Stromberg

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.

Based on the extraordinary successful British original 'The Office', the first episodes of 'Stromberg' had a huge legacy to carry. Anyhow, the German adaption is a very good fit to the original. The main strength of the German version lies in its leading actor Christoph Maria Herbst, who plays the head of a department in an insurance, the counterpart of the role British comedian Ricky Gervais plays. Christoph Maria Herbst impersonates perfectly the German lazy, sexist and totally political incorrect office-worker, who is mostly hated but also commiserated by the viewers. I would even say he is a better fit to that role than Ricky Gervais, because he behaves, mimics and looks ( the bold head - perfect ! ) more like the typical office-worker, but maybe thats just my German-office-worker influenced view. The whole episodes are just like the original made up like a documentation, which means unsteady zooms and shots, less cuts and camera-angles and people who feel embarrassed to be filmed, which all together gives it the realistic appeal. I have seen only a few episodes of the British original, so I do not want to say 'Stromberg' is better, but if the original is better, 'Stromberg' is very close behind it. Everyone around Germany should look forward for the second season of 'Stromberg', coming in fall 2005, and I hope it will be more successful than the first, this show definitely deserves it.

You can really say that this is is just an Office Remake. But that would be something it has in common with many other shows. Mainly the US remake that has the same title. The original is the one with Ricky Gervais .. a role that he really inhabits ... and that seems to be a bit of his personality - maybe just the comedian in him. But he clearly doesn't seem to care what others think - so he will make fun of any- and everyone.

But back to this. Because you would do this injustice if you just compared it with the Original show. The very first season, takes a bit of time to get it on ... to really get going. But especially the second season really shoots for the stars. And Stromberg is being played geniusly by Herbst! What a role, what a performance. Now he is not really likeable and he says a lot of bad things ... and yet through all the moments we hate him or are annoyed by him, the acting and the "documentary" (reality tv) style enhance everything - and make him ... somewhat sympathetic.

Season 3 still holds up good, but it goes a bit in a downward spiral with season 4. Although it does change scenery a little bit - which is good ... it cannot sustain what was made before. At least not for an entire season. There are some brilliant moments and Herbst never lets off ... rather kind of gets better in his depiction - trying to be a "good" person! According to his own standards and own values.

I am on to watch the second season of Ricky Gervais Office ... and then I will have the US office ... which will be a bit of a drag I reckon ... so many seasons, so many episodes ... but more on that on the other side ... I mean site.

I saw the UK Office first, and it was excellent. Then I saw the US Office, and it was fantastic. Then I eventually saw Stromberg, and Stromberg is as good as the other two. Herbst is so good as Stromberg, that he had me constantly cramping with the laughter/2nd hand embarrassment. The difference between his character, and Brent/Scott is that he's far more of a dick, and Herbst is phenomenal at portraying this. This series doesn't have English subtitles, purely because it's German through and through. To translate it wouldn't make sense half the time, at least in my opinion. Either way, this is one of my very favourite shows of all time, one that rewards many binge sessions. Don't forget to check out the movie, too!

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!!)