Training

"Training"
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Episode no.	Episode 4
Original airdate	30 July 2001
Written by	Ricky Gervais Stephen Merchant
Directed by	Ricky Gervais Stephen Merchant
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Training is the fourth episode of the first series of The Office. The DVD extras for the series reveal this to be the favourite episode of almost the entire cast.

Plot

It's staff training day at Wernham Hogg, and an outside facilitator, Rowan, has come in to educate the Slough branch about customer care. David, naturally, is determined to undermine him at every opportunity by offering unhelpful suggestions and needless interruptions. Meanwhile, Dawn and her fiancé Lee are having trouble in their relationship.

During the day-long training session, frustration builds for all, including Rowan and Tim , who grows mildly annoyed and bemused. In a typical episode to prove wrong those who doubt his musical ability, Brent breaks into song, singing self-penned titles such as "Spaceman" and "Freelove Freeway" to the general muted response of those present. The song Freelove Freeway sung by David Brent proves to be a quite a hit among the employees especially Gareth who eventually sings along from encouraged by Tim and earlier in the song Gareth tries to encourage the employees by saying "everyone" to no avail. He also comforts Dawn with a composition about Princess Diana, contending that the lyrics have specific application to her present tiff with Lee.

Meanwhile, unbeknown to Tim, Dawn and Lee reconcile their differences and appear to return their relationship to normal. The episode's climax comes as Rowan loses patience with yet another pointless interruption from Brent, ending the training session. Tim, equally frustrated with the situation and the seeming pointlessness of his job at Wernham Hogg, very publicly quits while lambasting Gareth . Before he goes, he publicly asks Dawn to accompany him for a drink, now that she is single. Quietly, she informs him that she has made-up with Lee, and Tim attempts to play the entire request off as a friendly offer.

Quotes

• Gareth: All farmers have wives.
  Tim: This one doesn't, he's gay.
  Gareth: Well, then, he shouldn't be allowed near animals should he?

• Dawn: He proposed on a Valentine’s Day, although he didn’t do it face to face, he did it in one of the little Valentine bits in the paper. I think he had to pay for it by the word, because it just said "Lee love Dawn, marriage?" which you know, I like, because it’s not often you get to something that’s both romantic and thrifty.

• Rowan: Gareth, quick excercise, ultimate fantasy.
  Gareth: What?
  David: Where doing the ultimate fantasy thing.
  Rowan: OK. Tim?
  Tim: Never thought I'd say this but can I hear more from Gareth please?

External links

• BBC episode guide: "Training"