When The Office was removed from Netflix in 2021, fans were understandably frustrated. After all, the sitcom is, without a doubt, one of the funniest series in recent memory. With an iconic cast and top-notch jokes, marathoning the show is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Luckily, while it’s no longer available on Netflix, all nine seasons can be streamed on Peacock. And considering it’s the time of year when trick-or-treaters are roaming the streets, here’s a ranking of The Office’s funniest Halloween episodes to get you ready for the holiday.
Although Halloween is traditionally characterized as dark and macabre, who said the 31st has to always be scary? Watching The Office is the perfect way to celebrate without having to succumb to the eerier aspects of the pagan tradition. Throughout its nine-season run, the show has produced six Halloween episodes, and while it can be argued that every The Office episode is hilarious in its own right, holiday-themed episodes always hit different, especially because it gives Michael and the gang a reason to act even more ridiculous than usual. From costume contests to office parties, here’s a ranking of the most hilarious Halloween episodes from The Office.
1. Season 2, Episode 5, “Halloween”
In The Office’s first-ever Halloween episode, the scariest thing is not demons or ghosts, but workplace drama. Michael’s worst nightmare comes true when he has to fire somebody by the end of the day, hindering his desire to be loved by the entire staff. The episode also features the typical beef between Jim and Dwight, and teases Jim and Pam’s eventual romance. Despite being the very first Halloween episode, it gets the top spot as it manages to be a solid half-hour of comedy gold.
2. Season 8, Episode 5, “Spooked”
“Spooked” is the first Halloween episode without Steve Carell and it’s surprisingly funny, although Michael would’ve surely made it even better. Dwight steals the show in his hilarious costume as Kerrigan from Starcraft, Erin struggles to throw a mature enough office Halloween party to honor the holiday, and Pam and Jim get into an argument about the legitimacy of ghosts. But the most hilarious part of the episode? The awkward interactions between the employees and their new boss, Robert California, the former CEO of the company that bought Dunder Mifflin.
3. Season 7, Episode 6, “Costume Contest”
In “Costume Contest”, the entire office (minus Oscar) dresses to the nines in Halloween costumes as they all try to win the coveted prize: a coupon book worth $15,000 (in savings). But that’s not the only competition going on in the office. Michael feels threatened by Gabe after he approved one of Daryl’s business ideas that Michael initially passed on, which causes the regional manager to lash out in hilarious and inappropriate ways.
4. Season 5, Episode 6, “Employee Transfer”
“Employee Transfer” doesn’t really feel like a Halloween episode. If anything, it focuses more on Michael and Holly’s deteriorating romance as she relocates to a new city. Still, there are some fun costumes throughout the episode, like Kelly dressing up as Carrie Bradshaw and Pam as Charlie Chaplin. Also, Creed, Dwight, and Kevin all arrived at the office as Heath Ledger’s Joker. But the costume that received the most attention is without a doubt Dwight’s second costume, a Cornell sweater, which got a rise out of the actual alum, Andy.
5. Season 9, Episode 5, “Here Comes Treble”
The Office’s final Halloween episode is funny, yet mediocre compared to the others. When Andy brings in Cornell’s a capella group — the same group he was once part of years earlier — he desperately tries to fit in with the current members. Besides that, the episode features Jim and Pam in another one of their many arguments and Dwight on a mission to find out who in the office is taking anxiety medication.
6. Season 6, Episode 8, “Koi Pond”
If you were to watch “Koi Pond” now, you wouldn’t see the Halloween connection at all, which is why it’s at the end of this list. The crux of the episode focuses on Michael falling into a koi pond and, naturally, the entire office makes fun of him for it.
But when it first aired back in 2009, the cold opening featured the office transforming the warehouse into a haunted house for a group of kids. In the final moments, Michael pretends to hang himself and claims to have done it to spread awareness for suicide prevention. Clearly, NBC thought the joke was in poor taste, which is why the scene was eventually deleted from the episode, though you can still watch it here... if you dare.
