Dunder Mifflin: the people person’s paper people, and the comedy lover’s mockumentary of choice. The Office changed the landscape of comedy in the early 2000s when Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant delivered piercing observational laughs in a single-camera format, ditching tired multi-camera studio setups and artificial laugh tracks. After two seasons and a hugely celebrated Christmas special, Gervais and Merchant called it a day on their two-time Golden Globe-winning series, leaving the door open for a U.S. remake.
Although Gervais was initially approached to reprise David Brent on American screens, the right decision was to move in a more U.S.-friendly direction, with Steve Carell offered the role of Michael Scott. Nine seasons and 201 episodes later, The Office U.S. is considered one of the greatest shows of the 21st century, and it couldn’t have won such praise without these most important episodes.
10
“The Client”
Season 2, Episode 7
Until the seventh episode of the second season of The Office, Carell’s Michael Scott played the fool to perfection, but left many wondering just how he ended up in a management position. In “The Client” — directed by Greg Daniels and written by Toby himself, Paul Lieberstein — Michael’s overly sentimental and often cringe-inducing methods of business finally pay off, culminating in an unlikely, passionate kiss with his professional superior, Jan (Melora Hardin).
Elsewhere in the episode, Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski) come closer together as they head to the rooftop to watch fireworks and listen to music on Jim’s iPod. This sweet moment of early connection for the pair is a sign of what’s to come, and one Jim would try to recreate later in the series for a marriage proposal, only for Ed Helms‘ Andy to get in the way.
9
“The Merger”
Season 3, Episode 8
After three-and-a-half seasons, The Office had firmly established itself as one of the best ensemble comedies on network television. So how do you go about shaking up that cast? In “The Merger” — which is inspired by a storyline in the opening episode of the UK Office‘s second season — Jim’s new Stamford branch is downsized and absorbed by the Scranton branch, leading to his current girlfriend Karen (Rashida Jones) and Pam coming face-to-face.
In terms of comedic quality, “The Merger” is far from the highlight in a stellar third season for The Office. Instead, it is an important turning point for the series that would start to cement the main cast heading forward. However, most of the new bunch don’t last beyond a couple of episodes, with “The Merger” acting as a vehicle to introduce Karen and, most importantly, future boss Andy into the office.
8
“Threat Level Midnight”
Season 7, Episode 17
The Office is known best for weaving countless jokes throughout its 25-minute episode runtime. However, now and then, the show attempts a multi-season gag, with “Threat Level Midnight” the payoff to one of the show’s longest-running jokes, as the screenplay for Michael’s spy film first read in Season 2 finally makes it to the screen.
Over seven seasons, audiences had watched Michael put his heart in the right place in all the wrong ways, as he ruined friendships and stumbled through short-term relationships. But that all changed when he met Holly Flax (Amy Ryan), who was cruelly sent away as their romance was beginning to blossom. Upon her return in Season 7, Michael’s dreams had come true. In “Threat Level Midnight,” after initially acting as the old, childish Michael whilst the office tries to sit through his movie without laughing, he eventually matures thanks to a conversation with Holly, where he realizes that nothing really matters to him except her anymore.
7
“Casino Night”
Season 2, Episode 22
The Office might be known for often silly and always hilarious comedy — a trend that would excel for the worse in the final two seasons — but earlier in the series, it also knew just how deftly to turn the dramatic dial. The will-they/won’t-they story between Jim and Pam, which was inspired by Tim (Martin Freeman) and Dawn (Lucy Davis), is finally pushed to the edge in “Casino Night,” as the former lays his heart on the line.
A good writer might’ve paid off almost 30 episodes of yearning by having Jim and Pam passionately come together in the throes of romance, finally acting on their hidden love. However, a great writer — in this case, Michael Scott himself, Carell — understands that dramatic tension is key to on-screen romance, letting the pair finally embrace, but leaving their status in doubt.
6
“Dinner Party”
Season 4, Episode 13
Is “Dinner Party” the most important The Office episode because of the plot? Far from it. This almost bottle episode, featuring the main cast members having dinner at Michael and Jan’s condo, does little to move the narrative needle, except for proving just how toxic the aforementioned couple’s relationship is. Instead, the episode is important simply for being the most quoted and best-loved in the show’s history.
“Dinner Party” is The Office at its best. The brilliant Paul Feig directs each tiny detail with the deft touch of comedic genius, but never interferes with the main cast all performing at their very best. From Hunter’s music, to Jan’s suspicion of Pam, to Dwight’s (Rainn Wilson) sudden arrival, and an “oaky afterbirth,” this chaotic, laugh-out-loud 22 minutes is the essence of The Office distilled.
5
“Niagara”
Season 6, Episodes 4 and 5
The culmination of The Office‘s most important story. For six seasons, viewers indulged as the most-watched romance unfolded on screen, with Pam and Jim finally coming together and allowing their obvious love to blossom. But with the tension gone after they pronounce their love for each other, where should the journey go next? To Niagara Falls, of course, in mac-wearing, tie-cutting holy matrimony.
This emotionally poignant two-parter sees the whole office, encouraged by Michael, take a trip to the titular landmark to witness the marriage of Pam and Jim. Of course, there are the typical shenanigans, including the accidental reveal of Pam’s pregnancy and Andy’s scrotum injury, but writers Greg Daniels and Mindy Kaling make sure to keep the tone as joyous as possible for a wedding the entire country had been waiting six years for.
4
“Goodbye Michael”
Season 7, Episode 22
At the heart of The Office is Michael Scott, Carell’s genius comedy creation that stands as one of the 21st century’s best TV characters. As the clock ticked closer to the end of the seventh season, the writing was on the wall for Carell’s exit from the series, with his seven-season contract up and communication with network higher-ups breaking down. In “Goodbye Michael,” we finally said farewell to the show’s backbone.
As the subsequent downward trend in quality would showcase, The Office simply isn’t the same without Michael. In his final episode — ignoring a cameo in the series finale — Jim and Pam are the surrogates for the audience, as their final goodbyes to this endearing character bring tears to the eyes and joy, one last time, to the heart.
3
“Finale”
Season 9, Episodes 24 and 25
Seasons 8 and 9 of The Office are noticeably worse than the previous seven. After Carell’s core emotional anchor left, an unlikable Andy took his seat, and strange writing decisions started to infiltrate the once-consistent characterization; fans started to become disgruntled, and ratings dropped significantly. With that in mind, it was up to the series finale — inventively titled “Finale” — to end the show on a high note.
As Andy famously says in the episode’s closing moments: “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” This moment perfectly captures the essence of “Finale,” as two years of fan frustration wash away in a wave of nostalgia, as tears flow and one of the 21st century’s best comedies comes to a bittersweet close.
2
“Stress Relief”
Season 5, Episodes 14 and 15
Not only is the “Stress Relief” two-parter one of the most acclaimed stories in The Office‘s history, but it also marks the height of the show’s popularity. Aired immediately following Super Bowl XLIII, and maintaining a lead-in audience with the show’s best cold open, “Stress Relief” is the most-watched episode in The Office history, earning an incredible 22.9 million viewers on February 1, 2009.
Sporting a 9.7/10 on IMDb, “Stress Relief” is one of the highest-rated episodes, not just of The Office, but of any TV series ever. Perhaps what is so spectacular about the two-parter — specifically the first half — is just how densely packed the jokes are. In just 20 minutes, audiences were left pained with laughter, having witnessed more successful gags than most feature films.
1
“The Dundies”
Season 2, Episode 1
The first season of The Office is widely regarded as a tonal misstep, as the series attempted to sail too close to the bleak and often mean-spirited British original. “999 times out of 1,000, that show is canceled,” former writer Michael Schur admitted about the first season, with the next eight seasons of peak TV comedy only existing thanks to one episode: “The Dundies.”
Directed by Daniels and written by Kaling, the opening episode of The Office‘s sophomore season revitalized the series by introducing a warmer color palette, firing the Pam and Jim romance to new heights, and, crucially, dropping Michael’s sleazy, slicked-back hair from Season 1. In just one episode, the new format for success was born, with everyone’s favorite inappropriate boss reshaped into the misguided, desperate-to-be-loved hero we would quickly come to adore.
