St. Denis Medical Pays Tribute to The Office, Superstore Prop Master Philip D. Shea
Season 1, Episode 3 of St. Denis Medical gave a touching tribute to a beloved The Office and Superstore crew member who died in 2023.
NBC's newest hit comedy, St. Denis Medical, ended its third episode on a somber note by paying tribute to a departed person who had a big impact on both the co-creators of the show as well as the comedy TV industry at large.
While Episode 3, “Weird Stuff You Can’t Explain,” was filled with hilarious moments, the episode's credits included an emotional in-memoriam tribute for Philip D. Shea, complete with his photo and an "In Loving Memory" message. The tribute may have some wondering who Shea was and why the minds behind St. Denis Medical wanted to honor him at the conclusion of Episode 3.
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Shea is known as one of the crucial crew members behind some of the biggest comedy shows in recent memory. As a prop master he was widely recognized for his work on all six seasons of the workplace comedy Superstore, as well as nine seasons working on the Emmy-winning series The Office. Bother shows were worked on by Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin, who co-created St. Denis Medical.
The both iconic comedies were filled with quirky knick knacks and props that fans can recognize in a heartbeat.
John Krasinski, who played the beloved Jim Halpert on The Office, thanked the prop master back in 2020 for sending him several now-infamous items from the series.
“Phil Shea is the reason I have anything. He sent me a box, like years, like 3 or 4 years later,” he explained on The Office Ladies Podcast. The package included his character’s nameplate, signature satchel bag, and of course, Pam’s teapot, which Jim gave Pam Beesley (Jenna Fischer) in Season 2, Episode 10.
Shea’s credits date all the way back to the 90s, his first professional job being a prop master for the LL Cool J-led sitcom In the House.
After decades of work and more than 200 episode credits from multiple TV shows, Shea died at 62 on December 7, 2023.
He didn’t work on St. Denis Medical before his death, but he does have a close connection with the co-creators of the hospital comedy that dates back nearly 20 years.
Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin both worked alongside Shea on Superstore, as they each served as producers for the series. They also worked with him on The Office and American Auto, which now serves as his final project. With two long-lasting professional relationships coming to an end, an on-screen tribute to their former colleague was a touching way to say goodbye and honor his work in television and the little background touches that made those shows the beloved comedies we know and love.
Catch new episodes of St. Denis Medical when they premiere on Tuesday on NBC at 8/7c. Episodes are available to stream on Peacock the next day.
