“The Office” is a British sitcom that premiered on BBC Two in the UK on July 9, 2001. The show was created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. It centers on the everyday experiences of employees at the Slough branch of the fictional Wernham Hogg Paper Company. Ricky Gervais also stars in the series, portraying the main character, David Brent. Although the show is fictional and scripted, it is presented in a documentary style, with characters often acknowledging the camera.
The series consists of two six-episode seasons and two 45-minute Christmas specials. Initially, it faced potential cancellation due to low ratings when it first aired on BBC Two, but it eventually became one of the most successful British comedy exports. In addition to being broadcast internationally on BBC Worldwide and channels like BBC Prime, BBC America, and BBC Canada, the series has been sold to over 80 countries. These include ABC1 in Australia, The Comedy Network in Canada, TVNZ in New Zealand, and the pan-Asian satellite channel STAR World, based in Hong Kong. In the United States, the show aired on Cartoon Network’s late-night programming block, Adult Swim, from September 18, 2009, until 2012.