All 9 The Office Seasons, Ranked Worst To Best

The Office had a spectacular nine-season run, but that doesn’t mean every season was equally good. Starting in 2005, The Office adapted an original comedy show concept from a UK TV series of the same name. While the UK version, created by Ricky Gervais, was a success, it wasn’t long before the US version swiftly overtook the popularity of the original, which was in large part thanks to Steve Carell taking on the role of Michael Scott.

The show became a hit, and with clever writing, incredible comedy actors, and dynamic storylines, it thrived for almost a decade. However, as stars like Carell went off to explore new opportunities, the show lost some of the original sparkle that made it such a success, and it wasn’t long before the series was wrapped up for good. Despite all of this, The Office continues to be celebrated as one of the best sitcoms of the 2000s, and is frequently revisited by fans of the show.

9. The Office Season 8

As mentioned above, the later seasons of the show really started to go off the rails with the absence of Michael Scott. Michael left the show at the end of season 7, and in the wake of his departure, The Office needed to find its new center. And despite the loss of Michael Scott, this season did give some of the supporting characters more time to shine. Unfortunately, it wasn’t always a smooth and seamless transition, and the season did not match up to earlier outings.

Andy has a solid showing throughout season 8, with the character adjusting to life as the regional manager. The relationship that blossoms between Andy and Erin is also fun to watch. However, pivotal characters like Jim Halpert feel less present in the season. And Robert California, played by James Spader, is an odd character who fails to come close to the legacy and fun that Michael was still providing just one season earlier.

8. The Office Season 9

The show’s final outing, season 9, also seemed to go completely off the rails. After Andy and Erin get together, their relationship breaks down over the course of the season, along with Andy’s own mental state. With Robert California out of the picture, Andy is now targeted as the wackiest and weirdest character, and despite already being a goofball, this season takes him to terrifying new lows. Unfortunately, The Office was running out of steam, and it was the right call to end the show in season 9.

All of that being said, there were still bright spots. While season 8 struggled to really showcase the supporting cast, season 9 did a much better job rotating the focus and highlighting other characters. There were also great storylines with some new additions to the office, Dwight and Angela’s relationship progressing, and the show’s finale, which brought Michael back for a brief but important cameo. It ended on a high, despite the challenges that led up to the close of the show, and season 9 deserves some recognition for that.

7. The Office Season 1

Some shows start or finish with their strongest season, but The Office didn’t really do either. Season 1 was a period of discovery and change for the show. Drawing inspiration from a gritty and dark comedy series based in the UK, Michael was initially presented as a truly unlikable figure. He crossed lines, made crass jokes, and behaved like a dumb kid. While this performance managed to get the show off the ground, the character of Michael Scott would evolve a lot in the coming seasons, resulting in some of the best seasons coming in the middle of the show’s run.

However, there was a glimpse of what the show would be in season 1, and the supporting cast were particularly strong, which made the series work. Jim and his unrequited love for Pam paved the way for a lot of developments, and Dwight was a stand-out character due to Rainn Wilson’s incredible performance. Things would continue to improve from here, but season 1 of The Office certainly got the ball rolling.

6. The Office Season 6

The only way to describe season 6 is packed. A lot happens in the span of 26 episodes, with Pam’s pregnancy, Dunder Mifflin being bought out by Sabre, Jim and Pam’s wedding, Michael dating Pam’s mom, Erin looking up to Michael as a surrogate father and more. And of course, with so much happening, it led to a lot of great and memorable moments. The chemistry between the cast is excellent, and the team is in a good place.

This season also has a lot of emotional and reflective moments, in the run-up to the wedding, and with Michael taking a serious look at his life and relationships. In this way, it pushes the narrative forward for the characters, while also keeping the comedy frequent and strong. On top of all that, memorable episodes like “Scott’s Tots” and the dance scene at Jim and Pam’s wedding make the season stand out.

5. The Office Season 7

Season 7 was an exceptional outing for The Office, and one that was worthy of sending off Michael Scott. After years of acting like a man-child, Michael grows up to be a genuine friend to his colleagues, a father figure to Erin, and he finally gets the girl of his dreams back in his life, Holly Flax. And while it acts as Michael’s final season, the show does not slow down or lose momentum throughout season 7.

With Will Ferrell appearing briefly to take over as the new Manager, only to be severely injured due to his own hubris, it also led to Michael being replaced, and helped the audience to prepare for this reality. Season 7 was a strong showing all around, with a lot of great callbacks, shining moments for each character, and the perfect end to Michael’s story in The Office.

4. The Office Season 3

The Office season 3 is when the show really settled into its own unique format, and became a completely different story to the original UK version of the show. After Jim confesses his love for Pam in the season 2 finale, and the pair kiss, Pam asserts that she is going to marry Roy. And realistically, that is the moment that shapes this season. For much of season 3, Jim wasn’t even working in Scranton, due to requesting a transfer to another branch in Stamford.

This means that much of the season is split between the two branches, and key characters like Andy Bernard are introduced, along with Jim’s new flame, Karen. However, when Stamford gets closed down, Jim and a few other employees from the branch are merged in with Scranton, leading to some incredible moments with Andy and Dwight competing, and Pam beginning to get jealous of Jim’s new relationship. This season is a definitive outing for The Office, and one that cemented its place as one of the best sitcoms of all time.

3. The Office Season 4

Season 4 marks some of the most significant payoffs in the show’s run. After three seasons of teasing about a relationship between Jim and Pam, they finally get together, and their new romance is a highlight of the season. Similarly, Michael ends up getting into a relationship with someone he has held a flame for through the last few seasons, his boss, Jan Levinson. The contrast between these two couplings is hilarious, and it leads to some awkward interactions between the two.

And while Jim and Pam’s relationship gets stronger throughout season 4, Michael’s becomes completely unstable. Fortunately, while Michael is at his lowest, and struggling to move on from Jan, season 4 introduces a character who is destined to be a much bigger part of his story, Holly Flax. In addition, the relationship between Dwight and Angela is a large part of the story for this outing, and one that will also be revisited down the road.

2. The Office Season 5

Next up, directly following the events of season 4, things progress significantly in The Office season 5. Jim and Pam take big steps forward in their relationship, with the pair getting engaged. Despite Michael and Holly’s instant connection, Holly is transferred to another branch, swiftly putting a stop to the best relationship that Michael has ever had. And in the wake of this incredible injustice by Dunder Mifflin, Michael stands up for himself, and decides to start his own rival paper company… in the same building.

The Michael Scott Paper Company is one of the defining moments of this season, and leads to a lot of big developments in the show. Including, later in the same season, Michael selling the company back to Dunder Mifflin, and securing the jobs of his dear friends Ryan and Pam, who supported him in his venture. It’s a solid season, and one that continues to build out the supporting cast, but it doesn’t quite top the charts.

1. The Office Season 2

While The Office struggled to find its footing in season 1, season 2 marked the true beginning of this version of the show, with Michael becoming a much more rounded and entertaining character. Likewise, the focus is spread out around the office, with the rest of the team getting a lot of attention, and creating some of the best and most memorable jokes in the series. It also saw Jim and Dwight’s relationship more clearly defined, as Jim constantly pranks and agitates his deskmate.

The Office season 2 is when the show really began to feel like something special, and the characters became friends, rather than caricatures. The result was that this is a tremendous outing for the series, which continually improves and redefines itself. While The Office would continue to grow, introducing new cast members, and getting more ambitious with the storylines, season 2 is pure and simple fun that captures the magic of the show like no other.