The Office

[Betterread]

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

I was a big fan of the British office and held out on this one for a long time, but it is incredibly good. it's now gone about twice as long as the British version, I think, so the characters have become better developed as well.

When I first saw the British Office I had never seen anything like it - the documentary-style filming, the mordant wit, and Ricky Gervais. I didn't like it at first but when I got used to it, I became an admirer.
Ricky Gervais embodied that role. Just as he does in his current series (the Extras - on HBO) he is about the best actor I can think of at playing really unpleasant people. Steve Carrell does a good job, but his coloring is satirical. The American Office is entertaining but it has a satirical distance from the material that the British version was unafraid to get close to. That's the difference I see - the British Office's humor was bitter and corrosive, while the American Office pokes fun.
Office Space is still the best work movie/series.

[vaticanplum]

Originally Posted by Betterread

When I first saw the British Office I had never seen anything like it - the documentary-style filming, the mordant wit, and Ricky Gervais. I didn't like it at first but when I got used to it, I became an admirer.
Ricky Gervais embodied that role. Just as he does in his current series (the Extras - on HBO) he is about the best actor I can think of at playing really unpleasant people. Steve Carrell does a good job, but his coloring is satirical. The American Office is entertaining but it has a satirical distance from the material that the British version was unafraid to get close to. That's the difference I see - the British Office's humor was bitter and corrosive, while the American Office pokes fun.

I completely agree. I felt physically uncomfortable watching the British version. Ricky Gervais is just painful to watch, and thus somehow completely hysterical.

And, much as I like Jim, there will never be another Martin Freeman. Ever.

[MrCinatit]

It actually took me a while to watch the US version of the show, I liked the UK version so much. I did not think there was any way anyone could ever replace Gareth.
And you guys are so right in feeling uncomfortable when watching David Brent. A scene where he depressingly tells everyone that they are out of a job because the branch has become redundant - but he still has a job - is a classic. Then there was a dance at a Halloween party...wow.
But, the US The Office has its painfully funny moments, as well. A couple of moments in the first episodes - Diversity Day and Health Care - had me squirming. Watching Michael try to come up with a last minute surprise is simply unforgettable.

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

Creed is the crazy older guy with short white hair. He has a blog.
http://blog.nbc.com/CreedThoughts/

Wow...classic. Purely classic. His Black Friday blog had me rolling.

[kaldaniels]

I was wondering...

It seems as if Michael Scott's best known catch phrase is "that's what she said". My question is, do you think most people who watch the show are aware of the fact that his character stole that from Mike Myers? (Myers definetly used the phrase...who knows if Myers got it from anyone)

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by kaldaniels

I was wondering...

It seems as if Michael Scott's best known catch phrase is "that's what she said". My question is, do you think most people who watch the show are aware of the fact that his character stole that from Mike Myers? (Myers definetly used the phrase...who knows if Myers got it from anyone)

I think we were using that phrase in high school.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by Chip R

I think we were using that phrase in high school.

In the 70's that phrase was alive.

[MWM]

This is my favorite clip from The Office. Rainn Wilson is brilliant on this show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3SBwS8Mds

BTW, you have to watch a few episodes of this before you start to get the characters. This show is all about the characters. The watched a clip here and there before everyone in my office kept talking it up enough that i committed to watching a few eipsoed. I've now watched all episodes (seasons 1-3 on DVD) and it's the best thing on TV. But like Seinfeld, you have to come to know the characters before it becomes really funny. The first couple of times I watched Seifeld, I felt the same way.

Also, I liked it much better before Jim and Pam were dating. The whole Roy and Pam thing with Jim in thebackground was funny. Having Jim and Pam together just takes something away, IMO.

[Patrick Bateman]

Originally Posted by MWM

BTW, you have to watch a few episodes of this before you start to get the characters. This show is all about the characters. The watched a clip here and there before everyone in my office kept talking it up enough that i committed to watching a few eipsoed. I've now watched all episodes (seasons 1-3 on DVD) and it's the best thing on TV. But like Seinfeld, you have to come to know the characters before it becomes really funny. The first couple of times I watched Seifeld, I felt the same way.

Also, I liked it much better before Jim and Pam were dating. The whole Roy and Pam thing with Jim in thebackground was funny. Having Jim and Pam together just takes something away, IMO.

Have you ever seen the British version of the Office? That too is very funny. Ricky Gervais plays the boss role far better than Steve Carrell (and Carrell isn't bad at all).

[MWM]

ACtuall, Steve Carrell is not the reason I like The Offie so much. he's funny, but to me it's the rest of the cast that makes the show. Whoever did the casting for all the roles in the office did a phenomenal job. They're what makes the show so funny, IMO.

[WMR]

Agreed. The surrounding cast is what makes the show so incredible.

Not to take anything away from Carell, because I can't think of anyone I'd rather have in the role than him.

BTW: It's amazing how much better the show got from the first season to subsequent seasons. The first season was definitely a work in progress.

[Patrick Bateman]

Originally Posted by MWM

ACtuall, Steve Carrell is not the reason I like The Offie so much. he's funny, but to me it's the rest of the cast that makes the show. Whoever did the casting for all the roles in the office did a phenomenal job. They're what makes the show so funny, IMO.

I definitely agree... in fact that's what makes Ricky Gervais' character so funny. He's the master of making horribly uncomfortable jokes.

There is nobody quite as deranged as Dwight, but there is a similar ensemble of interesting cast members that have their unique antics. Gervais I think does a better job of being the focal point.

[Unassisted]

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

I completely agree. I felt physically uncomfortable watching the British version. Ricky Gervais is just painful to watch, and thus somehow completely hysterical.

Ricky's show Extras is a great showcase of his talents, too. The episode of Extras with David Bowie has him interacting with Bowie in a way that is unforgettable.

[sonny]

Originally Posted by MWM

This is my favorite clip from The Office. Rainn Wilson is brilliant on this show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3SBwS8Mds

I would have to give John Krasynski the nod there, but it matters little. It is a super show.

[FlightRick]

Originally Posted by MWM

Also, I liked it much better before Jim and Pam were dating. The whole Roy and Pam thing with Jim in thebackground was funny. Having Jim and Pam together just takes something away, IMO.

I dunno. With Michael and Dwight being mostly absurd/pitable characters, the onus of being genuinely likeable falls on Jim and Pam. And you can't have the two main characters that average folks are supposed to like, relate to, and cheer for (instead of laugh at) essentially acting retarded for 4 seasons in a row.

To continue coming up with ways to keep them apart would have required the characters behaving stupidly. I know I started to get annoyed with two supposedly-intelligent characters failing to recognize the obvious at points during the second season. At least during the third season, they pulled the little plot twist of sending Jim to Stamford for a couple months, alleviating the problem (and, in fact, putting more problems into place so that you could keep things simmering once Jim and Karen returned to the Office).

I figure by the start of the fourth season, it was time. It's not like it's an overpowering part of the show; it's just a matter of fact, leaving space for other storylines and characters to develop. If we still had Jim and Pam being all moon-faced and hopelessly in forbidden love, I don't know as that there'd be room for Ed Helms' new character to be battling Dwight tooth-and-nail for Michael's affections. In terms of "love triangles," it's a trade-off I'm willing to make.

Then again, now that I'm old enough to appreciate it, reruns of "Cheers" have convinced me that the best thing that ever happened to the show was whats-her-name leaving after 3-4 seasons, preventing the show from either succombing to an actual "Very Special Wedding Episode" or rehashing Sam and Diane's same old tricks for 10 years.


Rick

PS: If we're chiming in on Gervais' "Extras," I'll say that if you don't think the Patrick Stewart episode is the funniest one, you can't be my friend.

[MWM]

Good points, Rick. And my wife and i made the same point while watching Season 3. There's no way the should could realistically keep them apart. But having those two in such a blissfully perfect relationship is a little cheesy and a bit boring. I wonder what they'll do with those two because I wonder how long their little utopian love affair will be able to continue.

Also, agreed on Cheers.