I know that I've said I prefer the horror leaning episodes, and "Empty Orchestra" is most certainly not that, but I do like this one.
On a works night out to a private Karaoke booth, a team of office workers are celebrating the promotion of Roger (Steve Pemberton). The atmosphere is dampened though by the idea circulating that one of the team is going to be laid off as a cost cutting exercise. Further poisoning the room is the fact that Greg (Reece Shearsmith) is living with Fran (Sarah Hadland) but having an affair with their colleague Connie (Tamzin Outhwaite). The increasingly bitter Connie is also using the evening to get back at Janet (Emily Howlett) who has a P. A job that she wanted, by trying to embarrass her with another co-worker Duane (Javone Prince).
I mean, I can understand the idea that this is the episode least in keeping with the others in the series. There is no real twist, not even that much nastiness, beyond the awful Connie and her backstabbing. But I did enjoy it. It's interesting that it comes straight after "The Riddle of the Sphinx" which received so much praise for integrating the crossword clues into the plot, even though, for me, that didn't really work that well. Whereas here, the selection of the songs to tell the story, both emotionally and literally, is wonderfully well done.
On a works night out to a private Karaoke booth, a team of office workers are celebrating the promotion of Roger (Steve Pemberton). The atmosphere is dampened though by the idea circulating that one of the team is going to be laid off as a cost cutting exercise. Further poisoning the room is the fact that Greg (Reece Shearsmith) is living with Fran (Sarah Hadland) but having an affair with their colleague Connie (Tamzin Outhwaite). The increasingly bitter Connie is also using the evening to get back at Janet (Emily Howlett) who has a P. A job that she wanted, by trying to embarrass her with another co-worker Duane (Javone Prince).
I mean, I can understand the idea that this is the episode least in keeping with the others in the series. There is no real twist, not even that much nastiness, beyond the awful Connie and her backstabbing. But I did enjoy it. It's interesting that it comes straight after "The Riddle of the Sphinx" which received so much praise for integrating the crossword clues into the plot, even though, for me, that didn't really work that well. Whereas here, the selection of the songs to tell the story, both emotionally and literally, is wonderfully well done.
