A collection of writing

This article was originally featured on StudentPunch.com, which is a student online magazine that I write TV articles for. I will be archiving all of my articles that that were featured on Student Punch— Andrew.

Comic writers and directors Ricky Gervais and Steve Merchant might be firmly established in the film industry with their brand new film Cemetery Junction, but they will always be remembered as two men that changed the face of TV comedy as we know it with their first, and arguably best, piece of work – The Office

The Office is literally a global phenomenon with the original version being showing all around the world, as well as several different remakes. While the UK version of The Office is the most important, as well as my favourite, I can also highly recommend the U.S. version of the show to anybody, as both are incredibly funny, with the big major difference being that the U.S. version of the show is much more upbeat in tone, something that reflects back to traditional and “miserable” UK humour. However, the very fact that Americans really connect with the original UK version of the show, despite it being very pessimistic and downbeat, provides a quick glimpse at the global offering that the show as a whole has.

The UK show, however, is definitely the most important in terms of changing comedy and that is why I recommend it to all. The writing of The Office, by Ricky and Steve, is sublime – and I don’t use that word lightly. The dialogue flows so easily from everybody and nothing feels forced in order to tell a storyline, but, instead, everything just happens, which is the entire point of the documentary style show; The Office is meant to be a realistic take on an everyday UK office, catching brief moments in time. Surprisingly, much of the show’s dialogue is actually in the script, and not improvised from the actors, which is exactly how the show appears, which again highlights the talented writing that lies behind the entire show.

The actors themselves were not particularly well known before The Office (Ricky and Steve have stated that they always like to find new talent), but they all convey the roles perfectly, whether it be their comic timing, dialogue delivery, or even just body language. The funniest moments often arrive in the form of awkward moments and these are almost always made hilarious by the subtle looks at the camera by a few characters, or even just the extremely long pauses by the star of the show, David Brent. Brent, the boss and central character, is somebody that has misconceptions about him as he constantly strives for attention by trying to be funny, usually just as an attempt to get people to like him. While Brent can be unappealing at times, he is generally a good guy, which allows the audience to sympathise with him when things get really tough. Gervais plays the part astoundingly good for somebody that had not really done any acting before the show.

It is hard to explain exactly why The Office is so good, but I think it is down to the fact that it is not trying to emulate anything, but show what the best comedy is, and that’s real comedy that anybody can experience, even when doing something as mundane as working in an office. Of course, the show is entirely written and planned out, with clear plots and storylines that are present, but when it all comes together, it is a real office with real people, with a couple of eccentric people thrown into the mix. Ultimately, The Office lets the world know that comedy does not need to be in a slapstick sitcom with a laughter track, but that it is everywhere you look and that you just have to be willing to laugh at it. The Office is a true eye-opener and that is why it has become a global success.

Andrew Cadman

The original can be found at http://studentpunch.com/the-office.html