The Office - The Complete Collection (First And Second Series Plus Special)

Rating:
Summary: Greatest TV show ever, without a doubt!!!
Review: All I can say is I went to work the next day after finishing the DVD and quit. This show will in some way mimic the way you yourself go about your daily life.....sad,happy,depressed, unsatisfied,satisfied, you get the point. I would recommend this to anyone with a brain,and to someone who really does believe ignorance is bliss, but never gets to experience it. Watch it, it will change your current outlook on life!

Rating:
Summary: I haven't laughed so hard in a long time.
Review: Brilliant, had me in stitches of laughter. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Ricky Gervais is a genius. What a laugh, and then something more by the end of the second special. It made me laugh and made me cry. One of the best comedy series I have ever seen.

For those who don't know, The Office is a comedy about the mundane life in an office environment filmed in the style of a documentary. The line of business is also rather insignificant: a paper merchants.

The main character is office manager David Brent (Ricky Gervais) who is an over the top boss who thinks he is the funny when he actually embarrassing himself. He also thinks he is everyone's friend and would rather be popular than an authoritave boss.

I am a Brit living in the US and have been devoid of British comedy for the last couple of years - unfortunately our cable does not carry BBC America. I asked for this for Christmas after hearing Ricky Gervais give an interview on NPR radio and have already finished watching it.

I find American comedy only gives me sniggers and not the absolute tears of laugher that I get from British comedy. That is not to say American comedy is bad, just different. British comedy series are also a lot shorter in terms of episodes compared to American series, so they are much tighter and don't run the risk of running out of material or repeating what has already been done. British TV is also not so ratings driven as US TV which gives more freedom to the artists.

I have seen some poor reviews and that is OK, people find different things funny. There are some shows that friends have raved about that I did not find in the least bit funny. Comedy is a personal thing. All I can tell you is what I saw. I must admit that it started a bit slow, but once you got to know the characters by the second or third episode it is hilarious. Perhaps those who did not find it funny turned off too soon.

I can really relate to the characters and goings on of The Office. Perhaps that's what makes it so funny. I was born in Slough and lived and worked for some time in Berkshire County. I have my own versions David Brent and Gareth Keenan from my office experiences. The characters are so true to life, if slightly exaggerated.

My absolute favorite character was the dead pan Keith; love the voice mail he left on his answering machine when he was in training and his work appraisal was a hoot.

I understand that Ricky Gervais never had any formal training as an actor, which is perhaps what make him so good in his character.

Get it, watch it and judge for yourself. Or you could go the BBC web site and watch some clips to see if it is your cup of tea. URL: www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice



Rating:
Summary: Brillant British Humor, clever
Review: British humor at its best.....one of the best comedy series I've seen, both American and British. The Complete Collection is best way to appreciate the entire series and work that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant so cleverly put together. Going against your typical comedy sitcom devices, The Office incorporates docu-comedy format to focus on what would otherwise be mundane office life. It touches on the relationships between David, his staff, their bosses and between workers, Tim, Dawn, Rachel, etc. The extra features, outtakes and video documentaries are great as well.

Rating:
Summary: It's a Trade-off
Review: Granted, purchasing this complete set will save a few bucks and a disk's worth of shelf space, and everything will be in one case. HOWEVER, you won't get any of the cool inserts and text included with the individual releases, i.e., Slough Slang - The Local Lingo from both series; Wernham Hogg News (with personnel files) and the poem Slough from the first series; the Wernham Hogg floor plan and Excalibur lyrics from the second series; and the promo photo for David Brent's single from the special. It's a good buy but frankly, I'd rather have the extras, even if it does cost me a bit of real estate. Besides, it affords a built-in excuse for not loaning out the whole collection at once to deserving friends!
That stated, owning this collection in its entirety is a must for fans of British humor, and the rating reflects only my personal preference for the aforementioned goodies and my disappointment that they're not included in this collection.

Rating:
Summary: british comedy
Review: I'm not a fan of British comedy. I got this from the library while I was sick and figured to give it a go. Didn't get into it until episode 3, but once I did... I was imersed. I watched them all back to back like a total nerd. I like it. I love the boss. If you've never given British comedy a shot, this is well worth it.

Rating:
Summary: The Office-The complete series & special
Review: If you purchase any of the office you MUST get this one, not just 1 season,......you will not be disappointed. I had never seen a whole episode before, just clips here and there, being an American and this being a British show, and decided just to order the complete series. They only made 2 seasons and the special, so this is a bargain. I was a little disappointed at first, but after you get through the 1st 2 episodes and get involved in the characters and who they are the snowball starts rolling and ends up becoming an avalanche by the end. David Brent does steal the show. With his gigantic ego, political incorrectness, need to have the last word, need to be a comedian even though he isn't funny, .......there is just too much to say about him. I never though someone could put their foot in their mouth so many times. If you've ever met someone who thought they were naturally funny, have real people skills, cool, .......this guy is just over the top, he's just too much to describe. There area a few other almost equally funny characters as well, but Brent takes the cake. There is no laugh track, it is hard to get used to for the 1st couple episodes, but once you get into it you forget that this isn't even a real life documentary it is that good, and your laughing will be all you need. It was so good I really wanted to keep it, but I sent it to my brother so he could laugh his ass off as well. Genius.

Rating:
Summary: The perfect comedy series?
Review: Not to echo other reviewers too much, but this is probably the best comedy series to ever grace television. Ricky Gervais came up with a good idea, and he executed it as brilliantly as anyone ever has with a TV show.

The subject matter is often intentionally benign and boring, providing a perfect backdrop for the show's humor. Gervais is undoubtedly the backbone of the show, but everyone is outstanding in their supporting roles - so outstanding, in fact, that it's difficult to pick anyone who stands out above others.

Although this show only lasted for 2 series, I can't say I'm disappointed with its length. Brilliance should be appreciated, even if it doesn't last for 6 seasons. I'd rather it went out and top, than to have it stick around and lose its edge.

Rating:
Summary: Ultimate Office Collection
Review: This is a great collection and good way to collect the entire series of the Office. It has both seasons and the special. This is a must for any fan of the Office.

The Office is perfect for Americans that like Curb Your Enthusiasm and Arrested Development. For a show like this it is amazing how great the acting is and how much tension is created between the characters.

While the show spends most of the time following the idiotic boss the main theme of the entire show is the relationship between Tim and Dawn. After watching the special I will miss these characters. This disc includes some cool extras. It features the video for Brent's single and a full band version of "freelove freeway" from the first season with Oasis' Noel Gallagher on backup vocals. The set is a must for all the fans of the Office.

Rating:
Summary: uncomfortable silences have never been funnier
Review: This show is absolutely hilarious. Filled with uncomfortable silences and purposefully bad jokes, it's as real as an everyday trip to your office. The characters are exaggerated just enough so that they remain close enough, I guarantee, to someone you know. Ricky Gervais nails every nuance of a self-important boss who thinks he his the most entertaining man to grace an office staff with his presence. It's great to see a boss portrayed in a sitcom that is this realistically terrible... by which I mean he's not a tyrant but a guy who thinks of himself as THE center of "office morale," and who couldn't be further off the mark. The character of Gareth is also flawlessly played. You know exactly who he is, and why Tim reacts to him the way he does, because, for most of us I think, it's exactly how we would act. Any fan of dry humor could and would appreciate this.

Rating:
Summary: More Real than Reality
Review: Wow, what can be said here that hasn't been said by previous reviews? This is historic television. Genre-busting, self mocking, it's a docudiscomfortomedy.

You'll wince everytime David Brent opens his mouth, and you'll wince every time Tim doesn't. You'll make mental comparisons to your own co-workers, matching character to character.

If you haven't seen it, here are some tests to determine your compatibility with The Office: 1) Were you a fan of Sports Night on ABC? 2) Can you watch without distraction? (The dialogue is sometimes purposely mumbled, and the best bits are the ones which require total observance.) 3) Do unhappy endings or uncomfortable moments upset you? (I won't give away any final endings, but the episodes don't always wrap up with someone saying "I would've gotten away with it, if it hadn't been for you meddlin kids.")

If you answered yes, yes, and no, then you are in for the treat of your life.

If only there could be more...