Just re-watching the original UK The Office. Holy shit. The American version was so toned down. The level of mean-spirited humor and abject awkwardness is a lot more intense.
well, they only produced 12 eps so the characters didnt have much time to evolve but the american version had more of a communitarian spirit.
Yes. Even with more time, it would have been tough to wind down David Brent to a Michael Scott level of dickishness. I suspect in developing the US version they aimed for a higher level of likeability so they could sustain it for a longer run.
The initial version of Michael Scott (slicked back hair), was probably a little too much of a dick for the US, but was still pretty mild compared with David Brent. Both Brent and Scott had a huge level of insecurity, but Brent was much more likely to lash out with cruelty when he was the butt of a joke.
I remembered Brent as a likeable character. And he has his moments. But he's a truly awful person.
yeah, i assume the american audiences need the michael scott character to be more likeable. he was more of a buffoon than an outright dick. at least a couple of ex-pat brits ive heard on podcasts (where else?) have said americans, in general, have a more positive outlook on life than britons so its not surprising that these two characters and the tenor of the two shows reflect that.
speaking of nbcs thursdays comedy block, its a shambles at the moment with parks and rec the only hold out from the previous regime. i understand that despite their critical acclaim the ratings werent especially good for any of these shows much beyond the early years of the office, but now they have a bunch of lowest common denominator shows with neither ratings nor cultural cache. they did sign on for a new tina fey sitcom starring the offices ellie kemper but its a long slog back to respectability.
I found the UK show upsetting and the us version not much better. I do go back and revisit them both for their craft but it's always as painful as it is gratifying.
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- mark 11-03-2013 5:25 am
well, they only produced 12 eps so the characters didnt have much time to evolve but the american version had more of a communitarian spirit.
- dave 11-03-2013 8:38 pm [add a comment]
Yes. Even with more time, it would have been tough to wind down David Brent to a Michael Scott level of dickishness. I suspect in developing the US version they aimed for a higher level of likeability so they could sustain it for a longer run.
The initial version of Michael Scott (slicked back hair), was probably a little too much of a dick for the US, but was still pretty mild compared with David Brent. Both Brent and Scott had a huge level of insecurity, but Brent was much more likely to lash out with cruelty when he was the butt of a joke.
I remembered Brent as a likeable character. And he has his moments. But he's a truly awful person.
- mark 11-03-2013 9:14 pm [add a comment]
yeah, i assume the american audiences need the michael scott character to be more likeable. he was more of a buffoon than an outright dick.
at least a couple of ex-pat brits ive heard on podcasts (where else?) have said americans, in general, have a more positive outlook on life than britons so its not surprising that these two characters and the tenor of the two shows reflect that.
- dave 11-03-2013 10:06 pm [add a comment]
speaking of nbcs thursdays comedy block, its a shambles at the moment with parks and rec the only hold out from the previous regime. i understand that despite their critical acclaim the ratings werent especially good for any of these shows much beyond the early years of the office, but now they have a bunch of lowest common denominator shows with neither ratings nor cultural cache. they did sign on for a new tina fey sitcom starring the offices ellie kemper but its a long slog back to respectability.
- dave 11-03-2013 10:10 pm [add a comment]
I found the UK show upsetting and the us version not much better. I do go back and revisit them both for their craft but it's always as painful as it is gratifying.
- bill 11-03-2013 10:56 pm [add a comment]