Office Top 10 List: #1 – Fun Run

Two-part sitcoms are usually failures, because “brevity is the soul of wit.” Stretching out gags often makes them less funny rather than more funny. (The closest “Seinfeld” came to a good two-parter was “The Pilot” where a huge chunk of the hour was the eponymous, metafictional show-within-the-show.)

“Fun Run” demonstrates how you do it though: by giving the two parts different (albeit related) storylines. The first half is about Michael dealing with the blowback from hitting Meredith (declaring the office “cursed”) and the second half is about the Michael Scott's Dunder Mifflin Scranton Meredith Palmer Memorial Celebrity Rabies Awareness Pro-am Fun Run Race For The Cure. Woven through this episode is the fallout from the season 3 cliffhanger (Pam and Jim getting together, Ryan going to NYC, Jan moving in with Michael).

Every line in this episode is golden.

 

Highlight:

Ryan: Did this happen on company property?

Michael Scott: It was on company property, with company property. So, double jeopardy, we're fine.

Ryan: I don't think-- I don't think you understand how jeopardy works.

Michael Scott: Oh, I'm sorry. What is, 'we're fine'?

Office Top 10 List: #2 – Safety Training

Oh what joy! What splendor as Michael struggles to feel as cool as the warehouse people even though he doesn’t have access to the bailer. We reinforce Dwight’s bizarre Amish-ness with his shunning Andy, Kevin’s gambling problem, and the fact that Jim and Pam pull together in a crunch (when Michael is about to kill himself pretending to kill himself). The Netflix competition has got to be the best product placement ever.

Also this has my favorite line from The Office, where Daryl tells Michael: “You Braveheart, man.”

Highlight:

Dwight Schrute: Michael, what's wrong?

Michael Scott: Everything is wrong, Dwight. The stress of my modern office has made me depressed.

Dwight Schrute: Depressed? Isn't that just a fancy word for feeling, 'bummed down?'

Michael Scott: Dwight, you ignorant slut!

Office Top 10 List: #3 – WUPHF.com

The main story of season 7 is Michael finally growing up and overcoming some of his issues. This is the one where Michael overcomes his man-crush on Ryan, set against the back-drop of “The Social Network”-esque start-up “WUPHF.com” Also kudos for finally ending the Dwight/Angela affair thing.

After this episode came out, we referred to any blast-communication as a “WUPHF” at my job. (“It's not a digital rape whistle! WUPHF is about fun!”)

Highlight:

Michael: The world sends people your way... Ryan came to me through a temp agency. Andy was transferred here. No idea where Creed came from. The point is you just have to play with the cards that you're dealt. Jim, that guy is an ace. Dwight is my King up my sleeve. Phyllis is my old maid. Oscar is my queen. That's easy. Gimme a hard one. That's what Oscar said. Toby is the instruction card you throw away. Pam's a solid seven. And yeah, you know what? Ryan is probably, like, a two. But sometimes twos can be wild. So watch out. And I am obviously the joker

Office Top 10 List: #4 – Goodbye, Michael

When it’s at its best, The Office does drama better than dramas do: this episode is the belle of the ball. With Steve Carrell’s tender send-off, we see the supporting characters have gone from hating Michael to loving him in a way that’s both hilarious and inspiring – hilspiring. The scene where Michael and Jim start to lose it will put a lump in your throat unless you’ve got a heart of stone. (Or maybe a throat of stone.)

Highlight:

Michael: Well, I guess this is it. Hey will you guys let me know if this ever airs?

Office Top 10 List: #5 – The Convict

This I believe is the episode (along with “The Merger” right before it) that marks the turning point from where the show was just an imitation of the UK version to its own creature, with the merging of the Scranton and Stamford branches. Wonderful display of Michael’s desire (albeit inability) to be politically correct. This also features what might be my very favorite Office scene ever (in fact it was my 2012 Halloween costume): Prison Mike.

Prison Mike - watch more funny videos     

Highlight:

Michael: Close your eyes. Picture a convict. What's he wearing? Nothing special. Baseball cap on backward, baggy pants. He says something ordinary like, 'yo that's shizzle'. Okay, now slowly open your eyes again. Who you picturing? A black man? Wrong. That was a white woman. Surprised? Well shame on you.

Office Top 10 List: #6 – Branch Wars

Now a regional manager herself, Karen tries to poach Stanley. Michael and Dwight (and an unwitting Jim) lead a raid to teach Karen a lesson. Meanwhile, back at the office, we are introduced to the Finer Things Club.

My favorite part of this episode is where Jim sees Karen coming and hides in the car. The camera man keeps filming her; Jim pulls the camera man down and gives him a “What are you doing?” look. Excellent reminder that the camera crew is actually there. (Oh and when Dwight pees into a can.)

Highlights:

Andy: The Finer Things Club is the most exclusive club in this office. Naturally it's where I need to be. The party planning committee is my backup. And Kevin's band is my safety.

Office Top 10 List: #7 – Survivor Man

The best thing about The Office is also the worst thing about The Office: Michael Scott going nuts. In some episodes he goes so overboard, that it breaks plausibility (that he hasn’t for example been fired or beaten up by one of the warehouse workers).

This one does that best methinks, with Michael trying to become (essentially) a reality show star in the wilderness, Dwight enabling him, and Jim proving completely incapable of getting birthdays right.

I love Michael’s showing up at the end in an oversized Battlestar Galactica sweatshirt (obviously Dwight’s). I love even more that they never draw explicit attention to it … like “30 Rock” did a year later.

Highlight:

Michael Scott: Just wait. 10 years, you'll figure it out.

Jim Halpert:     Well, I don't think I'll be here in 10 years, but...

Michael Scott: That's what I said. [pause] That's what she said.

Jim Halpert:     That's what who said?

Michael Scott: I never know. I just say it. I say stuff like that, you know, to lighten the tension, when things sort of get hard--

Jim Halpert:     That's what she said.

Michael Scott: Hey! Nice! Really good. [pause] Bravo. My young 'ward.