Episode Four (The Office, Series One)

Episode Four is the fourth episode of the first series of The Office. "Training" is an alternative title for the episode. It was originally broadcast on 30 July, 2001. The DVD extras for the series reveal this to be the favourite episode of almost the entire cast.

Synopsis
It's staff training day at Wernham Hogg, and an outside facilitator, Rowan, has come in to educate the Slough branch about customer care. David, naturally, is determined to undermine him at every opportunity by offering unhelpful suggestions and needless interruptions. Meanwhile, Dawn and her fiancé Lee are having trouble in their relationship.

During the day-long training session, frustration builds for all, including Rowan and Tim, who grows mildly annoyed and bemused. In a typical episode to prove wrong those who doubt his musical ability, Brent breaks into song, singing self-penned titles such as "Spaceman" and "Freelove Freeway" to the general muted response of those present. The song Freelove Freeway sung by David Brent proves to be a quite a hit among the employees especially Gareth who eventually sings along from encouraged by Tim and earlier in the song Gareth tries to encourage the employees by saying "everyone" to no avail. He also comforts Dawn with a composition about Princess Diana, contending that the lyrics have specific application to her present tiff with Lee.

Meanwhile, unbeknown to Tim, Dawn and Lee reconcile their differences and appear to return their relationship to normal. The episode's climax comes as Rowan loses patience with yet another pointless interruption from Brent, ending the training session. Tim, equally frustrated with the situation and the seeming pointlessness of his job at Wernham Hogg, very publicly quits while lambasting Gareth. Before he goes, he publicly asks Dawn to accompany him for a drink, now that she is single. Quietly, she informs him that she has made-up with Lee, and Tim attempts to play the entire request off as a friendly offer. In this episode Gareth is asked what his fantasy is and he reveals that it is "two lesbians".

Cast

 * David Brent - Ricky Gervais
 * Tim - Martin Freeman
 * Gareth - Mackenzie Crook
 * Dawn - Lucy Davis
 * Ricky - Oliver Chris
 * Rowan - Vincent Franklin

With

 * Lee - Joel Beckett
 * Donna - Sally Bretton
 * Malcolm - Robin Hooper
 * Peter Purves - Peter Purves

Freelove Freeway
During the employee training seminar, Brent's singing/songwriting in rock and roll band Foregone Conclusion years ago becomes the focus of attention. Brent claims in the episode that his band was supported by Scottish rock band Texas. Brent brings in his guitar to sing several songs, which were actually written by Gervais, including "Freelove Freeway". The song, as well as the sing-a-long by Gareth and Tim, became one of the most popular scenes from the show.

In 2004, Noel Gallagher, the lead songwriter and guitarist for the rock group Oasis, recorded the song with Gervais in a professional studio. The new full band recording, which has an added verse, is available as a special feature of the Christmas Special DVD of The Office. A longer, one take version of the song is also available as an easter egg on the series one DVD. Gervais and Mackenzie Crook (as Gareth Keenan) subsequently performed the song at the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium in 2007.

In October 2006, the song was covered by a group of students from Cardiff University. Their version, Freelove Feeway became the theme to a national student campaign against the rising cost of University education, entitled Admission: Impossible. The song was performed live at the national student demonstration in Trafalgar Square on 29 October 2006 by Ed Jones, James Woodroof and Joe Al-Khayat. The campaign lyrics and music video are available online:

http://www.cardiffstudents.com/main/yourunion/campaigns/admim