It may no longer be accessible on Netflix, but The Office remains an enduring favorite among fans of the quirky mockumentary sitcom. Millions of viewers around the world can quote nearly episode from start to finish thanks to years spent watching and re-watching every season.
The series has been off the air for more than eight years now, but that hasn’t stopped fans old and new from eating up every hilarious episode. Many have seen the series enough times to develop a list of favorite episodes from each season. The Office created numerous iconic episodes during its nine-season run, and its Halloween offerings are no exception. Some of the show’s most memorable moments come from its seasonal episodes, and nearly a decade after its last episode aired, Halloween parties around the nation still feature three-hole punch Jim and Gabe’s delightful take on Lady Gaga, without fail.
Each one of the series’ six Halloween episodes is a delight in its own right, but some are simply more bingeable than others. Here is every Halloween episode of The Office, ranked from worst to best.
6. “Koi Pond” — (season 6, episode 8)
This episode only lands at the bottom of our list due to its loose connection to Halloween. The only part of the episode that actually acknowledges the holiday is the cold open, which has since been cut from nearly every accessible run of the episode. It can’t be seen on streaming services or any recent DVD releases, but there was once an amusing ⏤ albeit less than tasteful ⏤ spooky-themed addition to the episode.
In the original cold open, Darryl walks a group of children through the warehouse, which Michael has transformed into a haunted house. It features some great costumes from the cast, including Erin dressed as Fiona from Shrek, Creed dressed as a blood-selling vampire, and Jim lazily dressed as Facebook by simply writing “book” across his face. Michael’s big reveal as a victim of suicide is likely the reason this episode is now hard to find, but it will forever exist in the memories of longtime fans.
5. “Here Comes Treble” — (season 9, episode 5)
The Office’s final season received a shaky response from fans, many of whom took issue with its attempt to insert drama into Jim and Pam’s long-standing relationship. They found this plotline frustrating and accused it of leeching much of the humor away from the series. Despite this, the season received generally good reviews overall and contains one of the series’ far-too-rare Halloween-themed episodes.
“Here Comes Treble” sees Andy invite his old Cornell a cappella group to perform, only to be predictably affronted when they celebrate an old rival, Broccoli Rob, over him. Add to the mix several noteworthy plot moments and a few incredible costumes, like Nellie’s brilliant Toby get-up, and this episode remains a strong entry in the series.
4. “Spooked” — (season 8, episode 5)
Despite featuring one of Dwight’s all-time best costumes, this season 8 episode of The Office falls slightly lower on many fans’ lists than some of its peers. This is primarily due to the lack of Michael Scott, an absence which many felt tarnished the show’s overall humor and execution.
Still, “Spooked” is an excellent episode with some truly memorable highlights. Dwight’s aforementioned costume of Sarah Kerrigan from Starcraft is genuinely impressive, and the rest of the staff’s reaction to it delivers some classic laughs, as does Ryan’s take on Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. Robert California’s odd, creepy attempt at dark humor doesn’t quite strike the chord it intended to, however, leaving the episode to end on a sour, and somewhat baffling, note.
3. “Employee Transfer” — (season 5, episode 5)
This season 5 episode remains one of The Office’s best, thanks in large part to its position nestled in one of the most popular seasons of the series. It also features several delightfully relevant jokes, like half of the office dressing up as Heath Ledger’s Joker from The Dark Knight.
The only reason this episode doesn’t land higher on this list is due to its far-too-brief fixation on the actual holiday. The Halloween aspects of the episode only exist in the cold open, which means that fans only get the barest taste of all the hilarity it throws out in those brief scenes. Still, it manages to pack in three separate Jokers, Pam’s accidental bust as Charlie Chaplin, and Andy’s delightfully awkward “kitten” getup.
2. “Costume Contest” — (season 7, episode 6)
As one of The Office’s only full-length Halloween episodes, season 7’s entry into the holiday-themed mix is utterly delightful. It packs a lot into its brief runtime, thanks to the entire office’s participating in a costume contest with an immensely popular prize: a coupon book that boasts $15,000 of savings.
This episode sports some of the series’ most memorable costumes. Gabe’s Lady Gaga continues to grace Halloween parties to this day, as does one of Jim’s only attempts at actually dressing up. Kelly’s Snookie nearly takes the cake, but it’s impossible to choose between her stellar costume and Dwight’s take on the Scranton Strangler, or Kevin’s excellent Michael Moore. Best of all, as dictated by the award granted at the end of the episode, is Oscar’s plain and cynical “rational consumer.”
1. “Halloween” — (season 2, episode 5)
Nearly every fan of The Office agrees that its very best Halloween episode was in its second season. Aptly titled “Halloween,” the episode puts Michael in the difficult position of determining which employee to fire before the day comes to an end while sporting a second head, crafted out of paper mache, on his shoulder.
There are too many great moments in this episode to choose between. Creed’s stellar, job-saving argument is unforgettable, but does it top Michael’s hilarious dialogue with his second head, which he pretends is attempting to convince him to fire Dwight, or Dwight’s excellent Sith Lord moments as he works to manipulate Michael into firing his chosen employee? It’s too hard to decide, so we’ll just have to chalk the whole episode up as a massive win for The Office‘s cast and crew.
You can catch the entire run of The Office on streaming with a subscription to Peacock.