Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant's THE OFFICE Turns 10 Years Old!

By T.J. Barnard / July 11, 2011

It's somewhat incomprehensible that a low-budget television show comprised of just 14 episodes has impacted upon society with the kind of force that The Office has. Often regarded as one of television's great accomplishments (it's even been named the greatest show ever on several occasions), The Office has now entered the public consciousness with almost universal acclaim. Digest that for one moment: that it might be classed as even a contender for the greatest ever television show, looking at volume alone, seems wild. The Simpsons is often contested for the same accolade, but that's a TV show that has been on the air for 22 years and draws close to 500 episodes - it would be almost impossible to escape a shadow of that size. And yet The Office, a cheap BBC2 project that originally slipped under the radar when it first aired in 2001, gave birth to a new type of comedy. Now, 10 years later, it has amassed a monumental legacy that refuses to die, millions of fans all over the world, and has brought Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant to the forefront of the comedy world as a couple of bonafide geniuses. For anybody who has been living in Chile for the past decade and might have missed the boat (wait a second: Chile has it's own version now, so there's really no excuse), The Office acquaints us with nightmare boss David Brent (Ricky Gervais), a middle manager at a sub-standard paper company in Slough, who believes he is the funniest, most likeable man in the world. His co-workers include Tim Canterbury (Martin Freeman), a nice guy who can't help but be meandering in life, irritating but ultimately loveable Gareth Keenan (Mackenzie Crook), and Dawn Tinsley (Lucy Davis), a wannabe illustrator whose on-off romance with Tim provides most of the heart. Seemingly dull stuff, but Gervais and Merchant managed to transform an unexciting premise into hilarious, candid television that spoke to the masses. I remember my first experience with the show, switching on my television late one night when I was just fourteen. Staring back at me: a fat bloke with a goatee and a big red nose stuck on his face. This would be my first time meeting Ricky Gervais, and my first encounter with that now infamous office twit, David Brent. Originally, I was convinced I was watching an authentic documentary - at fourteen, I hadn't been exposed to any mockumentaries, and was somewhat confused by what I saw. Riveted, may I add, but confused nonetheless. Then, suddenly, after five minutes, I began to laugh. I couldn't help it. I'd never laughed at a documentary before - not like this - and somewhere in my developing brain, I knew this had to be fake. By the end of that episode ("Charity", if you're wondering), I knew I had to see more of what I'd witnessed, and took the liberty of tracking it down and ordering the first series on DVD. I've never looked back. By now, The Office has been discussed and dissected to death, so it's not surprising that it feels like there's nothing left to say on the matter. Its influence, however, is vast, and it's difficult to turn on British television these days without running into a gag that feels like it's been ripped from The Office. It might be a tone of voice, or a look to camera, or just a funny feeling that evokes some memories from the show. Somewhere along the line, it has ingrained itself into our society, and frankly, it's sometimes impossible not think and act and talk like you're a character in The Office. That's enough praise (for now). To celebrate 10 years of The Office, here's 10 quotes from the show that stand as personal favourites. Be they subtle or simply ridiculous, they all confirm the show's status as one of the greatest things to ever hit our television sets. 10. "Me - lager. Finchy - lager. Gareth - lager, sometimes cider. So different drinks, for different... needs... yeah?" - Brent explains drink preferences to an interviewee 9. "Who's used all the penicillin? Oh, Mark Paxton, sir, he's got knob rot off some tart" - Gareth on the dangers of being sexually irresponsible at war 8. "Take a chair. Not literally - that wouldn't work" - Brent's failed attempt at humour when breaking in the new workers 7. "Avoid unlucky people. Throw half of the pile of CVs in the bin without reading them" - Brent spewing his invaluable business advice 6. "I'm not homophobic, all right? Come around, look at my CD collection. You'll find Queen, George Michael, Pet Shop Boys. They're all bummers" - Gareth proves he's not prejudice 5. "The people you work with are people you were just thrown together with. I mean, you don't know them, it wasn't your choice. And yet you spend more time with them than you do your friends or your family. But probably all you have in common is the fact that you walk around on the same bit of carpet for eight hours a day" - Tim realises that life is no picnic with surprising poignance 4. "Anyway, he's a vegetable now, and that's something we've all got to look forward to. So€ happy birthday" - Brent talks about his father whilst wishing Tim a happy birthday 3. "We used to have a political reggae song called 'Equality Street'€" - Brent's way of breaking an awkward silence 2. "And they probably did oral" - A tactful Gareth on Donna and Ricky's relationship 1. "No, I don't have a great many ethnic employees, that's true. But, it's not company policy, I haven't got a sign on the door that says, 'White people only', you know? I don't care if you're black, brown, yellow - Orientals make very good workers, for example" - The extent to which Brent doesn't understand his own idiocy