The Office (american)

[Cambo]

Should I bother watching this? I've avoided it like the plague because I don't think anyone can match Gervais' genius original series.

I do like Steve Carrell though, and it seems they've taken it in a direction far enough away from the original that it would'nt necessarily ruin it for me.

Anyone a fan? Or hate it? Need some guidance.

[danlo]

Sorry, I can't help you...Carrell is like Carey (in this Ace Ventura Days, after the Truman Show and Man on the Moon I kind of like him), Stiller, Sandler and Ferrell I can't handle watching them...then again I'm one of these outcasts that never got into Sienfeld either

[Zarathustra]

I watched the first season of the original, after seeing the first season of the American version. I thought the American version was MUCH funnier. I used to watch it all the time. Not so much anymore.

[Kil Tyme]

Never saw the brit show, but have been watching the us version except for this last season. I loved it, but it took quite a while to get used to Carrell due to some of the increadable things he would say and embarrasing comments and situations. He truely is a moron, but then at the end of many shows he does or says something that provides him/his character redemption. If you start to watch you need to see from the beginning; the last season or two has seems to have run it's course for the series. It was the funniest show on TV for me for a couple years anyway. I need to see the orig brit series to see what the hub bub is about.

[Orlion]

Personally, I don't think it's funny. Personally, I don't think they put more effort into it than Tim & Eric's Awesome Show (another show I can't comprehend why anyone would like it). Also, I agree with Danlo's post 100% (never could get into Seinfeld).

[Cambo]

Danlo, I have always loved Jim Carrey, probably because his career evolved the way it did. When I was a kid, "The Mask" was my favourite movie, and now I've grown I'm very impressed by his performances in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Number 23."

Kil Tyme, I'm glad to hear bits of The Office were embarassing or uncomfortable, because that was the hallmark of the British version. Ricky Gervais is a master of humiliation, some of his series is just plain painful to watch, but he also makes you care about the characters.

[Zarathustra]

Danlo, I have always loved Jim Carrey, probably because his career evolved the way it did. When I was a kid, "The Mask" was my favourite movie, and now I've grown I'm very impressed by his performances in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Number 23."

I couldn't agree more, except for the small detail of The Mask. It was Ace Ventura/Dumb and Dumber that filled that role for me, then I moved on to Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine as my more mature favorites.

Kil Tyme, I'm glad to hear bits of The Office were embarassing or uncomfortable, because that was the hallmark of the British version. Ricky Gervais is a master of humiliation, some of his series is just plain painful to watch, but he also makes you care about the characters.

Yes, that's exactly what is brilliant about the American version. Watch from season one, and go from there if you like it. The characters do evolve and form relationships. Their back stories become more relevant as time goes on. But what hooked me from the beginning was Michael Scott giving a diversity training class to his employees. From that episode alone, I knew this was something special.

I like Gervais, but I thought he came off as more of a smartass than Carrell. Carrell's character seems more clueless, which makes him more likeable while he's being insensitive, in my opinion.

[Magnus]

Signing as a fan of the show.
I too enjoyed the original series and it took me awhile to get used to the American version's characters because i was always comparing them to the British version.
Its certainly worth a look if your a Carrel fan

[The Somberlain]

As I understand it season 1 is pretty much an exact copy of the British one, almost line for line. So I skipped that one and watched 2 and 3, which are pretty good for what they are, but then season 4 just started getting kind of stupid/soap-opera-y, and I gave up. From what I've heard it never really picked up again.

[Cambo]

Yeah, I wondered if it might not have been a mistake for them to carry on with it as long as they did, as one of the great things about the first series was the perfect place it ended.

Z, I thought of Gervais' Brent as more of a social inept with no self-awareness than a smartass. One of the things I thougt he portrayed so well as the way politically correct people avoid offensive things without actually realising why people are offended by them For example, on the dog "Nigger" in The Dambusters.

Gareth:...and the dog called "Nigger."
Brent: Yes, but that's ok because that was before racism was bad.
Gareth: The dog's name was nigger.
Brent: Yes, alright, don't keep saying it.

Well, I will probably give at least the first couple of seasons a go and see what I think. Thanks guys. Might post my first impressions here if I get hold of it soon.

[Cagliostro]

It's worth a watch. I watched it after the original British version, and I kept screaming at the tv for the first few episodes to move it away from the original. Then again, the pilot episode was written by Ricky Gervais, so that is part of the reason it was so similar. But the farther away it moved from the original, the better. There are some great moments throughout it, although I've not watched religiously when I did watch it, and I don't think I've seen a single episode of the last two seasons - not because I gave up on it, but mainly because I don't watch tv while it is airing since Lost. The only series I follow anymore is Glee, and I catch that on Hulu, mainly because of the wife.

[aTOMiC]

I came in late to the Office a couple of seasons back.
When the show first aired I watched 2 episodes and didn't think much of it. Then years later a couple of cable networks would air several episodes back to back and I began to get hooked. Now I think I've seen every episode and continue to follow each week. As it turns out it is very much worth my time in spite of the bland first impression. Watched a couple of the British shows without much interest.

[Zarathustra]

Anyone else keeping up with the final season? I lost interest after S5 or S6, but lately I've caught up with Netflix, and I'm glad I did. It was still a damn funny show after Carrell left. And this season is just bizarre. The whole documentary thing is finally being addressed, and it's "breaking the 4th wall" territory. It feels like the fundamentals of the show are breaking down, spinning out of control as these people find their final places at the end of their character arcs.

[Zarathustra]

This season is really something special. No other season moved these characters as far as this one. Andy's "sign off" was actually kind of touching.

[Zarathustra]

Well, it's over. I suppose I'm the only one here who cares.

It ended perfectly. Nearly every character had some kind of resolution. It was just about the funniest episode I've seen from The Office. They did it right.

[Cozarkian]

I agree. They did a great job with the ending.

[High Lord Tolkien]

I only started watching this a few years ago.
Netflix has made this show my number one obsession for the past few years.
I watch it constantly.
It's my go to show when I don't feel like browsing for anything.
15 year old memes still make me laugh.
My kids made me a Belsnickel costume this Christmas.
Toby is the Scranton Strangler.
Angela and Roy had sex.
Save Bandit!!