Ross McCafferty, a devoted fan of The Office, has grown disillusioned with the show's 25th anniversary celebrations, blaming Ricky Gervais for erasing co-creator Stephen Merchant from the narrative. In a personal essay, McCafferty describes how his friendship with Tim is built on quotes from the iconic BBC series, but this year's milestone has left him cold.
Gervais' Solo Spotlight
During the anniversary week, Gervais posted multiple reflections on social media and participated in an hour-long televised retrospective that, according to McCafferty, did not mention Merchant once. This omission is part of a broader pattern, the author argues, dating back to at least 2013 when the duo's last collaboration, Life's Too Short, ended. Since then, Gervais has increasingly used singular pronouns like 'I' and 'me' when discussing The Office, replacing the earlier 'we' and 'us'.
Merchant's Marginalization
The turning point, McCafferty writes, was the 2016 spin-off film David Brent: Life on the Road. In a subsequent interview on Good Morning Britain, Merchant had to correct hosts who assumed he was involved, stating it was 'Ricky doing a film about David Brent' and confirming his non-participation. McCafferty describes the film as 'spray painting a dick on the Mona Lisa,' criticizing its edgy humour, fatphobia, and the need for Brent to always win.
Rewriting History
McCafferty points to a 2017 Facebook post where Gervais claimed to have created Brent in 1995, neglecting Merchant's role in shaping the character through a BBC course pilot video. Since then, Gervais has continued to take sole credit, even telling audiences at his stand-up shows, 'don't forget I wrote The Office.' A trailer for his new Netflix series, Alley Cats, also bills him as the sole creative brain behind the show.
Fan's Disenchantment
Despite his love for the series, McCafferty finds it hard to enjoy The Office now, as Gervais' behaviour mirrors Brent's own desperate need for recognition. He notes that Merchant has taken the high road, publicly calling the show a collaborative effort. The author concludes that while he will always use Office quotes, the co-creator's ego has tarnished the legacy.
