furiousG33 — 9 years ago(August 10, 2016 04:11 AM)

This is my favourite show, I'm rewatching for probably the 100th time and continue to notice new things, it's close to perfect. The character arcs, relationships, acting, everything is just great.
I'm beginning to notice things that wouldn't happen in a modern office, perhaps due to health and safety concerns but also general changes to attitudes in society.

1. In the merger episode, drinking wine in the afternoon with colleagues in the office. Going for afternoon pints at the pub during lunch. I used to do this regularly (colleagues would polish off 3-4 at midday!). Does this still happen?
2. Stripping the guy naked in the Comic Relief episode. When I first watched 15 years ago I thought this was hilarious and could imagine something similar happening at my workplace, now it would DEFINITELY result in legal action and probably make the newspapers.
3. Staff socials. A quiet pub on a Friday after work perhaps could be considered normal, but going out on the pull in a nightclub every Wednesday with your colleagues until the early hours?
4. The sexism displayed by the warehouse staff ("She'll get the old milkers out for a tenner", "Oi lend us a tenner") the comments made to Donna (especially the 'tunnel' one) and pretty much everything Finchy says simply wouldn't happen today.
5. The speaker smoking weed indoors before his motivational talk. Since the smoking ban this seems even stranger to watch!
   These are things that seemed completely natural when I first watched but times have changed since 2001. This is absolutely NOT a criticism of the show, far from it. In fact it's pretty perfect summation of the time period (right down to 'hat FM' for a typical Mum birthday gift, the overhead projector for team building slideshows, the cheesy disco music at staff parties etc).
   Can anyone think of other things which would seem out of place in today's offices?