# The Office Christmas specials

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-christmas-specials/240730>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 18, 2004, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-christmas-specials/240730 "2004-04-18T23:30:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-christmas-specials/240730/21 "2004-11-17T16:20:35Z")

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Oh, **Mehitabel** - we try to take it on the chin here at Electric City with good cheer. There was a recent scrap of dialogue from _The Sopranos_ that got a lot of resigned chuckles around here- two plug uglies are chatting and one bemoans the fact of how he had to spend a weekend in Boston, which he refers to as “Scranton with clams.” 😛

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**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-christmas-specials/240730/22 "2004-11-17T19:47:06Z")

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Anybody see the US remake of _Cracker_? I think it was called _Fitz_. Was it rubbish? It’s been on over here at 11pm a few times but I’ve never managed to see it.

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**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-christmas-specials/240730/23 "2004-11-17T20:02:49Z")

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While trying to remember the U.S. actor’s name, **Ross,** found this:

\*ABC premiered it’s own version of Cracker in the fall of 1997. Robert Pasttorlli, from Murphy Brown, starred as the forensic psychologist, now attached to the LAPD. Sixteen episodes were produced, almost half of which were adapted straight from the original scripts.

This American version premiered against NBC’s Seinfeld on Thursday nights. Needless to say, it was not a successful spot for the show. And soon, the network began moving it to different nights. So, what audience it could have built up was unable to find it. . .

Critics at TV Guide found the US version of Cracker to be “the best overlooked show” of that season, thanks to its flawed hero and attempts at realistic crimes. Compared to other American shows it was pretty good. But what people liked about this version were just those elements that came directly from the original series. Which they hadn’t seen because they were too busy watching all the crappy American cop shows.\*  
[http://www.cinemonkey.com/reviews/cracker/cracker.html](http://www.cinemonkey.com/reviews/cracker/cracker.html)

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