4 ms·

I think my issue with the UK office is that it was just too bleak and dull to be funny. I got the jokes, but it didn't make laugh, just made me kind of feel wor

I think my issue with the UK office is that it was just too bleak and dull to be funny. I got the jokes, but it didn't make laugh, just made me kind of feel worse about life. This is not a "UK comedy is has more flawed characters" thing either, IT Crowd, Peep Show were full of terrible, flawed, miserable human beings but there were still some drama & larger than life aspects to those shows that gave it some element of "relief". UK office has no relief, it's just pure misery.

ehnto 4y ago
I can't watch any show set in an office. They are relatable, but not in a pleasant way.
- laumars 4y ago
  Same but I found Parks and Recreation a welcome change
nikau 4y ago
The UK office felt like it could have been a genuine documentary vs the American version which felt more like a sit com. Not sure how you can find this bleak and dull: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Eaz-1_3iA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Eaz-1_3iA
- cfn 4y ago
  Although it is funny it is mostly cringey and, if you have ever worked in an office in the UK (in Slough of all places) it brings back some of the bleakness and dullness of the average office in the UK. Having said that, if you know the context, that is, if you have watched the series, the looks and expressions of the actors are priceless, relatable and advance the story in what could have been a just slapstick moment. I never know if I love or hate the Office UK as some scenes bring me to tears and others I just can't watch to the end. It is a masterfull piece of TV. I have only watched a few scenes of the US version on YouTube and I find them funny. It is a very different beast.
- petepete 4y ago
  Knowing the landscape of British TV at the time makes you appreciate The Office even more. It was awash with fly on the wall documentaries following people around their daily and working lives. Stars of these programmes were just making their way into celebrity, like Jeremy Spake and Maureen from Driving School, and the people on slightly later shows knew their fame could be a path to them 'making it'. David Brent falls right into this category. The Office was so incredibly well observed and authentic, it's a work of art. The US one had other goals, it's just an American sitcom with a nod to mockumentary and zany unbelievable antics.
emsixteen 4y ago
> UK office [..] was just too bleak and dull > [..] has no relief, it's just pure misery. That's kind of the entire point mate. There is plenty of relief, but it's not your typical American sitcom relief.
- blowski 4y ago
  I think Bill Bryson commented that, in the US, the dominant culture is an excited hope about how much better the future will be. In the UK, our culture is a mild surprise that things aren’t worse than they are right now.
- LAC-Tech 4y ago
  Yeah look I understand the UK is a bleak and miserable place filled with bleak and miserable people, mate. But to those who have dwelt in lands with sunshine and hope the original Office is a shock to the senses.
  - ungamedplayer 4y ago
    As someone who physically lives in neither, and in the "Sunshine state" of Australia. The original office wasn't a shock to my senses. Australia is definitely closer to British humour than americano humour.
  - rsynnott 4y ago
    I think it'd be fair to say that the US has now somewhat embraced the less happy cheerful variety of sitcom; a lot of modern US stuff falls into that category. It definitely hadn't in 2005 when the US Office came out, though.
klelatti 4y ago
I think you're missing out the fact that it's also very, very funny indeed.
mejutoco 4y ago
I feel exactly the same way. Shows like Black Books or In betweeners I find funny with a dark humour, but there is a kind of uk comedy show (Staht lets flats, Peep show, Friday night dinner) that I just find depressing. The usually involve some "loser" character getting hit with unfortunate circumstances over and over.
- Accacin 4y ago
  Holy shit I haven't watched Black Books in years, I absolutely loved that show. Hard disagree on the Peep Show, it's one of the greatest shows ever but I will admit I couldn't get through the first series for the longest time before it clicked and I binged the whole lot :)
- rsynnott 4y ago
  > Friday night dinner The TV execs evidently don't agree with you; Friday Night Dinner is currently on its _fourth_ attempt at an American remake. I can't imagine it working out well.

ehnto 4y ago

I can't watch any show set in an office. They are relatable, but not in a pleasant way.

laumars 4y ago
Same but I found Parks and Recreation a welcome change

nikau 4y ago

The UK office felt like it could have been a genuine documentary vs the American version which felt more like a sit com. Not sure how you can find this bleak and dull: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Eaz-1_3iA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Eaz-1_3iA

cfn 4y ago
Although it is funny it is mostly cringey and, if you have ever worked in an office in the UK (in Slough of all places) it brings back some of the bleakness and dullness of the average office in the UK. Having said that, if you know the context, that is, if you have watched the series, the looks and expressions of the actors are priceless, relatable and advance the story in what could have been a just slapstick moment. I never know if I love or hate the Office UK as some scenes bring me to tears and others I just can't watch to the end. It is a masterfull piece of TV. I have only watched a few scenes of the US version on YouTube and I find them funny. It is a very different beast.
petepete 4y ago
Knowing the landscape of British TV at the time makes you appreciate The Office even more. It was awash with fly on the wall documentaries following people around their daily and working lives. Stars of these programmes were just making their way into celebrity, like Jeremy Spake and Maureen from Driving School, and the people on slightly later shows knew their fame could be a path to them 'making it'. David Brent falls right into this category. The Office was so incredibly well observed and authentic, it's a work of art. The US one had other goals, it's just an American sitcom with a nod to mockumentary and zany unbelievable antics.

emsixteen 4y ago

> UK office [..] was just too bleak and dull > [..] has no relief, it's just pure misery. That's kind of the entire point mate. There is plenty of relief, but it's not your typical American sitcom relief.

blowski 4y ago
I think Bill Bryson commented that, in the US, the dominant culture is an excited hope about how much better the future will be. In the UK, our culture is a mild surprise that things aren’t worse than they are right now.
LAC-Tech 4y ago
Yeah look I understand the UK is a bleak and miserable place filled with bleak and miserable people, mate. But to those who have dwelt in lands with sunshine and hope the original Office is a shock to the senses.
- ungamedplayer 4y ago
  As someone who physically lives in neither, and in the "Sunshine state" of Australia. The original office wasn't a shock to my senses. Australia is definitely closer to British humour than americano humour.
- rsynnott 4y ago
  I think it'd be fair to say that the US has now somewhat embraced the less happy cheerful variety of sitcom; a lot of modern US stuff falls into that category. It definitely hadn't in 2005 when the US Office came out, though.

klelatti 4y ago

I think you're missing out the fact that it's also very, very funny indeed.

mejutoco 4y ago

I feel exactly the same way. Shows like Black Books or In betweeners I find funny with a dark humour, but there is a kind of uk comedy show (Staht lets flats, Peep show, Friday night dinner) that I just find depressing. The usually involve some "loser" character getting hit with unfortunate circumstances over and over.

Accacin 4y ago
Holy shit I haven't watched Black Books in years, I absolutely loved that show. Hard disagree on the Peep Show, it's one of the greatest shows ever but I will admit I couldn't get through the first series for the longest time before it clicked and I binged the whole lot :)
rsynnott 4y ago
> Friday night dinner The TV execs evidently don't agree with you; Friday Night Dinner is currently on its _fourth_ attempt at an American remake. I can't imagine it working out well.