243 replies to this topic

[Red Rabbit]

This show has to have one of the best ensemble casts of any comedy program.

[indy4]

British or American?

[Morlock]

The American version of THE OFFICE isn't a patch on the original British version.

But Carell is so much more pathetic than Gervais...they're very different shows. The UK version is more satiric in nature. The US is more concerned with character. I love a lot of them both, but Gervais' general misanthropy doesn't sit well with me.

[Red Rabbit]

British or American?

American. I'm not very familiar with the UK version.

[indy4]

Then I'll agree with you.

[Morlock]

Well, Mackenzie Crook and Martin Freeman ain't too shabby...

[Red Rabbit]

The American version of THE OFFICE isn't a patch on the original British version.

But Carell is so much more pathetic than Gervais...they're very different shows. The UK version is more satiric in nature. The US is more concerned with character. I love a lot of them both, but Gervais' general misanthropy doesn't sit well with me.

I don't feel the need to compare them myself. They are different shows, and one's success doesn't lessen the quality of the other. I'm a big fan of Gervais' Extras, and although I haven't really seen much of his The Office (reiterating) I'm sure it's great too.

[Jason LeBlanc]

Last week's episode was great, great, great. Loved it.

I hope Holly comes back

What does everyone think will happen with the Dwight/AngelaAndy triangle?

How about with Jim and Pam?

[Richard Penna]

I think the two styles are very different. The UK version is something I genuinely could picture happening in an office - I don't know how well the Americans here know UK culture, but it's scarily similar. Plus it helps that Gervais has a very similar personality to his character - I don't think he's acting some of the time. Plus, there are some scenes where Brent is actually shown to be doing some real work and making an effort towards it. I've rarely seen Michael Scott do anything even remotely productive, and when he did, it was usually fooling around and trying to win some bet.

Now I know there are some really daft characters in the US, but even so, it's the lack of true realism and exaggeration of everything that makes it different IMO, and why it's survived for 5 seasons.

[Jason LeBlanc]

You must have not seen too many episodes of the US version then.... cause they have shown several times that Michael Scott is an EXCELLENT salesman.... he just got promoted too high, as he's a HORRIBLE manager

[Ray Barnsbury]

Exactly. Some of my favorite moments of the show are when we get to see a glimmer of Michael's competence through his overall idiocy. As far as Dwangelandy (yeah, I went there), I really have no idea what to expect. They're getting married on Dwight's beet farm now, for God's sake! Who knows where this will go. One thing I miss is getting to see as much of Angela as we have in the past. Maybe it's becase she hasn't had as many talking heads lately, but it seems like her character has been reduced significantly this season.

As for Jim and Pam....I really like how they've reintroduced some tension in their relationship. Sure it was nice when they finally got together and everything was perfect, but my favorite JAM moments have always been the subtle yet heartbreaking ones from Season 2 (the Booze Cruise's 27 seconds of silence, the Christmas gifts, the season finale confession/rejection, etc). It'll be interesting to see where Pam's art takes her, after that conversation with her school friend - who, by the way, I'm pretty sure they purposely made pretty average-looking so we wouldn't see him as a threat to Jim.

[Red Rabbit]

Angela with Andy just cannot last. I'm thinking eventually Andy will wise-up and realize Angela really doesn't like him, granted she doesn't like most people, but you catch my drift.

[Morlock]

Andy does not strike me as the kind of guy who wises-up. Ed Helms is great as Andy, although I wonder if he could play anything else.

[Red Rabbit]

Andy does not strike me as the kind of guy who wises-up. Ed Helms is great as Andy, although I wonder if he could play anything else.

Yeah, but for some reason I can't see Angela just dumping him and going after Dwight. They both appeal to her in different ways.

[indy4]

I disagree. As Phyllis said, Angela is with Andy because she doesn't want to take any risks. She doesn't love Andy, so she has nothing to lose by marrying him.

[indy4]

Last episode was great.

Spoiler

The Office will be a warmer place with Pam back.

[Jason LeBlanc]

It indeed was. The last 2 episodes in a row have been really, really good

Great deleted scene last week with Dwight too

http://www.nbc.com/theoffice

[Red Rabbit]

Yes it was a great episode. Andy was hilarious, and Pam returning was a treat.

But boy is Ryan a douche-bag.

[indy4]

Indeed he is. But you can't say that Kelly's morals run much deeper.

It was absolutely hilarious to see Daryl strutting out of the warehouse with a spring in his step.

[Ray Barnsbury]

It'll be interesting to see if there's any fallout from Michael's heated conversation with David Wallace. I thought that scene was rather sad.

[indy4]

Yeah. When Michael was talking to the camera saying that he was so glad he had enough respect to tell his boss off and not get fired...well Michael hung up on David...he never really had a chance to hear Wallace's reaction...

[Jason LeBlanc]

I'm glad Michael had the balls to do what he did

Sadly, I doubt Michael will ever permanently end up with Holly unless it's the last episode.... Mostly just because they hired an oscar winning actress who I'm sure can't or doesn't want to commit to years of full seasons of a tv show than anything else...

[Greg1138]

I think the two styles are very different. The UK version is something I genuinely could picture happening in an office - I don't know how well the Americans here know UK culture, but it's scarily similar. Plus it helps that Gervais has a very similar personality to his character - I don't think he's acting some of the time. Plus, there are some scenes where Brent is actually shown to be doing some real work and making an effort towards it. I've rarely seen Michael Scott do anything even remotely productive, and when he did, it was usually fooling around and trying to win some bet.

Now I know there are some really daft characters in the US, but even so, it's the lack of true realism and exaggeration of everything that makes it different IMO, and why it's survived for 5 seasons.

Having been managed by someone who was scarily similar to David Brent, I concur! I think you've got the differences spot on...the US version is a sitcom with heart, and the UK version is a true story waiting to happen...the characters are so well observed in both shows though that they have taken on lives of their own - something very rare for shows these days....

Anyone not seen the UK version - please give it a go - there were only 14 episodes (including the 2 Christmas specials which capped the series off and tied up the various threads) so you haven't wasted much of your life if you hate it....and the Comic Relief episode is a classic, whichever way you slice it.

I manage to keep up with the US show and am addicted....that last episode was actually really beautifully written...and the closing moments in particula - if a woman said that to me in those circumstances (which might happen!! Yah - rrrrrrright!) I would be a mess....

Greg

[indy4]

Anybody else watch the episode right after the Superbowl? That has got to be one of the greatest openings of all time...I was cracking up. The episode sort of went downhill from there, but it was still very good by the end.

[DarthHornPlayer]

Anybody else watch the episode right after the Superbowl? That has got to be one of the greatest openings of all time...I was cracking up. The episode sort of went downhill from there, but it was still very good by the end.

The cat through the roof was so funny

[Richard Penna]

Yeah I had to be careful not to laugh out loud at the cat thing as I was watching it in bed after midnight.

Absolute genius of an opening.

[Jason LeBlanc]

Wow, I couldn't have a more opposite opinion than you two!

I LOVE the office, been watching it from the start. I think that season 2 is one of the best seasons of any tv show ever.

But the post-superbowl episode was terrible. They just took things way too far over the top, made Michael too stupid (not knowing what thirty-five hundred meant? Come on!), and the movie-within-the-episode made no sense and wasn't funny

[Richard Penna]

Yeah that 'movie within' thing didn't really work for me, but I still liked the rest of the episode.

I do think they're making Dwight a little too reckless though. Gareth from the UK version was just as much as a stubborn, 'survivalist' ass but he wouldn't do anything like what Dwight does. Actually, it was mostly Tim doing stuff to him.

[Ray Barnsbury]

I thought it was a huge improvement over the previous two episodes, which were pretty blah. And I don't think there was anything more over-the-top than the Dwight vs. Andy storyline from a couple episodes ago. For me, definitely one of the best of the season.

[nightscape94]

Man, that opening was one of the funniest of the entire series. The episode itself was good too, I thought.

[Red Rabbit]

Hilarious episode, although they are stretching the believability of Dwight not getting fired.

[indy4]

Last episode was great, it reminded me of the Golden Era of the Office. So much better than the one before it, which was okay.

[Datameister]

I agree. It hearkened back to the show's better days. Still not quite where it used to be, but it was good.

[Morlock]

I thought it was fine. I liked Blood Drive more, though.

[Datameister]

Blood Drive was good, too. I dunno...maybe I've just kind of gotten over the show a bit, but I can't shake the feeling that this season has been markedly worse overall, despite some very funny episodes.

[Jason LeBlanc]

This week's The Office was filled with quotable lines, it was great

"OK, I'm gonna ask you something, and I want you to be honest: What is a pallet?"

"I've got a golden ticket idea, why don't you skip up to the roof and jump off?"

"You put your heart out there like that, it's liable to just turn into this blackened carbon brick with its barbecue sauce of shame and rage, and two hot people with a perfect relationship wouldn't understand that"

"Horse Boat: a canoe built around your horse, so you can go from riding to water travel, without slowing down. Horse Boat!"

and of course the whole knock knock KGB joke

[indy4]

I love when Dwight pulls out his diary.

[Richard Penna]

I think the golden ticket disaster was a little predictable, but Michael's ass saving was funnily pathetic to watch.

Last few episodes have been missing that ingredient - not sure what. I've been watching some older episodes again, they just seem fresher.

[Bryant Burnette]

I'd been feeling that ever since the Super Bowl episode, the show had been a little off tonally, in a way I couldn't quite identify. I'd still liked most of the episodes, so it didn't bother me, necessarily; but I thought it was different in some way. (Possibly the absence of B.J. Novak from the writers' room?)

The Golden Ticket episode, though, was a classic.

Anybody else here also like 30 Rock?

[Richard Penna]

Yeap, started watching it a few weeks ago. Currently about halfway through season 2 - my brother and I watch 3 or 4 episodes at a time given how short they are.

It's one of the most consistently original and random shows I've ever seen, and I wouldn't risk watching in bed at 1am due to the 'LOL' frequency