“The Office” is my favorite show of all time. I love the cringey humor, the “mockumentary” format, and the characters and their relationships. I’ve watched every single episode countless times and the theme song always makes me smile. However, every fan of “The Office” knows that some seasons are definitely better than others. So, here’s a ranking of all nine seasons of “The Office” from a die-hard fan!
- Ninth Place – Season One
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I think we all knew that season one wasn’t going to make it very high on this list, mostly because it’s the shortest of all nine seasons. It gave us a couple iconic scenes, like Kelly slapping Michael in the “Diversity Day” episode and Jim taking on Roy in “Basketball,” but at the end of the day, the characters are my favorite part of “The Office” and season one just doesn’t do it for me. We get an introduction to the Jim and Pam arc, which is great, but Michael is the worst in this season and we don’t get to learn much about the other office workers.
- Eighth Place – Season Eight
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Season eight: the first full season without Michael. I still really like this season, and we have quite a few new characters — Nellie, Robert, Val, and Cathy — that are involved in central plots. I personally prefer the show with just the original cast members, and while the Florida plot can be funny, it isn’t my favorite. Andy is the regional manager for most of the season, and I think he does a good job considering the big shoes Michael left for him to fill, but I’m just not super invested in his relationship with Erin.
- Seventh Place – Season Five
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Season five was definitely a hard one to rank. There are for sure some iconic episodes, like “Stress Relief Part 1 and 2” and “Company Picnic,” but there are a few parts I don’t love. Holly and Michael having to be separated is such a bummer, even though it works out in the end. I’m also not a huge fan of Charles Miner and the whole Michael Scott Paper Company plot. The last straw for me is when Andy and Dwight leave Angela — Dwight and Angela are my favorite couple on the show, so while I am glad she isn’t with Andy anymore, she isn’t with Dwight, either.
- Sixth Place – Season Nine
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I really like how the show ended in season nine, but I think the characters sometimes become caricatures of themselves, and the realism that makes “The Office” so good gets a little lost. I do like that they showed the strain that Jim’s new job put on his relationship with Pam, and the hug they have in “Paper Airplane” always makes me tear up. I also really like Erin and Pete together. There are some great friendships this season, and I especially love Oscar and Angela’s relationship. I think the last episode is really well done with a bittersweet end to an excellent show.
- Fifth Place – Season Six
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Season six is solid, but I definitely like the first half better than the second half. I loved Jim and Pam’s wedding — I always love seeing characters outside of the office — and it was so satisfying after five seasons of buildup. There are some really funny episodes in season six — “Gossip,” “Koi Pond,” and “Murder” are my favorites — plus the cringe-fest that is “Scott’s Tots.” However, there’s a lot of focus on Andy and Erin’s relationship, which isn’t my favorite plot. Dunder Mifflin is also bought by Sabre, which feels like the beginning of the end of the show’s original vibe.
- Fourth Place – Season Seven
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Season seven: Michael’s final season. His last episode always gets me, especially when Pam finds him at the airport. I love that Michael and Holly finally ended up together, plus “Threat Level Midnight” is an instant classic. Angela’s relationship with the senator starts this season, and though I’m a die-hard fan of Dwight and Angela, Angela and Robert’s relationship is super entertaining. Some of my all time favorite pranks happen this season, too. Jim tricking Gabe into reading Jo’s entire book and getting Dwight to grow magic beans is pretty awesome.
- Third Place – Season Three
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And starting our top three, we have season three! This season is full of Michael’s crazy antics — sometimes he gets unbearable — but it’s still hilarious. I also really like the Jim-Pam-Karen plot; instead of Jim pining after Pam, it’s the other way around. I think Karen is a great addition to the office — even though I’m rooting for Jim and Pam all the way. Three of my all-time favorite episodes — “Ben Franklin,” “Women’s Appreciation,” and “Beach Games” — are in this season, and it ends with Jim asking Pam to dinner, one of my favorite scenes from the whole show!
- Second Place – Season Two
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In second place is season two! I think this is such a well-rounded season with equal parts comedy, character development, and an entertaining plot. A lot of background characters are developed more in season two, and we find out about Dwight and Angela’s secret relationship, which we all know I’m a fan of by now. While Jan and Michael are a horrible match, their trainwreck of a relationship is so entertaining! We also get to see more of Jim’s feelings for Pam, and Jim telling Pam how he feels in “Casino Night” is the perfect cliffhanger to end on.
- First Place – Season Four
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And the winner is…season four! Jim and Pam are finally together, and I love seeing them happy after three seasons of wrong timing. Michael and Jan’s relationship crashes and burns in the masterpiece that is “Dinner Party,” my favorite episode of all time. Michael ends the season by meeting Holly, and knowing that they end up together makes their meeting extra special. The Sprinkles incident between Dwight and Angela ends their relationship — for a little bit — but they get through it. The comedy and character relationships in this season are just the best!
And there you have it — a ranking of all nine seasons of “The Office” from a true fan. I won’t lie, it was tough to put some of these seasons in order! I love the whole show, even if some seasons and episodes are admittedly better than others. You need all nine seasons to tell the whole story, and this story is definitely near and dear to my heart. I hope this made you reminisce about your favorite parts of “The Office,” and maybe you even want to rewatch it. Go ahead, you deserve it!
