“The Office” is a beloved sitcom known for its hilarious characters and off-putting humor. From Dwight’s overbearing personality to Jim’s knowing glances at the camera, each character boasts unique comical qualities. Then, of course, there is Michael who never fails to make a situation awkward by saying or doing something inappropriate. The best episodes of “The Office” are timeless comedic staples in television that can be watched over and over.
“The Office” included, comedies make up a large part of TV that play into the massive amount that humans watch. A recent survey of adults finds that the average TV viewer will watch an astounding 78,705 hours of programming (movies, sports, news, etc.) in their lifetime. For many of us, plenty of those hours are spent enjoying Dunder Mifflin’s antics.
Additionally, partaking in your favorite laugh-track-filled show can actually improve your sleep! Can’t fall asleep without having the TV on while in bed? Turns out you may be doing yourself a favor. Research reveals that catching up on your favorite sitcom or listening to some music before bedtime could ensure a better night’s sleep. That being said, there’s no harm in catching up on a few laughs before you wander off to dreamland.
Which episodes of “The Office” wins a Dundie for being the most legendary? StudyFinds set out to do the research for you, visiting 10 expert websites to put together this list of the best episodes of “The Office”. If you’ve got your own suggestions, please leave them in the comments below!
The List: Best Episodes of The Office, According to Experts
1. “Dinner Party” Season 4, Episode 13
This episode is infamous for its hilariously awkward and uncomfortable moments. It revolves around Michael Scott and his then-girlfriend Jan hosting a disastrous dinner party at their home, providing a perfect blend of comedy and cringe-inducing moments.
“This episode is what happens when you give geniuses the chance to play peak cringe-comedy. As the evening’s planned events unfold — dinner, charades and a tour of Jan’s at-home candle business — we peel back the layers of dysfunction in Michael and Jan’s relationship. ‘Dinner Party’ features some of the most hilarious scenes of the entire series, including Michael showing off his tiny plasma TV in one of the best uses of a pan-out ever, Jan dancing with Jim’s limp arm and Michael describing his wine as having ‘an oaky afterbirth,’ It’s all so squirm-inducing, that by the end, it feels like we’ve been stewing in the discomfort for as long as Jan’s osso buco,” raves Variety.
IndieWire adds, “Michael and Jan’s toxic nonsense doubles as the main course in ‘Dinner Party,’ the first ‘The Office’ episode to air after the 2007 to 2008 Writers Guild strike, and one of its most emotionally complex installments.”
“In the end, though, there was only one episode we can go with. Yes, if you don’t like cringe comedy, ‘Dinner Party,’ won’t be for you. It’s maybe the darkest, bleakest, most-uncomfortable episode of ‘The Office.’ It’s also the best. ‘Dinner Party,’ is so funny and so glorious in its darkness. It’s like the funniest take on ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ imaginable. If you are on its wavelength, you probably love ‘Dinner Party,’ Clearly, we are. It tops our list,” claims YardBarker.
2. “Stress Relief” Season 5, Episodes 14 and 15
This two-part episode starts with a fire drill gone wrong, leading to chaos in the office. The second part focuses on Dwight staging a fake fire to teach his colleagues a lesson about fire safety. It is filled with hilarious moments and one-liners.
It may have Michael’s best punchlines as Entertainment Weekly writes: “After deciding the Dunder Mifflin crew had become stressed out, Michael organized a comic roast of himself in the warehouse. Naturally, Michael’s ego wouldn’t allow him to handle the gang’s insults, so he stormed off and proceeded to take a personal day. Everyone became concerned they went too far, but you can’t keep Michael Scott down for long. He shows up at work to roast everyone with killer one-liners.”
It is iconic in comedy TV. “Delivering one of the best cold opens of the show, which is best described as anarchy, ‘Stress Relief’ only gets better and better, the longer it goes on. We get to witness a CPR training meeting go off the rails by the Dunder Mifflin crew hilariously singing ‘Stayin’ Alive’,” adds MovieWeb.
The other episode’s cold open is just as iconic, as put by Entertainment Tonight: “This episode, which first aired after Super Bowl XLIII, opens with Dwight staging a fire in the office to see how prepared Dunder Mifflin is for an emergency. The stunt goes wrong, leading to significant damage and causing Stanley to suffer a heart attack from the stress.”
3. “The Injury” Season 2, Episode 12
In this episode, Michael burns his foot on a George Foreman grill, leading to a series of absurd and hilarious events. The episode showcases the unique humor of “The Office” and highlights Steve Carell’s comedic talent.
“The Injury is the one episode where we fully understood the depths of Michael’s narcissism. A simple seared foot from sleeping next to a George Foreman grill led to the biggest display of self-gratification,” adds ToyNK.
IGN was changed after this one. “The Injury forever changed how we look at George Foreman grills. Now all we can think of when we see one is the smell of Michael’s foot burning to a reduced-fat crisp. The outsized antics in this one — between Michael deciding his burnt foot means he’s disabled to Dwight’s concussion — pair perfectly, each raising the other’s stakes, to give us a frenetic and near-flawless disaster.”
“As the show branched out from its British counterpart and established a personality all its own, several unique episodes aired, including the gem ‘The Injury.’ In this installment, Michael takes his petulant behavior to new lows when he calls into the office to inform everyone that he’s burned his foot on his George Foreman Grill,” writes Looper.
4. “Niagara” Season 6, Episodes 4 and 5
This two-part episode centers around Jim and Pam’s wedding, bringing together heartfelt moments, comedy, and romance. It features a memorable dance sequence down the aisle and several subplots that make it a fan favorite. “A great sitcom makes you tune in because you want to hang around your friends. This episode is the culmination of the show’s most important storyline,” explains Mashable.
“The story follows everyone as they head to upstate New York after Michael gives the entire office paid leave to attend the wedding,” adds Looper. “Fed up with everyone’s antics, the unhappy couple decides to micro-elope by heading to the Maid of the Mist where they ask the captain to unite them in the bonds of love. At that point, they head back to the formal wedding, where everyone joins in on a dance-off to Chris Brown’s ‘Forever.’ Oh, and Michael hooks up with Pam’s mom, too. From ridiculous side stories to the cutesy happily-ever-after, this doubleheader makes the list in spades.”
“There is no way we could write this list without including Jim and Pam’s wedding. From Michael, Dwight and Andy’s crazy romantic pursuits, to The Halperts’ secret elopement on a ferry on the Niagara Falls, we have all the feels watching this episode,” writes Entertainment Tonight.
5. “Goodbye, Michael” Season 7, Episode 22
This episode marks Steve Carell’s departure from the show as Michael Scott. As Michael prepares to leave Dunder Mifflin, the episode captures the emotional farewell between Michael and his colleagues, providing a mix of humor and sentimentality. “After season 7 episode 22, the writers spent another 2 seasons trying to fill in the incredible hole that Steve Carell left behind. Nonetheless, they did a great job with it. A mix of comedy and heartfelt emotions is absolutely rightful for the departure of the show’s main man,” writes ToyNK.
“In every comedy list, some rain must fall. Or at least some ceiling-sprinklers must go off. Michael and Holly’s exit from the series stands as one of the most satisfying non-finale finales in sitcom history,” says IGN.
“Clocking in as one of the more emotional episodes of the series, it’s a lasting fan favorite that serves the laughs, gut-wrenching goodbyes and much-needed catharsis to rightfully mark the end of an era. Michael captures our feelings perfectly: ‘They say on your deathbed, you never wish you spent more time at the office, but I will. Gotta be a lot better than a deathbed,” adds Variety.
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Sources:
- Variety
- IndieWire
- YardBarker
- Entertainment Weekly
- MovieWeb
- Entertainment Tonight
- ToyNK
- IGN
- Looper
- Mashable
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.