Some Fans Think ‘The Mandalorian’ Made A Subtle ‘Office Space’ Reference

The latest episode of The Mandalorian gave fans a lot less Baby Yoda Grogu and a lot more wardrobe changes for its titular character. Spoilers ahead if you haven’t streamed it yet, but there was also a sly reference to the Mike Judge cinematic universe that wasn’t quite as viral as a tiny force-sensitive creature, but certainly had fans talking on social media.

The seventh episode of Season 2 had our hero swapping Mandalorian armor for something a bit more Imperial, then actually revealing his face when things got tight on Morak. But it also brought with it the return of Bill Burr, which is apparently as close to Boston as the Star Wars universe will get anytime soon.

Din Djarin and Burr’s Migs Mayfeld get into a tight spot with some Imperial officers on a refinery near the episode’s end, and before they eventually shoot their way out of the predicament Mayfield actually tried to talk his way out by saying they needed to fill out some “TPS reports.” Perhaps that’s a real thing somewhere in the deep well of Star Wars lore, current canon or otherwise. And though it quickly earned a place in the fan-run Wookieepedia, a lot of sharp fans thought it was actually a reference to Mike Judge’s cult classic Office Space.

In the 1999 film starring Ron Livingston and Jennifer Aniston about committing financial crimes amid the mundanity of corporate life, the film’s protagonist, Peter Gibbons, is hounded by several bosses (including Gary Cole) about an office rule involving TPS reports. The scene is one of the film’s most famous, an example of how dreadfully dull and pedantic the modern workplace can often be. The phrase “TPS reports” has become one of the most enduring jokes from the film in the two decades since its release, which is why many fans were convinced it wasn’t a coincidence, but an Office Space reference, when Burr’s Mayfeld mentioned them.

That meant a lot of fans taking their thoughts, and Mandalorian/Office Space photo edits, to Twitter.

— Garin Pirnia (@gpirnia) December 11, 2020

Apparently the Empire uses TPS reports…#TheMandalorian pic.twitter.com/ZUqx9NK2EN

— David Pierdomenico (@DaveTheAuthor) December 11, 2020

MANDO SPOILERS / NO CONTEXT #TheMandalorian #PedroPascal #DinDjarin #chapter15 #mayfield #moffgideon #Grogu #BobaFett #BabyYoda #savegrogu #tpsreports pic.twitter.com/lk4Eup3NDl

— RSPlath she/her (@RS_Plath) December 11, 2020

Looks like someone has a case of the Mandos. #tpsreports pic.twitter.com/Alfmz4ngPY