The Office: An American Work Place...My New Favourite Comedy

Britain and America are at war. But wait; don’t run to your bomb shelters just yet! I am simply referring to my mental popularity war between the respective nation’s versions of The Office.

 Depressing, dull and brilliant, Ricky Gervais’ original British creation has been my favourite TV comedy for some time,  and having watched the entire series roughly ten times, it still holds that torch (albeit now sharing it with the American classic: Seinfeld).

Currently however, most threatening to its podium position, is its beautifully warm hearted, so much more than a remake, stunning in its own right, American counterpart, The Office: An American Workplace .

There is absolutely no show, which is so smile inducing, so endlessly watchable and harmlessly entertaining. Most importantly, An American Workplace is hilarious. On my own little personal scheduling I am about to start watching Season 6, so here is a rundown of the components of The Office  I have noted components from the first five series that have made this American masterpiece my new favourite comedy.

-It IS better than the UK version

Simple mathematics is applicable here: Gervais and company had a run of two series and a Christmas special without putting a foot wrong. An American Workplace has bashed out the good for more than treble that time and is still yet to let me down. Look at it that way and The Office USA clearly deserves the highest accolade.

 -Steve Carrell

Earning my appreciation with the sweet natured Dan In Real Life, and earning everyone’s respect as a real actor in Little Miss Sunshine, Steve Carrell’s Michael Scott is an classic creation, both for contribution to the comedy in this show, but also as a properly fleshed out character, with emotions and layers that provide both many of the funniest and saddest parts of the show.

The Office USA may not have the bleak, kitchen sink, miserable feel of the original, but there really times that through all the photogenic smiles and gags, Steve Carrell creates a massively flawed, sad and ultimately sympathetic character. Just look at when he first starts to notice his relationship with boss Jan is not at all healthy; the forced assured smile creates just as much vulnerability as any David Brent, “oh for fucks sake” ever did. Michael Scott is a lonely and desperate character, covering this all up with naff jokes and endless bravado. All this to the credit of  Steve Carrell, who in this writers opinion, is a modern comedy master.

 -Scranton...the place to be?

Alright, so this is probably exclusive to me, but something about Scranton just appears to have such a small town American loveliness, that I as a Brit appreciate. If this is the equivalent of a Slough industrial estate from the original, you guys don’t know you are born! Combine this with wonderful theme music and the opening credits are just a perfect invitation to sit back for hours with this stunning show.

-Kindness runs through it

When Michael buys Pam’s Dunder Miflin illustration after she has been subjected to a night of rejection at an art viewing. Enough said; sheer loveliness.

 -Jim & Pam

There was no couple I more desperately wanted to see confess their feelings to each other than Tim and Dawn in The Office.  There is no couple I more desperately wanted to see this and the ongoing relationship of than Jim and Pam, in The Office USA.  Perhaps the sweetest television couple ever, it has been a genuine treat to see Jim and Pam’s love for one another progress from suppressed office flirting, to first kiss, to dating, to marriage proposal, to news that there is a mini Halpert on the way.

Between Jim’s playful teasing, and Pam’s dewy eyed smiles, they create a near classically sweet, traditional romance that just furthers my adoration of this show.

 -Toby

One of the more genuinely tragic characters of the series, Toby is simply a marvellous character. Providing further doses of laughs simply by a subtle disapproving gesture, he is almost a nod to the original he is so painfully depressing.

Unexplainably despised by Michael, secluded to the Annexe with Ryan and Kelly’s endless breakups and make ups, we are only occasionally given an insight into the personal life of Toby, making the characters brief appearance in every couple of episodes worth their weight in comedy gold.

 -Angela

The kudos is due here, more for the performance, than the character. Played with unflinching harshness by Angela Kinsey, there is something just amazingly manipulative about this almost Lady Macbeth-esque character (particularly in relation to Dwight). Would certainly be a nightmare to work with, but An American Workplace just wouldn’t be the same without her. If Kinsey has just the slightest bit of niceness about her in reality: this performance is an absolute stunner.

 -The layers of comedy go right up the business hierarchy

The typically American approach being “show, don’t just tell”, The Office USA, is particularly rewarding in dragging humour out of all the layers of the Dunder Miflin pyramid. Whereas in the original, head office characters were played totally straight, and sister branches were only bared reference to, the American version has laughs in Head Office, City Branch, characters homes, on the road, the warehouse and in many various other surroundings. No doubt contributory to the shows ongoing quality, all this just gives so much depth to the comedy that I just love.

What is massively clear by now, is that The Office: An American Workplace is no longer a remake, nor should it be compared to “the original”. It is a classic comedy in its own right, and this writer now often compares the quality of modern comedy to it, setting a standard that is truly testing to match. With these points above, and surely many more you could mention, it certainly is my new favourite comedy TV show. No, America and Britain are not at war, not even over my preference of their versions of The Office.

The Office: An American Workplace, stands in truce with its British equivalent, as an endlessly watchable, incredible piece of television.