The Officeis full of infamous cold opens made up of fantastic jokes, such as cold opens pertaining to Jim’s pranks on Dwight, or Kevin spilling his famous chili. However, it’s hard to imagine a cold open that works better than Dwight’s fire drill in “Stress Relief.” Dwight’s ridiculous idea of making it appear as though there’s an actual fire shows why he’s one of the best characters inThe Office, so it’s no wonder thatDwight is in every episode ofThe Office.
The cold open captures a lot of what makesThe Officeso special within less than five minutes, allowing each character a moment to shine, even while they’re all panicking. The chaotic choreography of the scene is impressive as well, and it manages to perfectly handle each character’s different (and equally ridiculous) reaction to thinking there’s a fire. This isarguablyThe Office’sbest cold open, and every joke hits, helping"Stress Relief" stand out as a memorable entry in the series' long run.
In Addition To Being Hilarious, Dwight’s Fire Drill Also Sets Up Major Storylines
The Repercussions Of Stanley’s Heart Attack Cause Great Scenes Later In The Episode
Taken completely out of context, the cold open is still one of thefunniest scenes inThe Office, but it also actually serves a purpose within the context of the episode. Most of the cold opens inThe Officeare jokes that are unrelated to what happens in the rest of the episode, though a few do instead introduce plot elements that will be relevant later in the episode. That is absolutely the case with “Stress Relief,” which uses the fire drill initiated by Dwight to set up the events of the episode in hilarious fashion.
The cold open in “Stress Relief” is also noticeable for being one of the few tobalance humor with the plot of the rest of the episode. “Stress Relief” being a two-part episode further highlights how much impact this cold open really has. The rest of the episode unfolds mostly in response to Stanley’s heart attack, which is a direct consequence of Dwight deciding to create his own fire drill.
The “Stress Relief” Cold Open Was The High-Water Mark Of The Office
“Stress Relief” Was A High Point, Being The Most-Viewed Episode Of The Office
In terms of audience ratings, Season 5 was the most-viewed season ofThe Office, and viewership tapered off in the remaining seasons. Between this and the one-off theme song forthe Michael Scott Paper Company, Season 5 had many unique moments that made it a highlight. “Stress Relief” aired directly after the Super Bowl, which helped make it the most-watched episode ofThe Office. Because they knew that the episode would air after the Super Bowl, the creators of the episode wanted to put outan episode that would be accessible even to those unfamiliar withThe Office.
Each of the characters' reactions are ridiculous and over-the-top, from Angela bickering with Oscar over her cat to Dwight deciding to make it appear like there was an actual fire in the first place.
This is probably part of what makes the fire drill scene so great; each of the characters' reactions are ridiculous and over-the-top, from Angela bickering with Oscar over her cat to Dwight deciding to make it appear like there was an actual fire in the first place. Dwight’s fire drill served as a great introduction to a ridiculous cast of characters to any Super Bowl viewers who might not know the show, and to this day, the scene is a reminder to fans of how the diverse personalities ofthe main characters ofThe Officehelp makeThe Officean incredible show.
