Comments on: The Office USA Vs The Office UK: Top Moments

By: Sam

Sam — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:25:47 +0000

Gervais choose to end it, idiot.

By: E

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:50:21 +0000

ok so you’re an idiot. the uk version ended after two seasons because unlike most americans, the British believe that everything must end at an appropriate time. all the best shows have had shorter runs with fewer episodes ( the inbetweeners, the thick of it, keeping up appearances, blackadder to name a few), than most american Tv ( smallville, 24, dexter, desperate housewives to name a few ). 24 1 hour episodes over 6-10 seasons is ridiculous. keep it short, sweet and to the point!!!! americans love to milk the life out of an idea …

By: up yours

up yours — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:58:50 +0000

hey I bet this was some british fuck doing this review its cool to have country pride but just remember the AMERICAN REVOLUTION…… america!!!!! so quit being byes you uk fuck ….the office america wins this thats why it lasted 8 seasons …. suck that…you BOSTON TEA PARTY FUCK

By: me

me — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:04:34 +0000

Finally, someone who knows what they’re talking about!

By: me

me — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:59:13 +0000

The whole point of the show is that it is based in an office and is supposed to show what kind of awkward and funny things happen in an office. I don’t come from England or America, but as an unbiased opinion, the UK version wins hands down. The American version has just went on too long. The UK version was only 2 seasons so the plots and characters didn’t become boring, unlike the American version. Also, the US version doesn’t even seem like it’s in an actual office being filmed for a reality show. They never seem to realise they’re going to be on TV or have been on TV and some of the things they do you wouldn’t really be able to do in an office. IMHO both accents are equally annoying but you get used to them, although I don’t find any of them difficult to understand.

By: jerbear

jerbear — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:26:56 +0000

I’m American, raised on American sitcoms, and I think the British version is a MILLION TIMES BETTER! But don’t get me wrong, I think the American one is excellent, and consistently one of the best shows on American TV.

I think the brevity of the British version is what makes it great. 14 episodes, and done! The American one, with 23 episodes a season, 8 seasons now?…it’s just too much sometimes (although each ep always seems to make me laugh out loud). I guess I just think the British one has more heart and soul because it was so short (though they both have heart and soul). David Brent is a tragic figure. The Tim and Dawn story is heart-breaking. I’ve read a lot of the above comments. I think if the pro-US viewers just kept watching the UK version, and not give up after one or two episodes (like I almost did), you will “get” it. David matures and redeems himself in the end, and Tim and Dawn finally get together in one of the most romantic ways I’ve ever seen on TV or movies (and a million times more romantic than the Jim and Pam story).

I think both bosses are awesome, and I love both Gareth and Dwight. But I do think the Tim and Dawn love story is better than Jim and Pam. But again, it’s because it was dragged on and on, and got boring. I like both Jim and Pam as characters, but it just DRAGGED…”brevity is the soul of wit.” -William Shakespeare.

Another thing that bothered me about the American version is that the characters don’t seem to act as if they’re on a reality show that will be broadcasted later on like, TLC, or Bravo, or KPBS or whatever. Whenever Dwight says “and no one will ever know it was me who did it!”, I always think “yes they will, when they watch the rebroadcast dude!!!” Ugh, that annoys me. In the UK version, they always seemed to be aware that they are being taped, and that they often acknowledged that episodes will be (and in the holiday special were already) aired.

But I will admit, as some of you have said, it was hard for me, as an American, to get all the different accents. And I don’t think that makes me dumb. Seriously, I still don’t get have the shit Finchy said! And also, they reference a lot of old British sitcoms and British celebs that we couldn’t possibly get. But I was able to look past that. I got the gist of it. (Fawlty Towers is awesome, btw…)

The US version should be commended for staying funny and fresh for so long, but the British version has stolen my heart (man, that’s cheesy). But lastly, if it wasn’t for the British version, there would be no American version. Or French version. Or French-Canadian version. Or Chilean version. Or German version. Or Swedish version.

Wait a minute, shouldn’t the fact that so many countries made their own versions based on the UK version tell you that the UK version is AMAZING and it’s maybe that you’re just not getting it?

By: Drew

Drew — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:35:49 +0000

I actually fell asleep watching an epsiode of the UK Office, maybe it was because it was on late or maybe it was so boring that it lost my interest. I don’t find Ricky Gervais, funny at all. He just come across as a cynical asshole, who’s so full of himself that it’s absurd. I think the U.S. Office has an outstanding cast, enetertaining storylines, humerous jokes and great team of writers. If you want to pick a truely great british comedy that does British style humor justice, I would give it to The Black Adder.

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 06:05:44 +0000

Couldn’t agree more. Perfectly said.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 09:25:02 +0000

That’s what she said…is that seriously what golden age American comedy has come down to ? I have heard that line years before it was ever mentioned in aired television and it was hardly remotely funny then. The characters in the U.S version of The Office are bland, boring and predictable. The U.S version is simply a sloppy redo generic American comedy just like any other.

The original version is a timeless classic that will stand the test of time.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:05:32 +0000

I have to say… it might be because I’m American and I don’t get all the British humor of a British tv show, but I think that the American version wins hands down. I’ve seen both pilots and they are both very very similar. On purpose. The American show was supposed to be just like the British version, but in America. It’s no wonder that Ricky Gervais is an executive producer of the American version.
As for Jim and Pam — their romance never gets old. Never. And every moment they weren’t together just made the suspense grow. Just sayin’…

By: Jake

Jake — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:14:29 +0000

1: If English is your first language, and you can’t understand ENGLISH people speaking it, you’re a moron.

2: If you disregard a comedy because it doesn’t leave you all warm and fuzzy inside, you’re a moron.

3: If you consider a mark of a show’s quality is how long it has gone on (and on and on ) for, you’re a moron.

4: If you can watch David Brent’s dance/motivational speech/Princess Diana song/welcome to Slough speech etc etc ad infinitum without soiling yourself with laughter. you’re a (dead inside) moron!

By: Walter Tibbs

Walter Tibbs — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:30:36 +0000

Ricky Gervais is co-creator and executive producer of the American version. He doesn’t have to want a piece, he owns it.

By: Dude

Dude — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 03:10:12 +0000

is this still going on???? seriosly???

By: Sam

Sam — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:28:38 +0000

The British show is a lot more subtle than the American version and, let’s face it, Americans don’t really like subtle… They like big ‘smack you round the face’ stuff instead – just look at the food a lot of you guys eat, the cars a lot of you drive, and the films they make in Hollywood; then compare them to anything on this side of the Atlantic.
It doesn’t mean they’re idiots and it doesn’t mean the American version of The Office is better than the British one – They’re both good in different ways.
That said, I prefer the British version because it was a genuinely groundbreaking show that paved the way for a lot of other great comedies (including its US version).

By: Matt Forrester

Matt Forrester — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 03:06:18 +0000

Sam, of all of the quotes that you could rip out from the (far superior – and I’m an Aussie) UK version of The Office, you had to choose my ALL-TIME favourite quote from any show, EVER!!! And it wasn’t just the ridiculously hilarious thoughts of Gareth Keenan in this scene that made it so brilliant but also the awesome deadpan/creepy delivery of Mackenzie Crook when he says it!! Great choice, dude (hope you’re a boy Sam after calling you dude!)…