Pam accidentally brings lice into the office and lets Meredith take the fall, while Dwight vows to destroy the parasites. Meanwhile, Jim has a fantastic day in Philly wooing a potential business associate. Meanwhile, Phyllis, Nellie and Kevin meddle in Darryl's love life.
WAR
63.2
Wins Above Replacement
“Lice” ranks #8 of 183 The Office episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 89.4 — Elite. The episode packs 45 scored jokes at 2.0 per minute, averaging 7.3 on craft and 7.5 on impact, with Meredith landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Meredith: Sure, I gave everybody pink-eye once, and my ex keyed a few of their cars. And, yeah, I BMed in the Shredder on New Year's, but I didn't bring the lice in.
Meredith Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Angela: At your feet, a dying bird. But where did it come from? Why did you kill it? It is because, in some strange way, it is you?
Angela Absurdist Escalation ★ Rewatch Jim · Pam: Jim making the shot followed by Pam's mayo disaster timing
Jim Pam Visual Gag Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Angela: The men dry up, and the nights get lonely. The only calls on your machine are from collection agencies about that pair of motorcycle boots you've never even worn.
Angela Dark/Subversive Escalation ★ Rewatch Dwight: If you don't hear from me by lunch, call me. I might want lunch.
Dwight Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 45 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Jim: I bit my lip at lunch today. Sucks. Anyway, I just don't see it. The Knicks are tough.
Jim Observational Misdirection ★ Rewatch Pam · Meredith: Morning, Meredith. What? Oh, sorry. Pam.
Jim: how would I feel if I was at home, stuck with the kids while she was go-karting with John Stamos?
Jim Observational Absurdist ★ Rewatch Jim · Pam: Jim lies about taking a taxi instead of a limo to his meeting
Jim Pam Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Darryl: Here's how you do it. You say, 'What are you gonna do, break up with me?' Like, as a joke. And then you gain a lot of weight.
Darryl Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Meredith: No wonder Jim left you.
Meredith Dark/Subversive Cringe/Discomfort Pam: Not always like an ape, the way Meredith just did, but it happens.
Pam Observational Visual Gag ★ Rewatch Meredith: Between the foster homes and the orphanage, I had lice 22 times.
Meredith Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Meredith: Holy wow, that's a big one.
Dwight: For 15 years, they called me 'freak' and 'four eyes' and 'sci-fi nerd' and 'girl puncher,' all because I had lice when I was seven.
Dwight Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: I use lice shampoo every morning.
Dwight Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Angela: It's not one of your bean-bag orgies.
Angela Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Meredith: Nobody's taking Meredith Palmer to the opera to meet the queen.
Dwight: That stands for hazardous materials men's suit wearing.
Dwight Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: If you rent more than four times a year, it just makes sense to buy.
Dwight Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: If you don't hear from me by lunch, call me. I might want lunch.
Dwight Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Kevin: The only thing that got me through mine was large amounts of Shepherd's pie and Brandy. The singer, not the drink.
Kevin Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Stanley: There's a pencil poking in my rolls.
Stanley Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy Meredith: You know, I think these critters migrated from down south.
Dwight: follicle gypsies, hair lawyers
Dwight Wordplay/Pun Absurdist ★ Rewatch Meredith: Sha-boom! How do you like me now?
Meredith Visual Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Meredith: I'm the only one with the balls to show them lice who's boss.
Pam: You look like a baby who suddenly aged 50 years. A cute baby, but something sucked the life force out of it.
Pam Observational Escalation ★ Rewatch Meredith: I'll take a pack of Nicorette gum and a pack of Kools.
Meredith Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: Let's talk pubes, people.
Dwight Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Phyllis: Oh, that was like a car crash. I couldn't look away.
Kevin: This won't help him. It's a muffin, not cake.
Kevin Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Jim · Pam: Jim making the shot followed by Pam's mayo disaster timing
Jim Pam Visual Gag Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Pam Escalation Cringe/Discomfort Creed: Oh, God. Stuck with the weirdo.
Creed Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Angela: You don't want bugs, you know? Who knows where those bugs will end up.
Angela Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Erin · Pete: Eiffel tower.
Angela: The men dry up, and the nights get lonely. The only calls on your machine are from collection agencies about that pair of motorcycle boots you've never even worn.
Angela Dark/Subversive Escalation ★ Rewatch Angela: At your feet, a dying bird. But where did it come from? Why did you kill it? It is because, in some strange way, it is you?
Angela Absurdist Escalation ★ Rewatch Kevin: what would you say to you and me hitting the town? 'Cause I'm free, literally, forever.
Kevin Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Val: I was kind of feeling good about re-entering the dating pool, and then Kevin asked me out. Thought I might trade up to a new level of man. Then Kevin asked me out.
Val Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: Shave her head! Shave her head!
Dwight Escalation Character Comedy Meredith: Yeah, yeah, princess fancy-pants letting Jane 12-pack over here take the fall!
Meredith Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Meredith: Sure, I gave everybody pink-eye once, and my ex keyed a few of their cars. And, yeah, I BMed in the Shredder on New Year's, but I didn't bring the lice in.
Meredith Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: Well, the * effect that I don't think has kicked in yet. I'm gonna count down for ten. Nine... Yellow... Cold. Purple.
Dwight Physical/Slapstick Escalation ★ Rewatch Jim: Wow. He got to purple.
Jim Deadpan/Understatement Observational ★ Rewatch Callback Dwight: You're waterboarding me!
Dwight Escalation Character Comedy Pam: You do kind of look like Elvis, but we should probably wash all the dead lice out.
Creed: I wonder what happened over there. I've been sitting here the whole time.
Creed Character Comedy Misdirection ★ Rewatch Meredith: I got the bartender's phone number when you were in the john. I'm gonna take that freak to bone town before the night is over.
Meredith Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ⏩ The part you fast-forward
Our scorer flagged 18:00-19:00 as the stretch with the fewest or weakest comedic moments. Everything else lands harder.
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