"The Quiz" is the third episode of the first series of The Office (UK). Tim's birthday coincides with the office's annual quiz night.
Tropes
- A Birthday, Not a Break: Not only does Tim have to endure Gareth and David on his birthday, but he gets insulted by Finch and his team are robbed of their quiz win. To make matters worse, they all gang up on him and take one of his shoes, which Finch then lobs over the roof to claim victory. Tim ends up walking home alone with one shoe.
- Cheaters Never Prosper: David takes a phone call from someone at his dad's nursing home, but he also gets the answer to a quiz question from them. Initially played straight as David and Finch go on to lose anyway, but then averted as they essentially steal victory by demanding that Finch throwing Tim's shoe over the roof should win them the quiz.
- Feigning Intelligence: David's conversation with Ricky about Fyodor Dostoevsky. Ricky clearly knows more about the subject, but David keeps returning with facts that he has obviously just looked up, only for Ricky to keep trumping him with even more information. David gives up in the end.David: Were we talking earlier about Dostoevsky's House of the Dead?Ricky: Yeah I think we mentioned it.David: Which he wrote in 1862. I was just going to say that it wasn't his first major work.Ricky: Wasn't it?David: No. His first major work was Notes from the Underground, which he wrote in St Petersburg in 1859.Ricky: Really?David: Yup. Definitely.Ricky: Well, of course, my favourite is The Raw Youth. It's basically where Dostoevsky goes on to explain how science can't really find answers for the deeper human need.David: Yeah... he does. [Glances at his watch and leaves]
- Inferiority Superiority Complex: David and Finch are clearly insecure around university-educated Ricky.
- Instantly Proven Wrong: In a deleted scene, Gareth claims that he takes quiz security very seriously. Cut to Tim reading out the answers to the next set of questions.
- Kick the Dog: Finch's reaction to losing the quiz is to insult and humiliate Brent.
- My New Gift Is Lame: Tim's birthday presents are a novelty hat and a giant inflatable penis.
- Never My Fault: Finch blames David for them losing the quiz, even though he blew the tiebreaker question.
- Noodle Incident:
- They mention a past quiz in which David went home to get a Star Trek book to prove that Mr. Spock is in fact half human, half vulcan (and not merely vulcan as everyone else thought).
- Finch once had an argument with a pub landlord, which he settled by throwing a copper kettle over the roof.
- Shout-Out: Brent and Finch's quiz team are called the Dead Parrots.
- The Smart Guy: Ricky appeared on Blockbusters and his team wins the quiz.
- Sore Loser: Finchy doesn't take defeat in the quiz well, resulting in Villainous Breakdown. He is equally obnoxious in victory.They beat me? I could list 50 things I could beat them at!
- Took a Level in Jerkass: While already a jerkass, Finch gets nastier after his team lose the quiz and takes it out on David.
- Unsportsmanlike Gloating: Finch and David do this after "winning" the quiz:Finch: Screw Blockbusters, screw Bob Holness and screw your Gold Run. Let that be a lesson to you. Respect your elders and do not fuck with the big boys!
- You Are Fat: Finch tells a lot of fat jokes about David, who acts like they are hilarious.
