The Office: British Version

[DirtyHippieUTE]

I rented season 1 of UK version of "The Office." It's obvious that they took the US version from the UK version, but the two are almost completely different shows.

Some of the characters translate straight across but the story lines are VERY different.

Hippie's view... Both are good, but not the same. If you don't like humor from the UK, you wont like the UK version of The Office.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by DirtyHippieUTE

I rented season 1 of UK version of "The Office." It's obvious that they took the US version from the UK version, but the two are almost completely different shows.

Some of the characters translate straight across but the story lines are VERY different.

Hippie's view... Both are good, but not the same. If you don't like humor from the UK, you wont like the UK version of The Office.

I watched the British version on an airplane on an international flight recently. Thought it was hilarious.

[DirtyHippieUTE]

I loved it but Mrs. Hippie wasn't impressed.

She got a laugh out of it but nothing like what she expects from the US version.

[non sequitur]

Originally Posted by DirtyHippieUTE

I loved it but Mrs. Hippie wasn't impressed.

She got a laugh out of it but nothing like what she expects from the US version.

I find the British version to be infinitely more enjoyable than the U.S. version. Ricky Gervais is a comic genius. Steve Carill is funny, but his comic timing doesn't hold a candle to that of Gervais. Also, the Garreth character in the British version is hilarious, so much funnier than the Dwight character in the U.S. version. I'm also not very fond of the Jim character in the U.S. version; he's just kind of boring.

I do enjoy the american version, but you really can't compare it the British version.

[DirtyHippieUTE]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

I find the British version to be infinitely more enjoyable than the U.S. version. Ricky Gervais is a comic genius. Steve Carill is funny, but his comic timing doesn't hold a candle to that of Gervais. Also, the Garreth character in the British version is hilarious, so much funnier than the Dwight character in the U.S. version. I'm also not very fond of the Jim character in the U.S. version; he's just kind of boring.

I do enjoy the american version, but you really can't compare it the British version.

Obviously it's an oversimplification to say that the US version is "americanized," but I can really see why they did some of the things they do...

Overall, the British version is much "darker." This is what happens when you don't run your TV thru a network feed where they brighten it up a full stop and expect everything to be timed so that everyone is happy when the commercial break hits...

Tim/Jim: In the US version he's a lot more attractive to women (per Mrs. Hippie). He plays the straight man for the whole show. The UK version doesn't seem to have one of these but that's consistent with british humor (there was no "straight" man in Monty Python). Jim's whole purpose is to get dumpy single office women to watch.

Tim/Jim + Dawn/Pam = The US version really plays up the Pam/Jim thing. That's because US viewers are sappy and would get bored if there wasn't more unrequited love kind of stuff. Again, this is to get dumpy office women and sappy chicks like Mrs. Hippie to watch.

Garreth/Dwight: Us audiences wouldn't respond to Garreth. The fact that he's small and wiry, it would seem way too much like the whole bully scenario. I like Dwight in the US version, but Garreth is MUCH funnier. The comedy in the UK version is a lot more "mean." That wouldn't fly with US viewers/advertisers. Dwight is just creepy enough to deserve what he gets but just big enough so that people don't feel like he's being picked on.

There is more but my HTs are here... Crap..

[mpfunk]

I have only seen a few episodes of the US version of the Office, but I can say it does not even compare to the British version.

The plan fact is Ricky Gervais is a comic genius and I cannot think of anyone who can play the character funnier than Gervais.

I would be surprised to see the US version play up the relationship with the secretary more than the British version, because it is very important to the British version. It is the underlying current of the Tim's character in the British version.

<<spoiler>>Do not continue reading if you do not want to hear about some episode two stuff.<<spoiler>>

I absolutely love the way that the Office ended in the British version with Dawn leaving and turning down Tim's advances. A lot of the time, for many of us most if not all the time, you do not get the girl. Tim's rejection in the show was really bitter and quite real. I thought that ending really summed up the British show so well. As for the Christmas Special that followed where Tim did get Dawn, while it is funny I think the rejection is just such a more appropriate ending.

I guess the point of all this is that the British version really played up the Tim/Dawn thing a lot. It got a lot more important in the second season, which is also a lot funnier season than the first. The British version of the Office makes my top 5 best comedies easily.

1) Simpsons
2) Get a Life
3) Newsradio
4) The Office
5) Arrested Development

That is it people that is the list.

[UteStar]

I became a fan of the British version of the Office a couple of years ago. I have the entire collection and my wife and I probably spend too much time re-watching it. I realize that I am pathetic, but I have probably watched each episode 5-6 times. It is a classic and Ricky Gervais is about as funny as it comes.

I was surprised to find out that there would be an american version. I was not too excited for it either. I was also disappointed that they copied the first episode from the first british episode. But then a funny thing happened...I kinda enjoyed it. I continued to watch and I have really enjoyed it. I am now the owner of the 1st season of the Office because it was pretty good.

As others have pointed out, these shows are different. If I had to pick one, no question, it would be the british office. It is awkward, painful and hillarious. The characters are terrific. You have to seperate the two...they are different shows. As has also been mentioned, they play the relationship with Jim and Pam more...Steve Carril's role is different, not as horribly painful as Ricky Gervais but funny nonetheless. It is not fair to compare the shows and doing so is a disservice to both. I enjoy the american version because it is different from what we normally see on our tv. No laughtrack, some unlikeable characters, etc. I am glad it is around.

And fwiw, the american Office has been picked up for a third season. And if you haven't noticed, the american office already has played more episodes than all the british office version combined. Long live any office!

[non sequitur]

Originally Posted by UteStar

And fwiw, the american Office has been picked up for a third season. And if you haven't noticed, the american office already has played more episodes than all the british office version combined. Long live any office!

I read somewhere that Ricky Gervais and Steve Merchant were going to write one of the episodes for the American version of The Office this coming season, similar to how they wrote a Simpson's episode a while ago.

[fuegote]

I actually laugh much more at the American version (i watched the BBC version first...both seasons).

the BBC version had me just gasping and thinking to myself, "did they just say, do, act that?" I couldn't watch that with my inlaws which made it funny when Garreth started making advances with Tim's office girlfriend (not Dawn).

funny in this sense is awkward.

the US version I find is really funny. No one can top Tim (Hitchhicker's guide). His looks at the camera were priceless and who can forget, "he went home to get his guitar!" comment. great stuff.

i like both, but enjoy the American version more.

but the BBC doesn't have Earl, nor would they ever understand it.

[non sequitur]

One of my favorite scenes is Garreth's exposition on the night club Chasers and the loose women there:

"It’s a fun place, but it’s full of loose women. My only problem with that is venereal disease, which is disabilitating right, especially for a soldier. And it’s irresponsible to the rest of your unit as well. Alright, you’ve been under attack for days, there’s a soldier down, he’s wounded, gangrene’s setting in, ‘who’s used all the penicillin?’ ‘Oh, Mark Paxton sir, he’s got knob rot off some tart.’"