03-15-2005, 11:33 AM | #1 | ||
College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2003
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The Office (aka I HATE NBC)
hxxp://www.nbc.com/The_Office/
blasphemy! |
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03-15-2005, 11:36 AM | #2 |
Pro Starter
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why?
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03-15-2005, 11:36 AM | #3 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Dec 2001
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I kind of want to bang Jenna Fischer.
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03-15-2005, 11:50 AM | #4 |
Greatly Missed. (7/11/84-06/12/05)
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Palo Alto, CA
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Sweet I love Steve Corell
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03-15-2005, 12:19 PM | #5 |
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Hopefully it'll be better than that "Coupling" adaptation they did a couple of years back.
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03-15-2005, 01:02 PM | #6 |
Stadium Announcer
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Burke, VA
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actually, Ricky Gervais is on the record as being pretty supportive of this project. And from what I've heard, only the first episode is based on (or rips off) the BBC original.
I like Steve Carrell as well, so I'll give it a try.
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03-15-2005, 01:03 PM | #7 | |
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I hope so, too, but I'm not holding my breath. |
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03-15-2005, 01:54 PM | #8 |
Hockey Boy
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Old, old news....
http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/f...ad.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.
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03-15-2005, 03:12 PM | #9 |
College Starter
Join Date: Dec 2002
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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.
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03-16-2005, 12:20 PM | #10 |
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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. |
03-16-2005, 12:49 PM | #11 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Appleton, WI
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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. |
03-24-2005, 09:01 PM | #12 |
College Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Kansas
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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. |
03-24-2005, 09:04 PM | #13 |
Stadium Announcer
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I dunno. I laughed a few times, but Steve Carrell (who I usually really like) isn't Ricky Gervais.
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03-24-2005, 09:05 PM | #14 | |
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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. |
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03-24-2005, 09:06 PM | #15 | |
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I watched the original and I missed the point of what made it great. Can anyone fill me in? |
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03-24-2005, 09:11 PM | #16 | |
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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? |
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03-24-2005, 09:13 PM | #17 | |
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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. |
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03-24-2005, 09:15 PM | #18 |
The boy who cried Trout
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: TX
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I thought the first episode was funny. *shurg*
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03-24-2005, 09:16 PM | #19 | |
College Starter
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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. |
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03-24-2005, 09:21 PM | #20 | |
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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. |
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03-24-2005, 09:26 PM | #21 | |
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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.
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03-24-2005, 09:29 PM | #22 | |
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Ahh yeah, different strokes. I loved Spinal Tap, and Guest's later movies even moreso. |
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03-24-2005, 09:32 PM | #23 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
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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...
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03-24-2005, 09:33 PM | #24 |
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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. |
03-24-2005, 09:38 PM | #25 | |
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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? |
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03-24-2005, 09:42 PM | #26 | |
College Starter
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Location: Kansas
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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. |
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03-24-2005, 09:45 PM | #27 | |
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Good to know, thanks. |
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03-24-2005, 09:47 PM | #28 |
Solecismic Software
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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.
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03-24-2005, 09:55 PM | #29 |
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i liked it
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03-24-2005, 10:14 PM | #30 |
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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.
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03-24-2005, 10:42 PM | #31 |
Hall Of Famer
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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.
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03-24-2005, 10:43 PM | #32 |
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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. |
03-24-2005, 10:43 PM | #33 | |
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There was part of that in the show... like when he 'fired' the secretary... though in the British version it was better.
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03-25-2005, 05:45 AM | #34 |
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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.
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03-25-2005, 07:11 AM | #35 |
College Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
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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?
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03-25-2005, 07:17 AM | #36 | |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Oct 2004
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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. |
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03-25-2005, 07:32 AM | #37 | |
College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: A negative place
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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. |
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03-25-2005, 07:47 AM | #38 | |
College Starter
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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. |
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03-25-2005, 08:54 AM | #39 |
College Prospect
Join Date: Apr 2003
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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!!
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03-25-2005, 03:06 PM | #40 | |
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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
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03-25-2005, 03:23 PM | #41 |
Resident Alien
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I thought it was funny, but not outstanding in any way.
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03-25-2005, 03:36 PM | #42 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Springfield, USA
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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.
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03-25-2005, 03:41 PM | #43 |
Pro Rookie
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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. |
03-25-2005, 03:50 PM | #44 |
College Starter
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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. |
03-25-2005, 04:17 PM | #45 | |
College Starter
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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. |
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03-25-2005, 04:58 PM | #46 | |
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My personal favorite episode. The whole guitar thing killed me, and still does every time I watch it. Classic. |
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03-25-2005, 05:06 PM | #47 | |
College Starter
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Mine too - I had to download the one song b/c it just cracked me up. |
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03-25-2005, 06:06 PM | #48 |
Solecismic Software
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Location: Canton, OH
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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.
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03-26-2005, 10:37 AM | #49 | |
The boy who cried Trout
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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. |
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03-26-2005, 10:44 AM | #50 |
Pro Starter
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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.
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