The Office

Painful to watch, I need a refund and I didn't even spend any money to watch it. So bad I had to make an account just to review this show.

There is nothing new, original or funny about this show. The "jokes" are typical of Facebook mums. They love to punch below themselves and fill every second with the most unimaginative jokes possible. Pure leftist propaganda that is trying way to hard to be socially acceptable making it the most bland bit of media I have ever witnessed. It is more dry and lifeless than anything I have ever experienced in my entire life. Somehow they copied the original and left out every single part of the UK and US version that gave them any identity, life or realism.

Most of the reviews seem to be based on the first 15 minutes of episode 1, which, admittedly, is quite bad. However, by the time I reached episode 6, I found myself laughing a few times. The criticism that it's "trying too hard" is, ironically, part of the charm of every version of The Office, whether it's the UK or US. The first season of the US Office was just as awkward as this Australian version. There's nothing particularly groundbreaking about the first season of any Office series, but they all progressively get funnier, and I expect the same for the Australian one. The casting could be stronger, but the characters are starting to grow on me. It's not a great start, but then again, that seems to be the case with all versions of The Office.

Hannah Howard runs the Sydney office of paper distributor Flinley Craddock. Head Office is planning to shut down the office and have everyone work from home, a development that doesn't sit well with Hannah. So, with the aid of sidekick Lizzie, she tries to undermine Head Office's plan.

The original UK version of The Office was brilliant, an hilarious, intelligent blend of cringe-comedy and human drama set against the backdrop of an average office. It was so good that I initially refused to watch the US version, figuring it could not possibly live up to the original and would just be a cheap American knock-off.

Eventually I watched the US version and, to my surprise, not only was it a great credit to the original series, in some ways it even surpassed it.

So, with the legacy of being spawned by two of the greatest TV comedy series of all time we now have...the Australian version of The Office. I know living up to the quality of those two series is a tough ask but the producers and writers could at least have tried. While quite closely following the plot of those series, especially the US series, this is nothing like those series.

For a start, laughs are few and far between. Somebody should have reminded the writers that for cringe-comedy, you need comedy. This is just cringe. Characters are dull and irritating, plot-lines are irritating, the actors try to mimic the actors of the US series but don't come anywhere near to capturing what made that series so special. It's a struggle to get through an episode.

Quite embarrassing, not only as a fan of the first two versions of The Office but also as an Australian.

Office Australia will face the same problems Inbetweeners US faced; it wasn't a terrible show, but it was nothing in comparison to the original and that sours the remake.

Office Aus has an even bigger problem, there's many different versions, most notably the original UK and then US ones. The characters are likeable, but mirror their mannerisms too closely with their UK/US counterparts. The show does add some originality with updated storylines that will resonate with a younger audience - or anyone who has worked in an office after Covid.

I feel the same writers, crew and cast could have created a watchable original show, it's a shame they went down this path instead.

I won't be leaping to watch Episode 2.

Based on the reviews, I started watching this expecting it to be terrible. I have watched both versions of the office, there are good and bad episodes in those versions (especially at the beginning). Honestly the Australian version is good! Set your expectations aside and give it a go. It's not the US Office or the UK Office, it's the Australian Office. They give it their own Aussie spin, with some familiar tropes certainly, but it works! There are some genuinely funny lines and it's extremely watchable! The jokes aren't recycled, they're new and hilarious. Ignore the neckbeard reviewers. This show is light and funny, that's all it needs to be.