It’s Time To End “The Office”

From Ricky Gervais’ website, Kyle Carpenter critiques the US Office for straying too far from the British original.

For the most part, the American Office has departed so far from the British version that the two can barely be thought of as the same show. One major pitfall is that some of the main characters in the American version are vastly different from their portrayal in the British one. For example, Carrell’s role as Michael Scott is, at best, an overblown parody of the bumbling British boss David Brent. The real loss is that Gervais’s style of subtle comedic delivery throughout the series has been abandoned. Instead, Carrell’s jokes are over the top and spoon-fed to the American audience.

Another prominent character that was spoiled in the American version is the role of the slightly neurotic wimp Gareth Keenan. Mackenzie Crook’s role as Gareth was turned into Dwight Shrute, portrayed by Rainn Wilson. Wilson’s role is so over-acted and unbelievable that he comes across more like a villain from a little kid’s show than a character in a comedy that is supposed to be funny because of how realistic it is. This brings me to the fundamental difference between the two shows. Although a stretch at times, the British version feels like it could be a real workplace, and the characters are humorous in their authenticity. In the American version, the characters are larger than life, and often find themselves in unrealistic situations. While some viewers see this as part of the show’s charm, it entirely undermines the original premise of the series.

From its high in the second season, I think the US Office has been in steady decline. I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I’ve been following the US show using torrents since the begining. Before I begin my critique I should say that I’m not a television writer and I don’t know anything about the television industry or what it takes to make a show, I’m just offering my opinions as a fan.

I believe that the US Office needs to close. For the sake of the show’s integrity, it needs to give itself a strong final push and plot arc and try to end on a high note.

It’s still “funny” but it’s not “funny and challenging”. It came close a few times, but now it’s way off the mark. The UK Office was consistently funny and challenging. Each scene was well-crafted and extremely well acted. It played with fourth walls, left things unsaid and was willing to deliver tragedy.

One problem is the lead character. I hadn’t realized this before Carpenter pointed it out, but Ricky Gervais’ performance as David Brent was a great moment in acting. It was funny, subtle, completely alienating and yet totally sympathetic. Steve Carrell is funny, and he’s a great actor as we saw in Little Miss Sunshine, but the increasingly broad material and irreconcilable idiocy of his character give him very little wiggle room.

There is no emotional risk for the characters. The continuation of the franchise depends on their consistency. Of course the indicted executive Ryan returns as a secretary. Of course Jim comes back from another branch, just as Jan came back, just as Dwight came back from working at Staples. Just as Pam will come back from art school and Toby will return from Costa Rica (wait a few weeks, Amy Ryan’s contract is not a permanent deal).

Even when the characters are flung out and pushed away they always return to a paper company in the middle of nowhere. Why? They are free of consequences and reality. The show tried to take risks but never followed through. It’s a comedy cock tease.

I believe that with some firm guidance from Merchant and Gervais the show could finish in style instead of lingering and fading into Two and a Half Men with no laugh track. Merchant and Gervais need to reign in the NBC/US creative team. I hope that this is what Gervais was hinting at by posting the link to the Carpenter critique on his website. At the very least, someone should send the NBC team a copy of the original Office on DVD.

Of course ending the show at this point would mean taking risks, telling off the network and killing a cash cow. But they need to ask themselves: Do they want to make great comedy, or do they want to sell some fucking candles?

As Carpenter said, “the last good thing about the British version is that it knew when to die with dignity.”

EDIT: The November 6th episode was a great accomplishment, probably the best one in the last two seasons. Maybe I’ve been hyper critical…