The New Office Remake Backlash Misses A Key Fact About The Beloved NBC Sitcom

The Office is getting an Australian remake, and those questioning the upcoming release are forgetting a major fact about the popular NBC sitcom. NBC’s version of The Office garnered nine seasons before coming to an end in 2013. Over a decade later, the mockumentary is still wildly popular, especially after its availability on streaming and the release of The Office‘s Superfan episodes. Therefore, it’s no surprise why creators would want to extend The Office‘s reach.

Prime Video’s upcoming Australian version of The Office will notably feature the first female boss at the front and center of the workplace comedy. Actress Felicity Ward is playing the Michael Scott-like boss, but in this case, the modern trend of remote work threatens the fate of the branch. Even though it’s been 11 years since The Office‘s series finale on NBC, some loyal fans are questioning why the Australian remake is happening, but the concerns don’t make any sense.

NBC’s The Office Is Also A Remake

The Michael Scott Show Was Not An Original Idea

Those criticizing Australia’s The Office remake are entirely forgetting that the NBC version of the show is also a remake. Before NBC premiered the show in 2005, The Office was an original BBC show starring Ricky Gervais as David Brent, the inept manager of a UK paper company. The three-season sitcom inspired the American remake, with British characters being used as inspiration for the likes of Michael, Dwight, and Pam. Gervais created the show alongside Stephen Merchant, with both having a hand in writing and directing several US episodes.

In fact, The Office‘s pilot episode was directly adapted from an episode of the British version before the NBC show branched out. Without the success and the developed formula of Gervais’ show, The Office would never have happened at NBC. The remake on NBC clearly had a more significant impact, running six seasons longer and making a bigger mark on pop culture, but the show’s foundation must be credited to the original series. Without the likes of David Brent, Michael Scott wouldn’t exist.

The Office On NBC Was Not The Only Remake

Over A Dozen Versions Of The Office Have Aired Or Been In Development

Even without discussing the upcoming remake of The Office on Prime Video, 11 other remakes have aired outside of the US and UK versions. The Office in the UK, US, and Australia are the three English-language releases, but several others have debuted in other countries worldwide over the years. Some recent ones include India’s The Office, Poland’s The Office PL, and Saudi Arabia’s Al Maktab.

The existence of remakes in other countries might be divisive, but it’s important to remember that certain aspects of The Office only work if tweaked to represent the culture of its audience. Certain storylines like “bring your kid to work day” or dynamics within the workplace setting might be relevant to the US but not in other countries. If the workplace formula and title are the general inspiration behind remakes in different countries, what’s the harm in remaking to cater to other cultures?

Aside from The Office on Prime Video, the American version is still getting a reboot titled The Paper. After years of debating whether The Office deserves a reboot, showrunner Greg Daniels decided on more of an unrelated spinoff instead of reviving characters from Dunder Mifflin. The Paper will focus on a failing newspaper nowhere close to Scranton, meaning any chance of familiar faces showing up will be slim. Still, it’s just another example of The Office‘s everlasting interest.