# US version of "The Office": will there be more?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [April 27, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421 "2005-04-27T19:30:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/1 "2005-04-27T19:30:18Z")
I heard that NBC bought 6 episodes of the americanized “The Office” with number 6 appearing just last night.
Will there be more?
(Looking for a factual answer, not so much of an critical analysis of it’s merits or faults).
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### Author:  [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/2 "2005-04-27T19:32:19Z")
It’s still up in the air whether NBC will bring it back or not. It got decent critical acclaim, but the ratings weren’t great. Much like Fox’s Arrested Development, a favorite around these parts, The Office was a bit too quirky to capture a massive audience.
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### Author:  [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/3 "2005-04-27T19:46:09Z")
I hope NBC gives it a chance, as I recall, Seinfeld didn’t do too well either right out of the gate (though I may be wrong).
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### Author:  [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/4 "2005-04-27T20:25:06Z")
According to [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seinfeld), _Seinfeld_ (originally titled _The Seinfeld Chronicles_) was indeed pretty weak in the beginning:
> [@Wikipedia's Seinfeld Page](#):
>
> The show premiered on July 5, 1989 on NBC. Seinfeld was not an immediate success. After the pilot was shown a pickup by NBC did not seem likely and the show was actually offered to FOX, who declined to pick up the show. It was only thanks to Rick Ludwin, head of late night and special events for NBC, for diverting money from his budget, that the next four episodes were filmed.
As for _The Office_, I’m certainly hoping they bring it back, but it’ll probably take another Rick Ludwin for that to happen. Last night it pulled [4.8 million viewers with a 2.2 rating/5 share](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/television/brief_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000900837) – in a word, crappy.
FWIW, USA Today is running a [“Save Our Shows”](http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/save-our-shows.htm) poll to get a feel for what people would like to see come back next year. No idea how effective it’ll be (my feeling – not very), but it could be worth a vote.
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### Author:  [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/5 "2005-04-28T07:32:49Z")
Am I the only person on earth that recognizes The Office is just an up dated version of the short-lived (thankfully) Fred Savage sit-com of the same name?
It only difference is the Fred Savage one was funny sometimes.
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### Author:  [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/6 "2005-04-28T12:39:29Z")
Is the US version anything like the UK version? I’ve seen maybe three eps of the US version and have been pretty unimpressed … seems like a bit of a one-trick pony. I get it - Steve Carrell’s character is a dumbass who thinks he’s funny when he’s not. How about another joke?
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### Author:  [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/7 "2005-04-28T13:09:23Z")
> [@picunurse](#):
>
> Am I the only person on earth that recognizes The Office is just an up dated version of the short-lived (thankfully) Fred Savage sit-com of the same name?
> It only difference is the Fred Savage one was funny sometimes.
That show was called Working, and it was a much more traditional sitcom with wacky hijinx ensuing, accompanied by a laugh track. The Office is based on the British sitcom of the same name, and is a lot darker and more subtle than your average sitcom.
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### Author:  [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/8 "2005-04-28T13:18:00Z")
> [@interface2x](#):
>
> Is the US version anything like the UK version? I’ve seen maybe three eps of the US version and have been pretty unimpressed … seems like a bit of a one-trick pony. I get it - Steve Carrell’s character is a dumbass who thinks he’s funny when he’s not. How about another joke?
It’s quite a bit like the UK version. There’s little differences, the UK’s characters, especially the boss and the office weirdo/sycohphant are slightly less broad, and the BBC did a better job at making it look like a real office staffed with everyday people (by which I mean, less Hollywood ugly, more actual ugly 😉 ). But the type and tone of the humor is almost identical, and I thought the US stood up quite well, given that the BBC version is one of the best shows ever. If you liked the US version, then you’ll probably prefer the UK’s, but if you didn’t like the US, then you probably won’t like the UK’s either.
I really enjoyed NBC’s attempt, and I’ll miss it if it doesn’t return.
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### Author:  [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/9 "2005-04-28T13:27:49Z")
Rather interestingly the BBC have bought the yank version and are going to show it here.
As a bit of a highjack - why do the Americans feel that the domestic audience can’t cope with British comedies? There’s no problem in reverse.
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### Author:  [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/10 "2005-04-28T13:41:11Z")
> [@Menocchio](#):
>
> and the BBC did a better job at making it look like a real office staffed with everyday people (by which I mean, less Hollywood ugly, more actual ugly 😉 ).
This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this and I don’t get it at all. There is no one on the American show who is good looking except the intern.
Boss: terrible hair – almost like “plugs”, big nose, bad skin.
Secretary: kind of cute, but no cuter than her British counterpart.
Jim: The worst hair in the history of TV, with a big round, doughy moon face.
Dwight is just ugly and weird looking.
Fat white guy.
Fat black guy with ugly features and a bad mustache.
Pock-marked chubby mexican guy.
Truly ugly, heavyset older women.
There’s the one blond that is just plain, but she’s hardly ever in the show.
Personally, I find the cast very regular looking, not “hollywood ugly” at all.
Also, keep in mind, that “pretty british women” are “ugly american women” so the whole scale kind of gets shifted with the women.
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### Author:  [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/11 "2005-04-28T14:19:29Z")
> [@Trunk](#):
>
> Also, keep in mind, that “pretty british women” are “ugly american women” so the whole scale kind of gets shifted with the women.
Who says Americans have no sense of irony!
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### Author:  [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/12 "2005-04-28T14:29:06Z")
> [@Trunk](#):
>
> This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this and I don’t get it at all. There is no one on the American show who is good looking except the intern.
>
> Secretary: kind of cute, but no cuter than her British counterpart.
>
> Jim: The worst hair in the history of TV, with a big round, doughy moon face.
Now I think Pam and Jim are both good-looking people. Neither one has that movie-star quality about them, but I wouldn’t call either of them unattractive. And I think the actress who plays Pam is way cuter than Lucy Davis, who played Dawn in the British version.
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### Author:  [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/13 "2005-04-28T14:34:02Z")
> [@Trunk](#):
>
> This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this and I don’t get it at all. There is no one on the American show who is good looking except the intern.
If Mike, Jim, and Dwight got better haircuts (and the latter a new pair of glasses), they’d all be handsome men. Contrast to pudgy David, pockmarked Tim, and gaunt Gareth.
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### Author:  [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/14 "2005-04-28T14:44:05Z")
> [@Menocchio](#):
>
> If Mike, Jim, and Dwight got better haircuts (and the latter a new pair of glasses), they’d all be handsome men. Contrast to pudgy David, pockmarked Tim, and gaunt Gareth.
Sure, the Brits were uglier.
But, I mean, “Hollywood Ugly” is Sarah Michelle Geller wearing glasses with her hair in a bun.
The newest flop “Committed” was supposedly two awkward geeks. They’re fashion models compared to the people on this show.
The guys on “The Office” are no better looking – and in most cases worse-looking – than the guys I work with.
I disagree that Michael Scott cleans up well too. He’s really geeky looking in everything, IMO.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/15 "2005-04-28T15:00:13Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#):
>
> Rather interestingly the BBC have bought the yank version and are going to show it here.
>
> As a bit of a highjack - why do the Americans feel that the domestic audience can’t cope with British comedies? There’s no problem in reverse.
Yes, to a certain extent some Americans have trouble understanding British accents and British humor. (Heck, I consider myself an Anglophile and some of the references pass over my head.) But more importantly, what if NBC broadcast the UK version of The Office? There were only the twelve episodes, while a standard US television season is 22 episodes. What would they do if it was popular? There would be no way of continuing the show.
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### Author:  [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-version-of-the-office-will-there-be-more/301421/16 "2005-04-28T15:48:48Z")
> [@Menocchio](#):
>
> If Mike, Jim, and Dwight got better haircuts (and the latter a new pair of glasses), they’d all be handsome men. Contrast to pudgy David, pockmarked Tim, and gaunt Gareth.
You mean [this](http://www.injenn.net/%7Etania/seona-dancing/ricky3big.jpg) David\*?
By the way, Pam(US) is smoking hot. Yowza.
- [wistful] Ahhh, the eighties…[/wistful]