The Office

I wasn't go to write a comment on the programme The Office but after reading trpdean's comment, I had to. I'm not sure what office life is like in the states, but this is what office life is like in Britain.

The show is perfect, it is indeed a true and honest reflection on every day working life.

The Boss is played by an actor by the name of Ricky Gervais, you will cringe and laugh at the same time, you will love him and hate him at the same time. The way the programme takes him thru the 14 episodes is brilliant, George from Seinfeld gets nowhere near this guy.

Then there is Gareth, a wimpy nerd, who thinks he is a big army man, but he really is just a weed of a man, we have all known someone like him.

The heart and soul belongs to Tim and Dawn though, you will cry your eyes out through out the series because of their relationship that isn't one.

This programme deserves all the awards that it has won, I don't want give too much away, its best if you go into the show not knowning too much about it, and to trpdean, once again this is what office life is like in England.

"The Office" is quite simply worth watching. I am tired of hearing people criticising it. It's not that it's not worthy of criticism, but the fact that those who label it as "overrated" and "falling short of expectations" have only ever seen one episode, or the Christmas Special, or 'The Dance'. It defies logic to make a judgment on a 14 episode programme on 2 feature-length episodes that merely act as a means of updating and rounding-off the series. I have yet to hear anyone make a solid argument as to why The Office fails in any way.

If you have not yet seen it, get Series 1 and 2 and settle down on a rainy afternoon ready to emerse and commit yourself. Forget the hype, put the dance scene that you've seen a million times out of your mind, and just watch each episode in order. Then make your own judgment. If you liked it, you will want to see the Christmas Specials; if you didn't, you won't.

Using a cast of unknown, yet perfectly chosen actors, The Office is a sharp, funny, painful, emotional and fabulous take on office life.

Had this been a 'Britcom-proper' it probably wouldn't have been as funny as it is now.

The tragic elements woven into it make it so much greater. Admittedly, there are a lot (and I mean A LOT) of cringeworthy moments in The Office. Moments that make you put your hand over your eyes and look through your fingers, moments that make you gasp and look away, and moments that will make you go "Aaaargh! Noooo!".

Everybody (who is not David or Gareth) who has ever worked in an office setting (especially those who worked in several ..) will feel that The Office is a condensed and compressed series of events, but very true to life. Everybody knows David and Gareth, everybody wants to slap them and shut them up forever. Everybody feels for (and feels like) Tim and Dawn. And everybody knows that an office would be a downright suicidal place were it not for common foes like 'the boss' and 'the wannabe boss' to loathe.

Don't watch The Office if all you want is a quick laugh .. you would feel way too uncomfortable for that. The Office is a true slice of (office) life, a bit larger, a bit darker, a bit more painful, but ultimately more humorous than anything I've ever seen. Make sure you catch the Christmas special(s) as well, as that puts the icing on the cake and makes life slightly more bearable.

Now that I've seen the Christmas specials I must say that this is some of the best material I've ever seen! Every of the 14 episodes is just great and worth watching over and over again.

I'm going to miss you Dawn, Tim, Gareth, David, Keith, Jennifer, Sheila, Rachel and Monkey-Alan...

Even people from Slough have signs on their car windows "Happiness is seeing Slough in your Rear View Mirror". During the war the enemy was invited to bomb Slough; "Come friendly bombs rain on Slough")(no joke).

The Office is one of those programs which when you happen across it, for the first half-hour or so you're completely baffled, its format is so unusual, then before you know it you're hooked.

It's really about the horror of passing so much time with the SAME people (more than with our families). Where any minor incident like the photocopier jamming becomes a slight relief from monotony.

If you like The Office then try "Alan Partridge" like David Brent another nightmarish figure