50. Employee Transfer (Season 5,
Episode 5) – Michael takes a personal day to drive Holly
back to Connecticut when David Wallace transfers her back to her old branch
when he discovers they are dating - alongside Darryl, in the truck, who has to
awkwardly sit there as they break up. This is one of those episodes you want to
look away from, but cannot – and it’s one of the episodes you feel very bad for
Michael. They mainly keep the rest of the episode light – Dwight trying to piss
off Andy by applying for Cornell, Pam and Jim’s brothers trying to prank Jim,
and get it mostly right.
49. Women’s Appreciation (Season
3, Episode 21) – Phyllis gets flashed in the
parking lot, and after initially thinking it was funny, Michael decides to
overcompensate – by showing the women in the office how much he appreciates
them by taking them to the mall. It’s a good way to get Michael to interact
with just the female employees – especially when he pours his heart out about
Jan, and gets conflicting advice from Karen and Pam. It is also one of the
funniest Angela episodes – when she tells you where she gets her clothes. The
B-plot of Dwight searching for the flasher is just really funny.
48. Sexual Harassment (Season 2,
Episode 2) – The episode basically introduces us to
Michael’s nemesis, Toby in HR, the one employee in the office he cannot control
because he’s technically corporate. The whole episode is similar to Season 1’s
Diversify Day – with Michael causing a problem, and making everyone take a
course on something that he thinks he knows everything about. Just a really
solid, hilarious episode – a way to get back into the office after episode 1 of
the season mainly took place at Chili’s.
47. Back from Vacation (Season 3,
Episode 11) – Michael returns from Sandals for the
Christmas break with beads in his hair (that is lowkey hilarious) – and it
quickly becomes clear that he went with Jan – and then the whole office, and
the whole company, knows because Michael cannot help by trying to brag to his
old friend Todd Packer – making Michael go crazy trying to contain a story that
is already out. The b-plot has cracks forming between Jim and Karen – with Pam
caught in between. A good way to return to the series after Benihana.
46. The Surplus (Season 5, Episode
9) – Oscar informs Michael
that the office has a surplus of $4,800 – and they’ll have to spend it on
something, today, or it goes back to corporate. Oscar wants a new copier – Pam
wants everyone to get new chairs, and the office is divided. It becomes more divided
when Michael finds out that if he just doesn’t spend it, he’ll get a bonus –
which he can spend at Burlington Coat Factory. Dwight goes to extreme lengths
with Angela, as they plan her and Andy’s wedding at the beat farm. It is a
classic ensemble episode at the office about the debate, and Michael wanting to
be popular, but also wanting to be selfish. More stand-alone than much of
Season 5 – but a great one.
45. Business Ethics (Season 5,
Episode 2) – As the branch’s new
HR person, it’s up to Holly to give them all corporate’s ethics seminar in
light of Ryan’s downfall. Michael grants immunity – leading to Meredith’s
confession of serious ethical lapses, even if they benefit the company. So now
Michael and Holly – who have been best friends until now – are placed in
conflict. The episode is hilarious – Michael’s pettiness in trying to mess with
Holly is great, and the episode really does bring out the best in Carrel and
Amy Ryan, and Kate Flannery. It also has probably the most realistic resolution
to this you can imagine.
44. Baby Shower (Season 5,
Episode 3) – One of the last
great awkward Jan episodes – as she shows up at the office for a baby shower,
not having told Michael that she has already given birth to little Astrid (not
Astird) – which devastates him, as he has begun to think of himself as the
father. As always, Melora Hardin nails it as Jan – and you start to see how she
is pulling herself together after the breakup with Michael – and you also see
the growing bond between Michael and Holly. The seeds are also being planted
for Pam’s end as a student in New York.
43. Fun Run (Season 4, Episode 1)
– The show returned with us all wondering what
happened with Jim and Pam – and took its time to show us, but I think we’re all
satisfied with it. Then there is Michael hitting Meredith with his car, and
eventually setting up a charity fun run for rabies. So much of this episode
works wonderfully well – it is funny and well made, we see what we need with
Jim and Pam, and Michael and Jan. But it’s also one of the episodes hour long
episodes – and it really does kind of feel like two episodes pushed together
more than the best hour-long office episodes.
42. Safety Training (Season 3,
Episode 19) – Both the office and the warehouse have to go through
safety training, and the warehouse staff mocks the office people for caring
about things like season depression and eye strain, instead of more serious
things – leading Michael to decide to show just how serious depression can be.
The episode walks the line – there are many hilarious moments (the watermelon
is the most laugh out loud one) – but it does actually deal with depression,
with Michael’s symbolic gesture uncovering real issues.
41. The Convention (Season 3,
Episode 2) – The Convention is one of those helpful
reminders that The Office gives once in a while that Michael is actually pretty
good at his job when he wants to be – this time, heading to a paper convention,
where Jan gets mad at him for goofing off – but, of course, it ends up being
Michael who closes the biggest deal. This doesn’t make Michael happy though –
his party is a bust, and spends much of the time hurt by Jim, also at the
convention, because he left – before it’s heartwarming ending. It’s also the
start of the tables between Jim and Pam turning.
40. Gay Witch Hunt (Season 3,
Episode 1) – Every season premiere has to re-establish the
show, and in this case establish a new normal – with Jim having moved to the
Stamford branch, and introducing some new characters there, and Pam revealing
she called off her wedding to Roy, etc. The show smartly addresses both of
these quickly, but also moves to be a standard office episode – this time with
Oscar revealing he is gay, and the fallout from Michael that follows – who
bends over backwards to prove he isn’t homophobic, but doing so in the
absolutely worst way. A great way to start the season – one that pushes the
boundary of how clueless Michael be to just about its breaking point, but not
quite getting there.
38/39. Lecture Circuit (Season 5,
Episodes 14& 15) – Michael
hits the road – with his driver, Pam, - to all the other branches in the area
(other than Holly’s) – because Scranton is the only branch who has increased
sales in tough times. It does become clear though that Michael has no real idea
why – or what to do. The highlight of the first episode is wrapping up Karen’s
story, in a way that makes you feel good. This inspires Michael actually going
to Holly’s branch in the second episode, to try and get similar closure that
Pam got – and completely melting down. For me, it’s impossible to separate
these two episodes, both complement each other perfect, both are very funny,
and yet end with some heartwarming moments.
37. Weight Loss (Season 5,
Episode 1) – The season five
premiere takes place over the entire summer – during an 8-week weight loss
challenge from corporate HR, which has the entire staff gather on the warehouse
scale once a week to see how much they lost – all except Pam, who is leaving
for New York for art school. One of the better standalone hour longs, as we
really see the chemistry between Michael and Holly, the continued relationship
between Dwight and Angela, and Jim and Pam finally get engaged. The episode
even gives some great stand out moments to the ensemble – particularly Stanley
and his personal triumphs, and Kelly, who goes to extremes. A great way to
start season 5 – doing a lot of heavy lifting in terms of setup, but also just
being a great, hilarious episode.
36. Local Ad - (Season 4, Episode
5) – Ryan and corporate has
bought some local ad time – and wants to run an ad for Dunder Mifflin, with
just a little input from the Scranton branch. Michael decides that he should
make his own ad instead. It’s amusing throughout – with the whole office coming
together to work towards a common goal – and when you see the final ad, it’s
one of those periodic reminders the show gives you that Michael can be quite competent
when he wants to be. The end is legitimately heartwarming.
35. Conflict Resolution (Season
2, Episode 21) – Michael finds out that everyone
comes to HR, aka Toby, with all of their complaints about other employees, and
decides to resolve everyone’s conflicts himself – reading them out loud in
front of the whole office, and basically making everyone hate each other. The
film has some out and out hilarious moments – Pam saying she doesn’t want
anyone at her wedding who called her a hussy, Michael’s win-win-win solution to
the Oscar/Angela poster conflict – and listing all of Jim’s pranks on Dwight in
a row, that is hilarious, until it isn’t – and is really what makes Jim
reconsider his life. And it sets up the classic season finale in a great way. I
do always love it when the whole ensemble gets involved – and this is a perfect
example of that.
34. Business School (Season 3,
Episode 16) – Ryan invites Michael to speak to his business
school class – but doesn’t tell him that he has insulted both him and Dunder
Mifflin during his time there. Michael, of course, delivers exactly the kind of
speech you would expect him too – until he is confronted with the facts, and it
all goes off the rails. It is a classic Michael episode (it is, technically the
episode that Michael was nominated for an Emmy for season 3 for) – and the
B-plot, about a bat in the office, is just plain funny.
33. The Return (Season 3, Episode
13) – Dwight is working at Staples after the events of Travelling
Salesman – and Andy has filled his void, driving everyone, even Michael,
completely nuts (one of the great lines of the series is here – with Michael
wondering aloud how anyone can have so little self-awareness). The
reunification between Michael and Dwight in Staples is perfect. In a busy
episode, it’s also when Oscar returns after Gay Witch Hunt, to a party that
“celebrates” his Mexican roots – and Jim and Pam decide to prank Andy – leading
to results that are at least a little bit scary. You worry that the episode is
doing too much – but it all works well together.
32. Travelling Salesman (Season
3, Episode 12) – Dwight does a favor for Angela,
which Andy will use to plant doubt in Michael’s minds when all the salesmen
team up with each other for sales calls. It’s fun to see these pairs head out
together – Jim and Dwight working well together, Stanley completely
embarrassing Ryan – and finding it hilarious – Phyllis showing off some
unexpected game with Karen – and Andy messing up the call with Michael. This is
a companion piece to The Coup – one of the highlights from Season 3.
31. Goodbye Toby (Season 4,
Episode 14) – Poor Toby,
embarrassed over his actions in Night Out, has announced he is leaving – and
moving to Costa Rica (which has mentioned a few times) – leading to Michael
planning an epic party for his nemesis leaving. It also has Amy Ryan coming on
board as Holly – who Michael is prepared to hate, and Dwight starts to prank,
but of course, Michael falls for her. Jim spends the whole episode planning his
proposal – only to be upstaged in a nice little twist. We also find out
interesting news about Jan, and get news about Andy and Angela, and Angela and
Dwight. This is such a plot heavy finale (is it trying to do too much, since the
season got shortened because of the writer’s strike?) – and yet, it is
absolutely hilarious – none more so than Holly thinking Kevin is, well, a
little slow. If you have to do this much in a finale, you can only hope to
carry it off this deftly.
30. Garage Sale (Season 7,
Episode 18) – Everyone in The Office has gathered in the
warehouse to sell their junk in a large garage sale. Michael is planning on
proposing to Holly – but is surprised when she announces that she will be
moving to Colorado to take care of her parents. This episode is doing a lot –
all the stuff with Holly’s parents is heavy, the garage sale stuff is light and
funny – particularly Jim seeing if he can get Dwight to want his magic legumes.
The heart of it is the proposal itself – which Pam, Oscar and Ryan talk Michael
through, as his first plan was a fire in the parking lot. It all leads up to a
beautiful, and elaborate proposal, with Michael’s shocking announcement at the
end. This was perfectly handled.
29. Broke (Season 5, Episode 23)
– The Michael Scott Paper
Company finds out that they are broke – and don’t have long to survive
(apparently MBA Ryan used the wrong model, meaning they are grossly
undercharging, which is, of course, they only reason they have clients). Still,
they’ve stolen so many clients from Dunder Mifflin, that David and Charles
agree the cheapest option will be to buy out the company. Again, an example of
how good Michael can be – they worry he’s going to screw up the negotiations,
but he actually plays it masterfully. It’s also probably my favorite Idris Elba
episodes – as he starts to see Dwight for who he is, and continues to pick on
Jim. One of the very best Season 5 episodes, leading to the resolution we know
is coming, but is still great in getting there.
28. Phyllis’ Wedding (Season 3,
Episode 15) – For some this ranking will be too high, for
others too low. Whenever the most awkward Office episodes comes up, Phyllis’
wedding seems to get mentioned more often than anything other than Scott’s Tots
and Dinner Party. And it’s easy to see why – it’s Michael at his most
cringe-inducing, trying to make Phyllis’ wedding all about him – throwing a
lowkey temper tantrum when her father stands up for his wheelchair to walk her
down the aisle, instead of being pushed by Michael (him pulling that wheelchair
down the aisle is painfully awkward) – and then doing everything possible to
try and win back some glory in the day about him. It is all a high-wire act for
Carrell and the show, and I think they pull it off wonderfully well – although
I can also see why others would never want to watch it a second time.
27. The Negotiation (Season 3,
Episode 18) – Roy attacks Jim, who is saved by Dwight. All
of this leads Darryl to think, not incorrectly, that he deserves a raise – all
of which exposes just how little Michael makes. This is one of those perfectly
constructed Office episodes where both the A and B plots work wonderfully –
Darryl needling Michael is wonderful, as is the trip to corporate with Toby,
for the negotiation with Jan is brilliantly handled. Jim trying to find the
best way to thank Dwight also works very well. It is also the episode that, I think,
has Jim’s biggest asshole moment maybe of the entire series – in his response
to Pam apologizing for Roy’s attack – and I don’t say that as a criticism of
the show, but praise for its willingness to go there.
26. Michael’s Last Dundies
(Season 7, Episode 20) – Michael’s departure is coming up,
but not before he hosts one last Dundies. The opening of the episode is
hilarious – Michael and DeAngelo going to everyone’s house at 6 am to give them
their plaques as Dundie nominees, and getting a wide variety of reactions. From
there, Michael tries to ensure that DeAngelo keeps this tradition going by
training him to be a Dundie host. Carrel and Ferrell work much better here than
they did in Training Day – but it’s also a great ensemble episode, giving
everyone a chance to express their feelings towards Michael – including
Dwight’s hurt. And then there is the Rent-inspired musical climax, which is one
of the moments in The Office that always makes me cry. This was a perfect way
to setup Michael’s final episode.
25. Branch Closing (Season 3,
Episode 7) – Yes, we know that Scranton is not actually
going to be closing – even though Jan tells Michael that is exactly what is
going to happen at the beginning of this episode, but tells him not to tell
everyone else – which is precisely what he does. It is a fascinating episode –
it can be funny at times, but it also gives your insight into each of the
office people, and what their future plans are going to be. And Jim, looking
directly into the camera, and pretty much complimenting Michael after Josh’s
betrayal, is also a great moment. It sets up what is coming next – bring Jim
back to Scranton, and everything that follows. And Michael and Dwight waiting
for David Wallace is funny by itself as well – especially when they find out
they won, but don’t know how they pulled it off.
24. Diversity Day (Season 1,
Episode 2) – The pilot may have been uneven, but they
quickly found their footing with this brilliant, awkward, hilarious episode –
with Larry Wilmore having to come in to give a diversity training session, and
Michael trying to take it over – even if he’s the only one who really needs it.
The episode pushes the limits of good taste, knows it, and stays just this side
of the line with it. You probably wouldn’t get away with it today, but it’s
great.
23. Company Picnic (Season 5,
Episode 26) – The season finale
keeps it short this year – a regular half hour – and it is jammed packed, and
pretty much perfect. Michael and Holly reunite for a comedy routine at the
company wide picnic – and end up revealing something that no one wanted
revealed, but also prove the spark is still there. Pam proves to be great at
volleyball – carrying the Scranton branch into the finals against corporate –
where Charles shows just how petty he can be. All of this leads to the
heartwarming climax. Throughout it all, there are many great moments – Dwight
as the coach, the other Dwight in the company, Andy freaking out, etc. In
Season 4, they would have made this an hour – and it would have been great –
but there’s something about a jam packed half hour that makes this perhaps even
better.
22. Money (Season 4, Episode 4) – The best of the four hour longs to begin Season 4,
this one concentrates on Michael, who has never been good with money, and
always had debts, realizing that with Jan he has gone so deep in debt he has
had to take on a second job at night, telemarketing, and considering declaring
bankruptcy with Oscar’s help. This actually builds to the perhaps the sweetest
moment between Michael and Jan – the one where we don’t question their
relationship, and Meloria Hardin plays it perfectly. I also cannot help but love
the b plot from the first half of the episode – Jim and Pam spending the right
at Dwight’s Beat Farm B&B. Overall, this is how you do an hourlong.
21. Office Olympics (Season 2,
Episode 3) – As Michael and Dwight leave the office, so
Michael can finalize his purchase of a condo, the rest of the office – led by
Jim – compete is office games. Everything with Michael and Dwight – and the
real estate agent, played by Carrel’s real-life wife Nancy (who will return a
few times) – is awkward comedy gold, even if in these strained economic times,
I didn’t want to hear a lot about mortgages. Everything back at the office is
lighter and more fun – showing just how committed and fun Jim can be given the
right circumstances – but also the varying degrees of commitment of the
players. Just a perfect example of what this show, in its top form, could do –
even if it’s not quite top level.
20. A Benihana Christmas (Season
3, Episode 10) – The Office does Christmas
episodes rights – and A Benihana Christmas is no exception. Michael pushes
girlfriend Carol too far, and she breaks up with him, leading Andy to suggest
Benihana for lunch – and Jim and Dwight are brought along. Meanwhile, Karen and
Pam stage a coup on the party planning committee, planning a much more fun party
than Angela will allow. This is one of the seasons hour-long (really 42-minute
episodes) – and it never really flags as can sometimes happen. It all builds to
the Christmas party, and again a genuine moment between Michael and Jim. But
basically, it’s one comic highlight after another.
19. The Merger (Season 3, Episode
8) – The Merger is a classic Office episode – it makes
you see Michael through the eyes of the people who don’t know him – and how
strange that must have been. Michael tries really, really hard to impress the
new people Stamford, but he goes way too far, way too hard and ends up
alienating them all. It’s also kind of a sad episode – Pam is so happy to have
Jim back, but has her bubble burst almost immediately when he is stand-offish,
and awkward. Poignant, funny – and when you find out Jim and Karen are actually
dating, a little heartbreaking.
18. Scott’s Tots (Season 6,
Episode 12) – I know there are
die-hard Office fans who have only ever watched this episode once – and can
just not handle watching it again. It’s easy to see why – it is probably the
most painfully awkward episode in the entire series’ run and the worst thing
Michael has ever done. 10 years ago, he told a group of underprivileged
children that if they graduated high school, he’d pay for their university –
and now that bill has come due, and he has absolutely no money to follow
through. But he does laptop batteries for them all. This is exactly the type of
thing Michael would do – but the awkwardness level is sky high, because the
consequences here are real, and the victims completely innocent. It is also,
however, darkly hilarious. You can argue that here they took things too far
here – but you kind of have to give credit to the most cringeworthy episode in
a series known for its cringeworthy episodes.
17. Threat Level Midnight (Season
7, Episode 16) - One of the undeniable highlights
of Season 7 is finally seeing the finished product of Michael’s long-gestating
movie – that we saw a table read of in Season 2. It is, of course, inspired
insanity and comedy throughout – and also fun to see all the old faces that
have moved on over the years returning for one last time. In many ways, this is
the type of lightweight, nostalgia driven episode that The Office didn’t
indulge in before now – but given it’s one of Michael’s last episodes, all is
forgiven – especially when it’s this funny. It also, surprisingly, shows some
real growth in Michael – realizing that it is okay if Holly doesn’t love it, or
if it isn’t great. He would not have had this insight before Holly.
16. Finale (Season 9, Episode 23)
– It is very hard for
sitcoms to end things right – you have to get the balance between humor and
sentiment just right, and with The Office, you have the complicating factor of
Michael – who had left two years before, in what was in many ways a finale in
and of itself. They split the difference well here – bringing back Carrel, but
not letting him take over the episode (whether that was there choice or
Carrel’s – it works). The episode gives everyone (well, except poor Toby) a
happy or happy-ish ending, it sets Dwight up to be successful in the future
giving him what he wants, and sends Jim and Pam off into the sunset in a
fitting way. Everything works amazingly well – and then there is the final
sequence with all the regulars (sans Michael) in the office for one last time.
It is a fitting way to end things – and a great way. They nailed this ending
about as good as I can imagine it being done – and created certainly a must-see
finale.
14/15. Niagara: Part I & II
(Season 6, Episodes 4 & 5) – I
know some will probably complain that this dual episode is too sweet to be a
classic Office episode – and my wife liked to complain about some of the
logical flaws in the movie (mainly having to do with how wet Jim and Pam would
be coming back from the boat, and why only the office people dance done the
aisle, etc.). And yet, I don’t care. Loyal Office fans had been waiting six
years to see Jim and Pam get married, and this episode didn’t disappoint. Yes,
it is heartwarming and sweet to see our favorite couple get married. Yet, the
episode still manages to have classic awkward moments – Michael and Mee-maw for
example, and shows some different sides of everyone. Overall, you just have to
love these episodes if you love The Office.
13. The Fire (Season 2, Episode
4) – Everyone gets out of the office, into the parking
lot, when a minor fire starts in the office. Michael really tries to become
friends with Ryan – making Dwight super jealous – meanwhile Jim holds court
with desert island games. All of it is funny – even when Amy Adams shows up,
and we realize just how not right she is for Jim based on her answers – all
leading to the glorious reunification between Michael and Dwight, and Ryan’s
comeuppance – satisfying for someone like me who thinks Ryan is an insufferable
jerk who needs that comeuppance more than any other character on the show.
12. Stress Relief (Season 5,
Episode 13) – Perhaps the
highlight of Season 5, is this hour-long episode. It starts with one of the
out-and-out funniest scenes in Office history – Dwight’s fake fire, which
terrifies everyone in the office, and causes mass panic – broken windows, Oscar
climbing through the ceiling (and the cat) – all leading to Stanley’s heart
attack. The first half really does overdose on Dwight’s weirdness (the hardest
thing to believe is that he doesn’t get fired – for either the fire, or the CPR
dummy). The second half is absolutely hilarious, as Michael makes everyone
throw a roast for him – and takes it far too personally, ending with his own
roast of people. Really, this is a brilliant, sustain hour that is one of the
very funniest hours in Office history.
11. The Coup (Season 3, Episode
3) – At the behest of his own personal Lady Macbeth,
Angela, Dwight arranges a secret meeting with Jan, to try and convince her to
give him Michael’s job. Jan calls Michael with the news – who masterfully plays
Dwight for most of the episode, making him think he got to the job to humiliate
him. Again, I like when the show gives you a glimpse of the Michael that
ascended to this position in the first place – and this is one (although, of
course, he ends up freaking out when Dwight insults his car). In Stamford, we
start to see Jim and Karen growing closer as they play Call of Duty, which he
sucks at. And Pam tries to build her confidence by getting a new wardrobe –
only to remember why she dresses the way she does. Overall, a wond4erful
episode – and one not quite like many others.
10. Christmas Party (Season 2,
Episode 10) – This episode is pretty much perfect. Everyone
is excited for Secret Santa – until Michael goes overboard and spends way too
much on his gift, and then forces everyone to do Yankee Swap instead. Jim’s
incredibly sweet gift to Pam therefore maybe for naught – and the moment he
takes back his card is low-key heartbreaking. For the awkwardness, it steps up
when Michael admits his bonus – and everyone gets plastered because Michael
brings alcohol. This is The Office at its height.
9. The Dundies (Season 2, Episode
1) – If there was any doubt that The Office was going
to become a great show in its second season, the Season Premiere put those
doubts to rest – spending almost the entire episode at Chili’s as Michael gives
out his annual awards. Jim and Pam bond – as Pam gets incredibly drunk – and
the awkwardness is there, given that everyone has to pay for their own food and
drink. It also shows what a good guy Michael can be – backing off on giving Pam
an award that he knows will hurt her, and Jim, who comes to Michael’s rescue
when it looks like the whole thing will go off the rails. Certainly a classic.
8. The Deposition (Season 4, Episode
8) – Jan’s lawsuit has moved
to the deposition stage, and it’s Michael turn. He has been coached by Jan to
say what she wants – and his corporate overlords have tried to get him to tow
the company line. The whole thing becomes increasingly awkward for Michael –
with personal questioning, the reveal of his diary, and the feelings of his
bosses being laid bare. It is a great episode for Carrel – and for Michael, who
makes a surprising, but probably the correct, choice. The B-plot, about Jim and
Darryl playing ping pong, and the smack talk wars escalating between Pam and
Kelly, is certainly amusing (although I wish there were a different payoff to
it all). It’s the deposition part that makes this a great one.
7. Beach Games (Season 3, Episode
22) – Season three ended with two back to back hour-long
classics – beginning with this one. Michael believes he is a shoo-in for a job
at corporate, and decides to use the annual beach day as a way to pit Jim,
Dwight, Andy, and Stanley against each other to compete for his job, with Pam
assigned to take detailed notes. This is probably Jenna Fisher at her absolute
best on this show – from her exasperation with Michael throughout the episode
(my favorite is when Michael asks her to check the notebook for a conversion
chart) – and the brilliance of her final few moments – her building up the
courage to do the coals walk, and then revealing her feelings to the whole
office. It’s also just a very funny episode – with Stanley turning into an
animal, and Andy floating away.
6. Goodbye Michael (Season 7,
Episode 21) – Sitcoms have changed a lot even in the
relatively short time since The Office went off the air, so I really don’t know
how many more long running network sitcoms will ever have to deal with losing
their main character again – but if they do, Goodbye Michael is the textbook
case on how to handle the departure perfectly. Yes, the episode is deliberately
emotional – it wants to get you to tear up throughout the episode, whether it’s
Dwight reading his recommendation letter from Michael, Jim and Michael’s final
conversation where they talk of a lunch they know will never happen, or just
Pam running to Michael in the airport – no words necessary. But it’s also the
perfect way to say Goodbye to Michael, showing off his individual connections
with everyone in the office, showing just how much he loves it, and how much
this all means to him. I’m crying right now writing this – and that’s because
this is the perfect ending for Michael.
5. The Injury (Season 2, Episode
12) – One of the iconic moments in the entire run is
Michael burning his foot on a George Foreman grill – and coming into the office
anyway. Everything with him is great. And then there is Dwight getting a
concussion – and becoming so much nicer for at least some of the time. And Jim
is also wonderful here – the spray bottle in the van, and showing just how much
he does care. The episode is hilarious, and somewhat heartfelt as well. It is
more a standalone then most great Office episodes – but it is perfect for what
it is.
4. Booze Cruise (Season 2,
Episode 11) – The whole office goes on a booze cruise in
the middle of January, leading to a lot of awkwardness. Michael feuding with
the captain – a wonderful Rob Riggle – is wonderful, leading to him being
banished. Dwight being given the task of “driving” the boat is also great. It’s
also perhaps the best episode of sad Jim, watching Roy and Pam together as they
finally set a date for their wedding – and then being a complete ass to Amy
Adams. It all leads to one of the most genuinely great emotional moments
featuring Michael – giving great advice to Jim, showing that perhaps he could
be the father figure he thinks himself as. A perfect episode.
3. Casino Night (Season 2,
Episode 22) – The best Office episodes are able to walk the
line – being able to be hilarious, and still dig deeper into the characters,
and give you genuine emotional content. Casino Night is a perfect example of
this – allowing Michael his chance to show off at the companies charity night,
running casino games, juggling two women – Carol and Jan – who don’t really get
that they are in competition. The poker scenes are all gold, the extended
sequence debating the proper way to say Afghani, or Toby’s loss of why they
didn’t invite children, or Darryl explaining her doesn’t want a fire eater in a
paper warehouse, etc. – the episode is hilarious. And then there is the reason
why everyone remembers the episode – Jim finally confessing his feelings for
Pam, being rejected (that one tear is heartbreaking) – and then ending the
season with the two of them kissing. It is a classic Jim and Pam episode – the
one that will setup everyone in Season 3 between them. I suppose if you’re one
of those psychos who hate Jim in general, you wouldn’t like this episode – but
screw those guys. This is a classic.
2. The Job (Season 3, Episode 23)
– It is difficult to maintain a sitcom’s momentum
for a whole hour, and yet The Job not only does that, but creates one of the
very best episode in Office history. There are comic highlights throughout – in
Michael and Karen’s interviews with David Wallace, with Jan’s absolute meltdown
when we find out she is being replaced (I have to say, one issue I have with
The Office in general is Jan’s arc – which seems rushed) – but that’s wonderful
as well. Dwight, who Michael promotes even before he gets promoted, goes off
the deep end at the office. The final minute – the sick joke of who gets the
promotion – is also great. But we all know why this episode ranks quite this
high – it’s Jim seeing Pam’s note to him in his interview with David Wallace, and
realizing what he wants, and then my favorite moment of the whole show – when
he pops his head in on Pam’s interview and asks her out – and her priceless
reaction – one of the most pure moments of happiness I have ever seen. A
stunner.
1.Dinner
Party (Season 4, Episode 9) – This is The Office at its
most brilliantly awkward – an episode that walks that razor thin line between
hilarious, and so painfully you have to look away. Michael devises a scheme to
finally get Jim and Pam (along with Andy and Angela) to come to his house for a
Dinner Party. What they walk into is the escalating war between Michael and
Jan, who seem to want to make everyone as uncomfortable as humanly possible.
There isn’t a wasted moment in this episode, as the whole thing just gets more
and more painful and strained. How this didn’t win every Emmy possible – for
directing, for writing, for Carrel, for Hardin, is beyond me. Just an absolute
perfect sitcom episode.
