Michael suspects Donna is cheating on him and puts P.I. Dwight Schrute on the case. Meanwhile, Andy is frustrated when no one takes his customer's complaint seriously.
WAR
119.7
Wins Above Replacement
“The Chump” ranks #27 of 183 The Office episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 92.1 — Elite. The episode packs 90 scored jokes at 3.5 per minute, averaging 7.4 on craft and 7.3 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
Michael: "And if I had a gun with two bullets, and I was in a room with Hitler, Bin Laden and Toby, I would shoot Toby twice."
Michael Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight · Angela: "But not on your bed. It's lumpy. / Those lumps are cats, and those cats have names, and those names are Amber, Milky Way, Dianne and Lumpy."
Michael: "And the third time, I did it out of spite."
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael · Reporter: Reporter approaches Michael for comment on 'the rumors' — Michael launches into a confessional about 'very bad things' and public apology to 'the coach and the players' — then the reporter clarifies she's talking about the Sabre printers that catch on fire
Michael: Michael's confessional: "I just looked a man in the eyes and I shook his hand. All the time I was thinking, 'I'm sleeping with your wife.' You know who does that? James freaking Bond."
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Standout Moments
Michael: "And the third time, I did it out of spite."
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael: "And if I had a gun with two bullets, and I was in a room with Hitler, Bin Laden and Toby, I would shoot Toby twice."
Michael Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight · Angela: "But not on your bed. It's lumpy. / Those lumps are cats, and those cats have names, and those names are Amber, Milky Way, Dianne and Lumpy."
All Jokes — 90 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Michael · Toby: Toby repeatedly placing radon test kits around the office while Michael throws them away repeatedly — first thinking it's an ant trap, then a moo toy, then out of spite
Michael: "The second time, I thought it was one of those, you know, the things you turn over and it moos like a cow thing"
Michael Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Michael · Toby: Michael making farting noises with his mouth during Toby's radon safety presentation
Michael: "We're not gonna die of radon, we're gonna die of boredom."
Michael Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Oscar · Michael: "You were being really funny and then you went too far. / I would kill Bin Laden and then Toby. / No, that's still..."
Andy · Unknown office member: "Curve the bullet like in my favorite James McAvoy film Wanted." / "All that does is help you shoot around things. What does Bin Laden... Is there a curtain rod in the room?"
Michael: "How about make-believe land has anything you want?"
Michael Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Callback Dwight · Phyllis · Toby · Andy: Dwight's solution: line them all up and shoot one bullet through all three throats simultaneously, then demonstrates with Phyllis as Hitler, Toby as Toby, Andy as Bin Laden
Dwight · Phyllis · Toby · Andy: Dwight's solution: line them all up and shoot one bullet through all three throats simultaneously, then physically demonstrates by having Phyllis play Hitler, Toby play Toby, and Andy play Bin Laden
Toby · Dwight: TOBY: "I don't want to do this." / DWIGHT: "Throats together." / Toby complies
Toby Dwight Cringe/Discomfort Reaction Beat ★ Rewatch Callback Jim · Pam: "The Eagles are doing a theme of ice creams in honor of turning 60. 'Despera-Dough, Witchy-Womanilla.' Why do they do this?"
Jim Pam Observational Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Jim · Pam: "After his last breakup, he ate 40,000 calories in three hours. Right, Pam? / Yeah. Or, no, well, I don't know. I'm sorry. I was up all night with Cece."
Jim Pam Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Pam: "Otherwise I'd be running this." (said by Pam about coordinating Michael's emotional crisis, while clearly half-asleep)
Pam Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Jim: "You probably shouldn't keep a baby up that late."
Jim Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Jim · Pam: Jim announces half-hour shifts to watch Mr. Bean and Pink Panther with Michael, organizing it like a workplace emergency
Jim Pam Absurdist Character Comedy Pam: "And if you get stuck and you don't know what to do, make a random sound effect. Okay, farting noise, whatever."
Pam Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael · Office staff: Michael enters and everyone erupts in over-enthusiastic greetings — then someone compliments his tie and Michael says 'Thank you. It's reversible, I think.' Everyone laughs hysterically
Michael: Michael makes a random ball-bouncing noise imitating sound effect advice, the office is confused, then he walks past
Michael Reaction Beat Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Dwight · Angela · Mediator: Dwight and Angela arguing over a child-rearing contract with a mediator, with provisions for 'descendants of any replicants from this union'
Angela · Dwight: "Alleged contract." / "Alleged?"
Angela · Dwight: "I'm going to own your farm by the time this is over. Pfft. Yeah, just try. I will do legal jujitsu on you."
Dwight: "See, don't even need to make contact. The law will do it." (Dwight mimes a jujitsu move without touching Angela)
Dwight Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight · Angela · Mediator: "Item five, point B, the beet juice cleanse. I'm doing it. You know I am. It's disgusting. / How do we know this? I'd like to see a stool sample."
Andy · Jim · Pam: Andy's confessional: "ANDY: No secret crying. / Hasn't even opened the tissue box in there. / Could he still be seeing her? / I don't think he'd do that. / So, we're gonna say the most likely scenario is that Michael matured overnight? / It happened to Tom Hanks in Big. / Exactly. It happened in Big."
Jim · Pam · Michael: Jim and Pam invite Michael to dinner with 'Hooters to go, Rock Band, and play with our baby' — Michael declines
Michael: "Since when is this an office where we delve into each other's personal lives?"
Michael Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Jim: "Depends on who you ask. I mean, if you ask her husband or you took a random poll, yeah, it's wrong."
Jim Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm Meredith: Meredith: "That is something I would never do. Well, I think we all know what you're capable of, Meredith. Hey, I have never cheated on, been cheated on or been used to cheat with. I ask everyone in the room, 'Are you in a relationship?'"
Meredith Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Michael: "People, this is Scranton and many people consider that to be the Paris of northeastern Pennsylvania. And in Paris, it is rude for a woman to have less than four lovers."
Kelly · Ryan: "Ugh! Ryan, I do not want you hanging out with Michael anymore. / Okay."
Michael: "And just to be sure, I asked her again afterward, same answer."
Michael Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Michael · Jim: "He is a high school baseball coach, he wakes up early, he goes to bed early. / Look at how long it took for him to find out. It was right under his nose. I had to tell him. / Okay, now you're just being hurtful."
Michael · Phyllis: "Why is it okay for Stanley to cheat? Or for Phyllis to cheat? / Hey. / On her diet."
Michael: "He's a sports guy. He's scummy. Dog fighting, drugs, they spit. / Did Donna tell you that? / Real Sports with Bryant Gumball."
Andy: Andy's talking head: "My name's Andy Bernard and I am a cuckold. For those of you unfamiliar with William Shakespeare, a cuckold is a man whose woman is cheating on him. I've lived the part. And let me tell you, I would so much rather play the part on stage."
Andy Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Michael: "When are you people going to stop casting the first stone? I am not in the wrong here. I am the good guy."
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Michael: "Why is his wife going off and having a little something-something with me? There has to be a problem with him."
Michael · Jim: "In any cheating movie, the person getting cheated on is the hero. / You're Ali Larter, I'm Beyoncé. / I am Beyoncé always. / Not this time. / Yes, I am."
Michael: "I can't wait to see this jerk who is making me cheat on his wife. I should punch him in the nose for what he's making me do to her."
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Andy · Michael: Andy vocalizing at the youth baseball game, cheering loudly while Michael shushes him
Andy: "Stage right or stage left? / I played batboy in Damn Yankees."
Andy Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Andy: "And now coaching third base with two arms, two legs, and a heart capable of feeling pain..."
Andy Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Callback Pam · Jim: Pam falls asleep on Jim's shoulder during the stakeout, snoring loudly
Pam Jim Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy Callback Gabe · Jim · Pam: Gabe calls Jim and Pam into his office for sleeping on the job — does a 'dressing down' and then immediately says he hates the power dynamic
Gabe Jim Pam Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Jim · Pam: "Well, you were surprisingly restrained. / We will be well rested tomorrow."
Jim Pam Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm Callback Gabe: Gabe's elaborate branching decision tree email about printer fires — 'I actually designed that chart. Kind of hoping it catches on.'
Gabe Character Comedy Observational Dwight · Angela · Mediator: "Finally, there's a provision here in the occurrence that the child is born an old man, à la Benjamin Button. / Same page. Go to the next one. Same page. We're fine there."
Mediator · Dwight · Angela: "Despite the provision covering whether this is all part of The Matrix... / Which we can't know... / ...unless we're unplugged... / ...and wake up in the future."
Dwight: "I don't have $30,000 lying around. I have it buried very deeply, and I don't want to dig past a certain someone to get it."
Dwight Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael · Andy: "He is never gonna find out. He is a high school baseball coach... / That's him. / Look at him. High fiving? He didn't even do anything. The kid did all the work. / I bet he does that at home. 'Hey, Donna, why don't you wash the dishes? High five, Donna.' / 'Hey, why don't you bring me my slippers? High five. I'm taking all the credit.'"
Andy · Michael: "He seems pretty well liked by the team. / Okay, well, that's because he's paying their salary. / You do know that high school coaches don't pay their players. / I know. I know. I know. That was a euphemism."
Dwight · Angela · Mediator: "Intercourse to completion five individual times, rendered at my discretion." / "Five times for $30,000? Not a bad stud fee. / Better than most horses."
Dwight: "Five times for $30,000? Not a bad stud fee. Better than most horses."
Dwight Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Mediator · Dwight · Angela: Mediator: "Look, I can't legally watch this unfold. It's coming a little dangerously close to prostitution." Dwight: "I want eye contact." Angela: "No." Dwight: "Yes." Mediator: "Do you understand how rare that is in nature?" Dwight: "I'm not some farm animal."
Andy · Michael · Shane (Coach): Andy: "Great game, Coach." Michael: "Shh." Andy (to spectators): "You guys are awesome. Best game I've ever seen in my life." Coach: "You must be rooting for the other guys."
Shane (Coach) · Michael · Andy: Coach: "Do I know you?" Michael: "No, just big fans." Andy: "Both of us." Coach: "Are you somebody's parents? Are you guys Kenny's dads?"
Andy · Shane (Coach): Andy: "(Laughs) No, no, but we're gay for baseball." Coach: "Okay. But I have a wife, actually, who I really love a lot."
Michael: "You know, but as a fan, it just helps me enjoy the game better if I know the coach loves his wife."
Michael Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Andy · Michael · Shane (Coach): Andy approaches the coach as 'Sheldon' with fake stomach cramps after being called over by Michael
Michael: Michael's confessional: "I just looked a man in the eyes and I shook his hand. All the time I was thinking, 'I'm sleeping with your wife.' You know who does that? James freaking Bond."
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Michael: Michael distributes the youth baseball team's orange slices to the office, saying 'Don't thank me, thank Dylan's mom.' When told they were for the team, he says: 'Well, then it wouldn't be the first time I stole something away from Coach Shane.'
Michael Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Andy: Andy's talking head: 'I just want to go on record as saying I do not condone this affair. And I even went so far as to force Michael to confront the victim of his behavior.' — then it's revealed 'confronting the victim' was shaking his hand at a Little League game
Andy Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Callback Andy · Phyllis · Michael: Andy's talking head: "I even went so far as to force Michael to confront the victim of his behavior." / "Did you talk to him?" / "I did." then Michael finds the encounter charming and doesn't change his mind
Kevin · Michael · Oscar: 'Did you talk to the man whose wife you're having an affair with? / Yes. / Wow, that is crazy. / Was there a fist fight? / No, we just talked. He's very nice. / And it didn't change your mind? / It did not.'
Oscar · Michael: 'Michael, that's awful. / Isn't it? / Yes. / I'm awful, aren't I? / Yeah. / I am what I am, Oscar. And I want what I want. And right now I want a piece of cake.'
Pam · Ryan · Kelly: Pam and Ryan bicker about anthropology vs. Anthropologie (the store) — Pam says she read 'a book about anthropology', Ryan thought she meant the clothing store
Michael · Meredith · Jim (or coworker): Michael steals Meredith's birthday cake because 'I have an appetite for life' — 'God, that's lemon. / Good for you, man. Good for you.'
Unknown (Kevin likely): Someone's talking head reaction shot: 'He takes what he wants.' (Said admiringly/in awe about Michael stealing the cake)
Michael · Unknown woman · Ryan: Michael to the camera (or a woman in the office): 'You know what? I think you're attractive and I want to sleep with you.' — the recipient asks 'What about Kelly?' — Michael: 'You read my mind. / Is this a joke? / Yep.'
Jim: Jim's talking head: 'It's hard to live that way, man. You gotta really not care what people think about you, right? / I don't know how you do it, Michael. I can't be that cold.' (Said admiringly, then with self-deprecation)
Jim Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Michael: Michael: "You'll learn, baby, you'll learn."
Michael Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Dwight: Dwight's confessional: 'I am an honorable man and I will honor the contract. But I don't have to give her the good stuff. Schrute sperm are strong, but they're no match for a grown Schrute man.'
Dwight Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Dwight: Screaming is heard off-screen, then Dwight chuckles and says 'Let's see what she gets.'
Dwight Dark/Subversive Reaction Beat Callback Warehouse worker · Michael · Kevin (or Jim): 'Boss, we're out of paper.' / 'Yeah, I noticed that.' / 'Aren't you gonna add any more?' / 'Nope.' / 'He don't give an F about nothing.' / 'I have got big balls.'
Pam · Darryl: Pam's sleep deprivation plot: 'I don't think I'm gonna make it.' / Darryl reveals the warehouse workers have a secret nap spot — dark room, heat from the backup generator. 'Sometimes I think about it when I'm trying to fall asleep at home.'
Pam Darryl Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Callback Jim · Pam: Jim and Pam's sleep deprivation conversation: Pam can't drink energy drinks because Cece drinks it through the breast milk six hours later — Jim: "Well, it doesn't mean I can't drink it."
Jim Pam Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Warehouse Worker: The warehouse has a secret dark napping spot: "Light bulb's burned out, so it's dark. And the heat from the backup generator keeps it nice and warm."
Warehouse Worker: "Sometimes I think about it when I'm trying to fall asleep at home."
Michael · Phyllis: Michael walks past Phyllis, who gives a disapproving head shake; Michael gives a speech about not being affected — then announces he's going to a motel to meet Donna
Michael: 'Why not your condo?' / 'Because a motel is dirty, and it is sexy. Like me and like Donna. And frankly, the stuff that we're into isn't very condo-appropriate.'
Michael Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Michael · Jim: 'Okay, Morgan Freeman narrating everything.' / 'Do you want someone to stop you? Because no one's going to.' / 'Nobody better try to stop me.' / 'Good.'
Michael Jim Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim: Jim's confessional: 'I could have stopped him.' (Said after doing nothing)
Jim Deadpan/Understatement Reaction Beat ★ Rewatch Callback Dwight · Angela: Angela and Dwight's 'encounter' begins — 'Are you warmed up? / No. / God, Angela, why is that always my responsibility?' / 'What did you do to yourself?' / 'Never mind. Never mind.' / 'Well, it better work.' / 'Stop kissing me.' / 'It's not in the contract.'
Dwight Angela Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Angela · Dwight: "Stop kissing me." / (Scoffing) / "It's not in the contract."
Angela Dwight Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Michael: Michael's confessional: 'How do I feel about breaking up with Donna? Good. Moral. I feel proud. Like a grown-up.' — said with visible emotion
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Michael: 'At the end of the day, we have to do what's right. And it was either living with myself or being happy. And I picked the former.'
Michael Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Michael · Reporter: Reporter approaches Michael for comment on 'the rumors' — Michael launches into a confessional about 'very bad things' and public apology to 'the coach and the players' — then the reporter clarifies she's talking about the Sabre printers that catch on fire
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