The Office on NBC Retains Feel of Its BBC Counterpart

As an avid fan of all things British comedy, I was quite reluctant to watch--and even more reluctant to enjoy--NBC's The Office. However, sheer boredom and coincidental access to the second season of NBC's version eventually made me a happy and willing convert.

The US version of The Office has a number of striking similarities to its British origin. Both take place in the mediocre sales department of a paper company. Michael Scott, played by Steve Carrell, is the manager of the sales department and just as self-centered, immature, lonely, and egotistical as the British David Brent, played by Ricky Gervais. Both programs even have a common love story, between the receptionist (Pam Beesley [Jenna Fischer] on NBC, and Dawn Tinsley [Lucy Davis] on BBC), and the Sales Representative (Jim Halpert [John Krasinski] on NBC, and Tim Canterbury [Martin Freeman] on BBC).

Standard similarities aside, however, what I found most refreshing and surprising was their similarities in humor. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant can be thanked for this: the duo are Executive Producers of both versions of the show. British comedy has a reputation for being dry, awkward, and deadpan with a general nihilistic overtone. A close friend of mine described it well when he said, "You either love or hate British comedy, and I hate it." Whereas American humor is known for being more upbeat, hopeful, slapstick, and perhaps even (to a few pretentious British comedy fans) immature.

That in mind, I approached NBC's version less than hopeful. What I eventually found was that NBC managed to not only retain the dryness that defines British humor, but subtly incorporate the laugh-out-loud elements that have drawn in so many American viewers. Both shows have a unique appeal in that they approach everyday situations with a certain amount of absurdity.

I cannot watch an episode of NBC's The Office without encountering at least half a dozen moments of absolute awkwardness. The sort of awkwardness that makes you think, "I am so glad that's not me." No character portrays this better in either version of the show than the Regional Managers, Michael Scott and David Brent. Before viewing the American version, I was skeptical of Steve Carrell's ability to honor the terrifying awkwardness that David Brent exemplifies.

Therefore I would like to extend a personal apology to Mr. Carrell for having ever doubted him. Michael Scott thinks he is the funniest and most talented man in the world, and only manages to anger or annoy anyone around him. David Brent is precisely the same way, yet both characters harbor idiosynchrasies that make them unique.

The office employees portrayed in both versions of The Office do a fantastic job of showing viewers what a fundamental hatred they have for their surroundings, with one small exception. Dwight Schute, played by Rainn Wison, Assistant Regional Manager in the NBC version, is precisely what makes that particular office suited to an American audience.

Dwight is nerdy, intense, neurotic, over-the-top, and so delightfully satirical that he simply captivates anyone who experiences him. He and his British counterpart, Gareth Keenan (Mackenzie Crook), do well to display the difference between American and British humor: hope. While Dwight is rarely in a good mood, he still conveys an excitement and spirit that Americans love to watch. Overall NBC's version is slightly more upbeat, and the plots a little less harsh.

I am a connosieur of British humor. From the absurdity of Monty Python's Flying Circus, to the ineptitude of The Black Adder, to the stereotypes and parodies of Little Britain, I appreciate it all. NBC's The Office met and exceeded my expectations for an American TV show adapted from a British original.