Finally found this show.
Haven't watched it yet though, so not sure about the quality, but here it is:
Golden Years (Ricky Gervais)
Oh wow, thanks Leevil. 
Little Stephen's voice at the end on the phone! Aw.
I know I'm digging up an old thread here, but, well . . . Tough.
This is on 4OD at the moment.
It's basically the original Office. With some jokes that went on to be in The Office actually.
Not quite as a funny though, but do check it out.
Quote: Seefacts @ August 27 2008, 10:47 PM BSTI know I'm digging up an old thread here, but, well . . . Tough.
This is on 4OD at the moment.
Which one? Where? I've got 4OD so I may have a look.
Quote: David Chapman @ August 27 2008, 10:51 PM BSTWhich one? Where? I've got 4OD so I may have a look.
Just search Golden Years . . .
Quote: Seefacts @ August 27 2008, 10:54 PM BSTJust search Golden Years . . .
Oh - is that what it's called? I probably saw it in the list and didn't know what it was.
I'm thinking about watching GBH again. See Robert Lindsay get his comeuppance.,
Quote: David Chapman @ August 27 2008, 10:58 PM BSTI'm thinking about watching GBH again. See Robert Lindsay get his comeuppance.
I watched that recently when More4 repeated it. It is f**king brilliant. Especially now I'm old enough to get it!
Dan
Finally got around to watching this on 4OD.
I quite liked it and it if wasn't as similar to The Office as it was, I'd like to see a series. The guy Ricky played could have almost been David Brent's "more successful" older bother, but still carrying that Brent gene.
I thought the supporting cast were good too. All round, not a bad sitcom, that is neither The Office or Extras, but a nice blend of the two.
I reckon the reason it wasn't particularly successful was because it was caught between Extras and the Office. It seems as if the lead character is a David Brent idiot but with the wit and warmth of Andy Millman which makes it jar.
I am pretty sure that Gervais and Merchant more or less deny the existence of Golden Years. In interviews they always say that The Office was their first sitcom, trying to make it look like some overnight miracle success.
The Office went through 4 versions of the pilot before it had a series commissioned, a little bird tells me.
The link's dead. I don't suppose this up anywhere still?
I watched it on 4OD on Virgin Media. But it should be on 4OD on Channel 4's website too.
Hope this works... http://www.channel4.com/programmes/comedy-lab/4od#2922632
Wow, thanks lee.
Just watched this. It's enjoyable, but it's a bit distressing how similar it is to all the other Gervais/Merchant stuff. The obsession with fame as a plot device is particularly depressing and tiring. I can understand why the pair don't really flag this up. Although it came first it does make them look fairly uninventive. The agent's there - even Dawn and lee are there in the form of the receptionist and her boyfriend.
Didn't Gervais do a standup tour around the theme of fame? He seems mildly obsessed with it. Nice Bowie impression though.