Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. Features

The best Office episodes ever, ranked by IMDB

By

Being one of the most beloved and acclaimed sitcoms of all time, The Office has many episodes that have been ranked highly by audiences and critics alike. The show has featured many hilarious and emotional episodes involving office awards ceremonies, car accidents, weddings gone wrong, and more beets than one would want to eat in their lifetime.

So if there’s anyone who is streaming the show but doesn’t know which episode to play, here are some episodes that have been rated by IMDb users as the series’ top 10.

Recommended Videos

10. Niagara: Part 1 (9.2)

the-office-andy-after-doing-a-split
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When Jim and Pam go to Niagara Falls for their wedding, the rest of the office joins them for the celebration, and things naturally get chaotic. Michael arrives without a hotel room, Jim inadvertently tells Pam’s grandma that she is pregnant, and Andy accidentally tears his privates while doing a split.

Audiences waited years for Jim and Pam to get married, and chances are, they never expected their wedding to be this ridiculous and hysterical. And who could forget the opening in which Pam makes everyone in the office throw up?

9. Casino Night (9.3)

the-office-jim-and-pam-kissing
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When the office hosts casino night at the warehouse, Michael accidentally invites Jan and Carol as dates to the event, creating an evening so awkward that not even Kevin’s Police cover band, Scrantonicity, can make it better. At the same time, Jim reveals that he plans to transfer to a different branch, and though he sees no future in Scranton without Pam, he finally confesses his love for her.

The episode ends with a shocking shot of Jim and Pam kissing in the office, making it one of the most famous cliffhangers in TV history.

8. Threat Level Midnight (9.3)

the-office-michael-holding-guns
Image used with permission by copyright holder

After years of waiting, audiences finally got to see Michael’s secret agent script be made into a movie, and it’s as silly and ridiculous as one would expect. This film within a show is filled with plot holes and unintentionally hilarious moments. But because this is The Office, “Threat Level Midnight” is as close to a masterpiece as a film could get.

Almost every cast member on the show gets a chance to shine in this home movie, and multiple characters from past seasons appear as well. All in all, this episode makes for a perfect voyage through the show’s history before Michael’s departure from Dunder Mifflin.

7. Garage Sale (9.3)

michael-proposing-to-holly-the-office
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As the office holds a garage sale in the warehouse, Michael tries to come up with the perfect way to ask Holly to marry him, one without any casualties or traumatic memories. Finally, in a bittersweet ending, Michael proposes to Holly in a beautiful display of love, only to announce moments afterward that they are both leaving Dunder Mifflin.

But this episode isn’t without laughs. Jim pulls a classic prank on Dwight by tricking him into purchasing “miracle legumes,” and Kevin proves his wits by scamming Andy and Darryl while playing the Dallas board game.

6. Dinner Party (9.4)

michael-jan-jim-pam-condo-the-office
NBC / NBC

When Jim and Pam are invited to a dinner party with Michael and Jan, the former couple is forced to endure an uncomfortable night with their dysfunctional hosts in a spoof of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. The show’s brand of cringe humor is rampant throughout this episode, and it only builds as Michael and Jan grow sicker and sicker of each other until the latter throws Michael’s Dundie award into his tiny plasma screen TV.

If that wasn’t awkward enough, Andy brings Angela to the party while Dwight shows up with his date/childhood babysitter. If anyone thinks Thanksgiving with their family is hard to deal with, be glad it isn’t like this infamous episode.

5. A.A.R.M. (9.4)

the-office-dwight-and-jim-in-the-manager's-office
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In the series’ penultimate episode, Dwight holds tryouts for the position of “Assistant to the Assistant to the Regional Manager.” In the midst of all that, Dwight gets back with Angela and learns her son is his, Darryl gets a proper goodbye from his coworkers, and Jim gives Pam the card he meant to give her in season 2.

This episode is filled with so many heartwarming moments that it’s hard not to shed a tear. Andy also gets his well-deserved comeuppance for his arrogant behavior in the past season by humiliating himself on America’s Next A Cappella Sensation.

4. Niagara: Part 2 (9.4)

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Chaos continues to ensue at Jim and Pam’s wedding, as the latter struggles to manage everyone after her veil is torn and Andy injures his “Bernards.” Meanwhile, Michael is forced to sleep in the hotel ice room, and Kevin is forced to wear tissue boxes as shoes.

All this weirdness episode culminates with Jim and Pam having two wedding ceremonies, one in private and the next being overshadowed by everyone recreating the viral “JK Wedding Entrance Dance” video. This episode makes for one of the most ludicrous weddings in TV history, and audiences wouldn’t have it any other way.

3. Stress Relief (9.7)

the-office-michael-kneeling-over-stanley
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This episode begins on a hilariously high note when Dwight promotes fire safety by staging a fire, sending the office into a panic, and giving Stanley a heart attack. And then, Dwight screws up a second time by cutting the face off a CPR dummy and wearing it on his face like Hannibal Lecter. As one can guess, Michael tries to keep the office relaxed, only to realize that he is the cause of their stress.

He then tries to make everyone feel better by having his employees roast him, which causes years of everyone’s repressed rage toward Michael to hit him all at once. But anger and stress aren’t the only things that come out, as Jim expresses his love for Pam in a surprising but beautiful way that once again proves the two of them are soul mates.

2. Goodbye, Michael (9.8)

the-office-michael-at-the-airport
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This is Michael Scott’s last day at Dunder Mifflin, but he tells his coworkers that it is his second-to-last day to spare their feelings. He spends the day giving each member of the office a special goodbye, which includes giving Andy his list of clients and Dwight both a recommendation letter and a killer paintball fight.

The tears never cease to flow in this episode as Michael gives many heartfelt goodbyes to the workers he’s come to know and love. During all this, Andy is forced to deal with his strange and unskilled new boss and Erin, her creepy ex, Gabe, showing that while Michael is departing, he is still leaving behind a weird but entertaining office.

1. Finale (9.8)

the-office-dwight-and-jim-dwight-angela's-wedding
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Oh, everyone can just sit here and cry watching this episode. Months after the cast’s documentary airs, everyone reunites in Scranton to attend Dwight and Angela’s wedding. Like “Threat Level Midnight,” many characters from the show’s past show up for the office’s last big gathering. Even Michael returns to be Dwight’s best man in one unforgettable cameo.

In this one-hour finale, everyone from Dunder Mifflin gets a satisfying end to their character arcs. Jim and Pam move to Austin, Andy gets his dream job at Cornell, Erin meets her birth parents, Kelly and Ryan run off together, Nellie adopts a child, and Creed is arrested for his crimes. Season 9 may have been a mixed bag, but it still gave fans and critics the perfect ending to such a beloved sitcom.

You can watch all nine seasons of The Office on Peacock.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Anthony Orlando
Anthony Orlando
Writer
Anthony Orlando is a writer/director from Oradell, NJ. He spent four years at Lafayette College, graduating CUM LAUDE with a…
The 5 best zombie movies ever, ranked
Zombies attack in an elevator in "Dawn of the Dead" (1978).

Zombies have remained one of the most popular aspects of horror media. Since they broke out into mainstream cinema during the 1960s, these undead walkers grew more and more prevalent until they became part of their very own genre. HBO Max's The Last of Us, a series based on the hit video game, is just the latest iteration in a long line of zombie-centric entertainment.

Audiences have seen them as slow-moving shamblers and super-fast predators, but no matter what breed of zombie they are, they will always succeed in giving viewers the frights. Out of all the many zombie films that have risen in the past century, these five are the ones any die-hard horror fan should watch.
5. 1968's Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead Image used with permission by copyright holder
"They're coming to get you, Barbara." This haunting line set the stage for cinema's first modern zombie film. Director George A. Romero's iconic horror movie was revolutionary for its depiction of violence and gore, and the controversy it stirred caused it to be widely panned upon its release. Nevertheless, the public couldn't get enough of it, and it still became one of the most profitable movies at the time.
Night of the Living Dead has since garnered much critical acclaim, and many scholars have analyzed and interpreted it as a veiled critique of American society and the horrors of the Vietnam War. And thanks to Ben's shocking death at the end of the film, Night of the Living Dead has been considered a significant piece that comments on the racial tensions that can still be felt in America today.

Read more
6 most unlikable characters in Friends, ranked
Promo photo for Friends showing Ross and Emily embracing and smiling for the camera.

Friends remains one of the most beloved sitcoms in television history. The long-running show about six young people living in New York City captured the 1990s zeitgeist like few others could, becoming a television icon for the Gen X generation. Friends is still a hit today, with younger audiences discovering it via streaming and becoming fans of the six main characters' shenanigans.

Friends is the equivalent of comfort food: harmless and pleasant, it's something almost everyone can enjoy. Still, the series had its fair share of unpopular characters. And while some fans might find some of the main friends annoying, the lead characters are still nearly universally adored. But these characters -- including one of the six main characters -- are among the most hated in Friends, whether because they're mean, annoying, or just plain unnecessary. That's not to say their presence ruins whichever episodes they happen to be in, but it's enough for fans to roll their eyes and count the seconds until they're no longer on screen.
6. Ross Geller

Read more
10 best The Big Bang Theory episodes, ranked
The cast of The Bing Bang Theory eating lunch in the final episode.

The Big Bang Theory remains as popular as it was during its prime in the first half of the 2010s. Ranking among HBO Max's best shows, Big Bang is one of the last examples of the laugh track sitcom and one of network television's last significant hits before streaming took over the business. The show starred an ensemble cast led by Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, and Kaley Cuoco and followed the adventures of a group of highly intelligent but socially awkward scientists living in Pasadena.

Critically and commercially successful, The Big Bang Theory is already a modern classic. The show expertly blended science with comedy, creating a unique brand of humor that helped cement it as a bonafide hit. Big Bang embraced nerd culture and redefined what it meant to be a "geek," with many of its most memorable moments showcasing some crucial aspects of pop culture. Big Bang has many unforgettable episodes -- how could it not when it went on for 12 seasons, totaling a whopping 279 episodes -- but its most iconic efforts stand out because of their perfect mix of intelligence, heart, and humor.
10. The Earworm Reverberation

Read more