In Since June 2005 I've used non-disclosure methods to watch some US episodes of The Office on an intermittent internet connection. It was a strangely traumatic experience: I was such a fan of the original British version (and still am: in fact I'm still angry that I have to mention the British version when talking about it) and I can recite entire scenes word for word.
It was disturbing to see American actors – Steve Carell from Anchorman, Mindy Kaling from The 40-Year-Old Virgin, John Krasinski, who was absolutely nothing – doing the same thing. And wrong. The show's British beats fall foul of their mouths, with The Office's description “Tense = that's it!” It felt like a fundamental misread and the whole thing was nonsense. I went to university, I had sex, I got over it, and after a shaky start, the American version found its stride and became the biggest and most beloved sitcom of all time. So…why is Australia making it again?
People are going to be asking this question through eight episodes of The Office (Australia), which debuts on Prime Video on October 18. People have been asking this question ever since the announcement of the remake was dropped last year. Fans of both versions (although there are other remakes, including in Quebec, Chile and Saudi Arabia) are fiercely protective of it, and this new take is already in an uphill battle to be loved. There's a saying that's impossible to find an online source for, but basically goes: “People who watch The Office always ask you, 'Do you watch The Office?' No 'Have you seen the office?' Because they are always looking at the office. The Office, no matter which version they see, makes sense to people.
The Australian version takes its cues more from the American iteration than the British version. Michael Scott is now Hannah Howard (Felicity Ward), Dwight Schrute is now Lisse (Edith Poore), Jim is now Nick (Steen Raskopoulos) and Pam is now Greta (Shari Sebens). But while the actors and first names change, the beats are all the same: Nick and Greta are shy and flirty, Hannah and Liz have a physical/overcommitted-lieutenant dynamic, and there's a girl who couldn't care less about accounts. About all this, and the fact that there are cameras is never explained. In fact, all the old favorites are there: the boy in the brown suit! A warehouse manager who doesn't like fun! The regional manager wants them to do some work! “Hello everyone – meeting room, five minutes”! The structure of the office is the same! The theme tune might as well be the same! When someone does something weird they look at the camera! They are playing pranks! A coach repeats an interview question to the camera! HR seminar derailed!
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Both of The Office's previous English-language series have forever shaped the comedy landscape: in England, nothing has been made for half a decade that isn't a “horror comedy,” and most men in their 40s are getting their fill. Ricky Gervais from Linguistic Tremors; In America, this format (“there are cameras at work, two people make love very slowly, and everyone keeps saying 'so…' instead of a real joke”) gave way to this. Parks and Recreation and, most recently, Abbott Elementary. A joke that affects a lot of humor is good, even “good” – a joke that repeats the same joke is a little more jarring. Watching the Australian version feels like you've stumbled upon an alternate universe remake that's way past our timeline. On Earth-617 they're probably going crazy.
Once the first couple of “who's everyone here, Nick and Greta haven't kissed” scene-setting episodes happen – get over it – you might squint your eyes and imagine this is a late, lost series. Beyond the American Office, Catherine Tate episodes. Workplaces have changed in the 11 years (!) since the end of the NBC run – the Australian version has reckoned with work-from-home culture, Zoom quizzes, the reality of corporate hires and a good bit more. About standing desks. Everything is ripe for a comedy side view, but why is that side view “about The Office, but again?” Still beyond me. Next time they remake The Office, in about 16 months at this rate, they'll do something subversive with it (my pitch: they'll kill Jim or Pam before they get together; the other is in grief shock. The other shows are in Scotland) but for now, the Australian version is what you'd expect. does.
