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Watch: Ricky Gervais Brings Back David Brent From 'The Office' For New 10-Minute Short

By Joe Cunningham
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March 19, 2013 11:22 AM
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2 Comments

Television

In Britain, the biannual charity extravaganza that is Comic Relief has a great track record for creating one-off comedy sketches, many based around established British shows and comedy characters. Past classics have included skits based around the likes of "Doctor Who," "Blackadder," "Gavin and Stacey," "One Foot in the Grave," "Da Ali G Show," "I'm Alan Partridge" and "Father Ted." Ricky Gervais has been involved many times before, perhaps most notably for the time he created an extremely funny sketch in which he appeared to be recording an appeal for aid from Africa. Well, Gervais returned with a new sketch at this year's Comic Relief, and this time he brought back David Brent.

By Kevin Jagernauth
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January 4, 2013 4:32 PM
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1 Comment

News

Before he was Bilbo, before he was Watson, Martin Freeman was Tim Canterbury, a lowly salesman at Wernham Hogg Paper Company. It's hard to believe, but the original U.K. "The Office" is already over ten years old, and its U.S. counterpart is wrapping up at the end of this season too. Well, if you need to a good reminder as to why the original is worth pulling off the shelf and giving another spin, it's gonna come from an unlikely place.

By Kevin Jagernauth
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January 2, 2013 2:20 PM
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0 Comments

Television

While Jon Favreau figures out his next move, especially considering the big screen musical "Jersey Boys," which he was set to direct got put into turnaround in November, it looks like he's plotting a return to the small screen where's he had some recent success.

By Kevin Jagernauth
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August 21, 2012 4:18 PM
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7 Comments

Television

To put it plainly, "The Office" has never really recovered after the departure of Steve Carell. In fact, one could argue the show peaked during season five, his third to last run on the show, and began a downward decline that was only exacerabated by the hunt for a new office manager and a switch in corporate ownership for Dunder Mifflin. It has long retreated for the sharp and funny early seasons, and it is now ready to say goodbye as executive producer Greg Daniels has revealed that the upcoming ninth season will also be the last.

By Kevin Jagernauth
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July 3, 2012 5:25 PM
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4 Comments

Television

Is there any show that is more shambled, barely wheezing and in a shell of its former self than "The Office"? After Steve Carell exited the show (which was already wobbling in its last season with him), it seems the writers and showrunners had no idea what to do, flailing about as the comedy got much more broad, and the focus shifted away from the absurd mundane workaday life at Dunder Mifflin, into the corporate shenanigans at Sabre -- and all this while trying to establish Rainn Wilson as the show's next breakout star (plans to spin off Dwight Schrute into his own show, "The Farm," seem ill-advised at best). Anyway, long story short, they need some new life and they are pinning the hopes on some young talent.

By Kevin Jagernauth
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April 13, 2012 4:56 PM
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1 Comment

Television

Let's fave it, "The Office" hasn't been the same since Steve Carell left the show and frankly, it was already on the decline during his last season. James Spader was kind of wasted as the new David Wallace (of sorts) and Ed Helms' position as the new office manager was constantly undermined by tepid writing and a recycling of plotlines and running themes from previous seasons. So perhaps it's no surprise NBC may want to start over. With contracts up at the end of the season for Helms, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer and B.J. Novak and not yet renewed, executive producer Greg Daniels is pitching a reboot of the show that would keep some key cast members, but essentially start fresh. Hmm. Remember how well that worked out for ABC and "Scrubs"?

By Oliver Lyttelton
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April 25, 2011 1:37 AM
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10 Comments

It may have suffered somewhat in recent seasons from a dip in form, especially compared to the superior nature of most of the rest of the NBC comedy line-up -- "Community," "Parks and Recreation" and "30 Rock" -- but for the most part, we've immensely enjoyed the last seven seasons of "The Office." While it may not be as near-flawless as the BBC series on which it was based, it's remained remarkably consistent across over ten times the length, thanks to a star-making performance from lead Steve Carell, and one of the deepest, richest comedic ensembles around, one that's helped to launch names like John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer and Ed Helms, as well as some still on the up, like Mindy Kaling, Rainn Wilson and Ellie Kemper.

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Watch: Ricky Gervais Brings Back David Brent From 'The Office' For New 10-Minute Short

Watch: Martin Freeman & Ricky Gervais Get Mashed Up In 'The Office: An Unexpected Journey'

Jon Favreau To Direct Final Season Episode Of 'The Office,' Spinoff Episode For 'The Farm' Will Still Air

The Ninth & Final Season Of 'The Office' Will Finally Reveal Who Is Making The Documentary

Clark Duke Headed To 'The Office'; Mark Pellington Directing ABC Pilot 'Red Widow'

TV Dial: 'The Office' Cast Might Get A Reboot; Donald Glover To Play Tracy Jordan On '30 Rock'; David Tennant Joins 'Spies Of Warsaw' & More

Jim Carrey Latest Big Star To Join Season Finale Of 'The Office'

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