Oh boy. I just saw the US version of Britain's The Office (found via Metafilter) and . . . it's not very good.
No surprise, really, but my hopes were up after seeing reports that brilliantly funny Office-creator (and actor) Ricky Gervais approved of it. There's always a concern that memories of the original will cloud your judgement on a remake, but this just isn't the case here; Nearly everything about the US version of the Office is just plain wrong.
Instead of making something genuinely unique and intriguing, they've just created bad TV.
When I saw that Steve Carell was involved, well, my hopes sunk a little. I like Carell a lot due to his work on The Daily Show and in smaller roles in films lately. While I find him to be one of the more gifted comic actors we have right now, he is just not right for the role of the boss. He is simply too much for this character.
As this pilot makes obvious, he's taken it from a realistically inept boss to a slightly zany sitcom character. As for the others, well, the "Tim" character is too angsty, too apathetic, both in ways too overt to be very real. The "Dawn" character, strangely, is actually the strongest of them, but, of course, she's not the focus of the show, so that doesn't really mean anything.
The "Gareth" character is too self-consciously weird ... in a sitcom way, again. He doesn't have that desperately odd quality. The biggest problem is that all of these actors look like they're acting and not just being themselves. There are none of the nervous glances at the camera, none of the awkward silences that come with discomfort between people. When they attempt an awkward moment, such as when the boss reveals the truth about the awkward "You're fired" joke he's just cruelly played on his secretary, it's played off exactly the way you'd expect to see a sitcom do it - by extending the post-joke reaction for far too long and using it as a segue to another segment of the show.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - mrbenning
It's always a bummer for some when anything gets remade. It's a double-edged sword for fans of The Office. It's so unique that nothing will be like it. The cast was a great and believable collective. The improvisation caused brilliant awkward moments, especially in the 2nd season.
You'll never have anything like it again, even if someone tries to force it.
2 - Dave Nalle
Surely you agree that the trans-atlantic conversion from Rising Damp to The Jeffersons was brilliant?
Dave
3 - mike hollihan
Sherman Hemsley was no Richard Briers, Dave.
Anyone remember the Fawlty Towers remake with John Larroquette? Or the Americanised Red Dwarf? Ouch, was that bad.
4 - Eric Berlin
Yeah, I agree that The Office was a one-off brilliant original. The chemistry of that particular cast in that particular setting could never be replicated. There was an awkward reality to the thing that made the funny moments explosive (and made it okay that the entire thing wasn't a laugh riot a la sitcom-land strives for).
I think that Arrested Development represents the best in modern American sitcom(edy). They go for laughs almost every beat, and usually get there with great results.
Eric Berlin
Dumpster Bust: Miracles from Mind Trash
5 - Temple Stark
Tom,
This one is up on Advance.net, including at Cleveland.com
Thanks for the post. I'm quite astounded how many things we rip off from England. I shouldn't be, but I am.
- Temple Stark
6 - Tom Johnson
Man, I really wish I'd known before this went up on Advance, as I would have edited/rewrote this a bit. I see someone did edit it a bit, but now it's a jumbled mess - paragraph breaks in all the wrong places. I was down with a nasty cold when I wrote it and reading back on this it's clear that I was not on top of my game. Regardless, this might just be my worst writing in recent memory. I'm more than a little embarassed this is being seen here on Blogcritics, let alone the Advance network, too. Yikes. Note to self: don't post when sick.
7 - Temple A. Stark
If it was beyond help I wouldn't have Advanced it. You certainly must have high standards - or false modesty. If you're saying you didn't say what you wanted to say, well that's different and no one would know that but yourself. The casual reader would take it for what I tis - and likely enjoy it.
Paragraph breaks in all the wrong places? In different places, yes. But nothing that's wrong. Something had to be done - the paragraphs were huge. Your orignal post on your Web site has three paragraphs for the whole thing.
But thanks for noticing the edits.
8 - Tom Johnson
Well, thanks Temple . . . I do have high standards, actually. I'm not sure if that's a good trait or bad - it gets me in trouble sometimes!
I can see that in a different format, such as long and narrow columns, a long paragraph might look pretty bad. You did what you could to present the material best, so thank you.
Still, I can see that my brain wasn't working quite up to snuff in that some of this seems to meander a bit. Anything I'm concerned about is more "hindsight is 20/20."
Note to self: when sick, write and then save the piece to read and edit later with a clearer head.
9 - Chris
Is there another mirror for the pilot?
10 - John Timmel
Does anyone have a complete cast list for NBC's version of "the office"? I can't find one anywhere.
11 - Bob
The next great British shows that America will doubtlessly ruin…
Father Ted
Ted Danson plays one of three Catholic priests stranded on Coney island. Tom Selleck plays the old drunken lout, and Seth Myers does a convincing turn as the stupid priest. Cancelled after the “paedophilia episode” gets too many complaints.
Inspector Morse Monk at the OC
Inspector M&M, played by David Hasselhoff, prowls the “ivory towers” of Southern California University, trying in vain to make sure bikinied coeds don’t misbehave. Stays on the WB for 12 seasons.
American Blackadder
A great concept loses ground when it is determined that Americans don’t know their history and want things to stay that way. Consequently, George Washington and Abe Lincoln are recast as pious churchgoers, and only Will Ferrell’s portrayal of Benjamin Franklin keeps the show worth watching.
Super Terrific
Kirstie Alley and Courtney Cox star as New York PR divas. The show flounders, but then Cox and Alley are replaced by the cast of “Queer Eye For the Straight Guy”, and a hit is born.
The Monty Python Channel
24 hours of zany ridicule and unbelievable situations. Fox News sues it for copyright infringement.
And one show that went the other way…
Desperate People
John Cleese, Joanna Lumley and Gwyneth Paltrow star as a group of Brits who sit around talking about how they don’t have enough sex, and then…talk some more about it.
12 - SFC SKI
"American Blackadder
A great concept loses ground when it is determined that Americans don’t know their history and want things to stay that way."
Too damn funy!
You could have put "Coupling" there, but the US's version arrived stillborn and vanished, some things just don't translate. ( And why do I despise "Friends" but absolutley adore "Coupling"?,, I guess because the latter is witty, fresh, and unpredictable, all the thing s the former is not.)
Isn't Gwyneth actually an American who can do a good English accent?
13 - Bob
I think of Gwyneth as honorarily British in the same way that Bob Hope is honorarily American...sometimes it takes an outsider to get the nationality just right.
You know, it's interesting...in Britain some derided the original 'Coupling' as a weak spinoff of 'Friends'...so I guess plus ca change...
14 - Ben
Senseless, mindless, drivel - this show only insults people and encourages the utter lack of common decency to anyone. That may be the 'point' of the show - the fact the I felt like I was in a black hole for 30 agonizing minutes while I tried to give the show a chance was a pure waste.
15 - Blake W.
I cannot believe the comments I am reading about NBC's The Office. This show is the funniest thing on TV. It makes me laugh so hard I have to pause the Tivo from time to time. My wife loves it. Everyone we have told about the show loves it. Everyone I know here loves it. And to read the some of the comments posted, you would think the show is the AntiChrist. The mere existence of this show has spawned some serious undeserved backlash from a obviously deranged few who feel it is their job to trash this show simply because they hate the very idea. How simple-minded is that? They kind of remind me of the intolerant views taken by the Christian Right here in America or Islamic extremists. And who wants to be associated with those hatemongers?
16 - SFC SKI
Next time we ask, "Why do they hate us?", I suppose we can add "The Office" to the rest of the reasons, eh Blake?
17 - Eric Berlin
Blake -- I gave the new The Office a very favorable review, and have been talking it up over on my weekly TV column, Cathode Ray Fray.
18 - Billy Sweeney
This post is so late, I'm sure noone will even read it, but here it goes. I never saw the English version of the Office and have only heard good things. Hence the problem of remaking anything of greatness. Being that I never saw the original version my head wasn't filled with comparisons and high expectations. I thought this new adventure of the Office on N.B.C. to be fresh and funny in a time where sitcoms are second to last to "reality t.v." I just read this morning that the office will make the NBC fall line-up and I may be optimistic but I think this show has got somthing. Remember, Sienfeld, wasn't greated with such a wonderful reception either. Anyway it's just my opinion. Oh yeah, I think that little town setting of Scranton Pennsylvania May Help a Bit with this series. It gives people more to identify with. Not that the town is a big part of the show or anything. It's just that most people don't live in NYC or LA. Thanks for the blog, Billy Sweeney
19 - Holly
I don't get all these bad reviews! I have watched several episodes of the US version of The Office and find it to be hilarious. Michael Scott has captured the true essence of David Brent, and I enjoy this version of the office just as much, if not more, than the UK version. Maybe the humour is more American, which is why British people do not enjoy it as much, or maybe viewers have not opened their minds enough to see what a great show this is.
20 - Murray
Heres my view on The Office.
The uk version of the office is great comedy.
Whenever it first hit my television screen, i have to admit, i turned it over.
After a while and after hearing a few work buddies talking about it i decided to watch it and got hooked.
I have come to the conclusion that the smarter you are, the more you like the office.....i only say this as in my own social circle, those of my friends who have a brain love it, and those who are intellectually challanged cant quite seem to grasp it.
I painfully watched the pilot U.S version and gritted my teeth in fustration.
It could have been better, but it wasnt a bad introduction.
Ive seen a few more since and its good that they are distancing themselfs a little from the original
It's never going to be the same as the u.k version, but i am sure most Americans wont want it to be!
I think that for it to succeed it needs Steve Carell to be Michael Scott, not David Brent.......
I wish The Office U.S all the best in luck!!
21 - Bob A. Booey
I've never seen the BBC version, but I think the NBC one is wonderfully funny. It's right up there with Arrested Development and Scrubs among the best network comedies and I'm so glad it got a reprieve for this coming season.
I've heard that it's a bit different from the British version, but that makes sense to me. It seems like a really funny take on a fairly average American office (an office supply company in Scranton, PA) and the bizarre office politics that go on. I think the lesson NBC learned from Coupling is that Americans don't want by-the-book adaptations of British scripts with snarkier, prettier American actors reading the lines. I give NBC's version of The Office credit for adapting the comedy to the States.
Steve Carrell is friggin brilliant as the boss. Of course an American office boss will behave somewhat differently than a British one, and Carrell adds a great insecure, superficial, I'm-OK-you're-OK touchy-feely, manic quality to the role. And the guy who plays Dwight Schroop is pretty damn funny too.
That being said, I'm going to rent the BBC version and see how it matches up.
That is all.
22 - Ignacio
The first episode aired was the pilot. Just watch the commentaries on the US version of "The Office" on DVD, with regards to the first episode, and you will realize why the characters played the way they did. Steve Carell didn't want to do a Ricky Gervais as David Brent impersonation, so he had to change it. Even HE knew he had no chance of equating the genius of Gervais. He was only hoping to do a decent job of it as an American character. The American characters had be different from the English ones because to have a one-for-one ripoff of "The Office" is genuinely stupid. Stop comparing the two because even the makers knew there was no comparison. Just accept it for what it is. A funny funny show. I did watch all episodes of both English and US versions and agree most with Murray's comments.
23 - Cassandra
I'm so glad the American version isn't trying to be English. The characters are so American and that's what's so appealing. I bought the Season One DVD and I'm thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. Michael Scott is a little bit of every boss I've ever had in my working life. Steve Carrel is as other's have said, simply brilliant! I heard the Steve Carrel interview in which he says that he watched about 30 minutes of the English version and left it at that as he didn't want to try and match the English boss but wanted to develop his own interpretation of the character. This is a great show and the funniest one to come around in a long time.
24 - Larry
this show is sweet and you are heartless little geeks living in your parents basement ... get out of the world of dungeons and dragons
25 - Tom Johnson
I don't know about that, Larry. You're the only one resorting to the childish insults here. Who's the "little geek living in your parents basement" again?