# American "The Office" might not be that bad **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2005, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545 "2005-03-21T12:59:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/21 "2005-03-21T20:40:36Z")
> [@Freejooky](#): > > Are you people kidding? It looks like a piece of shit. Changing “it’s just a trifle” to “i’ve always been your biggest flan” in the stapler-in-jell-o scene is indicative of everything wrong with this. How do you figure? I’m as critical of the next man at things being “dumbed down” for the US, but I really don’t think that Trifle (the dessert) is something that many Americans have heard of. And if the “flan” pun is bad, well, why shouldn’t it be? These characters shouldn’t be constantly coming up with perfect puns. The humor shouldn’t come from hilariously clever Chandler-esque people, but from the situations and the lack of self-awareness. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/22 "2005-03-21T22:06:04Z")
Ugh, it looks more like a sitcom than a documentry. The scenes are all just over the top “wacky” and the timing seems to be “spot on” every time. The whole glory of the original office was that the people were awkward, the jokes were off and that everyone seemed acutely aware that a camera was stuck in their face 12 hours a day. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/23 "2005-03-21T22:17:55Z")
> [@Moody Bastard](#): > > Personally, I’m a little tired of all the knee-jerk naysaying. Oh come on, **M. Bastard**. Knee-jerk naysaying is what makes the world of internet message boards go 'round. 😛 In all seriousness there does seem to be a “culture of naysaying” both here and on other boards that leaves me scratching my head sometimes. I am constantly amazed at the way people decide to hate something before they ever see it, and then wear that hatred like a badge of honor, as if hipper-than-thou cynicism marks them as a member of some exclusive club. And then once they commit to hating something, nothing in heaven or hell can change their minds. I may start a thread on this in the near future. It’s an interesting phenomenon. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/24 "2005-03-21T22:47:18Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > I may start a thread on this in the near future. It’s an interesting phenomenon. If you start such a thread, I’ll hate it. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/25 "2005-03-21T23:27:30Z")
I get “The Playlist Format Is Not Recognized” trying to load the movie at [http://www.myspace.com/theoffice](http://www.myspace.com/theoffice). ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/26 "2005-03-22T00:45:32Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > Oh come on, **M. Bastard** In all seriousness there does seem to be a “culture of naysaying” both here and on other boards that leaves me scratching my head sometimes. I am constantly amazed at the way people decide to hate something before they ever see it, and then wear that hatred like a badge of honor, as if hipper-than-thou cynicism marks them as a member of some exclusive club. Just for the record, I own the original on DVD and have seen the entirety of the first episode of the American version, so I know that it’s bad; I’m not just guessing. Still, I think a greater problem is the “culture of crap” that makes it so that one can safely assume something like this will terrible without even having to see it. ---
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/27 "2005-03-22T04:22:39Z")
I watched part of an episode of the American version on a DVD and it was so excruciatingly unfunny we had to turn it off. Of course, YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![mike1dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mike1dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mike1dog)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/28 "2005-03-22T04:55:40Z")
I must be the only other person who didn’t care for the original. It was just trying too hard to be a ‘documentary’ to me. All the characters were irritating and dull. I’m not saying the American version will be any better, but it can’t be much worse. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/29 "2005-03-22T13:05:52Z")
I loved the original. I’ve just looked at the 13 min clip and have to say I’m very pleasantly surprised. It was very “officey” if you know what I mean. I laughed, I squirmed, I even wanted to stop the playback when he was in the Indian woman’s face because it was making me so uncomfortable. That’s _The Office_ experience alright. Hopefully this will work in the States as I’d like to see more of it. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/30 "2005-03-22T14:35:52Z")
I’ve never seen the original and I keep seeing all the commercials for this new one and I think they are Burger King commercials. They just seem to have the same look, I keep waiting for them to talk about which burger they’re having that day. Anyway, I probably will not be watching it if it’s going to be opposite House. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/31 "2005-03-22T15:03:08Z")
Rather bizzarely the BBC have the rights for the yank version and will be showing it on BBC3. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/32 "2005-03-22T15:04:46Z")
> [@Wile E](#): > > I’ve never seen the original and I keep seeing all the commercials for this new one and I think they are Burger King commercials. They just seem to have the same look, I keep waiting for them to talk about which burger they’re having that day. > > Anyway, I probably will not be watching it if it’s going to be opposite House. Those Burger King commercials were inspired and influenced by the original British _The Office_ series. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/33 "2005-03-22T15:50:05Z")
> [@](#): > > It was just trying too hard to be a ‘documentary’ to me. that’s because it **was** trying to be like a documentary. It isn’t a sit com. the reason people found it so funny was that it was perfectly written and performed for the average office worker to identify with the characters and the absurdity and awkwardness of working 5 days a week in an office with people who you have to coexist with simply because they are employed to do the same thing as you do. ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/34 "2005-03-22T18:24:28Z")
**Gangster Octopus** and **mike1dog** , you’re not alone. I rented the first few episodes of the British version from Netflix because I had heard so many great things about it. Well, perhaps I’m a philistine but I found it _boring_ as all get-out. Furthermore, most of the characters were insufferable. The blonde chick was pretty “normal” but the rest of them needed to be pummeled about the head and neck. ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/35 "2005-03-22T21:09:51Z")
I just watched the myspace clip and my immediate reaction was “ugh” I just rented the British series last week and have watched about half the episodes, and I think it’s pretty funny, but borders on just ridiculous because I hate Ricky Gervais’ character quite a bit (like I’m supposed to, really). But the American version, it’s not right on the border. It’s way past. He’s just not funny. He’s way too over the top, way too ridiculous. I think most of it comes from the intensity. Gervais plays his character like a bumbling idiot who is trying to be fun and funny and laid back, but Carell is just a manic complete idiot without any of the doofus charm Gervais showed in the British version. I’ll watch the first episode just in case I’m wrong, but I’m not expecting much at all. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/36 "2005-03-22T22:38:22Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Further evidence of this? It’s set in Scranton!!! I’m not sure if they’re fighting words or not. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/37 "2005-03-23T01:47:08Z")
> [@Nordic](#): > > **Gangster Octopus** and **mike1dog** , you’re not alone. I rented the first few episodes of the British version from Netflix because I had heard so many great things about it. Well, perhaps I’m a philistine but I found it _boring_ as all get-out. **Furthermore, most of the characters were insufferable. The blonde chick was pretty “normal” but the rest of them needed to be pummeled about the head and neck.** Your point being??? ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/38 "2005-03-23T01:50:19Z")
I’d say them’s fighting words. They were trying to find the American equivalent to Slough. They thought about Binghamton, Buffalo, Newark, and places like that before they settled on you guys. I’m watching HOUSE, but I know they’re re-broadcasting the Office on CNBC. I’m not watching the preview and will be watching on Thursday peeking through my fingers like it’s the Blair Witch Project. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/39 "2005-03-23T02:20:31Z")
Finally saw it, and I agree – it’s not that bad. Solid. The characters are different, but like was said previously, if you compare it to the other crap on TV instead of the BBC program, it’s good. I thought the Free Cell scene was good, and the Chris Rock stuff was quite funny. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545/40 "2005-03-24T13:28:41Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by **Freejooky** > > Are you people kidding? It looks like a piece of shit. Changing “it’s just a trifle” to “i’ve always been your biggest flan” in the stapler-in-jell-o scene is indicative of everything wrong with this. > > How do you figure? I’m as critical of the next man at things being “dumbed down” for the US, but I really don’t think that Trifle (the dessert) is something that many Americans have heard of. And if the “flan” pun is bad, well, why shouldn’t it be? These characters shouldn’t be constantly coming up with perfect puns. The humor shouldn’t come from hilariously clever Chandler-esque people, but from the situations and the lack of self-awareness. That’s exactly the point. If trifle (the dessert) is little-known in the U.S., flan is even less-known, and certainly isn’t thought of in the same category as Jell-O. It’s not a pun a Scranton office worker would make, and is a clear case of the writers straining way too hard for a joke instead of letting the humor come naturally out of the characters. Like it did in the original. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-the-office-might-not-be-that-bad/295545.md?page=3)