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It’s Time To End “The Office”
From Ricky Gervais’ website, Kyle Carpenter critiques the US Office for straying too far from the British original.
For the most part, the American Office has departed so far from the British version that the two can barely be thought of as the same show. One major pitfall is that some of the main characters in the American version are vastly different from their portrayal in the British one. For example, Carrell’s role as Michael Scott is, at best, an overblown parody of the bumbling British boss David Brent. The real loss is that Gervais’s style of subtle comedic delivery throughout the series has been abandoned. Instead, Carrell’s jokes are over the top and spoon-fed to the American audience.
Another prominent character that was spoiled in the American version is the role of the slightly neurotic wimp Gareth Keenan. Mackenzie Crook’s role as Gareth was turned into Dwight Shrute, portrayed by Rainn Wilson. Wilson’s role is so over-acted and unbelievable that he comes across more like a villain from a little kid’s show than a character in a comedy that is supposed to be funny because of how realistic it is. This brings me to the fundamental difference between the two shows. Although a stretch at times, the British version feels like it could be a real workplace, and the characters are humorous in their authenticity. In the American version, the characters are larger than life, and often find themselves in unrealistic situations. While some
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