"Shareholder Meeting" is the eleventh episode of the sixth season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's 111th episode overall. Written by Justin Spitzer and directed by Charles McDougall, it originally aired on NBC on November 19, 2009.
The series, presented in a mockumentary style, depicts the everyday lives of office employees at the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mufflin Paper Company. In this episode, Michael Scott (Steve Carell) is invited to attend a shareholder meeting in New York City, and is shocked to learn the shareholders are upset with the company's management. In Scranton, Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) struggles to keep order in Michael's absence, as his coworkers refuse to see him as their co-manager. The episode achieved a viewership of 7.39 during its initial airing in the United States.
Plot
Michael Scott (Steve Carell) is excited when he is invited by CEO Alan Brand (Alan Fudge) to be honored on stage at the Dunder Mifflin shareholder meeting in New York City. He brings Andy Bernard (Ed Helms), Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), and Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez) along for the ride in the limo that was sent. Oscar is upset that the company spent money on a limo when they are about to go bankrupt, and is further upset that they booked a huge conference room for the meeting. Andy suggests that Oscar bring up these grievances at the meeting, but Oscar refuses out of fear for losing his job. Dwight decides to stand in the line for the microphones so he can ask Michael a simple question to warm up, but gets stuck in the middle of a huge line when he attempts to move to a shorter one. When the meeting begins, the panel is met with jeers, which Michael did not expect. When the panel moves to take a break, the crowd's jeers increase as they protest that the panel has yet to offer any solutions to Dunder Mifflin's situation. Michael impulsively announces a 45-day plan to fix Dunder Mifflin, which is greeted with enthusiastic applause.
Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) has a hard time getting Ryan Howard (B. J. Novak) to do work, as Ryan sees no point since the company is on the verge of closing. Later Phyllis Vance (Phyllis Smith) decides to take a two-hour lunch break, where she gets drunk, and when Jim tries to stop her, she bluntly tells him that Michael always lets her take two-hour lunch breaks and that she does not have to listen to Jim since he cannot fire her. The rest of the office backs up Phyllis's assessment, and it becomes apparent that Ryan sent an email around the office regarding Jim's lack of authority over the office. Jim thinks that he needs to make an example of Ryan in front of everyone, but Pam Halpert (Jenna Fischer) does not think Jim is capable of doing so. Jim, after giving Ryan one last chance to do his work, gives him his own personal office space in the small closet in the kitchen, which lacks windows and possibly internet access so he will not bother anyone or become distracted. He presents this "honor" to Ryan in front of everyone, showing them he means business. A humiliated Ryan tries to apologize, but Jim puts him in the closet anyway.