"There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things." - Pam Beesley Halpert
The idea of a documentary crew following something as mundane as an office of a paper company was an inspired creation that led to the hit BBC comedy The Office. As a fan of the original series, I was excited to check out the American version, and while the first episodes were a little spotty, I knew it would turn into something that would rival it's predecessor.
Last week, The Office aired it's final episode, and I realized that I never really took a chance to rewatch the older episodes of the series. As time went on, I found myself less interested in the characters of Dunder Mifflin, and I began to wonder, was the show always like this?
Thankfully, the old seasons still hold up, making sure The Office keeps its placeholder as one of America's greatest television comedies. After scouring many top episode lists, I have settled on what I consider to be the 25 essential episodes of the series. Whether you're new to the series or a dedicated fan, I'd highly recommend revisiting these episodes because all the laughs, tears, and cringes still hold up as well as they did nine years ago.
Seasons 1-7 can be found on Netflix Instant Watch (Season 8 can be found there as well, but why bother?) and select Season 9 episodes are available on NBC.com.
Season One
1) Ep. 102 "Diversity Day"
"Abraham Lincoln once said that 'If you're a racist, I will attack you with the North,' and these are the principles I carry with me in the workplace." - Michael Scott
The pilot episode of The Office deliberately recreated the first episode of the U.K. version, with a few terms "Americanized" here and there. This resulted in lackluster initial reviews, pegging the show as a bastardized version of a great foreign comedy. Fortunately, the next episode was an original and proudly stands in as a representative of the brilliant show that was to follow.
After an insensitive recreation of a Chris Rock routine, the office and Michael are made to undergo diversity sensitivity training. Take a page from the U.K.'s brilliant "Training Day" episode, Michael usurps the meeting and introduces his own activities to make his employees more culturally aware. Unfortunately, his attempts at creating communication by first focusing on negative stereotypes result in a cringe-worthy farce as the employees suffer through insult after insult.
This episode sets up everything we need to know about the series. Michael is the well-meaning but socially incompetent boss, Dwight is the loyal assistant with an even bigger lack of self-awareness, Jim's feelings for Pam allow him to survive an unbearable day at work, and all of the secondary office workers start to showcase signs of the characters they will become (with only Kelly not yet displaying her trademark ditziness).
With only 6 episodes in this small season, "Diversity Day" stands out as the prime gem, proving that the American version of this series is worth keeping.
Season Two
2) Ep. 201 "The Dundies"
"So, finally, I wanna thank God, because God gave me this Dundie and I feel God in this Chili's tonight." - Pam Beesley
"The Dundies" kicks of one of the best seasons of any television show ever. Having learned from what worked in Season One, the creators of The Office set forth in creating groundbreaking television, that kept things a little smaller and grounded when compared to other television comedies at the time. The two major focuses of the season were Jim and Pam's growing relationship and Michael's tragic vulnerabilities. While similar to the U.K.'s David Brent, Michael Scott became a more childlike figure, garnering him some much needed sympathy if the show were to last longer than two seasons.
This episode showcases Michael's need to be loved and to spread joy by highlighting the annual employee awards night, created by Michael himself. The employees view it as an inevitable night of torture seeing as how the "awards" are usually teasing jibes at their characters (and the ceremony must be endured in the public eye at a Chili's restaurant). Pam especially fears the awards, seeing as how it is a yearly reminder that her fiance has still not set a date for the wedding. She proceeds to get drunk throughout the night, becoming an unlikely cheerleader for the event, when Michael's ego suffers harsh criticism from the rest of the staff and diners.
"The Dundies" serves as a sort of secondary first episode, inviting a wave of new viewers to enjoy the show that they may have heard some good things about. Yes, there is cringe humor, but by the end, there is at least hope that can leave you with a good feeling. In this case, a drunk Pam kisses Jim in excitement, allowing him (and the audience) to officially entertain the notion that she may have feelings for him as well. And, with Pam's support, Michael finally has a successful night out with his coworkers, whom he views as his own family.
This helps create more distance between the British and American versions, as Pam's equivalent Dawn was much more resigned to her role in life and would have been the last person to take charge in a social situation. By coming out of her shell, Pam set the tone for the series, proving that enjoying life involves taking risks.
3) Ep. 203 "Office Olympics"
"Yeah, I filled out the expense reports. That took about five minutes and then I closed two sales at lunch time. So, about as productive as any other day. If not more so. " - Jim Halpert
This has become the quintessential Jim episode, fully embracing the concept of being bored at work and following it to its logical extreme. While Jim usually survives the daily grind by pulling pranks on the insufferable Dwight, we finds himself at a loss for options when Dwight joins Michael as he goes to purchase his own condo. Looking for something to entertain himself, he notices that the accountants have been playing paper football and keeping a scorecard for the past two years. When further probing reveals more minor games created by other employees, Jim unveils the first (and only) annual Office Olympics.
For one day, everyone gets to let loose and have some fun, and Jim embraces his role as the leader of the bored. With yogurt lids representing the medals, each employee gets a chance to highlight their individual talents through the sporting events. However, once Michael returns (spiritually broken after facing the expensive realities of home ownership), the festivities come to a screeching halt, with Jim struggling to cling on to the day of fun. While Pam gives him a chance to have his closing ceremonies (which boosts the spirits of a confused Michael), the Office Olympics never quite ended for Jim.
In the following episodes, all the way until the end of the series, the yogurt lid medals would return as a symbol of hope. Although some of the more "mature" employees threw their lids away, Jim and Pam continued to hold on to theirs having created something special forever.
This episode is also notable for introducing the us to Schrute Farms, Dwight's increasingly bizarre, pseudo-Amish homestead, which would become a source of mystery and delight in many future episodes.
4) Ep. 205 "Halloween"
"Let's call Jan and fight this thing together like the old days." - Creed Bratton
Michael's need to be liked is his biggest source of conflict when it comes to his position. As a boss, his employees are already pre-disposed to seeing him as somewhat of an antagonist. So, when it comes time to fire someone, Michael avoids the problem as best as he can, making matters worse for all involved. Having been given until the end of the month to fire someone, Michael's fear of confrontation forces him to fire someone before the morale boosting Halloween party. He attempts to get other employees to do his dirty work, but he only succeeds in frightening everyone by dragging out the process.
The biggest selling point of this episode is that it gives us a proper introduction to Creed, the old man at the back of the office. The creators did a good job of using this shady character sparingly in the episodes to follow (basically every episode since this one as one "Creed moment"), but it's clear by the way he handles Michael's attempt to fire him that he definitely knows how to cheat the system. In terms of value, Creed would have been the correct choice to fire. But the way he manipulates and guilts Michael into firing the hard-working Devon is brilliant. Plus, he's dressed as a vampire the whole time.
This is one of the first episodes in which I remember genuinely liking Michael, for even though he handled the situation poorly, it was out of a genuine desire to not hurt anyone. The episode capper of him at home giving the trick-or-treaters a generous portion of candy as compensation for his earlier actions was a sweet moment with the character, proving that Michael is someone worth rooting for.
5) Ep. 207 "The Client"
"Actually, they just don't get very much work done when I'm not here. That's not true. I know how to delegate, and they do more work done when I'm not here. Not more. The same amount of work is done, whether I am here or not." - Michael Scott
Michael and his boss Jan are taking a very important client to dinner and, at first, it appears that Michael is going to blow the sale due to his usual antics. However, as the night progresses, we find that he has actually mirrored and bonded with the client's personality, allowing him to strike at an opportune moment with talk of business and seal the deal. It is suggested that Michael's people-pleasing ways were actually beneficial as a salesman, and unfortunately, as a manager who mostly interacts with his co-workers who'd rather be elsewhere, Michael's efforts are rarely reciprocated, making him look the fool. The episode reveals that there is a method to Michael's madness and it prevents him from becoming a cartoonish buffoon.
Meanwhile, back at the office, we have a nice moment of office bonding when everyone agrees to stay late reading Michael's poorly-written screenplay "Threat Level Midnight" (a movie that eventually gets filmed and shown in Season 7). After the reading, Dwight invites people to stay and witness his new fireworks, allowing Jim to take Pam on the romantic date her fiance Roy never gave her. This moment of intimacy is shared across town as Michael's success convinces a drunk Jan to hook up with him (thus sparking one of the most hilariously terrible relationships in sitcom history). When both Jan and Pam try to deny the special moments of the night, we get a nice little nod to Michael and Jim's eventual friendship, as they both share the disappointment of being rejected.
6) Ep. 210 "Christmas Party"
"Michael should have asked the party planning committee first. He's not supposed to just spring things on us out of nowhere!" - Angela Martin
The first Christmas we spend with the employees at Dunder Mifflin sets the standard for all future Christmas episodes. There is surprisingly little story. The episode only sets up one element of conflict and lets the pieces fall, resulting in a quaint, heartwarming party.
In preparation for the annual Secret Santa gift exchange, Michael decides to go above and beyond the spending limit in order to surprise everyone with his generosity. He selected Ryan and decides to get him the latest iPod, seemingly expecting whomever received him to similarly forego the $20 limit and get him an extravagant gift as well. When he obviously receives a much cheaper gift, Michael hijacks the game halfway and turns it into Yankee Swap (a.k.a. White Elephant a.k.a. Nasty Christmas) wherein gifts can be stolen and exchanged for better gifts. This results in gifts intended for specific people ending up in the wrong hands (especially Jim's teapot for Pam, filled with personal mementos and a note revealing his true feelings).
The fun is watching the gifts move from person to person as everyone tries to end up with the iPod while others are stuck with inferior quality gifts. Combining these two gift-exchanging games was a very clever idea, trumping any other episode that uses Secret Santa as a plot point (well, except for the British version's Christmas episode).
The story wraps up fairly early, allowing for some wonderfully charming moments of character building, such as the introduction of Angela's increasingly hostile "Party Planning Committee" and folks getting drunk at the party via Michael's attempt to save face with the gift of vodka. Later Christmas episodes would try to go bigger and bigger, but I enjoyed the intimacy of the original party the best.
7) Ep. 211 "Booze Cruise"
"BFD. Engaged ain't married." - Michael Scott
Although the workers are confined to a small office every episode, putting them on a small cruise boat in the middle of winter allowed for some of the greatest moments of tight-space interactions in the series. Michael has chosen the "booze cruise" as the site for his leadership training exercise, and those with significant others bring them along, meaning Jim and Pam must also hang out with Roy and Jim's girlfriend Katy. In an early intimate moment, Jim and Pam stand on the deck, with Pam seemingly prepared to back out of her engagement with Roy, but instead she just shares a long, unresolved pause with Jim, who is too caught up in the moment to speak.
Unfortunately, Roy, inspired by the charismatic ship's captain decides to take charge of his life and announce to everyone onboard that he will set a date for the wedding, basically re-proposing to Pam. A crushed Jim breaks up with his girlfriend, although, on the boat, he must either share space with her or the happy engaged couple of Pam and Roy. Instead Jim opts to spend time with Michael, who has been such a nuisance on the ship that he has found himself handcuffed to a rail outside to prevent further trouble.
In a touching moment, Jim reveals his feelings for Pam to Michael who, in turn, tells him to never give up, resulting in a genuine moment of actual leadership that Jim takes to heart. Like with "Christmas Party," it's the quiet moments that speak the loudest. At the time, this was a devastating episode for Jim-Pam fans, but it wonderfully set up the events that were to follow.
8) Ep. 221 "Conflict Resolution"
"This morning, I found a bloody glove in my desk drawer and Jim Halpert tried to convince me I committed murder. I think he may be the real murderer." - One of Dwight's many complaints
So I'm fast forwarding to a rarely discussed episode that gets overshadowed by the episodes around it. When Michael overhears Oscar venting to HR representative Toby about a co-worker, Michael decides to take inter-office complaints into his own hands. Michael's irrational hatred of mild-mannered Toby is one of the series best running gags (reinforcing the fact that Michael's greatest fear is to end up as boring and unloved as Toby). So when he decides to address every single issue head on, rather than discreetly file it away, it's clear that some great moments are sure to follow.
The minor squabbles involving the secondary staff members are funny enough, but it's Dwight's massive complaint box against Jim that forms the centerpiece of the episode. The pranks Jim plays were a highlight of the early episodes, with each one usually appearing in the cold openings. But when Jim hears all of his pranks read-aloud in a row, he realizes that the sheer number of them reveals that he is maliciously tormenting Dwight, who probably doesn't deserve half of what was done to him. On top of that, Jim is forced to own up to a complaint about Pam discussing her upcoming wedding. To avoid the uncomfortable position he has found himself in, Jim opts to transfer to another branch at the suggestion of Dwight.
I feel that the season began with "Office Olympics" to show Jim at his highest (which is admittedly quite low), and nearly ended with "Conflict Resolution" to bring him down even further. All the while, the workers are getting new photo IDs, meaning that this day of misery is permanently engraved on everyone's chest.
9) Ep. 222 "Casino Night"
"I'm sorry I misinterpreted our friendship." - Jim Halpert
This might just be the most important episode of the series. Will-they-won't-they relationships on television are always going to be cliche, but Jim and Pam seemed to revitalize the genre. Part of it had to do with most of the relationship being so one-sided. Jim's intentions were always clear, but Pam was more subtle and discreet about her feelings, never admitting anything to the cameras. At some point, Jim was going to have to take his chance, and the cliffhanger at the end of the episode cemented The Office as a classic series and rounded off a stellar season.
But there's much more to the episode than the Jim and Pam kiss. Michael runs a casino for charity in the warehouse and must deal with two dates (boss Jan and his realtor Carol). Michael's relationships will become the primary focus for the following couple of seasons, and this episode gives him abrief moment where he is in control, having to choose between the two.
We also get to see "Scrantonicity," Kevin Malone's Police tribute band, which is nothing short of brilliant.
But, yeah, basically this is the episode where everyone's heart collectively leapt into our throats and we had no choice but to return for Season 3 to see just if things would ever work out for those two kids.
Season Three
10) Ep. 307 "Branch Closing"
"Say what you will about Michael Scott, but he would never do that." - Jim Halpert
However, I was never a fan of the "Jim in Stamford" saga and audiences couldn't wait for him to return. At the top of the episode, Michael learns that the Scranton branch is being shut down, so he leaves to confront the head of the company David Wallace while leaving the rest of the employees to react to the bad news. Everyone's resignation to being fired makes for some great moments, including Creed selling all of his office equipment.
However, the head of the Stamford branch uses the new development to net himself a job at Staples, effectively throwing Dunder Mifflin, and his employees, under the bus. This is the moment that made me include this as a noteworthy episode because this is paired up with scenes of Michael waiting for hours outside of Wallace's house, prepared to fight for his branch. To him, his employees are his family and, even if his efforts are fruitless and misguided, at least they are noble. By doing nothing productive, Michael instantly becomes far more of a hero than his skilled counterpart.
Eventually this will result in some of the Stamford workers getting absorbed into the Scranton branch, and the next few episodes deal with the transition, slowly whittling away characters until we are left with Andy Bernard and Karen Filippelli.
11) Ep. 314 "The Return"
"I don't understand how someone could have so little self-awareness." - Michael Scott, on Andy
The Office never really knew what to do with Andy Bernard. He eventually becomes the 5th main character of the series, but he fluctuates from episode to episode, being a person we are supposed to root for and then root against and then root for again. At times we pity him, hate him, love him, and cheer for him. He's a confusing character who really causes more problems than he solves. I felt he worked best in these early episodes as an antagonist, especially because, by the end of this episode, I thought it would be the last we saw of him.
Ever since merging the two branches together, Andy has been trying to actively become Michael's #2, through an aggressive yes-man, brown-nose routine. He nearly makes a good connection during the fun Christmas episode Ep. 310/311"A Benihana Christmas," but he always had Dwight standing in his way from letting him get too close to Michael. But, in the previous episode, Dwight was forced to resign while attempting to cover up a mistake Angela made. So as not to reveal their secret relationship, Dwight sacrificed himself for her and the company.
Unfortunately, Dwight's absence leaves a noticeable effect on the office. Without the buffer, Andy becomes increasingly annoying, forcing Jim and Pam to finally break their awkward tension in order to prank him. The prank sends Andy into a rage, punching a hole in the wall, letting Michael see that Dwight needs to come back. And so he travels to Staples to get his former sidekick and welcome him back during Oscar's return party (having taken leave after Michael's kiss from the beginning of the season).
The episode did a great job of making us care for Dwight, who can be an annoying character to stomach for extended periods of time. It showed us that there could be a lot worse characters out there, like Andy. Yet, despite this obvious opportunity for a permanent exit, Andy would eventually come back.
12) Ep. 317 "Business School"
"That is our building... and we sell paper." - Michael Scott
Michael is invited by Ryan to be a guest speaker at his business school, but it is after a particularly painful lecture that he learns that Ryan actually thinks very lowly of him, Dunder Mifflin and paper businesses as a whole, basically using his work experience as a lesson in what not to do in business. Meanwhile, Pam is participating in an art show as part of her own art classes and invites the whole staff to check it out. Her only visitors of note are Oscar and his boyfriend, who dismiss her drawings as mundane and Roy, who sweetly tells her he loves it, even though it's clear he has no appreciation for the actual artistic quality.
It isn't until the two stories converge that this episode really pays off. Michael arrives late to the show, but still does it because he made a promise and is genuinely impressed by Pam's watercolors of items around the office. The fact that she can imitate life so well is a talent worth being celebrated and she purchases the painting of the office building, which hangs by his office until the very last episode of the series.
At this point in the series, it has been Pam who has been lost, trying to win back the affections of an increasingly distant Jim. She escapes into her art, but even that goes unappreciated. Having Michael stand in as a voice of hope parallels his conversation with Jim back on the booze cruise, and we get the feeling that everything will work out in the end.
13) Ep. 323 "Beach Games"
"The thing that I'm just trying to say to you, Jim... and to everyone else in this circle I guess, is that I miss having fun with you. Just you, not everyone in the circle." - Pam Beesley
When Michael's final challenge involves walking on hot coals (something he is too afraid to do himself and Dwight foolishly injures himself while doing), Pam finally breaks out of her shell, runs across, and uses her newfound drive to confront everyone in the office for treating her like crap, but mostly Jim for abandoning her, effectively ending their friendship as a result.
The rest of the episode is filled with great moments as the employees half-heartedly compete with one-another, not really interested in the prize. But it's Pam's catharsis that makes it memorable, echoing the risk Jim took in "Casino Night." Unfortunately, he is happily with Karen at this point and both of them are planning on interviewing for the job in New York.
At this point, the stakes couldn't have been lower. All we needed was a satisfying conclusion and the suggestion that our characters were destined for happy lives. Like the British series, the finale finds the documentary crew returning for a "where are they now" special. Unlike the British series (which left everyone in a dismal state, thus requiring a happy ending to be patched on so that the series wouldn't be too depressing), everyone is already pretty happy where they are. Most of the episode centers around Dwight's wedding, with Jim has his best man, ensuring only good pranks from here on out.
14) Ep. 324/325 "The Job"
"I'm sorry, what was the question?" - Pam Beesley
Here is what can be considered the first ending of the series. Season Three was almost as strong as Season Two, and this episode presents a wonderful conclusion to all of the developments up until this point. Michael continues to assume that he is a shoe in for the corporate position, and is on top of the world when Jan attempts to rekindle their relationship (yes, she was terrible for him, but now she has received a breast enlargement so Michael is not going to deny her advances). But during the interview, Michael learns that the job he is applying for is actually Jan's, and he is torn between defending his girlfriend and taking the job.
Meanwhile, back at the office, Dwight has quickly settled into his new role as manager, which makes for some great moments, especially when he deems Pam to be his "secret #2," allowing her to continue to prank him despite his new authority. Dwight being placed in charge is reminiscent of the British series finale where the equivalent character Gareth becomes manager. This episode further parallels with the former during a pivotal moment in Jim's interview.
With Michael opting to stay with Jan and return to Scranton, Jim has a clear path to getting the job. But it is during his interview that he finds a yogurt lid medal tucked away by Pam as a bit of encouragement. In the British version, it is Tim who gives Dawn the encouraging note that convinces her to return and be with him, so it's a nice bit of role reversal as Pam extends one final effort to win Jim back. Of course, at the end, Jim interrupts Pam's interview to the documentary crew (where she accepts that Jim will never come back) in order to officially ask her out, finally beginning the relationship we all wanted to see.
As I said, this easily makes for a solid series finale, as it virtually mimics the original finale. But, with The Office becoming a popular hit show, it was going to continue for long past it's expiration date, with each season being met with diminishing returns.
Season Four
15) Ep. 412 "The Deposition"
"You expect to get screwed by your company, but you never expect to get screwed by your girlfriend." - Michael Scott
The decline in quality begins right away in Season 4's Ep. 401/402 "Fun Run," which opens with Michael hitting Meredith with his car, and spending the rest of the episode making it all about him. With a bigger audience, the show started going for broader humor, and as a whole, the show just seemed to get louder. With Jim and Pam's story basically over, the focus had to shift entirely onto Michael, and that meant examining his relationship with Jan. In Ep. 407/408 "Money," we learn that an unemployed Jan has been driving Michael into debt, and, in order to make some money, Jan decides to sue Dunder Mifflin for wrongful termination, leading to the title deposition.
As we've seen before, Michael is extremely loyal to the company, but he's a sucker for women, so he forces himself to play along with Jan's frivolous lawsuit. However, during the meeting, Michael is forced to really examine his relationship and each flaw comes to surface, especially when Jan offers his personal diary as evidence.
The moment of truth comes when Jan reveals that David Wallace hadn't actually considered Michael for the position at corporate, in an attempt to keep Michael on her side. But, as Michael learned, you can't take business personally, and continues to remain true to the company, ruining Jan's chances at winning the case. We see Michael at one of his weakest moments, as everything in his life just seems to drag him down further and further, which is necessary if we are to view him as our lead hero instead of Jim and Pam.
16) Ep. 413 "Dinner Party"
"Michael and Jan seem to be playing their own separate game and it's called 'Let's see how uncomfortable we can make our guests' and they're both winning." - Jim Halpert
Due to the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike, there was a five month absence after "The Deposition," meaning that a 30-episode season had to be trimmed significantly. This was honestly for the better, because when the show returned, it delivered the most brutal, cringiest half-hour in the entire run of the series. Michael and Jan decide to host a dinner party for Jim and Pam and Andy and Angela (who are dating now, since Angela wanted to get back at Dwight for killing her cat). What follows is hours of uncomfortable silences, forced party games, and unspoken tension between Michael and Jan, who clearly hate each other at this point, yet keep calling each other "babe." Never is it explained why they chose tonight to host a dinner party, but that's what makes this episode one of the series best (if not the best).
Cringe humor is an acquired taste, which largely defined The Office's success. This episode is not for the weak, and it's really best not to say too much, lest it spoil the effect. I honestly thought that this was an hour-long episode because of how time moves so slowly for the characters who are all seeking an escape. The climactic ending that sends everyone packing is beautifully built up, and everyone's flustered reactions are genuinely hard to watch.
From start to finish, the episode is gold, seeing as how it begins with Michael forcing the office to work late just so that Jim and Pam don't have any plans for the night, trapping them into the casual get-together from hell. So, while I said that Season 3 was a perfect closer for the series, I'm glad it continued, allowing for episodes like this one to appear.
17) Ep. 418/419 "Goodbye, Toby"
"Thanks to Toby, I have a very strong prejudice against Human Resources. I believe that the department is a breeding ground for monsters. What I failed to consider though, is that not all monsters are bad. Like E.T. Is Holly our extraterrestrial? Maybe. Or maybe she's just an awesome woman from this planet." - Michael Scott
After being horribly beat down in the love department this season, Michael finally gets rewarded with the departure of his "nemesis" Toby. Not only is he looking forward to Toby's departure, but the new HR representative filling the vacancy turns out to be Michael's soulmate. Holly is everything Michael deserves and this episode does a great job of making us fall for her along with Michael. She's just the right amount of dorky to enjoy Michael's sense of humor, and she manages to miss his many of the moments when he'd usually put his foot in his mouth. With Jim's coaching, Michael tries to woo Holly and it actually looks as if he'll succeed for once.
There are many other wonderful moments in the episode, including a running gag in which Holly mistakes Kevin for being mentally challenged (I was never a fan of how stupid they made Kevin in the later seasons, but this episode struck a great balance with his character). Also, I love how Toby's goodbye party gets more and more extravagant, culminating in what amounts to a carnival in the parking lot. Jim decides to use this moment to propose to Pam, and that two is wonderfully undercut by an overeager Andy who decides to propose to Angela first, having stayed quite throughout most of the episode.
Unlike Season 3's finale, which had an air of closure, this finale offered new beginnings and potential. Because, while Holly is just what Michael needed to grow as a character, he is also met with a pregnant Jan. While the baby is not Michael's, he still sees this as a chance to begin the family he has always wanted to. Michael's story is not quite over, but it remains interesting and worthy of continuation.
Season Five
18) Ep. 525 "Broke"
"Our company is worth nothing. That's the difference between you and I." - Michael Scott
Due to other commitments, Amy Ryan (who played Holly) couldn't stay beyond a few episodes, meaning Season 5 had to tread water for a while. But a game changer occurred in Ep. 520 "New Boss," setting off a 6-episode arc that was quite fun and dramatic. After Ryan (the temp who became Jan's replacement) was arrested for fraud, a new vice president is brought in to Dunder Mifflin, Charles Miner, played by the intense Idris Elba. His no-nonsense manner conflicts with Michael's party every day attitude, and his introduction comes at the worst possible of times, on the 15th anniversary of Michael's first day at the company. Michael takes his complaints to David Wallace who patronizes him to give him his celebration, leading Michael to promptly quit and start his own paper company.
The "Michael Scott Paper Company" storyline amped up the drama as it was unclear what the future would hold for Michael (and Pam who decided to join him and escape the receptionist gig). Obviously, MSPC wasn't going to make it big, but it had one major impact by lowering prices to an absurd level, providing heavy competition to Dunder Mifflin. The arc wraps in in "Broke" as Michael learns that his attempt at running a business was causing him to lose money fast. Back in the office, Charles had taken over as boss, proving that even though he is more focused on work, he has no ability to manage people. When David Wallace comes down to meet with him and try to fix the whole situation, Michael is called in for a buyout.
Anxieties are raised, for at any moment, it seems as though Michael would slip and inform his competitors that the company is broke, but, in a bit of negotiating skill, he not only keeps his secret, but he manages to get his job back, as well as a sales job for Pam (and a temp job for Ryan, again). Once again, Michael has shown that he isn't as stupid as he seems.
Well, he is, but it means he's a risk taker, and the bigger the risk, the higher the payoff.
Season Six
19) Ep. 604/605 "Niagara"
"Hey Pam, did you see this? It was on YouTube." - Michael Scott
By Season 6, The Office had reached the point where it seemed as if it would no longer bring anything new to the table. The show had stabilized into a consistent comedy, but it lacked the creative drive of the early seasons. With Holly Flax nowhere in sight, there was no focus to the series (at least, until halfway through the season, but we'll get there later). At least there was still Jim and Pam, who despite a few bumps here and there were clearly going to remain together and, as such, we need to hit those relationship milestones. Namely, the wedding.
Although they got engaged back in Ep. 501/502 "Weight Loss," the wedding day would not be without its share of drama. Pam had recently learned that she was pregnant, and must keep it a secret from her conservative grandmother. Because the whole office was invited, things are set up to fail. Pam must spend the night before the wedding taking an injured Andy to the hospital, Jim accidentally lets it slip that Pam is pregnant, and the rest of the office only seems interested in their own enjoyment, rather than helping the bride.
When Pam inevitably breaks down, Jim saves the day with his back up wedding plans, getting married at the falls themselves, away from everyone else. But of course, they return to let their officemates have their fun, imitating YouTube videos all the way down the aisle. The stakes are not particularly high in this episode, but it's a nice sweet break where in everyone can have some fun and a chance to relax. And who doesn't love a good wedding?
20) Ep. 612 "Scott's Tots"
"I came here today because I promised you tuition and tuition is very valuable. But you know what's invaluable is intuition. You know what that is? That is the ability to know when something is about to happen. Does anybody out there have intuition? Know what's gonna happen next? Nobody? Okay, you're going to make me say it." - Michael Scott
Despite growing a little long in the tooth, The Office still had one last great cringe up its sleeve. After seeing Michael bounce back from horrible moments, like his relationship with Jan or his failed personal paper company, it was a shock to see one moment where Michael just couldn't win. At the start of the episode, we learn that Michael had promised a group of 3rd graders that he would pay their college tuition when they graduated high school, and the day to pay up has arrived. Clearly, he is doomed from the start, so the episode goes out of its way making the situation more and more unbearable.
Michael arrives at the school to tell them the bad news, but is first met with joyous teens, thankful teachers, and a principal who is glad that here is finally a man who will fulfill his promise. The Office episodes are set up in such a way that we expect miraculous twists that save our heroes, but there is literally nothing Michael can do but own up to his mistakes, having broken a promise to the students and himself. He is expectedly ejected from the school, leaving behind some laptop batteries and a promise to at least pay for one student's textbooks.
This is also a great moment for Michael's relationship with Erin, the new receptionist. Ellie Kemper's naive Erin is the sole redeeming factor of the later seasons of the show, and it was Michael's de facto parental guidance that brought a new life to the series. He starts off unimpressed with her, but by the end of this episode, she optimistically informs him that he at least increased the graduation rate of the school, which counts for something. With Holly out of the picture, it was nice to have someone inspire Michael again.
Also, back at the office, there is a great storyline in which Dwight manages to successfully prank the new co-manager Jim by manufacturing an employee-of-the-moth program where Jim accidentally awards himself a huge cash bonus, drawing ire from his co-workers.
The second half of Season 6 introduced a new storyline with the Sabre printer company who buys Dunder Mifflin and introduces more characters into the mix. The Sabre antics, unlike the MSPC arc, just seem to be drama for drama's sake and never really brings anything great to the table. Fortunately, things will reorient themselves somewhat when Season 7 rolls around.
Season Seven
21) Ep. 719 "Garage Sale"
"Your wife becoming me will I." - Holly Flax
When Season 7 began, everyone was aware that it would be Steve Carell's last season, but it would not be the last season of the series. The good news was that the episodes had great focus and callbacks to the earlier seasons, and it meant we would be getting closure on Michael's story. The bad news was that the show had become so relient on Michael as a main character that it needed someone to replace him as the center of the show (which meant either bringing in someone new or promoting one of the other main cast members). At least Season 7 was going to be an improvement over the previous seasons, because it meant that Holly Flax could finally come back!
At this point, Toby had left for jury duty in a high profile case, allowing for Holly to return and for her and Michael to finally have an actual relationship. During an office garage sale hosted in the warehouse, Holly learns that she must return home to Colorado help her aging parents. Meanwhile, Michael has been planning on proposing and, through the help of Pam and others, manages to create a heartwarming proposal that only creates minor damage to the office compared to his original plan to write the question in giant flaming letters.
The garage sale itself is fun, as each worker gets a chance to shine while Dwight moves from table to table, attempting to use the "trade up" method to walk away with the most valuable item in the sale. He winds up with Jim's magic beans of course. It's silly, harmless fun, so I'm willing to forego this moment of ineptitude on Dwight's behalf.
As stated, the proposal itself is wonderful, and it introduces the idea that Michael must leave with Holly to go to Colorado. After taking 7 years to grow to like him, the sadness surrounding Michael/Carell's departure kicks in and it's clear that an era was about to end.
22) Ep. 722 "Goodbye, Michael"
"Hey, will you guys let me know if this ever airs?" - Michael Scott
Here we are, at the second (but not final) ending of the series. Oddly, the producers didn't create an hour-long episode for this occasion, but that speaks to the series roots as small and mild-mannered in its initial appeal. As a sign of growth, Michael decides that he doesn't want a big flashy goodbye, and thus he plans to secretly leave the day before he told everyone else he would go. He still plans little goodbye gifts in true Michael fashion, with some being very sweet and others being wholly inappropriate. Each character gets a special moment with him (save for Meredith, Creed, and newcomer Gabe, who have to be tripled up for time's sake).
The best sweet goodbyes include a paintball fight with Dwight like he always wanted, the acceptance of handmade mittens from Phyllis (which references his disrespect for her gift way back in "Christmas Party"), and a series of life lessons for Erin, which is the only relationship I would have liked to have seen play out longer. And the best worst goodbye is when he gives Andy all of the best clients, and Andy starts losing them immediately.
And the greatest goodbye of all? Not Pam's rush to the airport. It's Oscar's demented scarecrow doll present. The way Michael conducts his interview with sheer joy and laughter at the fact that Oscar actually thought it was a sincere gift was brilliant, as if the past 7 years of Michael's foolishness was all an act just to prank Oscar like this.
"He has the lowest opinion of me of anybody!"
Of course, the final moments with Michael and Pam at the airport are just as they should be, with nods to the original series by having final words go unheard since the microphone has been removed. It was a little expected, but a nice way to wrap things up, nonetheless. But the series isn't quite over yet!
23) Ep. 725/726 "Search Committee"
"I will run this branch, or I will destroy this branch, or... I don't know. Something always works out." - Dwight Schrute
While the last episode of Season 7 may not be the best, it perfectly captures the sense of "What do we do now?" that permeated the cultural sphere ever since it was announced that Carell would depart before the end of the series. Yes, all the cameos for the potential replacements are fun, but it's the final scene where everyone debates about who should get the job that speaks the loudest.
The scene feels like the longest in the show's history, and it's particularly memorable because there is no resolution. The front runners in the office are Dwight, Andy, Kelly, and Darrell, each of whom lack what it takes to be the lead character...er, I mean boss. And then we have strange newcomers like the intensely confident Robert California played by James Spader or Catherine Tate's manically wishy-washy Nellie Bertram (both of whom would return as regulars in the next couple seasons).
At the time, I saw this as a great opportunity to return to the glory days, scale things back, and just focus on the staff as a whole. It is during that great final scene with everyone arguing and nothing happening that feels like something magical can come out of a show like this. Plus, having Creed as the boss, while damaging to the company, was hilarious as a concept. Had they just kept him as the boss, keeping to himself in the background, making messes now and then, would that have been so bad?
Unfortunately, a decision had to be made, and that brings us to Season 8.
Season Eight
Nope. There are no episodes from Season 8 worth including. Andy became manager and also the star of the series, which meant a lot of flailing around as the writers determined what the focus of the show should now be. There was a lot more Sabre tomfoolery, an Andy-Erin relationship which is no Jim-Pam, Angela's increasingly irritating relationship with the closeted state senator, and new drama that threatened to tear Jim and Pam apart! Sure, the episodes weren't awful, but they lacked the drive of the early days. As a result, it was picked up for one final season, where we could at long last say goodbye.
Season Nine
24) Ep. 922/923 "A.A.R.M."
"This show is about me and my attempts to find love in all the wrong places." - Kevin Malone
After two (or six) seasons of monkeying around, the series finally returned to form with the penultimate episode. Season 9 had our characters coming to terms with their lives being showcased in the documentary that was finally about to air. Andy's destructive leadership saw him leaving Dunder Mifflin to find fame, placing Dwight in charge of the office, making all right with the world, calling back to "The Job."
This allows Jim to pull one final good-natured prank on Dwight, tricking him into holding competitions for his assistant (Jim's) assistant, ultimately choosing himself. We also had a chance to let Jim once again prove his love to Pam, whose relationship had grown a bit stale and burdened by attractive boom mic operators and better jobs in Philadelphia. The callbacks to previous episodes are numerous, including the moment when Jim finally delivers his card to Pam from "Christmas Party." Dwight and Angela's story also wraps up as he proposes to her and she reveals that her year-old child is actually his.
Oh, yeah, Dwight and Angela had a relationship through all of this. Forgot to mention it.
Watch this episode with the Andy subplot eliminated (because it lifts right out), and you could stick this right back in Season 3 without it seeming as if anything drastic had changed. And that's what's so great about this episode. It scratches an itch that had been bothering Office fans for years.
The episode ends with everyone gathering at their favorite bar to watch the premiere of this 10-year-old documentary, and once again, we have a perfect conclusion. All that remains now is the epilogue.
25) Ep. 924/925 "Finale"
"I feel like all my kids grew up and then they married each other. It’s every parent’s dream." - Michael Scott
At this point, the stakes couldn't have been lower. All we needed was a satisfying conclusion and the suggestion that our characters were destined for happy lives. Like the British series, the finale finds the documentary crew returning for a "where are they now" special. Unlike the British series (which left everyone in a dismal state, thus requiring a happy ending to be patched on so that the series wouldn't be too depressing), everyone is already pretty happy where they are. Most of the episode centers around Dwight's wedding, with Jim has his best man, ensuring only good pranks from here on out.
We also see the impact that the documentary had on the community, and there is a Q&A with fans, which serves as a proxy for the actors to talk about their years on the show. There are plenty of heartwarming moments, including Jim discussing what it's like to see his 10 years of his life on film, watching his growth and mistakes. And of course, we get the return of the great Michael Scott, in a brief, but well-earned cameo.
The episode ends with the cast reuniting in the empty office, kicking back and reminiscing, making it feel as if we have stumbled into their private after-party. Creed mentions that he still has his medal from "Office Olympics," and gets to pass on some parting wisdom before finally being arrested for his many crimes.
My favorite moment comes from Dwight, who started the series as a villainous lackey, and ended up growing to love those around him. He lists the special bonds he made with the people in the office and ends with Pam, calling her his best friend. When he said that, I was momentarily shocked, because it didn't seem to make sense. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the gradual flow of time creates relationships that can be deeper than you'd initially expect.
The finale did a wonderful job of making us care about these characters again, and bringing us back to that small little office where we first looked in so many years ago to watch people grow.
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