Interestingly, this is the only episode, or pair of episodes, on this list that also serves as a series finale, so for that reason this one is a bit tougher to recommend without context and a bit tougher not to spoil. That’s why I’m going to spoil it, but I’m sure most of you reading this have either watched The Office or have tried watching it and realise you don’t actually like it that much. To that I say… fair enough! It’s not for everyone and I found that out the hard way trying to show it to my unimpressed school friends when I first watched it. Whatever your opinion of Ricky Gervais as a figure in 2023 (I certainly have mine – you won’t catch me writing a blog like this about After Life), The Office is, at the very least, one of the most important shows during the first modern golden age of TV. Not only did it inspire the arguably even more successful American remake, but I would say about a third of British comedies nowadays engage in more than a few Brent-isms. I don’t love it as much as I did when I was 17, but it still holds a special place in my heart, and when I do decide to revisit it I am rarely disappointed.
What’s most exciting about this episode is where all the characters are compared to the series’s original run. Since there has been a three year time jump from the previous episode, the dynamics are much changed whilst also being almost depressingly similar. David is still as feckless as ever but now is operating in a world where the documentary filmed in the first two series exists in the world of the show and has been watched by millions on the BBC, but despite that it still seems as though the fame he has always longed for is still outside of his reach. Gareth is now in David’s role as the boss, but still doesn’t really have any respect. Martin Freeman’s Tim continues to try and play his pranks on Gareth but realises the working environment is a bit more professional and less fun without David. There’s also his “will they won’t they” with Dawn, which I think is one of the greatest of those in TV.
Counting this as one whole, this is my favourite episode of the show and I don’t think I’m alone in that view. It’s just jam packed with iconic moments, funny and heartfelt. Part 1 alone contains the amazing interaction between David Brent and a fellow David who has no idea who he is, but still wants his autograph anyway alongside the phenomenally crap music video David releases of his cover of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” as well as David and Gareth trying to set up David’s dating profile. All classic moments of British comedy in the less iconic part of the two. The best part though is David’s pitiful appearance on a dating show, “you’re the wanker, mate, if anyone is” is a quote I will take to the grave.
To me, the highlight of the two-parter is David’s series of horrifically awkward dates throughout the episode where he insults a woman’s dead mother and of course the iconic shot (Below) where he realises he has been catfished. These sequences place David’s pitiful lack of self-awareness front and centre but also, crucially, do enough to show that he doesn’t mean to upset people and means well most of the time.
Seeing Tim and Dawn reunited and trying to make fun of Gareth is really sweet to see as well. As mentioned, their relationship is a big reason this show had such an impact and the resolution in this final episode is quite fitting. As has become one of the most famous scenes in the show, Dawn decides against leaving to go back to America to stay with Tim. It really is one of the gold standards of “will they won’t they” storylines, primarily because the time they take to resolve it feels like the right amount. Having watched through some excruciatingly dragged out examples of the trope, this show really does feel like a breath of fresh air in how it handles each setback keeping them apart in a true-to-life way, with the final moment feeling very natural. The other main resolution of conflict that comes in the finale is David finally standing up for himself in front of Finchy, who mercilessly mocks him throughout the series – I don’t think a single “fuck off” in TV history has ever felt more satisfying.
This episode succeeds both as a finale to The Office and as a standalone Christmas special which I really admire and there’s a reason it has stood the test of time and is still broadcast regularly every Christmas. It wraps up everything neatly in an emotional sense but there’s still so much up in the air to leave to the imagination and the fact that it was never revisited allows this to be a proper send-off. Just misses out on the top 5, but after this one we’re really getting into the elite stuff.