What You Only Notice About Dunder Mifflin After Rewatching The Office Pilot

It's not uncommon for the location and set of a pilot episode to be different than the one seen on the rest of the show. Since a pilot is shot as a "tryout" for a series, the episode lacks the big budget necessary for a unique set, often filming in already existing locations. As revealed by Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer on their "Office Ladies" podcast, this was the case for Dunder Mifflin, too. The actresses revealed that the first season of "The Office" was actually shot on site in a real Culver City, California, office building, though that office would later be replicated on a soundstage for the rest of the series.

In the pilot episode, observant fans will also notice the exterior of the Dunder Mifflin building looks different. At roughly the 9:29 mark of the pilot, there's a shot of this exterior, but it isn't the office building we've grown to love, and instead is just a generic concrete structure. As Fischer and Kinsey remark, the shot isn't even of the Culver City location where the episode was filmed. The image is likely part of stock footage, the actresses assume, that was replaced once a permanent set for Dunder Mifflin was created. 

"The Office" certainly went through many changes during its nine-year run. We miss seeing new episodes, but one thing is for sure — Dunder Mifflin will always be one of our favorite TV homes.