Although, for the foreseeable future, NBCUniversal will be holding it to ransom on its new Peacock streaming service, The Office remains one of the most popular TV comedies of all time. As a result, it’s also become one of the most regularly binged series of the streaming age.
Some episodes are hard to get through (either because they’re just too cringeworthy, like “Gay Witch Hunt,” or because they’re simply not that good, like the lazy clip show “The Banker”), but others are timeless classics that Office fans will never tire of watching. So, here are 10 episodes of The Office that’ll never get old.
Finale (Season 9, Episode 24/25)
It’s rare for the series finale to be one of the best episodes of a sitcom. The sitcom format doesn’t lend itself to endings. And usually, the natural “ending” of a character arc — like the will they/won’t they? couple getting married — has happened years before the actual end of the series.
But The Office’s series finale episode, aptly titled “Finale,” brought the show to a close in the perfect way. Opening with a “Where Are They Now?” and segueing into Dwight and Angela’s wedding, “Finale” has no shortage of great moments.
Business School (Season 3, Episode 17)
In season 3’s “Business School,” Ryan invites Michael to speak to his business class. Michael thinks it’s because Ryan sees him as a mentor, but it’s actually because it’ll bump up Ryan’s grade. Michael’s lecture goes about as well as anyone could expect, and he feels betrayed when Ryan’s classmates reveal that he thinks the paper industry is dying.
The A-plot with Michael and Ryan is horribly cringeworthy, but it dovetails with the B-plot as Michael arrives late at Pam’s art exhibit and restores her confidence after a disappointing turnout and a few snobbish remarks. The episode is so excruciating to sit through, but the sweet ending makes it worthwhile.
Take Your Daughter To Work Day (Season 2, Episode 18)
When Dunder Mifflin’s employees brought their kids into work in season 2’s “Take Your Daughter to Work Day,” we got to see all the characters in a whole new light.
From Stanley yelling at Ryan for talking to his daughter to Meredith’s son calling Dwight “Mr. Poop,” this episode is a timeless classic. The emotional third-act twist made Michael more vulnerable and as a result, more likable, too.
Niagara (Season 6, Episode 4/5)
After watching them flirt for three seasons and date for two more, it was a joy to finally see Jim and Pam tie the knot at Niagara Falls.
Of course, the wedding didn’t go off without a hitch, and with the whole office coming along for the ceremony, there’s a lot to love in this milestone two-parter.
Threat Level Midnight (Season 7, Episode 17)
After a decade of writing, shooting, editing, and reshooting, Michael screens his action thriller Threat Level Midnight in the conference room. And everybody loves it — except Holly.
The episode gave a bunch of cast who hadn’t been in the show for years a reason to show up again. B.J. Novak’s script hysterically lampoons the tropes of mindless Hollywood action movies.
The Return (Season 3, Episode 14)
Following Andy’s scheme to get Dwight fired, everyone’s favorite beet farmer finds himself working at Staples in season 3’s “The Return,” and it gives us a hilarious glimpse of Dwight in intense face-to-face customer relations. Meanwhile, Oscar returns to the office after getting an extended vacation as compensation for Michael’s kiss.
The real star of this episode is Andy, who Michael realizes is an annoying yes man. When he finally confronts Andy about this — after Jim and Pam have been torturing Andy with his own self-made a cappella “Rockin’ Robin” ringtone for hours — Andy snaps and punches a hole in the wall.
Scott’s Tots (Season 6, Episode 12)
A lot of fans will actually skip “Scott’s Tots” on their rewatches of The Office because they can’t bear to sit through it. Promising college tuition he couldn’t afford to third-graders is possibly the worst thing Michael Scott has ever done, but there’s merit in watching him own up to that mistake in the most excruciating way imaginable.
The Office is at its best when it’s unbearably cringeworthy. Steve Carell always leans into the cringe hilariously, and “Scott’s Tots” is a prime example of that.
The Injury (Season 2, Episode 12)
Some of the best episodes of The Office revolve around Michael demanding attention from his co-workers. This started with season 2’s “The Injury,” in which Michael burns his foot on his George Foreman grill.
Dwight sustains a concussion while driving out to save him, and the office’s sympathies go more toward him than Michael, much to Michael’s chagrin.
Stress Relief (Season 5, Episode 14/15)
There aren’t many two-part episodes of The Office that have a classic storyline in both the first and second part. In the first part of “Stress Relief,” Dwight’s iconic fire drill gives Stanley a heart attack.
Then, in the second part, after Michael realizes he’s the one causing everybody’s stress, he allows his co-workers to roast him, leading to the hysterical “Boom, roasted!” office-wide roast.
Dinner Party (Season 4, Episode 13)
Long considered to be The Office’s greatest installment by its fanbase, the painfully cringeworthy “Dinner Party” — in which Michael and Jan have Jim, Pam, Andy, Angela, Dwight, and his old babysitter over for dinner — holds up on countless viewings.
From Michael’s pride in his tiny plasma-screen TV to Jan taking Jim’s hand while she dances to Hunter’s “That One Night” single, “Dinner Party” is filled with iconic moments that never fail to get a laugh.