Top 20 Funniest The Office UK Moments
#20: Austin Powers
“Christmas Special: Part 1” Following his very, very brief time on television, David Brent starts making “celebrity” club appearances. Of course, he always finds a way of…David Brent-ing it. One such appearance has three celebrities playing a blind date game with a young woman. The other two men are charismatic and personable, not to mention well-liked by the crowd. David, however, shows up dressed as Austin Powers and makes awkward “shagadelic” jokes to a dead-silent audience. Not only that, but he starts getting hostile with the woman when she doesn’t recognize him or find him funny. This is pure David Brent - ruining an otherwise fun moment with his insecurities and try-hard personality. It’s what makes him who he is!
#19: “If You Don't Know Me by Now”
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“Christmas Special: Part 1” At the end of the second series, David is finally made redundant by Wernham Hogg. He’s given a generous severance package and later sues the company, but of course, he blew his earnings. We learn that he spent £42,000 starting a record company and making a single. It wasn’t a horrible idea, because David actually has some musical talent. However, by the time we catch up with him, he’s already ruined everything by making a horrible cover of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ “If You Don't Know Me by Now.” Not only is his rendition horrible, but the accompanying music video is truly dreadful stuff. It’s hilarious, yes, but in a “so bad it’s good way.” Unsurprisingly, the single did not sell well…
#18: The Appraisals
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“Appraisals” This is one of those rare moments where we actually see David Brent doing some managerial work. He’s appraising the staff…to mixed results. Naturally, things fall apart when he does Tim’s review. It’s a wonderfully acted and written bit of television, complete with “the hot seat” bit and David plagiarizing quotes from well-known figures. This scene took Ricky Gervais and Martin Freeman over 25 takes to get right, but it was worth it. The fun doesn’t stop there, either. David is actually quite professional with Keith, who brings plenty of laughs. He’s clearly not taking it seriously, barely filled out the form, and best of all, he put “eczema” as a weakness. They may be subpar appraisals by business standards, but they never get old.
#17: David Begs for His Job
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“Interview” It’s not often that we actually feel sympathy for David, but in this case, it’s hard not to. After two seasons of sheer tomfoolery (not to mention incompetence), he’s finally let go from Wernham Hogg. But he’s not ready to go. In a surprising moment of humanity, he bears his soul to Neil and Jennifer. His eyes well up with tears and his voice cracks as he desperately begs for his job, but it’s no use. We have to give plenty of credit to Ricky Gervais here. He somehow manages to find the human being underneath the obnoxious jokes, pseudo-intellectualism, and annoying need to be liked. It just goes to show that even the most hard to love characters have layers.
#16: Dawn Opens Her Secret Santa Gift
“Christmas Special: Part 2” “The Office” isn’t all about David Brent. There’s a rich cast of supporting characters, led by Dawn and Tim. At this point in the show, Dawn has moved to the United States, leaving a heartbroken Tim stuck in Slough by himself. She returns to the office to film a Christmas special, and Tim gets her a lovely Secret Santa gift. Encouraging her desire to be an artist, he buys her an oil painting set and accompanies it with a literal note of optimism. This is made especially poignant because her fiancé Lee doesn’t support her painting. She cries, the audience cries, and “The Office” proves that it has a heart as big as its laughs are loud.
#15: Gareth’s Ultimate Fantasy
“Training” Season one’s “Training” episode is an obvious fan favorite. It’s filled with peak David Brent-isms, and the supporting cast are on point throughout the episode. Poor facilitator Rowan is trying to get everyone to partake in a trust exercise by sharing their biggest dream. Unfortunately, his eyes happen across Gareth, who has recently come into the room carrying a board. The latter character forgoes the usual stuff to share a…rather inappropriate sexual fantasy with the office. The deafening silence and Tim’s look of utter bewilderment say it all. The answer itself is wild enough, but the speediness with which Gareth delivers it adds an extra layer of humor. He’s had this imaginary scenario in his head for a while, it seems…
#14: Quiz Night
“The Quiz” With David Brent and Chris Finch, a fun quiz night turns into a tense competition to rival the World Cup. The duo are cocky and arrogant throughout the night, but things take a turn when a temp named Ricky beats Chris at the tie-breaker. The latter character rudely berates Gareth for improperly stating the rules before sulking and throwing a hissy fit. Wishing to retain his pride and trivia champion status, he then vows to throw a shoe over the bar’s roof. What this proves, we don’t know. It’s just meant to heal his wounded ego. Chris’ insecurities manifest in passive aggressive behavior, and it makes for very uncomfortable viewing. Of course, that’s entirely the point.
#13: David Pranks Dawn
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“Downsize” By the end of the first episode, we have a very good idea of who David Brent is. And, well, it’s not a pretty picture. As if his behavior throughout the episode wasn’t bad enough, he ends it with one of his most deplorable moments. Hoping to impress new hire Ricky, David pulls a “prank” on Dawn and pretends to fire her. Ricky thought it would be something harmless, and he can only sit in stunned silence as Dawn begins to cry. The misaimed prank perfectly illustrates all the dark humor that’s to come while also depicting David’s penchant for making inappropriate jokes. In short, it’s a great way to end the inaugural episode.
#12: “Mah Na Mah Na”
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“Merger” In one of the show’s most bizarre moments, we’re treated to a rendition of“Mah Na Mah Na” from “The Muppets.” Gareth begins singing almost immediately after sitting down to start the day, and another employee enthusiastically joins in. Tim only sits there jiggling his pencil and probably contemplating his life choices. It’s a cute moment, but it’s not exactly funny — that is, until David shows up. In a perfect bit of timing and staging, he suddenly appears in the doorway and begins the song again. And when they’re done, he proudly mutters “Muppets” to show off his vast wealth of knowledge. He just can’t help himself, and it’s something to behold.
#11: David’s Speech
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“Merger” David doesn’t make a great impression on the Swindon lot. Shortly after the merger, he introduces himself through a startling failure of a monologue. Neil’s intro goes well, but David follows it up with what could possibly be the most embarrassing speech ever given. He starts with a horribly inappropriate joke, and it only devolves from there. He grows increasingly upset when his jokes fail to land, and it all culminates in some horrible impressions that leave his audience unimpressed. We all know that David tends to seethe with frustration whenever his humor fails to find a receptive audience - which is often. This moment is among the greatest - and most painfully hilarious - examples of that character trait in action.
#10: Dawn Rejects Tim
“Interview” “The Office” did not have a happy ending. At least, not originally. The second series concludes with David getting fired and Dawn leaving Tim to wallow in Slough while she flies off to America. Her rejecting him makes for a devastating sequence, and it’s made all the more poignant through the filmmaking. Wanting some privacy, Tim turns off his microphone while he talks to Dawn. This leaves viewers bursting with anticipation, as we wait with bated breath for her to silently reciprocate his feelings. But instead, they share a friendly if mournful hug, and he returns to his desk utterly dejected. He puts on a brave face while sharing the rejection with the camera, and our hearts break into a million pieces.
#9: Keith’s “Word of Warning”
“Christmas Special: Part 2” Keith is always ready with a very, well, interesting, piece of advice. After Dawn returns to the office for the Christmas party, Keith becomes worried that Tim will embarrass himself yet again. So he has a little talk with him in the break room. He gives him a friendly “word of warning,” which is mainly just crude language and graphic sexual gestures. Not only that, but his “warning” amounts to telling Tim that he only has one day with Dawn. As if the poor guy wasn’t already fully aware of that fact! Keith biting into the Scotch egg is the perfect ending to an already perfect scene.
#8: Motivational Mishap
“Motivation” For some reason, a consulting business enlists David’s services as a motivational speaker. Naturally, he’s ecstatic. Yes, the job pays very well, but more importantly, it gives him an air of distinction and respect. Of course, he immediately squanders the chance with a motivational mishap that has viewers giggling through their fingers. It’s yet another example of David blowing it in front of a small audience, not to mention a perfect illustration of how out of touch he is. He thinks he’s giving an uplifting and inspirational speech that will be passed down through generations and become legend. Of course, the truth is far more embarrassing. But you can’t deny it’s entertaining for us at home!
#7: The IT Guy
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“Motivation” Actor Matthew Holness deserves some major props for turning a bit part with minimal screen time into one of the show’s most unforgettable characters. Simon the IT guy makes a trip to the office to put firewalls in place. But Tim isn’t a fan of his, and it isn’t long before he’s overstayed his welcome – though he wanted him to stay forever. Simon regales Gareth with obviously made-up stories before arrogantly having a go at him for mixing up “Enter the Dragon” with “Way of the Dragon.” In other words, he fits in pretty well. Everything from the acting to the writing to the casting is perfect here, and it makes for some legendary comedy.
#6: David’s Blind Date
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“Christmas Special: Part 2” “The Office” contains many amazingly cringeworthy moments, but David’s blind date is on a whole other level. It doesn’t even start well. He’s obviously expecting some type of supermodel, and when he sees the woman, Susan, he nearly bails right then and there. It’s a fantastic bit of acting from Ricky Gervais - we can almost see the nerves firing in the character’s brain as he calculates a potential escape. It doesn’t get better from there. David and Susan sit in a painfully awkward silence before talking about classical music, cows, and lemons. It’s not long before he’s getting hostile again, clearly frustrated at his date’s physical appearance and obvious lack of interest in his weird facts. This is just painful stuff. It’s hysterical, but painful.
#5: The Stapler in Jell-O
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“Downsize” As we mentioned, the show’s opening episode is a perfect bit of exposition, setting up the characters, their traits, and their relationships with flawless precision. For example, it takes just one scene to realize the somewhat playful, somewhat strained work relationship between Tim Canterbury and Gareth Keenan. Tim has put Gareth’s stapler in Jell-O, which makes for a wonderful little bit of physical comedy. Even better, David is involved. He heroically tells the camera that he hates food waste because people are starving, once again making the moment about him and his unshakable virtue. Of course, it’s all for show. But no matter how many years pass, we’ll never forget Tim’s ingenious little joke.
#4: Dawn & Tim’s Kiss
“Christmas Special: Part 2” After the tragic ending of series two, we needed a little happiness. Luckily, the “Christmas Special” delivered. It is the season, after all. After receiving her gift from Tim, Dawn dumps Lee off-screen and returns to the office. She approaches the heartbroken Tim, who’s in conversation with David and Gareth, and finally gives him a kiss. It’s a beautiful sequence, and it’s beautifully filmed. Rather than milking her entrance for drama, Dawn simply waltzes into the office in the background, gradually taking over the focus. It takes both the camera and the viewer a second to realize what we’re seeing, but when it clicks, our hearts melt. This was a long time coming, but it was well worth the wait.
#3: The Bird Suit
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“Charity” We’ve talked at length about David’s tragic termination. But this being “The Office,” it’s not all sad. Leave it to co-creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant to find some comedy in the drama. After getting fired, David reveals that he’s wearing a ridiculous bird suit. He’s doing it to celebrate Red Nose Day, but the devastating news he’s just received somewhat ruins the mood of the moment — at least for him. It’s a very tricky mixture of comedy and drama, but the show pulls it off flawlessly. We laugh at the reveal itself, but the rest of the scene plays out with a very uncomfortable tone. We don’t know whether to laugh or feel bad, and therein lies the genius of “The Office.”
#2: Bring Your Guitar to Work Day
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“Training” David never relinquishes an opportunity to show off. The proof is in how he completely hijacks the staff training day with rude and offensive comments, constant interjections, and the guitar he brought from home. What follows is pure comedy genius. David could put his talent to good use, but he squanders it on goofy songs. There’s a campy, self-important piece about racial equality, one about a Hell serpent, and one about “free love on the freelove freeway.” Yes, it’s as ridiculous as it sounds. He also attempts to cheer Dawn up with a tune about Princess Diana’s passing. David could very well be the most tone-deaf character ever created, and it makes for uproarious comedy.
#1: The Dance
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“Charity” No other words are necessary. If you’re an “Office” fan, you know what “the dance” is. To raise money for charity, Neil and Rachel perform a well-received and well-choreographed routine from “Saturday Night Fever,” accurate costumes and all. After Neil goes solo and receives even more praise, a jealous David does a dance number of his own. We challenge you to watch it without completely losing your composure. In his own words, he “fused ‘Flashdance’ with MC Hammer,” and the result is a truly unforgettable bit of…well, whatever that is. The moves are ridiculous, and the secondhand embarrassment we get is almost unbearable. That doesn’t stop us from rewatching the scene often, though! Needless to say, we’re very grateful that this sequence exists.
