To think anyone who prefers The Office (US) to The Office is an idiot?

[Glorybetoallwomen]

Just that, really. Can’t understand anyone who thinks it’s better than the original. It’s just Americanised, dragged out tosh compared to the original.

If you’re going to tell me I’m wrong, please do elaborate. I’m all ears.

Agree with all of this! I like them both as their own shows, however I do think on balance the UK one is better.

An Oz version is coming apparently with the comedian Felicity Ward as the boss!

They’re very different shows really in tone and style. I like them both for different reasons. I think it’s unfair to dismiss people as idiots because they have different taste to you.

I love love love the US version. I didn't take to the UK version but I'm willing to give it another try

Dwight, you ignorant slut!!!

IYKYK

Genuinely love both. American one has annoying sorta irrepressible Americany moral subtext on occasion, which UK one doesn’t thank God, but overall, absolute genius. How much have you watched?

I’d do both.

That's what she said.

When David Brent tells Finchy to fuck off in the (UK) Office Christmas Special, he is indeed a likeable character imho.

Never seen the US version but have friends who think it’s great and surpasses the original etc etc.

US version is far superior. I love Ricky Gervais but couldn't watch the UK version at all!.

But isn't it nice that everyone can have an opinion and not be insulted for it... Oh wait 😂

I couldn't get further than episode one of the US version. Just didn't click with it.

The first series is completely terrible.

Waaay prefer US version; it’s so funny… Uk versions is just cringey (I know it’s meant to be that way but I find it hard to watch and I love RG)

Am potentially inspired to try the American version by this thread. I always struggled with the UK version because David Brent was being humiliated but couldn't see it, and so many of the other characters were so unlikeable: Gareth (painfully insecure), Lee (oblivious macho bully) and even Dawn (can see the iceberg but too lazy to avoid it). I actually found it easier to laugh at Chris Finch, the proper bad guy, because he was such an exaggerated unrepentant arsehole.

I always felt the warm feelings the UK series generates are related to the Christmas specials when David, Tim and Dawn got their redemption stories. Time passing has blurred our memories of how depressing the rest of it was.

I can't watch the US one. It can't possibly be as good as it might ruin the original for me. The original was fucking brilliant.

Time passing has blurred our memories of how depressing the rest of it was.

But that was the point of it. It was depressing - like many offices of the 90s. I watched it when it came out and was nodding along to a lot if it. Yes, it was exaggerated but there was truth at the core of it.

The english cast are all awful. Ricky Gervais is so slimey, and Martin Freeman is too unattractive and unfunny for me to root for him in his pursuit of Dawn. Its so cringey, in a bad way, while the US office is funny cringey.

I mainly have seen bits of the US one so I prefer that version

The US one is a million times better because apart from a couple of episodes it doesn't have Ricky Gervais in.
Michael is brilliant, as are Jim and Dwight. It's fantastic.

If you want a proper laugh watch the American Office season five episode “Stress Relief” one of the funniest things ever.

i loved both versions. Does Ricky get money from the US version, how does it work? Does he like it I wonder?

I've watched the US Office on eternal loop for the past few years.

David Brent is so despicable.

Michael Scott grows on you (that's what she said).

That does show how well written and performed it is. Martin Freeman is playing a character who secretly believes himself above the others despite being demonstrably not all that impressive. It makes it difficult to root for him.

*I think they are so different to the point it's impossible to compare them.

U.K. version is brilliantly clever but every character is horrendously unlikeable, to the point it's difficult to watch. This was the whole point of the show, and why it wasn't ever supposed to last season after season.

US version is much more lighthearted, very easygoing comedy. Steve Carell is cringy but nowhere near as offensive as Ricky Gervais' Brent. He has redeeming likeable qualities that allowed them to keep going for multiple seasons.*

This.

PS That's what she said.

You’re probably correct. And you would have been very much correct if you’d been talking about Ghosts…..

American ghosts was shit, American the killing was shit. American the office was brilliant. Utterly brilliant.

I agree the post you've quoted is spot on and the key word is "lighthearted". The UK version never seems to be lighthearted for a whole episode. It's bleak.

The American version is soooooo much better!!

Steve Carell is brilliant and I love Jim and Pam too. And Dwight is fantastic, as is crazy Angela with all her cats!

I have watched every series of the US version a ridiculous amount of times and it always has me laughing.

I find the UK version incredibly dull in comparison and I can’t even sit through one episode.

I adore them both, I think I've watched all seasons of both 8-10 times. If you want to try the USA version you must keep going well into season two as a lot of the characters aren't fully developed until nearly the end of it.

My prized possession is a shrute farms t-shirt I wear to bed and think about Dwight