| "Prince Family Paper" | |
|---|---|
| The Office episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 13 |
| Directed by | Asaad Kelada |
| Written by | B. J. Novak |
| Cinematography by | Matt Sohn |
| Editing by | Dean Holland |
| Production code | 512[1] |
| Original air date | January 22, 2009 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Prince Family Paper" is the thirteenth episode of the fifth season of the American comedy television series The Office. The show's 85th overall episode, it originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 22, 2009. In the episode, Michael and Dwight go undercover to seek information on a family-owned business competitor, and Michael has a crisis of conscience when they turn out to be very nice people. Meanwhile, the others in the office passionately debate whether actress Hilary Swank can be considered "hot".
The episode was directed by Asaad Kelada and written by B. J. Novak, who also plays Ryan on the show. The script addresses the Darwinistic nature of capitalism in its portrayal of the larger corporation Dunder Mifflin threatening a small mom-and-pop business, as well as societal definitions of beauty in the differing arguments regarding Swank's attractiveness. Dan Bakkedahl makes a guest appearance as the business owner's son.
The episode received generally mixed reviews. According to Nielsen Media Research, "Prince Family Paper" was seen by 8.74 million viewers, a slight increase from the previous week's episode, "The Duel".