Thursday, March 24, 2005
Americans Are Not Funny
Tonight at 9:30 PM, NBC premieres its latest comedy, "The Office." "The Office" is based on the BBC program of the same name. I'm no psychic, but I can tell you this much: this American version of the show will probably follow the same path as the last couple of shows that NBC tried to adapt from England ("Men Behaving Badly" and "Coupling") and be cancelled relatively quickly.
Let's get something out of the way right now. I have not seen the new show and am not condemning it. In fact, I will watch it tonight with high hopes, and review the show right here in the very near future. But the bottom line is that Americans and Brits have very different senses of humor, which is why these kinds of things often fail.
The original version of "The Office" ranks in my personal list of favorite TV shows ever, probably in the Top 5. This is because I really enjoy the British style of humor. Most Americans need to be hit over the head with a joke in order to get it, while the British humor tends to be much more dry, subtle, and understated. The problem that is always run into when adapting British shows is that it becomes too "Americanized," with much broader comedy than the original had, but yet still trying to keep that British quirkiness to it. The resulting combination just doesn't work. Will it work for "The Office"? Time will tell, but I doubt it.
In the meantime, the original series is available on DVD. It ran for two series of six episodes each, plus a 2-part Christmas special to wrap the story up. Ricky Gervais (who also co-created the show) as clueless office manager David Brent gives the comedic performance of a lifetime, but the real heart of the series is the relationship between office drone Tim (Martin Freeman) and the secretary, Dawn (Lucy Davis). Do yourself a favor and check the whole series out. You will not be disappointed.
Let's get something out of the way right now. I have not seen the new show and am not condemning it. In fact, I will watch it tonight with high hopes, and review the show right here in the very near future. But the bottom line is that Americans and Brits have very different senses of humor, which is why these kinds of things often fail.
The original version of "The Office" ranks in my personal list of favorite TV shows ever, probably in the Top 5. This is because I really enjoy the British style of humor. Most Americans need to be hit over the head with a joke in order to get it, while the British humor tends to be much more dry, subtle, and understated. The problem that is always run into when adapting British shows is that it becomes too "Americanized," with much broader comedy than the original had, but yet still trying to keep that British quirkiness to it. The resulting combination just doesn't work. Will it work for "The Office"? Time will tell, but I doubt it.
In the meantime, the original series is available on DVD. It ran for two series of six episodes each, plus a 2-part Christmas special to wrap the story up. Ricky Gervais (who also co-created the show) as clueless office manager David Brent gives the comedic performance of a lifetime, but the real heart of the series is the relationship between office drone Tim (Martin Freeman) and the secretary, Dawn (Lucy Davis). Do yourself a favor and check the whole series out. You will not be disappointed.
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you are right. the american office is bloody awful. and the BBC bought it back to show here in Britain. the americans should leave british shows alone. show the original british versions and let the americans who get it enjoy the show. but don't try and convert it to US tastes. we are too different. its like us trying to make a british 'Friends'. just wouldn't work.
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