Reasons why The Office is the funniest show on TV

I have yet to watch an episode of The Office in which I didn't laugh out loud at some point. Simply put, the show is brilliantly written, wonderfully acted and has perfectly-timed comedic material. The guys in my cubicle and I ritualistically recite all the funniest lines on Friday morning when we get to work, and many of the lines become inside jokes between all of us.

But what makes the show funny? Glad you asked.

Lack of a laugh track - the atmosphere of The Office makes it funny because it's real. There are uncomfortable, awkward pauses when someone makes a stupid joke or inappropriate remark, just like real life. It adds realism to the show that laugh tracks just don't. You feel like you're there, like you're a part of it.

Practical jokes - this is mostly Jim on Dwight stuff, but it works every time. How could you not laugh at the absurdity of trying to make someone think it's Friday when it's Thursday, yet hang on to the end of the episode to see if the obnoxious co-worker buys into it and runs screaming to his desk the next day, yelling that his perfect work attendance record still stands?

Cluelessness - whether he's burning his foot on a Foreman Grill and bubble-wrapping it or pretending to be suicidal in order to prove that it's dangerous to work in an office (remember, computers might explode!), Michael Scott creates more awkwardness than a groom fainting at his wedding. Perhaps the funniest lines are the ones that the characters mean one way, but we know better. Michael boldly swears that, as an office manager who wants to make the workplace fun, it's his responsibility for people to "laugh as they see me coming, and applaud as I walk away". Indeed they do.

Talking heads - the interview segments are where the performers really get to let their individual talents shine. They connect with you, so when Kevin slyly smirks after revealing to the audience that he got himself for Secret Santa but didn't tell anyone, it's almost like actor Brian Baumgartner is breaking the fourth wall and letting you in on the joke.

Relatability - You want to see how situations from The Office are reflected in your own workplace. You'll look for ways to play a practical joke on your co-workers based on last night's episode. There is a Michael, a Jim, a Dwight, a Phyllis, a Kevin and more in every office. That links you with every other fan you work with.