By the timeThe Officewrapped its ninth and final season, most fans assumed they’d seen every Jim prank possible. But in a deleted cold open that never aired with the series finale, the show delivered one last gag that might be its most elaborate, absurd, and outright hilarious.
ThisJim Halpert prankwas released as part ofThe Office’s Peacock promotion and as a tribute to the late Hugh Dane, who played the stoic Hank the security guard. But back in 2013, it was filmed with the full intention of airing inThe Office’s final episode, and then it remained in the archives until New Year’s Day, 2021.
The Office’s Matrix Cold Open Never Made It To The Air
Jim and Pam’s Final Prank Pulled No Punches
Dubbed “The Matrix Cold Open,” this unaired gem sees Jim and Pam orchestrate an outrageous homage to the 1999 sci-fi classic. Their mission was to convince Dwight he’s living inside a simulation.
The cold open follows the familiar beats ofThe Matrix: a déjà vu moment involving a cat walking by twice, cryptic computer messages, and a final confrontation with Hank the security guard, who now goes by “Dorpheus”—Morpheus’s less-famous brother. The prank culminates in Dwight being offered the red pill or the blue pill.
Butin a twist that surprises both Jim and viewers, Dwight declines the truth and chooses to stay in the Matrix.Dwight cites his great life: he’s getting married, he owns the building, he’s the manager, and of course, he has the farm.
When John Krasinski landed the role of Jim Halpert, he traveled to Pennsylvania to feel out his character. During his stay, he filmed the iconic opening sequence ofThe Officeintro.
The cold open was released on YouTube years later as a special promotional drop to celebrateThe Office’s move to Peacock, and as a tribute to Hugh Dane, the late actor who played Hank. Even among die-hard fans,it remains a hidden gem, an iconic bit ofOfficelore that flew under the radarsimply because it wasn’t part of the show’s original run or included in standard DVD extras.
Why The Office Cut The Matrix Cold Open (When It Was So Funny)
A Great Prank That Didn’t Fit The Final Goodbye
Television director, editor, and producer David Rogers, who edited the series finale, explained in aBIOSSeriesepisodethat theMatrixcold open was filmed for the finale but ultimately cut for time. At five minutes long, it was simply too big and too ambitious to wedge into an already packed final episode. It was,in Rogers’ words, the “ultimate prank,” but the “finale came in really, really long.”
Looking back, it’s hard to argue with the choice. While theMatrixgag is an absolutely hysterical final act of fan service, and reminds us ofThe Office’s Jim and Pam’s commitment to a bit, it’s also a slow burn. The scene takes a little time to get rolling, and within the tighter, emotional rhythm of the finale,it likely would have disrupted the pacing. Still, there’s a case to be made that a trimmed version—leaner, faster—might’ve earned its place.
The Office consistently delivered iconic intros that became memeable cultural staples.
But even as one ofTheOffice’sbest deleted scenes, theMatrixcold open speaks volumes aboutThe Office’s legacy. This was a show that mastered the art of the cold open. From the chaos of the fire drill to Jim impersonating Dwight to full-on parkour madness,The Officeconsistently delivered iconic intros that became memeable cultural staples.
TheMatrixscene may not have aired, but it proves just how far the show was willing to go, right up until the end, to earn a laugh. Even in its final hour,The Officewas still dreaming up ways to one-up itself.
