Christmas Special, Part 2

"Christmas Special, Part 2" was the second part of the Christmas Specials in the British Office. It is the series finale and won two Golden Globe Awards. Written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and airing on the BBC on December 27, 2003, NBC commissioned an American Version days later. It would be the start of the hit American comedy, The Office: An American Workplace, in which the characters are based on the originals.

Summary
David looks for a woman to take to the party on the Internet, but none of his three dates go well: he ruins one meeting with talk of breasts; one date, not knowing who he is, mocks the manager from The Office over the phone; and one he finds unattractive and boring. Dawn arrives and reunites with Tim to wind up Gareth, but Lee ruins their fun when he tells Gareth about their innuendos. David is banned from the office after he brings his dog, and non-employees are not allowed to attend their Christmas lunch. A fourth date, whom Brent likes, arrives at the party. Dawn leaves with Lee after saying goodbye to Tim. David finally stands up to Chris Finch, and Dawn returns and kisses Tim; she decided to leave Lee after Tim showed his sensitivity and an interest in her illustrating dreams by buying her an art set with a card saying "never give up". Everybody gathers for a group photo, and Brent finally makes them laugh with his Frank Spencer impression.

Connections to the American Office
The riddle David is posing to Tim and Gareth about a boy, his father and a car accident when Dawn returns and kisses Tim appeared at the beginning of Season 3's Initiation as of one many brain teasers Dwight asks Ryan (who states that he has heard it before) before taking him on his first out-of-office sales call. Like Dawn committing herself to Tim after reading the note he had placed in her Secret Santa gift to her, in the episode "The Job", the catalyst for Jim and Pam (their US equivalents) coming together involves a hidden encouraging note and personal memento: while interviewing for an open position at Dunder-Mifflin's corporate offices in New York, Jim, upon opening a folder finds a memo from Pam (who is certain he will be hired) asking him to remember what he left behind, along with a yogurt-lid medal (from "Office Olympics"), and, once and for all realizing where his heart is, turns down the corporate job, returns to Scranton, and declares his love for Pam, interrupting her talking-head acceptance that she would never have him to ask her on their first date.

Main Cast

 * Ricky Gervais as David Brent
 * Martin Freeman as Tim Canterbury
 * Mackenzie Crook as Gareth Keenan
 * Lucy Davis as Dawn Tinsley

Supporting Cast

 * Patrick Baladi as Neil Godwin
 * Ewen Macintosh as Keith "Big Keith" Bishop
 * Joel Beckett as Lee
 * Oliver Chris as Ricky Howard
 * Stirling Gallacher as Jennifer Taylor-Clarke
 * Sally Brenton as Donna
 * Rachel Issac as Trudy