To commemorate the upcoming fifth anniversary of the series finale of “The Office” I will be ranking all the episodes in the series. I watched through Netflix so I used their episode listings. For all two-part episodes, I watched and ranked them as one, so I came up with 185 episodes. I’ll have something to say about most episodes, even if it’s just a sentence or two. But there will be some where I’ll have no commentary.
Alright, Office fans, here we go! Today we’ll be getting the “worst” episodes out of the way. And I say worst in jest as there are very few legitimately bad episodes of The Office. I ranked each episode on a scale of 1-100. Out of the 185 episodes, only 36 came in below an 80. Those are what I’ll be covering today. So let’s get to it!
185) “The Banker” Season 6, episode 14; 50/100
Thankfully the one and only true flashback episode of the series. Sure some of the old clips were fun to see, but flashback episodes rarely work. The few present-day scenes we got weren’t anything special. This episode could have been cut and absolutely nothing would have been lost.
184) “Scott’s Tots” Season 6, episode 12; 60/100
Ugh. Every part of Michael’s storyline is simply unwatchable. I literally had to turn the volume down and look away during those scenes. Brutal. Even the Jim and Dwight B plot didn’t hold its weight. Usually a Jim vs. Dwight story is great, but Dwight getting one over on Jim with the faux Employee of the Month idea didn’t do it for me. Jim should have seen right through it. It was too much out of character for Jim for me to find it funny.
183) “Christening” Season 7, episode 7; 65/100
One of the things The Office hung its hat on was its cringe humor, especially with Michael. But it was often balanced out by the other jokes and plot lines. This episode, though, was pretty much all cringe. You’ve got Jim and Pam dealing with the minister inviting everyone to the reception. There’s Jim publicly accusing Angela was trying to kidnap Cece. Michael and Andy, for a hot second, decide on a whim to go with the student mission trip to Mexico. It’s all too much to handle.
182) “Angry Andy” Season 8, episode 21; 67/100
181) “Welcome Party” Season 8, episode 20; 68/100
180) “Get the Girl” Season 8, episode 19; 70/100
Clearly this wasn’t the strongest stretch for the show. Nellie sucks. This stretch was where Andy began to suck. Just a real weak run for the show.
179) “The Chump” Season 6, episode 25; 70/100
Michael was still dating Donna even after finding out she was married. It’s such a scum bag move and so not who Michael was. Andy and Michael going to see Donna’s husband was unbearable to watch. The episode did have a couple moments of saving grace, however. Jim and Pam’s struggle with staying awake at work was a humorous take on what I’m sure is an all-too-real problem for many parents of newborns. But what really saved this one from being lower was Dwight hurting himself after his mediation with Angela over their child-rearing contract. “I don’t have to give her the good stuff.” A great quote to go along with a great montage scene.
178) “Fundraiser” Season 8, episode 22; 71/100
Dwight not knowing how a silent auction works was a great moment in an otherwise “blah” episode.
177) “Couple’s Discount” Season 9, episode 25; 72/100
Andy comes back after his boat trip and he suuuuuuucks. There were some good moments in the mall plot line though.
176) “Sex Ed” Season 7, episode 4; 72/100
While Michael’s story had its share of cringe-worthy moments, it was a nice moment of growth for the guy who had lacked pretty much all self-awareness throughout the series. But Andy’s sex-ed class is just hard to watch.
175) “Whistleblower” Season 6, episode 26; 73/100
One of the few episodes I had no notes for. It was just very “eh.”
174) “Work Bus” Season 9, episode 4; 74/100
Kevin being able to do “pie math” is a great bit. Andy still being a huge dick to Nellie definitely holds the episode back. He does eventually sign her adoption reference but still.
173) “Last Day in Florida” Season 8, episode 18; 74/100
The Florida storyline had its fair share of funny bits, but the plot as a whole was pretty lacking. But it was fun to see Jim actually do something nice for Dwight for once.
172) “Halloween” Season 2, episode 5; 74/100
A classic Michael moment of waiting until the last possible moment to decide who to fire. We get a nice simple early prank from Jim and Pam, posting Dwight’s resume online. Nothing really wrong with this episode; there’s just nothing special about it.
171) “Andy’s Ancestry” Season 9, episode 3; 75/100
It was nice to finally see Nellie get one over on Andy. Sure it wasn’t anything big, but it was still something. Erin agreeing to let Dwight teach her Dothraki was a perfect representation of her character. Just a sweet girl wanting to do something nice for her boyfriend. But so naive that she didn’t know she was being taught a made up language.
170) “Gettysburg” Season 8, episode 8; 75/100
This episode had a few great bits, but it just didn’t fit together as a good overall episode. The whole Battle of Schrute Farms debate, Gabe getting mistaken for an Abe Lincoln impersonator, and Robert’s brainstorming session with those who stayed behind at the office all had their moments.
169) “Training Day” Season 7, episode 20; 75/100
A poor episode for Michael as he nears his end on the show. He was so petty and petulant in this episode, it was too bad to see this side of him so close to his last appearance. Everyone sucking up, especially Darryl going full on cowboy, helped steady it.
168) “Christmas Party” Season 2, episode 10; 75/100
The Yankee Swap was both funny and brutal. It was fun seeing everyone get gifts clearly meant specifically for someone else. But Michael was such a jerk throughout it all, it really took the wind out of the sails. We did, however, get our first real insight into Creed, with his Secret Santa gift to Jim.
But the worst part about this episode for me was the brief conversation Darryl has with Roy about fantasy football. He talks about trading away Shaun Alexander (a stud RB at the time) for a freaking team defense. Obviously this is incredibly minor, but these kind of things really bug me. But if you’re going to go to the effort of including a bit like this, at least make it accurate. Anybody who knows even the tiniest bit about fantasy football knows you would never trade a running back (or almost any other position player) for a defense. I get irrationally upset every time I watch this episode just because of this one small scene.
167) “Hot Girl” Season 1, episode 6; 75/100
Another one of the handful that I didn’t have any notes on. It was fine. And we got to see pre-real-fame Amy Adams make her first of three guest appearances. Jim getting Dwight to shop for and buy a purse in an attempt to woo Katie (Adams) was a good little bit.
166) “Here Comes Treble” Season 9, episode 5; 76/100
Andy trying to relive his glory days was very up and down, sometimes it was awkward funny, sometimes it was just plain awkward. Stephen Colbert had a nice little guest spot though as Broccoli Rob. Another less than fun Jim and Pam episode from this season, as he ended up investing more in Athlead than he and Pam had agreed to.
165) “Roy’s Wedding” Season 9, episode 2; 76/100
Roy’s weekday morning wedding was peak Roy. Nellie’s charity project – or really, Dwight’s refusal to participate – was pretty good. Dwight chooses the Global Relief Foundation, which had proven to be a front for the Taliban. Nellie then gets Dwight to agree to live by “Taliban law.” This would become a common thread for Season 9. Some funny bits by themselves, but the episode as a whole just didn’t quite work as well as you would want it to.
164) “Blood Drive” Season 5, episode 18; 76/100
“Eh.” That was the only note I had for this one. But it was a sweet moment seeing the other staff members staying longer in support of Michael.
163) “Pam’s Replacement” Season 8, episode 7; 77/100
Pam tries to get Jim to admit Cathy (her replacement while on maternity leave) is attractive. Jim, being a smart man, refuses to admit it. The amount of time dedicated to this story was overkill. But even still, Dwight’s investigation was a highlight.
162) “The Seminar” Season 7, episode 14; 77/100
This one didn’t make much sense to me. I mean, what was Andy even selling here? A “small business package”? What does that mean in this context? Maybe a small detail, but something that I get hung up on each time I rewatch. As you’ll come to find out, I’m no fan of the Michael and Holly’s…antics. Their Greek couple role-play was a letdown.
161) “Viewing Party” Season 7, episode 8; 77/100
Michael was yet again uber-petty about not being the center of attention. The whole Michael/Erin father/daughter dynamic was just weird and came out of nowhere. Andy was great in this episode, though, taking the Chinese virility supplement. Dwight helping Jim and Pam get Cece to sleep was probably the high point.
160) “Grief Counseling” Season 3, episode 4; 77/100
The grief counseling session was great. Dwight’s resorbed twin. Pam (Million Dollar Baby), Ryan (Lion King), and Kevin (Weekend at Bernie’s) use movie plots as their fake stories of personal grief. In Stamford, Jim focusing on getting Karen the specific chips she wants was vintage Jim. But it wasn’t enough to bring this past slightly above average.
159) “Sexual Harassment” Season 2, episode 2; 77/100
First appearance of Todd Packer, who I seem to like less and less each time I see an episode featuring him. But if nothing else, we got our very first “That’s what she said.”
158) “New Guys” Season 9, episode 1; 78/100
Angela is unbearable. Andy is horrible to Nellie, including pushing her off a slack line. Jim goes in on Athlead with his buddy knowing Pam had been against it, starting a very up and down final season for the two of them. But the Dwight slack line montage and his subsequent dumb-beyond-belief bicycle stunt helped even it out.
157) “Test the Store” Season 8, episode 17; 78/100
The test opening of course does not quite go as planned. The little bits were fine, nothing great. Back in Scranton, Andy gets attacked by a “gang” – actually just a group of 5th grade girls, which was so-so.
156) “Secretary’s Day” Season 6, episode 22; 78/100
The classic “Kevin as the Cookie Monster” bit. Gabe tries to assert his authority and suspend Jim, Pam, and Dwight without pay. In reality he has no such power to do so. Michael’s lunch with Erin was pretty tough to watch, though, which dragged the episode down.
155) “Prince Family Paper” Season 5, episode 13; 78/100
The Prince Family Paper plot with Michael and Dwight was just no good. Those scenes were hard to watch. But the office debate about whether or not Hilary Swank is hot (for the record, I’m on the “not” side) was great. Oscar’s part is nothing short of great.
154) “The Alliance” Season 1, episode 4; 78/100
It does have some great moments, but like most of the lower episodes, the individual moments only add up to an average/above-average episode. But it did grace us with Blonde Dwight
and Dwight hiding in a box in the warehouse.
153) “Free Family Portrait Studio” Season 8, episode 24; 79/100
Creed’s family portrait? I mean, come on. Gold.
Plus an all time Jim prank.
But as was the case with many episodes in the 8th and 9th seasons, Andy was there to drag it down yet agin.
152) “Turf War” Season 8, episode 23; 79/100
The battle of sales territory was pretty good. And Toby pretending to Lloyd Gross was surprisingly effective. But never fear, Andy and Nellie were there to make sure this episode never reached its full potential.
151) “Doomsday” Season 8, episode 6; 79/100
Just the fact that he had a doomsday device is a classic Dwight move. But it never really got the payoff an idea like that deserved. Gabe creeping on Val was both hilarious and too awkward to watch. The same can be said for Jim’s finding Robert at the gym to play squash as a distraction.
150) “Booze Cruise” Season 2, episode 11; 79/100
A vintage Michael Scott episode for all the wrong reasons. Only he would think it was a good idea to schedule a company retreat type event at something where other people would be. But Rob Riggle, though. Can never go wrong there. Also marked the last appearance of Katy (Amy Adams)
And that will do it for our first section of rankings. I’ll be back soon to continue the fun!
