THE OFFICE ... it just rules !!!

[Doom]

JK ... the pilot last night was a "remake" of the original UK pilot.
Subsequent episodes will be all original.

Being a HUGE HUGE fan of The Office (UK) I downloaded the pilot of the US show and suspected this was the case since 95% of the jokes were either the same or based on original jokes, which was just lame to someone who is a fan of the original. So given this, I might check out some of the later episodes. What did people think of the "original" episodes?

Even aside from the fact that it was simply a remake, I didn't really like it much. The jokes were made more obvious, I found the characters to be annoying (not in a good way, as in the UK version), and it was just generally too American. You got the feeling the original genuinely could have been a real documentary, which is one of the reasons it was so funny I guess, whereas the remake wasn't as natural and totally seemed like a sit-com.

 

[JayKeeley]

Being a HUGE HUGE fan of The Office (UK) I downloaded the pilot of the US show and suspected this was the case since 95% of the jokes were either the same or based on original jokes, which was just lame to someone who is a fan of the original. So given this, I might check out some of the later episodes. What did people think of the "original" episodes?

Like you, I had seen all the originals before the American version and so the pilot bombed for me. That said, I saw a few clips from other episodes and it really picked up.

You got the feeling the original genuinely could have been a real documentary, which is one of the reasons it was so funny I guess, whereas the remake wasn't as natural and totally seemed like a sit-com.

Yeah, particularly between Tim and Dawn's characters -- the US version makes them look too much like regular actors just playing the part. And Gareth is just SHIT in the remake. I don't know what possessed them to cast that actor.

BUT, that said, season 2 improved exponentially (I saw a couple of episodes) and Steve Carrell really kept it together. Likewise, both Gervais and Merchant were asked to write a couple of episodes and oversee script polishing for season 2 so it became a success. I'll probably rent it on DVD one day.

 

[E-bortion]

such a good show

 

[General Zod]

Having heard people rave about the original, British version for years, we finally did the NetFlix thing. Holy crap this show is awful. I like Ricky Gervais, and I tend to enjoy the "British sense of humor". However, this show is just painful to watch.

i saw some of it. it looked OK, probably something I would enjoy. still, it's got a long way to go to beat Seinfeld.

The Office is not even on the same planet. (<---period included as to not even mention these two shows in the same sentence) as Seinfeld.

Zod

 

[rms]

You need to watch the US version...fucking hilarious

 

[Reign in Acai]

Greg, we finally agree on something. Comedic tripe for pseudo intellectuals who feel that Married with Children is beneath their understanding.

 

[General Zod]

Greg, we finally agree on something. Comedic tripe for pseudo intellectuals who feel that Married with Children is beneath their understanding.

Exactly.

Zod

 

[J.]

maybe the brits just arent funny other than those dudes in shawn of the dead

still only watched bits and pieces. the wife loves it (along with my name is earl, which is OK), but i just dont watch much tv, and the office has done little to change this. seinfeld and MWC are still the two best american sitcoms ever, bar none.

 

[lurch70]

must say that the series lost my interest as quick as it got it.

 

[Dev]

Last year when I was in the UK my flatmates and I watched the original version because it was the only DVD we found at our former landlords'. It was only S1, but as soon as we had finished it, I downloaded S2 on my laptop and the three of us watched it on the little screen. Crazy stuff. We've been addicted ever sice and we now all have our own boxsets. His solo shows are not as subtle though. "A shame.."

I've only seen trailers on the US version but of course as JK mentioned it was kind of hopeless given the fact that I was defintely biased.

 

[Ellestin]

The British show is great despite a few more hollow episodes in S2. I heard there is also a French and a German remake now. I don't want to see those for the life of me.

 

[Dev]

The French is horrid (Le Bureau), if I remember correctly the part with the staper in the jelly is with fucking camembert. You can't get worse than that

 

[Ellestin]

if I remember correctly the part with the staper in the jelly is with fucking camembert

cross-cultural remakes are doomed to fail almost every time - indeed I cannot think of any that is good/useful, let alone better than the original.

 

[Demilich]

I've only seen one episode of the U.K. version (first episode I believe) and it totally devoid of humour in any sense of the word. British people are usually way funnier than Americans, but not this time!