The Office Christmas finale

[Utter Shit]

Yeah that bit doesn't ring true at all, pretty much the only bit in the series that doesn't.

[dr beat]

Tim and Dawn are the only characters who react realistically to David's embarrassing antics. They often look uncomfortable and exasperated, but sometimes they force a smile or laugh. Because you would, wouldn't you? David is a terrible person in many ways, but he's essentially harmless. Anyone with a shred of decency would indulge him to a certain extent.

Yes isn't there a bit in the Special where Tim offers to go out for a drink with David, and he seems genuine about it? I don't think its ever implied that Tim hates David, in fact he seems to find the larking about a welcome distraction.  Tim seems to reserve his ire for Gareth and the job in general.

[QDRPHNC]

Yeah, good point. They're still really arsey to David, though. After a couple of days in his company, fair enough, but you'd sort of pretend to laugh at/with him on the first day?

But they didn't want to go to lunch in the first place, he strong-armed them into it, to prove he was more of a laugh than Neil, who they already like.

[dead-ced-dead]

Yes isn't there a bit in the Special where Tim offers to go out for a drink with David, and he seems genuine about it? I don't think its ever implied that Tim hates David, in fact he seems to find the larking about a welcome distraction.  Tim seems to reserve his ire for Gareth and the job in general.

I think Tim pities David. He still shoots embarrassed faces when David says stupid things or makes bad jokes. But as you say there are other moments when he seems to welcome the distraction or as mentioned above, when Tim shows David some pity.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Plus, he's doing it to spite the preggers woman he doesn't like, who has just expressed contempt on behalf of the whole office to David.
Tim has no respect whatsoever for David, as evidenced in that bit in the first series where David is forced to apologise to him over the issue of that doctored pic of the Brentster in porno pose. Tim comes across as a right disrespectful, surly fucker in that .

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Plus, he's doing it to spite the preggers woman he doesn't like, who has just expressed contempt on behalf of the whole office to David.

He is, yes. Very well-written, that bit.

[McChesney Duntz]

If we're talking about things that don't make sense, I always wondered why Inside Paper would be doing a writeup on a guy who'd just been sacked for not doing his job.

[mr. logic]

I never got why David originally got the job ahead of Neil. Nor why he never used that line of defence in the second series.

[Mobius]

Yeah don't they say like 70% of the board voted for David to stay on? Even though he was shit? Maybe it was just cheaper to keep that office open or something.

Similarly in the US Office, Michael Scott just tits about 24/7 but then the big boss of Dunder Miflin is like "your branch is the only one succeeding..how do you do it?"

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

If we're talking about things that don't make sense, I always wondered why Inside Paper would be doing a writeup on a guy who'd just been sacked for not doing his job.

They presumably commissioned the piece way ahead of Brent being sacked.

[McChesney Duntz]

I never got why David originally got the job ahead of Neil.

I always thought that was one of the series' more subtle jabs at corporate society - most likely, Brent had ingratiated himself with  (i.e., sucked up to) enough of the Wernham Hogg board on a blokey personal level that they pushed his promotion through without really considering just what sort of a boss he actually was.

[paruses]

I always thought that was one of the series' more subtle jabs at corporate society - most likely, Brent had ingratiated himself with  (i.e., sucked up to) enough of the Wernham Hogg board on a blokey personal level that they pushed his promotion through without really considering just what sort of a boss he actually was.

I've always thought that tThe UK one doesn't make much sense from a corporate perspective. We see that everyone from Head Office who meets Brent tolerates him at best but very very quickly becomes pissed off and exasperated with him.

At least in the US version they had an episode (or a few storylines) that showed how Michael Scott and the branch were in tune with their customers.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Yeah don't they say like 70% of the board voted for David to stay on? Even though he was shit? Maybe it was just cheaper to keep that office open or something.

Similarly in the US Office, Michael Scott just tits about 24/7 but then the big boss of Dunder Miflin is like "your branch is the only one succeeding..how do you do it?"

That is actually a puzzler, as most of the staff are either incompetent, or lazy, or actual madmen with a criminal past in the case of that Creed feller.However, the show is at pains to point out that Jim, cynical cunt that he is , and Dwight, mental case that he is, are actually pretty good salesmen, so they help to carry that branch along, I dare say. The show was also at pains to point out that Michael Scott was a fucking good salesman and also a classic Peter Principle case, being promoted to a position that he's patently useless at, in a bid to silence critics who would ask " how the fuck did he get to be the manager?" ( posted before seeing Paruses'post).

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Brent may also be a Peter Principle case too, of course, was actually quite good at his job to a certain level, then let promotion go to his head and got lazy and complacent, this then being compounded with playing up tp to the doc crew when they came a- filmin'.

Not that I want to defend the UK Office, as I think it's a load of shit.

[Cuellar]

God I hated the US Office

[dead-ced-dead]

Working in an office myself, I am aware that failing upwards is a very much a real thing. During working at home and lockdown, I've put in minimal effort into some places, but have excelled into this one area that only takes up one third of my week. When I briefly saw my manager not-on-Zoom she mentioned how there may be promotion in my future.

So, yeah, it exists.

[chveik]

God I hated the US Office

you really didn't have to watch the whole fucking thing

[gib]

Who would move to Slough in order to maintain their job at a paper merchants? In hindsight that makes no sense at all.

You ever been to Swindon?

[Ferris]

You ever been to Swindon?

Not even been to slough. Am I missing much?

[sutin]

You ever been to Swindon?

Swindon's a lovely town.

[wooders1978]

Swindon voted one of the best towns to live in recently

Slough is from hell - come now bombs!

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

From Swindon- XTC

From Slough- Mars Bars

It's a tricky one.

[the science eel]

BEDFORD is worse than both places.

[sutin]

Swindon voted one of the best towns to live in recently

I'm not surprised, it's very pleasant.

Slough is a total shithole.

[Phil_A]

BEDFORD is worse than both places.

I used to hate Bedford but I've turned around on it a bit since I was working there a couple of years ago, it's got a bit of character to it unlike a lot of provincial towns. Shame about the hellish one way system though.

[notjosh]

Best thing about Slough is this lovely chap in the train station:

[solidified gruel merchant]

I used to hate Bedford but I've turned around on it a bit since I was working there a couple of years ago, it's got a bit of character to it unlike a lot of provincial towns. Shame about the hellish one way system though.

Yeh Bedford's ok. It has a lovely embankment, plentiful parks and open spaces, lots of nice places to eat, a good market and some decent venues like the corn exchange.
As with most towns there are some rough areas, around the train station as I recall, and as you say the one way system can get a bit gridlocked in rush hour.

[the science eel]

The people tho

[solidified gruel merchant]

The people tho

Very mixed bag. My girlfriend lives there and she's quite nice..