The Office - complete series (The Office - Series 1 and 2 (DVD))

Member Name: kipper52

Product:	The Office - Series 1 and 2 (DVD)
Date:	06/02/09 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Laugh out loud funny

Disadvantages: None

This has to be "probably" the greatest comedy series, certainly of its time, and maybe all time. The series broke new ground in comedy terms as it began to spoof the plethora of fly on the wall documentaries that were assaulting our screens at the time.

The team of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have gone on to write further great stuff but I feel that this will always be remembered as their best work. The setting is Slough, just for anyone who has been living on another planet, and the story centres around the "boss from hell", David Brent (Ricky Gervais), who thinks that he is funny and popular without being either of these things. He is ably supported in his stupidity by his asistant Gareth Keenan (Mackenzie Crook) who bounces wonderfully off the character of Tim Canterbury (Martin Freeman) who is the office joker, ever popular and talented.

Some of the comedy interaction between these two is the highlight of the series as Tim hides Gareth's things for charity and the classic wind ups regarding Gareth's sexuality in the army that Gareth is completely oblivious to. The final piece in the main jigsaw is Dawn who has an on-off love saga with Tim that continues right up till the end of the extra specials.

The office was very unique for its time and the character of Brent steals the show. Watch for his single pieces to camera (priceless) and especially his guitar playing in the training day episode.

The show flows beautifully and, like Fawlty Towers before it, Gervais and Merchant got out after two series and a special as the series had probably run its course. The journey of Brent is beautifully measured and I guarantee you will laugh and laugh especially at the Brent dance on comic relief day.

If you've never seen this, please do, you will thank me, it is brilliant.

Summary: Get ready for laughing till it hurts