The Australian remake of The Office has bombed on review site Rotten Tomatoes mere days after the full first season was released on streaming. Based on the hit British mockumentary sitcom of the same name, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, The Office 2024 is the second international iteration of the show, following the hugely successful NBC adaptation starring Steve Carrell as Michael Scott, which aired from 2005 to 2012. The new reboot of The Office stars an ensemble cast, including Felicity Ward, Shari Sebbens, and Steen Raskopoulos, and debuted on Prime Video on October 18.
Unlike its predecessors, the show has not been particularly well received, and according to review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the show has received poor audience reviews, but, interestingly, has received positive reviews from critics. At the time of writing, the show has posted an audience score of 32% from more than 50 reviews, showing that the show has not been well received by Prime viewers, but it also has a critics score of 80% based on five reviews.
What The Poor Reception Could Mean for The Office Remake
The Show Is In A Similar Position To The US Remake When It Debuted
The initial reception from audiences does not bode well for the show’s immediate future, and things could get worse before they get better. However, it is worth remembering that the hit US remake of The Office initially struggled during its first season, and was met with mixed reception from audiences and critics. But the following seasons found critical acclaim, after the show was able to find its feet and develop its own voice, and eventually was able to evolve as a complementary counterpart to its sister show.
The Office reboot has had a tough time with audience reception so far… there is a chance it could become a solid sitcom in its own right that enhances the legacy of its predecessors.
The trailer for The Office Australia reboot was met with criticism when it revealed a gender-swap of the lead character to a woman, and this could have impacted some of the poor ratings. With the way streaming platforms work these days, shows that struggle initially are typically not given the time they might need to evolve and grow narratively, and often these shows are canceled prematurely. This is a fate that could well befall The Office reboot, and much will come down to whether Amazon feels the show can gain more positive traction if it gets a second season.
Our Verdict On Whether The Office Australia Can Reach The Heights Of Its Predecessors
It’s Still Early, But Signs Do Not Look Promising
The Office reboot has had a tough time with audience reception so far, and while it’s unlikely that this Australian remake is going to have any of the funniest episodes of The Office, there is a chance it could become a solid sitcom in its own right that enhances the legacy of its predecessors. However, I think that The Office reboot will need to shake things up fairly drastically in any future seasons in order to stand out and make its own mark as a show, and to have a chance of lasting beyond a couple of seasons.
