The Office is widely considered to be one of the best sitcoms of all time. Everything from the beloved characters to the mundane depiction of office life to Jim Halpert’s ridiculous pranks on Dwight Schrute has cemented this sitcom’s place as one of the greatest in all of TV history. Throughout The Office’s 9 seasons, audiences were treated to numerous hilarious episodes.
Despite just how many funny episodes there are throughout The Office, not every episode is the best of its respective season. Season 2’s “The Fire,” for example, sees the Dunder Mifflin employees evacuate the office because of a toaster-oven fire, which Dwight later discovers was Ryan’s fault. It’s an extremely funny episode, but Season 2 has another standout.
9. The Office Kicks Off on the Right Foot
Season 1, Episode 2, “Diversity Day”
“Diversity Day” is only the second episode of The Office‘s first season, but it’s widely regarded as the standout episode of that season. Written by B.J. Novak, the episode follows the Dunder Mifflin staff as they are subjected to Michael Scott’s cringe-worthy diversity training session, who’s doing an incredibly offensive impersonation of Chris Rock. The characters and setting feel completely fresh, and “Diversity Day” proves just how quickly The Office found its groove.
“Diversity Day” moves beyond the British series’ shadow, introducing a uniquely American lens to show’s humor. American audiences were still getting used to the show’s unique and earnest style, which helped affirm its future glory. Michael’s offensive comments, paired with the Dunder Mifflin employees’ clear discomfort and boredom during the training session, are absolutely hilarious. “Diversity Day” laid the foundation for the show’s future success, proving that The Office could tackle uncomfortable topics with wit and heart, making it a defining installment of the series.
8. Michael Scott Proves He’s a Master Salesman
Season 2, Episode 7, “The Client”
In Season 2, The Office had found its voice and was continuing to grow. The cast had found great chemistry, and the characters’ storylines were beginning to go in exciting directions. In “The Client,” Michael shows off his sales skills to a new client, played by Tim Meadows, with Melora Hardin’s Jan Levinson. Back at the office, the team finds Michael’s soon-to-be-produced script of ‘Threat Level: Midnight’, and decides to have a hilarious table read.
Paul Lieberstein, who plays the overly hated and hilariously awkward Toby, wrote this hilarious installment, and it’s a testament to Lieberstein’s writing abilities. “The Client” kicks off Jan and Michael’s tumultuous relationship, includes a number of great quotes from Tim Meadows, and contains a stellar ensemble moment between the Dunder Mifflin employees, as they tackle an extremely entertaining table read.
7. Jim Almost Gets Attacked by Roy
Season 3, Episode 18, “The Negotiation”
Michael is between a rock and a hard place in the Season 3 episode “The Negotiation.” In this Season 3 installment, several long-running plotlines come to a head. At the beginning of the episode, fans witness a shocking moment when Roy tries to attack Jim for kissing Pam, only to be saved by the perfectly-timed Dwight.
Jim and Roy’s fight goes down as one of the best, and most surprising, cold opens in The Office, which really set the tone for the remainder of this larger-than-life episode. Hearing about Dwight’s heroics never seems to bore Angela, who hilariously asks each of her colleagues to repeat the tale, seemingly happy with how Dwight behaved. The rest of “The Negotiation” sees Michael negotiating his and Daryl’s salaries. They both feel undervalued and decide to lobby for fairer compensation for themselves. Michael’s scenes with Daryl further prove just how amusingly incompetent Michael is. This episode is packed with amazing storytelling fans have appreciated for years.
6. The Office’s Most Awarded Episode Is Also Its Best
Season 4, Episode 9, “Dinner Party”
Widely regarded as one of the most cringe-inducing, hilarious, and best episodes of The Office, “Dinner Party” sees a simple premise play out with bombastic consequences. Michael tricks Jim and Pam, now a couple, into having a dinner party with him and Jan at his condo, and the episode sees just how odd the couple is at home. Also invited to the function are Andy and Angela, and Dwight shows up on his own date just to stay involved.
The entire dinner party is an uncomfortable, awkward, and entertaining event, and many of the episode’s quotes have gone down as the best in the series. Michael and Jan’s toxic relationship boils over in ways that no one had expected; the couple implodes, and the guests are clearly itching to leave Michael’s condo. From Michael’s miniscule “plasma” TV to Jan’s clearly-failing candle business, “Dinner Party” has plenty of second-hand embarassment to go around.
5. The Michael Scott Paper Company Goes Broke
Season 5, Episode 23, “Broke”
In Season 5, Michael does the impossible and leaves Dunder Mifflin alongside Pam Beesly and the disgraced former-employee Ryan. After being somewhat ousted from the company by Charles Miner, Michael ends up creating his own paper company, which is aptly called the Michael Scott Paper Company. It doesn’t take long for the trio to realize they will soon be bankrupt. However, the timing couldn’t be more perfect, as Dunder Mifflin is prepared to make an offer to buy their company.
“Broke” marks the official end of the hilarious Michael Scott Paper Company storyline, and sees the three return to the office in a satisfying way. Charles Miner is somewhat defeated, and all returns to normal. With many funny moments, like Charles finally realizing just how eccentric Dwight is, “Broke” acts as a pseudo-finale and represents the very best of Season 5.
4. The Office Solves a “Murder”
Season 6, Episode 10, “Murder”
“Murder” is another classic The Office episode that represents the show’s glory years. When there are rumors of Dunder Mifflin’s closing circulating the office, Michael goes against co-manager Jim’s wishes and plays a fun murder mystery game to distract the employees. “Murder” is especially notable because the episode gives every character their moment to shine.
Andy tries to further his flirtatious relationship with new staff member Erin, Jim and Oscar deal with the fear that they might be out of the job, and Dwight, unsurprisingly, takes the game way too seriously. Every moment feels like Office gold, and this episode is fondly remembered for its brilliant, singular storytelling. Written by Daniel Chun, “Murder” is one of The Office‘s most underrated episodes of all time.
3. Fans Tearfully Say Goodbye to Michael Scott
Season 7, Episode 21, “Goodbye, Michael”
Season 7 brought The Office‘s a-game, but it also marked a particularly sad departure. After reconnecting with his past girlfriend Holly, Michael makes the heartbreaking decision to leave Dunder Mifflin and pursue life opportunities with her elsewhere. Of course, it was also Steve Carell’s end to the show, as the actor wanted to focus more on spending time with his family.
“Goodbye, Michael” was written by Greg Daniels, who developed the series based on the original UK version of the show. Daniels wrote one of the saddest episodes, but still managed to keep The Office’s signature charm and humor as Michael says goodbye to every member of the office individually. Jim and Michael’s “goodbye” is heartbreaking, and brings a tear to any fan’s eye, but side plots like Gabe’s public heartbreak and references to past jokes inject plenty of humor. “Goodbye, Michael” is one of the standout episodes of The Office‘s entire run.
2. Trivia Brings The Office Back to Its Roots
Season 8, Episode 11, “Trivia”
Without Michael’s hilarious presence, The Office unfortunately took a turn for the worse in later seasons. It was rarer to see an episode that felt as funny, relatable, and heartwarming as the rest of the series had established. However, “Trivia” treated fans to a glimmer of The Office’s glory years. After Andy, now the manager, finds out that the office needs more money before the end of the quarter, he crashes Oscar’s trivia night at a gay bar to win the prize money.
This episode sees a majority of the cast do what they do best. Dwight’s oddball antics at Sabre contrast hilariously with Andy’s heartfelt determination, creating a fun rhythm throughout the episode. The trivia night itself becomes a celebration of the Scranton branch’s camaraderie, reminding viewers of the show’s core themes. While it’s not the best example of a classic Office episode, “Trivia” is the best episode of Season 8.
1. The Office Goes Out on a High
Season 9, Episode 23, “Finale”
After Michael left, many fans felt The Office had gone downhill. However, the final episode brought back everything fans loved about the sitcom. Jim throws Dwight’s bachelor party, which is full of hijinks and mishaps, and Dwight marries Angela. As most sitcom finales do, “Finale” spends a lot of time referencing past jokes and storylines, but it fits the show well. And, at Dwight’s wedding, the greatest manager of Dunder Mifflin yet, Michael, makes a surprise return.
The final scenes really cement this episode as one of The Office’s best. While seasons eight and nine almost felt uncharacteristically disappointing compared to the rest of its stellar run, the final installment are somehow hilarious, heartwarming, and heartbreaking all at once. “Finale” is a monumental testament to the talented cast and crew who brought this stellar mockumentary to life.
