While everyone else in the office enjoys the spooky Halloween festivities and talks about the staff's costumes, Michael ponders who he should fire when the threat of downsizing becomes a reality and his boss orders him to fire one of his staff. Meanwhile, Jim and Pam put Dwight's resume on job-searching websites, which may make Michael's job a little easier, and Pam encourages Jim to set his goals higher by applying for a better job, which makes Jim consider his friendship with Pam.
WAR
38.2
Wins Above Replacement
“Halloween” ranks #116 of 183 The Office episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 76.1 — Great. The episode packs 51 scored jokes at 2.7 per minute, averaging 6.8 on craft and 6.7 on impact, with Michael landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Creed: Yeah, I went hunting once. Shot the deer in the leg. Had to kill it with a shovel. Took about an hour.
Creed Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim · Michael: Out of loyalty to this company... Oh, you idiot.
Jim: I'm a three-hole punch version of Jim. 'Cause he can have me either way. Plain white Jim, or three-hole punch.
Jim Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Jim: A doglike obedience to authority.
Jim Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight · Stanley: Stanley, could you come with me, please. No.
All Jokes — 51 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Michael: It's the end of the month, and I was supposed to let somebody go by the end of the month. And somehow I'm supposed to put on a costume and smile.
Michael: If you were getting fired, how would you wanna be told so that you could still be friends with the person firing you?
Michael Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael: Wish I could fire Sherri. Hey, I'm still here.
Michael: These are people's lives you're talking about.
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Michael · Pam: Why did you put it off until Halloween? Because it's very scary stuff.
Michael · Pam: So it's a man? No. Or a woman. A human life.
Michael: And sometimes you just let it go to voice mail.
Michael Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim: I'm a three-hole punch version of Jim. 'Cause he can have me either way. Plain white Jim, or three-hole punch.
Jim Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Dwight: Three round pieces of paper taped to his shirt. This cost me $129.
Dwight Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Dwight Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Todd Packer · character in costume: Bet you wish you wore a dress every day. What are you implying?
Michael · Oscar: I'm gonna need you to find 50 grand in the numbers. But we don't keep two cents... Just, you know, find it.
Michael: Pretend that your jobs depend on it.
Michael Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Michael · Kelly: Soccer ball and cleats. Why is that? Bend It Like Beckham.
Kelly · Jim: Well, I don't really have two heads, so. Wait, what are you again? Oh, right. Three-hole punch!
Kelly Jim Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Callback Jim: A doglike obedience to authority.
Jim Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim: We're really interested most in jobs that take Dwight out of state. Um, preferably Alaska. Or India.
Jim Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim: He's a gun nut. Sticks to his guns.
Jim Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Dwight · Michael: Jim, definitely. No, Jim brings in money.
Michael: Although it does make sense to fire the least popular, because it has the least effect on morale.
Michael Dark/Subversive Absurdist ★ Rewatch Michael · Dwight: You're right. I didn't even think of him. No, Michael. Yeah, that's actually a really good idea.
Dwight: Tell him not Dwight. I'm not saying that's what he said. Tell him to stop. Quiet you. Make him be quiet.
Dwight Physical/Slapstick Cringe/Discomfort Angela · Pam: I made brownies. And I made cookies. Same category.
Angela Pam Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Jim · Pam: I'm guessing Angela's the one in the neighborhood who gives the trick-or-treaters some toothbrushes. Pennies. Walnuts.
Jim Pam Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Michael: Yes, I am regional manager of this orifice.
Michael Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Michael: You hire Dwight K. Schrute, and he does not meet, nay, exceed every one of your wildest expectations, well, then you can hold me, Michael Gary Scott, personally and financially responsible.
Michael Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Dwight · Stanley: Stanley, could you come with me, please. No.
Dwight · Stanley: You're fired. Get your fingers off my phone.
Dwight: Oh, excuse me. I know about a billion Asians that would beg to differ.
Dwight Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Dwight: Well, you know what? You can go to hell too. And I will see you there... burning.
Dwight Escalation Character Comedy Pam · Jim: It's in Maryland. Yeah. But, I mean, look at the salary.
Pam Jim Reaction Beat Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim · Michael: Out of loyalty to this company... Oh, you idiot.
Michael · Jim: If you left, I wouldn't have to fire anybody. But then you wouldn't have me here. Big deal.
Michael Jim Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Jim: I think he keeps hoping that someone's going to volunteer. Uh, or be run over by a bus before the deadline.
Jim Dark/Subversive Escalation ★ Rewatch Michael: I'm going to kill myself! And it's your fault!
Michael: Michael Scott here. I'm gonna kill you for firing me.
Creed · Michael: Let's fight it. Let's call Jan, and fight this thing together like the old days. What old days?
Creed: Yeah, I went hunting once. Shot the deer in the leg. Had to kill it with a shovel. Took about an hour.
Creed Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Creed: Fire Devon, he's terrible. I am so much better at my job than Devon.
Creed Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Creed: You will be my savior. You're the guy who gave me my life back.
Creed Escalation Character Comedy Creed: Devon's terrible. No one's gonna miss him.
Creed Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Devon · Michael: You gotta go with you gut, man. Well... No, I can't... No. I can't go back. I would look like an idiot.
Michael: In addition to severance, and everything, I want to give you this gift certificate to Chili's. From me.
Michael Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Devon: Kevin, Jim, Pam, Kelly, Toby, Oscar, Meredith, Phyllis, Stanley, or the temp. If any of you wanna meet me for a drink, I'm gonna be at Poor Richard's. And the rest of you can go to hell.
Devon Escalation Character Comedy Pam: Seriously, if you left here, I would blow my brains out.
Pam Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim: That's just a figure of speech, you know? All it really means is that we're friends.
Jim Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim: I mean, if she left I wouldn't blow my brains out. Of course, I would take that job in Maryland. Because it's double the pay, and soft shell crab just happens to be my favorite food.
Jim Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Meredith: Last Halloween, I came as Janet Jackson's boob. It was topical.
Meredith Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Meredith: The year before that, I came as Monica Lewinsky. And I wore a stained dress. The year before that, I also came as Monica Lewinsky.
Michael: You know what? You guys are getting all of these. Grab it, grab it.
⏩ The part you fast-forward
Our scorer flagged 20:30-21:15 as the stretch with the fewest or weakest comedic moments. Everything else lands harder.
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