Mike-O
Active member
To each his own, but the few first US episodes that tried to mimic Gervais' uncomfortable brilliance were just awful, awful, awful. I sat in agony watching that stuff, thinking: "Why, why on Earth do they have to try and ONE UP everything?!" After that the show took on a completely different direction and shouldn't even be called The Office. Really.
In this case I'm a puritan, as The Office solidifies everything that is great about humor and British series. The main thing that pretty much everyone understands in the industry over there what quality over quantity means. All the best series have usually a maximum 6-9 episodes per season, opposed to the whopping 20something that many US shows have.
Like The Office, there were only two seasons and a few specials, because they KNEW they didn't want to beat their prize-winning steed to the ground with a rusty shovel after a glorious grand prix victory. Of course, it's again a matter of opinion, but the US version just tries too much, it's like a watching a circus show of catchphrases and "Ooooh, what will Dwight do this episode, dress like an office ninja and then everyone will think he is a clown and play pranks on him teehee and Michael will do something HILARIOUS as well maybe teehee?"
In this case I'm a puritan, as The Office solidifies everything that is great about humor and British series. The main thing that pretty much everyone understands in the industry over there what quality over quantity means. All the best series have usually a maximum 6-9 episodes per season, opposed to the whopping 20something that many US shows have.
Like The Office, there were only two seasons and a few specials, because they KNEW they didn't want to beat their prize-winning steed to the ground with a rusty shovel after a glorious grand prix victory. Of course, it's again a matter of opinion, but the US version just tries too much, it's like a watching a circus show of catchphrases and "Ooooh, what will Dwight do this episode, dress like an office ninja and then everyone will think he is a clown and play pranks on him teehee and Michael will do something HILARIOUS as well maybe teehee?"