlebutt?
Michael Scott:Get set for Operation Morale Improvement starring Michael Scott. Now, I think I have had a little stroke of genius in that I have had my assistant Pam... Smile, Pam. I have had her go out and find out whose birthday is coming up, so we can have a little celebration for it. Not bad, not bad at all. All right. And the birthday person is... drum roll please. Here we go, who is the birthday, birthday person?
Michael Scott:Who is it? Who's the birthday?
Pam Beesly:Um... Actually, we don't have any staff birthdays coming up.
Michael Scott:Next person on the...
Pam Beesly:Oh.
Michael Scott:...calendar.
Pam Beesly:Okay, umm... that would be Meredith.
Michael Scott:Yes! All right, come on down Meredith!
Pam Beesly:But it's not until next month.
Michael Scott:Um... uh, OK. Well, great, well, you know, it'll be a surprise.
Pam Beesly:You still want to have a party?
Michael Scott:Yeah, why not? Sure. Go ahead, live a little. Come on, Pam. Come on, shake it up. Shake it up! Shake it up!
Michael Scott:(grabs cell phone off desk) Brrrp! Uh, Spock, are there any signs of life down there? Well, let me check Captain. Eeee. Eeee. Eeee. Eeee. No, Captain. No signs of life down here. Just a wet blanket named Pam. Brr-rrrp. Star Trek.
Phyllis Vance:Well, uh, for decorations, maybe we could... it's stupid, forget it.
Angela Martin:What?
Phyllis Vance:I was just going to say, maybe we could have streamers, but that's dumb, everybody has streamers. Never mind.
Angela Martin:No, yeah, I think that's a good idea.
Pam Beesly:This was tough. I suggested we flip a coin. But Angela said she doesn't like to gamble. Of course by saying that she was gambling that I wouldn't smack her.
Michael Scott:These are my party-planning beeyatches. Pulled off an amazing '80s party last year. Off the hook!
Michael Scott:So I was thinking, if you haven't already got a cake, um, maybe going for one of those ice-cream cakes from Baskin-Robbins. Those are very good. Very Delicious.
Angela Martin:Meredith's allergic to dairy, so...
Michael Scott:She's not the only one that's going to be eating it, right? I think everybody likes ice-cream cake. It's not, uh, it's not just about her, so...
Pam Beesly:It is... her birthday.
Michael Scott:Mint chocolate chip! That'd be good, how about some, mint chocolate chip?
Dwight Schrute:Hey, so listen, I was thinking that it might be a good idea if you and I formed an alliance. 'Cause of the downsizing? I think an alliance might be a good idea, you know. Help each other out.
Dwight Schrute:Do you want to form, an alliance, with me?
Jim Halpert:Absolutely, I do.
Dwight Schrute:Good, good. Excellent, OK. Now we need to figure out who's vulnerable and who's protected...
Jim Halpert:At that moment, I was so happy. I mean, everything Dwight does annoys me.
Dwight Schrute:Did you get your tickets?
Jim Halpert:To what?
Dwight Schrute:The gun show. (Rolls up his sleeve and kisses his bicep)
Jim Halpert:And I spend hours thinking of ways to get back at him, but only in ways that could get me arrested. And then here he comes and he says "No, Jim, here's a way."
Dwight Schrute:There's one other thing and this is important. Let's keep this alliance totally a secret. Don't tell anyone.
Pam Beesly:An alliance?
Jim Halpert:Oh yeah.
Pam Beesly:What does that even mean?
Jim Halpert:I think it has something to do with Survivor, but I'm not sure.
Jim Halpert:Um, I know that it involves spying on people and we may build a fort, underground.
Dwight Schrute:Jim! Hey. Hi, Pam. Listen, could I talk to you a second about the... paper products?
Dwight Schrute:Did you tell Pam about the alliance?
Jim Halpert:What? No.
Dwight Schrute:Just now.
Jim Halpert:What? Oh no no no. Dwight, no. I'm using her, for the alliance. Who knows the most information about this office? Pam.
Jim Halpert:Well I'm trying to. Do you see what I'm doing?
Dwight Schrute:Mmm hmm.
Jim Halpert:But listen, I'm going to have to talk to her a lot. All right? And there may be chatting, and giggling. And you gotta just pretend to ignore it. Wipe it away.
Dwight Schrute:Done.
Jim Halpert:All right.
Michael Scott:(to the camera) Can you get her? She's right there. (camera zooms in on Meredith at here desk) That is Meredith, the birthday girl. And this... is Meredith's card. Happy Bird-Day. (laughs) Um, let's see. Jim, Jim wrote, "Meredith, I heard you're turning 46, but, come on, you're an accountant. Just fudge the numbers." Not bad, pretty funny, I don't appreciate condoning corporate fraud though. Uh, here's the thing. Whatever I write here has to be really, really funny. Because people out there are expecting it. I've already set the bar really high. And they're all worried about their jobs, you know. It's kinda dark out there. Can you imagine if I wrote something like, uh, "Oh, Meredith. Happy Birthday. You're great. Love, Michael." (pretends to vomit and laughs)
Dwight Schrute:They seem awfully chummy, don't you think?
Jim Halpert:Yeah, what do you think that's about?
Dwight Schrute:Only one way to find out.
Jim Halpert:I'm on it.
Jim Halpert:You are not going to believe this.
Dwight Schrute:What? I believe it.
Jim Halpert:Well, tensions were high in the kitchen.
Dwight Schrute:I could tell, from the body language.
Jim Halpert:Hey Kev, that looks good. What is it? Turkey?
Kevin Malone:Italian.
Jim Halpert:Oh, Italian. Nice. Wow! You got the works there. Red onion, provolone...
Kevin Malone:Yeah.
Jim Halpert:Toby and Kevin, they're trying to get Angela kicked off.
Dwight Schrute:Good, let 'em. It helps our cause.
Jim Halpert:Well, I don't know, if Kevin's in accounting, and Toby's in Human Resources and they're talking...
Dwight Schrute:Oh, they're forming an alliance
Toby Flenderson:I love their sandwiches.
Jim Halpert:I love their sandwiches too.
Kevin Malone:Their bread's really good.
Jim Halpert:Their bread is very good.
Dwight Schrute:Damn it. God!
Jim Halpert:OK, listen, we need to assume that everyone in the office is forming an alliance and is therefore trying to get us kicked off.
Dwight Schrute:God... Damn it! Why us?
Jim Halpert:Because we're strong, Dwight. Because we're strong.
Michael Scott:(staring at birthday card) Meredith, Meredith... Meri... Mary had a little lamb. Mary... Meredith had a little lamb. Don't bring that lamb to work or it'll poop on the floor.
Michael Scott:Hey, Oscar! Come on in. What's up?
Oscar Martinez:Uh, I'm sorry to bother you.
Michael Scott:Oh, not at all. Come on in. What's going on?
Oscar Martinez:My nephew is involved with, um, a charity for cerebral palsy, and I was wondering if maybe you'd like to... you know... if...
Michael Scott:What?
Oscar Martinez:Donate to the charity?
Michael Scott:Oh, God. Of course I would. Get it over here. Get that over here.
Oscar Martinez:Thank you.
Michael Scott:No, I'm always good... for some serious buckage. Wow. Two dollars, three dollars? People out here do not care about diseases. I am going to give you... $25.
Oscar Martinez:That's... that's... that's very generous.
Michael Scott:Oh, my gosh, well... Listen, Oscar, generosity and togetherness and community all convalescences into... morale. That's what I say, so...
Pam Beesly:(whispering) Hey, Jim, can I talk to you for a second?
Jim Halpert:Sure, what's up?
Pam Beesly:Um, I don't know, I'm just like, I'm going a little crazy 'cause I keep overhearing all these conversations between Michael and corporate about like, staff issues?
Jim Halpert:Oh no?
Pam Beesly:Yeah, he's making me take notes on these meetings and I'm, like, "These people are my friends." But he's all like, "This is confidential. You can't tell anybody." But I just feel like I want to... aaah. Just promise me you're not gonna say anything.
Jim Halpert:No, will not, I'm not going to tell anybody. This is between you and me.
Pam Beesly:OK, yeah.
Dwight Schrute:Jackpot.
Jim Halpert:That was beautiful. All her idea too. Awesome. She is so great.
Michael Scott:(looking at birthday card) Meredith, bad breath. Meredith has bad breath.
Dwight Schrute:Hey, you wanted to see me?
Michael Scott:Yeah. What do you know about Meredith?
Dwight Schrute:I don't think she'd be missed.
Michael Scott:There's not going to be downsizing Dwight, OK? I just, I need to know a little bit more about my friend.
Dwight Schrute:Name, Meredith Palmer. Uh, personal information, divorced twice, two kids. Uh, Employer, Dunder Mifflin Paper Incorporated. Awards, multiple Dundies.
Michael Scott:I know all that. I know all that. I just, I need something kind of embarrassing, you know. Kind of fun, inside.
Dwight Schrute:She had a hysterectomy.
Michael Scott:(laughs) Which one is that again?
Dwight Schrute:That's where they remove the uterus.
Michael Scott:Oh God! Dwight, no. I'm trying to write something funny. What am I going to do with a removed uterus?
Dwight Schrute:It could be kind of funny.
Michael Scott:You know what, I am on a deadline here, and just... OK. Thanks, thanks for your help. I'll work it out. Thank you Dwight. That was a waste of time.
Jim Halpert:OK, here's the deal. All right? Pam says that one of the alliances is meeting in the warehouse during Meredith's birthday.
Dwight Schrute:Oh my God, we have to be there.
Jim Halpert:I know, but it's gonna be a little tough because there's no good place to hide there.
Dwight Schrute:No no, yes there is. Behind the shelves. Oh my God.
Jim Halpert:What? What?
Dwight Schrute:I know. I know exactly what to do.
Jim Halpert:(gives Dwight a high five) Great.
Dwight Schrute:I'm a deer hunter. I go all the time with my dad. One thing about deer, they have very good vision. One thing about me, I am better at hiding than they are... at vision.
Dwight Schrute:This is going to be perfect, OK? Centrally located. Perfect cover. I can hear and see everything.
Jim Halpert:Good.
Ryan Howard:Michael? Are you done yet?
Michael Scott:Almost there. Just a sec. Just a second. It is perfect, thank you. Excellent, here we go. It is time, thank you. OK, come on. Let's go! Get the cake. Here we go. Come on! Shhh. Be quiet.
Jim Halpert:Wait, this isn't gonna work. The lid's open.
Dwight Schrute:So tape it down.
Jim Halpert:I can't do that. You won't be able to breathe.
Dwight Schrute:Look, I can breathe just fine. OK, but if it makes you feel better, I'll poke holes in the box.
Jim Halpert:Thank you, thank you. OK.
Everyone:Surprise!
Meredith Palmer:Oh! Surprise.
Angela Martin:No, it's ah...
Michael Scott:It's surprise Meredith. One, two...
Everyone:(tunelessly) Happy birthday to you.
Michael Scott:Find a key.
Everyone:Happy birthday...
Jim Halpert:So do you want me to stay here and, you know, stand next to the box?
Dwight Schrute:No, you need to go upstairs to the party so people don't notice we're both gone.
Jim Halpert:Right... That's good.
Dwight Schrute:Can I trust Jim? I don't know. Do I have a choice? No, frankly, I don't. Will I trust Jim? Yes. Should I trust Jim? You tell me.
Everyone:(singing) ... birthday, dear Meredith Happy birthday to you...
Michael Scott:And many more!
Stanley Hudson:Last year, five years ago...
Michael Scott:You were surprised, weren't you?
Meredith Palmer:Yes.
Michael Scott:You looked freaked, man. We said "Surprise." You were, like, "What?" "What the hell's goin' on here?" Good cake. Why don't you have some?
Meredith Palmer:Uh, I can't. Um...
Michael Scott:Come on. A little bit.
Meredith Palmer:I can't eat dairy.
Michael Scott:Oh, right. God, too bad. It's so good.
Meredith Palmer:Yeah, it makes me sick.
Michael Scott:You know what? If I were allergic to dairy, I think I'd kill myself. 'Cause this is way, way too good.
Pam Beesly:He's in a box?
Jim Halpert:Pam, he's in a box. He's downstairs, in a box, on the floor, near the shelves. I'm serious. Go down there and work your magic.
Pam Beesly:(on her cell phone) Hey where are you? Yeah, we were supposed to meet here. What? Oh my gosh! That ties in perfectly with something that Michael was telling me earlier! I just don't know what some of the people in, like, accounting are going to do? It said specifically that...
Dwight Schrute:(box falls over) Oh.
Michael Scott:Jim, good party, huh? Just a little something I whipped up. You know, a little morale boost. No big deal.
Jim Halpert:Speaking of which, I meant to tell you. Very impressive, the uh, donation you gave to Oscar's charity. What was it? 25 bucks?
Michael Scott:Well, you know, money isn't everything Jim. It's not the key to happiness. You know what is? Joy. You should remember that. Maybe you'll give more than three dollars next time.
Jim Halpert:Yeah, well, three dollars a mile. It's gonna end up being like 50 bucks. So... God, I can't even calculate what you're gonna have to give.
Michael Scott:Is Oscar around?
Michael Scott:I just thought it was kind of a flat, you know... 25 dollar, one-time donation. I didn't think it was per mile kinda deal. You know, so...
Oscar Martinez:Well, that's what a walk-a-thon is.
Michael Scott:I know...
Oscar Martinez:It says it right on the sheet. Look, look at the sheet. It says, "However many dollars per mile."
Michael Scott:Right. Got it. Yes. So it does. Um...
Oscar Martinez:I just think it's kind of cheap to un-donate money to a charity.
Michael Scott:No, no, no, no, no. That wasn't what I wasn't, that wasn't... No. It-it-it's not about the money. It's just... it... it's the ethics of the thing, Oscar. How's your nephew? Is he in good shape?
Oscar Martinez:Yeah.
Michael Scott:How many miles did he do last year?
Oscar Martinez:Last year, he walked 18 miles.
Michael Scott:Son of a bitch. That is impressive.
Pam Beesly:Happy Birthday. (gives Meredith her card)
Michael Scott:Read it out loud. And say who wrote everything so we know whose is the best.
Meredith Palmer:"Happy Bird-day" Um... "Meredith, good news. You're not actually a year older because you work here, where time stands still."
Michael Scott:(under his breath) I don't know about that.
Meredith Palmer:That was Stanley. "Meredith, happy birthday, you're the best. Love, Pam."
Michael Scott:(pretends to vomit) Huh! Thanks, downer.
Meredith Palmer:This is from Michael. "Meredith, let's hope the only downsizing that happens to you is that someone downsizes your age."
Michael Scott:Because of the downsizing. Rumors. And because you're gettin' old.
Meredith Palmer:No, I... I get it. It's funny.
Michael Scott:(laughs) You didn't get the joke. So, that's cool. That's, you know what? Actually... I have a bunch of these, good ones, that I didn't use. Um... Oh, where's that? Oh, OK, here's a good one. Um... "Hey Meredith, Liz Taylor called, she wants her age back and her divorces back." 'Cause Meredith's been divorced like, twice. Is that right?
Meredith Palmer:You're right. You're right. Yes.
Michael Scott:Divorce. Um... OK, "Meredith is so old..."
Oscar Martinez:How old is she?
Michael Scott:Everybody? If... could do it? "Meredith is so old..."
Everyone:How old is she?
Michael Scott:"She's so old, she went into an antique store and they kept her."
Michael Scott:That wasn't even mine. I got that off the Internet. Website. Um, don't get mad at me.
Oscar Martinez:Uh, nice party Michael.
Michael Scott:This isn't my fault. Ladies, not your best effort. The streamers? I think we could have done better than that.
Angela Martin:Phyllis wanted red, I didn't.
Phyllis Vance:Oh, boy... You...
Michael Scott:OK, we... all right. People, hold on, hold on. Just a second. OK, I think we're losing sight of what is really important here. And that is that we are... a group of people... who work together. I was... I really wasn't gonna flaunt this. I have made a very sizable donation to Oscar's nephew's... walkathon. $25.
Oscar Martinez:Per mile.
Michael Scott:Per mile, yes.
Michael Scott:When I retire, I... don't want to just disappear to an island somewhere. I wanna be the guy who gives everything back.
Michael Scott:A check for the kids, and for the team.
Michael Scott:I want it to be like... "Hey, who donated that hospital wing that is saving so many lives?" "Um, well, I don't, I don't know. It was anonymous." "Well, guess what, (whispering) that was Michael Scott." "But it was anonymous, how do you know?" "Because I'm him."
Oscar Martinez:Thank you, Michael.
Michael Scott:Come here. (hugs Oscar and In a low voice) Don't cash that till Friday, OK?
Toby Flenderson:Really? Today?
Ryan Howard:Yeah.
Toby Flenderson:Oh, Happy Birthday.
Ryan Howard:Thanks.
Toby Flenderson:Yeah, I could say something.
Ryan Howard:No, don't. Don't do that.
Jim Halpert:OK, OK. I have something that totally tops the box.
Pam Beesly:Oh, tell me, tell me.
Jim Halpert:OK. I have just convinced Dwight that he needs to go to Stamford and... (Pam starts laughing)... spy on our other branch. No no no.
Jim Halpert:But before he does so, I told him that he should dye his hair to go undercover.
Pam Beesly:(laughing) That's perfect!
Jim Halpert:If we can get him to drive to Connecticut... and put peroxide in his hair...
Roy Anderson:(yelling) What the hell is this? What are you trying to cop a feel or something? Huh Halpert?
Jim Halpert:No, no, dude, no.
Pam Beesly:Hey, Hey!
Jim Halpert:No, dude, no, I was just, listen! Whoa.
Pam Beesly:Come on.
Jim Halpert:God, I don't even, I don't even know how to explain this. Uh, um... Dwight, uh, asked me to be in an alliance. And then um... um... we were... we've just been messing with him. Uh, because of the whole alliance thing. Um...
Pam Beesly:It's just office pranks.
Jim Halpert:It's stupid. It's, it's just office pranks.
Roy Anderson:(looking at Dwight) An alliance? What the hell is he talking about?
Dwight Schrute:I have absolutely no idea.
Roy Anderson:Come on.
Dwight Schrute:Do I feel bad about betraying Jim? Not at all. That's the game. Convince him we're in an alliance, get some information, throw him to the wolves.
Dwight Schrute:(With blonde hair) That's politics baby. Get what you can out of someone, then crush them. I think Jim might have learned a very valuable lesson.
In The Office episode 4 season 1, "The Alliance" is such a great episode (like every episode of The Office), remember you can click the camera button next to any quote to generate an image of the quote to share on social media. Michael learns of possible downsizing. He tells Dwight, who then asks Jim to form an alliance. Jim agrees to get back at Dwight. Michael tries to boost morale. He plans a surprise birthday party for Meredith. Her birthday is a month away. Pam helps Michael plan the party. They struggle to pick a theme. They also struggle to pick a cake.
Dwight wants to spy on coworkers. He thinks they are forming alliances. Jim tells Dwight that Pam is a good source of information. Jim and Pam feed Dwight false information. Michael struggles to write a funny message in Meredith's card. He makes a large donation to Oscar's nephew's charity. It is for a walk-a-thon. He donates $25 per mile. He later finds out the nephew walked 18 miles last year.
Jim tells Dwight to hide in a box. He wants Dwight to spy on a fake alliance. Dwight gets stuck in the box. Jim tells Pam about the prank. Pam tells Jim about another prank. Jim tells Dwight to dye his hair and spy on the Stamford branch. Dwight dyes his hair blonde. He finds out Jim was pranking him. Dwight betrays Jim to get back at him.
