EntertainDomain

An Entertainer Third. Picking up ten years after where The Office (UK)  left off, a documentary crew return to film David Brent's latest escapade - going on tour with a disgruntled band and aspiring young rapper. He may have grown a decade older, but Brent is just as crazy, clueless and inappropriate as ever and this time, the cameras are solely on him. For fans of The Office , this feels like the perfect epilogue we never knew we needed to tie up David's story. However, for those new to the character, I can see why this film may not appeal. David is still working as a salesman, this time for a washing products company as a rep. The environment somehow seems even more hostile towards David than Wernham Hogg, as here he is just another worker and possesses few friends, aside from Nigel who is practically his soul-mate. Gradually, we learn that others care about David, including Karen and particularly Pauline, who in fact has a crush on the aloof ex-boss. More on that la...

Brent and Johnson. David Brent returns in this brief follow up to The Office (UK) , and after ten years he is just as clueless and hilarious as before. Besides selling cleaning products to businesses, David has grown interested in investing in start-up artists nearby, which has lead him to a partnership with young rapper Dom Johnson. Cue a torrent of racially charged jokes and anecdotes, as the desperate ex-office manager attempts to create a hit single with Dom. It's a funny short video, in which time the pair create the famous 'Equality Street' (mentioned in season 1 of the main show), a combination of David's guitar playing and singing and Dom's rapping. As imagined, the outcome is apparently "horrendous", with Dom expressing his desire to hide his identity in the music video so as not to be linked with the track. It's all hilarious stuff and it's great to see Brent back after so long.  Overall, Revisited  is a brief glimpse back into t...

Making A Difference. The Office (UK)  reached its conclusion in the second part of the Christmas Special, giving fans the perfect final episode with an extremely satisfying ending. It sounds like I am over-hyping it but honestly, this finale is just SO good. Gervais and Merchant absolutely nailed the script, providing the best endings for our favourite characters. David Brent, the leading man since the show began, embarks on a dating crusade in this Special, after signing up to online dating. The dates are naturally horrendous, with one ending on the phone after the date asked if he was that "awful boss" from the TV show! David actually has some heart-wrenching scenes in this final instalment, particularly shots of him constantly on the road, eating alone at motorway stops and drinking himself to sleep at night. On top of all of this, Neil has now banned him from the place he loves so dearly - the Wernham Hogg offices. It's fare to say that David had a rough ride h...

Stitch Up. David Brent returns along with the whole Wernham Hogg crew for one final outing, split into two parts. This first part feels like an improved, extended episode of the regular season and is all the better for it. We return to our beloved characters 3 years after the events of season 2. David is now an EXTREMELY minor celebrity thanks to The Office (UK) , who does door-to-door sales during the daytime and public appearances at clubs in the evening, all whilst haunting Wernham Hogg, the only place he seems to feel at home. Gervais is just as brilliant as usual and David is funnier than he has ever been, although it was upsetting seeing how poorly his life had turned out. That's an evident theme in this episode - disappointment at current situations (Tim still stuck in the same dull job with an annoying co worker, David still desperately seeking friends and now, a girlfriend and Dawn doing sh*tty odd jobs whilst acting full time babysitter at her fiance's sister...

Changing Times. The second and final season of The Office (UK)  is a marked improvement on the first outing for Wernham Hogg, as it ups both the laughs and drama to create a winning formula. David is really put through the ringer this season, as he tries desperately to bond with employees new and old, only to be fired by Neil and his evil cronies higher up in the organisation. Gervais put in a brilliant performance as Brent, dropping hilarious one-liners and inappropriate comments every episode and carrying the show forward. Gervais deserves praise for how he somehow manages to create a character both awful and lovable, someone we simultaneously dislike and sympathise with. My only problem with David this season would be how the show leaves his story dangling at the end of the episode. I would've liked some satisfying conclusion to the Brentmeister General's journey, but hopefully that will be provided in the unofficial series finale, the Christmas specials. Tim and D...

Peaks and Troughs. Season two has come to an end and it ends on a great episode, albeit an unsatisfying final note. David Brent spends the episode doing his best to look at the positives in his life following his sacking. He endures a calamitous interview with a journalist, during which he is fired by the motivational speaking company. It all culminates in a broken figure bursting into tears in front of Jennifer and Neil, as David begs to keep his job in an actually fairly heartbreaking scene. It is left somewhat ambiguous as to whether David actually did lose his job, although it seems that he genuinely did which is very sad :( . Brent deserved a better ending, although hopefully this is provided in the Christmas Special which tied up the show following season 2.  Meanwhile, Tim made possibly the worst decision in his life by dumping the UNBELIEVABLY out of his league Rachel, only to then get rejected AGAIN by Dawn. It was a rough finale for Bilbo indeed, so here is ...

Day of Laughter. It's Red Nose Day at Wernham Hogg and what a day it is. David struggles to keep his job, whilst Tim and Dawn share a dangerous kiss. This episode focused much upon David and his inappropriate interpretation of charity and being generous. His dance scene was brilliant and surprisingly funny, one of many highlights in 'Charity'. Of course, the chaos of the day all came to a head in the form of David's sacking, which was actually surprisingly emotional. I really felt for Gervais' character after all he has done to try and be liked and popular, he has ended up unloved and fired. I hope the finale sends him off on a positive note! Tim and Dawn FINALLY kiss in this episode, with a particularly romantic £1 kiss. The kiss clearly had immediate repercussions, with Tim getting uncomfortable around Rachel and Dawn acting similarly awkward around comments about Tim. Hopefully this sets up the pair getting together in the final episode of the season, as...

Reaping the Rewards. David Brent leads his first ever motivational seminar, whilst Dawn's jealousy rises, Tim and Rachel get closer and Neil cracks down on the Slough branch. The main focus of this episode is the build up to and then performance of David at his motivational talk and it is worth the wait for sure. A car-crash of failed dad jokes, inappropriate comments about disabled people and cheesy one liners, the talk falls into the category of 'so bad it's actually good'. And by good, I mean hilarious in all the wrong ways, which is the perfect microcosm to describe The Office (UK) . David was delighted with his performance, although I expect he won't be invited back any time soon. Tim and Rachel embraced PDA to the max this week with some truly gross displays of affection in the office. We are led to feel sorry for Dawn, who clearly is becoming more and more jealous of Rachel. Hell, even her own fiance started talking about how attractive she is! The p...

Embarrassment. Season 2 produces another great episode, if a bit light on the laughs. Another new character gets screen time this episode, as it is Trudy's birthday. A loud-mouthed, quick witted Welsh woman, Trudy is instantly popular in the office and has some great interactions with characters both old and new, which makes the series feel a bit more fresh three episodes in. Her interaction with David was by far the funniest moment in the episode, where once again the eager office manager fails to see the funny side of self-depreciation. In 'Party', David is approached by two people looking to hire motivational speakers, which is naturally a perfect fit for the self-proclaimed best boss. I felt so happy for David for some reason, although that happiness was cut short following the dildo situation (again a hilarious moment) and the way David proceeded to rub his success in the faces of all of his coworkers. His selfishness really is his downfall, although it create...

The Wheat From The Chaff. Season two of The Office (UK)  once again improves upon all that has come before with another brilliant episode, in which David attempts to connect with the Swindon branch to be more popular than Neil. Petty squabbling and well written interviews result in a blend of comedy and drama which keeps the show moving forwards. David's goal to get the Swindon recruits to like him ends in catastrophe when they all end up sat around one table at a pub, staring in silence at Keith eating his chips. It's both amusing and upsetting seeing Neil just naturally get along so much better with the employees than David, as the viewer has been lightly pushed into sympathising with the boss and his misguided aloofness. No matter how hard he tries, the poor man only ever ends up accidentally making an inappropriate comment and offending people. Gervais also had the better scenes and funniest moments this week, such as when David agreed with Gareth's ranking of ef...

The Wrong Foot. Calamity ensues when the Swindon branch of Wernham Hogg is merged with the Slough branch, whilst David Brent attempts to make a first great impression. (Spoilers: he really didn't) The second and final season of The Office (UK)  kicks off with a bang with a hilarious episode, which seems to have taken all of the best parts of last season and removed the flaws. Awkward silences have been much reduced and replaced with more great one-liners and well-timed gags. Also new faces in the office ensure more screen time for other members of the cast, many of whom served mere cameo roles in the first season. Brent is back and more absurd than ever, as he attempts to compete against the attractive, young, smooth talking new boss Neil, who ran the old Swindon branch. Naturally, everyone loves Neil and are horrified by David and his inappropriate jokes involving racism and profanity. His jokes are actually quite funny ironically, which again reduces awkward moments into...

Friend First, Boss second. Now that I have completed the first season of The Office (UK) , I can see why it must've proved so popular in its heyday, although there were a number of factors which prevented me from loving it. David Brent naturally carries the whole show forward, with his bumbling awkwardness, desperate desire to be liked and unbelievably poor and inappropriate gags. Ricky Gervais might as well just be playing himself, the role suits him so well. The mockumentary format also feels right at home alongside a protagonist so fond of the spotlight. Being one of the first mockumentaries of its kind, The Office (UK) was a reasonably new concept which proved immediately popular, and its comedy value cannot be questioned. The supporting characters are limited in their numbers, with only Dawn, Tim and Gareth having lines. The trio are fun to watch, particularly the Tim and Dawn romance, which feels realistic and inspires sympathy from the viewer, who is encouraged to s...

Good News and Bad News. The Office (UK) series one finale sees David Brent face a huge decision - whether to take a promotion and watch his staff be made redundant, or to turn down the offer and  force the Swindon branch to merge with Slough. A decision which David decides almost immediately and one which goes against all that we have learned about his character this season - he chooses to take the promotion. After talking about the importance of staff for six episodes, Brent abandons them in favour of a higher salary. The decision felt strange to me and didn't sit right, so I was initially glad when it was revealed David turned down the job to save the branch (an arc which fitted better with his character), only to then discover he actually failed the medical so was forced to return. It was humorous in its own way, but just didn't feel like a satisfying conclusion to the series. Elsewhere, Tim gave up his dream to go to university and study Psychology. He claims...

Showing Respect. David hires a new assistant despite financial struggles at Wernham Hogg, meanwhile the crew go out to Slough's premier nightclub 'Chasers' to blow off some steam. As we enter the penultimate episode of the series, it is hard not to be disappointed with how shallow the overall plot has been throughout. It's a minor thing, as the comedy is what makes this show so good, but I just wish there was a stronger underlying narrative across all six episodes. Anyway, 'New Girl' introduces a couple of new ideas, as we see Tim struggling with the consequences of his rejection by Dawn in the last episode. The pair share a number of awkward interaction which feel natural given the circumstances, but just enough lingering glances to confirm they are both still into each other, despite their inconvenient circumstances. Finchy makes his grand return this week as the group go clubbing in a dive bar in Slough. Once again, the bigot's tongue is loose ...

Teamwork. 'Training' improves upon the its predecessors by upping the comedy in one of The Office   (UK) 's best episodes yet. David Brent and the team embark on a training course which ends in calamity after David attempts to take over the show himself. Playing on yet another of the common activities a salesman would have to undergo in an office, this episode works so well because we get to essentially watch the coworkers undermine and irritate the poor man leading the training. Rowan, the guest in this episode, is the stereotypical up beat, smooth voiced training course instructor who lives by the book and uses more company jargon than actual words. As such it is hilarious to watch him butt heads with David, as the office manager constantly derails the training with random comments and useless anecdotes. It is equally both endearing watching David try to lead the course himself and funny seeing how much he gets under Rowan's skin. One particular scene between...

Sad Little Men. Episode 3 of the first series of The Office (UK)   is another solid entry for the show, as we meet the infamous Chris Finch, witness Tim's 30th birthday and see the competitive side of Wernham Hogg. Yes the titular Quiz drives the story forward this week, as David spends the episode frantically preparing for the event and the arrival of his idolised friend Chris 'Finchy' Finch. Finchy is exactly as expected - a cocksure, narcissistic individual who is shamelessly racist, sexist and rude. David is revealed to be somewhat of a lackey to Finch, laughing at his jokes whilst being repeatedly insulted and belittled by his so-called friend. We also see how desperate both David and Finchy are to maintain their coveted prize of Quiz champions, as it is most likely the only suggestion of success in both the men's lives. Elsewhere, Tim experiences an underwhelming 30th birthday. It is revealed that the salesman still lives with his parents (resulting in a ...

Look But Don't Touch. The Office (UK) improves in every way in the entertaining 'Work Experience', as Gervais navigates sexism and sexual misconduct in the workplace to produce a hilarious but potentially quite offensive episode. It was established in the pilot episode that David Brent was a misguided middle-aged man with more outdated beliefs revolving around gender norms and equality and this was explored more deeply in 'Work Experience' after a new, attractive girl called Donna is brought in as an intern. Brent continually tries to convey a sense of feminism but his speech's about equality are pure comedy gold and serve as a sad example of mindsets and sexist/racist language which still exists in the workplace today. Tim and Dawn did more to convince me that they are worth shipping in this episode, as they joked around during quieter moments and flirted casually. I still find Tim irritatingly cocky however, with his bumbling awkwardness and poor come...

Investment in People. The first ever episode of The Office (UK)  sets up an entertaining and relatable workplace, although a number of jokes fall flat. 'Downsize' is light on story and heavy on exposition as it aims t o establish the characters and relationships within the fictional offices of  Wernham Hogg, whilst encouraging the viewer to sympathise with these characters and plot threads. As such, the best way to address this episode would be to view it as a character study. Here is what I got from the characters: David Brent (Ricky Gervais) - The protagonist, loveable idiot boss David Brent drives the show forward and his cringe-inducing gags and interactions form the core of the humour in the show. He clearly wants to do good, but is misguided and inappropriate, resulting in awkward office interactions which many viewers would likely associate with. Despite his rudeness and poor sense of humour, I instantly rooted for Brent and his passion for his colleagues. Ti...

The Short-Lived UK Comedy about an average paper company which spawned the famous US remake. Almost everyone has been encouraged to watch the US Office at some point in their lives, but it's worth remembering where the phenomenon originated. Having never seen either version, I am starting on the UK edition where it all began. So stay tuned for short reviews on each of the 12 episodes, along with more fun facts and trivia! Season 1 1. Downsize - 6.5/10 ( https://entertaindomain.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-office-uk-s1-e1-downsize-review.html ) 2. Work Experience - 7.5/10 ( https://entertaindomain.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-office-uk-s1-e2-work-experience.html ) 3. The Quiz - 7/10 ( https://entertaindomain.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-office-uk-s1-e3-quiz-review.html ) 4. Training - 7.3/10 ( https://entertaindomain.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-office-uk-s1-e4-training-review.html ) 5. New Girl - 7/10 ( https://entertaindomain.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-office-uk-s1-e5-new-girl...