Scott's Tots

"Scott's Tots" is the twelfth episode of the sixth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 112th episode overall. The episode was directed by B. J. Novak, his directorial debut for the series, and written by Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg. It first aired in the United States on NBC on December 3, 2009. The series, presented in a mockumentary format, depicts the everyday lives of office employees at the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictitious Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. In the episode, it is revealed that ten years earlier, Michael (Steve Carell) recklessly promised to pay for the college tuition of an entire local third grade class if they could complete high school. Lacking the personal wealth necessary to fulfill his promise, he and Erin (Ellie Kemper) must go tell the students, who are now high school seniors, that they will not be receiving the money. Meanwhile, in Michael's absence, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) convinces Jim (John Krasinski) to start an employee-of-the-month program with the intention of getting Jim into trouble. The episode achieved a viewership of 8.05 million during its initial airing in the United States. "Scott's Tots" was critically acclaimed upon its initial airing, with many calling it a classic Office episode. Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg submitted this episode for the 2010 Emmys.