I was reluctant to watch the British Office because all I ever heard from my hyper-educated white friends was that they loooved The Office -- "but only the British version!" Since, um, none of them were British themselves, I chalked it up to an obnoxious posturing thing. And I was right! This show is great, and really funny. But despite a few differences in character nuances, I really didn't see a huge difference in the two shows that would make one person disdain the NBC version and adore the BBC's. And I've only watched the first two seasons of NBC's Office, so I don't know if it goes wildly off-kilter after that, but I would love it if someone could tell me why people claim to love the British version so much more. The American version seems to make more use of the ensemble cast, who are pretty funny in their own right. So why does all the love go to the Brits?RATING: 87%
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I always assume those people who looove the British version and disdain the American one are just pretentious assholes. I've seen both versions and dammit, the American one is funnier. A lot funnier. Don't get me wrong, Ricky Gervais is a genius, but the British version is just too British. It has all these esoteric culture references that only make sense to British people. And yeah, the cast as a whole is much funnier on the American version. And Michael Scott is amazing. In short, people who arbitrarily disdain American Office are douchebags.
The NBC one gets less and less funny after the second season, but I like it anyway. The BBC one is a lot smarter, though, mostly because British people actually read books in school. If you watch the American one first, the British one seems pretentious, but if you watch the British one first, the American one seems dumbed down. Also, they smoke, drink, swear, and talk about sex more on the British one.
I like Americans, but they ain't exactly the sharpest tools in the global shed.
Americans invented comedy. Or was it the Canadians?
I'm pretty sure it wasn't the Brits. People who read are never funny John. Stop trying to make yourself feel better.
I watched some eps of the British Office, which made me think for a long time that I wouldn't like the American Office since it was supposed to be "worse." Then I saw some eps of the American Office and realized that it was way better. The end.
Dwight is funnier than Garreth. Pam is hotter than Dawn. Tim is funnier than Jim. The theme song to the British version is better. I like Steve Carrell better than Ricky Gervais, but I think I'm supposed to. Ricky Gervais is the biggest douche ever, and on the show he's so awkward it makes me want to claw my eyes out every scene. Lee is a bigger asshole than Roy, who is actually kind of sympathetic. Jan plays a better neurotic corporate bitch than Jennifer. Chris Finch is a better asshole character than Todd Packer.
But the writing is way better on the British show. Waaaaaay better. It's more realistic, and less self-consciously cute, probably because it isn't written by a BJ Novak who's coked out of his mind all the time.
Dwight is 300% more annoying than Garreth. I can imagine a Garreth existing in life whereas Dwight is a creepy caricature and a carbon copy of his Six Feet Under character. Pam is definitely hotter, but I can believe more that Dawn would stay at a dead-end secretary job than would Pam.
Roy is kind of an ass. But good to know you find him sympathetic.
John, realism is entirely over-rated.
If I wrote a show I'd try to make it as difficult as possible for the audience to relate to the characters without entirely alienating them.
Speaking of pretension.
Loco: What do you mean, "Good to know?"
Chris: I agree that realism is overrated. They should make a T.V. series of Beowulf.
Actually, no they shouldn't.
Hmmm... I've never seen this show from Britin... how do you understand that British language that they use!?!?!?
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