The Office: 10 Best Characters Only In One Episode
Which character who appeared in only one episode of The Office was the best?
The Office was on for nine seasons consisting of 201 complete episodes, and like any major comedy hit, the show had its fair share of walk-on characters. Often, these were played by big-name celebrities, and when it happened, they usually only stuck around for a single episode.
Because it was on for so long, The Office racked up quite a few of these characters, and even though they were only around for one episode, many of them are hilarious and unforgettable. Of course, the opposite is also true, and there are tons most viewers have forgotten.
Not every one-off character is going to be memorable, and for the ones who were, there are hordes of fans who quote their lines whenever they recall the series. It takes a lot to make a single appearance last in someone's memory, and among the many that were on The Office, not every one of them was especially amazing.
For these ten who were, it's likely viewers recall just about everything they said and did while they were on the show. They may have only been around for a short appearance, but these ten single episode characters were the best to show up on The Office.
10. Ed Truck
Episode: Season 2, Episode 14 - "The Carpet"
Portrayed By: Ken Howard
In "The Carpet," we are introduced to Michael's former boss, Ed Truck. Michael was feeling low due to the fact that his employees didn't see him as a friend, no matter what he tried, so he went to his former boss and mentor for some advice.
When Ed tells him that because he's their boss, they won't ever see him as a friend, Michael refuses to accept it. Ed's advice was to let "your workers be your workers, your family be your family, your friends be your friends," but Michael wasn't having any of it.
The episode reveals a lot about why Michael acts the way he does when more of his past while working with Ed is revealed. Michael described Ed as the opposite of fun, and he noticed that when he walked by his coworkers, they pretended to be busy working.
Michael wanted to be the exact opposite, which is why he has his nose in everyone's business, trying to become their friends while maintaining minimal distance as their boss. Ed didn't return for another episode, but he was brought up in the season three episode "Grief Counseling," when it's revealed that he died.