Not since “Seinfeld” or “Friends” had NBC struck comedy gold like it did with “The Office.” Since 2005 the Dunder Mifflin staff entertained us with their mockumentary until the series ended in 2013. Here’s a look at the 25 greatest episodes of the series that made your boss seem incredibly competent, yet horribly boring.
25. Beach Games – S03, E23
What started out as silly individual competitions quickly escalated when Michael revealed the winner would get his job when he left for corporate.
24. The Convention – S03, E02
This is the episode where we learned that supply conventions may be about paper during the day, but once the sun goes down they turn into drunken orgies. At least according to Michael Scott.
23. The Merger – S03, E08
The Scranton and Samford branches finally became one, but watching the new employees try to deal with and figure out Michael is absolutely hilarious. This was also the first Andy/Michael encounter.
22. The Duel – S05, E12
Andy finds out what’s really been going on with Dwight and Angela so he ends up trapping Dwight in the parking lot against a wall of shrubbery with his Prius.
21. Stress Relief – S05, E14-15
Dwight causes Stanley to have a heart attack when he starts a fire in the office. To alleviate the tension, Michael plans a roast that goes horribly wrong. One of the best moments of the entire series happened when Angela tried to save her cats during the fire.
20. Launch Party – S04, E03
Michael mistakes a web invite for an invite to an actual party in New York City. When he realizes Ryan doesn’t respect him, he kidnaps a pizza delivery boy.
19. The Deposition – S04, E08
Jan attempts to sue Dunder Mifflin with Michael as a key witness. Things go fantastically wrong when Michael learns Jan’s true feelings about him. There are so many great moments in this episode.
18. Goodbye Michael – S07, E20
Michael Scott’s final day at Dunder Mifflin was a bittersweet one, but turned absolutely brilliant as he tried to tell everyone goodbye without letting them know that it was actually his last day there. It’s a perfect sendoff to a fantastic character.
17. Niagara – S06, E04-05
All of the Jim and Pam relationship drama finally resolved with their wedding at Niagara Falls that saw Michael hook up with Pam’s mom and Andy puncture his scrotum with car keys.
16. Halloween – S02, E05
This was the first of many great Halloween episodes for the show, but maybe the highlight of this one is that it’s the first time we get are introduced to the true insanity that is Creed Bratton.
15. Booze Cruise – S02, E11
Jim decides to confide in Michael about his feelings for Pam, which Michael attempts to overthrow Rob Riggle as captain of the ship.
14. Safety Training – S03, E20
Michael feels like the warehouse guys don’t respect him and don’t understand the consequences of depression, so he plans on faking a suicide by jumping off the top of the building and landing on a bounce house. It would have, of course, actually killed him if he did it.
13. Casino Night – S02, E22
Not only do we get Kevin’s tribute band to the Police called Scrantonicity, but this is also where Jim finally tells Pam he loves her. Awww!
12. Threat Level Midnight – S07, E17
Michael shows the gang his completed film that stars past and present Dunder Mifflin employees. It’s totally different from every other episode of The Office, but in the best way possible.
11. Diversity Day – S01, E02
The first episode of The Office feels like a parody of the British version, but in the second episode Michael Scott set the tone for how clueless and yet horribly offensive he would become.
10. The Negotiation – S03, E19
Michael realizes he has to ask for a raise since Darryl would be making more than him if he got one, so they head to corporate for a meeting where Darryl taught Michael the oh so commonly used phrase, “Bippity boppity, give me the zoppity.”
9. Scott’s Tots – S06, E12
The ultimate Michael Scott goof came to fruition when the kids he had promised to pay their college tuition had to be told that he doesn’t have the money to back up his promise.
8. The Return – S03, E14
Dwight was working at Staples until Michael finally went to get him back, but what makes this episode so fantastic was the cell phone prank Jim and Pam played on Andy that left him with his fist through a wall.
7. The Dundies – S02, E01
Jim and Pam are at their most Jim and Pam at The Dundies Award Ceremony, and accompany that with Michael and Dwight trying to host the event like an actual awards show makes for one of the finest episodes of the series.
6. Business School – S03, E16
Michael goes to Ryan’s class and attempts to inspire a generation. I’m not sure what the opposite of inspire is, but that’s what Michael accomplished by the end of the class. There’s also a really sweet moment at the end of the episode with Michael attending Pam’s art show that’s ruined by a candy bar in his pocket.
5. The Job – S03, E23
Michael, Karen, and Jim are all competing for a job at corporate that, unbeknownst to Michael, belongs to his girlfriend Jan. Meanwhile Dwight becomes the temporary Regional Manager and loses his mind with absolute power.
4. Fun Run – S04, E01
The episode starts out with Michael hitting Meredith with his car. If that wasn’t enough it ends with Michael putting together a 5K for Rabies Awareness that sees Andy suffer with the horrible consequences of nipple bleeding.
3. Gay Witch Hunt – S03, E01
Michael finds out Oscar is gay and handles it exactly as you’d think Michael would; in the worst possible way. Michael and Oscar do end up sharing one of the worst on screen kisses in the history of television, but it’s just so hilarious you can’t look away.
2. The Injury – S02, E12
Not only is Dwight’s behavior after getting a concussion hilarious, the entire story of Michael burning his foot on a Foreman Grill because he likes to wake up to the sound of crackling bacon every morning is amazing. The Office was rarely more perfect than this.
1. Dinner Party – S04, E09
There are so many perfect moments in this episode. Just the glimpse into Michael and Jan’s private life is brilliant, but when everything goes wrong and the couple spirals into an inevitable fight, few things are funnier. I just wish I could buy Hunter’s single on iTunes.
All images courtesy of NBC/Photofest
