The Office UK: 10 Saddest Things About David Brent, Ranked

There’s one major difference between the British and American versions of The Office, and that’s the tone. In many ways, the American remake is a traditional feel-good sitcom. Yes, it contains elements of drama, but it mostly serves as a lighthearted comedy filled with jovial moments, happy character endings, and wacky comedy.

On the other hand, the British original is far darker and more realistic in its tone. The characters are more pathetic and sad, few people get happy endings, and the comedy is more rooted in pitiful tragedy. And few characters are as pitiful as David Brent.

10 Deeply Lonely

David Brent is not a very sympathetic character, and the viewer is mostly encouraged to dislike him. However, he’s a richly written and complex character, and most of his atrocious behavior stems from a deep desire to be liked.

David is nothing but a sad and very lonely man approaching middle age, and he is so desperate in his need to be liked – and to have friends – that he often goes to inappropriate extremes. Naturally, this only turns people away even more.

9 His Failed Blind Dates

David’s loneliness is taken to extremes in the Christmas Special, and viewers are subjected to the horrors that are his failed blind dates. Wishing desperately to find a companion (and a date to the office Christmas party), David goes on various blind dates with women he finds online.

Needless to say, these dates don’t go well. In one, he talks about the breasts of his date’s deceased mother. On the other, he is so disappointed that his date is overweight that he fails to put in an effort and can barely contain his frustration. These dates are hilarious, but they’re also deeply pathetic and sad.

8 No One Likes Him

David’s deep desire to be liked wouldn’t be so sad if it wasn’t for the fact that no one likes him. David tries a little too hard, and it only results in people finding him repulsive, offensive, or just generally annoying.

When he offers to take the office for drinks, Tim is the only one who responds – and even that’s mostly to spite Anne, not out of a genuine desire to hang out with David. And the worst part is that David has absolutely zero self-awareness, so he doesn’t even realize that people don’t like him.

7 No One Respects Him

David’s first and foremost desire is to be liked. Unfortunately, that often comes at the expense of his job and professional demeanor. It’s not necessary for a boss to be well-liked. And things would be very different if David was a genuinely good boss who commanded respect, if not friendship.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case, either. Absolutely no one respects David – not his boss, not his equals, and not his employees. He’s mostly seen as a pathetic man who is unsuited for his job and holding everything together through sheer luck.

6 He’s Bad At His Job

That lack of respect stems from the fact that David is quite bad at his job. This isn’t so much the case in season one, as David is actually recommended over Neil for promotion to upper management. Unfortunately, he absolutely squanders this goodwill throughout the second season.

By the finale, David has been fired, he has lost what little respect he had from Jennifer and the higher-ups, and he’s relegated to literally begging for his job with tears in his eyes. It’s terribly sad.

5 Full Of Regrets

If David’s story was sad throughout the first and second seasons, it’s genuinely tragic in the Christmas special. Despite Christmas being a time for feel-good activities and warmth, the special is filled with brutally sad moments involving David.

He’s full of regrets throughout the episode, and it’s made very obvious that he misses his office, his old job, and his ex-employees. Despite putting on a brave and happy face, it’s quite evident that David is not happy.

4 Stuck In A Horrible Job

Part of David’s unhappiness stems from his horrible job. Throughout the Christmas special, David is working as a traveling salesman selling wall-cleaning agents and tampons. He tells Gareth that he works sixty hours a week, he’s not anchored due to the demands of the job, and he lives on the road.

He eats in various restaurants and food courts by himself, and he stays in cheap motels, often drinking himself to sleep. It’s brutal stuff, and it actually makes the viewer approach pitiful sympathy for the poor man.

3 He’s An Alcoholic

One scene of the Christmas special sees David drinking himself to sleep while morosely expressing his regrets and desires. But this certainly isn’t the first time that David’s love of the drink has been addressed.

The show makes constant references to David’s alcoholism, with Dawn even stating that he drinks “every lunch time”. It’s also obvious that David is horribly insecure in his alcoholism, as he openly berates Dawn in front of the camera for her suggestion.

2 Degrading “Celebrity Appearances”

Rounding out the tragedy that is the Christmas special are David’s embarrassing “celebrity appearances”. Having found a small degree of fame through The Office (the documentary within the show), David embarks across the country making “celebrity appearances” at nightclubs.

However, these appearances are often deeply embarrassing affairs. Either David makes an utter fool of himself or spends literally ten seconds on stage, waving to the crowd to a greatly unenthusiastic response.

1 Wasted Talents

In another life, David could have been a successful musician. It’s obvious that David has a degree of musical talent, as he is quite good at the guitar and can craft a catchy melody. Unfortunately, he utterly squanders this talent by writing silly songs, including the endlessly hilarious Freelove Freeway.

After leaving Wernham Hogg, David produced a single and launched his own record company in a tragic attempt to launch a music career. Unfortunately, it proved a lame cover with an unintentionally hilarious music video.

About The Author

Nathan Sharp
(852 Articles Published)

Nathan Sharp is a writer from outside Toronto, Ontario. He has a love of movies and television, having enjoyed them for more than twenty years. His preferences include drama, action, and horror, with the former being a particular point of interest and fascination.

He also has a love of video games, particularly those of Rockstar.

Whether it be about film, television, or video games, Nathan loves a good discussion and has written hundreds of articles for Screen Rant.

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