Dwight's Speech
"Dwight's Speech" is the seventeenth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's twenty-third episode overall. Written by Paul Lieberstein and directed by Charles McDougall, the episode first aired in the United States on March 2, 2006 on NBC. The series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. In the episode, Michael Scott (Steve Carell) helps Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) with an important speech that he is going to give. Meanwhile, Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) plans a vacation to avoid Pam Beesly's (Jenna Fischer) wedding. The speech scene employed over 500 extras, an unusual occurrence for the series. Much of Dwight's speech is based upon real speeches by Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. The episode received largely positive reviews from television critics. In its original broadcast, "Dwight's Speech" earned a Nielsen rating of 4.4 in the 18–49 demographic, being viewed by 8.4 million viewers. Plot Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) is named Northeastern Pennsylvania Salesman of the Year and must make a speech at an association meeting at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel, getting some assistance from Michael Scott (Steve Carell).