Game Cover

That's one reason why gays shouldn't be allowed into the army. Because if we're in battle, is he going to be looking at the enemy, or is he going to be looking at me and going "Ooh. He looks tasty in his uniform". And I'm not homophobic, all right? Come round, look at my CDs. You'll see Queen, George Michael, Pet Shop Boys. They're all bummers.

# Review

The American mockumentary The Office is perhaps one of my favourite sitcoms. I’ve finally gotten around to watching the original British version. The show follows the Slough branch of Wernham Hogg, a fictional paper company. As with the American remake of the show, the main story involves the characters navigating the social dynamics of the office, such as politics and romances.

The Slough branch is headed by the pompous boss David Brent (Ricky Gervais). Other main characters include the relatable Tim (Martin Freeman) who has a hidden infatuation with the receptionist Dawn (Lucy Davis). Tim’s deskmate is the serious Gareth (Mackenzie Crook) who is often the butt of Tim’s pranks. Many of the characters from the American version of the show are directly inspired by their earlier British counterparts and many of the American show’s earlier plots are also directly lifted from the British show. The humour is excellent and is just offensive enough to be funny but not too much to be overdone. The cast members also have great comedic chemistry.

Maybe it’s because I watched the American show first, I felt that while the British version has the same awkward and brash humour, it’s missing some of the warmth from the American show. Gervais’ David Brent, for instance, is just as big of an oaf as Steve Carell’s Michael Scott, but Gervais’ David misses Michael’s likeable side where Michael genuinely cares about his employees and can be a good boss. Perhaps the season was too short but many of the characters are largely one-dimensional.

# Conclusion

A funny sitcom with a great sense of humour.

# Overall rating: 7.9

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