The US Office: 10 Best Episodes Of All Time
Which episode of the beloved workplace mockumentary comes out on top?
The Office US was one of the most-beloved and critically acclaimed sitcoms since the turn of the century and helped popularise the mockumentary style that dominates television today. After a bumpy first season, the show went on to run for nine seasons in total and produced some of the best moments in television history. The show managed to take home a Golden Globe for Steve Carell’s portrayal of everybody’s favourite boss from hell in Michael Scott, as well as four Primetime Emmy Awards.
The show borrowed its theme from its British counterpart created by comedy legends Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, which initially lead to some scepticism about it future. However, the show eventually found its footing and introduced its viewers to a beloved cast of colourful characters that were all lovingly crafted caricatures of people everyone is likely to know from their own day jobs. The show masterfully took seemingly mundane scenarios and situations and managed to turn them into some of the best sitcom moments in recent memory.
10. The Coup
This episode sees power hungry Dwight make a play for
control of the office behind Michael’s back, under the encouragement of his
then-secret girlfriend Angela. The episode is filled with many great moments,
from Dwight shovelling three plates of breakfast food into his face while
trying to convince Jan to give him control of the branch or the scenes of the
Stamford Branch, where Jim is now working, all playing Call of Duty and taking
it very, very seriously.
However, no scene in this episode shines as bright as the moment when Michael confronts Dwight on his return to The Office by chipping away at his alibi of having an emergency crown at the dentist. Both actors are truly superb in this moment as they verbally dance around each other in a way that evokes a hilarious parody of the famed ‘kiss of death’ scene in The Godfather Part Two, albeit with heaps more comedy.
The scene really pays off when Michael, who is giving Dwight his best hard stare, delivers the line “Your Dentist’s name is Crentist?”. The line superbly sums up the sheer absurdity of the exchange and is perfectly delivered by Steve Carell.