The Office Episode 7.23 The Inner Circle

Deangelo has called everyone into the conference room for a meeting. Deangelo uses an angry tone to tell them about the changes he's making, even though they're good changes: instituting ice cream Thursdays, sending Darryl to night business school and getting Toby a new chair. Deangelo doesn't want anyone to figure him because he fears that they'll then start to tell him only what he wants to hear. Everyone is a bit baffled, which pleases Deangelo.

Pam tries to get Deangelo's attention as he talks to Darryl about Vermont. Deangelo tells her to wait. When Deangelo finally gives Pam his attention, she tells him about a friend of hers with a lot of experience who would make the perfect executive assistant for him. Deangelo curtly tells Pam to put the resume in the pile with the rest, then calls his "dudes" for a meeting. As Jim heads in, Pam refers to it as an "Inner Circle meeting." Jim denies that there's an Inner Circle, but other members, like Kevin, bask in it.

Deangelo brings Dwight a coffee. Dwight thanks him and throws it in the garbage. Deangelo tries a different tack. He invites Dwight to the park after work to share a six-pack and listen to music. Dwight denies him again.

Deangelo meets with the Inner Circle - Jim, Kevin, Gabe and Darryl - as Andy stews in reception over not being included. Deangelo talks sales strategy for a minute, then turns his attention to shooting baskets at the hoop on his door.

Deangelo gives Ryan a shoulder slap as he walks by, commenting that Ryan's department is "killing it." Ryan admits to the camera that he "strongly implied" that he was Kelly's supervisor. Ryan tells Kelly what he did. She's furious and asks why she should pretend that Ryan is her boss. Ryan says he would like for her to. Kelly accuses Ryan of lying all the time just because he likes to. Ryan offers that he'd die for her, too. Just then, Deangelo walks by. They freeze. Ryan speaks sternly and reprimands Kelly about some call logs. After a tense moment, Kelly plays along. After Deangelo moves away, Ryan thanks Kelly and tells her she's the best.

Deangelo enters the break room where Dwight is reading the paper. Deangelo tries to make small talk with Dwight, who rebuffs him. Deangelo wants to know why Dwight doesn't like him. Dwight responds that he does his job well and he's not going to suck up, so Deangelo should just leave him alone. Deangelo insists that he's going to win Dwight over. Dwight protests.

The Inner Circle goes over the resumes of candidates for Deangelo's executive assistant. Darryl comments that one person put "juggling" under his "special skills." Deangelo wonders what's wrong with juggling, as he's a big juggler. He reveals that he performs a "motivational juggling routine." Deangelo surveys the bullpen and determines that it's big enough for his routine. They head to the bullpen. A few minutes later, Deangelo reports that his juggling stuff wasn't in his trunk. Andy excitedly offers his juggling balls, which are in his desk. He tosses them to Deangelo, who lets them go by, commenting that he never touches another juggler's instruments. Deangelo decides to perform his routine without the balls. He goes on to mime juggling to Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life." When he's done, no one knows how to react. The Inner Circle claps.

At lunch in the break room, Pam makes fun of Deangelo's "juggling." She wonders how Jim can defend him. Jim says that he likes working for Deangelo. Angela comments that of course Jim does because he's a man. She goes on to accuse Deangelo of being a huge sexist. Angela describes how she's the head of accounting, but Deangelo only talks to Kevin; and Pam and Kelly are department heads, but Deangelo doesn't meet with them. Pam suggests that Jim talk to Deangelo about it and tell him how his actions are being perceived by the women in the office.

Jim goes to Deangelo's office to relay Angela and Pam's complaint. Darryl, Kevin and Gabe follow, thinking that the Inner Circle is meeting. Jim asks for a minute alone with Deangelo. Deangelo tells him he can say anything in front of the guys. Jim tells him that's the problem: the female department heads think Deangelo is a little sexist. Deangelo wants to know who feels that way. The others guess that it's Pam and make fun of her. Deangelo says it doesn't matter; he's just glad Jim brought it to his attention because he had no idea.

Kelly talks on the phone with her mother, telling her that Ryan is taking them out to dinner tonight and he won't ever stand them up again.

Deangelo asks Erin to bring his new executive assistant up from the lobby. Jim asks whom Deangelo hired. Deangelo takes the opportunity to clear the air about the rumors that he's a sexist. He denies being a sexist and tells everyone that it bothers him when he hears there's gossip that he treats women as less than men. Phyllis comments that she's not a feminist, but she thinks the men in the office are being given chances the women aren't. Deangelo asks for Dwight's take, then praises him. Just then, Erin enters with a tall, gorgeous young woman, Jordan Garfield. Deangelo introduces her to everyone. Pam asks where Jordan worked before and learns that this is Jordan's first office job. Deangelo comments that he wanted someone brand new to the corporate world without bad habits.

Later, Kevin walks by Jim and asks if he's coming into Deangelo's office. Jim checks his phone for a text and furrows his brow. Dwight reads a text and yells, "No!" to Deangelo. Pam notices that Jim's not heading into Deangelo's office. She tells him that now is not the time to take a stand and he should get in there. Jim explains that Deangelo didn't text him. Andy shouts that he's in! He heads to Deangelo's office and shuts the door. Pam tells Jim that Deangelo probably just forgot to text him. A minute later, Jim creeps in. Deangelo stops the meeting and asks if he can help him. Deangelo stares at Jim for a long, uncomfortable moment. Jim stands up and slides out of the room.

Jordan stops by Dwight's desk and tells him that Deangelo wanted to know if there was anything she could help Dwight with. Dwight yells to Deangelo to tell his "whore" to leave him alone.

Andy leads a meeting of the sales team, which involves him passing along a bunch of Deangelo's ideas and tasks. Jim laments that this is his life now. He stops by Deangelo's office to try and smooth things over. Deangelo comments he needs team players and right now, he doesn't know if Jim is on his team. Jim assures Deangelo that he is. Deangelo says maybe they'll work Jim back into the lineup.

Ryan sees Deangelo approaching and berates Kelly again. Kelly can't take it anymore and snaps. She tells Deangelo that Ryan isn't really her supervisor and hasn't had a real job there in years. Deangelo dismisses her, saying that he doesn't have time for this "he said, she said." Deangelo declares that he likes Ryan and thinks Kelly seems hysterical, so Ryan's her supervisor.

Behind Deangelo's office door, the Inner Circle is making a lot of noise playing with the door-mounted basketball hoop. Pam knocks and asks them to keep it down. Gabe says that will be tough since they're getting a dunking clinic from Deangelo, comparing him to Michael Jordan. Deangelo insists that he's no MJ, but he can dunk from the free throw line. The guys return to dunking and Deangelo invites Jim in. Jim says that instead of a game, he'd like an exhibition of Deangelo's dunk. Jim comments that there's a hoop downstairs and a real basketball so Deangelo won't have to mime. Deangelo declares that everyone is going downstairs. Dwight passes. Deangelo explodes at Dwight, telling him to get his a*s downstairs or find a new place to sell paper. Dwight tells the camera that he responds to strong leadership.

Jim measures a foul line for Deangelo. To make it interesting, Deangelo suggests that Jordan sit underneath the basket. She declines. Deangelo tells Kevin to sit under the basket, which he does. Deangelo runs up, dunks the basketball and hangs from the rim. The hoop starts to tip forward onto Deangelo. Everyone screams as Deangelo takes a mighty fall. An ambulance takes him away as everyone stands around, stunned. Jim wonders, "Now what?"

Deangelo returns to the office in a hospital gown with his head bandaged. Jim tells Erin to call 911. Deangelo speaks in gibberish as he tries to tell a joke. Jim and Gabe walk him down the hallway as they wait for help to arrive.