It could be possible that no one has ever thought of anything to do with offices, that is until Chris Morris came along. Did he invent BBC Two too?
I would suspect he stole it from this strangely identical show.
The Office (2001) - a rip off? Page 2
I thought it was a Well Known Fact that The Day Today was a rip off of an old Radio 4 show called On The Hour.
Such a blatant rip off in fact that it even had the same writers and actors and character names. 
I always thought The Office drew more heavily from People Like Us.
I just watched it and apart from the film type and the setting - the office - I don't think there are any similarities whatsoever.
Gervais's sitcom was based on reality where the characters are just a bit unusual and humourous whereas The Day Today situations and characters are more ridiculous and extreme.
No.
It was clearly a rip-off of 'The Squirrels'.
Quote: Mr Lewis @ February 8 2010, 9:50 PM GMTNo...and stop playing in modified Deloreans.
lol.
Besides the aforementioned People Like Us; you can also check out the Aussie comedy Frontline or the Canadian comedy Newsroom for the fly on the wall approach. Similarly you can check out the movie Man Bites Dog for funny to camera interviews that put a dark humour over some not so funny moments. This is only what I'm familiar with... I'm sure there's more.
In my opinion originality is overrated.
Other than the name, most certainly not.
Amusingly Patrick Marber is wearing Brent's fake Armani jacket from series two and his curly wig calls to mind Andy's character from 'When the Whistle Blows'.
I saw a show that was clearly an inspiration for the office years ago - can't remember what it was called but it wasn't this. Gervais and merchant are not very original, they just synthesise everything well, which is all you need.
Quote: Jinky @ February 11 2010, 1:21 AM GMTNo.
It was clearly a rip-off of 'The Squirrels'.
Wow blast from the past- Remind me was it Mick Ford and Porrdige's 'Orrible Ives in an office with Secret Army's Albert as the boss?
Was it very good, I remember liking it as young child?