There is only about a month left until the American version of The Office will be removed from Netflix and placed onto Peacock instead. Perennially, this version of The Office has been one of the most-watched series ever made. However, it wouldn't have reached this zenith without the U.K. version of The Office doing it first.
Even though there were only thirteen episodes of the British Office, it still remains one of the most influential comedy series ever aired on television. A title like that doesn't come without hard work, though. And the hard work put in by series creators Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais is accompanied by myriad behind-the-scenes trivia, too.
The David Brent Dance
On the Office Ladies podcast hosted by American stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, they frequently discuss whether or not certain scenes of the show were improvised. (Spoiler alert: they had good writers for a reason.)
And while the British Office was similarly scripted a majority of the time, according to Gervais, one famous moment was not. In the "Charity" episode of The Office, Brent's iconic awkward dance was an unscripted, out-of-body experience from Gervais, which was created in the moment.
Meet The Merchants
As a co-creator and star, Gervais has practically become synonymous with The Office. However, Merchant was just as big an influence on the series, even if he was mostly relegated to behind-the-camera affairs.
Despite this, Merchant still managed to make his way into some scenes, like when he dubbed Rowan's voice in the stellar episode, "Training." Most notably, though, Gordon the Janitor was portrayed by Merchant's father, Ron. It wasn't a major role, but it was certainly memorable.
Golden Globe History
The Office has a lengthy relationship with the Golden Globes. The American version of the series fared well at the awards show and Gervais has been tapped numerous times to host the ceremony.
However, this dynamic began with the British Office, which became the first British comedy show ever to win a Golden Globe. It didn't stop there, though. Back in 2004, not only did The Office when the award for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy; Gervais also won for acting. Now, that's a pedigree.
DVD Records
In addition to the Golden Globes milestone, The Office also made history when it shattered DVD records. Currently, The Office boasts the record for the most DVD sales ever in the United Kingdom by a television series. Considering the trajectory of DVDs, it may hold that record forever.
Not to mention, The Office's peak in the DVD boom was always an extended one. In its first week for sale, it sold 80,000 copies, another record for the United Kingdom at the time.
Stolen Scripts
Few series finales have been as anticipated throughout history as The Office's was back in December 2003. There's the M*A*S*H finale, the Game of Thrones finale, and of course, the finale for The Office.
While the Christmas scenery was filmed in the turn-down of summer, the most notable behind-the-scenes fact for this two-parter is that the scripts were originally stolen. A woman named Joanne Hiley accidentally received the script for the episode and she sold it to The Daily Mail, which then leaked plot details a month before the episode aired. Fortunately, this heinous act did not take away from the special nature of the episode.
No Capitalization
The entire concept of a Christmas special conducted in the first place is an interesting one from a behind-the-scenes lens, though. Despite the enormous popularity of The Office at the conclusion of season two, Gervais and Merchant refused to capitalize on their success.
This has always been the British way of television, but it's admirable how much they committed to it. The Christmas special only came about because Gervais wanted to put an end to the series for good, resolving any speculation.
Unexpected Follow-Ups
While these Christmas episodes did wind up spelling the denouement of The Office, the franchise was far from over. Martin Freeman might have been ready to move on, but Gervais returned to the David Brent character multiple times over the years, most notably in the 2016 film, David Brent: Life on the Road.
Of course, the American Office also ran for 200 episodes on its own, long stretching the legacy of the original narrative. As has been frequently detailed, though, Gervais never expected this success until a phone call came from NBC producer Ben Silverman.
Short Form Origins
The most impactful piece of pop culture from the 2000s came about slightly before The Office debuted on BBC. It was originally ordered by the station due to an extremely low-budget short film Merchant and Gervais had created.
They strongly believe that the film is what sold the show, as the two had no credits to their name and a script would not have been sufficient to convey their ideas. Long before YouTube, two friends with a camera could have a huge ripple effect.
Filmed In A Real Office
The short film had an authenticity to it that was a must-replicate for BBC when they gave the green light to The Office. Fortunately, Gervais and Merchant were definitely on the same page and they were more than happy to film their show at Teddington Studios.
The key here, though, is that while they filmed at Teddington, they did not use any stages or sets. Instead, they filmed The Office in the office building where the clerical team for Teddington worked. There's nothing like a real office to house The Office.
Focus Group Follies
This element of filming in a real, lived-in, working office helped contribute to the feeling that The Office was a real documentary being conducted in nearby Slough.
It felt so real, in fact, that the focus groups attached to the series in its initial foundation were famously under the belief that it was a real show about real people. The relative unknowns and revolutionary format was ground-breaking for so many viewers; they could hardly believe The Office was fictional.