I could catch a Monkey! (Office, The)

Member Name: Salz

Product:	Office, The
Date:	18/09/02 (1907 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very Funny, Insightful, Did I mention very funny?

Disadvantages: Makes you cringe, Too strong for some

You might think that the television comedy market is already saturated, even with 'mockumertaries' or faked docusoaps. You probably would not have predicted that another one of these would appear, seemingly from nowhere, in autumn last year and blow our minds. But the Office, Ricky Gervaise's new project did just that.

The premise doesn't sound promising. We follow the office workers of a paper merchant in Slough, Wernham Hogg, at a time when they are threatened with 'downsizing' and 'restructuring'. But though the situation does provide some of the tension needed to drive the plot the key to the comedy lies in the characters and their daily interactions.


BE WARNED!
Much of the humour of this show is of the 'I can't believe he did/said that' variety. It can be almost too painful to watch. I spend much of the time laughing even as I cringe down into the seat with embarrassment felt on behalf of the characters. Some people (understandably) find this too much. This tension, though, strengthened by the characters lack of self awareness, is the wellspring of the comedy of the show.

THE CHARACTERS:

DAVID BRENT
The archetypal 'seedy boss'. He is terminally insecure and spends most of his time boosting his ego at the expense of his charges.

GARETH KEENAN
David's right hand man, 'immediately beneath him'. Gareth calls himself the Assistant Regional Manager. David (and everyone else) see it rather differently.

TIM
Tim takes a detached cynical view of the office. It is just a job for him and the foibles of David and, in particular, Gareth, drive him deeper into diffidence.

DAWN TINDSLEY
The receptionist. Spends her time split evenly between reading, controlling David's worse impulses and commiserating with Tim over their ridiculous workplace. She is engaged to Lee who works in the warehouse but still flirts gently with Ti
m.

RICKY
The temp. A recent graduate, David finds Ricky's knowledge and intelligence, not to mention youth and education, rather threatening. Ricky himself is none too impressed with his temporary job.

DONNA
The daughter of David's friends. She is lodging with him. David is terribly protective (almost suspiciously so). Donna pays very little attention to him.

CHRIS FINCH
A sales rep for the company. He is David's closest friend and, although David will not admit it, his role model. Finchy is the one person who puts David down and gets repaid with loyalty rather than abuse.


There are plenty of minor characters: the other employees both in the office and the warehouse, and David's boss, ,who comes down to make sure he is doing his job.

Most of the time we watch them as they go about their business quite obviously 'pretending' not to notice us. There are also Voxpops to the camera where the main actors explain themselves or give us background. These can lead to some classic moments: 'You know the phrase “softly, softly catchee monkey”? I could catch a monkey!' - Gareth.


THE EPISODES:

1: David learns some disturbing news – their branch might be downsized, they are in direct competition with Swindon. Ricky the temp arrives at the office. Gareth and Tim's warfare continues with hilarious results (I won't spoil it for you).
‘We're like Vic and Bob... and one other one.’ – David.

2: Donna joins the team at the office. David warns the boys to keep their hands to themselves. He is rather angry later when he finds that a pornographic picture with his head pasted on has been circulating in the office. He calls on the sevices of his right hand man and Gareth Keenan investigates.
‘A milligram of that poison… and you’d be dead within a day. Or longer. Different frogs, different times
.’ – Gareth.

3: It is Tim’s thirtieth birthday and the night if the Annual Wernham Hogg quiz. When David and Finchy are on the same team it can become fiercely competitive. Pity poor Gareth as he struggles on as the quizmaster.
‘All I will say [about Mr Spock] is what I said at the time: “Look at his ears!”’. – Gareth.

4: David brings in an outsider to run a training day for the team but he is not very good at relinquishing control. Dawn and Lee fight. Tim walks out wanting only to leave the job. David gets out his guitar.
‘You know Monkey Allan down in the warehouse? He fancies you even if no one else does. ‘ – Gareth.

5: The team go out to one of Slough’s two clubs. David is not impressed to find out that Donna and Ricky have got together. Who will manage to pull or be pulled.
‘It was a theme club – Henry the VIII’s. They had a sign in the gents – Mind you Head.’ – Tim.

6: The office finally discover their fate. Will they be downsized? Will David Brent sell them out for purely personal gain?
‘You know how there are seven members of the board…? Oh never mind!’ – David.

CONCLUSION:
Fantastic, innovative, brilliant. It has all been said before and will be said again. I hear there is another series coming up this very autumn (November they say). That will keep me busy in the long Scottish evenings. If you haven't seen The Office, try it, if you think you can stand it! If you have seen it stop reading this and go and wait for it to be on TV again. Go on! Move!

DETAILS:
The Old Series can be caught on BBC2 as repeats and more often on PlayUK for those with Satellite/Cable.
New Series will appear in November.

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