Have your friends recommended The Office, but you're overwhelmed by the sheer number of episodes? Do you want to know why the show is popular, but don’t have the time to watch it from start to finish?

We're here to help with “10 Essential Episodes”, our guides to getting the essence of beloved TV shows without committing to every single episode.

We laughed, we cried, we cringed.

20 years ago, the American adaptation of The Office made its debut, and it's been gaining fans ever since. Despite its slow start, The Office became a mega-hit for NBC by the middle of its run, and has found renewed success many times over on streamers.

If you've never seen it, you're probably sick of hearing about it. You surely have someone in your life telling you to watch it. Maybe you've got a coworker who keeps comparing your boss to Michael Scott. Maybe you see dating app bios of "Pams looking for their Jims". Maybe you've been called the Nard Dog.

Why haven't you broke down and watched it already? That's not for us to judge. Your time is precious, and maybe you just don't want to spend it on 74 hours and 28 minutes of The Office.

Regardless of your reason, if you want to understand what The Office is all about, these are the ten episodes to watch:

The 10 Episodes of The Office

1. Diversity Day

In what will become a long-running theme, this is the first time Michael takes it upon himself to solve some of the world's biggest problems. Namely, racism. It's also the first time the writers of The Office get to show what they're doing, since the pilot was a shot-for-shot remake of the British version.

If you love it: Check out similar episodes like The Injury, Fun Run, and

If you hate it: While this kind of comedy does get featured a lot throughout the show, the edges are a little less sanded down here. Try a later episode and see if you can stomach it.

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2. The Dundies

The Office comes out swinging in its sophomore season premiere, bringing the workers out of the office for an awards night at Chili's. A lot is established here, Dundies lore, tensions with Michael's manager Jan, and some of the first examples of everyone being a softy for Michael.

Plus, it's some time away from Dunder Mifflin for Jim and Pam, for the first time in the series.

If you love it: Check out similar episodes like Michael's Last Dundies and Beach Day.

If you hate it: Take solace in the fact that Chili's had to tell people it wasn't closing down.

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3. The Client

Another pivotal one from Season 2. Jan and Michael go on an important sales call together, while the rest of the office does a table reading of his screenplay.

So much plot movement and Office lore is added here – Jan & Michael's hookup and Threat Level Midnight are the big ones. Most importantly, though, we see Michael's sales competency for the first time. It's important, because otherwise how did a guy like this ever become the boss? 

‍If you love it: Check out the culmination of Michael's movie in Threat Level Midnight, or other times he shows his sales expertise like The Convention.

If you hate it: This show probably isn't for you.

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4. Casino Night

The Scranton branch continues its out-of-office activities with an evening fundraiser in the warehouse – where Michael and Pam both have to make big choices. This one might not be in a top 10 or 15 of the best office episodes, but it is very notable for how it moves the overall story forward. After this, things change in a big way, including (spoiler alert) Jim leaving the office.

If you love it: Check out other big Jim/Pam episodes like Weight Loss, Niagara and The Delivery.

If you hate it: I kind of don't blame you. Sometimes the real emotional stakes of the Jam scenes can seem like a different show. Plus, it is often those scenes that kind of go outside the realm of where the cameras are in real life.

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5. Branch Closing

Full disclosure, my wife and I played an unspoken game where we put this episode on every single day for 6 months straight. It was always "What should we watch?" from one person, while the other would silently go this episode and hit play.

Worlds are about to collide as Scranton gets the news that it is being shuttered, and Jim finds out he is promoted. Downsizing has been a looming threat since the first episode of the series, so to finally get the hammer dropped is a big deal. Plus, we've been introduced to some great new characters that have one excuse to stick around.

If you love it: Check out the very next episode, The Merger, for what happens next.

If you hate it: Maybe you're not into the new characters from the Stamford branch. That's fine. Most of them fall away over time. Some take longer than others.

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6. The Job

Michael, Jim, Karen and others interview for a job at corporate. At least one person will be leaving the office, getting hired to a position above Michael's.

I'd like to remind everyone that this list is a 10 episode primer to the gist of the office. A top 10 best episodes or funniest episodes wouldn't include The Job, but it changes the dynamic of the show forever.

If you love it: Check out similar big transitional episodes like Goodbye Toby, Dwight K. Shrute (Acting) Manager, and all of Season 8.

If you hate it: Hang on for Season 4, which deals with the repercussions of this finale it's nearly every episode of an all-banger season.

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7. Dinner Party

Perhaps the best episode of the series, The Office plays small-ball with a tight line up of 4 couples. This is the only time the show spends so much time with a smaller ensemble, and the outcome is undeniable. Even the bloopers speak for themselves.

Unlike a lot of these episodes, not much plot is moved along here. But if you're looking for what makes the show funny, you've found it.

If you love it: Check out other hugely funny episodes like Survivor Man, Stress Relief and Murder.

If you hate it: You should probably check out one of our other guides, to a different show.

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8. Scott's Tots

Here it is, one of the most infamous episodes of all time – maybe not just of The Office, but of all shows.

This episode drives the cringe-com up to 11 with Michael forced to confront a promise he made to a group of schoolchildren years ago: that he will pay for their college if they graduate.

This is partly more of a dare than a recommendation. But if you want to understand the cultural relevance of The Office, diving into the essence of its cringe is important. And Steve Carrell (wildly Emmy-less in the role) makes it possible.

If you love it: Congratulations

If you hate it: You're among friends. This is often mentioned as one that fans skip on rewatch. But you have to see it once.

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9. Goodbye, Michael

After 7 seasons, Steve Carell (and Michael Scott) leave The Office. It's a send-off that bids farewell to a character we love, an incredible actor, and an era of the show.

The Office will continue for two more seasons, with some highs and some lows. But this is a finale of a sort. And it helps that it includes a version of "that's what she said" that I've often wondered if they had planned for a few seasons.

If you love it: What's wrong with you?

If you hate it: If it's because of the implications, I'm with you. Call it a night and start back at Season 1.

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10. Finale

Sure, we skipped two full seasons. But if you're making a 10 episode list out of a 9 episode show, especially one with such a bop of a season 2, you're going to miss a few full years.

If you really were just following along with this list, you might be confused about some of the characters that have popped up between Goodbye, Michael and here. Don't worry about them too much, the show didn't either.

Despite mixed reviews of Season 8 and 9, they manage to do a pretty good job sticking the landing. Everyone gets a chance to shine in at least one talking head, there are some return guests, a flash-forward, and even a Creed serenade. It's hard to make a finale, most aren't as good as this. That should matter.

If you love it: Go back to Season 1 and watch everything you missed!

If you hate it: Why did you read this full guide?