The Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch goes on without Jim, while he adjusts to his new life and job in the Stamford branch. Michael unintentionally outs a gay employee much to the dismay of the company, which fears a lawsuit.

Michael and Dwight attend a conference in Philadelphia where they reunite with former officemate Jim. Michael attempts to host a party in his hotel room, and feels sorry for himself when no one but Dwight seems to want his friendship. Back in Scranton, Kelly sets Pam up on a double date with Ryan and herself.

When Jan busts Michael for forcing the staff to participate in Movie Monday, Angela encourages Dwight to try to steal Michael's job. Pam buys some pretty new clothes and Kelly talks her into trying them on at work. Meanwhile, at the Stamford branch, the staff does team-building through video games, but Jim's lack of skills holds them back.

When the former regional manager passes away, Michael is upset that the staff is not reacting with his level of grief, so he forces them to sit and discuss it. Over at the Stamford branch, Jim and Karen go on a quest to find her favorite brand of potato chips.

Dwight takes Ryan under his wing and puts him through a strange set of challenges designed to increase his sales skills. One of these tests involves a stop at the Schrute family’s beet farm. Meanwhile, Jan instructs Pam to keeps a log of Michael’s activities for the day, and Jim begins to fit in at Stamford.

Kelly invites everyone to a Diwali celebration so they can have a night out and learn about Indian culture and the Hindu Festival of Lights. At the event, the gang samples Indian cuisine, Ryan has to meet Kelly's parents, and Michael asks Carol an important question. Over at the Stamford branch, Andy, Karen and Jim work a late night and indulge in a little drinking at the office.

Michael tries to ease his employees' fears when Jan informs him that the Scranton branch will have to shut down. Everyone on the staff considers how this will change their lives, for better or worse.

The day finally arrives when the Scranton branch and the Stamford branch merge, and Michael makes sure the new folks get a typical Michael Scott welcome. Jim has to readjust to being back in the old office and seeing the people he left behind when he transferred.

Michael lectures everyone on racism when he learns that one of the new employees is a former convict. The staff makes comparisons between the office and a prison, prompting Michael to form a new alter-ego, Prison Mike. Meanwhile, Andy has his eye on all the pretty ladies in the office, and Jim gives him a little advice on how to score.

Carol dumps Michael, and Andy tries to cheer him up with a trip to a Benihana restaurant, where they drink sake and hit on the waitresses. Meanwhile, back at the office, Karen challenges Angela by forming a second party committee, and planning a second Christmas party with Pam’s help.

Michael returns home from his Jamaican vacation, and tries to bring the spirit of the island to the office. Gossip flares up when a racy photo of Michael and Jan is forwarded throughout the Dunder Mifflin offices. Meanwhile, Jim and Karen are having their first fight as a couple, and Pam offers her two cents.

Everyone on the sales staff learns something when they team up into pairs to make sales calls. Angela misses an important deadline, and her secret relationship with Dwight is in danger of being discovered when he covers for her.

When Oscar returns from his three-month vacation, Michael insists on throwing him a welcome back party. Dwight has taken a job at Staples since Michael questioned his loyalty, and the staff finds they actually miss him. Karen feels insecure now that she knows that Jim once had romantic feelings for Pam.

Todd Packer convinces Michael to liven up the wedding showers for Bob Vance and Phyllis by hiring a stripper, and Ben Franklin. Karen confronts Pam about her history with Jim.

Michael is asked to perform a prestigious task at Phyllis' wedding, but is upset when his help is suddenly no longer needed, and acts like a child when the attention of the guests isn't focused on him. Meanwhile, Dwight takes it upon himself to bust any wedding crashers, and Pam experiences a strange sense of deja-vu when she notices the details of the wedding.

Ryan asks Michael to come and speak to his business class for extra credit, with embarrassing results. Meanwhile, back at the office, the crew must get rid of a bat that flies inside, Jim and Karen play a prank on Dwight, and Pam invites everyone to her very first art show.

Michael and Jan make their relationship public at a cocktail party hosted by the Dunder Mifflin CFO. Jim and Karen also attend, where she plays a Halpert-style joke on him. Back in Scranton, the gang goes out for Happy Hour, and Pam tells Roy something that makes him incredibly angry.

Darryl wants a pay raise, and meets with Michael to discuss it, who in turn visits Jan to negotiate his own pay increase. Meanwhile, Roy acts out on his anger towards Jim, and Dwight saves the day.

Andy returns from his anger management training courses with a brand new attitude and outlook on life in the office. The Dunder Mifflin employees are also subjected to Safety Training, though not everyone agrees on exactly what the true dangers of the workplace are.

A shipment of Dunder Mifflin paper with an obscene watermark slips through quality control, and the office flies into a panic. Michael thinks it’s best to call in the media and tackle the issue head on, while everyone else helps deliver personal apologies to clients.

When a flasher surprises Phyllis in the Dunder Mifflin parking lot, Dwight does all he can to hunt down the offender and protect the ladies. Michael takes the ladies to the mall for some girl time, while the guys, back at the office, explore the women's restroom.

Everyone is excited to get a day at the beach, but then discovers what Michael really has planned is a Survivor-like contest to choose his replacement. Pam finds the courage to speak up about some things on her mind, and Karen and Jim make plans to go on a job interview.

In the aftermath of the beach trip, Pam is teased about her emotional speech to Jim, while Michael, Jim and Karen head up to New York for their corporate interviews. Karen and Jim discuss what it would mean to their relationship if one of them were to get the job, and Jan does her best to win back Michael’s affections. Meanwhile, Dwight prepares to become the next manager of the Scranton office.