GREAT READS

BBC's The Office

BBC ; producer, Ash Atalla ; written & directed by Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant.

The predecessor to America's hit comedy of the same name, BBC's "The Office" is an inside look into Wernham Hogg, a fictional paper company in Slough, England. Filmed in mockumentary fashion, cameramen chronicle the daily dramas of a small office of white-collar workers who are managed by David Brent (Ricky Gervais), a crude, self-proclaimed funnyman.

You don't need to be a cubicle dweller to recognize a bit of your own coworkers and acquaintances in the hyperbolic characters:

David Brent: A boss who "boosts" employee morale by delivering wildly inappropriate, ill-timed jokes. He believes himself a friend and a "motivator."

Gareth Keenan: A gullible "team leader" who believes he has power and influence. He's territorial, dorky, and thinks himself a ladies' man.

Tim Canterbury: A bored thirty-something whose days are made less dreary by pulling practical jokes alongside Dawn, the beautiful secretary who is not living to her full potential and is trapped in a loveless relationship. Deliciously deadpan, this show is a great pick for fans of Office Space or Best in Show, and, of course, the American version of The Office starring Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, and John Krasinski.

Recommended by Leah Youse