The Office

Summary

It ’s widely bed that the American sitcomThe Officeis based on the UK show of the same name , but a different British series from seven year earliermay have inspired the premise ofThe OfficeUK in the first place . make by British comedy writing duet Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant , the original version ofThe Officeaired only two six - episode time of year on the BBC from 2001 - 2002 , follow by a two - part Christmas special in 2003 . Two years after the Lord decided to finish the show , an American variant ofThe Officewas adapt by veteran comedy writer Greg Daniels .

The tone was adjusted to suit a more American audience ’s tastes , but the American adaptation ofThe Officeborrowed the same basic premiss of a workplace sitcom that watch the day - to - day life of the office employees of a paper company . Though it got off to a rocky starting line , The OfficeUS turned out to be more popular and successful thanThe OfficeUK , though bothversions are now recognized as some of the best sitcoms of all timein their various country . However , both variation ofThe Officehugely resemble another abruptly - hold out UK clowning showreleased years prior .

We wear out down some of the biggest differences between The Office UK vs The Office US to research what made both shows work so well .

The Office Poster Michael Scott

The Office’s Premise Was Done By The Day Today 7 Years Earlier

Seven years beforeThe OfficeUKfirst air in 2001,a six - episode fictitious news show calledThe Day Todaycame out . The last installment of the satirical comedy , which parodied current occasion broadcast medium , featured a section with a very similar premise toThe Office . The skit , also called"The Office , " portray the employees of a pharmaceutical company undergoing a serial of bizarre management scheme experiments led by opine " expert " Lester Beck . To promote his " disassemblage " management organization , Lester compels the group to berate and mortify their colleagues and themselves and lets a wild pig run loose in the office .

While neither Gervais nor Merchant has addressed gain inspiration fromThe twenty-four hours Today , the similarity between " The Office " skit andThe Officesitcom go beyond the share name . There are undeniable parallels between the premiss and the comedic intention . Through a mockumentary format,“The business office " introduces an derisory element to cut off the order of a workaday workplace settingand the exceptionally ordinary people who work there . The skit is clearly intended to bemock then - New - day office polish and business direction strategies , alike toThe Office .

Some of the exercises in " The Office " are even reminiscent of the " Diversity Day " instalment ofThe OfficeUS , in which the Dunder Mifflin employees must enter in an unknowingly noisome " sensitivity preparation " action . It ’s very likely that Gervais and Merchant were aware ofThe Day Todayand that this segment influenced peculiar elements ofThe Office . If " The Office " did serve as a light basis for Gervais and Merchant ’s idea , The Clarence Shepard Day Jr. Todaywould have been decisive to the inception of the American adaption ofThe Office , not to mention the upcomingrebootofThe Office .

Steve Carell as Michael Scott in The Office (US) and Ricky Gervais as David Brent in The Office (UK)

The program for the reboot of NBC ’s beloved funniness The Office will have to contend with losing a major factor in the original show ’s achiever .

How The Day Today’s “The Office” Differed From Gervais & Merchant’s Show

Despite their major similarities , there are some key departure betweenThe Day Today ’s " The Office " skit andTheOfficeUK sitcom . For one,“The Office " was just a two - part skit within an episode of a showrather than a full serial in itself . The employees in " The Office " also worked at a pharmaceutic company as opposed to a paper company . Plus , in " The Office , " the pathetic and off - putting David Brent - character character who was there to cause topsy-turvydom and upset was an remote expert as oppose to the boss of the company , which made sense for a one - off skit .

" The Office " skit was also a lot more surrealist and intentionally laughable in its flavor , as wasThe Day Todayas a whole . On the other bridge player , The OfficeUK depict office cultivation at the time through a more barren yet naturalistic genus Lens to get its gunpoint across and relate more to viewers . There are some distinctions between the two , andThe Officeis by no mean a rip - off or re-create ofThe Day Today ’s segment , but it would be heavy to believe if there was no connection between " The Office " andThe Office , as well as the American adaptation .

Cast

Three side by side images of characters from The Office US & UK

Chris Morris on The Day Today.

(Rainn-Wilson-as-Dwight-Schrute)-&-(John-Krasinski-as-Jim-Halpert)-&-(Steve-Carell—-as–Michael-Scott)-From-The-Office

Ricky Gervais and the cast of the British version of The Office

Headshot Of Steve Carell In The premiere of Illumination’s ‘Despicable Me 4’

Headshot Of Rainn Wilson In The Homeboy Industries' 2024 Lo Maximo Awards

Headshot Of John Krasinski In The Premiere of ‘If’ at the SVA Theatre

Headshot Of Jenna Fischer

The Office