Why is there a US-version of "The Office"?

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I went there at christmas and everybody looks sad and the buildings are all wet and grey.

How sad!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 16:34 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah, Matthew OTM wrt the podcast. That is pretty horrible. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't 30-40 minutes of third-rate local morning DJ style "wacky banter".

― jonviachicago, Wednesday, 25 January 2006 17:06 (eighteen years ago) link

I think it is hilarious.

― phantasy bear (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 17:09 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm British - did you know that?

― phantasy bear (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 17:09 (eighteen years ago) link

I mean, it's not completely unfunny... just not what I expected from Gervais. I just found it disappointing that he didn't try to do anything *that* much different from everyone else with a podcast. The whole humor seems to revolve around making fun of the stupid crap Karl says... and that gets old rather quickly I think.

As for Extras, I only caught the Kate Winslet episode and thought that was hilarious.

― jonviachicago, Wednesday, 25 January 2006 17:17 (eighteen years ago) link

i think the podcast is fucking hilarious too!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 17:19 (eighteen years ago) link

Really! Sometimes it's a bit slow, but it often has me making those snorting I'm-not-laughing noises at my desk at work, so that means it is funny.

― phantasy bear (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 17:20 (eighteen years ago) link

Extras is awesome but the podcast... sometimes it's great, but also jonviachicago OTM - they just make fun of Karl, who preteds to be stupid.

― mei (mei), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 18:16 (eighteen years ago) link

My feeling on Gervais is that he had one great idea and one amazing character and he doesn't really have much else to offer aside from aping Larry David and David Letterman in a British accent.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 18:24 (eighteen years ago) link

I would love for him to prove me wrong, though.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 18:25 (eighteen years ago) link

As for the miserablism - the original Office does generally get a good feeling of a bleak reality, but I personally favor over the top misery a la Peep Show or something more absurd like Arrested Development. I think the American Office generally wins by taking the general aesthetic of the original Office and nudging it in the direction of those more stylized shows.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 18:33 (eighteen years ago) link

see, nudging it away from what i liked about it doesn't win points with me!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 18:42 (eighteen years ago) link

it seems to just belabour everything the original did so subtly

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 18:42 (eighteen years ago) link

I think Steve's Carrel is great. There's been many a cringe-worthy moment on the NBC version. Dwight's come into his own despite being a completely different physical speciman of a person than Gareth. Pam's a cutie. I look for a long run from "The Office" in the U.S.

That said, the original U.K. version is soooo much better than its offspring.

(Signed,

Pleasant Plains, American)

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 19:06 (eighteen years ago) link

At first, the American version seemed pathetic. Now, I prefer it!

But, those first few episodes that had practically the exact same script just sucked.

― Ameritijikuan, Wednesday, 25 January 2006 19:23 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah, the first season of the American version wasn't good at all.

I think part of the problem with the original Office is that like the first few Christopher Guest movies, it's getting ripped off by a lot of marginally talented people who mimic the tone and speech patterns but do not have much wit, so it devalues the currency of the originals retroactively. The American version gets better the further it gets from the tone of Gervais et al.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 22:02 (eighteen years ago) link

It has gotten better this season. But still you can't really compare the two. The US office does well standing on its own (Dwight being the standout) but pales in comparison to the UK for what Slocki says upthread.

― Miss Misery xox (MissMiseryTX), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 22:08 (eighteen years ago) link

Dwight with a concussion was fucking classic. although I think they aired that episode out of order, it should have been before the Booze Cruise.

I like the other little peripheral touches too: Dwight and Angela, the redhead and her drinking and her hookup with Micheal. The characters are more fleshed out than the UK version (but that's only because there have been more episodes I suppose).

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 22:11 (eighteen years ago) link

That bit with Michael taking a snapshot of the redhead drunk woman's breasts is probably better the entire second season of the UK version combined.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 22:14 (eighteen years ago) link

kyle OTM. the concussion/foreman grill episode was best of the series so far. and i love the dwight/angela thing, especially when he slapped her ass.

― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 22:41 (eighteen years ago) link

Best = Michael and Jim servin up a karaoke "Islands in the Stream"

― Joe (Joe), Thursday, 26 January 2006 01:02 (eighteen years ago) link

Now I know what happened to JJ Jackson.

― Lars and Jagger (Ex Leon), Thursday, 26 January 2006 01:41 (eighteen years ago) link

so i decided to give this another chance after this thread, and fuck... i couldn't even make it through an episode. it's still just a shitty american sitcom version of the office with terrible american sitcom jokes! they might as well have a laugh track

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 18:56 (eighteen years ago) link

which episode did you see?

― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 18:58 (eighteen years ago) link

because, really, this show is a treat.

― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 18:58 (eighteen years ago) link

Stanley playing basketball still tickles me.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 19:02 (eighteen years ago) link

the one where steve carrell takes all the guys down to the warehouse!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 19:20 (eighteen years ago) link

If this show is just like every other sitcom out there, I apparently need to watch more sitcoms.

― jonviachicago, Wednesday, 8 February 2006 19:20 (eighteen years ago) link

i like this show!

― gear (gear), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 19:20 (eighteen years ago) link

Slocki, that really wasn't one of the better episodes!

Episodes to check out:

"Office Olympics"
"Halloween"
"The Fight"
"Christmas Party"
"The Injury"

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 20:15 (eighteen years ago) link

Cutty OTM, as usual

― sunny successor (katharine), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 20:49 (eighteen years ago) link

"what does 'second base' mean? like if michael says he got to second base with you....is that a sales thing?" her wink made it even better. I like the asides a lot; from the same episode, when all them men went to the warehouse, but one stayed behind and closed the door, looked at the camera and gave a "shhhh" and you never saw him again.

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:40 (eighteen years ago) link

DWIGHTDWIGHTDWIGHTDWIGHTDWIGHTDWIGHT

― Joe (Joe), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:43 (eighteen years ago) link

I only ever saw the first episode and it was SO INCREDI-FUCKING-BLY AWFUL that i would need someone I REALLY trust to recommend it before watching it again. like, i cannot believe the opinion of anyone who found anything REMOTELY redeeming in that first ep. not just the script and setup - the acting!? jesus christ! tim + lady were the type of people i hate, totally divorce from the majesty of the UK vsn.

Matthew P has not convinced me in the least, by his descriptions here. S1ocki, please update if you delve forward and find anything remotely worthy.

(Then again, the original Office [minus Xmas Special] is almost certainly my favour telelvision thing of all time.)

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Thursday, 9 February 2006 12:05 (eighteen years ago) link

I think the two versions are best loved by people of their respective countries. I like the USA office well enough, mostly just Steve Carell's antics. I watch teh English one too and I like it but I sense that muc of the humour is the type you would have to be ENglish to appreciate. plus half the time I can't understand what they are saying. The boss in the English one is a total dickhead but in the USA one he is sort of a likeable dickhead.

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Thursday, 9 February 2006 12:10 (eighteen years ago) link

They're making a French version soon.

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 9 February 2006 12:13 (eighteen years ago) link

The first episode is a poor version of the original but it deviates from then on and gets much better.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 9 February 2006 12:13 (eighteen years ago) link

half the time I can't understand what they are saying

Because of their voices, or what they say?

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 9 February 2006 12:16 (eighteen years ago) link

Sean, the first three or four episodes were lousy remakes of the original series. The second season is an entirely different thing, they go off on their own tangents and the storylines/jokes are entirely new and at this point it doesn't even seem like they are trying to do a version of the original so much as it's just a new show with the same template of characters.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Thursday, 9 February 2006 12:22 (eighteen years ago) link

If you're coming into the American version expecting the relentless sadfacery of the original, you're just going to be way disappointed. This version is grim, but it's more of a low key grimness spiked with a silliness that the UK version could never muster.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Thursday, 9 February 2006 12:25 (eighteen years ago) link

I don't fucking care about "relentless sadfacery" - I just hated (despised) the dumb sound of the Tim and Dawn actors/characters (and I do mean "dumb", as in "stupid"). Totally uncute, brainless and superficial feeling human beings. Turned me off from the very first scene, and their interaction felt neither charming nor true.

For me the finest thing about the original was the truth to how it was performed, the way I could totally buy into the interrelationships in spite of it being a comedy - in other words, the drama aspect of it. And it's like the US pilot didn't understand that aspect at all, casting for looks and "antics" instead of chemistry.

Matthew - Can I just start watching the second season? Or do I have to dredge through the whole first 12 episodes or whatever. Name the best EP for me to see and maybe I will download it. If it sucks i will MAKE IT KNOWN, however.

Mr Jones - s1ocki and I are Canadian. What does that say about us?

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Thursday, 9 February 2006 12:37 (eighteen years ago) link

Sean - it says you like your bacon round. Anyways isn't Canada still part of the English Empire? So in a sense you are British.

I mostly can't understand what is actually being said. I mean after a while I get the hang of it but there are moements of " Ah wellalovalivckle wanka an shezallompie." Slurred acented britshspeak. But I like British comedy allot. Especially Fawlty Towers - I love seeing Cleese go berserk with rage

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Thursday, 9 February 2006 12:53 (eighteen years ago) link

i hated hated it at first because all i did was compare it to the british version...now i love it.

the episode where michael burnt his foot on his foreman grill was hysterical, especially when he tried to stick his foot into Dwights cat scan.

― slow jamz and white guy indie acoustic shit (Chris V), Thursday, 9 February 2006 12:58 (eighteen years ago) link

I liked when they were picking new health insurance and the annoying guy was like "Alright people are just making things up to be funny..anal fissures? There's no such thing!" - and then an embarrased man admits that there is such a thing and "some one has them" and then great awkwardness ensues.

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Thursday, 9 February 2006 13:02 (eighteen years ago) link

the first few eps were a bit ropey - now I think its pretty hilar! i think the supporting characters are pretty wonderful.

― POOP BITCH (Mandee), Thursday, 9 February 2006 13:45 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm embarrssed to admit we had to watch the office dvds with subtitles turned on.

― Miss Misery xox (MissMiseryTX), Thursday, 9 February 2006 15:39 (eighteen years ago) link

all of the supporting characters are wonderful!

― cutty (mcutt), Thursday, 9 February 2006 15:40 (eighteen years ago) link

matthew i really don't understand how you see the "sadfacery" of the original as some sort of point AGAINST it!! that's like wanting a seinfeld with less shallow characters! or complaining that the three stooges are too clumsy!

buster keaton never loosened up and cracked a smile!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 9 February 2006 15:52 (eighteen years ago) link

i love the old guy. TODD PACKER SHIT ON THE FLOOR.

― slow jamz and white guy indie acoustic shit (Chris V), Thursday, 9 February 2006 16:29 (eighteen years ago) link

all of the supporting characters are wonderful!
-- cutty (holle...) (webmail), Today 9:40 AM. (mcutt) (later)

my new favorite is creed. Also, oscar with his iceskating boyfriend and meredith who seems almost proud to be an alcoholic.

Also that scene where dwight crashed his car, got out and suddenly vomited was beautiful.

― sunny successor (katharine), Thursday, 9 February 2006 16:30 (eighteen years ago) link

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