Robert California stops by for the first time as CEO and leaves behind a mysterious list that has a line down the middle and every member of the office on either one side or the other. The office members frantically try to figure out what it means. Meanwhile, the new manager Andy faces a crisis.
WAR
41.4
Wins Above Replacement
“The List” ranks #43 of 183 The Office episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 82.4 — Elite. The episode packs 37 scored jokes at 1.8 per minute, averaging 7.2 on craft and 7.1 on impact, with Andy landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Robert · Andy: And you are aware that Columbus and his legions committed genocide against an entire civilization of native Americans. - I don't care.
Robert Andy Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: This is if we were all on a cruise ship and had to divide into lifeboats. And this is if we were on a cruise ship and had to divide into life rafts. Here's something. Who would eat who in alive situation.
Dwight Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Robert: Some people doodle at work when they let their mind run. They draw houses, penises... Funny how the houses are always colonials, and the penises are always circumcised, don't you think?
Robert Observational Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jim: Just-- just take the-- take the casserole out of the-- Loser. Take it out of the refrigerator and put it in the oven. Uh, it'll be fine. Just leave it in for 20 minutes. Loser. Losers.
Jim Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Robert · Erin: Erin, when you recount your day, never say you woke up, it's a waste of your time. That's how every day has begun for everyone since the dawn of man. - Very smart. Very smart. Suddenly... I was awake.
All Jokes — 37 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Jim: Planking is one of those things where, hey, you either get it or you don't. And I don't. But I am so excited to be a part of it.
Jim Irony/Sarcasm Observational ★ Rewatch Jim: He drove down to Florida and convinced Jo to make him CEO. CEO... Her own job. He talked her out of her own job and I don't really know how someone does that.
Jim Observational Absurdist ★ Rewatch Andy: True, I might have been the second choice, but I was the first choice's first choice.
Andy Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Andy · Kevin: This has got to stop. - I can't get down. Ke-- Kevin!
Andy Kevin Physical/Slapstick Visual Gag ★ Rewatch Dwight: I've upped my karate to eight times a week. I've added boxing, lunches and on weekends. I do kickboxing three times a week, krav maga four times a week, an hour of meditation every morning at sunrise, and again at sunset.
Dwight Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Jim · Pam: Oh, yeah, pregnant. Right here. Little Michael Scott. - Nope. I told you I don't like that joke.
Jim Pam Callback Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback Kevin: Look! It's, uh, little pregs and big pregs.
Kevin Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Angela: I'm having a child with my husband the senator, and Pam is having a child with Jim... The great salesman.
Angela Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Stanley: It might be easier if you take a deep breath, lift from the knees, and shove it up your butt.
Stanley Setup/Punchline Misdirection ★ Rewatch Stanley: I came up with a new thing this summer. I act like I'm telling someone how to do something. I go on with a long description and then I say, 'and shove it up your butt!' It's stupid, but it's my thing now.
Stanley Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: Kids, don't try planking. It's dangerous. Especially with me around.
Dwight Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jim: The new CEO works out of the conference room about half the time. But whenever he takes a break, he does these weird walks around the office. And you never know who he's going to zero in on for these really intense small talks. You just hope it's not you. And yet you hope it is you too. It's strange.
Jim Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Robert · Erin: Erin, when you recount your day, never say you woke up, it's a waste of your time. That's how every day has begun for everyone since the dawn of man. - Very smart. Very smart. Suddenly... I was awake.
Andy: First item on the agenda-- Can I get everyone an extra long Columbus day weekend? Item number two-- Connect with the guy. Robert California-- What does he think of me? Don't know. Super care. Number three, time permitting, we lost our biggest client.
Andy Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Andy: Kind of a medium year for women's soccer, no?
Andy Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim · Kevin: We don't need a warning signal, Kevin. I can see him right there. We do! - I promise you, we don't need-- - Warning! Warning! Warning! Warning!
Jim Kevin Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Robert: Really great list of names, guys. Thank you so much. Good work.
Robert Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Dwight: This is if we were all on a cruise ship and had to divide into lifeboats. And this is if we were on a cruise ship and had to divide into life rafts. Here's something. Who would eat who in alive situation.
Dwight Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Oscar: Don't be such a right-sider.
Oscar Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Robert: Some people doodle at work when they let their mind run. They draw houses, penises... Funny how the houses are always colonials, and the penises are always circumcised, don't you think?
Robert Observational Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Stanley: Well, you take the first letter from each name, assign it a number, add 'em all up, and shove it up your butt!
Stanley Callback Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Callback Andy · Others: Attack! Wait, wait, wait. Stop, stop, stop. Will you stop? Dwight! Dwight! Go for it!
Andy Others Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Erin: Pizza party! ♪ Pizza party ♪ ♪ pizza party... ♪
Erin Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Robert · Jim · Others: Ours is a cultural ghetto. Wouldn't you agree? - Yeah. She does like elmo. - 'Cultural ghetto'? Totally, totally agree. - Completely. - Apt. Apt analysis, Robert.
Kevin · Toby: The thing that I like about elmo is the tickling. - I should not be here. I'm in the-- I was in the wrong-- I'm...I'm sorry. Uh, just picture me back there. I-I was never here.
Kevin Toby Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Erin · Oscar: Well, why don't you ask me again when the five pizzas get here? - Yeah, well that's just pizza. You need at least one other element for it to be a party.
Erin Oscar Observational Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Robert · Dwight · Kevin: I guess I think they're losers. - Ah, I knew it. Yes! - Probably shouldn't have said that. - Whoo! Whoo-hoo!
Kevin Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Pam: I used to be young and cute and sort of funny, and... I could do those cute, little cartoons. And everyone who came through here was like... 'Who's that receptionist? I like her.' Now I'm just a fat mom. And you take one look at me and you're like, 'oh, loser.'
Pam Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Erin · Erin: Chins up, okay? - Bad joke.
Erin Erin Wordplay/Pun Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Jim: Just-- just take the-- take the casserole out of the-- Loser. Take it out of the refrigerator and put it in the oven. Uh, it'll be fine. Just leave it in for 20 minutes. Loser. Losers.
Jim Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Andy: When I was a salesman, I could just be like, 'not my job, not my prob. I'm going to the warehouse to Polish my knob.' Metaphorically, of course.
Andy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Robert: Constantly worrying about where you stand based on inscrutable social clues, and then inevitably reframing it all in a reassuring way so that you can get to sleep at night. No, I do not believe in that at all.
Robert Observational Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Andy: Stanley-- You may think he's a lazy grump, but did you know that he has the most consistently high sales numbers of anyone in this office? And you may think he's hard to love, but did you know that he's in, not one, but two long-term romantic relationships?
Andy Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Andy: Meredith Palmer, supplier relations-- The word 'no,' not even in her vocabulary.
Andy Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Robert · Andy: And you are aware that Columbus and his legions committed genocide against an entire civilization of native Americans. - I don't care.
Robert Andy Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Pam · Jim: I mean, maybe it's stupid. - No. It's wonderful.
Pam Jim Character Comedy Reaction Beat ★ Rewatch ⏩ The part you fast-forward
Our scorer flagged 20:30-21:30 as the stretch with the fewest or weakest comedic moments. Everything else lands harder.
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