Thursday, April 22, 2010

My Favourite Television Characters Of All Time - Part Three













#3 - Tim Canterbury (Martin Freeman) - The Office

First of all, I'm talking about the original British series. i don't care if Steve Carrell is in it; I watched the American version for 5 minutes and died a little inside. I can't do it.

Tim is a guy who is kind of stuck in a boring job and still lives with his parents in the bedroom he grew up in. He attempts to get out and go back to university, make something better of his life, but he is dragged back in by more money. He has a really strong connection with the receptionist at his work, but she has a boyfriend. He doesn't really have any mates but he can see the good in people. It sounds like I'm describing the saddest loser in the universe, but Tim has so much charm and wit that he steals the show for me. Sure, David Brent gets all the big laughs, but the character I really like and the guy that I was rooting for (and so were you most likely) was Tim.

There are so many great moments that show Tim as a solid guy. After he's been fired, Brent is trying to get people to come to the pub with him and he's met with deadly silence. This nasty woman who has taken Garreth's old job says some cutting remark, to which Tim immediately responds "Yeah, I'll come to the pub with you". What a champ. He sees the good in someone who is very unlikable, and he sees the disgusting nastiness in someone where it is not necessarily so obvious or accepted.

Tim is also extremely perceptive. Just thinking about the gift he gives Dawn for the Secret Santa present in the last episode gets me a little teary like a stupid crybaby. He can see who people really are and the potential in them, but he's also really sarcastic and dry. He's just a champion.

More soon....


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