Image via NBC
Published Sep 8, 2026, 5:45 PM EDT
In over three years at Collider, senior author Jake has now penned over 3000 articles covering a wide range of TV and film for the resources, lists, utilities, news, and interview teams. Alongside interviewing stars such as Selin Hizli, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Harlan Coben, and Chelsea Peretti, Jake was lucky enough to visit the set of Aardman and Netflix's Wallace and Gromit: A Vengeance Most Fowl in 2024, getting the chance to chat with four-time Academy Award winner Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham. Jake has also worked for other publications, including Agents of Fandom. You can also hear Jake every week as the resident film and TV journalist on Track Radio.
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Dunder Mifflin: the people person's paper people, and the comedy lover's mockumentary of choice. The Office changed the landscape of comedy in the early 2000s when Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant delivered piercing observational laughs in a single-camera format, ditching tired multi-camera studio setups and artificial laugh tracks. After two seasons and a hugely celebrated Christmas special, Gervais and Merchant called it a day on their two-time Golden Globe-winning series, leaving the door open for a U.S. remake.
Although Gervais was initially approached to reprise David Brent on American screens, the right decision was to move in a more U.S.-friendly direction, with Steve Carell offered the role of Michael Scott. Nine seasons and 201 episodes later, The Office U.S. is considered one of the greatest shows of the 21st century, and it couldn't have won such praise without these most important episodes.
10 "The Client"
Season 2, Episode 7
Image via NBCUntil the seventh episode of the second season of The Office, Carell's Michael Scott played the fool to perfection, but left many wondering just how he ended up in a management position. In "The Client" — directed by Greg Daniels and written by Toby himself, Paul Lieberstein — Michael's overly sentimental and often cringe-inducing methods of business finally pay off, culminating in an unlikely, passionate kiss with his professional superior, Jan (Melora Hardin).
Elsewhere in the episode, Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski) come closer together as they head to the rooftop to watch fireworks and listen to music on Jim's iPod. This sweet moment of early connection for the pair is a sign of what's to come, and one Jim would try to recreate later in the series for a marriage proposal, only for Ed Helms' Andy to get in the way.
9 "The Merger"
Season 3, Episode 8
Image via NBCAfter three-and-a-half seasons, The Office had firmly established itself as one of the best ensemble comedies on network television. So how do you go about shaking up that cast? In "The Merger" — which is inspired by a storyline in the opening episode of the UK Office's second season — Jim's new Stamford branch is downsized and absorbed by the Scranton branch, leading to his current girlfriend Karen (Rashida Jones) and Pam coming face-to-face.
In terms of comedic quality, "The Merger" is far from the highlight in a stellar third season for The Office. Instead, it is an important turning point for the series that would start to cement the main cast heading forward. However, most of the new bunch don't last beyond a couple of episodes, with "The Merger" acting as a vehicle to introduce Karen and, most importantly, future boss Andy into the office.
8 "Threat Level Midnight"
Season 7, Episode 17
Image via NBCThe Office is known best for weaving countless jokes throughout its 25-minute episode runtime. However, now and then, the show attempts a multi-season gag, with "Threat Level Midnight" the payoff to one of the show's longest-running jokes, as the screenplay for Michael's spy film first read in Season 2 finally makes it to the screen.
Over seven seasons, audiences had watched Michael put his heart in the right place in all the wrong ways, as he ruined friendships and stumbled through short-term relationships. But that all changed when he met Holly Flax (Amy Ryan), who was cruelly sent away as their romance was beginning to blossom. Upon her return in Season 7, Michael's dreams had come true. In "Threat Level Midnight," after initially acting as the old, childish Michael whilst the office tries to sit through his movie without laughing, he eventually matures thanks to a conversation with Holly, where he realizes that nothing really matters to him except her anymore.
7 "Casino Night"
Season 2, Episode 22
Image via NBCThe Office might be known for often silly and always hilarious comedy — a trend that would excel for the worse in the final two seasons — but earlier in the series, it also knew just how deftly to turn the dramatic dial. The will-they/won't-they story between Jim and Pam, which was inspired by Tim (Martin Freeman) and Dawn (Lucy Davis), is finally pushed to the edge in "Casino Night," as the former lays his heart on the line.
A good writer might've paid off almost 30 episodes of yearning by having Jim and Pam passionately come together in the throes of romance, finally acting on their hidden love. However, a great writer — in this case, Michael Scott himself, Carell — understands that dramatic tension is key to on-screen romance, letting the pair finally embrace, but leaving their status in doubt.
Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap
Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?
🕷️Spider-Man
😈Daredevil
🤖Iron Man
💀Punisher
⚡Thor
🛡️Cap
FIND YOUR HERO →
01
What drives you to do what's right? Choose the answer that feels most like you.
AWith great power comes great responsibility — I protect those who can't protect themselves. BMy faith and my conscience — I believe justice must be served, even in the dark. CLegacy and ego, honestly — but I've learned that others depend on me now. DThe system failed. Someone has to make sure the guilty actually pay. EDuty to the innocent and honour to my name — I was born to protect realms. FThe values I was raised with — freedom, decency, and never backing down from a bully.
NEXT QUESTION →
02
It's 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you'd think.
ASwinging between skyscrapers, keeping an eye on the neighbourhood. BRunning rooftops in Hell's Kitchen, listening for trouble. CIn my lab, upgrading my suit with a cold cup of coffee nearby. DStaking out a target I've been tracking for three weeks. ESomewhere between the stars, or at a feast that got out of hand. FOn a morning run — I was up at 4, actually. Couldn't sleep.
NEXT QUESTION →
03
How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What's yours?
AWeb them up and leave them for the police — again. BBuild an airtight case and dismantle their entire operation from the inside. CDeploy a containment system I designed specifically for them. Tech wins. DMake sure they don't escape a third time. Permanently. EChallenge them to single combat. Honour demands a decisive end. FRally allies, adapt the plan, and bring them in — by the book, even if it's hard.
NEXT QUESTION →
04
How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.
AEssential — my loved ones would be in danger if anyone found out who I am. BCritical — the mask protects my mission as much as my face. COverrated — I announced myself to the world and I'd do it again. DI'm a ghost. The less people know about me, the better. EMy name is known across the Nine Realms. There's no hiding it. FI don't hide — but I understand why some need to. Transparency builds trust.
NEXT QUESTION →
05
You've lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.
AWith guilt that never fully goes away — it pushes me to do better, every single day. BI channel it into purpose — their memory is the reason I keep fighting. CI buried myself in work for years. I'm only recently learning to face it. DIt transformed me completely. I'm not the same person I was before. EWith warrior's grief — I honour them by fighting with everything I have. FI keep moving forward. Stopping means letting the loss win.
NEXT QUESTION →
06
What's your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.
AThe enthusiastic wildcard who somehow makes it work — and keeps the mood up. BThe strategist who works best alone but shows up when it matters most. CThe one who funds it, equips it, and occasionally takes over the whole operation. DI don't do teams. I'm more effective operating solo, on my terms. EThe heavy hitter — I crash in, draw fire, and turn the tide of battle. FThe leader — I earn trust, build the plan, and make sure no one gets left behind.
NEXT QUESTION →
07
Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.
AClearly — I don't kill, and I wrestle with that line constantly. BI try to hold the line, but I've come terrifyingly close to crossing it. CPractically — I do what's necessary to protect people, including hard calls. DI crossed that line long ago. What I do is justice — the system just won't admit it. EIn battle, victory is justice. Mercy is earned — not automatic. FFirmly. The moment we abandon our principles, we become what we fight against.
NEXT QUESTION →
08
When you're not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.
ATrying to juggle school, a part-time job, and not failing my friends. BWorking as a lawyer by day, fighting for justice in court and on the streets. CRunning a global company, attending galas, and pretending I'm sleeping enough. DQuiet. Isolated. Surviving with a clear mission and no distractions. ENavigating a bizarre and fascinating mortal world — coffee is extraordinary. FAdapting to a world decades ahead of everything I knew. Quietly, stubbornly.
NEXT QUESTION →
09
What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of.
AThe people I couldn't save — and the ones I might not reach in time tomorrow. BWhether the monster I fight every night is starting to live inside me too. CThe threats I can see coming and whether my tech is actually good enough. DNothing. Silence is the only peace I get. I've made my choices. EWhether I'm truly worthy — of the hammer, of the throne, of the people I protect. FA world where no one stands up anymore. Where good people do nothing.
NEXT QUESTION →
10
The battle is lost. You're outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.
ACrack a joke to buy a second, then find the one web shot that changes everything. BBlock out everything except the sound of the next threat — and keep going. CActivate the emergency protocol I built for exactly this scenario. Always have a plan. DI don't accept that it's lost. I keep fighting until I physically cannot anymore. ECall the lightning. All of it. The storm answers to me. FPick up the shield. Stand up. Because as long as I can stand, it's not over.
REVEAL MY HERO →
Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…
Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.
🕷️ Spider-Man
You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.
- You do the right thing not because it's easy, but because no one else will.
- You understand that responsibility isn't a burden you choose — it's one that finds you.
- Whether it's a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
- Peter Parker's lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn't a slogan to you. It's the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.
😈 Daredevil
You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.
- You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
- You've looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
- Matt Murdock's duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
- Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.
🤖 Iron Man
Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.
- You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
- You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
- Tony Stark's arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
- You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you're willing to give everything. Because in the end, you're Iron Man.
💀 The Punisher
You've been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What's left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.
- You don't ask for forgiveness, and you don't expect gratitude.
- You see a corrupt, broken world and you've decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
- Frank Castle's war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
- Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.
⚡ Thor
Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.
- You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
- You're larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
- Thor's story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
- You bring the storm when it's needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.
🛡️ Captain America
You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.
- You don't bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
- Steve Rogers didn't become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
- Your strength isn't in your fists; it's in your refusal to compromise what's right, no matter the cost.
- In a world full of people taking the easy road, you're the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.
↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ
6 "Dinner Party"
Season 4, Episode 13
Image via NBCIs "Dinner Party" the most important The Office episode because of the plot? Far from it. This almost bottle episode, featuring the main cast members having dinner at Michael and Jan's condo, does little to move the narrative needle, except for proving just how toxic the aforementioned couple's relationship is. Instead, the episode is important simply for being the most quoted and best-loved in the show's history.
"Dinner Party" is The Office at its best. The brilliant Paul Feig directs each tiny detail with the deft touch of comedic genius, but never interferes with the main cast all performing at their very best. From Hunter's music, to Jan's suspicion of Pam, to Dwight's (Rainn Wilson) sudden arrival, and an "oaky afterbirth," this chaotic, laugh-out-loud 22 minutes is the essence of The Office distilled.
5 "Niagara"
Season 6, Episodes 4 and 5
Image via NBCThe culmination of The Office's most important story. For six seasons, viewers indulged as the most-watched romance unfolded on screen, with Pam and Jim finally coming together and allowing their obvious love to blossom. But with the tension gone after they pronounce their love for each other, where should the journey go next? To Niagara Falls, of course, in mac-wearing, tie-cutting holy matrimony.
This emotionally poignant two-parter sees the whole office, encouraged by Michael, take a trip to the titular landmark to witness the marriage of Pam and Jim. Of course, there are the typical shenanigans, including the accidental reveal of Pam's pregnancy and Andy's scrotum injury, but writers Greg Daniels and Mindy Kaling make sure to keep the tone as joyous as possible for a wedding the entire country had been waiting six years for.
4 "Goodbye Michael"
Season 7, Episode 22
At the heart of The Office is Michael Scott, Carell's genius comedy creation that stands as one of the 21st century's best TV characters. As the clock ticked closer to the end of the seventh season, the writing was on the wall for Carell's exit from the series, with his seven-season contract up and communication with network higher-ups breaking down. In "Goodbye Michael," we finally said farewell to the show's backbone.
As the subsequent downward trend in quality would showcase, The Office simply isn't the same without Michael. In his final episode — ignoring a cameo in the series finale — Jim and Pam are the surrogates for the audience, as their final goodbyes to this endearing character bring tears to the eyes and joy, one last time, to the heart.
3 "Finale"
Season 9, Episodes 24 and 25
Image via NBCSeasons 8 and 9 of The Office are noticeably worse than the previous seven. After Carell's core emotional anchor left, an unlikable Andy took his seat, and strange writing decisions started to infiltrate the once-consistent characterization; fans started to become disgruntled, and ratings dropped significantly. With that in mind, it was up to the series finale — inventively titled "Finale" — to end the show on a high note.
As Andy famously says in the episode's closing moments: "I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them." This moment perfectly captures the essence of "Finale," as two years of fan frustration wash away in a wave of nostalgia, as tears flow and one of the 21st century's best comedies comes to a bittersweet close.
2 "Stress Relief"
Season 5, Episodes 14 and 15
Image via NBCNot only is the "Stress Relief" two-parter one of the most acclaimed stories in The Office's history, but it also marks the height of the show's popularity. Aired immediately following Super Bowl XLIII, and maintaining a lead-in audience with the show's best cold open, "Stress Relief" is the most-watched episode in The Office history, earning an incredible 22.9 million viewers on February 1, 2009.
Sporting a 9.7/10 on IMDb, "Stress Relief" is one of the highest-rated episodes, not just of The Office, but of any TV series ever. Perhaps what is so spectacular about the two-parter — specifically the first half — is just how densely packed the jokes are. In just 20 minutes, audiences were left pained with laughter, having witnessed more successful gags than most feature films.
1 "The Dundies"
Season 2, Episode 1
Image via NBCThe first season of The Office is widely regarded as a tonal misstep, as the series attempted to sail too close to the bleak and often mean-spirited British original. "999 times out of 1,000, that show is canceled," former writer Michael Schur admitted about the first season, with the next eight seasons of peak TV comedy only existing thanks to one episode: "The Dundies."
Directed by Daniels and written by Kaling, the opening episode of The Office's sophomore season revitalized the series by introducing a warmer color palette, firing the Pam and Jim romance to new heights, and, crucially, dropping Michael's sleazy, slicked-back hair from Season 1. In just one episode, the new format for success was born, with everyone's favorite inappropriate boss reshaped into the misguided, desperate-to-be-loved hero we would quickly come to adore.
English (US) ·