In " The Alliance " (The Office, Season 1, Episode 4), the Scranton branch is consumed by paranoia over rumored downsizing. Dwight Schrute forms a secret, "Survivor-esque" alliance with Jim Halpert to protect their jobs, which Jim immediately uses as an opportunity to pull elaborate pranks. Meanwhile, Michael Scott attempts to boost morale by throwing a birthday party for Meredith Palmer, even though her birthday is still a month away. Key Plot Points
: The episode ends with Pam's fiancé, Roy, catching Jim playfully holding Pam's hand. When Jim tries to use the "alliance" as an excuse, Dwight denies knowing anything about it to save himself, leaving Jim to face Roy's anger alone. Memorable Quotes [S1E8] The Alliance
: Michael organizes a party for Meredith to distract the staff. He spends the entire episode obsessing over writing the "perfect" joke in her card, only for it to land with a thud and ruin the mood. In " The Alliance " (The Office, Season