The Office (2001–2003)

The story of an office that faces closure when the company decides to downsize its branches. A documentary film crew follow staff and the manager Brent as they continue their daily lives.

Stars:

Ricky Gervais, Martin Freeman, Mackenzie Crook

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 21 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Ricky Gervais	...	David Brent (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Martin Freeman	...	Tim Canterbury (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Mackenzie Crook	...	Gareth Keenan (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Lucy Davis	...	Dawn Tinsley (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Ewen MacIntosh	...	Keith (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Ben Bradshaw	...	Ben (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Jamie Deeks	...	Jamie (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Jane Lucas	...	Sheila (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Emma Manton	...	Emma (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Alexander Perkins	...	Ralph (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Philip Pickard	...	Phillip (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Joel Beckett	...	Lee (13 episodes, 2001-2003)
Patrick Baladi	...	Neil Godwin (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Julie Fernandez	...	Brenda (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Rachel Isaac	...	Trudy (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Howard Saddler	...	Oliver (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Oliver Chris	...	Ricky Howard (6 episodes, 2001)
Stacey Roca	...	Rachel (6 episodes, 2002)
Ralph Ineson	...	Chris 'Finchy' Finch (6 episodes, 2001-2003)
Stirling Gallacher	...	Jennifer Taylor-Clark (6 episodes, 2001-2002)
Robin Hooper	...	Malcolm (6 episodes, 2001)
Angela Clerkin	...	Jackie (6 episodes, 2001)
Patrick Driver	...	Patrick (6 episodes, 2002)
Tony MacMurray	...	Tony (6 episodes, 2002)

Storyline

A mockumentary about life in a mid-sized suboffice paper merchants in a bleak British industrial town, where manager David Brent thinks he's the coolest, funniest, and most popular boss ever. He isn't. That doesn't stop him from embarrassing himself in front of the cameras on a regular basis, whether from his political sermonizing, his stand-up 'comedy', or his incredibly unique dancing. Meanwhile, long-suffering Tim longs after Dawn the engaged receptionist and keeps himself sane by playing childish practical jokes on his insufferable, army-obsessed deskmate Gareth. Will the Slough office be closed? Will the BBC give David a game show? Will Tim and Dawn end up with each other? And more importantly, will Gareth realize what a hopeless prat he is?

---

Plot Keywords:

office | mockumentary | boss | employee | british comedy | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Official Sites:

BBCi [uk]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 January 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

A hivatal

Filming Locations:

Slough Trading Estate, Slough, Berkshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

52 min 29 min (12 episodes) 44 min (1 episode) 52 min (1 episode)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The show was filmed at Teddington Studios though not actually in any of their studio spaces. It was filmed in their office building which is adjacent to the TV studios.

---

Quotes

Gareth: I'm not homophobic, all right? Come around, look at my C.D collection. You'll find Queen, George Michael, Pet Shop Boys. They're all bummers.

---

Connections

Referenced in Finding Leo (2005)

---

Soundtracks

"Handbags and Gladrags"
(theme song)
Written by Mike d'Abo
Performed by Fin

User Reviews

Laughter through the tears

While admitting to being a general Britcom slut (Fawlty Towers, Ab Fab, Monty Python,) with the exception of Coupling which I wasn't that big a fan of, I think The Office is quite possibly one of the greatest TV shows ever to be put on TV. The show takes a few viewings to really get all of the humor/tragedy that the brilliant Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have built into the script of the show. The first time it seems sort of blah, but if you watch the whole 1st season, by episode 4 or 5 you pick up on the style of humor and realize that it lies mainly in the simple throwaway lines that the abhorrent David Brent and other employees of Wernham Hogg's Slough branch utter throughout the show. Also, like Gosford Park, the dialogue is very quiet and to an American not used to British accents it is tremendously helpful to put on the subtitles to understand what the characters are saying (it also makes the cringeworthy things that much more cringeworthy when you see them written out). Once you get the humor further viewing will allow you to appreciate the horror of "The Office." Watching all of Season 2 in a marathon viewing session left me so emotionally drained (even though I have never laughed harder in my life) that I was crying by the end and I couldn't tell if they were tears of sadness or laughter. At the same time I was relishing David Brent's demise, the new levels of obsequiousness and insensitivity he descends to by the end of the series is almost painful to watch. Tim and Dawn's will it happen/it won't happen relationship is one of the sweetest and most soul-crushing romances I have seen in television history ranking right up there with Sam and Diane from Cheers and Ross and Rachel from Friends. The beauty of "The Office" is it mixes some of the most hilarious sitcom humor with a level of epic tragedy that is hard to capture in any performing art form and does it so effortlessly that it is hard to tell where one begins and one ends. I cannot wait to see the special and finally finish the emotional roller coaster that was "The Office."