In an interview with Yahoo! TV, that was released before the episode "Business School", B. J. Novak describes Ryan and Kelly as "the worst relationship that all of us have been in." He adds, "The bad news is that that's what a lot of people have actually experienced, something that just doesn't work on any level, and they just keep going for some weird reason." Mindy Kaling (Kelly) adds, "It seems like Ryan has just adjusted to the fact that he is the boyfriend of this crazy girl." In interviews during the retrospective airing prior to "Finale (The Office)," Kaling and Novak revealed that their characters' turbulent on-again, off-again relationship was inspired by their relationship in the writers' room where they were best friends but often argued.