Back in 2005, producers at NBC took a chance in launching an American version of The Office. The show, originally scripted and headlined by Ricky Gervais for UK audiences, was led by Steve Carrell as Michael Scott. A slow start for the series quickly snowballed into massive success around the country.
According to NBC, over 5.5 million viewers tuned in live for the series finale when it aired in 2013. Since then, fans of The Office have seemingly multiplied. Today, OTT streaming services like Netflix continue to fork out top dollar for streaming rights—and many viewers still opt for a VPN if outside a country where The Office streams.
In fact, Nielsen reported that Americans streamed more than 57 billion minutes of the show in 2020. The mockumentary has left its mark on many for its dry and often dark comedy mixed with familiar feel-good situations, settings, and characters. There are The Office-themed parties and clubs, an endless reel of merchandise, and even signings with the show’s top stars a decade after its conclusion.
One of the hottest debates that continues to rage is which episode is the show’s frontrunner. While all fans can agree it’s not ‘Scott’s Tots’, there’s less clarity when it comes to the top three positions. Typically, ‘Casino Night’ and ‘Dinner Party’ linger at the top of the rankings—but which is The Office’s absolute best work?
The Case for ‘Casino Night’
Season 2 Finale
Episodes like ‘Casino Night’, which served as the thirty-minute finale to Season Two, are memorable because they blend the show’s deeper storylines with top-tier comedy. It’s hard not to laugh when Michael double-books dates with Jan and Carol. But it’s hard not to cry when Jim and Pam’s first kiss culminates in her admission that she’s still going to marry Roy.
The backdrop of a casino night only adds more fodder for hilarity. Today, many poker buffs stick to online platforms like PokerStars, which offer large tournament pools for a range of poker variations. But back in the early 2000s, online poker was just beginning to take off. Kevin, a frequent player, knows all the lingo. Though he flops at casino night, he once won a $2,500 no-limit deuce-to-seven-draw tournament.
Audiences laughed, then cried, and then laughed some more. And they all spent the next months waiting impatiently for the first episode of Season Three to air.
‘Dinner Party’ Gets Dark (In All the Right Ways)
Season 4 Episode 13
‘Dinner Party’ quickly sets itself up as a special episode when Jim and Pam are finally tricked into attending a dinner party at Michael’s condo, where he lives with Melora Hardin’s Jan. The couple’s relationship is on the rocks, which Jim, Pam, Andy, and Angela quickly sense when reaching the (tense) home.
The tension quickly mounts. A game of charades spirals into an attempted first round of funding for Jan’s new candle business. Along the way, Michael tries to show off his plasma TV; Jan tries to dance with Jim to a love song written by her former assistant, Hunter; Jim attempts to flee by claiming his apartment is flooded; and Dwight shows up uninvited with his former babysitter.
It all culminates into one of Michael’s most difficult and personal moments: bemoaning the toll of having three vasectomies.
Conclusion: Nothing Beats Cringe Comedy
While ‘Casino Night’ remains one of the show’s best episodes, it’s largely remembered for pulling on viewers’ emotional heartstrings. The more invested in Jim and Pam’s romance, the more meaningful the episode. However, ‘Dinner Party’ stands as one of the show’s pinnacle comedic moments, which seems to stretch on for the entire episode.
One joke builds into another, while the backdrop of domestic woes between couples feels devastatingly familiar. Even better, every character is perfectly positioned to do what they do best. Michael and Jan compete to play host when there’s no prize on the table, Dwight imposes his will onto the group without reading the room, Jim almost escapes and Pam reels him back in, and, of course, unforgettable one-liners from an oblivious Andy and a moody Angela.
