so I just saw the American version of The Office

[christsimpson]

... and holy s'hit is it bad. everything is exactly the same as on the British, except with actors that don't even touch the great Gervais, or the insanely funny Martin Freeman.

and man the jokes... they are literally the same. I mean, word for word. is this even possible?


*so* disappointed right now. I'll just watch the English The Office once more. instead of... watching the English The Office once more in American with sub-par acting.

[iliketoplaydrums10111]

American Office is ****ing hilarious

British version blows, even if it was first.

**** off

[GreyHam]

The american office pilot is dire, given its the same script as the first UK office episode. After that it gets so much better

love it

[MBS]

yeah... did you only watch season 1? cause that's the same as the UK office. season 2 is much better.

[RetiredAt21]

American Office is ****ing hilarious

British version blows, even if it was first.

**** off

This.

[Meatplow]

i haven't seen much of the american office but I didn't enjoy it

[-Listy-]

i love the british version..no desire to see the US version tbh.

can't top Ricky Gervais performance

[Let's Chop Cats!]

watch season 2 and 3, and then come talk to me

[Gnarmageddon]

*so* disappointed

[Matt?]

i like the american office and hate the british office

but i do really like Extras. i think it might be better than both.

honestly i don't really see why people get so worked up about this. gervais himself has said that he thinks it's as funny as the british version

[easylee]

gervais sucks

[GreyHam]

Gervais grates on me a lot, mostly because every character he does is just David Brent, who is also probably just Gervais

[smith_]

i like both :)

[Turkish]

Gervais is awesome, but American version is so much better.

Yeah, if you watched the pilot it's almost word for word the same as the first episode of the british version.

[Mr. Ron]

get your disgusting foreign opinions out of here

[RetiredAt21]

get your disgusting foreign opinions out of here

this lol

[Phantom]

I saw the original airing of The Office UK and it didnt catch me, but it grew with repeat viewings. The American version caught me straight away and is more enjoyable for me. However it has gone downhill in the last couple of seasons.

I still don't like Gervais.

[Iskandar]

Why did they remake it for American audiences anyway.

[RetiredAt21]

Why did they remake it for American audiences anyway.

Because we find British people incredibly annoying.

[Iskandar]

I find both of you annoying but I watch your programs anyway.

[MAthiAS]

Cuz you can't understand the British version without subtitles.

[fingers mccoy]

Why did they remake it for American audiences anyway.

presumably cause they thought the changes they've made to the general formula would be more suitable

it really wouldnt have been anywhere near as successful if they'd just aired the british one

[Iskandar]

Cuz you can't understand the British version without subtitles.Then put in subtitles which is surely easier than completely remaking the entire series.

[Led_Zep_Bonham]

Only complete goober dingalings would watch a British show in America, especially being that there is an American version as well.

[The_Mop]

Although the humour is focused very differently in the american office, I don't think it's bad at all as a standalone entity. I prefer the brit version myself, but I honestly don't see this ire that most brit guys have for the american office.

[fingers mccoy]

either they only watched the first series or they generally dislike americans those are the main two reasons

[Jonny]

I hate Ricky Gervais. I hated the UK Office. I preferred the American one but recently I've stopped watching that too.

[christsimpson]

either they only watched the first series or they generally dislike americans those are the main two reasons

why the hell is everyone bashing each other, going "yeah you just hate Americans/English", because they like one version of the show and not the other? that's ridiculous. I do however generally not like American popular humour.

also the whole "you are foreign so f you" hostility going on here is disgusting and ignorant - at best.

and to all you guys from the punk forum who only posted here to insult me because you gaice r so kewl and funni - I don't actually read anything you post anymore, so save it.


this thread wasn't made to start a "who is kewler of English and American ppl" pubertal flame war worthy of a PC vs Mac forum. it was started because I was incredibly disappointed with the American version of The Office. my opinion is that the acting was sub-par compared to the very authentic feel of the English series. the humour doesn't work as good either, because it's a bit of an American-ish version of the British humour. it's a given that it wouldn't work.

[Matt?]

i don't think that it has anything to do with the acting. the american office isn't as dry as the british one and seems less "authentic" because of it. but the actors themselves are respected as some of the better comedic actors of the past handful of years. Steve Carell has been in a fair amount of very popular movies, and a lot of the actors pop up in the Jud Apatow comedies that have been like the newest wave of hit american comedies. Ed Helms was just in The Hangover which has gotten pretty good reviews so far. It's just different comedy. both are funny in different ways

[fingers mccoy]

yeh watch the later series and it will perhaps make more sense, the show follows its own path after that

if you think that post i made is an expression of anglophobia then do bear in mind that i am british and living in yorkshire

it's just an observance i've made that criticisms (raised by brits) of the american office usually involve the 'style of humour' which is much less dry than that of the british office and thus loses the sense of discomforting realism that pervades the original series

much modern british drama aims to unsettle its audience in this way, you have only to look to the plays of beckett and pinter to see this rigidly applied

this is not largely the aim of american comedy - even plot and dialogue specifically designed to be excruciating (see curb your enthusiasm) has a much more traditional farcical element to it which disconnects the viewer from feelings of personal involvement and naturally resulting awkwardness

i think the american office is largely made up of good performances as long as you realise that it is a much more traditional comedy in that sense - it sacrifices the catharsis of the british office for the pace and exaggerated expression of the american sitcom

[christsimpson]

if you think that post i made is an expression of anglophobia then do bear in mind that i am british and living in yorkshire

that wasn't necessarily aimed at you as much as others in this thread.

also I do agree that it's two different types of humour. the American one is more loud. I prefer the English.

[fingers mccoy]

that wasn't necessarily aimed at you as much as others in this thread.

also I do agree that it's two different types of humour. the American one is more loud. I prefer the English.
cool

but again i would advise that to fairly judge the show you should watch an episode which features original writing

i.e: a couple of episodes from the second series

[christsimpson]

I will consider it. but I must admit that the first episode really put me off. it was word for word with less believable characters.

but meh... they are easy to get a hold of online. so if I don't purchase the seasons, at least I can give a few of the episodes a go online. I won't be looking forward to it though. I had such high hopes for this, and it didn't exactly live up to them.

[Matt?]

it's not the best show you could be spending your time on though...

if you want to watch american comedy just watch seinfeld

[christsimpson]

I'm not really into American shows so I don't know if I will be spending any time on it. there's new Peep Show episodes next month, and also there's always the new Boy Meets Girl show with Martin Freeman, so...

[Matt?]

tv shows in general aren't really valuable i don't think. kind of a waste of time no matter what country it's from.

[Jonny]

Breaking News: Entertainment is a waste of time. Time which we could spend toiling away in the mines or constucting a giant tower so we can reach the moon.

[Matt?]

no, but there is a lot less access to variety for the average television watcher than in other entertainment mediums.

[-Listy-]

I'm not really into American shows so I don't know if I will be spending any time on it. there's new Peep Show episodes next month, and also there's always the new Boy Meets Girl show with Martin Freeman, so...

ahhhhh cant wait..

Mitchell and Webb will be on Jonathan Ross on the 19th yessss

[Mister_Che]

British is a filthy language. :/

[Turkish]

Yeah, I'd really urge you to watch the entire series. Steve Carell is a fantastic actor who will have you shouting at his stupidity one second and then rooting for him the next. The writing is really great, I like both versions but I like the American one more.

[Mister_Che]

Yeah, I'd really urge you to watch the entire series. Steve Carell is a fantastic actor who will have you shouting at his stupidity one second and then rooting for him the next. The writing is really great, I like both versions but I like the American one more.

Yep. He seems to just pull some smart maneuver out of nowhere sometimes.

[DBoons Ghost]

I enjoy both versions of the Office, and both have had their bad shows and good shows.

That said I obviously enjoy the American version more, but that takes nothing away from the excellence of the original.

[Livewire]

American Office is ****ing hilarious

British version blows, even if it was first.

**** off

this...

I love the american office, downloaded every season

[Tillius]

I haven't seen any of the British The Office and only a few episodes of the American version but I've enjoyed what I've seen.

[Kickflip_Burrito]

American Office isn't good.

UK Office is good.

Gervais isn't good.

Extras isn't good.

[Matt?]

you're batting 500

[Correction]

people who think the british version is better than the american version are retarded

thread-starter proves my point

[static]

ricky gervais sucks

[christsimpson]

Yeah, I'd really urge you to watch the entire series. Steve Carell is a fantastic actor who will have you shouting at his stupidity one second and then rooting for him the next. The writing is really great, I like both versions but I like the American one more.

why the hell would I watch a whole series when I don't like it? I mean from what I hear it's an Americanified version of The Office. I don't care for American humour at all really. the thing that makes the English The Office so awesome is how believable the characters is. in US sitcoms and such, characters are blown out of proportions and so on. it's too loud and canned laughter.

either way I'm going to give the US a fair chance by watching season two now.

[static]

either way I'm going to give the US a fair
chance by watching season two now.

good

[smith_]

why the hell would I watch a whole series when I don't like it? I mean from what I hear it's an Americanified version of The Office. I don't care for American humour at all really. the thing that makes the English The Office so awesome is how believable the characters is. in US sitcoms and such, characters are blown out of proportions and so on. it's too loud and canned laughter.

either way I'm going to give the US a fair chance by watching season two now.


if you don't care for american humour why are you watching an american comedy

[Gnarmageddon]

amerka totally sux lol

[Mister_Che]

why the hell would I watch a whole series when I don't like it? I mean from what I hear it's an Americanified version of The Office. I don't care for American humour at all really. the thing that makes the English The Office so awesome is how believable the characters is. in US sitcoms and such, characters are blown out of proportions and so on. it's too loud and canned laughter.

either way I'm going to give the US a fair chance by watching season two now.

http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:L4mJzpaETah8aM:http://ginina007.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/bobby_peggy.jpg

That man is wearing a dress.

[lukeskywalkertakingadump]

I hate the American version, haven't seen the British one. I hate almost every sitcom I have ever seen other than Seinfeld.

[christsimpson]

Seinfeld is brilliant, yes.

anyway I watched ep1 of s2, and it was okay. but it's really inferior to the English show. it's the same setting with the same type of characters, just not with the same depth and realism. an okay show, by all means... just not *that* good. I'll probably watch some more episodes. but first there's always Sarah Silverman and Boy Meets Girl.

[Mister_Che]

Wait.

You want characters grounded in realism with depth, but you loved Seinfeld and enjoy the Sarah Silverman show.











Ok.

[lukeskywalkertakingadump]

I hate sarah silverman, I would probably let her suck my dick though, only if i could cum on her face though.

[christsimpson]

Wait.

You want characters grounded in realism with depth, but you loved Seinfeld and enjoy the Sarah Silverman show.











Ok.

Seinfeld and Sarah Silverman aren't mockumentaries.

[Mister_Che]

True. I have to ask, have you ever worked in an office setting? Those characters aren't entirely innacurate. I can point to at least one person in the company I work for who acts like most of the case (yes, even Dwight).

They're not entirely unbelievable.

[christsimpson]

no they are not. but they lack the depth of the English characters. and thus I can't really see them as real believable persons.

[lukeskywalkertakingadump]

I hate all these new shows that break the fourth wall and have the cast giving little "interviews" in character. It's so irritating.

[Mister_Che]

no they are not. but they lack the depth of the English characters. and thus I can't really see them as real believable persons.

So everyone you meet is a fascinating person with deep personal history? People can be pretty dull. :/

I understand your position, though.

[Jaymz Hetfield]

American Office is a million times better than the British....but it was re-made for us American retards so of course i'd think that.

Oh and Curb Your Enthusiasm >>> Seinfeld. Both are great though.

[christsimpson]

@mister che
again, not really my point mate. I feel that with the English show you will encounter lots of vastly different yet just as interesting personalities - and you get to know these persons on a very deep level. you can almost relate to them as friends. the English show has the emotional depth of a real d0cumentary. that is what makes it such a good mockumentary. and I must admit that I really felt like I connected with the Tim character, and found myself amazed at how much I sympathized with him, and how joyful I was upon watching him getting the bird in the end.

[lukeskywalkertakingadump]

curb your enthusiasm is boring. George > Larry

[Jaymz Hetfield]

curb your enthusiasm is boring. George > Larry

George IS Larry dummy.

[Alf™]

lol at all the gervais hate

[lukeskywalkertakingadump]

George IS Larry dummy.

supposedly, i prefer jason alexander's portrayal of larry you might say.

[-Listy-]

i dont understand the gervais hate, i think he's great but i can see how people would think he's a little annoying because of the way he comes across sometimes.

the old xfm shows they did with karl pilkington are brilliant

[Jonny]

He just thinks he's a lot funnier and better than he is.

[Let's Chop Cats!]

liking Seinfeld and not Curb is just retarded. Ether stop being a retard or take the time to actually watch some episodes.

[lukeskywalkertakingadump]

liking Seinfeld and not Curb is just retarded. Ether stop being a retard or take the time to actually watch some episodes.

I've watched an entire season of Curb, I just don't like it. I don't like how it's improv, it isn't as funny to me.

[horseypie]

gervais is worse when hes not in the office. personally im not a massive fan of his standup because it seems like hes just playing david brent, which kinda isnt funny outside the office. the british version is better than the us version though, but i dont mind the us one. id just rather watch the british one. gareth is heaps better in the british one too.

[-Listy-]

I liked Animals, but Fame and Politics weren't that good

overall his stand up isnt that good i agree

[Alf™]

his stand up shows are great

[Jonny]

No they're not. You have a terrible sense of humour.

[Tillius]

I enjoyed his Out of England stand up show. Haven't seen anything else.

[Cocaine]

US Office started off terrible but is pretty great now. UK Office was always great, but had a limited run.

Win/Win

[Aaron]

Why did they remake it for American audiences anyway.
The same reason they remade Life On Mars; it's harder for the US audience to empathise with actors who aren't obese.

[SgtPrimus]

I like Gervais

[simplephotographinthesun]

if the American office were allowed more creative freedoms seen in premium cable channels like HBO, showtime, cinemax etc, it might be able to match gervais' series

[Matt?]

The same reason they remade Life On Mars; it's harder for the US audience to empathise with actors who aren't obese.
nah it's more like we can't stand looking at people with disgusting teeth for too long

[aria]

i liked them both but the american one kept going on and on and on and on forever and got really bad stopped watching it a while ago **** knows what season they are up to now :thumbsd:

[Jonny]

nah it's more like we can't stand looking at people with disgusting teeth for too long

Hmmm.... you ever seen an English person in real life? Or do you just assume whatever stereotypes Family Guy tells you are true?

[Matt?]

nah i just assume when i type british teeth into google and see a photo of the nastiest teeth ever the stereotype is just as true as the all americans are obese stereotype

f'ucking idiot

[Light Flantastic]

itt jingoism

[Jonny]

nah i just assume when i type british teeth into google and see a photo of the nastiest teeth ever the stereotype is just as true as the all americans are obese stereotype

f'ucking idiot

Says the guy taking search engine image results out of context. Did you even look at those sites to see what they're about? No? You were too busy feeling superior that a random picture on the internet with no context proved you right.

[Squirrel]

nah i just assume when i type british teeth into google and see a photo of the nastiest teeth ever the stereotype is just as true as the all americans are obese stereotype

f'ucking idiot

:lol:

Oh man.

[Light Flantastic]

Says the guy taking search engine image results out of context. Did you even look at those sites to see what they're about? No? You were too busy feeling superior that a random picture on the internet with no context proved you right.
you're really quite stupid

[Matt?]

Says the guy taking search engine image results out of context. Did you even look at those sites to see what they're about? No? You were too busy feeling superior that a random picture on the internet with no context proved you right.
wait... i read this and was so confused and like shocked but now i realize... you must be joking right?

[fingers mccoy]

:lol:

this thread was always doomed to anglophobia and snobbery

[snorfledumpkins]

I can't understand the British office at all

[horseypie]

wot wot

alright then?