The Office's "Stress Relief" Episode: The Funniest Cold Open In Sitcom History

If there’s one sitcom that knows how to do cold opens right, it’s The Office. Across nine seasons, the American iteration of this century’s most definitive workplace sitcom got the pre-credits sequences of its episodes down to a fine art. But there’s one scene in particular that stands out above any other cold open in the history of the series.

This scene actually helped its episode break The Office’s audience record at the time it was released, marking the pinnacle of the show’s golden era. The beauty of it is that the sequence just keeps getting funnier and funnier, every time we rewatch it.

Malcolm in the Middle, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Community, and other sitcoms might have their fair share of hilarious cold opens, too. But when we’re talking about the best cold opens in TV history, surely no other comedic opening tops Dwight Schrute’s idea of a fire drill in The Office’s season 5 episode "Stress Relief".

The Office Episode "Stress Relief" Has The Greatest Cold Open In Sitcom History

Being The Office’s best cold open is no mean feat in itself. From Jim Halpert’s never-ending succession of pranks on Dwight to the visually spectacular musical ensemble opening to the season 7 premiere, the show has a wide array of ingenious pre-credit sequences across its 201 episodes.

Still, nothing else comes close to the four-and-a-half minute scene in which Dwight starts a fire in Dunder Mifflin Scranton, seals his colleagues in their smoke-filled workspace, and causes a level of chaos unprecedented in any other cold open in sitcom history. The scene’s laugh rate is off the charts, and it never fails to leave viewers bent over double.

This Cold Open Keeps Getting Funnier With Every Watch

The cold open to “Stress Relief” has everything you could possibly want in a comedy scene. Firstly, it’s beautifully set up with a premise that feels completely authentic to Dwight Schrute as a character. What then ensues after Dwight starts the fire is an irresistible mix of slapstick, moronic decision-making, hilarious one-liners, and a cacophony of absolute panic.

Each time you watch The Office’s funniest scene, it only gets funnier. Headline jokes like Angela throwing her cat into the ceiling, only for it to fall back down again immediately, Kevin breaking into the vending machine, and timeless lines like Andy Bernard’s cry of terror, “The fire’s shooting at us!”, never lose their appeal.

But repeat viewings allow us to see and hear more subtle details within the maelstrom of fire-induced hysteria in the office. For instance, there’s the extreme measures Dwight takes to ensure his colleagues are properly trapped with no means of escape. Then there’s Oscar’s advice to Angela that she “stay alive” while he escapes and gets help.

The funniest part about the cat falling back through the ceiling is the look of genuine horror on Creed Braton’s face when he hears it drop behind him. The entire scene is full of exquisite comic details that help make it the masterpiece it is.

Several Other Cold Opens From The Office Are Also All-Time Greats

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While the opening scene of “Stress Relief” deserves its flowers, we shouldn’t forget the rest of the best cold opens The Office has to offer. Michael injuring his foot by stepping on a George Foreman grill is unforgettable enough, but Kevin’s famous chili, Creed’s brief spell as office manager, and Dwight’s introduction to “Asian Jim” really raised the bar.

Nevertheless, when it comes to The Office’s cold opens, Dwight’s fire drill will always have a special place in the hearts of fans the world over. There’s a reason why the scene is the single most-viewed clip on the show’s YouTube channel. It’s the funniest TV episode opening of them all.

Release Date 2005 - 2013-00-00

Showrunner Greg Daniels

Directors Greg Daniels, Paul Lieberstein, Paul Feig, Randall Einhorn, Ken Kwapis