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The Office and it's foreign spin-off's

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Well, even though people wanted you to add the French Canadian version on there, you can safely remove it.

It's been canned, afaik, and it was VERY bad.

It was, apparently, a direct "conversion" of the UK version. Problem is, British humor doesn't translate very well, and especially not into the French that's spoken in Quebec. :)
 
Aristotlekh said:
UK, no contest, everybody agrees, we can all go home.
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Yes. The US version is good in its own right, but the UK as the better storyline, depth of characters and just general funniness.
 
I think it would be hard for many Americans to get most of the 'in' jokes based on English culture.. I can imagine it would be bewildering for many Americans to watch.

Also the UK one doesn't have characters look at the camera so they know when to laugh.
 
The original UK version is an extremely well crafted show.

However, by now, I've derived much more enjoyment from its US counterpart. Hell, by the end of Season 2 I was already more partial to the US version.

And, yeah, I saw the UK version first as well.
 
Steppenwolf said:
The US version has the better characters compared to the original imo. Thats why its better. It's possible to care about most of them while in the brit version only 1-2 of them are sympathic or at least interesting enough.
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I have to both agree and (mostly) disagree. The US version does have more characters to care about, but the UK version has the better characters in terms of depth, at least as to the main characters (David and Tim). The reason why the UK version is better in this regard is its realism. The US version is too sitcomy to evoke sustained sympathy (or empathy) for anybody (although admittedly season 2 of the US version was powerful). I can identify and sympathize with Tim much more than with Jim, and that is despite my being American.
 
Tsubaki said:
It sounds like your response is in all seriousness.
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It was not. Astrolad is having some fun.

And after seeing that clip of the Quebec version, I can only shake my head. So much creative bankruptcy on display, copying the exact scenario and Gervais mannerisms from the UK Office. Ugh...

The best thing to happen to the US Office was when they diverged from the original character idiosyncrasies and developed them in more detail. This is harder to do when you're limited to such few episodes as in the UK version. And thanks to the other dude for the correction about the UK show-list. There were only 14 episodes total. Crazy.
 
I will say this for the American version over the British version:

They never once showed why someone would ever put David Brent in a position of power. They never show him being good at his job. He just seems completely incompetent. Which may be the satire, that someone could get to that level of management with no ability to perform his job. Plus, sometimes I can't watch the show because it gets to Curb Your Enthusiasm levels of awkwardness that is painful to watch for me. Probably because I'm a terribly awkward person at times myself and have a physical painfulness when in awkward situations.

Michael Scott, while insane and stupid and petty at times, has shown that he actually can sell things and get along with people (when he gets the school client at Chili's, when he's hanging out with the telemarketers talking about movies). In the "Survivor Man" episode, he showed why not all of his ideas are bad and that he can actually be insightful at times when he was talking with Jim. The frustration comes in the fact that those moments are few and far between.

So while I think the original is perfect in its complete and utter brutal satire, I do think the American version has some qualities that are better than the UK version.
 
i bet the american office writers could write something just as good if they knew it would be 12 episodes. come on? 12 episodes (plus a christmas special)? that's it? wtf

with that said, i havent watched the office season 4 since there's no karen. just the fact karen was in the US version means the US one is better.
 
Ceres said:
Fixed.
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You 'avin a laugh? Is he 'avin a laugh?

_42048296_extras1.jpg
 
woodchuck said:
with that said, i havent watched the office season 4 since there's no karen. just the fact karen was in the US version means the US one is better.
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Are you being serious? You watched the show for 3 seasons..they introduce the character of Karen..and once she leaves the show, you stop watching entirely? That's dedication to a character..
 
Fifty said:
Are you being serious? You watched the show for 3 seasons..they introduce the character of Karen..and once she leaves the show, you stop watching entirely? That's dedication to a character..
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haha, that's not entirely the reason. although i loved karen, thursdays weren't a good night for me. i'm going to rent the DVDs when they're released.

if karen was on the show, i might have had extra motivation to watch it.
 
Skiptastic said:
I will say this for the American version over the British version:

They never once showed why someone would ever put David Brent in a position of power. They never show him being good at his job. He just seems completely incompetent. Which may be the satire, that someone could get to that level of management with no ability to perform his job. Plus, sometimes I can't watch the show because it gets to Curb Your Enthusiasm levels of awkwardness that is painful to watch for me. Probably because I'm a terribly awkward person at times myself and have a physical painfulness when in awkward situations.
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There are people that are given management jobs all the time and those people are not intelligent, good leaders, or competent. Do they really have a to give a reason why David Brent is in power?

The UK version wins hands down. It's not even fucking close. The UK version is concise, has a more subtle sense of humor, and the characters feel like real people.

The U.S. version is all over the place, outlandish, and the characters feel like caricatures. I'm not saying that it is a bad show, because it isn't, but it pales in comparison. Also, looking funnily at a camera when someone says something moronic is funny the first couple of times, but it is quickly overdone.
 
Blablurn said:

Stromberg (Germany)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGJ4RgRhcs
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Even though I don't speak German, the joke at the end of this clip is pretty funny.

Also, the answer to this thread is The Office UK, obviously.

Skiptastic said:
I will say this for the American version over the British version:

They never once showed why someone would ever put David Brent in a position of power. They never show him being good at his job. He just seems completely incompetent. Which may be the satire, that someone could get to that level of management with no ability to perform his job.
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Unfortunately, I've had multiple bosses that were way too similar to David Brent. I also wondered how the fuck they got their jobs.
 
UK version is far superior to US version. US version has some pretty terrible writing. How come there is some other event every week, be it diversity day, or the fun run day, or booze cruise day, or sensitivity awareness day, etc. All these lame events really bog the show down. The UK version thrived on its writing.

And Michael Scott is a douchebag. David Brent was a loveable loser. Michael is just a scumbag. An immature attention whore. Can't stand the guy some times, such as the time he got on the forklift and knocked all that shit over. Why the hell did he do that? What a bitch!
 
alr1ghtstart said:
Season 2 of the US version is superior to all of them.

S2 US > S1 UK > S2 UK > S3 US > S4 US >>>>>>>>>>>>>> S1 US
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This ranking is spot on.

LM4sure said:
UK version is far superior to US version. US version has some pretty terrible writing. How come there is some other event every week, be it diversity day, or the fun run day, or booze cruise day, or sensitivity awareness day, etc. All these lame events really bog the show down. The UK version thrived on its writing.
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The difference being, and this ain't a jab at either version, is that the UK version only lasted 12 episodes plus the Christmas Special - as it is with the majority of UK shows. US shows just outlive their welcome more often than not, but i admire the US writers ability to continually derive humour from and put new spins on somewhat stale plots. The US version is more ensemble driven than the UK version ever was, and i think that's what sets it apart and in many ways makes it preferable to me.

I also watched the UK version first, adored it and detested the notion of a US remake. I avoided the US version like the plague and never imagined i would like it as much as i do at the moment.
 
Seen all the UK and the US episodes, and the US version of The Office is my favorite television show. I have never laughed so dam hard in my life. Every line those actors throw out are priceless. Has defeated all of my top movies and television shows.
 
LM4sure said:
UK version is far superior to US version. US version has some pretty terrible writing. How come there is some other event every week, be it diversity day, or the fun run day, or booze cruise day, or sensitivity awareness day, etc. All these lame events really bog the show down. The UK version thrived on its writing.

And Michael Scott is a douchebag. David Brent was a loveable loser. Michael is just a scumbag. An immature attention whore. Can't stand the guy some times, such as the time he got on the forklift and knocked all that shit over. Why the hell did he do that? What a bitch!
Click to expand...

Haha, Michael Scott is so stupid, that's what makes it hilarious. His lines are hysterical. His emotions are so humorous. Everything he does in the show makes me crack up.
 
The main thing I noticed (and I've only watched through season 3 so far, so this may have changed in later episodes) is that the U.K. version is more heartfelt at times. One only has to look at the scene where David Brent gets fired, and his pathetic attempt to hold onto his job. The scene immediately turns genuine and it's just heartrending. Compare that to when Michael Scott is told he may lose his job, and goes into a theatrical fit of despair.

Not saying the U.S. version is bad, but the U.K. version has a quality to it that really make it special in that regard.
 
LM4sure said:
UK version is far superior to US version. US version has some pretty terrible writing. How come there is some other event every week, be it diversity day, or the fun run day, or booze cruise day, or sensitivity awareness day, etc. All these lame events really bog the show down. The UK version thrived on its writing.

And Michael Scott is a douchebag. David Brent was a loveable loser. Michael is just a scumbag. An immature attention whore. Can't stand the guy some times, such as the time he got on the forklift and knocked all that shit over. Why the hell did he do that? What a bitch!
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At times, it does. Like when Michael backed the car into the lake. I also hate how they constantly tinker with the show's tone. For a bit, they tried to make the show awkward and it simply didn't work.
 
UK version is one of the best TV shows ever. US version had a great second season, but has become one of the worst, most lazily-written written shows I've ever seen.

I'd still love to see the French and German versions (w/ English subtitles of course), though.
 
Ford Prefect said:
UK version is one of the best TV shows ever. US version had a great second season, but has become one of the worst, most lazily-written written shows I've ever seen.
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Clearly there has been a decline in quality, but that is some strong hyperbole. You can't seriously mean that it's become worse than the comedies that have laugh tracks like Two and a Half Men, Big Bang Theory, Disney shit, or any show about a dumb dad, hot mom, and smartass kids.
 
woodchuck said:
well, that settles it. if Absinthe likes the UK version more, the US version must be better
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:lol


The UK version does get extra points for Gervais and his guitar. It's just a question of regionalism, really.



And The French, (who would've guessed?) have the hottest women.

biopic1_39341.jpg


That's what I call a Pam.


This chick plays another major character.

solene-bouton-236.jpg
 
a Master Ninja said:
Clearly there has been a decline in quality, but that is some strong hyperbole. You can't seriously mean that it's become worse than the comedies that have laugh tracks like Two and a Half Men, Big Bang Theory, Disney shit, or any show about a dumb dad, hot mom, and smartass kids.
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The Office is committing the bigger offense, because at one time it was good. Those other shows have always been bad. But yes, I do think that The Office is objectively just as bad, just in a less-mainstream, laughtrack-less way. It tries some edgier types of humor, but it fails just as hard as those shows do.
 
Skiptastic said:
I will say this for the American version over the British version:

They never once showed why someone would ever put David Brent in a position of power. They never show him being good at his job. He just seems completely incompetent. Which may be the satire, that someone could get to that level of management with no ability to perform his job. Plus, sometimes I can't watch the show because it gets to Curb Your Enthusiasm levels of awkwardness that is painful to watch for me. Probably because I'm a terribly awkward person at times myself and have a physical painfulness when in awkward situations.

Michael Scott, while insane and stupid and petty at times, has shown that he actually can sell things and get along with people (when he gets the school client at Chili's, when he's hanging out with the telemarketers talking about movies). In the "Survivor Man" episode, he showed why not all of his ideas are bad and that he can actually be insightful at times when he was talking with Jim. The frustration comes in the fact that those moments are few and far between.

So while I think the original is perfect in its complete and utter brutal satire, I do think the American version has some qualities that are better than the UK version.
Click to expand...

What about at the end of the entire series when
Gareth takes over as the new manager after Tim stays in his rut and turns down the offer?

I always assumed David got his job in the same way.

The way they leave you knowing that the whole cycle is going to repeat made it one of the most depressing endings to a series I've ever seen.
 
:( this thread just turned into a pissing contest between fans of the US and UK versions. You haven't even seen the French and German attempts yet. Lets work on making those available.
 
bananabread said:
What about at the end of the entire series when
Gareth takes over as the new manager after Tim stays in his rut and turns down the offer?

I always assumed David got his job in the same way.

The way they leave you knowing that the whole cycle is going to repeat made it one of the most depressing endings to a series I've ever seen.
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Hmmm, I never thought of it like that. I just always thought it was a nice thing in the American version to see that Michael Scott actually was a somewhat competent salesman. Just a completely incompetent manager. And trust me, you see plenty of people like that in the business world, it's just nice to be reminded that somehow those people had skills that got them into management positions.

I will agree that the series ended in a depressing fashion, but I wouldn't say it was depressing after the second Christmas special.
 
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