** THE OFFICE DISCUSSION THREAD - THE UK AND AMERICAN VERSIONS ***

[21times20]

i think the only real question that can be debated is which character is better, gareth or dwight...i mean pam is obviously better (ok maybe just hotter) than dawn, tim is obviously better than jim, and while steve carrel has certainly had his moments, the longer the US version goes on the less he is able to measure up to gervais

but the amount of quality that both gareth and dwight have delivered just seems impossible to quantify to me, does anyone have insight that might shed some light on this issue? if i were to make an office all-star version this is the one choice i really don't think i could make

[katyseagull]

One of my favorite episodes! The UK's episode #2 has so many funny lines that I can't decide which part is my favorite.


Lol at Gareth for that holster he is wearing. I was dying. I woke up this morning and I'm still laughing about his holster. Perfect casting there, no one could be as ridiculous as that guy. I happen to like him so much better than Dwight. Gareth seems like he could be a real person whereas Dwight is just a caricature.

Dawn is more interesting to me than Pam. Pam seems really sweet and intelligent. Dawn seems naughty and, as diebitter said, slightly more complex. Can you picture Pam asking Jim to play with her hair? Dawn loves that Tim is playing with her hair and both of them have a very teasing, playful relationship. It's very hard to tell which one is in charge. There's one scene where Dawn is watching Tim playing around with the new girl Donna (is that her name?) and she rests her head on her desk. I like that moment where the camera catches her doing that. I know I say it too much but just brilliant casting here.












David Brent: Now you do not punish a girl, Dutch or otherwise, for having big boobs.
Gareth: If anything they should be rewarded.
David Brent: No, they should be equal.


One part that I had forgotten about was Gareth interrogating Keith. Lmao. Keith kills me. "Yes, I mean no." "No, uh I mean yes." Haha! Can you just picture poor Gareth trying to make heads or tails of it? If Stanley did that I would not laugh nearly as hard. I might not laugh at all. KEITH RULES! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]


p.s. Please tell me that warehouse scene is not a realistic depiction of how the English actually treat their women. That poor Jennifer. Gawd [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]


(I will write more later and comment on the US version. Excellent episode, that Diversity Day. Running late for work right now.)

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]

p.s. Please tell me that warehouse scene is not a realistic depiction of how the English actually treat their women. That poor Jennifer. Gawd [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]


[/ QUOTE ]

Of course there are men like that. But they have them in America too, right?


Gareth going on about Shindler's List to show he's sensitive made me laugh too.

[katyseagull]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

p.s. Please tell me that warehouse scene is not a realistic depiction of how the English actually treat their women. That poor Jennifer. Gawd [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]


[/ QUOTE ]

Of course there are men like that. But they have them in America too, right?




[/ QUOTE ]

Hell no, not in front of a girl! Are you crazy?

[diebitter]

Erm, you best never visit Britain. Or in fact any part of Europe. Or Australia.

[diebitter]

The Office (UK) Season 1 Episode 3: The Quiz
The Office (US) Season 1 Episode 3: Health Care


A pair of reasonably amusing episodes, the UK one being ahead of the game because it gives us our first meeting with Chris Finch, travelling salesman, a truly awful human being.

Example?

Chris Finch (as Dawn passes): Give me half hour with her I'd be up to my nuts in guts.





THE QUIZ

This involves a quiz night where Brent teams up with Brent to form a quiz team that hasn't lost in 6 years. Finch is a diabolically awful human being, the sort of person equivalent to fingernails down a chalkboard (we all know people like that, right?).

These pair of saddos get riled because a recently-employed ex-student is now in the company, and he won on the UK quiz show for teenagers called 'blockbusters'.

Leading up to this, Gareth is the quizmaster, compiling the questions, but a highlight is him getting sidetracked by Tim and Dawn:

Tim: We were wondering if a military man like you, a soldier, er, could you give a man a lethal blow?
Gareth: If I was forced to, I could. If it was absolutely necessary, if he was attacking me.
Tim: What if he was coming, really hard?
Gareth: Yeah, if my life was in danger, yeah.
Dawn: And do you always imagine doing it face to face with a bloke, or could you take a man from behind?
Gareth: Either ways easy.
Dawn: So you could take a man from behind?
Gareth: Yeah.
Dawn: Lovely.


Finally the pair of retards actually come second, and can't bear it. They pick an argument upon which they hinge the 'winner' of the quiz, despite the result:

Chris Finch: Right, I will throw anything you choose over this building. If I do it, we win the quiz. Right?
David Brent: Yeah, so you choose anything. If he can throw it over, we've won the champagne. And that's it. And that's the real quiz. Choose one thing.
Ricky: You really are a couple of sad little men, aren't you?
Gareth: Oh yeah, they're sad little men. He's thrown a kettle over a pub. What have you ever done?


This is funny and both sort of pathetic. It's also quite ugly when they wrestle one of Tim's shoes off to throw over the building.


Health Care

Here, Michael is tasked with cutting back the company healthcare plan, and he just can't handle the tough decision. He delegates to Dwight and promises his employees a special surprise and hides/disappears. Dwight goes completely nuts, and demands everyone write down diseases they want to be covered for....


Jim Halpert: Wait, what are you writing? Don't write ebola or mad cow disease, all right? Because I'm suffering from both of them.
Pam Beesly: I'm inventing new diseases.
Jim Halpert: Oh, great.
Pam Beesly: So, like, let's say that my teeth turn to liquid and then they drip down the back of my throat. What would you call that?
Jim Halpert: I thought you said you were inventing new diseases. That's spontaneous dental hydroplosion.
Pam Beesly: Nice.

Dwight Schrute: All right, who did this? I'm not mad, I just want to know who did it so I can punish them.
Jim Halpert: What are you talking about?
Dwight Schrute: Uh, someone, uh, forged medical information, and that is a felony.
Jim Halpert: Okay, whoa, all right, 'cause that's a pretty intense accusation. How do you know that they're fake?
Dwight Schrute: Uh, leprosy? Flesh-eating bacteria? Hot dog fingers. Government created killer nano robot infection.
[to Jim]
Dwight Schrute: You did this, didn't you?
Jim Halpert: Absolutely not.
Dwight Schrute: Yes you did.
Jim Halpert: No I didn't.
Dwight Schrute: I know it was you. Okay, fine, you know what? I'm going to have interview each and every one of you until the

perpetrator makes him or herself known. And until that time, there will be no health care coverage for anyone.
[Dwight slams door to his workspace]
Jim Halpert: [to Pam] Killer nano robots?
Pam Beesly: It's an epidemic.


This is pretty funny, and they inject a little Brent embarrassment factor at the end when Michael finally emerges and has absolutely no surprise to give his employees, and shuffles away like a sad little man.


Very nice, worth watching, but the UK one is by far the better.

[Kimbell175113]

This is the first (and only) episode where my Americanness caused me trouble. I had never heard of Blockbusters and was a bit confused about some of the other references to television and music. And I feel like that plus the sounds plus the accents prevented me from 'getting' everything in the later scenes at the pub.

As for the US version, this episode is when Pam started to become more funny, more unlike Dawn, who usually just stood back and laughed at Tim's jokes. (I didn't get the same impression at all as katy). Either way, love 'em both.

[katyseagull]

I haven't gotten around to watching the UK's Quiz episode but I did watch Diversity Day and Health Care.


Diversity Day -

This is probably my favorite of all the episodes. Freakin hilarious. Just picturing them with those cards on their heads is breaking me up. And Michael lol, when he gets slapped [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] God that is priceless. (Wouldn't I love to slap some of my bosses!)


Health Care -

Not quite as good as Diversity Day but still pretty entertaining. You know I sort of like these Season 1 episodes. Michael is cringe-worthy but the writing is unique and not too corny. After watching last night's fiasco I can really appreciate these early episodes.

I agree with Kimbell, Pam is great in this episode. This is how I like her. There's something very understated and natural about her in season 1.

Dwight was pretty good with his new office "workspace" area but I still much prefer Gareth. My favorite scene was probably when Jim locks Dwight in the room and proceeds to have a sweet phone conversation with Pam. That had shades of the UK series if you ask me. Well done by all 3 of the actors.

The ending was too painful, with Michael unable to think of a suitable, inexpensive surprise for them. Lol, at the ice cream sandwiches. That is too funny. And what did he say again about him and improv? geez. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[diebitter]

The Office (UK): Training


Episode 4 of series 1: One of the best episodes of the entire run. An independent trainer comes in to advise on customer care, and at every single step of the way, he's frustrated, talked over, and misdirected by David Brent, at his awful, hilarious worst. Gareth also does his stupid bit in the whole derailment of the day when he makes asinine points throughout the session.


Brent and his guitar+songs is just awesomely awful, and you can see why Tim blows his stack and just can't take any more of the petty nonsense - I mean, we've all been to seminars and training sessions and meeting where we wonder 'what the hell am I wasting my time here for?'



A+ episode, just terrific.



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Gareth: Get his wife to help.
Tim: He doesn't have a wife.
Gareth: All farmers have wives.
Tim: This one doesn’t, he’s gay.
Gareth: Well then, he shouldn’t be allowed near animals should he.
------------
Rowan: Gareth, quick test exercise: ultimate fantasy?
Gareth: Hmm?
David: We're just doing the ultimate fantasy, we're all doing it.
Gareth: Two lesbians probably, sisters. I'm just watching.
Rowan: Oh, um, Tim? Do you have one?
Tim: I'd never thought I'd have to say this, but can I hear more from Gareth, please?
------------
Gareth: (to Dawn) You're upset. About Lee, is it? Hey, don't worry, all right? 'Cause, you know Monkey Alan in the warehouse? He fancies you even if no one else does, so...
(Dawn cries and goes away)


Oh, and that song.... brilliant. I found a clip of it on the BBC website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check...ram=1&st=no


=================================
The Office (US): The Alliance

In light of downsizing, Dwight decides to form an 'alliance' with Jim to try and keep their jobs safe. Jim welcomes this opportunity to get Dwight to make a fool of himself...


Eh, this episode wasn't that great, with only a couple of laugh out loud moments (Dwight emerging from a box, and Dwight with bleached hair). Michael sweating over what to put in Meredith's card was okay, but the episode was pretty patchy overall. The relationship between Pam and Jim is very sweet though.


C-


----------------------
Jim: Okay, okay, I have something that totally tops the box!
Pam: Oh, tell me, tell me!
Jim: I have just convinced Dwight that he needs to go to Stamford and spy on our other branch. (Pam starts laughing)…No, no…But before he does go, I told him he should dye his hair to go undercover…
----------------------
Jim: We need to assume that everyone in the office is forming an alliance and is therefore trying to get us kicked out.
Dwight: God damn it, why us?!
Jim: Because we’re strong, Dwight, because we’re strong!
----------------------
Jim: I spend hours thinking of ways to get back at him, but only in ways that will get me arrested, and then here he comes, and he says, 'No, Jim, here's a way.'
----------------------
Phyllis: Well, for decorations, maybe we could - it's stupid, forget it.
Angela: What?
Phyllis: Oh, I was just gonna say maybe we could have streamers, but that's dumb, everybody has streamers. Never mind.
Angela: No, yeah, I think that's a good idea. What color do you guys think?
Phyllis: Well, there's green... blue... yellow... red.
Pam: How about green?
Angela: I think green is kind of whoreish.

[diebitter]

UK: Episode 5: New Girl

In this one, David feels the need to get a secretary despite a downsizing effort AND the fact he doesn't seem to get on with any work, and we get to encounter Brent and Finchy let loose in Slough's nightlife.


This is a very funny episode, with Brent being a complete idiot while interviewing secretaries:

Link to clip from BBC website


and eventually ends with him nutting the unfortunate winning candidate.

Finchy is is revolting self, and witnessing Tim survive through the embarrassment of interacting with these idiots is pretty damn funny.


The funniest shot is Gareth's though. After being snogged by a biker chick, noticing some guy watching and finding out it's her husband, we witness him act disgusted, but actually disappear into the night in the couple's sidecar.... HIS FACE! LOL!




----------------

Gareth: "It’s a fun place, but it’s full of loose women. My only problem with that is venereal disease, which is disabilitating right, especially for a soldier. And it’s irresponsible to the rest of your unit as well. Alright, you’ve been under attack for days, there’s a soldier down, he’s wounded, gangrene’s setting in, ‘who’s used all the penicillin?’ ‘Oh, Mark Paxton sir, he’s got knobrot off some tart.’"
--------------------
Tim: Slough's nightlife is incredible; it's got two nightclubs, it's got Chasers and New York, New York. They call it the nightclub that never sleeps. That closes at one. There was, oh my god, a themed nightclub called Henry the Eights. This was incredible. It had the Anne Bol-inn, this is true, as you went into the loo, there was a sign that said mind your head, nice, and underneath someone had written 'And don't get your Hampton Court.' It's not there any more. But not a day goes by that I don't think about it.
---------------------
[Donna & Ricky's relationship has been exposed]
Donna: So now you know.
David Brent: Yep. Brilliant.
Donna: What? You got a problem with Ricky?
David Brent: No, no, sleep with everyone in the office. He's not even a permanent member of staff. I'd have preferred it if you'd slept with Gareth.
Donna: It wouldn't happen.
David Brent: Oh Why? 'Cos he didn't go to university?
Donna: No, 'Cos he's a little weasel-faced arse.
David Brent: Yeah, you could do worse then Gareth. He hasn't missed one day in this office due to ill health. And don't call my second-in-command an arse-faced weasel, please?
Donna: A weasel-faced arse.
David Brent: Same thing.
Donna: Well no it's not. Gareth would you rather have a face like an arse or a face like a weasel?
Gareth: A weasel probably.
---------------------
[Brent and Finch talking in front of the women they're discussing: they discussing the one Brent has been talking to, who they reckon isn't much of a looker]
Brent: I'll just bend her over.
Finch: One up the bum, no harm done!
Brent: No. Not up the arse.


US Episode 5: Basketball

Okay, this was fine, but watching these series side-by-side, it's starting to really pale in comparison. It has some funny moments mostly around Scott's inappropriate statements and picking Stanley just because he's black (he's a terrible basketball player) and Dwight's naked competitiveness, but really nothing that stand-out.


-------------
Oscar: [of Mexican descent] I can play basketball if you need any help.
Michael Scott: I will use your talents come baseball season, my friend. Or if we box.
-------------
Michael Scott: [throws crumpled piece of paper at Pam to show basketball skills]
Pam: Please don't throw garbage at me.