Ep 3. The Quiz

In The Office (U.K.) season 1 episode 3, titled "The Quiz," the employees of the Wernham Hogg Paper Merchants branch attend a Friday night pub quiz hosted by a neighboring branch. David Brent, the branch manager, takes it upon himself to form a team and lead them to victory.

Brent's team consists of himself, Gareth Keenan, Tim Canterbury, and Ricky Howard. As the quiz progresses, it becomes clear that Brent's overconfidence has led him to underestimate the other teams. His leadership is repeatedly questioned, and the other members of the team become frustrated with his antics.

Meanwhile, Brent's boss, Jennifer Taylor-Clarke, attends the quiz with Neil Godwin, the manager of the neighboring branch. Jennifer is unimpressed with Brent's behavior, and takes note of how he interacts with his team members.

The quiz itself is filled with questions ranging from pop culture to politics, and the teams are clearly neck-and-neck throughout the night. While Brent initially takes the quiz very seriously, he becomes more and more flustered as his team falls behind. He begins to lash out at his teammates and blatantly cheat, which only worsens the situation.

As the quiz draws to a close, Brent's team is tied for first place with the neighboring branch's team. A tiebreaker question is announced, and Brent is selected to answer it. He confidently provides an incorrect answer, which secures the victory for the other team.

Feeling embarrassed and frustrated, Brent storms out of the pub alone. The rest of his team and Jennifer stay behind to celebrate their efforts, and Neil points out that Brent's behavior may have cost them the win.

Overall, "The Quiz" highlights the tension and dysfunction that exist among the employees of the Wernham Hogg Paper Merchants branch. David Brent's ego and poor leadership skills are center stage in this episode, and it becomes increasingly clear that his coworkers view him as a liability rather than a valuable asset.