"The Office" (2001) TV series 2001-2003

User Rating:

9.3/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

23 January 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Office | Mockumentary | Boss | Workplace | Cult TV

Awards:

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 21 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

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 Louise 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)
Stirling Gallacher	...	Jennifer Taylor-Clark (7 episodes, 2001-2003)
Ralph Ineson	...	Chris 'Finchy' Finch / ... (7 episodes, 2001-2003)
Oliver Chris	...	Ricky Howard / ... (6 episodes, 2001)
Stacey Roca	...	Rachel (6 episodes, 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)

(more)

Series Directed by
Ricky Gervais		(14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Stephen Merchant		(14 episodes, 2001-2003)

Series Writing credits
Ricky Gervais		(14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Stephen Merchant		(14 episodes, 2001-2003)

Series Produced by
Ash Atalla	....	producer (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Anil Gupta	....	executive producer (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Jon Plowman	....	executive producer (14 episodes, 2001-2003)

Series Cinematography by
Andy Hollis		(14 episodes, 2001-2003)

Series Film Editing by
Nigel Williams		(14 episodes, 2001-2003)

Series Casting by
Rachel Freck		(14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Tracey Gillham		(8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Jo Buckingham		(2 episodes, 2003)

Series Production Design by
Julie Harris		(12 episodes, 2001-2002)

Series Art Direction by
Alexandra Merchant		(8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Jane Fredericks		(6 episodes, 2001)

Series Costume Design by
Sarah Higbid		(14 episodes, 2001-2003)

Series Makeup Department
Lucy Cain	....	makeup designer (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Kate Roberts	....	makeup artist (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Val Akrill	....	makeup artist (6 episodes, 2001)

Series Production Management
Gail Evans	....	production manager (6 episodes, 2001)
Jane Sprague	....	production manager (6 episodes, 2002)
Ian Locker	....	assistant production manager (3 episodes, 2002-2003)
Paul Williams	....	production manager (3 episodes, 2002-2003)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rob Smith	....	second assistant director (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Steve Roberts	....	first assistant director (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Jo Randall	....	first assistant director (6 episodes, 2001)
Zac Thraves	....	third assistant director (6 episodes, 2001)
Kieran Baine	....	third assistant director (2 episodes, 2003)

Series Art Department
Douglas Abrahamson	....	assistant property master (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Matt Wyles	....	property master (6 episodes, 2001)
Simon Blackmore	....	property master (6 episodes, 2002)
Charlie Sammons	....	production buyer (2 episodes, 2003)
Jo Vinton	....	property master (2 episodes, 2003)

Series Sound Department
Mark Found	....	sound recordist (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
James Judge	....	boom operator (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Glenn Calder	....	dubbing mixer (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Katie Harris	....	sound assistant / boom operator (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Andrew Sears	....	dubbing mixer (6 episodes, 2001)
Julian Bale	....	sound assistant (4 episodes, 2002)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Ben Robinson	....	assistant camera (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Drew Seymour	....	camera operator (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Paul Barlow	....	gaffer (6 episodes, 2001)
Rupert Burton	....	assistant camera (6 episodes, 2001)
Richard Farish	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 2001)
Conor Connelly	....	camera operator (5 episodes, 2001)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rose Goodheart	....	wardrobe supervisor (12 episodes, 2001-2002)
Tabitha Doyle	....	wardrobe supervisor / wardrobe assistant (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Emily Wilson	....	dresser (2 episodes, 2003)

Series Editorial Department
Trevor Brown	....	colorist (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Big George	....	music arranger: title music (14 episodes, 2001-2003)

Series Other crew
Sarah Hitchcock	....	production executive (14 episodes, 2001-2003)
Emma John	....	script supervisor (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Caroline Gardener	....	script supervisor (6 episodes, 2001)
Linda Hearn	....	location coordinator / production coordinator (6 episodes, 2001)
Tracyjane Read	....	location manager (6 episodes, 2001)
Debbie Somerville	....	production finance associate / programme finance associate (6 episodes, 2001)
Jackie Byrne	....	production finance associate (6 episodes, 2002)
Lucy Fewell	....	runner (6 episodes, 2002)
Sarah Rose	....	production coordinator (6 episodes, 2002)
Tony Boucher	....	location manager (5 episodes, 2002)
Grace Boylan	....	production coordinator (2 episodes, 2003)
Kelley James	....	finance associate (2 episodes, 2003)
Alison Marlow	....	runner (2 episodes, 2003)
Scott Sidey	....	location manager (2 episodes, 2003)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (as BBC Comedy-North)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2001) (UK) (TV) (original airing)
• BBC Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Vision France (2006) (France) (DVD)
• Duna Televízió (2006) (Hungary) (TV) (original airing) (season 1)
• Comedy Central (2008) (Hungary) (TV) (season 2)
• BBC America (????) (USA) (TV)
• Eesti Televisioon (ETV) (2003) (Estonia) (TV)
• Polyband (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (complete series)
• WoWow (2005) (Japan) (TV)

Other Companies

• Casting Collective  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies

Runtime:

29 min (12 episodes) | 40 min (1 episode) | 50 min (1 episode)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 (season 1) (season 2) | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG (some episodes) | Australia:M | Denmark:A | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Slough Trading Estate, Slough, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

The cleaner who always stands motionless and looks directly at the camera is creator/director Stephen Merchant's father.

Quotes:

David Brent: If you were to ask me to name three geniuses, I probably wouldn't say Einstein, Newton... (struggles for word). I'd go Milligan, Cleese, Everett. Sessions.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ricky Gervais' and Stephen Merchant's Video Diary of the Making of Series Two of 'The Office' (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Handbags and Gladrags

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."