Episode Six (The Office, Series One)

UK Office episode
name = Episode Six


ep_num = 6
date = August 20, 2001
series = 1

Episode Six is the sixth episode of the first series of "The Office". "Judgment" is an alternate title for the episode. It was originally broadcast on 20 August, 2001.

ynopsis

It is the day of judgment at Wernham Hogg: David Brent lets go a warehouse worker and is accused of positive discrimination because he fired an able bodied worker instead of a "midget". As he takes his new secretary around the office, attempting to lighten the mood to no avail, he is asked by one of his employees, Malcolm, what will happen to the branch, and why he is hiring new staff when existing workers are being cut. Unsurprisingly, David gives a satisfactory answer for neither, and attempts to play off the situation with offensive bald jokes. David also holds a brief meeting with Tim in which he ridicules his desire to quit Wernham Hogg to pursue his education, despite his new secretary agreeing with Tim.

Jennifer's arrival in Slough brings the crescendo in the employees to a head. She informs David of an opening in her old position, as she has just been given partnership, and that the board has approved him to be promoted by a vote of 5 to 2 over Swindon manager Neil Godwin. If David takes the promotion, the Slough branch will be shut down and be absorbed by the Swindon branch. Naturally, Brent immediately chooses to take the promotion, fixating on what he calls a "landslide" in his favor. Expecting the office to be excited for him, he breaks the news to his "troops" with poor reception, as he attempts to portray his good fortune as a "silver lining" to the coming dark days. Glumly, everyone seems prepared for redundancy as personal dislike of David reaches an all-time high. Interviews with David's staff go between calling him a liar, or simply hurling personal insults at him. Gareth also bids a tearful farewell to David in his office.

At the party that night, nobody is in the celebratory mood. Gareth emotionally conveys his frustrations to Tim and Ricky, suggesting he will land on his feet and that hard working people like him are victims of political correctness. David goes onstage and announces that he rejected the promotion ("I told them to shove their job up their arses!") at corporate and that Slough will now absorb Swindon, securing everyone's job at his branch. This noticeably lightens the mood at the celebration, and the upbeat and grateful employees begin to enjoy the festivities. Malcolm confronts Brent with rumours that he didn't receive the promotion because of a failed medical examination from high blood pressure, rather than actually caring about his employees. Brent awkwardly attempts to convince the employee that he raised his blood pressure in order to deliberately fail the test. Back at the party, Brent offers a promotion to Tim in exchange for staying. As Tim explains the promotion and his decision to stay to Dawn with avid use of business buzz words, she seems disappointed and disillusioned with Tim giving up his dreams of University for the drudgery of Slough.

Cast

* David Brent - Ricky Gervais
* Tim - Martin Freeman
* Gareth - Mackenzie Crook
* Dawn - Lucy Davis
* Ricky - Oliver Chris
* Jennifer - Stirling Gallacher

With

* Lee - Joel Beckett
* Donna - Sally Bretton
* Karen - Nicola Cotter
* Alex - Neil Fitzmaurice
* Malcolm - Robin Hooper
* Joan - Yvonne D'Alpra

Music

The following songs are featured in this episode.

*"Spirit in the Sky" - Doctor and the Medics
*"Walking on Sunshine" - Katrina and the Waves
*"Sexbomb" - Tom Jones featuring Mousse T.
*"Tragedy" - Steps
*"The Only Way is Up" - Yazz
*"S Club Party" - S Club 7
*"I'm Not in Love" - 10cc
*"True" - Spandau Ballet

Miscellanea

When David Brent is asking if anyone has got a farewell gift for Ricky Howard, he mentions the gift they got for Pete Gibbons. This could be a nod to the 1999 American film "Office Space", in which the main character, Peter Gibbons, quits his job in a boring office.