When people are saying “painful to watch”, do you mean because it’s shit, or because of the cringe factor a la Curb Your Enthusiasm?
Both the American remake and the original British version of The Office are “painful to watch”. The difference is that the British version is also subtle, inspired, funny, and compelling. The American version is the polar opposite of those things.
-Tom
It’s strange how similar the US version is, and yet manages to miss the mark.[/quote]
I likened the American version to watching your favourite play as performed by a high school.[/quote]
That’s perfect. They’re lucky you’re not a professional television critic.
I still haven’t watched the US version, but Gervais had this… well, something about his pointy teeth and his shifty eyes… yeah, it really was a subtle performance, and I don’t see how it could be duplicated.
Probably. I don’t like Curb Your Enthusiasm either so it might be the same thing.
For the recond, I don’t need my shows to have a laughtrack I generally like them better without. However I do perfer up beat quick pacing with likable characters to comedy’s that don’t have such a style.
The best way I can compare it is I love Futurama, Venture Brothers, Scrubs and hate Family Guy, Everyone lloves Raymond and the Office.
I’ve never seen the original, but I watched the first episode of the US version today and it was pretty funny.
And he was SO HAWT during the Britpop days :cry: (Gayness be here)
I don’t know if anyone has cast themself as well as Gervais did for The Office. Lumpy, short, those aforementioned teeth (when he does that weird smile/fang-bearing thing, total slime) and eyes. The way he’s always bullshitting and scanning whoever he’s talking to for signs that they don’t believe him, his nervous “Yeah?” at the end of most sentences.
I know all the fans of the British version are mostly saying its not that good, but that bit tonight about not including an Arab because it was too ‘explosive’ was hilarious.
Its definitely got all the awkward and uncomfortable stuff down.
I’ve only seen the last half of last night’s episode, but I wouldn’t say that the American version is the polar opposite of those things about the British version, more that it is just this (hold fingers really close together) far off to make it a dim shadow of the British version.
I’ve seen worse. I am interested to see if it gets better and will burn out quickly if it does not, but I laughed in many parts.
Wait and see attitude status: ACTIVE.
I thought last night’s episode was better than the pilot, but hardly good enough to put it on a “must see” list. They seem to be relying on the “OMG did he really just say that?” factor rather than genuinely clever or insightful writing.
I watched the “Healthcare” episode which I had TiVo’d. I laughed. Not sure if it is the painful humor, my experience with those same types of people, or if it some defect I carry. I think it is a smart and funny show. (But then I am the Point Pleasant Guy, too.)
I’ve never seen the British version, and I love Carrell and his ability to make silence funny, so I’m enjoying it quite a bit. Best of all, when NBC cancels this one, I still have the Brit version to look forward to. Anyway, I like the US version a lot. Reminds me of every office I temped and worked in only exaggerated just a tiny bit.
Cue British version fans telling me I’m a fool for liking this one. Fine, I get the same thing from Les Miserables fans who prefer the London cast recording too.
FOrgot to mention, I caught, what I assume was, 2 of the final episodes of the Brit version on BBC this past weekend. I enjoy both. I do not think that has to be mutually exclusive or that one has to do the same thing the other does. Some of the Brit show is not as good simply because of the cultural, societal, language differences that have to be interpreted. Monty Python was the same way. It takes a bit more effort to enjoy, not because the humor is different, but because they are half way around the world (for me). A little time and the regional jokes make sense.
I’m not afraid of the British show. In fact, unlike Les Miserables, I’m sure I’ll prefer it. But when I heard that, aside from the pilot, the US version would have their own scripts and situations I figured I could watch both. Since the US version is free and I can get in on the ground floor, I’m watching that first.
Sorry, did not mean you specifically Bub. :) That comment was more for the people on up in the thread.
I think they kept plenty of the characteristics from the players in the BBC version while still molding it for an American audience.
It is different and well acted. Which, right now, is refreshing and more than enough for me. I had the misfortune of watching a bit of Life on a Stick on Fox last night. That, my friend, is a horrible, horrible show. It boggles my mind how those scripts and actors receive airtime for an unaired pilot, much less a several episode run.
I love the woman playing the secretary. She has exactly the right beaten down and in hell expression I remember from my temping days.
After having seen the first four or five episodes of the original, I don’t think I’ll be watching the US version again. Sorry guys, you just picked something too good to remake.
Wait until you see Season 2 (UK). Ouch. OUCH.
I finally got through watching the first three US episodes, and although the first episode was suboptimal, I REALLY liked the second one (please buy some cookie cookie!) and the third episode was also very well done.
I have only seen a couple of the British episodes and enjoyed it, and although Carrell lacks the subtlety of Gervais, he is outstanding in his own right and I think an excellent choice for the role (although Steven Colbert would also have worked well too).
“I am better at hiding than they are at vision.”
This show gets better with each successive episode.