Whereas most TV shows spend years trying to construct a perfect character arc, Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais managed to perfectly develop the idiot boss David Brent over the course of just twelve episodes (plus an additional evolution in the Christmas Specials). Brent's journey as one of the icons of British television comes to a head here, in the most ironically dramatic half-hour ever written for the series.
Actually, there is some real drama as well: Dawn is leaving Wernham Hogg alongside Lee, and Tim has to think about a proper way to say goodbye to her without screwing up like he did in the fourth episode of Season One. The ironic drama lies in the fact that Neil and Jennifer reveal to David that he is getting fired (no need to ask why, right?), and the news don't exactly break anyone's heart (even Gareth keeps his cool, but then again he's to busy nagging Rachel about her relationship with Tim). And just to make things worse, the representatives of Cooper and Webb, for whom David did a motivational seminar two episodes ago (the one with the horrifying Tina Turner cover), tell him his services will no longer be required. Not only do the cameras capture every moment of this, but so does also a journalist who's going to write an article about David. To say he's having a bad day is a gross understatement.
From the first scene of the first episode, there were numerous signs of this being the inevitable climax of the show's limited run (Gervais and Merchant were reportedly influenced by the fact that Fawlty Towers, generally considered the best British sitcom of all time, lasted a mere twelve episodes, thus ending in its prime and not taking the chance of slipping into mediocrity), and though this isn't the real series finale it feels like each character's journey (Brent's most obviously) has reached its final destination, while still leaving the door open for further developments (hence the Christmas Specials).
As contrived as it may sound, it was good while it lasted. And now for the biggest irony of all: we will really miss David Brent.
