With another The Office remake on the way, the release of the first trailer has revealed the new version’s decision to copy a choice also made by the US adaptation – but there’s no guarantee it’ll pay off this time around. The Office‘s US cast will go down in history as one of the greatest ensembles in TV history. The workplace comedy was incredibly character-led, and the quality of the acting and comedic timing were huge factors in the show’s success.
The remake in question shouldn’t be confused with the upcoming reboot of The Office – which will be a continuation set in the same world as the US version, but with a new set of characters. The trailer that’s been released is more of a traditional remake, and this much is clear from the teaser footage shown. So, there could conceivably be a time when there are two active versions of The Office in production simultaneously. Unfortunately, that makes the risk that’s been teased in the remake’s trailer even more dangerous.
The Australian Office Remake Is Continuing The US Version’s Character Copy
It’s easy to spot who the Australian characters are based on
Almost all the members of the original cast of the US Office have a counterpart in the original UK version. While the names aren’t the same, it’s easy to work out that Ricky Gervais’ David Brent was used as the basis for Steve Carell’s Michael Scott, for example. While the reimagined characters went on to develop their own quirks and traits, their initial templates were still undeniable. The trailer for the Australian remake of The Office looks to follow this same formula but with far less success.
Instead, it would perhaps have been more prudent to use the sitcom’s premise and populate the show with brand-new characters who can be perceived without preconception.
To illustrate, Edith Poor’s Lizzie in the Australian version is quite clearly intended to be a female take on Rainn Willson’s Dwight Schrute, who in turn was based on Mackenzie Crook’s Gareth Keenan from the original show. With so many steps between the initial character and the twice-reworked persona, it becomes a little fruitless to call it a remake at all. Instead, it would perhaps have been more prudent to use the sitcom’s premise and populate the show with brand-new characters who can be perceived without preconception.
Where Australia’s Remake Would Be Set In The Office Timeline
The new version of The Office is in the present day
At first glance, the workplace in the office looks as though it’s trying to emulate the period from the US Office – which was largely set in the 2000s. However, certain details suggest the Australian remake has brought the franchise into the present day. For instance, the computer monitors, laptops, and other devices look far too advanced to have existed in the 2000s. So, Australia’s version of The Office appears to be mimicking the US remake by setting the story at roughly the same time as its release for maximum immersion.
There’s another clue that suggests a present-day setting. Near the trailer’s beginning, Felicity Ward’s Hannah Howard (the new Michael Schott) declares to her employees, “As of today, we are all back in the office full-time.” The implication here is that the Australian Office takes place in a post-COVID world, where much of the country’s workforce has continued to work from home as an after-effect of the pandemic. So, the documentary crew within the world of the remake would appear to be commencing filming following the end of this era for the company – known as Finley Craddick Packaging.
Why Adding The Australian Office Remake Into The Main Universe Is Risky
The US remake’s integration into the UK Office’s timeline was already pretty meta
Setting the new remake alongside the US version would have been a relatively safe option, as it would have prevented crossovers between the two shows. No one from Finley Craddick ever showed up on the Carrel-led show, so it wouldn’t make sense. That being said, Ricky Gervais’ character from the original show did make a cameo appearance in season 7, episode 14 of the US edition. David Brent’s presence in “The Seminar” surprisingly established a shared universe between the two shows, but adding the Australian version into the mix as well would just be too weird.
Unfortunately, the new version of The Office being set after both the US and UK shows means it’s technically possible for characters from previous iterations to make an appearance. The US sitcom went on to become vastly different from the UK version, so the shared continuity didn’t present too much of a problem. Inversely, the Australian remake looks to have based itself heavily on the US version. As a result, while they aren’t the same character, having Michael Scott encounter Hannah Howard wouldn’t have the same impact as the time the first two bosses from The Office crossed paths.
