The Office, US version

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January 27, 2005

Cathy, la Lucky Luke des blogueuses (qui blogue plus vite que son ombre) a raconté depuis longtemps notre escapade vendredi chez NBC (le déjeuner Miami Vice parmi crocodiles en plastiques et flamands rose, la conf de presse de Patricia Arquette et de la médium qu'elle incarne dans une nouvelle série) mais le plus crucial est bien sur la version américaine de The Office. Les fans de la série culte britannique s'en rongent les ongles, mais c'est vrai: NBC va diffuser une version américaine, dès le 22 mars à 21h30.

Cathy, the Lucky Luke of bloggers (a reference to a Belgium-born cow-boy who shoots faster than his own shadow) wrote a while ago about our little NBC-sponsored adventure on Friday (the Miami Vice lunch amidst plastic crocodiles and pink flamingos plus the press conference of Patricia Arquette and of the young medium she plays in a new TV series,) but the most crucial of it all is, of course, news of the American version of The Office. Fans of the British cult TV series are biting their nails, but it's true: NBC will broadcast the US version starting March 22, at 9:30 p.m.

De ce que j'en ai vu: The office, an american workplace peut fonctionner (laissons leur le bénéfice du doute, contrairement aux commentateurs sur Imdb) Le bureau est très similaire et la composition de l'équipe aussi (un patron à côté de la plaque, une réceptionniste rêveuse, l'employé mignon qui en pince pour elle...) Le boss sous les traits de Steve Carell (de l'émission satirique The Daily Show) trouve son propre ton sans même tenter d'américaniser l'inimitable David Brent, mais les personnages s'éloignent peu des originaux, à l'exception de Gareth (qui devient Dwight: moins bizarre, plus tête à claques.) Le scénariste principal, ancien des Simpsons et de Saturday Night Live assure que seulement 50% du matériel dérive directement de The Office, même si de nombreux gags semblent recyclés (cf. l'agrapheuse dans la gelée.)

From what I have seen: The office, an american workplace can work (let's give them the benefit of the doubt, unlike those commenters on Imdb) The office in itself and the team composition are very similar to the British original (you have the unaware boss, the dreaming receptionist, the cute employee who has the hots for her... ) Played by The Daily Show's Steve Carell, the boss finds his own tone without even trying to do an Americanized imitation of the inimitable David Brent. The other characters are close to their originals, apart from Gareth (here, called Dwight, less weird and more annoying). The main screenwriter, formerly of The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live says that only 50% of the material has been lifted from The Office, even though it looks like many gags have been recycled (i.e. the stapler in the jelly).

Les créateurs du show briton Ricky Gervais et Stephen Merchant sont des consultants sur la version U.S. et selon NBC, la cautionnent à 100%. Steve Carell racontait sa rencontre avec Ricky Gervais: "Nous avons entâmé un combat de lutte ensemble... Nous nous sommes couverts le corps d'huile et... Sérieusement, Gervais et Merchant n'auraient pas pu manifester une attitude plus positive [envers la série américaine.]" Et si la version U.S. est un flop, NBC pourra appliquer l'une des nombreuses maximes de David Brent: "Si tu ne réussis pas de suite, fais disparaitre toutes les preuves que tu as essayé."

The creators of the British show Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are consultants on the U.S. version and are said by NBC to back it 100%. Steve Carell told us about his meeting with Ricky Gervais: "He and I started wrestling together... We rubbed our bodies with oil and... Seriously, Gervais and Merchant couldn't be more positive [about the U.S. show]." And if this U.S. version tanks, NBC could apply one of David Brent's many rules : "If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried."

PS: Reconnaissance éternelle à l'ami blogueur de Down Under Tim Bair (Tim Bleah) venu à Los Angeles cet été et nous a fait connaitre la première saison de The Office. /

PS: Eternal gratitude to blogger pal from Down Under Tim Bair (a.k.a Tim Bleah) who came to L.A. this summer and introduced us to the first season of The Office.

PS 2: got hold of several episodes of The Office, an American workplace: very disappointing, not to say... awful!

Posted by emmanuelle at January 27, 2005 09:40 AM

Comments

P.S. about Miami Vice: Michael Mann is shooting the film version in Miami with Colin Farrell reprising the role of Don Johnson. What's the point?

I watched the original TV pilot of Miami Vice the other night and was in shock: what a great film! It's not even TV, it could be a feature film in itself. It's just wonderful. The acting is awesome, everything is thought-provoking including Elvis the crocodile. And I never thought I would say that about Miami Vice - which I barely watched back in the days.

Posted by: Emmanuelle at February 2, 2005 05:26 PM

How typical. They can't rerun the good stuff. They have to redo it and water it down for America. Bad enough when they do it with French movies.

Posted by: Amy Alkon at February 3, 2005 02:05 AM