The Office (USA)

[reds4ever]

I've just seens a few episodes, they just did n't get it, did they?

They seemed too scared to take too long on the embarrasing pauses that were key elements in the UK version. The guy who played 'Tim' looked like here was just trying to do a secondrate impression of the UK actor who played the part without really believing any of it.

The rest of the cast were also a bit bland and watered down.

[alva]

What did you expect?

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by alva
What did you expect?

I believed the Ricky Gerviaise line that it was OK, I tried not to be too harsh when watching it but it was pretty forgettable, not actually bad, just forgettable. Which is something you could never say about the original.

The whole point with the UK version was that it was a little bit uncomfortable and prickly, they seemed to shy away from that.

[alva]

The first I saw The office ( I knew nothing about it), I turned it off, thinking it was real.

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by alva
The first I saw The office ( I knew nothing about it), I turned it off, thinking it was real.

that happened to me in the first series, whizzed through the channels, saw an office documentary on BBC2, thought "f#$k that!" and went flying past!

[General Ludd]

Is there canned laughter?

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by General Ludd
Is there canned laughter?

No, it isn't quite that bad, it's just not very good. The guys behind the American version were making all the right noises when the show was being shot, I guess the money men at the studios didn't want to take the risk.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I really enjoyed the US version of The Office. It was funny as Hell from my opinion.

They 'got it', they just realized that it'd get canceled in a heart beat if they did it the same way. "Uncomfortable" comedy is a very niche market in the US and the only comedies to do it that survive are on HBO where the rating requirements to stay on the air aren't as stringent (thus niche stuff can stay on the air whereas it can't for a network). The Office, US style, probably is at the limit for uncomfortableness in US network TV that can get decent enough ratings for another season. They barely survived the ratings as it was (even though it was critically applauded).

That said, Gervais is apparently going to make a cameo appearance in the 2nd season.