The Office: 10 Underrated Episodes to Celebrate 20th Anniversary of Series Premiere

It's been 20 years since The Office debuted its first of nine spectacular seasons on NBC, but for some fans, it's like it never left. The mega-popular sitcom, based on the U.K. comedy series of the same name, is still one of the most binge-able, quotable, and comforting watches out there, and every episode is available exclusively on Peacock. 

That means that every Office fan has their own opinions about which episodes are the greatest, and over time a certain general consensus has been reached regarding the favorite episodes the show has to offer. "Dinner Party" is a classic, of course, and Jim and Pam's wedding in the two-parter "Niagara" still brings out all the emotions. But this is not that list.

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No, this time, to celebrate The Office's 20th anniversary, we're not just talking about the most beloved episodes that top all the lists. We're talking instead about the episodes that sometimes land on the fringes of those lists, half-hours that might not rank among the most iconic the show ever did, but which still pack plenty of laughs, heart, and quotable moments into the mix.

Here are 10 of the most underrated episodes of The Office worth binging for its 20th anniversary.

Underrated Episodes of The Office to watch for the show's 20th Anniversary

"Launch Party" (Season 4, Episode 5 and 6)

The fourth season of The Office kicked off with a series of two-parters, including classics like "Fun Run" and "Money." Chronicling what happens as Ryan's Dunder Mifflin Infinity site goes live with a New York launch party, "Launch Party" chronicles Michael's anger at being shunned by his former protegee, while Dwight is determined to beat the new online sales system in order to impress Angela and win her back. It's all a mess, but a very funny mess, and it culminates in Michael and Dwight holding a pizza delivery guy hostage over a coupon. 

"Local Ad" (Season 4, Episode 9)

Season 4 of The Office is arguably its strongest ever, so crowded with classics that other very good episodes often get boxed out. "Local Ad" comes right after the amazing "Money" two-parter, and focuses on Michael's quest to craft the perfect commercial for Dunder Mifflin Scranton, getting everyone involved in the process. There's other stuff going on as well, including Jim spying on Dwight's Second Life avatar, who's so advanced he can fly, but the emotional punch of Michael actually getting to see his work pay off, if only for his coworkers, is something special. 

"Branch Wars" (Season 4, Episode 10)

Karen is set up at Dunder Mifflin Utica, and offers Stanley a pay bump to poach him from Scranton. So, while Pam, Toby, and Oscar enjoy the "Finer Things Club" back at the office, Jim babysits Dwight and Michael as they stage a "panty raid" on the Utica branch. It's a lot of work for everyone to end up basically back where they started, but it's worth it for the hilarious fake mustaches, weird schemes, and Dwight trying to pee in a can while riding in the back of a car. 

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"Prince Family Paper" (Season 5, Episode 13)

Here's an episode that quite literally falls between the cracks, as it's nestled in the middle of two recognized classics, with "The Duel" airing right before, and "Stress Relief" airing right after. But "Prince Family Paper" is still a wonderful dose of comedy, as Michael and Dwight head out to spy on a family-owned paper business in the area, and the rest of the office devotes all their time to a very important debate about the hotness of Hilary Swank. 

"Golden Ticket" (Season 5, Episode 19)

One of the show's numerous Michael vs. Dwight squabbling episodes, "Golden Ticket" begins when Michael dreams up a Willy Wonka-themed coupon promotion, which promptly blows up in his face. Michael's efforts to pass blame, then retake credit when the plan actually gets a positive response, lead to chaos in the office, and one of our favorite Michael Scott lines: "I have a lot of toilet ideas." Meanwhile, we also get a very sweet moment in which Kevin finally catches a romantic break. 

"Dream Team" (Season 5, Episode 22)

After officially severing ties with Dunder Mifflin, Michael and Pam head off for their first day of work as "The Michael Scott Paper Company," but Michael has jitters and Pam is quickly losing confidence in her boss's ability to recruit new salespeople and investors. Meanwhile, Jim tries to impress new boss Charles (guest star Idris Elba), and makes a big mistake during a game of parking lot soccer. The Michael Scott Paper Company saga gets funnier as it goes, but there's something undeniably sweet (and funny) about the humble beginnings, when Michael and Pam have to lean on each other to get anything done.  

"Casual Friday" (Season 5, Episode 26)

The epilogue to the Michael Scott Paper Company saga sees Michael, Pam, and Ryan return to the office, where tensions rise as Pam and Ryan try to make it as salesmen and Michael tries to rally the troops. When this episode comes up, it's usually to discuss the legendary cold open in which Kevin brings in a pot of chili, then spills it all over the floor, but the rest of the episode is worth remembering a little more clearly. It's a great piece of storytelling as the office's dynamics are shifted and realigned, and of course, it's got the great moments when Daryl has tell Michael to stop building forts in his warehouse.

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"Cafe Disco" (Season 5, Episode 27)

Yes, another Season 5 episode, but that's because the season is so crowded with essential, classic episodes that it's easy to forget that even the more low-key half-hours are delightful. If "Casual Friday" is the dramatic shift in the dynamic of the office, then "Cafe Disco" is the episode where everyone starts to come back together. Michael tries to set up a dance party in the downstairs closet where his paper company was set up, and has trouble convincing everyone to join in until Kelly and Erin make it their own. What follows is a strange bonding experience for Phyllis and Dwight, a dance-off between Kelly and Andy, and of course, Jim and Pam's decision to skip their planned elopement and invite their coworkers to their wedding after all. A silly episode, but one full of heart.

"Koi Pond" (Season 6, Episode 8)

Another entry in the "Michael Did Something Funny" subgenre of Office episodes, the basic setup of "Koi Pond" is pretty simple: Michael... well, he falls in a Koi Pond, and everyone laughs at him for it... until the surveillance video reveals a certain deficiency in Jim's behavior. Meanwhile, Andy and Pam go on sales calls together, and pretend to be a couple for the sake of winning clients. It's a great character piece for the key four players, and a wonderful reminder that, for all his bumbling weirdness, Michael Scott actually has a lot to offer.

"Sabre" (Season 6, Episode 15)

Midway through Season 6, The Office got a shake-up in the form of a new parent company, the Florida-based printer manufacturer Sabre. It's one of those shifts that changed the dynamic quite a bit, but the introduction of this idea is delightful. It begins with Michael's inability to pronounce the company name, which then leads Andy and Erin to sing a whole parody song about "Sah-bray." Meanwhile, Jim and Pam have an awkward interview at a daycare for their daughter, and Michael is so distraught by Sabre's new way of doing things that he heads out to see David Wallace, who's having a bit of a breakdown even as he tries to launch a new product, the "Suck It." Whether it's the "Dunder Mifflin's Now a Party of Sah-bray" song or the "Suck It" jingle, you're going to have one stuck in your head by the end. 

Every season of The Office is now streaming on Peacock, along with the extended cut SuperFan episodes.