The Office. TV Classic or over-rated?

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Classic in my eyes going from strength to strength. But my eyes are not your eyes, so what do you lot think?

― Mckenzie, Monday, 7 October 2002 07:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Classic, without a doubt. Gareth is just totally the office gimp.

― Fuzzy (Fuzzy), Monday, 7 October 2002 07:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Brilliant. Toe-curling, wince-inducing and very funny. Loved the first series, enjoyed what I've seen of the second. But this thread is rather quiet so are others not as impressed?

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 7 October 2002 09:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, i thought it would be a more popular thread as well. Perhaps everyone just knows its a classic and sees no reason to state the obvious.

― Mckenzie (Mckenzie), Monday, 7 October 2002 09:43 (twenty-three years ago)

We talked about it recently on a thread called "Fat Handed Slags"

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 7 October 2002 09:48 (twenty-three years ago)

― Mckenzie (Mckenzie), Monday, 7 October 2002 09:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Fat Handed Twats

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 7 October 2002 10:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Its on soon!!!!!!!

― Mckenzie (Mckenzie), Monday, 7 October 2002 19:35 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm taping it. something to watch while rubbish like breakfast news is on.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 7 October 2002 19:58 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't like it! (am I really the anti-canon?)

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 7 October 2002 20:18 (twenty-three years ago)

surely not in the comedy cannon yet?!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 7 October 2002 20:24 (twenty-three years ago)

when I say I don't like it, I mean it can be funny but it just gets too much and is a bit samey.

comedy cannon...3,2,1 *bang*

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 7 October 2002 20:26 (twenty-three years ago)

This episode stayed just on the right side of unbelievability to be an OK comedy rather than oh-christ-make-it-stop amazing. But I still got the 'stomach thing' once or twice.

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 7 October 2002 21:05 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm afraid i have industrial strength ricky gervaise aversion

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 7 October 2002 21:38 (twenty-three years ago)

Paxo on Newsnight tonight was way funnier.

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 02:03 (twenty-three years ago)

it's definetely OK.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 09:24 (twenty-three years ago)

Second series = much darker

― Mckenzie (Mckenzie), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 09:28 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm normally a fan but I didn't enjoy last night's episode. A bit seedy. Victor Lewis Smith doesn't like 'The Office' at all:

Evening Standard Review

― stevo (stevo), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Last night's was the first I've seen of this series. Wasn't that great, except for a few Gareth moments.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:02 (twenty-two years ago)

victor lewis smith = colossal wanker. just the worst reviews i've ever seen

― bob zemko (bob), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:10 (twenty-two years ago)

i like victor lewis smith. in his reviews the first two paragraphs are not really irrlevant (as the link tries to tell us) and its a fair enough point of view since he does know his stuff. I enjoyed ppl like us as well. whether its rehashed mike leigh or not it doesn't matter becuz i still found it funny. i think this series is not as good as the first tho'.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:11 (twenty-two years ago)

bob-what's so bad abt his reviews?

it's just abt the only thing I'd read if i ever pick up the evening standard (which i ussually don't nowdays).

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I like Victor Lewis-Smith a lot and this is a not unsurprising review from him (after all his TV reviews are pretty much 80% negative). I also take onboard all his points about the programmes antecedants, I just disagree. People Like Us spoofed the docusoap form more than its content - the main joke not being the banality of the people interviewed but the idiocy of Chris Langham's character. Larry Sanders is a better touchstone for candid fly-on-the-wall type stuff, but it exists in a glamourised world of larger than life charcters that is showbiz - The Office is just that.

The thing that surprised me the most about the review for VLS were the number of factual errors in it (its not the Stereophonics version of handbags & gladrags, Ricky Gervaise is barely a stand-up at all). That and the lack of decent gags, which are usually the reason to read a VLS review.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:44 (twenty-two years ago)

VLS makes some valid points, but this doesnt detract from the fact that The Office IS sharp and laugh-out-loud funny....and there arent many (if any) other British shows on TV at the moment that have that same effect (repeats of I'm Alan Partridge dont count).

― blueski, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Beyond argument really. He finds it hard to believe that someone who haas seen Mike Leigh films and People Like Us would rate the Office. I have done, and do. No real story. What was his concrete criticism? That the characters are 'glumly
two-dimensional, and the naturalism is so studied and stylised that it's unnatural.'. Well I don't see either of these things. I think Mike Leigh's characters have often been far more caricatured. And I don't think I know how to recognise studied naturalism. Hey ho. People Like Us got very boring to watch after a while. Of course, it was better on radio la la.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Mike Leigh is frighteningly patronising, and one must question the auithorship of his films/plays as well up to a point - with so much improvisational workshopping of his charcters it would be much fairer to say that Leigh invents broadly the characters andd scenario and then works in collaboration on the script with the cast. Which is often why the caricatures in his work are so broad and one dimensional. (Jonathon Ross's demolition of All Or Nothing last night was particularly apposite).

Can a TV character ever be anything more than two dimensional?

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:16 (twenty-two years ago)

VLS reviews are generally tendentious slops of selflove, lame - and what's worse - incredibly cheap jokes and a general lack of care. he occasionally hits the (well, a) mark, but nowhere near enough to justify his free hand that the standard thinks his celebrity allows him. i don't really mind if i disagree with him (i've given up convincing ppl on the office anyway) but he never really makes a cogent argument anyway. it's just the general old-man-saying-"bum" CRAPNESS of it that gets me.

i didn't mind his tv show actually but then i was about 15 or 16. but it wasn't as bad as his articles.

― bob zemko (bob), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:16 (twenty-two years ago)

ha in the south bank show on sunday leigh denied all accusations or caricature and improvisation

― bob zemko (bob), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:19 (twenty-two years ago)

If they deny it = it is true. (hence need for a right to silence in a court of law).

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:56 (twenty-two years ago)

N is correct.

One or two of VLS's points were OK (esp. re. 'black man's cock' - there was sth odd about the repetition of that), but the Ape is right too - how odd to blame that track on the Stereophonics. Such public attacks should be better aimed.

Much as I like The Office, I'm not sure it can go beyond this series.

― the pinefox, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 18:49 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah but surely the whole FUCKING point of the joke being used was its lameness and then its repetition!!!

and anyway VLS is a fine one to talk about inveigling puerile jokes into public media. the mind boggles

― bob zemko (bob), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 19:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I managed to miss the whole of the first series of The Office - I don't watch much telly - though I have just bought the DVD of it and must make time to sit down and watch it.

I saw last week's The Office and though it brilliant. Very keen observation of the personalities, and it really does make you cringe as much as laugh. The bit with the girl in the wheelchair on the stairs during Fire Drill was classic - and the way he absent-mindedly pushed her out the of way when the were in the pub. I've seen people behaving like that in real life (unfortunately).

Watched last night's episode and dozed off (but it had been a long and stressful day, so I shall blame that). The bit where he walked out of the office with the dildo was funny though.

I was a great fan of People Like Us, but this was mainly because one of my close friends was Director of Photography on the series, so I am somewhat biased.

― C J (C J), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Jonathan Freedland detects deep sociological insecurities and anxieties in 'The Office':

Future historians will look back at this show for one more insight into our times.

My 'bullshit' detector isn't working this morning. Is he on to something?

― stevo (stevo), Thursday, 17 October 2002 08:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I should also point out that in fact VLS slagged off The Fast Show when it first appeared on BBC2. Subsequently apologising for doing so (as he has done in his column on several occasions) is not the same thing as praising it from the word go.

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 17 October 2002 08:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Goodpoint Marcello - I had forgotten that. And yes - frankly as much as I like VLS writing in general the man who created The Gay Daleks and their - ahem - white wee-wee has no place to talk about purile gags.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 17 October 2002 09:18 (twenty-two years ago)

two weeks pass...

I thought 'The Office' lost its edge towards the end, it ran out of ideas and fell back on Brent making an idiot of himself. Last night's bleak closing episode was good though. Very Dark, Brent almost in tears, Tim/Dawn not happening. A third series would be a mistake though IMHO.

― stevo (stevo), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 07:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I only saw last week's and the one before that I think. I agree with stevo. David Brent did nothing new or interesting. The only good bits were with the other characters.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 09:14 (twenty-two years ago)

i actually felt sorry for DB during this ep: but it is the only one i ever saw from beginning-to-end

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 09:25 (twenty-two years ago)

oh and newsnight were using clips of "the office" to illustrate a rather odd story they had on changing fashions in management gobbledygook

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 09:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Looks like it will be back. Gareth said MENTALISTS last night!

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 09:33 (twenty-two years ago)

the beeb are starting to over praise it -- making up for lost time perhaps. i've missed a lot of this season and I some of the repetition is irritating (gareth's novelty toys, David's public speeches), but despite that, i still think it's the best comedy around. actually forget comedy - just say: entertaining tv. the non-comedy elements are every bit as affecting.

― Alan (Alan), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 09:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Stevo otm, last couple of episodes have been weak but last night's was one of the bleakest most unsettling things I think I've seen in in TV drama. Especially impressive the way they flirted with what the audience would want to happen and then refused to go with them.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:04 (twenty-two years ago)

How can it be a comedy when it's not actually funny?

(I think it's very good, but I haven't larfed once)

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:14 (twenty-two years ago)

i think its funny, therefore its a comedy

― blueski, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought it had jumped the shark with the motivational speach, but last night's was excellent, and yes, incredibly bleak, poor poor Tim.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:22 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm not satisfied with how it ended...too abrupt, nothing really resolved. annoyingly my dad rang me up so i missed the very last lines of dialogue after Brent begged to be kept on - can someone tell me what i missed? i suppose it ensures a third series but i'm not sure thats going to work as well - what no Christmas special tho?

― blueski, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:24 (twenty-two years ago)

i missed a lot of chunks from last nights episode, tried to watch it in a pub. Hopeless
At least alan partridge is coming back.

― Fuzzy (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:41 (twenty-two years ago)

it ended like life blueski, like life

― bob zemko (bob), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Great as it is, new Partridge is going to blow it out of the damn water.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:47 (twenty-two years ago)

it ended with Dolly Parton's tits blueski, with Dolly Parton's tits.

― Steve.n., Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 234 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Alex - I had the same reaction to tim & dawn!
i love this show . . .

― kelsey (kelstarry), Friday, 19 November 2004 18:35 (twenty years ago)

two months pass...

Who knew that Alex was a closet romantic?

Anwyay, I remember some uber-conservative talk radio DJ in the UK hating on The Office and saying "you have to go to university just to understand it". WTF?

― .ada.m. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:31 (twenty years ago)

The implication is that he didn't understand it, then.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

I'm sorry Ned, I'll need to visit my library before I can even BEGIN to comprehend what you just wrote.

― .ada.m. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:40 (twenty years ago)

I am happy to help in your continuing education.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:40 (twenty years ago)

WHERE IS THE US VERSION???!!!!

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:42 (twenty years ago)

Hopefully shot and buried like the attempt to make a US-style Father Ted or AbFab.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:43 (twenty years ago)

but steve carell!

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:44 (twenty years ago)

adam you should call him up on-air and holler 'fartypants!' at him

― Stevem On X (blueski), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:45 (twenty years ago)

I NEVER went to see a US version. Yanks should stick to what they do best - bombing people and making crunk music.

― .ada.m. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

with steve carell in this it will be at least as funny as the four funny parts of Anchorman. I just want to see the attempt.

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:49 (twenty years ago)

anchorman hahaha

― .ada.m. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

I am kind of curious, but I suspect it will be craptastic.

― Leon the Fatboy (Ex Leon), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

Hopefully shot and buried like the attempt to make a US-style Father Ted or AbFab.

I'm still enjoying Hugh Laurie's American accent and Prince George mannerism in House.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:54 (twenty years ago)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/images/400/blackadder3_1.jpg
vs
http://images.usatoday.com/life/_photos/2004/09/03/newshows-tues-house.jpg

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:55 (twenty years ago)

Whoa, what happened there?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:00 (twenty years ago)

There is a crappy windows media copy of an episode at http://groovymother.com/mirror/The_Office_US_Remake.wmv

― svend (svend), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

Hey, this isn't bad!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

Hm yeah, it's ok! Kind of unsettling watching it though because you have a deja vu feeling like 'hm, hasn't this already been done? but a BIT funnier?'

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:31 (twenty years ago)

I kinda like it!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

"Who knew that Alex was a closet romantic?"

Haha I think everybody knew this.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

Hopefully shot and buried like the attempt to make a US-style Father Ted or AbFab.

Seriously?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 18:00 (twenty years ago)

Oh fucking fuck -- 'Father Ted' to be AMERICANIZED

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 18:06 (twenty years ago)

damnit. is there another link to the us office?

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 18:09 (twenty years ago)

seven months pass...

Gosh, I finally got around to watching the first season of this (of course it only took me two sittings). By the fifth episode, the opening credit sequence was actually making me weep. This is the saddest comedy I've ever seen.

― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 21 September 2005 02:35 (twenty years ago)

I'll be renting season 2 ASAP, of course.

― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 21 September 2005 02:47 (twenty years ago)

WTF? No Christmas special on the DVD? How can I see it? Or should I not bother?

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 1 October 2005 02:27 (twenty years ago)

It is on dvd.

― svend (svend), Saturday, 1 October 2005 04:02 (twenty years ago)

Weird. I rented season 2 - 6 episodes, no christmas special.

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 1 October 2005 04:30 (twenty years ago)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002W4P8Y/qid=1128144691/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-9174466-8393731?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846

― svend (svend), Saturday, 1 October 2005 04:32 (twenty years ago)

I don't think I can explain why, but a good American remake of one of the greatest tv shows of all time is much more disturbing than a wretched American remake would be. Am I alone in this weird reaction?

― M. V. (M.V.), Saturday, 1 October 2005 04:44 (twenty years ago)

Whose version of Handbags & Gladrags is the theme song? To me it sounds almost like they took the Rod Stewart version and slowed it down a notch.

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 1 October 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

chris farlowe, no?

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 1 October 2005 14:22 (twenty years ago)

http://homepage.mac.com/elliottday/theoffice/handbags_gladrags.html

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 1 October 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

The (two) christmas specials have a DVD to themselves. Definately watch them, they resolve many loose threads and will make you blub like a baby.

― chap who would dare to thwart the revolution (chap), Saturday, 1 October 2005 14:29 (twenty years ago)

xpost I don't get it - that page never actually says whose version they use in the opening credits.

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:08 (twenty years ago)

It's the Stereophonics, I think.

― Don King of the Mountain (noodle vague), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:09 (twenty years ago)

the office's ratings have been in the crapper since it came back, since NBC hasn't bothered to show any commercials for it. I didn't even know it was back on. expect it to get cancelled any day now (word is Arrested Development is about to get axed as well)

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:18 (twenty years ago)

it's Shed Seven I think

― Roxymuzak, Mrs. Carbohydrate (roxymuzak), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:18 (twenty years ago)

It does say. It's some bloke called Big George.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:19 (twenty years ago)

It is the Stereophonics, and it does say so on that page, under the heading 'the Stereophonics'.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:50 (twenty years ago)

is this the new sarcasm?

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:54 (twenty years ago)

I thought they were meaning that they (the Stereophonics) had cashed in on the fact that the song was successful because of The Office.

That Big George dude's bit is slightly more convincing as a case that it was him (though that is one of the worst-worded websites ever), given that it has an MP3 of the clip and an interview with him which mentions that he does the theme music to The Office.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 1 October 2005 16:12 (twenty years ago)

the office's ratings have been in the crapper since it came back, since NBC hasn't bothered to show any commercials for it. I didn't even know it was back on. expect it to get cancelled any day now

Do wha? If I had an "O Joy" nickel for every time that I had seen a promo saying "It's The Office with 40-Year Old Virgin, Steve Carell!" while showing Carell's chesthair being waxed to form the letters THE OFFICE, I'd be doing okay financially for the third quarter.

Plus, the season premire of "Saturday Night Live" is tonight. Steve Carell will be hosting.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Saturday, 1 October 2005 16:24 (twenty years ago)

Well whoever does it, it pretty much rips off the Rod Stewart arrangement.

― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 3 October 2005 03:12 (twenty years ago)

For USILXORS: Big George does loads of BBC theme music (Have I Got News For You being the famous one) and it's defo him who does The Office theme. I saw an interview with him about it where he said he wanted a 70s feel so used loads of bad compression on everything, hence everyone thinking its RS.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 3 October 2005 11:19 (twenty years ago)

just to confuse things further:

Can you please tell me the Artist and title of the opening song?
asked Ken of Melbourne, Australia

Ricky and Steve: It's called 'Handbags and Gladrags'. It was made famous by Rod Stewart, written by Mike D'Abo and recently covered by The Stereophonics. Our version is sung by a guy called Fin.

(from http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/defguide/defguide13.shtml)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 3 October 2005 11:40 (twenty years ago)

Mike D'Abo = Lead vocalist on Manfred Mann's "The Mighty Quinn"

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Monday, 3 October 2005 15:58 (twenty years ago)

he wanted a 70s feel so used loads of bad compression on everything

Bad compression? There's no such thing. This is the new music critique lately (see QOTSA reviews). I think critics need to stop learning about music performance and recording techniques. It somehow makes them think they know what they're talking about.

― Man From Brazil, Monday, 3 October 2005 16:07 (twenty years ago)

He went for the same drum sound as on the Rod Stewart recording too.

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 03:04 (twenty years ago)

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