Stromberg

I love The Office, I've seen the UK and US version several times and I'm also a fan of Ricky Gervais work.

Because I'm not a German native (B2 level) I didn't have high expectations for the German version. But boy I was so wrong, the humor, the mimic and the sayings are just outstanding, I laughed a lot and I think it's on par with the other versions.

Herbst is genuinely funny and acts masterfully, and the character interactions are realistic.

I really don't get why this show isn't more popular, at least in Europe. Maybe because it comes only with German subtitles!

Netflix should do better with this comedy gem, it should provide subtitles at least in English, they are so rare and these days there's no comedy anymore, everything is controlled and politically correct.

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.

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.

This is a wonderful remake of the British original, which I unfortunately never had a chance to watch -- it certainly is great, too, I love British television, but as little as I normally like German TV, this show is GREAT!! The US version is pretty good, too, by the way -- in case anyone gets a chance to watch it. The protagonist (the Herbst guy) is definitely one of the funniest and most talented comedians Germany has ever had (and contrarily to what people, especially the Brits, will say, there have been quite a few!!) So, people, if you get a chance to watch this ( I suspect it is no longer on German television....haven't been able to watch German TV lately so I don't really know! But there's bound to be re-runs, at least I certainly hope so as this was basically the only thing I was trying to watch on a regular basis. Sorry for going on and on,but the rules for this forum are that comments have to consist of at least 10 lines (don't know why!!)

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.