The cast of The Office is an expansive and expressive one. While each of the core members of the ensemble could have their own respective list, this is an overall showcase. And let’s not even think about all the looks the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin gets from supporting characters and even random outsiders. Many of the moments below can be found in some of CinemaBlend’s best Office episodes, again, another place that can easily be debated. Grab a nice warm pretzel or your personal “World’s Best Boss Mug,” and let’s relive some expressions that said it all from the NBC classic.
“Pilot” (Season 1 Episode 1)
Even though the initial season was awkward in finding its own footing from its UK counterpart, the Jim Halpert-Dwight Schrute dynamic was there from the start. From the jump, Halpert’s Jell-O prank on Schrute, and how he reacted, slated the beet farmer as one of the many beloved side characters that overshadowed the main. Meanwhile, this first reaction from the future Athlead co-founder is just a peep into his signature range of varied expressions.
“Finale” (Season 9 Episode 25)
As one of the most popular and lovably cringe-worthy TV shows, the 2005 series wrapped with Angela and Dwight getting married along with a reunion panel. The ultimate of the good-natured ‘guten prank’ Jim pulls is backing out as best mensch only for Michael to replace him. Moments before the ceremony, Dwight gets let in on the surprise, leading to the wedding of his dreams. But Michael fondly watches Jim, Pam, Angela and Dwight and that says it all.
“Casual Friday” (Season 5, Episode 26)
The Scranton branch reinstitutes dressing casually on Fridays (with some humorous results) as members of the Michael Scott Paper Company return. But the opening is one of the ultimate and undeniably greatest Kevin Malone moments. He opens up the episode by talking about his ‘world famous’ chili in an interview while we watch him carrying the huge vat of chili. As soon as he gets through the office door, we see him and his prized meal tumble to the ground, and the look of disappointment simultaneously makes us feel for him but laugh even more. The frantic clean-up that follows is top-notch, too.
“The Dundies” (Season 2, Episode 1)
Michael’s infamous Dunder Mifflin awards evening, at Chili's, has arrived, and the co-workers recount past ones before the annual event begins. The show, unsurprisingly, goes on to humor Michael, but after Roy and Darryl leave with Pam, the engaged couple gets into a fight. Pam returns and proceeds to drink too much, which leads to her drunken, but inspired, speech about ‘feeling god in this Chili’s tonight,’ which is iconic.
“Stress Relief” (Season 5 episode 14)
Dwight Schrute’s simulated fire drill, one of the most well-known cold opens, leads to pure chaos for the employees of Dunder Mifflin, including causing Stanley Hudson’s heart attack. After multiple disciplinary meetings with corporate and a failed CPR class (due to Dwight’s Hannibal Lecter moment), Michael Scott leads a group meditation. During the session, Stanley’s biofeedback monitor goes off. After a brief exchange, Michael is stunned to learn he’s the problem by Hudson’s facial expression and response.
“Initiation” (Season 3 Episode 5)
While Dwight is out with Ryan taking him under his wing, it’s announced that Pretzel Day has arrived. Naturally, Stanley (his favorite) and many of his peers head down to the already long line. As they’re waiting, Hudson and his boss see Phyllis Lapin greet her fiance, Bob Vance, ahead of them. It’s not common to find equal footing between the Pretzel Day lovers, but both immediately tell her she cannot cut. You can tell they really mean business because Lapin does part ways with her beau.
“Threat Level Midnight” (Season 7 Episode 17)
While the fictional Michael Scott project is one of my favorite pieces of media featuring Office alumni before they moved on, the employees finally seeing the official cut is everything. All who have already seen a teaser promise not to laugh so they can see the entirety of the film. When Michael realizes Holly initially doesn’t like it, the two bicker shortly after only to make up by the end of the viewing. The couple laughs and enjoys the end together, along with the others.
“Dinner Party” (Season 4, Episode 13)
In one of the more rare instances, the “Dinner Party,” is one of those episodes in which Michael wasn't to blame. However, he tricks everyone into working late so he can invite Jim and Pam to dinner. The party ends up being the former three, Jan, Andy, Angela, and eventually, Dwight and his old babysitter, and the looks are endless. Michael and Jan’s relationship makes everyone feel awkward, but it reaches a tipping point when their fight reveals his feelings about his three vasectomies.
“The Fire” (Season 2 Episode 4)
Dwight reveals that Ryan (accidentally) started the fire by making his lunch on the wrong setting in the toaster oven. Schrute then performs a rendition of “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” but the chorus is “Ryan Started the Fire.” As Michael gets in on the fun, an unsuspecting Phyllis joins in, too, with some sweet dance moves. Small moments like this led its sophomore year to be one of The Office’s best and one of the fans’ favorite TV seasons.
"Weight Loss pt 2" (Season 5, Episode 2)
As one of the most notable and heartwarming marriage proposals on TV in the past twenty years, there’s no leaving out the Jim Halpert and Pam Beesley love story. Halpert asks Beesley to meet him halfway for a rainy lunch date at a gas station they’d been to before, and in the middle of the parking lot, he pops the question. Pam quickly realizes what’s happened and agrees happily. While it’s not a signature comical or over-the-top expression of the series, it was one of the most anticipated in its original run.
"The Injury" (Season 2, Episode 12)
With Michael burning his foot on his George Foreman Grill, it’s one of the most memorable Michael-centric openers. Dwight picks Micahel up, and the two return to Dunder Mifflin. The injured boss claims he doesn’t want special treatment but promptly demands the opposite, mostly from Ryan Howard. It’s when Michael hobbles into the bathroom only to fall and shout for help that we really see the former temp’s feelings about helping his boss out.
“Night Out” (Season 4 Episode 15)
After the Dunder Mifflin Infinity drama and Ryan breaking up with Kelly, he returns to Scranton to propose new protocols. As he presents the new, updated and improved endeavors, he asks his former co-workers if they have any questions. Kelly responds with her classic, “I’ve got a question: How dare you?” but Ryan brushes off her aggressive question and looks nonchalantly. It's later revealed that Ryan has a drug problem and is unhappy in NYC.
"Branch Wars" (Season 4, Episode 10)
Jim’s ex, Karen, now boss at the Utica Dunder Mifflin branch, propositions Stanley to come to work for her at a higher pay. Michael catches wind and enlists Dwight and Jim to try and land a large sale, which tanks, leaving Michael with his backup, pranks. Halpert gets roped into making sure the other two don’t wreak reprehensible damage, but they get caught by Karen. As she reprimands them for breaking their printer, the trio have aptly fitting faces in response.
"Cafe Disco" (Season 5, Episode 27 )
Now that the Michael Scott Paper Company has been bought out, he has transformed his old office space into a dance and coffee break space. As word gets around, more and more employees find their way to Cafe Disco. At the height of its popularity, Andy and Kelly Kapoor have a stellar dance-off, which leads to him agreeing to let her pierce his ear after it is all over.
"Casino Night" (Season 2, Episode 22)
Amid counting down the hours to the Scranton branch’s hosted casino night and during the event, many stories get teed up. Between Michael accidentally having two dates, Jim and Pam’s ever-closer growing bond, and one of the seedlings that lead to the great moments between Angela and Dwight to come, a lot goes down. It’s in the cold open, though, that Dwight’s off comment about wearing his dead grandfather’s suit for the event in which he had been buried in, leaves everyone watching quietly unsettled, along with Jim and Pam.
“A Benihana Christmas pt 2 (Season 3, Episode 11)
While Michael, Andy, Dwight and Jim spend a good chunk of time at Benihana, the heart of the episode happens between Angela Martin, Karen Filippelli and Pam. Clashing ideas lead to a split between the trio (Angela versus Karen and Pam). After realizing Martin's get-together is a flop, the other two propose the parties merge, they all agree to the terms, and everyone comes together. The episode closes out with a triumphant Angela, assisted by her secret lover, Dwight, in her rendition of “Little Drummer Boy.”
"Counseling" (Season 7, Episode 2)
After Michael, in the Season 7 premiere, spanks his intern and nephew Luke in front of everyone, he’s assigned mandatory counseling. The opening scene, post-Dwight’s makeshift daycare cold open with Jim and Pam, shows a quiet Toby Flenderson and an annoyed Michael. We soon learn that Toby has the professional credits to take on Michael’s 6-hour assignment, and there’s no question that he has no interest in his nemesis helping him.
“Fun Run” (Season 4 Episode 2)
When Michael hits Meredith with his car and is taken to the hospital, it’s revealed that she has rabies. The discovery leads to Michael creating a frivolous charity fun run in honor of his indisposed employee and to raise funds. As he starts to call it quits, collapsed and sad looking, due to dehydration and a wild amount of Fettuccine Alfredo affecting his body, Jim and Pam talk him into finishing the race.
Michael Scott Paper Company (Season 5 Episode 23)
As the Michael Scott Paper Company gets into some growing pains in their new office (which used to be a closet). Scott and his two associates host a pancake breakfast to introduce themselves to potential new leads when Creed Bratton and Meredith Palmer show up. When Bratton tells his (for now) ex-boss he doesn’t want any cakes because they’re the wrong shape, Palmer’s indifference to the form is apparent, and she takes a stack for her kid.
“Here Comes Treble” (Season 9 Episode 5)
For The Office’s final Halloween party, plenty is happening: Cornell’s a cappella choir being present, Dwight being stuck in a pumpkin for a bit, and Toby’s reaction to Nellie Bertram’s costume. Her get-up is pretty impressive and wows the crowd, but when her inspiration realizes who she’s dressed as, complimentary looks turn into deeply confused ones (only later to be upset when Nellie takes off her wig).
"Murder" (Season 6, Episode 10)
After it’s announced but still rumored that DM is in deep trouble, Jim urges Michael to stay on a typical schedule. While the scheduled staff meeting starts out pretty typically, Scott throws a curveball and talks everyone into playing a murder mystery game. As they all start to get into character, Andy demonstrates a spot-on accent. Kevin’s impressed by his display and then wants him to do Swedish Chef. Andy reveals he’s unsure of the province of the puppet, he gets scoffed at by Malone (it’s not Brian Baumgartner's go-to Office reference though).
“Money Pt 2” (Season 4 Episode 8)
After Michael realizes he’s in great financial stress and iconically states, “I declare bankruptcy!” in the first half of the pair of episodes, Oscar Martinez helps him out. During the back half, Martinez is reviewing his boss’ expenditures and becomes more disinterested with each item billed. Once Michael explains himself, his peer accountant goes from being disinterested to completely over it about Scott’s spending habits and reasoning.
"Basketball" (Season 1, Episode 5)
Michael wages a bet between the office workers vs warehouse employees in a basketball game, and the losing team works the weekend hours. Even though he claims it to be a friendly game, things go awry because of Michael Scott. You can feel the awkward anxiety radiating off of Carrell telling both a disgruntled downstairs (and eventually upstairs), that no one is working on Saturday.
"Garden Party" (Season 8, Episode 4)
Dwight’s garden party hosting ability proves to be skewed for Andy Bernard because of the fake book Jim gave him, but the afternoon is a disaster regardless. After Andy's brother (Josh Groban) replaces him in a duet sung with his father (Stephen Collins) and is confronted by his dad to stop seeking his approval, it’s his coworkers who salvage Andy’s bruised ego after the garden party’s end.
“Goodbye Michael Pt 2” (Season 7 Episode 23)
As everyone at the Scranton branch gears up to say goodbye to their wacky boss, who is moving to Colorado to be with Holly, a lot is happening in this twofer. And even though there are plenty of tearful and silly goodbyes shared between Michael and his employees, it’s Erin’s comment that takes the episode’s literal cake. While debating what type of cake they should have for the soon-to-be ex-boss’s going-away party, Erin instead suggests fruit with yogurt to everyone’s dismay.
“Safety Training” (Season 3 Episode 20)
The office workers get invited to the warehouse’s safety training run by Darryl. As the meeting goes on, everyone from upstairs realizes that they were invited due to Michael’s past careless actions. And after repeatedly directly telling the branch manager under no circumstances that he’s to use the baler, he continues to ask conditional questions. Everyone on the shipping floor grows more displeased with him until Darryl outright tells him no.
“Dwight K. Schrute, (Acting) Manager” (Season 7 Episode 25)
Two episodes after Michael leaves, Jo Bennet seeks a replacement, with Jim turning it down (not knowing that she’d call Dwight and he would). Dwight steps up. He takes the job seriously, as he said he always would, but is quickly stripped of the title. Creed replaces him because he has the most seniority, per Bennet’s advice, and is very pleased to accept. He’s grinning big as he settles into his new space.
“Secretary’s Day” (Season 6 Episode 22)
Andy tries to set Erin up to have the best secretary day by pre-planning a special lunch, decorating her desk, and gifting her with some presents. All his efforts come undone while Erin is out to lunch with Michael, and he brings up that Angela and Andy used to be an item. The process of emotions she runs through is fast but devastating and leads her to revert to hiding behind her hair.
“Health Care” (Season 1 Episode 3)
Michael gets assigned to find a more affordable healthcare program for the Scranton branch but passes the job to Dwight. And as the cutthroat and dedicated employee he is, he tries to slash as much as he can out of the future plan. Everyone loses it during the process and waits to hear Scott’s official word. When they all find out he hasn’t done anything constructive, a collective look of disappointment greets him.
“Women’s Appreciation” (Season 3 Episode 22)
After Phyllis gets confronted by a flasher, Dwight opens an investigation while Michael responds inappropriately. Once he realizes the error of his ways, he goes all in on trying to show his support for the ladies of Dunder Mifflin. They reluctantly end up at the Steamtown mall with him, and as they sit down in the food court, it’s clear they aren’t sure what to make of their boss’ attempt to make good. Then, the group eventually opens up and comes together to help Michael make a big decision with Jan.
“Secret Santa” (Season 6 Episode 13)
When Phyllis finally gets okayed to be the office Santa at this year’s Christmas party, she takes on the role joyously. Michael also arrives as Santa and is outraged that Jim okayed their female peer to take on the jolly title. Before he does show, Phyllis expresses to the room what they can expect from her reign as St. Nick. After Creed learns what the bad Dunder Mifflin employees will receive (coal), he’s highly concerned and poses what the really bad people get, which gets stopped quickly by Jim.
“Gettysburg” (Season 8 Episode 8)
Andy takes some of the Dunder Mifflin staff to Gettysburg to try and up the overall office spirit. Gabe Lewis decides to join in on the field trip and enjoys the beginning of his day until a girl mistakes him for Abraham Lincoln. Initially, as you can see here, he’s a little annoyed by the error of the kid’s way but completely ends up leaning into it by day’s end.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
