<P> "Michael Scott Paper Company" was written by Justin Spitzer and directed by Gene Stupnitsky . It originally aired April 9, 2009, the same day as the episode "Dream Team"; the debut episode of the new NBC show Parks and Recreation was shown between the two episodes . "Michael Scott Paper Company" was the fourth of six episodes guest starring Idris Elba, best known as Stringer Bell from The Wire . Elba said he did not watch the episode after it aired because "I'm hypercritical about my work, so I try not to torture myself ." According to the Season 5 DVD episode commentary, B.J. Novak came up with the story idea involving Jim and the "run - down" and worked it into Spitzer's final script . The episode included a new title sequence with footage of the series characters in the new Michael Scott Paper Company office setting, rather than the Dunder Mifflin setting from the previous episodes . Rainn Wilson and Ed Helms practiced the guitar competition in Helms' trailer during lunch the day of the filming; Helms, a proficient bluegrass banjo player, coached Wilson, who is proficient at guitar and drums . Wilson said he proposed doing a full studio cover of the song, with Creed Bratton providing backup guitar and vocals, and selling it on iTunes for charity . Helms said he was happy to have the opportunity to play banjo on screen, but did not feel the instrument made much sense for his character; Helms said, "It's so fun and weird, but he's a Connecticut preppy guy . How did he pick up a banjo? It's one of Andy's many mysteries, not all of which I even understand ." </P> <P> Prior to the episode's airing, NBC set up a web site for the new Michael Scott Paper Company at www.michaelscottpapercompany.com, which included a mission statement for the company, photos of the new office space and a downloadable copy of the coupon for "unparalleled customer service" featured in the episode . The official website for The Office included four cut scenes from "Michael Scott Paper Company" within a week of the episode's original release . In one 85 - second clip, Dwight and Andy pretend to shoot, stab and throw grenades at each other in pantomime in anticipation of their hunting trip; they pretend to kill Jim and pester him until he plays dead, after which Charles walks in and believes he is napping . A second one - minute clip includes Pam and Ryan fighting around the new office until they are interrupted by a janitor who believes the room is still a closet and leaves water jugs on the floor . In a third, 40 - second clip, Jim asks Charles directly what a "run - down" is, but when an annoyed Charles asks if this is "one of your pranks", Jim gives up and leaves . The fourth and final clip, which is 85 seconds long, features Andy and Dwight both making passes at Erin; Andy discusses how easy it would be to learn sign language, while Dwight tells her to be careful not to get her hair or clothes caught in the nearby paper shredder . </P> <P> Dwight and Andy sing and perform the John Denver song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" while trying to impress the new receptionist . At one point, Toby is overheard through a vent discussing and praising the FX show Damages while on the phone in a bathroom . He said it is as good as anything on HBO, a premium television channel known for such shows as The Sopranos, Six Feet Under and The Wire . During the workday, Ryan watches a YouTube video of a rap music commercial for Flea Market Montgomery; the low - budget rap music advertisement for the Montgomery, Alabama flea market gained Internet fame . Michael uses Evite, social - planning website for creating online invitations, to invite people to his pancake luncheon . On a whiteboard, Michael writes a quote of himself quoting Wayne Gretzky, the popular ice hockey player who said "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" The new paper company office included Apple computers and a Nerf basketball hoop . During a phone conversation, Ryan said he wants an iPod music player that also serves as a phone, but not an iPhone, which is essentially that very product; both items are Apple products . Michael listens to "Just Dance", a Lady Gaga song, while driving his convertible to work, which he mistakes for a Britney Spears song . Near the end of the episode, when Andy states that every song sounds better a cappella, Dwight asks about the songs "Cherry Pie" by Warrant, "Enter Sandman" by Metallica and "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol . </P> <P> In its original American broadcast on April 9, 2009, "Michael Scott Paper Company" was watched by 8 million overall viewers, according to Nielsen ratings . The episode earned more ratings than "Dream Team", the other Office episode of the night, which had 7.2 million viewers . It also performed better than the Parks and Recreation pilot, which ran between the two Office episodes and had 6.8 million viewers . "Michael Scott Paper Company", as well as "Dream Team", had the most viewers in its time slot among adults between the ages of 18 and 49 . </P>

The office- dwight and andy- take me home country roads