One of the greatest and most popular comedies of all-time, The Office, took a great deal of time to arrive at the point where it was beloved. Many claim season 2 was the show’s peak, but there are also some who would make the case that season 3 was really when it hit its stride.
From some of the funniest episodes to some of the most moving emotional arcs, season three encapsulates what The Office is all about. Pam comes into her own, Andy is introduced, and the main cast’s ambition is palpable throughout. Season 3 is one of the best television seasons ever and IMDB has rankings for all of its episodes. These are the top 10.
“Women’s Appreciation” - 8.8
“Women’s Appreciation” is one of the best episodes for viewers who are looking for a solid entry point into the series.
It really communicates the traits of each character well, as the women of Dunder Mifflin help Michael work up the courage to end his relationship with Jan. The Wizard of Oz-esque coda, where Michael Scott (Steve Carell) wishes Angela had a heart and Kelly had a brain has stood the test of time as one of the best episode-closing monologues from Michael in the history of the show.
“Product Recall” - 8.8
“Product Recall,” against all odds, is one of the sweeter episodes of the show. It is centered around the revelation that Andy is dating a high school student and the news that an obscene watermark is on Dunder Mifflin’s paper, but still, it ends with a melodious rendition of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” from Jim and Andy, showing that the office workers really care for each other.
Not only does this episode also see Jim impersonating Dwight and saying, “Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.” It also features one of the best Creed subplots, where he saves his own job by putting the watermark blame on someone else.
“Safety Training” - 8.8
“Depression? Isn’t that just a fancy word for feeling ‘bummed out?’” asks Dwight Schrute in “Safety Training.” “Dwight, you ignorant slut!” Michael responds from the top of the roof. This is one of the show’s best moments and it comes from this episode (directed by Harold Ramis), which sees Michael attempting to prove that the white-collar side of Dunder Mifflin is just as dangerous as the blue-collar.
It also features the excellent “shunning” storyline between Andy and Dwight, which lasts for approximately ten seconds. Dwight can’t commit to shunning, just as Michael can’t commit to jumping from the roof onto a bouncy castle.
“The Return” - 8.8
“The Return” is another 8.8-rated episode on the list, which just goes to show how consistently great the season was as a whole. It just had slightly fewer ratings than the top-ranking 8.8 episode on the list. This episode sees the audience’s willingness to tolerate Andy Bernard pushed to its limits as he becomes extremely annoying and overbearing. But, at the very least, it results in Michael seeking out Dwight, who has left Dunder Mifflin for Staples.
It shows that the bond between Michael and Dwight is strong and full of love and respect, even if the former doesn’t always show it.
“A Benihana Christmas” - 8.8
As one of the show’s Christmas episodes, “A Benihana Christmas” absolutely deserves to be considered on all best episodes of The Office lists, let alone the rankings for season 3. It makes for a great tradition every year, as two classic stories unfold simultaneously.
Jim and Michael ruminate on romantic flings and how they are left with the desire for the women they miss in their lives. This, of course, comes after Michael misguidedly tries to woo a waitress from Benihana, desperate for any sort of human connection to cure his loneliness.
“Business School” - 8.9
“Business School” is a great episode for showing off the ethos that The Office could present. The focal point of the episode sees Michael, invited to Ryan’s business school seminar, realizing that Ryan only wants to deride Dunder Mifflin, rather than celebrate it. Over the course of the show, Ryan is shown to be ruthless and borderline-uncaring about the world around him, but there is a real pain in B.J. Novak’s eyes when he realizes he has hurt the feelings of his happy-go-lucky boss. Couple that with Michael being the only one to go to Pam’s art show and it’s a really emotional episode.
But also, Jim convinces Dwight that he’s been turned into a vampire, so, you know, there’s still hijinks, too.
“The Negotiation” - 9.0
The titular negotiation in this episode comes when Michael and Darryl both venture to Dunder Mifflin’s corporate headquarters to ask for raises. But there’s a strong chance that this episode is rated so highly because of the other story going on: Jim attempting to repay Dwight after his deskmate saved him from being assaulted by an enranged Roy, Pam’s ex-fiancee.
The opening moments of the show see one of the most unexpected Office scenes when Roy charges Jim, only to be pepper-sprayed by Dwight. It is harrowing, but a solid reminder of the eventual friendship between Jim and Dwight.
“Gay Witch Hunt” - 9.0
“Gay Witch Hunt” is the season premiere of the third season of The Office. It is at its most iconic during the scene where Michael kisses Oscar to prove that he regrets his earlier homophobic comments.
The scene, which was improvised by Steve Carell, is often included in montages of the show’s best moments, and it represents one of the biggest reasons why the Emmy denial of Carell for this show is still a massive travesty.
“Beach Games” - 9.1
“Beach Games” has a solid argument that it’s one of the show’s best episodes ever, let alone just the runner-up for season 3’s cream of the crop. As the penultimate installment, “Beach Games” sees Michael putting the selection of his replacement to the fates. It will be decided by a series of athletic competitions.
It’s such a classic Michael move, honestly. But the episode features Pam’s self-actualization and true moment of confidence after she walks across literal hot coals. It also contains the hilarious sumo fighting scene, which ends up depositing Andy into the lake for the rest of the day.
“The Job” - 9.3
“The Job” is the season finale of the third arc of The Office, and it definitely deserves its sky-high rating. It contains what might be the best moment in the entire show: when Jim rushes back from his job interview in New York to ask Pam out on a date. Jenna Fischer’s smile in that scene is some of the greatest acting ever put to screen. It is so infectiously happy.
“The Job” also had the jaw-dropping moment in the episode’s coda when it was revealed that Ryan got the job, and would be the boss of the people he used to temp for. Viewers could not wait for season four after that revelation.
