The Office (aka I HATE NBC) [Archive] - Front Office Football Central

Honolulu_Blue

03-15-2005, 01:54 PM

Old, old news....

http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/showthread.php?t=35468

The clips I saw were a word-for-word rehash of the original, with only US pop references substituted for UK pop references. It was like a community theater troop watched the office, wrote down the dialogue, and started to re-enact scenes. Shameful.

timmynausea

03-15-2005, 03:12 PM

Steve Carrell is the funniest. I also like Arthur from Six Feet Under who is going to be in this. (Not sure what the actor's real name is and I don't feel like looking it up.) I've been meaning to watch the original series for a long time now, but never got around to it, so I'm looking forward to this version.

moriarty

03-16-2005, 12:20 PM

The clip I saw had the tired old joke of them picking the black guy to automatically be the star of the office basketball team ... followed by shots of same incredibly uncoordinated dude dribbling a ball.

If this tired racist stereotype humor is their 'highlight' clip, I wouldn't expect too much from this series.

Ricky Gervais probably gets a cut of the profits or something, which would explain why he would be enthusiastic about the new series.

BrianD

03-16-2005, 12:49 PM

I never got the excitement of the original "The Office". I watched the first season and just hated pretty much everything about the show. I didn't really like the format (shot like a documentary), and I didn't much care for the jokes. Telling someone they were fired, letting them cry for a few minutes and then telling them it was a joke is just not funny to me.

Coupling was worth trying to import to the US (even if they could never improve on the original), but I can't see The Office and being worth the import.

Calis

03-24-2005, 09:01 PM

Horrible.

It's like they took the original copied it, and sucked all the funny out.

Way too over the top, kinda missed the point of what made the original great.

CamEdwards

03-24-2005, 09:04 PM

I dunno. I laughed a few times, but Steve Carrell (who I usually really like) isn't Ricky Gervais.

Pyser

03-24-2005, 09:05 PM

I never got the excitement of the original "The Office". I watched the first season and just hated pretty much everything about the show. I didn't really like the format (shot like a documentary), and I didn't much care for the jokes. Telling someone they were fired, letting them cry for a few minutes and then telling them it was a joke is just not funny to me.

well, that wasnt really the joke of the bit. we are supposed to know its horrible. everyone does. the only one who doesnt is david brent. thats where the ha-ha is.

BrianD

03-24-2005, 09:06 PM

Horrible.

It's like they took the original copied it, and sucked all the funny out.

Way too over the top, kinda missed the point of what made the original great.

I watched the original and I missed the point of what made it great. Can anyone fill me in?

BrianD

03-24-2005, 09:11 PM

well, that wasnt really the joke of the bit. we are supposed to know its horrible. everyone does. the only one who doesnt is david brent. thats where the ha-ha is.

I still don't see it. The funny doesn't come from anyone doing anything funny, it comes from Brent being a total bloody idiot?

Calis

03-24-2005, 09:13 PM

I watched the original and I missed the point of what made it great. Can anyone fill me in?

If you don't like it, you don't like it.

I thought about everything in the show was great. The actors, the dialog. The fact that it felt like all the characters were real people. It wasn't slapstick, and they weren't doing the normal sitcom bits. It was just awkward. Don't know how else to explain it, you FELT bad for David Brent watching it, but you couldn't wait to see what he did next.

Definitely not for everyone, and I knew they wouldn't let it stay how it was when they brought it over here, it'd never fly. Of course, this won't either, but mainly because it stunk.

sachmo71

03-24-2005, 09:15 PM

I thought the first episode was funny. *shurg*

Calis

03-24-2005, 09:16 PM

I thought the first episode was funny. *shurg*

Curious, have you seen the original?

I think I'm horribly biased in that in can't compare to the original, and seeing all the same bits used, but worse imo was hard to stomach.

I did think this would probably be a show I could enjoy if I hadn't seen it already. ;)

BrianD

03-24-2005, 09:21 PM

If you don't like it, you don't like it.

I thought about everything in the show was great. The actors, the dialog. The fact that it felt like all the characters were real people. It wasn't slapstick, and they weren't doing the normal sitcom bits. It was just awkward. Don't know how else to explain it, you FELT bad for David Brent watching it, but you couldn't wait to see what he did next.

Definitely not for everyone, and I knew they wouldn't let it stay how it was when they brought it over here, it'd never fly. Of course, this won't either, but mainly because it stunk.

I guess that just isn't my style of humor, which is fine. To me, awkward just feels awkward. I don't deal well with awkward social situations, they feel painful to me. It probably has something to do with the fact that my introversion makes me so aware of just how awkward it is that I actually feel it.

Mockumentaries in general aren't my style. "This is Spinal Tap" had me wanting to gouge out my eyes just because that was the only thing I could think of that would suck worse than the movie.

RPI-Fan

03-24-2005, 09:26 PM

I thought the first episode was funny. *shurg*

Me too... I describe it (never having seen the British version -- though I just ordered the whole package of the British version off of Amazon) as "Curb Your Enthusiasm" in an office setting. Not totally the same, obviously, but I think drawing a parallel is fair.

Calis

03-24-2005, 09:29 PM

I guess that just isn't my style of humor, which is fine. To me, awkward just feels awkward. I don't deal well with awkward social situations, they feel painful to me. It probably has something to do with the fact that my introversion makes me so aware of just how awkward it is that I actually feel it.

Mockumentaries in general aren't my style. "This is Spinal Tap" had me wanting to gouge out my eyes just because that was the only thing I could think of that would suck worse than the movie.

Ahh yeah, different strokes.

I loved Spinal Tap, and Guest's later movies even moreso. :)

Subby

03-24-2005, 09:32 PM

I saw it for the first time tonight...the guy in the lead role is hilarious and is the same actor that pretty much stole the show as the half-wit weatherguy in Anchorman...

kcchief19

03-24-2005, 09:33 PM

I didn't like the original version much the first time I saw it, but I have liked it more with each additional viewing.

The tough thing about successful shows is that 9 times out of 10 the success of a show is a combination of artisty and chemistry. You can take a show like The Office and copy it in every detail but if you don't have a cast that captures the mood and feel of the original, it will never be as good. It's not different than any remake. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. More often than not it won't work. The odds against it working are astronomical.

In the case of The Office, I think you have a show that had tremendous artistry and pitch perfect casting. It would be almost impossible to match it. I think NBC would have had more success trying to hire the original cast and "Americanize" the settings and language -- or better yet, just air the darn original and make it a joint venture with the BBC. The Office has been a huge hit on BBC America and DVD. Why do they think we have to have an American cast to watch the show? British TV didn't remake episodes of Seinfeld and air them over there -- they aired Seinfeld itself.

That said, I think the point NBC missed was that part of the success of The Office was the "uncomfortable" feeling you got watching the show. The original was a lot like Curb Your Enthusiasm -- two shows that feel like you're watching real life. The NBC version feels like you're watching actor. But if NBC and the other nets understood that distinction, Curb Your Enthusiasm would be on NBC and not HBO.

BrianD

03-24-2005, 09:38 PM

Ahh yeah, different strokes.

I loved Spinal Tap, and Guest's later movies even moreso. :)

I've been told that even though I hated Spinal Tap, I would probably like Guest's other movies. Is this possible, or is it the same kind of thing?

Calis

03-24-2005, 09:42 PM

I've been told that even though I hated Spinal Tap, I would probably like Guest's other movies. Is this possible, or is it the same kind of thing?

Same type of thing, just more refined...he's definitely got better at it, but the humor is still the same general style.

So I'd say no.

BrianD

03-24-2005, 09:45 PM

Same type of thing, just more refined...he's definitely got better at it, but the humor is still the same general style.

So I'd say no.

Good to know, thanks.

Solecismic

03-24-2005, 09:47 PM

I thought it was a good start. I don't hold out much hope that it will catch on with an American audience though. The Gareth (Dwight) casting was brilliant - solved one of the few problems with the British version. I don't know if the David Brent character was cast properly, though. The success might hinge on that. Too many funny noises, not enough sad little clown.

Cringer

03-24-2005, 09:55 PM

i liked it :D

lungs

03-24-2005, 10:14 PM

My favorite mockumentary has to be Trailer Park Boys. For those unfamiliar with it, it is a hilarious Canadian comedy set in a trailer park It airs on BBC America here in the States and Showcase in Canada. After discovering it last fall I've become addicted. For those that like trashy comedy, this show is great.

ISiddiqui

03-24-2005, 10:42 PM

Hey, it wasn't bad! Of course the TRUE test is when they have to write their own shows and not rely on copying the British ones.

Pyser

03-24-2005, 10:43 PM

ISiddiqui

03-24-2005, 10:43 PM

That said, I think the point NBC missed was that part of the success of The Office was the "uncomfortable" feeling you got watching the show.
There was part of that in the show... like when he 'fired' the secretary... though in the British version it was better.

Tekneek

03-25-2005, 05:45 AM

I saw a few minutes of it and thought it was good. I probably won't watch it, or even feed it to the TiVo, because there are too many other things already competing for the limited amount of time I spend with the TV.

lighthousekeeper

03-25-2005, 07:11 AM

tanglewood

03-25-2005, 07:17 AM

So am I the only one who hasn't seen the British version? What was I doing when all you guys got together for "BBC Marathon Night Part 3, Featuring Mr. Bean and The Office"? Was it like during the Super Bowl or something?

Mr. Bean wasn't a BBC show, silly. :)

In the UK we get to see the US version sometime in autumn on BBC 3 (i.e. not very big billing). I suppose I'll watch it out of curiosity more than anything else.

moriarty

03-25-2005, 07:32 AM

Me too... I describe it (never having seen the British version -- though I just ordered the whole package of the British version off of Amazon) as "Curb Your Enthusiasm" in an office setting.

Hopefully you ordered the one that comes in the black package (black cover box). They had another one on Amazon (in the white box) that was missing the final reunion episode.

I think it should say: The Office - The Complete Collection (First And Second Series Plus Special) - price $41.

Bubba Wheels

03-25-2005, 07:47 AM

hxxp://www.myspace.com/theoffice - long preview there for anyone who hasnt seen clips

man, they really hit you over the head with the american dawn/tim thing. in the original, everything was so subtle and discreet. this is like "HE LIKES HER! GET IT?! NO?!?!!?"

that said, once i managed to get the original out of my head, i did actually find this funny. if i never knew the original existed, i think id like it.

This is the way I saw it. Everything played for maximum effect, subtley not at all. The Six Million Dollar Man thing was funny at first, then you could bake a cake waiting for it to end. The part at the end with the boss and the secretary spoiled it all for me. Up to that you weren't really sure if the boss was a doofus with talent at his job or just a sadistic jerk. Showing him as the later takes any sympathy away from the character.

mrsimperless

03-25-2005, 08:54 AM

I thought that it just about met my expectations as to what NBC would do with it. At first I was excited about Steve Corell being in it, but then I realized that I've never heard a non-sarcastic word come out of tha dude's mouth. So the parts where David was supposed to come off as sincere I had a little bit of trouble buying from Corell. OTher than that I enjoyed it. I definitely got that "uncomfortable" feeling a few different times. Hopefully the show can fare well as there is nothing else on TV like it. Plus, it comes on after Scrubs!!

RPI-Fan

03-25-2005, 03:06 PM

Hopefully you ordered the one that comes in the black package (black cover box). They had another one on Amazon (in the white box) that was missing the final reunion episode.

I think it should say: The Office - The Complete Collection (First And Second Series Plus Special) - price $41.

Thanks!

Shipping estimate for these items: March 30, 2005 - March 30, 2005
Delivery estimate: April 1, 2005 - April 5, 2005 1 "The Office - The Complete Collection (First And Second Series Plus Special)"
Ricky Gervais; DVD; $41.94

Looks like I'm all set - thanks for the advice though!!! So just how many episodes are there? 12 half-hours? 12 hour-longs? Plus the specials?

Thanks!
~rpi-fan

Kodos

03-25-2005, 03:23 PM

I thought it was funny, but not outstanding in any way.

HomerJSimpson

03-25-2005, 03:36 PM

I thought it was funny. I liked the original (though I haven't seen every episode). I think not seeing all of the orginal, and espicially not seeing it over and over again, helped keep me from hating this version. As someone said, the real test will be when it has to create its own writing and storyline which will not take long (how many original episodes are there, 12?). I think it could be a winner, but it'll probably die because it is not another "Everybody Loves Raymond" clone.

Pyser

03-25-2005, 03:41 PM

i read they only "copied" the pilot episode from the original version. starting with episode 2, it will be all original writing from there on out.

the link i included (the myspace one) was all original, and fairly funny, so maybe there is some hope.

Calis

03-25-2005, 03:50 PM

I haven't seen the specials in the original, how are they?

Thought they closed it up pretty nicely in the original. As a matter of fact it was one of the more poignant moments I've seen in a sitcom. Great stuff.

moriarty

03-25-2005, 04:17 PM

Looks like I'm all set - thanks for the advice though!!! So just how many episodes are there? 12 half-hours? 12 hour-longs? Plus the specials?

Thanks!
~rpi-fan

There's 12 original episodes of an hour (or 45 minutes or whatever the running time is). There's only 1 special which is a 2 hour special they filmed a couple years I believe after the last episode of seaon 2. Still it's worth it to get that one as it sorta ties up some things and has some classic David Brent moments.

Of course there's alot of DVD extras as well including the 'Free Love Highway' video (see the consultant episode in season 1) and some pretty good interviews with Gervais and the other dude who wrote it.

Calis

03-25-2005, 04:58 PM

Of course there's alot of DVD extras as well including the 'Free Love Highway' video (see the consultant episode in season 1) and some pretty good interviews with Gervais and the other dude who wrote it.

My personal favorite episode. The whole guitar thing killed me, and still does every time I watch it.

Classic.

moriarty

03-25-2005, 05:06 PM

My personal favorite episode. The whole guitar thing killed me, and still does every time I watch it.

Classic.

Mine too - I had to download the one song b/c it just cracked me up.

Solecismic

03-25-2005, 06:06 PM

The Christmas Party special is some of the best television I've seen in a long, long time. These are real, three-dimensional characters. I hope the American version can capture some of that.

sachmo71

03-26-2005, 10:37 AM

Curious, have you seen the original?

I think I'm horribly biased in that in can't compare to the original, and seeing all the same bits used, but worse imo was hard to stomach.

I did think this would probably be a show I could enjoy if I hadn't seen it already. ;)

I did not see the original. I guess the fact that I could see people I work with in every character made it that much funnier for me.

RPI-Fan

03-26-2005, 10:44 AM

On that myspace website, I thought it was hilarious when they call the diversity guy in... He asks them to recreate what happened (the boss did a Chris Rock routine), and the diversity guy won't let the boss do it. The boring guy does it, and the boss gets truly upset because it is not authentic. I think I'll enjoy future episodes of this show.

Draft Dodger

03-26-2005, 10:56 AM

I thought it was ok. not great, not terrible.
lacked a lot of the subtelty if the original...much more of an over-the-top approach. not a bad show on it's own, but not as good as the original.

Bubba Wheels

03-26-2005, 05:48 PM

I'll more than likely keep watching. Its definitely compelling. I thought at one point a little like a real-life 'Dilbert."

timmynausea

03-26-2005, 07:32 PM

I thought it was really funny. I never saw the original, but Carrell getting excited about the new guy making the custardy joke made me laugh.

21C

03-26-2005, 10:33 PM

The Office got respectable ratings for its first show. (http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,272|94325|1|,00.html)
FOX moved into first for the 9 p.m. hour, driven by the 11.9/19 for "American Idol," though the premiere numbers for "Life on a Stick" (5.5/9) were disappointing. NBC was second with "The Apprentice" (7.9/12) and the 7.5/12 premiere of "The Office," which retained nearly all of its lead-in.
Interested in seeing if it can continue the positive start.

Added : More here (http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271|94358|1|,00.html)

timmynausea

03-29-2005, 10:24 PM

I didn't think the episode tonight was nearly as good as the first, although it had a couple funny moments. It did strike me as a bit too over the top.

Pyser

03-30-2005, 12:47 AM

I didn't think the episode tonight was nearly as good as the first, although it had a couple funny moments. It did strike me as a bit too over the top.

that would be a bad sign, since it was the first episode not written by the original british creators.

america does not understand subtlety.

sooner333

03-30-2005, 01:06 AM

Yeah, not subtle for sure, but I thought pretty funny though. I will keep watching, as I have it set to record every new episode.

ISiddiqui

03-30-2005, 08:17 AM

that would be a bad sign, since it was the first episode not written by the original british creators.
Creator (no plural) you mean. Gervais was the original writer on the series and it ended because it ran out of ideas. Unlike the US, where you have a team of writers, in British comedies you usually have only one or two writers. That is why their seasons are only 6 episodes long.

tanglewood

03-30-2005, 08:29 AM

Creator (no plural) you mean. Gervais was the original writer on the series and it ended because it ran out of ideas. Unlike the US, where you have a team of writers, in British comedies you usually have only one or two writers. That is why their seasons are only 6 episodes long.

He actually said that he had lots of ideas, but just got a bit bored doing it and wanted to do other stuff (currently stand-up, which he is very good at).

The difference I see is that in the US, if a network finds a show that is successful it will flog it to death in order to get ratings (see: Friends, Simpsons, Seinfeld) even if it eventually becomes unwatchable. In the UK the talent has much more control over the work and the BBC as a publicly funded broadcaster doesn't feel as much pressure to chase ratings, so won't pressure the writers to carry on writing if they don't want to.

Pyser

03-30-2005, 08:30 AM

tanglewood

03-30-2005, 08:32 AM

dola

And a season isn't a fixed length. Whenever Americans always seem to talk of British shows and why they don't last as long, I always read 'Well, their seasons are so short. They are only X episodes long.' In the UK, there is no real concept of seasons as there is in the US. The creators make one batch, then show that, then start working on another batch and so on. The broadcasters aren't demanding that they make 26 episodes because all the other shows must make 26 episodes and that's just the way it is so give us 26 episodes.

Draft Dodger

03-30-2005, 08:06 PM

personally, I enjoyed the second episode a great deal. I was laughing throughout most of it.

Pyser

03-30-2005, 08:07 PM

He actually said that he had lots of ideas, but just got a bit bored doing it and wanted to do other stuff (currently stand-up, which he is very good at).

ricky gervais is doing standup? or stephen merchant? i guess id see either, really.

also, i think the 2 are working a new show about extras in the film industry. in fact, i think its even called "extras". could be wrong though.

RPI-Fan

03-30-2005, 08:24 PM

personally, I enjoyed the second episode a great deal. I was laughing throughout most of it.

Steve Carrell has been very, very good. I thought it was just hilarious during the meeting, when he gets upset by the accountant doing Chris Rock.

Also, when he asked for the instructor's name, it was just hilarious.

Maybe it's funny because I see a lot of my manager (retail) in him.

moriarty

03-30-2005, 08:41 PM

ricky gervais is doing standup? or stephen merchant? i guess id see either, really.

Ricky was doing stanup last summer when I was in Ireland (tried to get a ticket to his show, but no luck).

Crapshoot

03-30-2005, 08:45 PM

Steve Carell was good- but he was trying so damn hard.

Tekneek

03-31-2005, 04:52 AM

I think they've done a decent job so far. I managed to catch the second episode by chance. I was near the TV and the show was available in HD, so I watched it... It was funny, although a little disturbing at the same time...which is how it is supposed to be.

I. J. Reilly

03-31-2005, 11:11 AM

Steve Carell was good- but he was trying so damn hard.
Isn't that the joke, how hard the guy is trying to be funny?
I never saw the original British version, so maybe I'm missing something. But it makes me laugh, so I like it.

Tekneek

03-31-2005, 11:14 AM

Isn't that the joke, how hard the guy is trying to be funny?
I never saw the original British version, so maybe I'm missing something. But it makes me laugh, so I like it.

I thought so. The guy on the british one thought he was the funniest guy alive...or at least it seemed that way to me.

cthomer5000

04-06-2005, 10:41 PM

The Christmas Party special is some of the best television I've seen in a long, long time. These are real, three-dimensional characters. I hope the American version can capture some of that.
I dreaded it when i heard it existed (i thought the show ended extremely well at the end of season 2), but I was very, very pleasantly surprised when seeing the special. It was awesome.