Remakes are a touchy subject in pop culture. They have to walk the tightrope of bringing enough new stuff to the table to justify their own existence, while also not straying too far from what made the original good in the first place. Though it’s always hard to see, sometimes remakes fall short, especially if you happen to be remaking a British comedy.
There is an ocean between America and the UK geographically, but an entire universe between them in terms of entertainment. The comedy styles couldn’t be more opposite. So, when it was announced that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s 2001 sleeper BBC hit The Office would be remade for the American market, fans of the original were no doubt sceptical. Incredulous even.
However, despite a slow start, all doubts would eventually be assuaged as the American version of The Office not only found its footing and its audience, but went on to become the definitive take on a franchise that now encompasses local variants from more than a dozen countries.
2025 marks twenty years since The Office US introduced us to the crazy, but familiar world of Dunder Mifflin, yet the show is still going strong, constantly finding new life and popularity on streaming services.
In honour of this milestone, let’s take a look at just how this humble little paper company managed to break the American remake curse.
To build anything, you have to start with good foundations, and you need someone with the skill and care to cultivate them. Those good foundations were there in the form of the British original, but it was showrunner Greg Daniels who transplanted those seeds into new soil and gave them the nurture and care required to grow (now there’s a mixed metaphor worthy of Michael Scott). Daniels understood what made the original series work, and he knew what would work on American network television. Most importantly, he knew how to blend the two into a nice, even mix.
Ironically, it’s the part of the show that resembles its British counterpart the most – that six-episode first season – that struggles the most. The American pilot episode is virtually a shot-for-shot remake of the British pilot, with Steve Carell really channelling Ricky Gervais’ David Brent, right down to that sleazy, slicked-back hairdo.
The British original was built on cringe humour and a bleakly comedic depiction of the dull realities of office life, with Brent depicted as a cringey, self-centred and incompetent middle-manager who would gladly throw his employees to the wolves to save his own skin. It’s understandable then that Daniels and his team tried to stick as close to that model as possible.
However, it was apparently Ricky Gervais himself who suggested taking the US show in a different direction, with Michael Scott becoming more likeable and even a competent boss at times, and with the Jim-Pam romance (based on the Tim-Dawn romance of the original) serving as the heart of the show.
After all, the original show had only run for a total of twelve episodes across two seasons, plus a Christmas special to finish things off. If things worked out for the US version though, it had the potential to run for years, with twenty-plus episodes a season. No doubt, audiences would get pretty sick of the slow pacing and self-centred boss routine pretty quickly.
Thankfully then, as the show went on it started to deviate slightly from its forebear. Michael became more likable, the pace and style changed a bit, and the supporting characters slowly became more fleshed out. The British show focused on a few core cast members, with a host of nameless extras and the odd named background actor filing out the office space.
The same was true in the first season or two of the US version, with some extras never being named, or only appearing once. Gradually though, the supporting cast solidified and characters such as Angela, Creed and Meredith graduated to full character status, complete with their own plot lines and story arcs.
This benefited the show greatly, as the office began to feel more lived-in and fleshed-out, creating new opportunities for comedy and storytelling. Just look at customer service rep, Kelly Kapoor, played by Mindy Kaling. During the first season she was little more than a background character with barely any lines. Quiet and buttoned up with a very conservative fashion sense and hairdo, she was the polar opposite of the loud, fashion-forward Beyoncé lover of later seasons. It’s hard to imagine season one Kelly becoming involved in an on-again-off-again relationship with Ryan, a relationship that would be a constant source of humour for most of the show’s run.
That leads to two more core components of the show’s success: the casting, combined with Greg Daniels’ fostering of a creative environment where people were encouraged to voice ideas and take on different roles. Daniels cast several of the show’s original writers as characters, with writers B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling and Paul Lieberstein playing Ryan, Kelly and Toby respectively. Even casting assistant Phyllis Smith was cast as, you guessed it, Phyllis, because director Ken Kwapis liked the way she read lines opposite actors during auditions.
Moreover, experienced improvisational comedians such as Kate Flannery, Angela Kinsey and Oscar Martinez filled the ranks of the supporting cast, and Daniels encouraged the cast to discover their characters by letting them work at their desks while the cameras recorded b-roll. He also, as you’ve probably guessed, encouraged improvisation from not only the actors, but also the writers, who would often be on set to offer alternative lines and rewrites. This extended to the camera operators as well, whom Daniels had picked for their experience on reality shows like Survivor, granting them the freedom to find moments of comedy among the ensemble, or even potential plot ideas.
This all added up to a very natural feel for the show that emulated a real documentary, while also creating a very collaborative environment in which every member of the cast and crew was valued, and encouraged to offer input.
What is most incredible about the American Office though, is its longevity and ability to constantly find new audiences. While it was popular during its original broadcast run, it really found a new life when it landed on streaming services like Netflix. The pandemic was an especially good time for shows like The Office, with the world locked down and looking for laughs, many returned to the familiar and reassuring world of Dunder Mifflin, while others discovered it for the very first time.
There’s also something inherently rewatchable about the show, with many treating it as a comfort program that they just watch on a loop or leave playing in the background. Popstar Billie Eilish is one such super-fan, confessing that she watches the show on a loop, with there always being an episode playing on her phone.
But what is it exactly that has led to this infinite appeal and rewatchability? It’s hard to put a finger on it, but perhaps it boils down to the timelessness of the show. Sure, we might snicker at the old phones and computers, and kids today might be baffled by discussions of how Netflix used to work, or why an iPod would be a hotly sought-after Christmas present, but the settings and themes are universal and timeless.
It’s hard to think that it’s been twenty years since we were introduced to Michael Scott and the world of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch. The Office US still feels as present in the pop culture landscape as it ever was, and the last two decades have seen a parade of imitators that have tried to capture the spirit of The Office (both UK and US), to varying levels of success.
Even the man responsible for this American incarnation, Greg Daniels, took another stab at the formula with Parks and Recreation, and is now set to return to the well with the upcoming Peacock series, The Paper.
However, The Office US truly was lightning in a bottle; a perfect storm of great writing, casting, acting, camera work and an all-round uniquely collaborative creative environment. What could have been just another pale imitation of a revolutionary and beloved work of art, instead became a transformative reinterpretation, becoming a masterpiece in its own right.
It’s comforting to know that no matter how dark the world gets, we can always revisit the wild, but welcoming world of our favourite paper company.
