The Office
Possibly Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchants greatest creation to date, winning two Golden Globe awards, and going from cult classic to bestseller. The Office is a sitcom set in a Wernam Hogg, a struggling sub branch paper merchants run by a boss intent on gaining popularity and respect. Convinced he is an entertainer and comedian before a manager, he is blind to the fact he is failing miserably, though we get the impression that the boss David Brent, played by Ricky Gervais lives a depressing life hidden by the character he attempts to be.
Recorded as a fly-on-the-wall mockumentary, the two series sitcom follows the every day happenings within the office which is located in what we are told to be Slough, England. The sub-plot gives us Receptionist Dawn, who is stuck in a dead end relationship with the arrogant and careless Lee, where the only thing both have in common is the fact they are engaged ... and have been for the last three years. Then we have the charming and down to earth sales rep Tim, who has clear feelings for Dawn which is reciprocated but much like his career, neither is going anywhere.
| The Office Cast List | |
|---|---|
| Actor | Character |
| Ricky Gervais | David Brent |
| Martin Freeman | Tim Canterbury |
| Lucy Davis | Dawn Tinsley |
| Gareth Keenan | Mackenzie Crook |
| Chris Finch | Ralph Ineson |
| Neil Godwin | Patrick Baladi |
| Jennifer Taylor Clarke | Stirling Gallacher |
So what makes a sitcom based in a paper merchants worthy of such critical praise? A viewing of the series reveals all. As stated by Gervais himself, the environment is simply a backdrop for the relationships revealed within and the way they interact. The cast is excellent, the style is convincing and subtle, but what really makes the show is the perfect script written by the partnership of Ricky and Steve. The comedy is genius, the sitcom contains depth and a family of characters who all relate to to people you know, and the character that does not is most likely a portrayal of you. Analyzing comedy removes its magic, but the non forced humour is so well applied that the show is in fact the funniest depressing story you will ever view.
The Office is a two series sitcom which was wrapped up by a two part Christmas special, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and produced by Ash Atalla. For UK readers, you can catch The Office re-runs broadcast every few months on BBC2, or you can order the complete Office Boxset Here From Amazon where you can also ready many reviews. US readers Use This Link for the american version of Amazon.
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The Office
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