The office is a strange phenomenon. It started in the UK with Ricky Gervais’ David Brent, crossed the pond to the US, where it was led by Steve Carell’s Michael Scott, and quickly became a huge comedy hit. I’m not the only one who thinks the American reboot was very good, but unfortunately the latest version of The office on Prime Video has the potential to be the worst yet. While it’s still early, it’s highly unlikely to make our list of the best Prime Video shows. (But I’ll be happy to be proven wrong!)
Reboots are tough, especially when you’re tackling something that’s widely regarded as one of the best sitcoms of all time. Part of what made the American version so special was its memorable characters, quotable moments, and mix of cringe humor with some seriously heartfelt scenes. But based on our first look at The Australia officeit seems like they’re trying to imitate the US edition too much, and it feels more like a parody than a new series.
Take a look below and judge for yourself.
What else do we know about The Office Australia?
The Australia office will be released on October 18th, sharing a release date with Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut on Netflix. This release date comes after several first-look images were dropped earlier this year.
Instead of Dunder Mifflin, it’s set in a new fictional company called Flinley Craddick, run by an annoying, incompetent boss. Frustratingly, though, Felicity Ward’s character Hannah Howard feels like she’s trying too hard to be like Michael. That’s not the only obvious similarity, as the trailer teases Dwight and Andy-esque characters and even a Pam and Jim-esque romance, which makes me wonder if there’s actually much new to offer.
Plot-wise, it will lean on contemporary themes such as remote working with Hannah desperately trying to keep her “work family” together. This will provide current affairs that the audience can relate to, giving it some space from the two original offerings, so hopefully the Australian version can bring some unique things to the table rather than just trying to mirror American work culture.
While you wait for The Australia officewhy not check out everything new on Prime Video in september 2024, as some big titles have been added this month.