The Office Episode Guide (UK)General information about the office: The Office is a British television comedy series, created, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and first aired in the UK on BBC Two on July 9, 2001. After the show's critical success an American version was launched, premiering on NBC on March 24, 2005, as was a French version in the spring of 2006 called Le Bureau and a German version called Stromberg[2] has also been made. A fourth adaptation, the Canadian French language, La Job, has also debuted in January 2007 and BBC Films is reported to be considering a motion picture version. A Brazilian show on the Globo channel Os Aspones was also heavily modelled on the series format. Widely acclaimed as the most successful BBC comedy of this decade, two six-episode series were made, along with a pair of 45-minute Christmas specials. As well as being shown internationally on BBC Worldwide channels such as BBC Prime, BBC AmericaBBC Canada, the series has been sold to broadcasters in over 80 countries, including ABC in Australia, TVNZ in New Zealand and the pan-Asian satellite channel STAR World, based in Hong Kong. and The Office shares some themes in common with Mike Judge's 1999 movie Office Space, mainly the banal and dissatisfying nature of office jobs, although Gervais and Merchant claim they had not seen the film at the time. The show also shares themes with another social satire created by Gervais and Merchant, Extras, namely social clumsiness, the trivialities of human behaviour, self-importance and conceit, frustration and desperation and fame. The Office Series One Episode Guide:Episode 1 - Downsize - Aired July 9th 2004 A documentary crew films the every day activities of a Wernham-Hogg paper merchant branch in Slough. The regional manager of the branch is David Brent, an irritating, middle-aged man who thinks he is as likable as he is entertaining. Among Brent's employees are Dawn Tinsley, Brent's reluctant receptionist; Tim Canterbury, a well-liked sales representative; and Gareth Keenan, the somewhat inept and sycophantic assistant to the regional manager. Early in the day, Jennifer Taylor-Clarke visits David Brent for a meeting to inform him that Wernham-Hogg can't run both a Slough branch and a Swindon branch. One of the branches will inevitably be merged with the other, depending on which is the most efficient. David panics at the thought of the Slough branch closing and his employees being made redundant, but he promises to keep Jennifer's announcement under wraps. However, rumors quickly spread around the office. In addition to hiring a new forklift driver, David Brent introduces new temporary employee Ricky Howard around the office. During Ricky's tour, Tim sparks conflict with Gareth after he discovers his stapler inside a jelly. Rather than punishing Tim, David focuses more on trying to come up with a joke for the situation. Later, after Gareth forbids Tim from using his stapler, Tim takes it and ends up dropping it out of a window after a humorous argument. After various employees confront David about the rumors, David Brent holds a meeting and explains the situation to everyone. Employees are immediately worried for their jobs. At the end of the day, Tim invites Dawn to go out with him and some other employees for an "end of the week drink". Unfortunately, their conversation is interrupted by Lee, Dawn's fiancé. Before Dawn leaves, David plays a practical joke on her to impress Ricky. He tells her that she is being fired for stealing Post-it notes. David doesn't clue Dawn in on the joke until after she begins crying. Ricky watches, silently horrified at the behavior of his new boss. Episode 2 - Work Experience - Aired July 16th 2001 David Brent continues to promise the employees that there will be no redundancies while he introduces new employee Donna to the office staff. The very attractive Donna wins the attention of many of the male employees, much to the discomfort of David, who is letting Donna live with him as a favour to her parents, who are friends of his. While David Brent demonstrates to Donna how to use the office's email system, he discovers a pornographic image with his face superimposed on the body of a naked woman. David quickly finds that everyone in the office has seen the image, even the cleaning woman, who doesn't even have access to email. David tries to cover his obvious embarrassment for the prank by instead telling the staff that he's angry because the image "offends women". David gives Gareth the task of finding the culprit of the prank. Gareth is more than willing to conduct the investigation, excited at the chance to put the experience from his Territorial Army days to the test. Jennifer Taylor-Clarke visits David to see if he's yet made any changes to his branch in an effort to keep it running. After hearing that Neil, rival manager of the Swindon Wernham-Hogg branch, has made several changes, David lies and tells Jennifer that he's already let go of an employee in the warehouse by the name of Julie Anderton. After visiting the warehouse and being undermined by warehouse workers, Jennifer catches David in his lie. After returning from the warehouse, Gareth interrupts David and Jennifer's sour meeting to tell David Brent that it was Tim who created the pornographic image. Already frustrated with David, Jennifer tells him that if he can't handle the responsibility of his job, she'll relieve him of his duties. In an effort to prove himself, David reprimands Tim about the image. However, Tim reveals to David that it was in fact David's good friend Chris Finch who created the image. David's attitude about the prank changes entirely once he realizes Chris Finch is responsible, calling it "bloody hilarious". When Jennifer suggests that David apologize to Tim and fire Finch instead, David dials a telephone and stages a firing. Jennifer foils his ruse by pressing the speakerphone button on the telephone, revealing that he has rung the speaking clock instead of Finch. Episode 3 - The Quiz - Aired July 23rd 2001 It's Tim Canterbury's 30th birthday. Unfortunately for him, it's also the staff pub quiz night, which David Brent and his 'mate' Chris Finch have won six years in a row. And victory for a seventh year will hinge on a lot of questions about war and the ability to throw a shoe over a pub. Episode 4 - Training - Aired July 30th 2001 It's staff training day at Wernham Hogg, and an outside facilitator has come in to educate the Slough branch about customer care. David Brent, naturally, is determined to undermine him at every opportunity. Meanwhile, Dawn Tinsley and her fiancé Lee are having trouble in their relationship. Is this Tim Canterbury's moment to make his move? The answer is tragically inevitable. During the training session, David Brent breaks into song, singing self-penned titles such as "Freelove Freeway". He also comforts Dawn with a composition about Princess Diana. Episode 5 - New Girl - Aired August 13th 2001 David Brent decides to hire a secretary, because "he needs one." Tim Canterbury has resolved to quit his job, determined to go back to university and make something of his life. To change his mind, Brent has convinced him to go out on the town with him, Gareth and Finchy. The nightclub they select is Chasers. The evening cannot be described in any way as fun. Episode 6 - Judgement - Aired August 20th 2001 It is the day of judgment at Wernham Hogg: David Brent can either accept a promotion and the downsizing of his branch, or remain in his present job and accept an influx of workers from the Swindon branch. Naturally, David Brent chooses the former. Glumly, everyone seems prepared for redundancy, but surprises will be sprung by more than one person. The Office Series Two Episode Guide:
Episode 1 - Aired September 30th 2002 The Slough branch has remained open, and the new Swindon intake are due in. David Brent is preparing to mark the occasion with one of his stand-up routines. It turns out to be one of the most hideously uncomfortable experiences ever endured by anyone alive. He also meets his new boss, Neil, and begins to hate him instantly. Tim, meanwhile, has been persuaded to stay with a promotion and a pay increase. Dawn is upset because Tim starts taking his job more seriously. Gareth is upset because Tim actually has authority over him now. Episode 2 - Aired October 7th 2002 It is the day of the staff appraisals, in which we learn that Dawn wants to be a children's illustrator, and that Keith appears to have short-term amnesia. The Swindon lot also indicate that they don't think everything's all right in Slough, and that they preferred Neil to David as a manager. David Brent immediately challenges them to accompany him for a drink to prove he's more fun. Naturally, it doesn't work. Episode 3 - Aired October 14th 2002 It is an employee's birthday. Naturally, David Brent's jealousy, snideness and general social ineptness manages to ruin it all. He is approached to do some outside management training, and delights in informing everyone who'll listen and most who won't how much he'll be paid by hour. Episode 4 - Aired October 21st 2002 Tim has started seeing Rachel, a fellow employee which naturally gets right up Dawn's nose. Gareth is trying to impress the visiting office computer geek, and it's David Brent's big day: the day of his management presentation. His ultra-unorthodox approach, rambling monologue, and use of both a book of Native American wisdom and a Tina Turner song ensure that it is a session not likely to be forgotten by those in attendance. Episode 5 - Aired October 28th 2002 It's Red Nose Day at Wernham Hogg, which David Brent treats like a national holiday. Gareth is hopping everywhere, Dawn is selling kisses, Neil is disco-dancing and Tim is hiding Gareth's possessions for charity. Brent is eagerly awaiting a photo opportunity from the local paper, but storm clouds are headed his way. And Tim gets a free kiss. Episode 6 - Aired November 4th 2002 Facing redundancy, David Brent is approaching the end of his time at Wernham Hogg with a smile that fools absolutely no one and the increasing realisation that nobody is particularly bothered that he's going. Dawn is leaving to go to America with Lee, and Tim is torn between the two women in his life. Ultimately, Tim decides to break off things with Rachel, not knowing of Dawn's decision. And perhaps worst of all Gareth has been promoted, thanks to Tim's humble recommendation after Tim was offered the job himself. The Office Special Episode Guide:Special Part 1 - Aired December 26th 2003 Three years after the documentary that made them famous, BBC revisits the office to see what the staff are doing now. After being made redundant from Wernham Hogg, David Brent is now a travelling salesman, who following a failed cover version of "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (which didn't make the Top 100), has now got his own (very poor) agent, and leeches off what little fame he has in a series of demeaning late-night nightclub appearances alongside a crowd of Z-list Big Brother rejects and very minor celebrities. Dawn is in Florida, trapped in a miserable existence with Lee, who is bouncing from job to job as they live with his sister rent-free (and hidden from the immigration authorities). In the office, Gareth is now the general manager (although he still gets as little respect as ever) and Tim is still trapped in a job he hates with an obnoxious, pregnant deskmate he loathes just as equally. Despite having left Wernham Hogg three years ago, David Brent still visits the office to see the staff (and in his opinion 'keep up the morale') This does not sit too well with Gareth, or David's nemesis Neil Godwin, and it appears to the viewer that David is somewhat depressed and misses his old job badly. With the programme makers offering to fly Dawn and Lee back for the office Christmas Party, along with the appearance of David Brent, the scene is set for the reunion. Special Part 2 - Aired December 27th 2003 With Gareth's help, David is searching online for a date to the Christmas party. His first three matches are complete disasters. His fourth one, surprisingly, isn't. Dawn is back for the Christmas party with Lee, and her friendship with Tim is still as strong as ever and her feelings for him possibly even more so. As Dawn and Tim recreate old times by winding up Gareth, David Brent pushes Neil's patience too far when he brings his puppy into the office to show to the staff. This leads to David getting a warning from Neil to stay away as he is disrupting work (which leads to David addressing the employees saying he is barred as "the regime don't like it") At the Christmas party Dawn and Tim once again get close, Dawn saying how her dreams of being an illustrator are over, Lee saying how finding work is more important. David meanwhile, is getting to know Carol, his attractive blind date, from the agency, and things are going well for both of them. As the night draws to a close, Dawn is told by Lee that they need to leave in order to catch the flight back to Florida. Reluctant to leave, Dawn asks Lee to get her Secret Santa present, and whilst he is gone she stands next to Tim, both wanting to, but reluctant to make a move on each other. As Dawn leaves with Lee, Tim knows he has blown his final chance of being with Dawn. In the taxi, Lee is asleep, with Dawn in the back, quietly shedding tears. She opens her Secret Santa present, an oil painting set from Tim with the words, "Never give up" written on a letter, a letter written on Dawn's sketch of Tim, she had made earlier in the day. David Brent walks his date to her car, where she thanks him and kisses him goodnight, gesturing for him to call her to meet again. Returning to the office, he is subject to a cruel remark from Chris Finch about his date, to which David abruptly tells 'Finchy' to "fuck off". David once again has some happiness in his life and 'Finchy' is left lost for words. In the final scenes, Dawn suddenly walks back into the office, and into Tim's arms, their relationship finally having a happy ending. Soon, the whole office crew gathers for a group picture, where David Brent is in the center and actually cracks a funny joke that makes everyone laugh. More Episode Guides on Cheap Television:
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