Dwight and Angela participate in a paper airplane contest and compete against each other. Meanwhile, Andy prepares for a potential acting job, and Jim and Pam utilize new skills.
WAR
65.3
Wins Above Replacement
“Paper Airplane” ranks #157 of 183 The Office episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 84.0 — Elite. The episode packs 66 scored jokes at 3.4 per minute, averaging 7.1 on craft and 6.9 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
Erin: Growing up in an orphanage, you have to fight other kids for everything. Snacks, pillows, parents. I once ripped Greedy Susan's pigtail right off her head just for a handful of Crispix.
Erin Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Kevin: Like Wilbur and Orville Redenbacher.
Kevin Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Oscar · Nellie: I mean, sure, times are leaner now that I'm separated from the Senator. But my new studio apartment...is just fine for me and Phillip and Tinkie and Crinklepuss and Bandit Two and Pawlick Baggins and Lady Aragorn and their 10 kittens.
Kevin: I know a guy who can turn that into $800. Hint, it's me.
Kevin Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Dwight: I'm with Esther now, she's younger than Angela. Sturdier, more comfortable with the scent of a manured field. Let's be honest, when it came to manured fields, Angela was, at best, indifferent.
Dwight Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Standout Moments
Oscar · Nellie: I mean, sure, times are leaner now that I'm separated from the Senator. But my new studio apartment...is just fine for me and Phillip and Tinkie and Crinklepuss and Bandit Two and Pawlick Baggins and Lady Aragorn and their 10 kittens.
Erin: Growing up in an orphanage, you have to fight other kids for everything. Snacks, pillows, parents. I once ripped Greedy Susan's pigtail right off her head just for a handful of Crispix.
Erin Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Kevin: Like Wilbur and Orville Redenbacher.
Kevin Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 66 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Dwight: Oh. Hey, champions. Good morning. Quarter finals in an hour, hope you got some sleep, because I'm going to be haunting your nightmares tonight.
Dwight Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Jim: I did. I got some really good sleep. Did you? Zzz...
Jim Deadpan/Understatement Reaction Beat Oscar: It's not so easy on the environment, if you know what I mean.
Oscar Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Kevin: It's practically made of plastic.
Kevin Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Dwight: Some used skill. Others relied on showmanship. Others seemed not to comprehend what a paper airplane is.
Dwight Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Creed: I think I left my glasses down here somewhere. Crossing through. Beep, beep. Ow! Ow! I didn't see you! You should have been yelling 'crossing!'
Creed Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Dwight: We are now down to an elite eight. Well, seven, and Toby.
Dwight Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Andy · Clark: 'Be careful of that beaker. It contains dangerous acid!' — it does not say 'dangerous' and there's no exclamation point.
Clark · Film Director: Clark ad-libbing 'dangerous' and an exclamation point into dry chemical safety script; director corrects him
Andy: HRPDC Chemical Handling Protocols. It's going to be seen by tons of workers in the industrial chemical community, one of whom could have a cousin whose brother is Brad Pitt, and then boom! Next thing you know, I'm in Moneyballs 2.
Andy Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Andy · Clark: Andy? Go away! We're running lines. / You wanted to see the gooey eye. / Oh, yeah. All right, get over here. I'm so freaked out by things going into eyes.
Andy Clark Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Andy · Clark: 'And remember, do not attempt to extinguish a chemical fire with water. It will only exacerbate the flame. The dangerous flame.'
Andy Clark Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Callback Andy: Wait, wait, wait, wait. Stop, stop, stop. Don't go anywhere. I just need to find more colors. Let's do it six more times.
Andy Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Jim · Pam: Jim and Pam's couples therapy homework: forced 'acknowledge and appreciate' language in mundane conversation about tea
Jim Pam Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Pam · Jim: And we are also supposed to speak our truths. Mmm-hmm. Because if I had spoken my truth earlier about not wanting to move to Philly, then maybe we wouldn't have had this opportunity for couples therapy.
Pam Jim Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Andy · Oscar: Carla Fern got me a gig. Hey. Yeah. Who's Carla Fern? Who is Carla Fern? Well... Wow. Uh, she's my agent and my drill sergeant. And one of my best friends.
Andy · Oscar: Andy announces his agent 'Carla Fern'; Oscar asks 'Who's Carla Fern?' — Andy is scandalized
Andy · Oscar: And, Oscar, I already figured out if I have to get emotional in the film, I'm just gonna think about you getting dumped by the Senator. / Why don't you use your own life? Erin just dumped you. / It's a little raw. Not cool, Oscar.
Jim · Nellie: Not one of us remembers you saying anything about $2,000. / I forgot. I completely forgot.
Jim Nellie Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Jim: But at least now that large piece of cardboard that man was carrying around makes sense.
Jim Observational Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Angela: I had a chance with Dwight, but I didn't take it. And if I went back now, when I'm broke and he just inherited a farm, I'd be one of those gold-digging tramps you read about that try to bag a farmer.
Angela Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Dwight: I'm with Esther now, she's younger than Angela. Sturdier, more comfortable with the scent of a manured field. Let's be honest, when it came to manured fields, Angela was, at best, indifferent.
Dwight Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Erin: Oh, wide wings, interesting. Hey! Why don't you back off? I mean, best of luck to you in the competition.
Erin Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Andy · Darryl: Are you in that paper documentary, too? Yup. You need an agent? No. I mean, you never acted in anything before. He's just my entourage. I was in The Wiz in high school.
Andy: That's the clicky-clacker. He clicks that, and then the guy says, 'Action.'
Andy Character Comedy Absurdist Clark: We just need a picture of the top of your head in case we burn some of your hair off.
Clark Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement Andy: The 'actor' being photographed for hair-burning safety reference photo reacts awkwardly to the camera
Andy Cringe/Discomfort Visual Gag Kevin · Angela · Nellie: Kevin versus Angela matchup introduced; Kevin admits he bought a pre-folded plane off Craigslist
Nellie: Nellie announces: 'I give you Toby and Angela' — described as 'two creatures, great and small'
Nellie Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Dwight · Kevin: Hey, that is a really nice plane. You make that yourself? Uh-huh. Well, what am I thinking? Of course you made that yourself, 'cause it's in the rules that you have to fold your own plane. Kevin, did you make that yourself? Yes. In a way. From one that I bought on Craigslist.
Dwight · Kevin: This is flatter. It's a piece of paper. You fold it into an airplane. Okay, that's enough. This is the end of the ream now. You have to pick one. I can't. I love them all too much. And none of them fly. So that makes it harder.
Jim · Pam: An Earl Grey tea for the lady. Oh, thank you. Um... I acknowledge and appreciate that you went out of your way to get me tea.
Jim Pam Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Callback Jim: But, to speak my truth, it wasn't out of the way, because I felt like a tea anyway, so one trip.
Jim Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Callback Pam: Well, to speak my truth, I switched to coffee in March. There's a new espresso machine. But I still acknowledge and appreciate the gesture.
Pam Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Callback Clark · Andy: Okay, um, stop. Um, why are you smiling? I just made a character choice to be a scientist who really likes what he does and enjoys his job.
Erin: Yeah! Oh, eat it, piggy! Eat it! Oink, oink, oink.
Erin Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Callback Pete · Erin: We still got to work together, so we should keep it civil. / I can't hear what you said. / You get your slop?
Pete Erin Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Callback Bob Vance · Dwight: You can do it, baby. / No, you can't, baby. You're gonna choke.
Esther: Yeah, I plucked the chickens extra fast, 'cause I knew I was seeing you tonight. So there might just be a little bit of feather in your nuggets or just a little bit of meat inside of your pillow.
Esther Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Esther · Dwight: Esther shows up early because she 'plucked the chickens extra fast'; there might be feather in the nuggets OR meat in the pillow
Dwight: All right, ladies and gentlemen, we are now down to the final four. Dwight, Erin, Angela, and God only knows how, but Toby.
Dwight Character Comedy Callback Callback Andy · Clark: I'll get nude if you want me to. I'll go full Lena Dunham, but I... Dude, we don't need you to go nude, okay? Absolutely not.
Andy · Darryl: Darryl, what do I do? Hold up, I'm looking at my spit in the microscope.
Andy Darryl Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Andy · Darryl: They want me to use real water in the eyewash scene. / So? / I can't squirt stuff in my eyeball. I've never even used an eyedropper.
Andy Darryl Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Callback Dwight: It is time for a little T and A. I give you Toby and Angela.
Dwight Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Robert · Nellie: Is there a reason that we're excited for that little woman? / Yes, I pity her. She was recently in a situation where she could have had it all, and instead she lost everything. / Mmm. Is she a gambler? / In a way, but not in a stand-up-and-cheer kind of way, like the song.
Carla: Andy, if you don't stick your eyes in that machine, I'm gonna call every production in Northeastern Pennsylvania. You won't even make an appearance on a security camera!
Carla Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Andy: She yelled at me. [Andy crying in talking head]
Andy Character Comedy Reaction Beat Andy: Andy talks himself into doing the eyewash scene by creating an alter ego: 'Older Male Lab Assistant Number One'
Andy Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Callback Andy: I can't wash my eyeball. I can't do that. I can't. Andy Bernard can't squirt water in his eye and act like it doesn't freak him out. But you know who can? Older Male Lab Assistant Number One.
Andy Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Andy · Darryl: Do you believe in me? / I believe you.
Andy Darryl Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Erin · Pete: Damn it! God... Sorry. Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine. Okay. I got mad. Yeah. 'Cause I don't like losing, Pete. I'm just gonna... Sorry, I'm mad, Pete. I'm mad. I'm really mad. I wanted to win. We were gonna win a lot of money. I was gonna buy you a sweater.
Erin Pete Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Callback Jim · Pam: Well, you know how much I appreciate the opportunity to hang out with your mom more, so let me just put this in my calendar. / I acknowledge with gratitude that you are being kind and responsible enough to include it in your calendar. / Thank you. Your mom is a treasure.
Jim Pam Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Callback Jim · Pam: Jim takes a phone call mid-therapy homework conversation; Pam calls it out; Jim says 'I appreciate the sacrifice' sarcastically
Jim Pam Cringe/Discomfort Running Gag Callback Pam · Jim: I've been putting the kids to bed by myself every night for months. And you had to miss one phone call. Is that your truth, Jim? That's really your truth? / I guess I will swallow my truth.
Pam Jim Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Callback Kevin: Are you guys high? Because, if so, to speak my truth, I would appreciate the sacrifice of including me in some hits off your kind buds.
Kevin Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Callback Dwight: The Mark 47 is ready for launch.
Dwight Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Pam: Pam: 'I wish we'd started this exercise six months ago. My heart just feels so... Blocked up.'
Pam Deadpan/Understatement Cringe/Discomfort Kevin: Kevin's paper airplane 'The Mark 47' launch — with 'Less paste' instruction
Kevin Visual Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Nellie: We want you to win. Dwight told me about your situation. It's such a pity. Just use the money wisely. Okay?
Nellie Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Kevin: I know a guy who can turn that into $800. Hint, it's me.
Kevin Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Dwight: Well, I guess you needed the money more than me, huh? Use it wisely.
Dwight Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Callback Angela: I was disappointed in Dwight today. He showed a weakness that was unbecoming. Even if he did do it for me. I don't need pity, and I don't need charity. I have my dignity, and that's enough.
Angela Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Top Episodes — The Office