OT: NBC's The Office

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sun May 01, 2005 12:51 pm

I know some of you cats were big fans of the BBC series. Did any of you catch the abbreviated 'season' of the Americanized NBC version?

I was very pleasantly surprised. Some of the episodes were almost entirely copied from the original and some others were unique. The key was the casting, and outside of the "Gareth" character, I thought they did a good job.

Not sure about the ratings it has been getting, but I hope they bring it back for next year. Compared to most of what is on TV these days, this show at least got me to watch it regularly, which can't be said for too many others (Lost, Gray's Anatomy, Arrested Development...that might be it).

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun May 01, 2005 1:07 pm

I thought the NBC pilot sucked a hard, fat, jizz-filled one compared to the brilliance of the BBC version, so I tuned out after that.

The actors in the NBC version simply can't compare to those in the BBC version, at least not in the pilot. The dude playing the American version of the David Brent character is a pale imposter of Ricky Gervais.

Take care,
PK

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Sun May 01, 2005 1:40 pm

I never saw the Brit version so the American one hasn't been tainted for me. I really enjoyed the show and hope it gets picked up for another season.

billharris44 · Post by **billharris44** » Sun May 01, 2005 1:47 pm

The British version is one of the funniest television shows ever made. It's sheer genius.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Sun May 01, 2005 3:05 pm

I thought it was amusing. The basketball episode was freakin' classic.

reeche · Post by **reeche** » Sun May 01, 2005 3:05 pm

Don't really like the American version but then everybody has different taste. The main problem is the boss. In the English version he is over the top but still seems rooted in reality. Makes him a sympathetic but grounded character to me. Gervais just seemed to nail the right tone where he seemed similar enough to real bosses I've had that it made it special.

Carrell for me, however, plays the boss as just a complete idiot. He seems way too over the top and therefore not credible and not engaging. Everybody else in the office just seems like a clone of people in the british version. I think the movie Office Space is a more accurate take on Amercian Office politics than the Amercian version of the office show is.

I will admit that If I had never seen the original I would probably be less hard on the American version but I can't help but compare the two since the American one seems to want to try to play it so close to the British version.

spooky157 · Post by **spooky157** » Sun May 01, 2005 3:11 pm

I love the Brit version and I think NBC did a pretty good job adapting it. It's only the first season so I'll cut the writers some slack with how closely they aped some of the British storylines. I'm expecting more original material and maybe even more characters. The setting is perfect - mundane office life. Who can't relate? If the writers are any good this is pure gold. Other than Arrested Development this is the only comedy on network TV worth anything.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Sun May 01, 2005 3:33 pm

reeche wrote:Don't really like the American version but then everybody has different taste. The main problem is the boss. In the English version he is over the top but still seems rooted in reality. Makes him a sympathetic but grounded character to me. Gervais just seemed to nail the right tone where he seemed similar enough to real bosses I've had that it made it special.

Carrell for me, however, plays the boss as just a complete idiot. He seems way too over the top and therefore not credible and not engaging. Everybody else in the office just seems like a clone of people in the british version. I think the movie Office Space is a more accurate take on Amercian Office politics than the Amercian version of the office show is.

Yeah maybe Carrell (sp?) is playing a caricature but he is hilarious. I've watched both versions and I don't know that Gervais wasn't also doing a caricature either.

They are both worth watching. The American pilot was too close to the British episode so it didn't seem that new. But I would say the American version is less wordy. That could be good and bad. There may be a tendency to go for punch lines but there's also an economy of words too (BTW, if you want to see a less wordy British show, check out Shameless on BBC America).

The American version is more visual, like the basketball episode. The season finale (may be series finale because the show hasn't been getting good ratings) was funny, had similar cringe-inducing moments. And the American cast has to convey emotions through facial expressions (rare for American TV shows) such as when the receptionist hear Tim, whom she called a brother, was going out on a date.

Anyone know Ricky Gervais' role in the American show? His name appears several times in the credits.

reeche · Post by **reeche** » Sun May 01, 2005 3:55 pm

wco81 wrote:Anyone know Ricky Gervais' role in the American show? His name appears several times in the credits.

He really had no role at all in the American version. He has stated so in several interviews. Both beause he had no interest in re-doing his show and also because he didn't want to overly influence the American process of the show. His producing credits are really just figure-head and monetary ones.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Sun May 01, 2005 4:03 pm

Figured as much.

Still worth watching.

American TV will continue to adapt British shows so I'm sure people will always look at such adaptations with a critical eye.

Actually, Family Guy returning should be pretty entertaining. American Dad less so but you want to give McFarlane the benefit of the doubt because the original run eps. were so good.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sun May 01, 2005 4:09 pm

The basketball episode cracked me up. Everyone has that guy in their office, the "I usually make these" reactions were awesome.

I didn't like the pilot too much, either, but kept with it to see if they did anything more original.

They played a preview of "American Dad" before a movie I went to (forget which one) and I was not too impressed. But, then again, I'm not a big fan of Family Guy. It is funny, but throws too many jokes at the wall to see what sticks for my liking.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Sun May 01, 2005 5:09 pm

Dave wrote:I didn't like the pilot too much, either, but kept with it to see if they did anything more original.

That was my issue. The Pilot was not very good. My girl liked it though so we watched the next week and I became a fan.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun May 01, 2005 6:36 pm

Very well said, Reeche. My sentiments exactly. Gervais is superb.

Take care,
PK

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Sun May 01, 2005 6:49 pm

I thought the Alliance episode and the one where Schrute picks an Insurance plan were also standout episodes.

anchester · Post by **anchester** » Sun May 01, 2005 7:01 pm

where can i watch the british version

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sun May 01, 2005 7:19 pm

pk500 wrote:I thought the NBC pilot sucked a hard, fat, jizz-filled one compared to the brilliance of the BBC version, so I tuned out after that.

The actors in the NBC version simply can't compare to those in the BBC version, at least not in the pilot. The dude playing the American version of the David Brent character is a pale imposter of Ricky Gervais.

Take care,
PK

Amen.

Macca
(Chairman of the PK Agreeists London Chapter)
(And also at work on a Sunday evening)

bdoughty · Post by **bdoughty** » Sun May 01, 2005 7:44 pm

anchester wrote:where can i watch the british version

BBC or you can purchase the DVD's from the show.

I really have no preference as to which is best, I simply enjoy the show and watch both versions. They both have their pros and cons. PK I hope you can find the time to catch a few of the later episodes like the ones mentioned above "basketball game and the insurance plan."

I think the movie Office Space is a more accurate take on Amercian Office politics than the Amercian version of the office show is.

Um yeah, I'm going to have to go ahead and say that you are stretching your distaste for the American version of the Office just a wee bit.

<---- Goes back to gutting a fish on my desk and watching a rerun of Superman 3 for more tips on how to milk my company out of millions of dollars.

PS... Any know how to launder money?

reeche · Post by **reeche** » Sun May 01, 2005 9:16 pm

Um yeah, I'm going to have to go ahead and say that you are stretching your distaste for the American version of the Office just a wee bit.

<---- Goes back to gutting a fish on my desk and watching a rerun of Superman 3 for more tips on how to milk my company out of millions of dollars.

PS... Any know how to launder money?

Lol. Yes that American version is just like my office. Not. No my point is that Office Space actually feels like American office workers to me and how they are generally pissed off to me and disgruntled. That feels unqiuely American imo. The Office American tv show by comparison feels nothing like any office I've ever worked in and still feels like it's taking british episodes and re-writing them in American if you catch my drift. The show has a british restrained sensibility that doesn't work to me when you just swap out characters and suddenly pretend it's an American office. One feels authentic to me and one doesn't despite the fact that Office Space is a larger vision and is a movie with a more expanded story. I repeat though, if the American version finds an audience and hangs on more power to it. Not all television is for me.

Kanamit · Post by **Kanamit** » Sun May 01, 2005 10:15 pm

I thought the pilot was horrible, but diversity day was awesome.

bdoughty · Post by **bdoughty** » Mon May 02, 2005 12:16 am

Yea I was just ribbing you. I love Office Space and it should be required viewing for anyone that works in such an enviorment. I work out of the house right now so lesbian porn is my self imposed requirement.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Mon May 02, 2005 8:59 am

I've only seen 2 episodes, the pilot and diversity day. They were prety good, but both my wife and I both asked ourselves why we are were watching this show. After living it 40+ hours a week, the last thing I want to do is be entertained by an imitation of my life at work. I want to be taken away from that, like in Lost.

That said, I do love the movie Office Space. At least that has the right feeling about office life. Plus, I can watch that on a weekend once every 6 months or so and then it's gone. I don't want to see it every week.

I'm also surprised they even made the diversity day episode here in the US. I can just picture Jesse Jackson on Hardball the next night saying how that should not allowed on TV