Has anyone watched both the American and British versions of "The Office"?

Question

If so, how do they compare?

Answer 1

Tough question. I lived in the UK throughout the initial run of "The Office" and have watched perhaps a half dozen episodes of the American version. Though I can definitely say that I prefer the British version by far, saying why this is so, is far more difficult.

The British version is more subtle where the American version is more overt, but I think the primary difference was between the stars, Steve Carell and Ricky Gervais. Gervais was somehow more human. The show could really make you squirm, but that feeling came from identifying with Gervais and liking him for his intentions (in spite of how they came out) and somehow pulling for him to see the error of his ways and succeed. Carell is just offensive, stupid and irredeemable. Some of the other characters on the American version are just as entertaining as their British counterparts, but in the end Carell is no Gervais.

If you haven't seen the British version I'd highly recommend that you buy it, rent it or cross your fingers that BBC America will include it in next seasons schedule.

Answer 2

Both are hilarious and both are produced and created by the same man, Ricky Gervais (sp), who plays the boss in the British version. He now stars in an HBO show called Extras.
I was fearful that the American version would suck--but it rocks equally to the British version! I mean, Steve Carroll, come on! The guy's a comic genius.
Carroll is just as successful as Gervais at being human and horrible at the same time--probably why Gervais hired him.

Answer 3

Yes. They both have their ups and downs. The American version is much funnier but some of its episodes are sort of similar to the British verson. But the British version is more original and I get a real kick out of the fact that some of my favorite actors are in it (like Mackenzie Crook, who was also in Pirates of the Caribbean).

Answer 4

The American just totally misses the humour the British one had

I am probably biased because I'm English and we do have a unique sense of humour, but I have not laughed once at the American version........

When David Brent does his dance in the office it is side splitting funny

Answer 5

They are actually pretty similar. I only saw the british version a couple of times but they pull off the dry comedy a lot better than us americans. We found some good actors/comedians who seem to have that kind of comedy as it was but the Brits invented dry humor.

Answer 6

i do no longer watch it because of the fact my mom did, even nonetheless it in all threat is high hereditary, LOL! My mom became surely watching AMC (the only cleansing soap she watched) in the wellbeing center whilst she became having me. She thinks this is in all threat why i like soaps and that i'm a "cleansing soap queen" as she calls me. i like soaps, yet whilst i all started watching my first cleansing soap I wasn't that attentive to the reality that my mom watched AMC for on the factor to 30 years. i'm especially beneficial my mom knew approximately soaps because of the fact her mothers and dads the two watched GH some years after it first all started in the path of the 90s or so. My aunt (mom's sister) additionally became a cleansing soap viewer, she watched Days yet i don't be attentive to which decade it became, nonetheless i could wager the 70s and 80s because is whilst her teenagers have been born and she or he in all threat stumbled onto Days whilst on maternity depart.

Answer 7

I have and the Britsh version is much better. American versions of British shows aren't that good. (Some exceptions apply)

Answer 8

i've seen clips of the brittish version. I think what I understood was funny but sometimes the brittish slang and the accent can make it difficult to follow along....I had the same problem when I watched The Full Monty.