I've officially given up on NBC's The Office, and for this I am sad. No one wanted this show to shine more than I. I was a fan of the UK version and was antsy in my pantsies from the moment I heard of the Americanized production. I followed each new actor as they were cast and eagerly awaited its premiere. I watched the first few season with a smile on my face and waited for it to finally click. Hope it would eventually find its way. It never did.
Now I don't wish to come across as a snob who will never give an UK import a chance. Many of my favorite (favoUrite) shows from overseas have come to America in a western version and I've managed to be a fan. Although it's unfortunate that some of the best UK shows never seem to make it past the first season, much less the pilot. A perfect example being The IT Crowd. Huge success overseas and imported to America with Joel McCale (The Soup, Community) as a lead was so misunderstood it never even aired. If you haven't watched The IT Crowd (UK), it's on Netflix instant play... make it so. I'll wait.
So obviously I was uber happy when the US version of The Office had instant legs and managed to collect a healthy audience. Me being one of the many eyes who watched it each week.
But each week it got harder to watch. It was as if they were running out of ideas and felt introducing new characters each week might add some much needed flavor. Sadly saturating everything that was good about the original.
Now to its defense, British sitcoms are generally 6 episodes per season. Therefore it's easy to stay focused on the plot and takes the onus off the writers to come up with crappy little side plots. You get 6 great episodes out of 6 in the UK rather than 12 great episodes out of 23 in the US. And if they are feeling sassy, the UK will sometimes throw in a 90 minute Christmas special. There really is a Santa after all.
So all that in mind, that's not the entire reason why The Office has failed me. The biggest reason is the lack of using everything that made the original work. The characters. Here is what I mean.
The moronic manager(s) of this half-hearted paper company. No one really knows how they achieved leadership in the organization and even more, how they maintain it. David Brent (played by show cocreator Rickey Gervais) and Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell) are fairly similar in their presentation. Both are idiots who are ultra-concerned about how they are perceived. They all resemble someone we've worked for in the past, we related to them and that's why they work. But there is one major trait the US version omitted from their boss was Brent's tendency to be a complete dick. David Brent was worried how others viewed him but it didn't stop him from being a total ass in the process. Gervais took a big risk creating a character that you can could laugh at, and hate. Michael Scott only allows you to laugh and feel pity. Is pity a better emotion than hate? In my opinion no. Gervais was brilliant as Brent and though I would have hated to share an office with him, as an outsider I could watch him cause havoc everyday.
The voice of reason in The Office world. He allows you to recognize idiocracy with smarmy comments and the occasion look straight into the camera. Martin Freeman played Tim Canterbury in the UK version and though Tim claimed he had no 'mates', you just wanted to be his friend. John Krasinski plays Jim Halpert here in the states and when you manage to get past his tween hair cute you'll notice that he's been given the personality of his comb. His only noticeable trait is self righteous attitude he has towards everyone he works with. In a real office, he'd be the guy who eats lunch alone and would hear about the office bbqs on the Monday after. I think Krasinski is not being utilized as an actor in this role. I also think he needs adult hair.
A great character creation. She is the girl in the office that you'd normally never really look at. But because you work with them on a daily basis, and occasionally you come to terms that you're really not all that, you eventually hit on them out of convience. And because they generally aren't THAT hot... you stand a chance. I'm going to call this one a push. Both Lucy Davis (Dawn Tinsley) and Jenna Fischer (Pam Beesly) handle the role well. Davis was a little more believable in her hatred towards her job but then, who really loves their job? So perhaps pretending you like it might just make you the better actor.
This one is a no brainer. Every office has that horrific social outcast. The one person who doesn't fit in nor has not a clue to why they don't. Gareth Keenan (Mackenzie Crook) cleverly captured this person and let us watch his torment as he was surrounded by those he just didn't get. He was extremely believable in the role, down to his horrific haircut and oversized suits. Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) is a sitcomy character that you'd expect to see as a walk-on character on Good Times. Every ounce of realism the original show had has been sucked out with a Dyson via Dwight. Suck power of 10.
One major different between the two shows was the usage of background characters. The UK had ragtag group of accountants who other than Keith, you probably didn't know their names. The US has Oscar, Kevin, Angela, Stanley, etc. Not only are they added to the storyline, but sometimes they are the stars of the episodes. I see the desire to highlight lessor characters as the expanded season limits to what you can do with your main people. But here is the saturation issue I brought up before. Let me focus on the people I want to see. I'd prefer not to have to watch a storyline about Angela's cat calendar when I'm wondering if the branch is closing or not.The US version gave a futile attempt at one of my favorite characters, Finch. Chris Finch (Ralph Ineson) was the man-love recipient of David Brent. He was rude, arrogant and familiar. He came in to the office, stirred it up and left it is a wake of mental filth. The US version used him few times as Todd Packer (David Koechner) is memorable episodes as... ummmm. When I don't even remember what they did with him, but they left out a major source of humor and insight to the mind of Michael Scott. Maybe something that would help us care for Scott a little more. Gimme Finch, gimme gimme.
I can grip about how Brent's boss Jennifer Taylor-Clark's (Stirling Gallacher) creditability was wiped away by Scott's boss Jan Levinson (Melora Hardin) due to the writers' fear of losing another joke source, or just how the US version is so fearful of having any legitimate straight man. If it has a mouth, it needs to be spewing funny. Waste not, want not. Blah blah blah.
Anyone who watched a single episode of the original version might not figure out right away it was a scripted production. They might not figure it out all at. The US version is missing a laugh track and the occasional appearance of Alf.
Yes, I'm being harsh but it took 5 years for these feelings to incubate and finally surface. This was the season when I said I can watch no more. I don't watch much television, so if I'm watching something it better be totally-wicked awesome. Like, The Office (UK)
28 comments:
Yay for the UK
Completely and wholeheartedly agree on every point. Well said.
If you gave up on the US version within the first few episodes, then I beseech you to give it another try. I think that most comedy TV shows, the Office included, don't really hit their stride until a few seasons in. Some of my favorite sitcoms (Scrubs, Friends) don't have that wonderful of a first or second season but are still hilarious shows. I actually got hooked on the Office watching the sixth season, and then I went back and watched from season one all the way through.
I gave up after a few seasons. I still pop in from time to time. It doesn't seem to be getting better.
Well said.
Why didn't they leave it as is? Just a bloody good comedy made by the BBC. Why did they have to Americanize it? You don't see the BBC Englishizing Frasier (an excellent comedy ) do you?
The US version of "The Office" is hilarious. I have seen the first two seasons of the UK's version and had to fight to stay awake.
To even compare the two is sacrilege. The US version has no guts. Its unwillingness to take risk and really skewer a topic is a trait sadly familiar in 99% of our sitcoms. Brent is a comic genius, and backed by Merchant... a show like this is once a generation. Anyone that has worked in a modern setting whether British or American can recognize every character and scene, they occur daily all over both countries in our workplaces. What makes the UK version so good is its ability to show us a depiction of the painful reality of day to day life so familiar to most us and yet still elicit monumental humor.
They didn't Americanize it. Ricky Gervais did. He is the creator of the show don't forget. So obv he wanted to make money off of a great idea. The BBC looks like they didn't want the show. Why else would they make so few episodes? U.S. version is great. Also is rated higher on IMDB and by way more people. Ricky Gervais wanted to get that money not make a paltry 14 episodes and give up on his creation. He makes a ton of money off of syndication rights. You don't like U.S. version then quit watching it. Have fun with your 14 episodes. That's like half a season for American TV.
LOL at the idiot talking about Frasier. No need to make another version of Frasier they made a ton of money. Nobody going to take ANY show from the U.S. and make some lame BBC product out of it. Oh yeah and make 6 episode seasons is a joke.
i love both :)
your obviously an idiot. The Office USA version is not supposed to be real dumbass,it's a comedy show. You should kill your self now. Everybody loves the USA version. UK version is a boring piece of shit
Um version stinks
these living stereotypes are fucking tedious. the commenters showing a basic command of language and reasoning ability are all brits. the ones who grunt half-assed arguments irrelevant to the original article are all americans. i want to take pride in my country but my country makes it increasingly difficult. they're throwing tea in the fucking bay again! what the hell?
the moment I read the sentence "I was a fan of the UK version and was antsy in my pantsies from the moment I heard of the Americanized production." I knew this is going to be a subjective rant about how the US version can't compare to your UK version. Whatever. Just don't write articles and compare stuff, when you already have a favorite picked out. Worst comparison ever.
You obviously know nothing about television or the evolution of a television series. You're a bias, typically arrogant brit. I'm british, i love the original version but the US version is so much more dimmensional. All the points you made, we're wrong, not my opinion, fact. Open your mind slightly.
I'm very familiar with television. I keep giving the new version many chances but it's just getting too "sitcomy"
And I'm not a Brit. I've never even SEEN spotted dick
A few things that need to be said -
Ricky Gervais refused to do any more episodes and was offered millions to reconsider. He openly came out and said that he didn't want to dilute the artistic vision that he had in the first place for a payday.That is the reason that it was so popular and performed so well in DVD sales aftewards - art before money. Respect. Americans - take note. 6 episodes of quality is better than 100 episodes with 60 of them obviously made for no other reason than money.
I have nothing against the American version , in fact I love it. But one thing is absolutely certain - Michael Scott leaving the office and deciding to carry on without him will result in the office losing it's appeal and we can look forward to another horrendously cheesy "friends" type ending with the characters in tears etc , having to end the show because it doesn't make money anymore instead of finishing it once all the comedic avenues have been explored (second Dundies? really? - Pam and Jim got married , had a child - now they are having a second child - it's getting lame)
If you are asking me to choose versions, I would marginally decide I like the US version better - but I love the original version and everyone should acknowledge that without the UK one the US version would never have existed. But crucially , when all's said and done , the US version will be looked back on as completely missing the point and instead of having the smarts to finish it at the end of season 7 (which is probably pushing it anyway - how much comedy can you extrapolate from an office environment?) it will drag out until it becomes a parody of a parody. Which is a real shame because at one point it was the sharpest , funniest show on TV.
The U.S. version is way better....watching UK version now and fighting sleep. Ricky Gervas (spelling) is a great writter but not funny I this role, and the background characters make the show....why couldnt the UK background charaters work....THAT makes it real...u work with ppl daily. Pretending thet dont exist is unreal.
You seem to hold disdain for the American version because they aren't perfect copies of the UK version. They weren't intended to be. If you understood the amish culture of pennsylvania you'd understand that Dwight Schrute is a fairly accurate representation of someone who was raised amish and crossed over into mainstream society. His traits and the way he acts are deeply rooted to his childhood and the way he was raised. Also it has to be said that this article is unbelievably biassed. You took your side and barely analysed the characters, just saying that the British version was better in every case. I mean oversized suits and a daft haircut? It doesn't get more sitcommy than that pal
I totally disagree. Your opinion is worthless
People that like the us office are weak (they can't handle crude humor) and look for stupid and easy to get jokes made by people who act like they are forcing the jokes.
For the most part your synopsis was completely biased. Dwight makes the US version along with all the other characters. The US version is more consistent and the characters foil better, opposed to the UK's version. However, after watching both series I noticed that the american pretty much imitated the UK's original work.(did a great job though)
I liked what they did with the US version when it shook off the ghost of the UK one, but it ran itself into the ground several seasons ago. Good try comparing it fairly to the UK one, though there are many reasons why the original will always be the best.
Apart from an infintesimal number of programmes on the public broadcast networks, any American show must appeal to as broad a base as possible. Ratings are all.
For state-funded BBC programmes, however, not reliant on advertising revenues, the creators do not need to concern themselves to the same extent with garnering mass audiences - by lowering their standards. Hence Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's comments about maintaining artistic integrity when they believed that The Office (UK) should cease after two seasons.
American show will inevitably feel the constant pressure to appeal to a generally lower common denominator. Thus The Office (US) has characters like Dwight, Angela and Kevin - parodies of real people (the above comments about how Dwight is rooted in reality because he is representative of the Amish community (really?) are risible - I wonder what the Amish themselves would say to that). Dwight's funny, certainly, but he's more like a cartoon character than a person the audience genuinely finds credible outside of the show. Great comedy is generally rooted in a semblance of truth and Dwight's equivalent, Gareth, is so much more amusing because he is utterly realistic. Same for Kevin/Keith.
I enjoy both versions a lot but the UK version is a somewhat superior product.
Regards,
Daniel
Apart from an infintesimal number of programmes on the public broadcast networks, any American show must appeal to as broad a base as possible. Ratings are all.
For state-funded BBC programmes, however, not reliant on advertising revenues, the creators do not need to concern themselves to the same extent with garnering mass audiences - by lowering their standards. Hence Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's comments about maintaining artistic integrity when they believed that The Office (UK) should cease after two seasons.
American show will inevitably feel the constant pressure to appeal to a generally lower common denominator. Thus The Office (US) has characters like Dwight, Angela and Kevin - parodies of real people (the above comments about how Dwight is rooted in reality because he is representative of the Amish community (really?) are risible - I wonder what the Amish themselves would say to that). Dwight's funny, certainly, but he's more like a cartoon character than a person the audience genuinely finds credible outside of the show. Great comedy is generally rooted in a semblance of truth and Dwight's equivalent, Gareth, is so much more amusing because he is utterly realistic. Same for Kevin/Keith.
I enjoy both versions a lot but the UK version is a somewhat superior product.
Regards,
Daniel
As you must know, Gervais & Merchant as executive producers understood that the American version must align with American sensibilities and appeal. The characters were not developed to be replicas of the UK version.
I think that British people watch t.v. for too many plot points and storyline. If you want all that then read a fucking book and stop comparing one of the funniest shows ever (the US version) to a boring piece of shit that is the UK version. Television is about entertainment, not about what you get out of a story that you're going to forget anyway because it's boring as fuck. Basically the british people put way too much thought into what's funny, so just let them think what they have is golden. Because here in America the media capital of the world, we don't watch that second rate shit that'll substitute for Lunesta. So its not that most Americans don't get your humor, its just humor isn't that good if you have to try and get it. Think about it while you're drinking your tea bitches.
The last 10 minutes of the Office (UK) are just sensational. That video shows exactly why it is that little bit better than the US version (which is undeniably hilarious). The original displays characters and situations that actually exist in real life. It captures the mundane nature of working in an office. Because of this, the audience is able to identify emotionally with the characters on a completely different level, a level that is so rarely come across in TV or film. I really can’t fault it. Those 2 series and christmas specials flow from beginning to end perfectly.
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