The Office: Complete Series 1 and 2 and the Christmas Specials - Ricky Gervais [DVD]

Every episode, plus the two Christmas specials, from the BBC's award-winning, faux documentary comedy series starring Ricky Gervais as David Brent, the manager of paper merchant Wernham Hogg's Slough office, who, in his own mind, is not so much the boss but 'more of a friend'. Unctious and ineffectual in equal measure, he turns the life of his staff into a neverending round of irritating mini-dramas. In the first series, David is informed that company downsizing means that the Slough office might have to close. In a moment of gauche managerial bravado he promises his staff that there will be no redundacies - a promise he might not be able to keep... In the second series, the office has been merged and new staff from the Swindon office arrive to feel the benefit of David's managerial skills. Tim (Martin Freeman) finds himself going out with new girl Rachel (Stacey Roca), whilst still in love with Dawn (Lucy Davis). After a series of mishaps, David is finally told he is to be made redundant - and in the final episode Tim tells Dawn how he feels. In the two Christmas specials, first screened in December 2003, three years have passed since the BBC documentary crew first began filming at Wernham Hogg. When they return for a final catch-up visit, they find Gareth (Mackenzie Crook) in the boss's chair. David Brent has become a travelling sales rep for a cleaning products company, blown his redundancy payout on releasing his own pop single ('If You Don't Know Me By Now'), and taken on a showbiz agent to book him a string of Z-list celebrity appearances. Despite his successful sueing of Wernham Hogg for unfair dismissal, Brent pays frequent visits to his old workplace with his dog in tow, much to the annoyance of boss Neil (Patrick Baladi). In 'Part 1', Tim is flustered to hear of the imminent arrival of Dawn, who along with her fiance Lee (Joel Beckett) is being flown back from her new life in Florida by the documentary crew to attend the office Christmas party. In 'Part 2', Tim's world is rocked when Dawn turns up at the office to say hello, but he tries not to get his hopes up, particularly since Lee is accompanying Dawn to the office party. Meanwhile, David Brent has joined a dating agency and, in between making his celebrity appearances in nightclubs, he meets up for drinks with a disappointing selection of single women. However, he hits the jackpot when he meets his dating-agency date for the office party, a very attractive and intelligent woman, Carol (Sandy Hendrickse), who seems to bring out the best in him. Meanwhile, Dawn, who had left the party early with her insensitive pig of a boyfriend Lee, later returns alone, much to the surprise and delight of her real soulmate Tim.