Has there ever been a more perfect TV comedy than The Office? Personally, I don't think there has. The ability of the show to straddle the line between dour realism and laugh-out-loud hilarity is absolutely unmatched. Anyone who has ever worked in this kind of environment will appreciate how perfectly observed it is; the people, the atmosphere, the dialogue, the overbearing tedium. All the characters, including the background workers and warehouse staff, are perfectly constructed and every conversation is painfully realistic.
David Brent is Ricky Gervais' finest conception and probably one of the funniest comedy characters ever created. Gervais' ability to produce such a high level of cringe while also keeping the character relatively likeable is a tremendous feat and testimony to his acting skills.
Martin Freeman is brilliant as Tim, essentially acting as the eyes and ears for the viewers. His interplay with Gareth, Brent and, of course, Dawn is perfectly executed. This is a real hero- a normal, unremarkable and entirely believable guy whose superpower is simply his ability to cope with the stupidity of everyone around him without losing his civility or sense of humour.
But by far the biggest achievement of this show is the incredible love story between Tim and Dawn. This is so much more than the cliched Hollywood romances we are used to seeing in films and TV shows. These two are not beautiful, successful and young. They do not live in swanky studio apartments and frequent glamorous nightclubs and social hotspots. Their love story is not portrayed through exciting dates and engaging conversations. Tim and Dawn are just very normal. They have boring jobs, boring social lives, are mildly attractive at best and are going nowhere in life. Their romance is told through brief glances and awkward conversations. It is barely told at all in fact, and yet we feel it so intensely from start to finish. The writing strips away the non-essentials from the love story, leaving you to connect with the raw yearning that propels it. It takes you back to having a school crush, when that person consumed every second of your life and every part of you just ached to reach out and hold them. The culmination of this love story is one of my favourite ever TV moments. No matter how many times I watch it, I choke up. It's just incredible. A monumental piece of writing and the undisputed highlight of Gervais and Merchant's careers
This would be my desert island box-set, a show I could easily watch every day for the rest of my life. Sheer perfection.
David Brent is Ricky Gervais' finest conception and probably one of the funniest comedy characters ever created. Gervais' ability to produce such a high level of cringe while also keeping the character relatively likeable is a tremendous feat and testimony to his acting skills.
Martin Freeman is brilliant as Tim, essentially acting as the eyes and ears for the viewers. His interplay with Gareth, Brent and, of course, Dawn is perfectly executed. This is a real hero- a normal, unremarkable and entirely believable guy whose superpower is simply his ability to cope with the stupidity of everyone around him without losing his civility or sense of humour.
But by far the biggest achievement of this show is the incredible love story between Tim and Dawn. This is so much more than the cliched Hollywood romances we are used to seeing in films and TV shows. These two are not beautiful, successful and young. They do not live in swanky studio apartments and frequent glamorous nightclubs and social hotspots. Their love story is not portrayed through exciting dates and engaging conversations. Tim and Dawn are just very normal. They have boring jobs, boring social lives, are mildly attractive at best and are going nowhere in life. Their romance is told through brief glances and awkward conversations. It is barely told at all in fact, and yet we feel it so intensely from start to finish. The writing strips away the non-essentials from the love story, leaving you to connect with the raw yearning that propels it. It takes you back to having a school crush, when that person consumed every second of your life and every part of you just ached to reach out and hold them. The culmination of this love story is one of my favourite ever TV moments. No matter how many times I watch it, I choke up. It's just incredible. A monumental piece of writing and the undisputed highlight of Gervais and Merchant's careers
This would be my desert island box-set, a show I could easily watch every day for the rest of my life. Sheer perfection.