My love for The Office is never-ending, and it was incredibly hard to choose only ten episodes for this list, but here it is; in my opinion, the top ten best episodes of, arguably, the greatest show ever to air on national television:
1. Stress Relief (Part 1&2) – Season 5, Episode 14-15
Dwight starts a fire as a way to drill the office’s fire safety skills, which causes a hilarious panic throughout the building, and Stanley to collapse from a heart attack. Dwight must attempt to make amends, and Michael tries to relieve the built-up stress within the coworkers, including a comedic roast of himself. Meanwhile, Andy, Jim, and Pam download a movie, and Pam has to deal with her parents’ impending divorce.
Best Line: “Boom, roasted.” – Michael Scott
2. Finale – Season 9, Episode 23
This episode takes place one year after the ‘documentary’ airs, and everyone gathers for a final Q&A session with the PBS station. As so diligently planned by Jim, the panel lands on the same weekend as Dwight and Angela’s wedding, and all the office members are able to attend their respective bachelor and bachelorette parties. Jim plans a night full of “Guten Pranken,” or pleasant surprises for his former enemy, Dwight. Pam surprises Jim by selling their house so they can move to pursue Jim’s sports marketing career in Texas. After the wedding, where Michael Scott makes a surprise appearance, the whole cast attends a PBS-hosted party back at Dunder Mifflin’s warehouse. The original office members meet back upstairs, sitting and reminiscing about the good old days.
Best Lines: “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days, before you’ve actually left them.” – Andy Bernard
“There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things. Isn’t that kinda the point?” – Pam Beesly-Halpert
3. The Injury – Season 2, Episode 12
Michael burns his foot on a George Foreman grill in attempt to make breakfast-in-bed, and orders someone to fetch him from his house. Dwight, being the loyal subordinate he is, rushes to get Michael, crashing his car in the process. Once Michael is in the office, he demands that his workers cater to his needs- and feels underappreciated when they don’t follow suit. When Dwight starts being nice to everyone in the office, Pam and Jim show concern that Dwight may actually have a concussion from the car accident.
Best Line: “I wanna clamp Michael’s face in a George Foreman grill.” – Jim Halpert
4. Scott’s Tots – Season 6, Episode 12
Michael gets caught up in a promise he made ten years ago to a group of kids. He and Erin must go to a high school and break some bad news: his assumptions that he would be a millionaire by age thirty unfortunately didn’t come true, and he is unable to provide college tuition for the group of teens that graduated high school. Back at the office, Dwight convinces Jim to start an employee-of-the-month program in hopes to sabotage Jim and strip him of his new, higher up position.
Best Line: “Five minutes ahead of schedule… Right on schedule.” – Dwight K. Schrute
5. Niagara (Part 1&2) – Season 6, Episode 4-5
This hour-long episode takes place in Niagara Falls, where Jim and Pam finally get married. All family, friends, and office members congregate at the same hotel. The night before the wedding, Jim accidentally reveals Pam’s pregnancy, which was unbeknownst to certain members of Pam’s family, including her old-fashioned grandmother. One thing after another seems to go wrong, so Jim decides to take Pam on a boat ride near the falls and get married before going to the actual ceremony, which keeps everyone waiting. That night, Michael ends up spending the night in Pam’s (recently divorced) mother’s room.
Best Lines: “We should have hired a professional to take the mental pictures.” – Pam Beesly-Halpert
“A three-ounce fetus is calling the shots… That's so badass.” – Dwight K. Schrute
6. Safety Training – Season 3, Episode 19
After a safety session given by Darryl in the warehouse, Michael tries to prove that the office is just as dangerous of a workplace. Darryl mocks him, which leads Michael to the roof of the office building in attempt to portray the mental stresses of work and the possibility of depression. The employees then realize what Michael is doing and collectively talk him down before he actually hurts himself. Some coworkers, meanwhile, begin placing bets on anything and everything, making Karen realize she is still an outsider in the Scranton branch.
Best Line: “Dwight, you ignorant slut!” – Michael Scott
7. Goodbye, Michael – Season 7, Episode 22
Michael announces that this day will be his second-to-last day in the office before moving to Colorado with his new fiancée, Holly. He tries catch a nice, individual goodbye moment with each of his coworkers, and it is revealed that he only has today before he makes the big move. Michael gives Andy the client list, which causes an unsettling tension throughout the office. Jim deduces that today is Michael’s last day, and says his final goodbye. Pam, missing the day at the office, finds out and meets Michael at the airport to say her goodbyes.
Best Lines: “Tomorrow I can tell you what a great boss you turned out to be… Best boss I ever had.” – Jim Halpert
“No he wasn't sad. He was full of hope.” – Pam Beesly-Halpert
8. The Job – Season 3, Episode 23
Michael prepares for his corporate interview while Dwight prepares for his new position as regional manager of Dunder Mifflin, Scranton. Jan makes a surprise appearance, revealing her new breast enhancement in order to pull Michael back into their relationship. Jim and Karen take a trip to New York before their interviews for the same position Michael wants. Michael comes to realize he is up for Jan’s old position at corporate, even before Jan knows she is being fired. She claims it is because of her breast enhancement, and declares she will sue the company. During Jim’s interview, he realizes he doesn’t want this new life with Karen in New York, and withdraws his name from consideration. He returns to the Scranton branch, finally asking Pam on a date.
Best Lines: “Two weeks ago, I was in the worst relationship of my life. She treated me poorly. We didn't connect, I was miserable. Now, I'm in the best relationship of my life with the same woman. Love is a mystery.” – Michael Scott
“D: What’s the ratio of Stanley Nickels to Schrute Bucks? S: The same as the ratio of unicorns to leprechauns.” – Dwight K. Schrute and Stanley Hudson
9. A.A.R.M – Season 9, Episode 22
Jim convinces Dwight that the office needs an assistant to the assistant to the regional manager (A.A.R.M). Together, they run a series of tests, and Jim tricks Dwight into giving the position to himself, so he will serve as regional manager as well as the A.A.R.M. Angela, having money troubles, is forced to bring her son to the office causing Dwight to believe that Phillip is his son. Pam worries Jim will resent her because he is unable to pursue his sports marketing career. Jim, with help from the camera crew, creates a heart-warming DVD of moments from the past years of their relationship, and finally gives Pam his note from the teapot (featured in “Christmas Party” – season 2, episode 10). Darryl gets caught leaving without a goodbye, and agrees to dance with everyone in the office as a tribute to his official leave. Dwight, after much consideration, proposes to Angela, and the gang gathers at a local pub to watch the airing of the first episode of their documentary.
Best Lines: “[To Pam] Not enough for me? You are everything.” – Jim Halpert
“Anyone who needs to speak to me has gotta go through me first.” – Dwight K. Schrute
10. Goodbye, Toby – Season 4, Episode 14
The human resources rep, Toby, spends his last day at Dunder Mifflin before leaving for Costa Rica. His replacement, Holly Flax, initially is at the short end of the stick when Dwight and Michael try hazing her. Dwight convinces her that Kevin has a mental disability and puts a raccoon in her car. Eventually, Michael begins to catch feelings for Holly, so he attempts to flirt with her. Jim’s plan to propose at the end of the going-away party is foiled by Andy, who proposes to Angela (which infuriates Dwight). Pam is upset, and it is revealed that she will be spending the summer in New York City to pursue her art career. Meanwhile, Ryan is arrested and sent to prison for misleading shareholders.
Best Lines: “Holly is the best thing that has happened to this company since World War II.” – Michael Scott
“Mr. Andrew Bernard… That has a nice ring to it.” – Andy Bernard