The Office is the type of comfort show that’s perfect no matter the weather. You have Gilmore Girls for fall, but Michael Scott is always funny whether it’s freezing or scorching hot.
The Office is an amazingly cringe yet hilarious mockumentary sitcom; each character is unique for all the wrong but right reasons. Here are 10 of the best The Office episodes you need to watch (or rewatch) immediately!
10. “Stress Relief” (S5, E13)
Some of my favorite moments from The Office take place in a single episode. “Stress Relief” is the perfect episode to show anyone unsure of starting to watch this sitcom. We see the deranged Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) test everyone in the office on important fire safety protocols (and take it way too far), which leads to grumpy Stanley (Leslie David Baker) having a heart attack. It appears Dwight isn’t actually the cause of Stanley’s stress, but their boss Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) is.
9. “Dinner Party” (S4, E13)
This classic episode of The Office is beloved by those who haven’t even seen the show, just from clips alone. The awkward “Dinner Party” episode is filled with memorable one-liners from our beloved characters and an even more memorable song. Jan and Michael host a couples dinner party and invite Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski) from the office to join them. After multiple failed attempts to bail, Pam & Jim arrive for awkward shenanigans, a ridiculously bright neon sign, and Michael’s new plasma TV … a classic episode and not one to miss.
8. “Casino Night” (S2, E22)
Pam & Jim were the couple fans everywhere were rooting for, and in this episode, we see the first potential signs of romance. The team from Dunder Mifflin hosts a casino night, and Michael double books two women as his dates. Jim is finally ready to confess his feelings, while Pam is still in a relationship. But that doesn’t stop Jim from seizing the moment! The Office is filled with romances we all root for (and cringe at), but Pam & Jim will always be a fan favorite, which is why this episode is such a memorable one.
7. “Beach Games” (S3, E23)
In an attempt to find out which of his employees could be his replacement, Michael Scott organizes a “beach day” filled with competitive games, including sumo wrestling. Everyone wants a boss like Michael Scott when watching The Office, but if he forced me to walk over hot coals, I think I’d pass. Each employee rises to the occasion, especially Dwight, who will stop at nothing to prove he’s the best of the best.
6. “The Convict” (S3, E9)
New employees arrive in Scranton to join the Dunder Mifflin team. However, Michael discovers one of his employees has a criminal record. Chaos ensues in this The Office episode when Michael attempts to imitate a prisoner and scare his employees into what it’s like to be a criminal. One of the new employees Andy (Ed Helms) is on a mission to seduce Pam, which Jim is all too happy to help with, but sabotage and pranks may as well be Jim’s middle name.
5. “The Dundies” (S2, E1)
The Dundies is a yearly event hosted by the self-proclaimed world’s greatest boss, Michael Scott. To win a Dundie is the highest honor in Dunder Mifflin Scranton … well, according to Michael. Pam gets far too merry during the festivities, and the awards actually turn out to be hilarious, especially for us watching at home! Gotta love cringey corporate events …
4. “Conflict Resolution” (S2, E21)
Michael has never been a fan of HR and decides to take over to ensure all of his employees are happy in this episode of The Office. However, when going through the complaints, there appear to be conflicts that should never have been spoken about between colleagues. Michael tries his best to resolve all the drama, but it only causes more, leading to some extremely awkward yet funny moments.
3. “Safety Training” (S3, E20)
It’s safety training day! Michael never fails to make a spectacle of even the most boring of mandatory events. With the assistance of his right-hand-man Dwight, he decides to prove just how many dangers they face daily in the office, which leads to Michael having an existential crisis on the roof, with everyone literally talking him off a ledge—another classic episode with plenty of meme material that’s still being used today.
2. “Niagara Part 1 & 2” (S5, E4 and E5)
Finally! We get to see the Pam & Jim wedding, and it’s full of cringe, laughs, and a lot of dancing. The team travels to Niagara Falls for the wedding, but it appears nothing is going according to plan for the happy couple. Michael, Dwight, and Andy are on a mission to find women while Pam is desperately trying to keep her pregnancy a secret. If you haven’t seen the iconic wedding dance, then it’s a must.
1. “Office Olympics” (S2, E3)
Michael and Dwight are away from the office to look at condos while Jim organizes games for the whole team. Michael is dealing with some major life changes and isn’t happy where he is currently, but what makes this episode so memorable is how Jim hands Michael a gold medal at the end of the games to prove that he’s always a winner and he matters to his friends.
(featured image: NBC)
