How do you take a paper company operating out of central Pennsylvania and turn that into the premise for one of the best sitcoms of the last decade? By placing an eccentric ensemble cast of characters into absurd situations, of course.
The Office had its fair share of hilarious (and often cringeworthy) moments thanks to Michael Scott’s lackluster management style and Dwight Schrute’s nonsensical approach to his work-life. But sometimes, the employees at Dunder Mifflin get themselves into scenarios that can only be described as watching a fever dream play out on-screen.
Will Stanley Notice?
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It’s not that Stanley doesn’t notice the pranks, drama, and borderline harassment going on around him at Dunder Mifflin — he just doesn’t care enough to pay attention. That’s why in the season 7 episode “Costume Contest,” everyone at the office teamed up to see just how much Stanley interacts with his surroundings.
Upon drinking orange juice without realizing it’s not his coffee, Jim rounds up the team for a series of unsettling and ridiculous pranks. Kevin impersonates Phyllis and her wardrobe, Andy dresses in nothing but a tie, and Pam sports an outrageously large mustache. This may not strike Stanley at all, who only seems to care about when the clock strikes 5 p.m., but it’s one of the strangest pranks executed by Jim and the team throughout The Office.
Michael Submerges a Car
In another instance of Michael’s poor decision-making, he drives a rental car into the nearby Scranton Lake. With Dwight in the passenger seat beside him, Michael pretends to misread the GPS system to prove the point of new technology’s uselessness.
Fans took to Reddit to discuss how the sunken car scene played out. There was speculation that the car was a skeleton (stripped of its parts, engine, and tank) but was, in fact, a real car. Imagine sinking a car into the water just to prove a point? Though with Michael, that’s very plausible.
Kevin Spills The Chili
Though it has nothing to do with the rest of the episode, Kevin spilling his chili in “Casual Friday” — one of the best Office episodes ever — is any iconic scene. The joy he conveys bringing his pot of chili into the office followed by his complete distress over spilling it remains a defining moment for the character.
It’s simple slapstick comedy as Kevin attempts to clean up the mess with a clipboard and paper found on a nearby desk. Alas, Dunder Mifflin never gets to try the “Malone recipe passed down for generations,” and Kevin collapses into the spill in defeat.
Diversity Day Training
Michael told Pam to “stir the pot” when it comes to diversity training, but the only thing this episode stirred was audiences' emotions. “Diversity Day” goes down in The Office history as one of the more controversial episodes — as it’s meant to be.
But addressing racism on the corporate level instead turns into a series of offensive behavior, stereotyping, and problematic situations. Playing the “race card” and faking accents? This episode truly felt like a fever dream.
Creed’s Cult Past
Anything that comes out of Creed’s mouth should not come as a surprise. He has definitely been arrested before, shown up bloody to Halloween at the office, and is a prime suspect for being the Scranton Strangler.
But every so often, Dunder Mifflin’s quality assurance manager remarks upon his past life in a way that leaves audiences wondering just who this man is. After admitting to the cameras that he’s been involved in cults before, Creed goes on to provide quality advice: “You have more fun as a follower, but you make more money as a leader.”
CPR Training
Whoever decided that the employees of Dunder Mifflin should undergo CPR training clearly underestimated the group’s inability to take matters seriously. First, Michael fails to practice on a mannequin with no arms or legs for an extremely offensive reason. If that isn’t bad enough, Andy proceeds to take the chorus of “Stayin’ Alive” — meant to measure chest compressions — and turns the room into his personal concert hall with Kelly merrily dancing along.
But it’s Dwight’s sinister, Silence of the Lambs-inspired mutilation of the CPR dummy that struck audiences the most. To be fair, he was only trying to harvest the dummy’s organs for donation after Michael “killed” it. This scene is less of a fever dream and more of a fever nightmare.
Identity Theft Is Not a Joke
Doesn’t Jim know that identity theft is not a joke? Usually, his pranks on Dwight are simply schoolyard bullying. But in “Product Recall,” Jim takes things to a psychological level that leaves audiences wondering if they are seeing double.
To Dwight’s surprise, Jim shows up at the office dressed in Dwight’s signature yellow button-down shirt, wristwatch, and aviators. The only thing that can make Dunder Mifflin a stranger work environment is having two Dwights around.
Meredith Goes Topless
Every workplace has someone whose private life infiltrates a work environment and makes things uncomfortable for everyone. For Dunder Mifflin, that’s Meredith Palmer, an accountant who is an HR nightmare.
Meredith is known for showing up drunk to work and sleeping with coworkers. After having too many drinks in “Christmas Party,” she flashes Michael in his office. If that’s not uncomfortable enough, Michael pulls out a camera and takes a quick picture, making the scene more upsetting than it is comedic.
The Dinner Party
To be fair, the entire “Dinner Party” episode is a fever dream. But it’s the tumultuous dynamic between hosts Michael and Jan that makes the party so difficult (and entertaining) to watch. The arguing between them starts out small, as Jan yells at Michael for not cleaning up the house.
Things escalate quickly and soon the guests have to listen to their hosts bicker over past lovers, vasectomies, and unwanted decor. The episode culminates with that infamous fight over a $200 "plasma TV." The cops are eventually called in, and audiences are left to dissect every single scene.
Dwight Leads a Fire Drill
Dwight leads the office into believing there is a fire emergency. In the process, he seals the exit doors, cuts the phone lines, and actually starts a small fire in a trash can. Stanley even collapses on the floor from an apparent heart attack.
Naturally, the Dunder Mifflin team does not know how to react in an emergency. Instead of behaving rationally, they smash open windows, throw office items at the doors, and crawl through the ceiling in an attempt to escape. There’s a reason why “Stress Relief” is one of the most beloved Office episodes — it's like watching a train wreck play out on-screen.