The Office: could it be repeated in today's PC culture?

"I'm not homophobic. Look at my CD collection. Queen. George Michael. Petshop Boys: they're all bummers." (Gareth Keenan).

"What's white and slides down toilet walls? George Michael's latest release!" (David Brent).

"What's black and slides down Nelson's column? Winnie Mandela!" (David Brent, repeating the joke as Chris Finch tells it to him over the phone).

"... At least the little handicapped fella is able-minded... Unless he's not... It's difficult to tell with the wheelchair ones." (David Brent talking to interviewer and camera).

"Then he shouldn't be allowed near animals." (Gareth Keenan, upon being told that a farmer is gay).

And don't forget, folks - this was prime-time BBC TV in the 21st-century!

The answer is yes and more as the internet is rapidly replacing the TV and if what they already show is anything to go by I think it would be a breeze to a get a gritty script past them soon.
Channel 5 is up to its neck in cheap shows and poverty porn, it's like the first move off YouTube to terrestrial in production values.
So there is hope and I don't mean offensive for offensive sake I just mean soon I can see shows reflecting how people really live, speak and interact.
As to whether it is interesting is up to the writers of the future to pick out the cherries from what for many are very non dramatic lives and spinning them in a relate-able dialogue not hampered by fear of offence.

Of course it could. The Office was less about offence for offence's sake and more about highlighting what an idiot Brent was, edited specifically to show every time his horrific social faux pas showed through. Same with Gareth. The other characters in the show were offended a lot of the time

I think it could, yes. Ricky Gervais, for one seems determined to continue to create content that reflects real life, by using his observational comedy to highlight situations we may find annoying or awkward, but are not 'allowed' to reference anymore. He does this very well by complementing these situations with everyday irritations a lot of us can relate to. He kind of dilutes it for us, if you like. For example, in After Life, Tony was determined to get his point across to the postman, who kept trying to avoid putting his mail through the letterbox. If it's done right, we appreciate the whole view of the writer...and don't feel we're being bombarded with what some might consider offensive comedy, just so the writer can make his/her point that there should be less restrictions on how they portray their characters. How can you write about a bigoted homophobe, if you're not 'allowed' to write about a bigoted homophobe? These people exist...and, as long as the writer is seen to be pointing a disrespectful finger at THEM and not the target of their insults, the laughs surely (hopefully) come down on the side of those targets. We all love David Brent, but he is portrayed as an ignorant idiot, who really doesn't understand why he shouldn't say and do what he does. I can't imagine anyone who's seen The Office not realizing the whole series centres on Brent's ignorance.

We should continue to create comedy like this. People like David Brent still exist. Discrimination still exists...you can't just eliminate it from society, so you shouldn't just eliminate it from comedy or any form of TV/film-making. That would be like trying to convince your viewers it isn't happening anymore...and it most definitely still is. Life is still shit for a lot of people...so show it.

I think the thing about something like Friends was not that discrimination existed but that it existed to what we would think now was an absurd degree. A man being dumped by his wife for another woman would still make a half hour funny story. It just wouldn't be one of the main jokes as it was there.

Feminists complained about Ricky's joke on airbrushing the Sex in the City posters. But the joke was aimed at those doing the airbrushing, so in support of feminism. If someone doesn't get a joke, they may see it as an insult.

Now that Narky wife beating stars like Mel Gibson have complained bitterly about Ricky's "mean" jokes, the Golden Globes has gone to seed. But Ricky is still knocking out quality (e.g. After Life). Maybe we should be asking Mel why he can't take a joke, or why Trump attacks Saturday Night Live (which is having a renaissance right now). Even after ISIS killed a French cartoonist, I've seen more ISIS jokes than ever before. This PC thing could be the friction we need to light up more jokes. Totally agree with Ricky, no topic should be off the table - let the audience decided if they want to laugh or not.

I think it could but saying that we're laughing at the stupidity of the characters we could say the same about Alf Garnett.

Jonathan Pie's comedic take on WOKE / PC comedy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RjBH9psCPI

I always had the feeling that Gervais and Merchant were doing a Johnny Speight and essentially mocking people who use the "wrong" phrases etc.

Yes.