Stromberg

Stromberg is definitely one of the best and funniest shows on German TV.

I have seen both, the British original and the US remake of The Office. Personally i prefer the US version of these two. Don't get me wrong i usually love British humor (Peep Show, Shameless, IT crowd for example are some of my favored shows) but i think the American series has a better 'flow' and the funnier boss character (Michael Scott is as hilarious as Bernd Stromberg).

The humor in the German Stromberg is also probably closer to the American version of the Office. The character of Bernd Stromberg is like a Michael Scott with a German attitude. Both actors are awesome.

A big plus of Stromberg is that it is not really a remake. It is a series for its own only roughly based on the original concept. It perfectly describes the typical German work environment, spiced up with a lot of satire off course.

I don't know if it's just the special German humor that makes a lot of people think this series is dumb or just a remake of the UK-version. I didn't see the UK version, but I saw the American version which is known as way worse than the UK version. The contents are similar but the humor of Stromber is so much better in my opinion. You have to be a fan of that special "Stromberg humor". If you understand that kind of humor you WILL agree that Christoph Maria Herbst is the best actor for that character. He just makes you laugh with every action he does. I don't think that the 3rd season is gonna be as good as the first two and that Stromberg will loose its humor but you never know... Unfortunately, I won't be able to watch this 3rd season since I'm currently a foreign exchange student in America but I'm definitely gonna buy the DVD. One more thing to Superunknown: It is true that it doesn't look spontaneous and realistic but that is part of this humor. You just have love that humor or that series is the worst thing you've ever seen.

It's a common mistake to compare "Stromberg" with the original British TV-series "The Office". Though characters and stories have been copied, the German producers of the series changed the tone and style of the dialogues from the beginning. It is why the German version has been such a success and has already amassed a huge fan-community. Everything said and the way it is played is 100% German humor. And it is a comedic jewel in his own right. Those desperately trying to compare every little bit of detail with the British original fail to see that you cannot successfully transfer all subtleties into a foreign format. It would never be the same anyway. Those in favor of the British original should stick with it. The German producers took the format and changed it into something new. And all the actors follow the style of the show very very accurately. For the first time, German TV-makers have changed an original into something original.

This may be a ripoff of the original British comedy "The Office", but at least it's a very worthy one. In fact it's one of the best series ever to grace German small screens. Personally I am especially fond of the fact that all the characters are displayed as human, vulnerable, and yet utter bastards, constantly trying to get one over their fellow human being. Never before has stark realism been so entertaining.

However, I must admit that the fact that different instances of this series have been successful in the UK, the US and Germany chills me to the bone. It is unsettling to think that, across different continents and cultures, large parts of mankind are busy nicking boxes of toner from the office supplies cabinet, ogling their female desk-mates and mobbing their hapless, pudgy colleagues just to make themselves look better by comparison. It simply doesn't bode well for mankind.

The German adaptation of "The Office" is quite impressive.

The series is very funny and with Christoph Maria Herbst in the leading role, it's just perfectly cast. Bjarne Mädel also plays his role exceptionally well.

It is also noteworthy that the characters for the adaptation were not simply taken over bluntly, but have been given their own character traits.

But the series definitely would survive today like it's original.

Sadly the society these days gets upset about every little joke and tries to cancel every human being, which is why good comedy shows are slowly dying out and the genre "comedy" with it.