'The Office' Season 1 Episode Guide

Only six episodes long, the first season of The Office introduces the staff of the Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, including clueless boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell), sales reps Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) and Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), receptionist Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) and temp Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak). Jim and Pam’s flirtatious vibe, Dwight’s creepiness and Michael’s pathological desire to be loved are all established here, setting the tone for the rest of the show. Check out all the details in The Office Season 1 episode guide.

Episode 1
Title: “Pilot”
Original Airdate: March 24, 2005

Ryan arrives in the office to start working as a temp. Jan from corporate meets with Michael to warn him that the company will be closing either the Scranton or Stamford branch, and downsizing is possible. Jim and Pam flirt a bit and almost go out for drinks, but it comes to nothing when Pam’s fiancé, Roy, arrives to take her home. Michael pretends to fire Pam as a joke, but just ends up making her cry.

Episode 2
Title: “Diversity Day”
Original Airdate: March 29, 2005

Corporate sends over a diversity educator in response to complaints about Michael’s offensive performance of a Chris Rock routine. Oblivious Michael scoffs at the official program, even though he is the only one who’s required to be educated, and stages his own diversity event, in which everyone is encouraged to enact harmful stereotypes. Jim is repeatedly deterred from talking to his biggest client, only to have Dwight eventually steal the sale out from under him.

Episode 3
Title: “Health Care”
Original Airdate: April 5, 2005

Jan from corporate charges Michael with choosing a new health plan for the office, telling him he needs to pick the cheapest one. Michael tries to pass the responsibility off to Jim, who declines, so Dwight ends up in charge of the decision while Michael hides in his office to avoid confrontation. Dwight slashes health benefits, angering everyone, and then forces people to submit lists of their medical conditions. Unable to deal with questions about the health plan, Michael instead promises everyone a surprise at the end of the day, which he fails to deliver.

Episode 4
Title: “The Alliance”
Original Airdate: April 12, 2005

In response to rumors of downsizing, Dwight attempts to form an alliance with Jim, an opportunity that Jim takes to mess with Dwight. Worried about staff morale, Michael tries to boost spirits by holding an employee birthday party, but the next birthday, Meredith’s, is a month away. Michael throws the party anyway, but ends up just making morale worse when his greeting-card message for Meredith brings up the downsizing rumors. Roy threatens Jim when he catches Jim and Pam sharing a laugh over their pranks on Dwight.

Episode 5
Title: “Basketball”
Original Airdate: April 19, 2005

Michael organizes what is meant to be a friendly pick-up game of basketball against the warehouse staff, but it quickly gets out of control. Michael’s competitive streak comes out, and he bets that the losing team will have to work on Saturday. Jim gets aggressive with Roy, and Pam seems to like the two men competing over her. After picking his players poorly and not playing very well, Michael calls the game off while his team is ahead, only to have to concede to working over the weekend, although he eventually lets everyone off the hook.

Episode 6
Title: “Hot Girl”
Original Airdate: April 26, 2005

A purse saleswoman named Katy (Amy Adams) shows up at the office, and Michael allows her to set up in the conference room so he can put the moves on her. He uses the $1,000 designated for a prize for the office’s top salesman to instead buy an espresso maker in an effort to impress Katy. Dwight, too, attempts to woo the attractive woman, but their overzealous efforts are wasted, while Jim casually swoops in and charms Katy into going out with him after work. Pam plays it cool, but is clearly jealous.