The Office - Series 1 And 2 (Box Set) > Reviews > I don't give shitty jobs...

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Outstanding
How does it compare to similar films?	Not applicable

Advantages:	Hilarious, thoroughly enjoyable, episodic and therefore easy to watch
Disadvantages:	This particular boxset doesn't contain the Xmas Specials

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

When the first episodes of The Office were aired in mid-2001, I was too young really to appreciate it's genius. In fact, initially i discovered the show when i wondered down stairs one night, unable to sleep, and i just caught the words "testicular cancer" as a business man put one hand to his crotch before my mother hastily turned the show off telling me it was some "new rubbish". That's exactly what i dismissed it as until i went to college and actually watched it - after one episode i was hooked. It wasn't that anything exciting happens - it doesn't, nor was it the cast (most of them weren't famous at the time and only became renowned through their Office roles), but it was the charm of the perpetual photocopier, the isolated office window and the fantastic realism of each and every character which captured my attention. Instantly i purchased the box set and set about watching each and every episode consecutively - it was a joy, and let me explain why...

"It's like, Comic Relief, yeah? I'm out here in Africa and I'm seeing the flies and the starvation... and she - if she is the boss - she's in the studio with, you know, Jonathan Ross and Lenny Henry - and they've got their suits on. They're doing their bit, they're counting the money. Good luck to them. But, their hands are clean, while I'm down here in the office with the little starving kids..."

The show is concerned with all aspects of office life in a paper merchants at Slough, although the primary focus of series one is that of redundancy and the resizing of two office branches and in series two is coping with the changes as a result of the combining branches. Each episode portrays a different event (or more) such as an office motivation day, a new employee, a quiz night and of course, health and safety training (courtesy of Gareth Keenan). The humour is based on the reality, ie. it is funny simply because people can realate to how accurate Gervais and Merchants observations are. The characters are transparent in their personalities and yet not caricatures, which is very clever as there is undoubtedly a fine line. In terms of direction, the style is very much as a documentary, so the camera follows people about and has individual focus on different characters. Intermittent soliloquys break up the main piece allowing each character to express their current feelings.

Briefly i'll cover the characters...

"I said, 'If Head Office try and come here and interfere, they've got me to contend with, okay? You can go and fiddle with Neil's people, but I'm the head of this family. You're not going to fiddle with my children. I am, if anyone does.'"

Ricky Gervais (Extras, Politics, Animals) and Steve Merchant created The Office, and whilst Steve Merchant only made one brief appearance throughout the two series, (as the infamous "Oggy" with "bulbous eyes"), Ricky Gervais snapped up the main spot as the vulgar, arrogant, unpolitically-correct but strangely loveable boss, David Brent ("The Brent Meister General"). For him the role was so vice-like that to most people Gervais was forgotten, and he simply became David Brent. It is his flamboyant handgestures, meaningless business jargon ("we're all one big pie") and unique style of comedy which make him instantly recognisable as the fat man in the suit. He is the boss at Wernham Hogg paper merchants - at least, he's meant to be...

Gareth Keenan claims he is Assistant Regional Manager, although as David Brent frequently insists, he is infact Assistant "to the" Regional Manager. He is TA trained and obsessed by the miltary. Some of the funniest scenes revolve around his enactment of various military techniques. He's not the brightest of sparks, or an analogy he would probably prefer: he's not the sharpest of blades, but he's kind of loveable...kind of...

Tim Canterbury ("The Canterbury Tales...Chaucer...Shakespeare...") and Dawn Tinsley ("I don't want to spend my life answering phones in some crappy, sub-branch paper merchant's.") are the two love birds of the piece. Dawn is actually in a long term relationship, although it is clear from episode one that she does have a thing for Tim as they flirt outrageously resulting some seriously awkward moments. Tim's the normal guy at work, and she's the normal gal, so it's pretty inevitable that they connect.

Now just consider an office full of mentals like this and you've pretty much got the cast sorted...!

The credit soundtrack is an arrangement of "Handbags and Gladrags" by Big George which always bursts into sound at the most appropriate time leaving you smiling wistfully or sadly...It's a great arrangement and after a few episodes you'll no doubt be singing along!

The dvd boxset is certificate 15, which is certainly the most suitable rating as the humour is frequently unclean, and sometimes could be considered offensive although it is expressed in the most harmless manner. Essentially it is just a social satire mocking the trivialities of human behaviour, self-importance and conceit, and the banality of everyday life. Social comments on the ins and outs of race, religion, sex and disability are all embedded into the humour in ways we can clearly relate to, exemplifying just how much of a social critique the comedy actually is.

"There are limits to my comedy. There are things that I'll never laugh at. The handicapped. Because there's nothing funny about them. Or any deformity. It's like when you see someone look at a little handicapped and go 'ooh, look at him, he's not able-bodied. I am, I'm prejudiced.' Yeah, well, at least the little handicapped fella is able-minded. Unless he's not, it's difficult to tell with the wheelchair ones. Just give generously to them all."

If i was asked to give one word to be used to describe The Office, i'd say: Masterpiece.

Pictures with thanks to bbc.co.uk/comedy
Quotes taken from "Wikiquote" with thanks... 

Pictures for the review

Display pictures

Brent