Why do some of the chapter titles sound so dirty? This one could be mistaken for something quite different. What it is, of course, is the scene where David gets fired. I feel sorry for him already, alhtough he really deserves it.
We watch Neil and Jennifer walk into David's office. They're talking about something in low voices while walking. Neil knocks on the door, but doesn't wait for a response as they open the door. David sits in his chair and looks peeved when they get in. Neil asks if he has a minute. "Not right now, I'm literally running downstairs this minute," says David. Neil asks why. David says The Gazette will do a photo shoot, "I'm gonna be on the paper... Well, Wernham Hogg are going to be in the paper. Free advertising. That's not why I'm doing it...," he starts babbling to the camera. I love how he has to show Neil and Jennifer that it's all about the firm, and yet show to the camera how it's all about charity, and he gets caught up in the web of his own... well, not lies exactly. I'm not sure what to call them. Justifications? Neil brilliantly just cuts him off with "This shouldn't take long." Because he knows David can go on virtually forever just explaning himself over and over again. I love Neil. I also love how he's the one to deliver the news to David, standing up for what he thinks, even if he knows David will lay the blame on him. Jennifer sits behind him, looking a bit sad, and looking at David with compassion. It looks like she genuinely likes him, but is unable to justify the way he's been behaving. Neil says they were thinking about what David said before - "Give me all three warnings now", even if he doesn't specify it - "and it's certainly something we've been thinking about as well, um... We'd like to offer you a very generous redundancy package." He seems to have some trouble saying that last part. And great office jargon there. Not "We're not happy with your performance" or "I've had it with your disrespect." He puts a positive spin on it like a salesman would.
The camera quickly turns to David, who has a look on his face that says he's so hurt and he just can't understand why this is happening to him. He glances at the camera, but can't change the look on his face; it remains crumpled and miserable. Bravo, Gervais. David soon assumes his usual mocking tone with Neil: "Are you "offering" me, or are you telling me I've got to take it?" He just can't let Neil get away with offering him a very generous package. He has to make it clear that this is something negative Neil is doing against him. "Umm.. we're telling you you've got to take it," admits Neil. Jennifer says they will make it official the following day in "a proper meeting". The camera shows a struck David as he starts a sad little monologue, "It's a good timing.. telling me that... today... the day of laughter." A reaction shot from Neil and Jennifer shows us that Neil isn't without sympathy for him, after all he's said and done. David says his photo shoot is ruined. He gets up and we see what he's wearing - a huge Big Bird type costume with little trousers in the front that make it seem like he's riding Big Bird, while his feet are the bird's feet. He's holding a stick attached to the back of the bird's head; the neck is long and swooping. Jennifer glances at the camera. I'm not really sure what her look shows. Guilt over firing David? Or disbelief that it's the costume that matters to him? Hard to read. Maybe she's wondering if the viewers will see her as the bad guy.
David is very awkwardly picking on the costume. "Got little pockets and everything," he says about the trousers. The bird's face is in a permanent grin that mocks the whole situation. David bitterly tells Neil and Jennifer, "So now I'm gonna have to go down there and be funny. That's gonna be... good, innit. With that... going thru." He points at his head with both hands, but since one hand is holding the head of the bird, the bird's beak taps his forehead. It makes it look less serious. "I knew you were up to something, planning something," he says, as if this is a big conspiracy. Yes, David, if they were constantly telling you to work harder, and you weren't working harder, perhaps it's to be expected? "Jennifer, do you agree with this? Because we can..." She nods sadly. Neil doesn't even look offended that David is going over his head or implying that he's alone in it. He just looks sad for David. It shows that he's a good guy who cares. David says he has "other irons on the fire" - like what? The motivational speeches? The game show ideas? The walks for Mencap? - and "this is the best thing that's ever happened to me, to be honest." Right. His angry tone betrays him though; obviously he's not happy about this or anything. Being the boss at the Slough branch was probably his high point in life, the only achievement he ever had. It seems almost cruel to take that away from him, even if he's a terrible boss and deserves to be fired. David says he'd love to see Neil - pointing at him with the bird head - run the place, because "you will have a mutiny in your hands. They" - pointing with the bird head again, which makes it seem funny - "are going to go berserk." Yes, I'm sure they are. The only time they really went berserk was when he sold them out at the end of season one. And not because he was leaving, though I'm sure he'd tell you otherwise. David tells them to leave, "Go on. I've got stuff to do, I've got laughter... I've got money to raise, mouths to feed." Hee, mouths to feed. He just loves mixing metaphors. "Thanks for your time," says Neil in a deflated voice. He seems relieved to have it overwith. Jennifer walks away with her arms crossed and casts one last sympathetic look at David. David doesn't look at the camera after they leave. Instead, he adjusts his tie - a nervous adjustment - and looks at his watch, muttering under his breath, "I've got to..."
He walks into the office space in his bird costume and says loud, "If you were wondering what that meeting was about in there..." People are only beginning to notice him at this point, and it doesn't seem like they noticed the meeting, or cared. "That's it. I've been made redundant." People stare at him in amazement and no one says a word. "Yeah. After it was me who saved others from redundancy, and then it's back... The good die young!" Yeah, that really works when you're fired based on your lack of efficiency. It's endearing how he wants to hold onto his idea that he's good even if he was just fired because he sucks as a boss. Dawn looks on sympathetically. David tells them he told Neil and Jennifer that the others would "go mental." Well, if by mental, he means staring at him furrowing their brows... "And now I've got to go and give laughter," David continues. Well, I don't know. He's mainly trying to get himself publicity, so he could have cancelled that without harming anyone. He acts like it's his mission in life to make people laugh even when he's really sad inside. The sad clown who cries inside! He awkwardly strokes the feathers of the bird. "But...see ya," he says. At Dawn's desk, he turns around and says, "Huh?" Awww, poor David. Wanting so much for someone to say, "David, wait! We love you! Please don't let them fire you!" It will never happen, because no one likes him that much, and many of them are probably just relieved. Malcolm's brooding face doesn't really go with his backwards shirt. Also, I'm gonna say it - the trousers on David's bird costume have a much smaller waist than he really does. And the red legs with the fluffy yellow feet look ridiculous on him. And not in a good way. As David walks away, he tells Dawn bye, or something. Dawn looks at the camera in shock, like she doesn't know how to react to this. She really seems to care for David. How sweet.
In the parking lot of Wernham Hogg, which looks as sad and grey as the building itself, Dawn and Tim are standing holding a huge cheque. The photographer tells David to make the bird peck, then run around. He does. Everyone looks like it's their mother's funeral. "Smile, it's for Comic Relief," says the photographer. David, acting like this is the biggest inconvenience in his life, asks if he can't just stand there. "Can you make it peck at your mates like Roy Hudd?" asks the photographer. "Rod Hull," corrects David. "Yeah, just do that." David makes the bird peck at Tim, looking grumpy. Tim looks sad. The weather is dark and windy. The cheque says 120 pounds "ONLY", and again, I know it doesn't mean it's only 120 pounds, but it's not all that much, so it seems like an ironic move. The photographer is happy with the pictures, but he says he forgot to bring a flash, "probably won't be able to use these. Don't be disappointed if they're not in." David curtly says he won't be, eager to get rid of the photographer. He's not too good at hiding his feelings. "Well done, David," says Dawn encouragingly. "No, no worries," says David in a sad voice. Gareth hops in just as the photographer drives away. "Did I miss it?" he asks. "Yes," says David. Why didn't he just walk? Hee, poor Gareth, always pedantic in the wrong place.
This was a very sad episode. Even if David is a bad boss, he's not a bad guy. Just a really sad guy. His downward spiral in this season is just heartbreaking. I almost wanted him to get to keep his job. In the last scene, we see Keith answering the phone as Ali Keith. He says without any tone whatsoever, "Booyakasha." Imagine the confusion in the other end. Priceless.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment