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I’ll admit it. I love television. Well, let me add a small addendum—I love good television. During the regular season, it’s not uncommon for me to schedule my nights (or my DVR) around the shows I like to watch. Whether it’s a compelling drama or an interesting reality show, if it’s good and grabs my attention, I’m hooked.
What disappoints me slightly is the severe lack of quality, well-written comedy these days. It’s been apparent for a while that the Brits are able to handle sitcoms much better than we Americans can. I still shudder when I think of the watered-down, Americanized version of Coupling that aired on NBC a few years ago. To the uninitiated, the NBC version was marginally funny, if a bit too raunchy. But to those who were already familiar with the BBC version, American Coupling was a pale imitator of its predecessor. It was canceled after only three episodes had aired.
So I admit that I reacted with horror when I first learned that NBC (the same culprit) was planning to air an American version of the BBC hit The Office as a mid-season replacement in the spring of 2005. I thought it was a very, very bad idea.
Still, I wasn’t about to miss this train wreck in the making. I made myself some popcorn and settled myself in to watch the first—and surely, the only—season of The Office. As I watched the pilot, I smiled smugly to myself as the British version was copied note-for-note, with only the names of the characters and a few cultural references changed. “This won’t last two episodes,” I thought. But something changed the following week, with an episode called “Diversity Day.” Instead of continuing to follow the British version, the NBC version began running with its own storyline. And it was funny. I mean, really, really funny.
Shortly after that second episode, I became hooked on The Office. And in the past year, the show’s become a huge hit and one of NBC’s most successful programs. Heading into its third season, the show has really become its own monster, and in many ways, it's actually better than the original.
The original BBC version was a two-season “mockumentary” that followed the lives of employees at a British paper merchant’s office, led by their clueless boss, David Brent. Similarly, the American version is set at Dunder-Mifflin Paper Products in Scranton, Penn., and the cast is headed by Steve Carell as the equally clueless leader Michael Scott. A cast of wacky characters round out the office, including Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), the assistant to the regional manager and the biggest kiss-up you’ll ever meet; Pam (Jenna Fischer), the shy receptionist; Jim (John Krasinski), the young, funny sales guy who has a crush on Pam; and a myriad of other amusing characters.
If you’ve never had a chance to check out The Office, I definitely recommend picking up a copy of Season 1. With only six half-hour episodes, you can easily watch the entire season in one day (and you can spend the next day laughing at the hilarious deleted scenes and commentaries). Don’t feel bad if you skip the pilot—it’s the weakest episode of the series, and if you’re already familiar with the BBC version, it just won’t measure up. But the other five episodes are well worth watching.
Despite my initial cynicism, The Office has become one of my favorite shows. I love the characters—although I’d probably have to kill myself if I actually worked with these people, I do love to laugh at them. And this show has one of the best “will they-won’t they” relationships since Friends with Jim and Pam. Most importantly, it's smart, hysterical, and brilliantly written.
Don’t miss out on one of the best comedies on television. Check out the first six episodes on the Season One DVD, and be sure to keep an eye out for the DVD of the full second season (which is even more enjoyable), available September 12. The third season kicks off September 21 at 8:30 ET on NBC. I’ll be ready with my bowl of popcorn, eagerly awaiting the new episodes.
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