One cannot overstate enough just how cutting-edge this black comedy from Ricky Gervais really is. You're not sure whether to laugh or cringe, which is a measure of Gervais' comedic genius.Together with Cleese - who did the same with Fawlty Towers, Gervais has demonstrated that a small-scale series leaves a stronger impression.The US attempt does not even come close

It doesn't spoon feed you the jokes, but, if you are paying attention there is some super funny stuff here. If the people who made this never made anything else it would already be enough. I love David Brent as a character, he may say and do dumb things sometimes, but, he is a nice person who just wants to be liked. Tim and Dawn are more normal and Gareth is the perfect right hand man for Brent. You can see the influence of Larry Sanders. It is a great show and it deserves all the hype.

Now I understand the appeal of 'The Office'. It was revolutionary at the time and well deserves its title of being a modern classic. But sometimes with comedy you have to put your hands up and say "it's not for me". And on this occasion I have to do that with this show.It's well written, it's well acted but I don't find it all that funny or to be honest the characters all that endearing other than in the Christmas specials that ended the show. Gervais was catapulted into the big time based on playing David Brent and fair play to him.I can't say though that I love the language that's often used or the sexual references. Some of the episodes plod along and the second series in particular is at times depressing. All these reasons are why I rank this show so low.

Funny ! Sad ! Heart-warming ! Cringe worthy ! for me The Office is yet to be beaten, it's the greatest comedy series iv ever seen ! Ricky Gervais has grown to annoy me in most recent years but his eye for comedy can never be questioned. The casting is PERFECT! and their performances are exceptional, I could watch this comedy over and over and over ........ and I do ! I hope there are no more episodes of the UK office made so that it can forever be as good as it is ! Ricky Gervais has attempted to make a number of short follow up clips but for me they are no longer the David Brent we all know and love from the original two series....... the Christmas special completes the story perfectly.