It's Halloween and most of the office dresses up. Michael has to find someone to fire. Jim and Pam prank Dwight by applying to various jobs on his behalf.
Tropes
- Berserk Button: Devon loses it when Michael halfheartedly fires him.
- Cat Girl: Angela, Pam, and Phyllis all dress up as adorable cats.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: In the first two seasons, we see background workers who don't appear later. Played with, since one of them ends up getting fired in this episode.
- Establishing Character Moment: Creed had appeared from the beginning, but this was the first episode in which he had lines. His scene where he talks Michael into firing Devon established his devious Comedic Sociopathy and his habit of being A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing.
- For Halloween, I Am Going as Myself: Jim's costumes tend to be lazy. He's three-hole punch Jim with three dots on his shirt (as opposed to plain white Jim). It works.
- Foreshadowing: Devon dressed as a hobo (so, an unemployed person) for Halloween.
- Halloween Episode: The first of several for the series, with everyone (minus Stanley and Ryan) dressed up in costumes that range from basic to elaborate.
- Improvisational Ingenuity: When Michael tries to fire Creed, Creed refuses to accept it and turns the tables on Michael, convincing him that Devon is the one who deserves to be fired.
- Logo Joke. The Deedle-Dee Productions Vanity Plate repeats Dwight's "Quiet,you!" line from the episode.
- Multiple Head Case: Michael's costume is "two-headed Michael Scott". He wears a smiling Michael head on his shoulder, which contrasts with his neurotic mood throughout the episode.
- Pop-Cultural Osmosis Failure: Phyllis asks if Dwight's Sith costume is a monk (though she might just be Trolling him).
- Snub by Omission: When Devon is listing everyone who is welcome to join him for a drink after being fired, the notable exceptions are Michael, Dwight, Angela and Creed. No real surprises.
- Took a Level in Kindness: Or at least humanity; the final scenes, where Michael is seen brooding at home over the events of the day before bonding with some kids trick-or-treating, clearly demonstrate that for all his ineptitude and jerkass sides shown throughout the day, Michael does genuinely feel bad about having to fire Devon, and that there is a sincere kindness within him.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Dwight uses the rejected Cumberland Mills offer to gain leverage for a promotion, something which might have worked if his boss were anyone but Michael Scott. Instead, Michael bemoans the missed opportunity for Dwight to leave so he wouldn't have to fire anybody, and asks if he can get it back.
