The Top 10 Office Episodes of 2008, because S4 and S5 rocked. SUCK IT, HATERS.
10. "Baby Shower" (October 16)
I still don't hate Jan and I'm not totally sure why everyone does. Every relationship in this episode was so sweet, and yet it wasn't overdone in a way where it felt like the episode was about relationships, and not the office. If the fandom of The Office was interested in anything other than JAM, that Michael/Holly hug would get the recognition it should. Melora is annoying on the DVDs, yes, but I still think she plays Jan very well.
9. "Did I Stutter?" (May 1)
Very funny, with a lot of drama too. Pam wearing those glasses was absolutely priceless. Oh, and I still find myself saying, way more than I should, "A stupid, idiotic numbskull named Andy Bernard sold his XTerra..." It might be my favorite talking head of all time, even surpassing the one Michael has at the beginning of "The Injury."
8. "Customer Survey" (November 6)
This is one of those simple but great episodes. It's consistently hilarious and yet still crushes your heart with that scene at the end. Jim and Dwight together is almost never wrong. I don't think Jim should be pranking so much nowadays - and I think the writers have indicated that - but the relationship between those two is just hilarious and awesome.
7. "Crime Aid" (October 23)
Minus the weak excuse to get Roy back, this episode was really great, mostly for the way it focused on Michael and Holly's relationship. Ugh, those two were meant to be. Plus, for those of us that like to whine about how we never saw JAM dating at the beginning, they work as a pretty darn good proxy. Oh, and Michael getting Pam a job at Corporate in NY was just adorable, I'm sorry. Like Dwight and Jim, those two have a great relationship.
6. "Business Trip" (November 13)
The A-plot was both hilarious and heartbreaking, as this show manages to do so often. Michael thinking that a concierge is like a geisha cracks me up. Jim and Pam made something good happen in the Parking Lot of Doom, and it was awesome... and I love how they resolved that plot after putting us through hell with it LOL. I do have to say, though, that what pushes this episode over the top for me is the Ryan/Kelly subplot. OH MY GOD, I COULDN'T STOP LAUGHING. I never really cared about those two except for their deleted scenes in "A Benihana Christmas," but that was like, the best and funniest they'd ever been. I hated Ryan SO MUCH in S4 (see #9 on this list, heh), but I LOVED him in S5. I hope he comes back just as funny.
5. "Goodbye Toby" (May 15)
No, I'm not crazy about the last seven or so minutes, either, but before that, the episode is great. Amy Ryan is frigging amazing and I'm sad she's gone but, well, you know, she's a busy lady and I'm sure she'll be back. Ryan getting caught on YouTube never stops being funny for some reason, but most importantly, this episode has the greatest B-plot ever, with Holly thinking Kevin is retarded. It's amazing. Also, I know everyone likes to kvetch about the not!proposal with JAM at the end, and well, who can blame 'em, but I think a lot of people forget that we got a ton of amazing JAM moments throughout the episode.
4. "Dinner Party" (April 10)
I kind of get the impression you either love this one or you hate it. While it doesn't really adhere to the Office formula, it's just an amazingly funny episode. The writing is awesome, and it's like a top... five? ten? Pam episode ever. Some people are right, this episode would have never taken place in S2. AND THAT'S NOT A BAD THING! That one night... you made everything alri-i-i-ght!
3. "The Surplus" (December 4)
I haven't laughed this much at an Office episode in a long, long, long, long, long time. And that's saying a lot, because it's The Office. Seriously, this episode was just fucking hysterical. This show knows how to do broad. Oh, I can hear the "I watched in S2 I'm so cool" people complaining from here, but whatevs.
2. "Chair Model" (April 17)
I'm sorry, this episode made me squee and squeal and cry like a girl like no other. I FELL OFF A CHAIR BECAUSE OF IT!!!! The entirety of the day after this was on I was like :D :D :D :D :D because I'm kind of pathetic like that. It helps that it's really funny too. I could rewatch this every day, I swear.
1. "Weight Loss" (September 25)
This episode is flawless. Top 5 ever. Yeah, me writing about this episode will just turn into a loon spewing praise every which way, so.
BTW, both "Stress Relief" and "Lecture Circuit, Part One" would be on here if they were 2008. I fully expect them to show up on the 2009 list, though hopefully there will be even better episodes. :D
