Is it me or do Jim and Pam ruin The Office?

[emdasher]

For whatever reason I never got on board with the U.S. edition of "The Office." I keep going back to it because of its continued success, but I can't make it through all of the constant Jim/Pam will-they-won't-they posturing.

I really WANT to like this show because at times it's hilarious. Most of the time, though, I feel like the producers of the show want me to be laughing at that "how did I end up with these idiots?" face that Jim constantly makes, or pining for Jim and Pam to be whisked away to some Italian villa where they can both enjoy not being funny together.

And Dwight? Tone it down a notch.

I could be wrong on this. Someone help me out?

[Gilly]

They don't ruin it but they are featured way too much. I don't agree with you on Dwight at all.

[emdasher]

I don't agree with you on Dwight at all.

Dwight's character in the pilot was the main factor in my decision to not watch the show on a regular basis.

[cutout]

Most of the time, though, I feel like the producers of the show want me to be laughing at that "how did I end up with these idiots?" face that Jim constantly makes, or pining for Jim and Pam to be whisked away to some Italian villa where they can both enjoy not being funny together.

And Dwight? Tone it down a notch.

Agreed on all points.

Then again I'm embarrassingly devoted to the UK version and I thought even they overplayed Tim's little glances at the camera. Overall the US version is too buffoonish and cartoonish and broad for me. I'd always thought Steve Carell oversold his lines  in other roles, and he seems to go way over the top in his Office role. Ricky Gervais was supposed to be a buffoon but he also had all these little sad subtleties that made the show much more than a stock comedy. I don't feel anything for Carell's character than annoyance.

[mokin]

I don't agree with you on Dwight at all.

Dwight's character in the pilot was the main factor in my decision to not watch the show on a regular basis.

I don't think you can judge the entire show just by the pilot, or even the entire first season. The US version didn't really gain it's own voice until season 2.

[emdasher]

I'd always thought Steve Carell oversold his lines  in other roles, and he seems to go way over the top in his Office role. Ricky Gervais was supposed to be a buffoon but he also had all these little sad subtleties that made the show much more than a stock comedy. I don't feel anything for Carell's character than annoyance.

People I know who love the show enjoy hating Carell's every move as Michael, which seems off to me.

By the way, if they made a spin-off for all of the show's characters not including the Big 4 of Michael, Dwight, Jim and Pam, I'd be the first in line to watch.

[cutout]

People I know who love the show enjoy hating Carell's every move as Michael, which seems off to me.

You mean 'hating', as in, cringing at the un-PC things he says, or hating, as in, he's not funny in that role? I'm for the latter.

[Gilly]

I don't agree with you on Dwight at all.

Dwight's character in the pilot was the main factor in my decision to not watch the show on a regular basis.

I don't think you can judge the entire show just by the pilot, or even the entire first season. The US version didn't really gain it's own voice until season 2.

I think that's the key. Every time I hear somebody say something bad about the Office US they haven't watched more than season 1. Season one wasn't very good and it was just trying to mimic the Brit version and most of the time I felt uncomfortable watching the show. Season 2 and beyond is much different.

[buffcoat]

I'm with Gilly.  It's a different show than the British version, and good in its own right as a different show.

I like the secondary characters a lot, as well, especially Creed, who doesn't have a full parallel in the British version, as Keith doesn't have a full on parallel in the American version.

Watch the second season and see if you feel the same.

[cutout]

I'd agree the show has been a bit funnier since the first season, esp for a mainstream/network comedy.

I thought Kevin was the parallel for Keith?

[jamesp]

I'd agree the show has been a bit funnier since the first season, esp for a mainstream/network comedy.

I thought Kevin was the parallel for Keith?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure he is.

I love Creed and agree with a lot of everybody's points. I keep thinking that when I'm watching the show that none of the cast (aside from Mindy Kaling and Steve Carrell) will have any success outside the series. Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, and Rainn Wilson are all mediocre actors or very annoying, both on the show and in outside projects. They'll just be typecasted but never successful.

The show has run its course at this point and should work towards concluding it soon. The original was so great with only 12 episodes because it never got boring and didn't have to give us 36 episodes of Pam & Jim looking at each other and giggling.

[emdasher]

I think that's the key. Every time I hear somebody say something bad about the Office US they haven't watched more than season 1. Season one wasn't very good and it was just trying to mimic the Brit version and most of the time I felt uncomfortable watching the show. Season 2 and beyond is much different.

Like I said, I keep coming back to the show, and I find it a lot funnier than my initial experience with the pilot and other early episodes. My problems with the show in its present form are mostly unrelated to any I had about season 1.

People I know who love the show enjoy hating Carell's every move as Michael, which seems off to me.

You mean 'hating', as in, cringing at the un-PC things he says, or hating, as in, he's not funny in that role? I'm for the latter.

i mean that they mostly view Michael as nothing more than a totally obnoxious character, in relation to Pam and Jim. In the UK version of the show, I didn't feel like I was being forced to ground myself in the Tim-Dawn relationship.

[mokin]

I love Creed and agree with a lot of everybody's points. I keep thinking that when I'm watching the show that none of the cast (aside from Mindy Kaling and Steve Carrell) will have any success outside the series. Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, and Rainn Wilson are all mediocre actors or very annoying, both on the show and in outside projects. They'll just be typecasted but never successful.

I think Jenna Fischer and Rainn Wilson are pretty talented. At the moment they're not choosing the right projects, although Fischer held her own in Walk Hard. Wilson has proven himself to be a good dramatic actor in lots of projects, although I especially liked him in Six Feet Under and Baadasssss!

[Bryan]

I was/am pretty devoted to the UK series, and didn't get around to the US remake until the last few months. I've been powering through the DVDs. I just skipped the first season, as I understood it was a straight, line-for-line remake of the UK episodes.

Dwight was also a sore spot for me. He seemed too sitcommy and broad. By now though, I'm totally won over. At some point in the second season the character finds the right tone and just clicks into place.

[John Junk 2.0]

The episode where he kidnaps the pizza boy is great. 
The one where Michael and Dwight drive to NYC for a conference they're not invited to was awesome too.

The one where Michael does a survival thing in the woods = not-so-hot. 

I think the american Office is a good show, but the original series blows it out of the water as far as I'm concerned.