Blood Drive

"Blood Drive" is the eighteenth episode of the fifth season of the American comedy television series The Office and the 90th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 5, 2009. In the episode, a lonely Michael strikes up a pleasant conversation with a woman while giving blood, but passes out before he can learn her name. He holds a Valentine's Day singles party at the Dunder Mifflin office with the hopes of meeting her. Meanwhile, Jim and Pam go on an awkward double date with Phyllis and Bob Vance. The episode was written by Brent Forrester and directed by Randall Einhorn. It featured the first appearance of actress Lisa K. Wyatt as Lynn, who would make recurrent appearances as a love interest for Kevin. The episode received generally mixed reviews and, according to Nielsen ratings, was watched by 8.63 million viewers during its original broadcast. Plot Michael Scott (Steve Carell) is depressed because it is the first Valentine's Day since he and Holly Flax broke up. Michael donates blood at a mobile blood drive being held in Dunder Mifflin’s parking lot and has a nice conversation with a female donor (Katie Aselton) laying next to him. When they both finish at the same time, Michael passes out because he did not eat for three days before giving blood out of nerves, and when he wakes up she is gone. A disappointed Michael finds a glove he assumes she left behind and takes it, hoping she will come back for it. When Michael goes back into the office, he gathers all the single employees into the conference room to discuss their own personal romantic dilemmas. After becoming further depressed by their sad dating stories, Michael tries lifting their spirits by holding a singles mixer. He puts up flyers which also advertise the finding of a missing glove, hoping his mystery woman will come to the party as a result.