The Office (U.S.) was undoubtedly one of the most beloved shows of its generation, and its impact on pop culture is still evident both within its streaming numbers and the various paraphernalia from the series that can be seen on sale in countless stores. Whether it be in quotes, memes, or GIFs, The Office continues to grasp firmly onto the stranglehold it has on Millennials and older Gen-Z viewers. Those who still have not seen the series have the opportunity to binge the entire show — including the “Superfan” extended cut episodes — for the first time, a luxury that veteran viewers of The Office wish they had.
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The reason that The Office might not land with many of the new generations of audiences may be its slow start. Those that started the series and gave up a few episodes into the first season have good reason, as the initial segment of the show certainly has a different tone and drier sense of humor. Those that stuck through the first season, though, are rewarded with one of the most brilliant sitcoms in history. As a viewing guide to introduce new fans to some of the top moments of the show, here are the best episodes of each season of The Office.
Season 1, Episode 5: Basketball
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The first few episodes of The Office definitely drag a little bit, but those that stick around until the fifth episode are treated to some of the best physical comedy in television history. In “Basketball,” Regional Manager Michael Scott is overly confident in his hoop skills and challenges his warehouse staff to a game — the losing team would have to stay and work on Saturday. In this installment, viewers get to see Stanley Hudson dribbling the basketball like a toddler, Michael launching a one-handed half-court shot, Michael milking a 30-second free-throw routine just to launch the ball over the backboard, and Jim Halpert putting the moves on Roy Anderson, who’s engaged to Pam Beesly, his love interest.
Season 2, Episode 12: The Injury
This episode, “The Injury,” is centered around Michael’s injury, which he sustained by stepping on a George Foreman grill in the morning, one that he uses to cook bacon while he goes back to sleep. After asking for someone to come pick him up at his house and bring him to the office, Dwight Schrute rushes to his rescue and crashes into a telephone pole as a result, sustaining a concussion in the process. Both Michael’s desperate attempts to garner sympathy and a concussed Dwight make for absolute hilarity in this episode of The Office Season 2. As a bonus, a foggy Dwight shows his kinder side to Pam, something that lays down the foundation for a peculiar but super entertaining friendship down the road.
Season 3, Episode 16: Phyliss’s Wedding
Many people have dubbed Season 4, Episode 13: Dinner Party as the most cringe-worthy episode of The Office, but the dark horses race is definitely “Phyliss’s Wedding.” In a shortsighted move, Phyllis Lapin invites Michael to be an honorary part of her wedding — pushing her father’s wheelchair down the aisle — as a means to getting an extended holiday for her honeymoon. When her father suddenly summons the strength to walk her down the aisle, Michael is extremely disappointed and goes out of his way to try to draw attention to himself during the proceedings, leading to some extremely uncomfortable but outrageously funny hijinks that would invoke secondhand embarrassment for even the steeliest of viewers.
Season 4, Episode 16: Did I Stutter?
Season 4, Episode 13: “Dinner Party” has to receive some serious consideration here, as it’s truly iconic in the way that it makes audiences feel like they’re truly a part of the disastrous evening that’s shown on screen. That being said, “Dinner Party” may have become a bit overrated through the years from growing hyperbole of just how cringe-y it is. Episode 16 “Did I Stutter?,” on the other hand, is not nearly talked about enough. In this installment, Stanley lashes out at Michael, clearly tired of his antics. Michael then spends the majority of the episode trying to determine how to best approach the situation, as Stanley’s outburst was certainly a step over the line and disrespectful. “Did I Stutter?” gives viewers a deeper dive into Michael’s psyche, as he doesn’t want to fire Stanley, but knows that he has to command respect from his employees somehow.
Season 5, Episode 12: The Duel
“The Duel” alludes to the confrontation brewing between Dwight and Andy Bernard, as it was recently revealed that the former was having intimate relations with the latter’s fiancée, Angela Martin. The situation escalates until both men agree to a duel with the prize being Angela’s heart. Watching Jim try to defuse the tension, Michael avoiding it entirely, and the actual “fight” all make for hilarious viewing and masterful writing.
Season 6, Episode 5: Niagara Part 2
This episode is the culmination of the budding romance between Jim and Pam, the long-awaited marriage after seasons of flirting, dancing around each other, and dating. There are plenty of funny moments as well, but ultimately, Jim and Pam leaving their wedding to get secretly married without all of their coworkers and families causing distractions make “Niagara Part 2” a perfect cherry on top of one of the best television romances of all time. The show gives a wink to the audience by calling Chris Brown’s “Forever” corny, but the underlaying of the song beneath a montage of Jim and Pam’s secret wedding and the actual planned ceremony is absolutely flawless. According to the Office Ladies podcast, Mindy Kaling helped write this episode and implemented the perfect amount of romance, deftly traversing the tight rope between wholesome and corny.
Season 7, Episode 22: Goodbye, Michael
Season 7, Episode 22: “Goodbye Michael” is by far the saddest episode in this list. This installment was so crucial that executive producer Greg Daniels himself wrote it, one of only 10 writing credits he received throughout The Office’s run according to IMDb. It’s, of course, Michael’s exit from the show, as he leaves to be with his fiancée Holly Flax in Colorado. Unbeknownst to his employees, Michael tells them that his last day is the following day, but really, he spends his actual final day divvying out gifts to all of his employees. Between Jim realizing what Michael is doing and sparing him from a painful goodbye to Pam chasing down Michael at the airport so that she doesn’t miss her chance to bid him farewell, “Goodbye, Michael” is sure to bring tears to the audience’s eyes, no matter how many viewings they’ve been through.
Season 8, Episode 21: Angry Andy
At first, the audience has to feel for Andy, as he comes back to find out that he’s been replaced by Nellie Bertram as regional manager who staged an impromptu coup d’etat while Andy was off in Florida to win back his ex-girlfriend, Erin Hannon. As the situation gets dicier and Andy grows more enraged, his battle with Nellie becomes more and more comical, eventually coming to a head when he punches a hole in the wall — again. Watching the callback to Andy’s earlier anger issues unfold is both delightful and appalling at the same time.
Season 9, Episode 8: The Target
It’d be the easy choice to pick the series finale here, but it’d also be a bit of a cop-out. Those that haven’t watched The Office in its entirety wouldn’t feel the immense weight and satisfaction that comes from the finale, one of the most perfect endings in all sitcom history. Instead, casual viewers would take much more of an interest in Episode 8: “The Target” in which Angela hires one of Dwight’s peculiar friends to take out Oscar Martinez, who she recently found out was having an affair with her husband. Trevor, the hitman, is absolutely hilarious in this one.
