Despite being a touchstone for any sitcom fan, I had never watched the US version of The Office until 2024. As a 31-year-old Brit, it was hard to accept that anything other than Gervais’ original version of the seminal workplace comedy – with all its awkwardness and excruciating Brentisms – might be worth watching. Given the UK Office‘s legacy, critical acclaim, and pop-culture impact, I was skeptical that anything in the same mold could avoid becoming something other than a pale imitation. Unsurprisingly, I was completely wrong.
The Office US has a reputation as one of the most beloved series of all time – and rightly so. Unlike the original, which spanned just 14 installments (including two specials), the remake ran for nine seasons and over 200 episodes. This gives the story a complexity and depth that, while cleverly hinted at in the original, is impossible to achieve without longevity. Having finally finished all nine seasons, I can honestly say that my concerns about how it would compare to the original were (largely) unfounded. Here’s what else I learned by watching The Office for the first time, 19 years after its debut.
10.The Office Season 1 Can’t Compete With The Original
It Didn’t Find Its Own Style
As successful as later series of the American Office undoubtedly are, season 1 is a bit of a false start. Though there are still some hilarious moments (the infamous “Diversity Day” episode is both shocking in a modern context and undeniably funny), the show struggles to escape the shadow of the groundbreaking original series. From Gervais and Merchant writing the first episode to the curtailed six-episode season length, there are just too many similarities for The Office season 1 to come across as anything other than a pale simulacrum.
The problem is typified in the character of Michael Scott. Although he would go on to become (justifiably) one of the most beloved sitcom characters of all time, his first few appearances veer from ill-judged at best, to actively unpleasant at worst. The attempt at crafting an American David Brent is obvious and sadly does not succeed. It’s only when Michael Scott becomes his own character that he, and the whole show, really come into their own.
9.Some Early Episodes Are Truly Excruciating
It’s Just As Cringy As The British Version
Perhaps foolishly, I was expecting (and hoping for) The Office to be a less painful watch than the British version. David Brent’s torturous attempts at workplace banter rank as some of the most unbearable examples of cringe comedy ever created, and still compel me to put my fingers in my ears over 20 years later. However, if I was hoping for some relief from The Office US, I was sadly mistaken.
The Office US came out four years after the UK version premiered.
Especially in early seasons, The Office gives its British counterpart a real run for its money in the cringe stakes. The aforementioned “Diversity Day” is a prime example, but other offending episodes include “Diwali” (featuring Michael’s impromptu proposal and attempt to kiss Pam) and “Gay Witch Hunt” (where Michael’s attempts to undo an inadvertent slur only make things worse) – both of which come in season 3. It might be less brutal than the British version, but The Office‘s cringiest moments still pack a punch.
8.The Office Season 2 And Beyond Is More Enjoyable Than Gervais’ Version
It’s A Gentler Brand Of Comedy
23 years after its debut in 2001, the British Office remains a high point of turn-of-the-century comedy. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant tapped into the zeitgeist and managed to artfully capture the drudgery, emotional torpor, and small moments of joy that define any number of office jobs – irrespective of whether they relate to paper sales. While this is an impressive achievement, however, the show is not necessarily a pleasant watch.
The Office US seems more cartoonish and less true to life. While this arguably lessens the impact of its satire, it makes the characters much more enjoyable to be around…
David Brent is, for the most part, a thoroughly unlikable protagonist – bigoted, egotistical, and petty. His entourage, including the abominable Chris Finch, is equally reprehensible, and even semi-heroic characters like Tim and Dawn behave in an unpleasant (if totally understandable) way. By contrast, The Office US seems more cartoonish and less true to life. While this arguably lessens the impact of its satire, it makes the characters much more enjoyable to be around, giving the whole series a warmer atmosphere that alleviates the ugliness bubbling below the surface of the British version.
7.The Parks & Rec Comparisons Are Impossible To Ignore
The Relationship Between The Shows Cannot Be Ignored
It’s well-documented that the NBC comedy Parks & Recreation began life as an Office spinoff. However, having watched Parks & Rec before diving into The Office, it’s only in retrospect that the similarities between the shows have become clear to me. It’s not just that they share a mockumentary format and producers in Greg Daniels and Michael Schur – on reflection, the two show’s journeys and problems mirror each other.
Both Parks & Rec and The Office struggled in their first season. Ironically, where The Office was criticized for adhering too closely to the British show’s approach, Parks & Rec was dismissed as an imitation of The Office. Each series only achieved critical acclaim in later seasons when they established their own distinctive style – providing a lesson for any workplace comedy that, whatever you’re inspired by, finding your own voice is essential.
6.Memes Have Ruined Some Of The Show’s Best Moments
Unexpected Moments Are Much Funnier
A sad consequence of The Office‘s deserved popularity is that many of the show’s greatest (and funniest) moments have now saturated pop-culture – to the point where seeing them for the first time in the context of the series has lost its impact. Legendary sequences like the “Parkour!” scene have been repeated so often that they’re no longer entertaining. Likewise, cold-open compilations that crop up on YouTube spoil some of the show’s best moments. Even if you’ve never seen the show, these clips are so ubiquitous that they’re likely already part of your comedy lexicon.
However, while meme culture and the ability to distill whole storylines down to a single, hilarious moment has compromised many Office scenes, the consequence is that some of the show’s more under-appreciated jokes become much funnier. As a first-time viewer, I found myself laughing at things I hadn’t seen chopped up on YouTube much more readily than classic Office jokes. Even though the best-known gags now seem slightly underwhelming because of their pervasiveness, it’s much easier to appreciate the unsung moments.
5.Pam & Jim’s Story Goes On For Too Long
Their Story Is Great, But Should Be Shorter
Pam and Jim’s love story deservedly ranks as one of the most romantic arcs in sitcom history. The will-they-won’t-they dynamic is teased out over multiple seasons, culminating in their wedding in season 6. However, while the epic nature of their relationship makes their eventual union incredibly satisfying, it’s undeniable that it takes a long time for them to finally see the light.
The attempt to create uncertainty falls flat, since it’s clear from the show’s very first episodes that the characters are destined for each other.
The fact is that, even though it’s obvious where their story will end up, it takes dozens of episodes for it to meaningfully move forward. The attempt to create uncertainty falls flat, since it’s clear from the show’s very first episodes that the characters are destined for each other. The fact that they don’t officially date until season 4 means their coquettish office flirting starts to feel repetitious. Compared to Tim and Dawn from the original series (who had just as dramatic a journey in just 14 episodes), Pam and Jim could be accused of improbably delaying the inevitable.
4.I Wasn’t Prepared For How Much I Loved The Supporting Characters
They’re The Real Heroes Of The Show
Perhaps because of the prevalence of high-profile Office memes and clips, the show has become synonymous with the likes of Steve Carell, John Krasinski, and Rainn Wilson. However, while these performers deserve their star billing, The Office actually owes its success to the strength of its supporting cast.
As a first-time viewer, I frequently found myself laughing more at the antics of Andy Bernard, Stanley Hudson, and Meredith Palmer than any of the main characters. Famous Office jokes may have lost their impact, but an unintended consequence is that these supporting roles have really come into their own, retroactively stealing the show. It’s a testament to how well the series is constructed that there is such a wealth of memorable secondary characters to give the narrative genuine depth and diversity.
3.Michael Scott Is An Amazing Character, But It’s Hard To Forgive The Opening
It Taints His Role In Later Seasons
A major difference in watching The Office in 2024 versus when it was first broadcast is the accessibility of every season. Whereas, in real-time, there was an understandable delay between installments, every episode is now available back-to-back. While this makes the show ideal for binge-watching, it also makes some character changes seem particularly stark and hard to accept. Nowhere is this more true than for Michael Scott.
Although he becomes a genuinely likable character, capable of extraordinary empathy as well as embarrassment, watching his story back-to-back makes it difficult to forget the early iteration of his character. In The Office season 1, Scott is genuinely unpleasant – exhibiting the same small-mindedness that defined David Brent, without any of the emotional subtlety. The show definitely fixes this in later seasons. However, when watching the series in quick succession, his past behavior becomes impossible to forget.
2.Robert California Isn’t As Bad As Everyone Says
It Is A Major Change For The Show
To this day, Robert California remains a hugely controversial figure for The Office fans. Even before watching the show, I was aware that Michael Scott’s successor was, at best, considered extremely divisive – not just because he was replacing the show’s defining character, but because his personality was radically different from what came before. Having seen the antipathy with which many viewers still regard him, I expected the worst.
The truth, however, is that Robert California is nowhere near as egregious as many claim. Although his extremely eccentric personality drastically changes the tone of the show – pushing it away from the pseudo-realism that had made it successful – his energy and James Spader’s performance still result in some hilarious moments. Perhaps it’s because we are now a long way removed from when he first arrived on the scene, but the Robert California controversy now seems somewhat overblown.
1.You Should Watch The Office All The Way Through
The Later Seasons Are Still Worth It
Perhaps because of the Robert California issue, there’s a popular consensus that later seasons of The Office aren’t worth bothering with. There’s no denying that Michael Scott’s departure creates a clear line in the sand for the show – a natural end point that could, superficially, make other stories seem superfluous. However, even post-Scott, The Office still has a lot to offer.
Episodes like the deliciously cringey “Garden Party” rank among the show’s finest moments, while “The Incentive” is a hilarious blend of classic Office preposterousness and all-too-relatable anxiety. Capping it all off is the finale itself which, despite the mixed reputation of the episodes that precede it, is beautifully realized and made more impactful because of Michael’s prior absence. Later seasons of The Office may not be perfect, but they’re certainly worth watching.
