''I think what surprised me most was the familial vibe of the cast when the cameras aren't rolling,'' says Ed Helms, whose rageaholic preppie Andy is the sole survivor of season 3's Stamford branch merge. (Rashida Jones is slated to return for two episodes to tie up her story line as Jim's awesome but not-true love Karen, before she disappears into her new Fox midseason comedy, Unhitched.) Helms' sentiment is often expressed in the entertainment business, but something about this warehouse makes you believe. In person, the Office office is exactly how you've imagined it, right down to the slightly stale papery smell. Watching the cast lounge at their desks, you realize this is less of a sitcom and more of a social experiment: Stick 15 funny people in a box, and see what happens.
''We are with each other all day,'' says Kinsey. ''Any episode you see where we're in the conference room? We are in one tiiiiny little room together. For 12 hours. We know everything.'' That constant togetherness makes the onscreen relationships more believable — and means the minor players are never far from the action. ''Greg started on Saturday Night Live, and part of his philosophy has been interactive,'' says Brian Baumgartner, who plays the oafish Kevin. ''It has truly become an ensemble.''
Baumgartner and the show's director of photography are now co-writing a feature. In fact, virtually every cast member is creatively involved in something beyond their roles on screen. Novak, Kaling, and Paul Lieberstein (sad-sack Toby) are on the Office writing/producing staff; Carell will write and direct episodes this season. Krasinski and Hardin both recently directed movies, and a bunch of folks still perform stand-up or improv on a regular basis. ''It is really a group of driven, creative, and thoughtful artists,'' says Hardin of her cast mates. ''They're not just taking the paycheck and blowing it on cocaine.''
NEXT PAGE: ''You mean like leave this show? There is not even an inkling. It's given me everything.''
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