Gareth Keenan

Gareth Keenan
File:Gareth Keenan.jpg
First appearance	'Downsize' (2001)
Last appearance	'Christmas Special' (2003)
Created by	Ricky Gervais Stephen Merchant
Portrayed by	Mackenzie Crook
In-universe information
Title	Lieutenant (Territorial Army)
Occupation	Assistant 'to the' Regional Manager Team Leader (TL)
Nationality	British

Gareth Keenan (born 17 April 1971) is a fictional paper salesman on the BBC's comedy The Office, portrayed by Mackenzie Crook. Gareth is a self-important team leader proud of his alleged Lieutenant status in the Territorial Army. He spends his days annoying his co-workers at Wernham Hogg with his rigid enforcement of the rules and sycophantic attitude towards David Brent, whom he views as a friend. Gareth describes his job title as "Assistant Regional Manager", but Brent often corrects this to "Assistant to the Regional Manager". His counterpart on the US series is Dwight Schrute. The character was originally meant to be a tough military character but, after Crook's audition, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant decided to reinterpret the character. Mackenzie Crook had mixed feelings about the character in 2021; saying: "He was a bit of a monster."

Characteristics

Despite the sturdy personality he displays, Gareth is surprisingly fragile and insecure underneath the surface. For example, when David announces he is leaving Wernham Hogg, the company in which the show takes place, Gareth breaks down in tears. Evidently, Gareth admires Brent and is eager to follow his lead. However, in the two episodes comprising the Christmas special he expresses strong disapproval of Brent's laid-back, comical approach to management. Frequently comparing the mundane events that take place at Wernham Hogg with equivalent situations likely to occur on the battlefield, Gareth stresses the need for a shrewd, austere style of leadership. When impugning Brent's injection of comedy into the workplace, he ridiculously attempts to justify his argument by suggesting that "in a battle situation" soldiers would be more likely to be inspired by a "decisive, uncompromising leader" than one who offered them jokes before their advance towards the enemy. Following Brent's departure, Gareth is made regional manager of the branch, although he still seems to command little respect – Tim's latest prank is to lock his boss in his office, requiring a desperate phone call to the receptionist's desk to secure his release. Through his office window, Gareth tells Oliver that "he's locked me in again", suggesting to the audience that this is not the first time that Tim has played this prank on him. On the social side, Gareth portrays himself as someone who can handle many pints and as somewhat of a ladies' man and does in fact enjoy some success with women (often in the local nightclub "Chasers") but in contrast to Tim's interest in Dawn, Gareth's "success" with women is sexual in nature rather than romantic. His attempts to woo female co-workers are never successful. Generally, he is disliked in most quarters, due largely to his annoying and inappropriate behaviour, as well as his arrogance. He does, however, have several close friends, some of whom include "Jimmy the Perv" (who lives up to his name by repeatedly paying Dawn Tinsley for kisses for Comic Relief, with increasing lasciviousness each time), "The Oggmonster" (a very tall figure with astigmatism, played by The Office co-creator Stephen Merchant) and unseen characters known only by the nicknames "Fish Fingers" and "Gobbler". At certain points, Tim and Gareth seem to make up and be friendly. However, those instances are quickly overshadowed by more practical jokes thrown at him by Tim and Dawn.

External links

• Gareth Keenan's Homepage