8. They Don't Write To Please Anyone But Themselves
As Andy Millman once said, the best things are auteured. ("Ha... turd.") It's true of a lot of art, and in the case of Gerchant (or Mervais if you prefer), their creative vision is completely undiluted. 'The Office' was so different because no one interfered: we can't know for certain, but don't you think 'Extras' is a skewed documentary of how Gervais and Merchant could've ended up? Either way, there's something brilliantly satisfying about the small details and layers that no one else notices in comedy, from the punchline of the "Dave" joke in 'Only Fools' at Rodney's wedding, to the serial killer surnames of 'Gavin and Stacey's characters. You only get that when a creative team are left alone to come up with ideas that please themselves, and perhaps no one pleases themselves more than Gervais, who was quite willing not to film 'The Office' if it wasn't exactly what he wanted it to be. When writers are left to their own devices, they can create something that feels free and unforced. 'The Office' is like a good book that you invest time and effort with, and in time, it rewards you back. You feel a greater connection to the writing for it, and it stands up to repeated viewings. There's a reason some comedians have a limited shelf life.