22 replies to this topic

[DaisyBomb]

Ok. So I haven't had cable in forever, so I'm a little
late on this, but I finally got to watch the American (NBC)
version of The Office, today.

It was awful!
I didn't even laugh!
I mean, Tim and Dawn had so much more chemistry than JIM and PAM
And what the hell is up with DWIGHT? I want Gareth!
GOD. GROSS.

Please - does anyone here find this show funny?

I need to go watch me some BBC season 1, right now, so I can forget
how terrible that was.

[DaisyBomb]

Okay, lemme explain why I'm so frustrated.

99% of the people I've talked to have found the American version funnier.

I want an EXPLAINATION!

[glitterbot]

I love them both!!

[woodman]

the first few episodes of the american version were not that funny - and yes, I watched the original first. however, the second season has proven to be pretty damn good - I don't judge the american version by the british original, because it wasn't meant to be an exact copy. I like it on it's on terms. I just wish arested development wasn't leaving us... *tears* I'm going to go take a dump and eat some cheese.

[lkelly]

i've only seen one episode of the american office. i just don't get why they
remade it. there's no way they could make it any better the bbc original,
which i , it is awesome. there's some guy who goes to casey's a lot
who looks like tim

[church]

the bbc version was brilliant. if you've never seen it, maybe the nbc might be funny. but i'm not even sure of that.

[ironyengine]

I have never seen the BBC version, and I find the NBC show pretty amusing. It helps that Dwight is played by my favorite weirdo from Six Feet Under and the boss is played by Steve Carell, but as for the rest I presume I just don't know what I'm missing.

I will say I liked the BBC's "Coupling" better than either the US version of "Coupling" or "Friends." Whatever that means.

[Tony]

i've seen the BBC version and it's amusing, but not as good as the hype surrounding it. i didn't watch any of season 1 of the american version, because i had this notion in my head that it wasn't going to be any good, but i've seen the last several episodes and thought they were very funny. maybe i relate more because i used to work in that office (minus the boss). so if you pressed me for a vote, i'd say the US version.

to put additional perspective around my vote, i should mention that i have never, ever, ever laughed at any monty python movie. does this bias me against british humour?

[glitterbot]

i think it is a very different show. i think the original was funny, and i think the nbc version is funny, but they are completely different in their humor. BBC was much more akward and uncomfortable most of the time, although NBC has uncomfortable moments too. I think NBC version has a tendency to be sillier, like the "alliance" ep from last season. I love steve carell, i think he is hilarious in just about anything he does.
and i harbor the same crush on JIM that i harbored on TIM.

[DaisyBomb]

I don't like how they made JIM an exact clone of TIM.
I mean, everyone else kind of has their own style that
slightly separates who their character is from the original,
but this JIM, he is so fake!
I was watching him make facial expressions and body movements EXACTLY the way TIM does.

I also, have a crush on Tim.
Lkelly, hook a friend up!

Anyway, I will watch this again next week, and hope that I just caught a bad episode.

[bob]

well the american one got canned, didn't it? (EDIT: maybe it didn't, i don't watch actual tv, i just watch dvds) who cares what your friends think.

i really liked the american one. steve carrell is fucking hilarious. i watched every single deleted scene on that disc, and even those were funny.

it's funny, because the bbc show is obviously inspired by 'office space' which is american but when the americans try to do it...

[bob]

it's also interesting that this super kafka style office work culture is relatable and nightmarish on both sides of the pond...

[church]

the nbc show is a bad knockoff, totally missing the subtlety of the timing and humor -and intent - of the bbc version. when i first saw a few episodes of the bbc version, it was a little too british. but when you see the rest of them, that goes away pretty quickly and the show is amazing. yes, it's a knock off of larry sanders and curb, but it's well done.....and painful to watch. i like steve corell, but the american version just misses the whole zing-ness of the bbc. it's so second-rate that it's embarrassing to watch.

[DaisyBomb]

Church, thats exactly what I'm saying!

I thought I owned the BBC series for some reason, but I totally don't.
So I went and rented it for the weekend, yay!

[ironyengine]

well the american one got canned, didn't it? (EDIT: maybe it didn't, i don't watch actual tv, i just watch dvds)

I have heard that the show may be cancelled. I blame myself for not remembering to set the DVR to record it for most of this season.

Oh well! It is still a pretty funny show, inferior or not.