The Australian remake of The Office has the potential to be great - if the writers remember how unique our humour is
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Monday, June 19, 2023
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Twenty-two years after the original UK television series The Office was released, and 18 years after the highly successful US remake (2005-2013), Australia is getting its own version of The Office.
Key Points:
- Twenty-two years after the original UK television series The Office was released, and 18 years after the highly successful US remake (2005-2013), Australia is getting its own version of The Office.
- This will be the 14th remake of the concept by Ricky Gervais, which has included adaptations in Chile, France, Finland, India, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Germany and other countries.
A history of remakes
- There has been a long history of remakes on television.
- Originally a Colombian telenovela, Yo Soy Betty, la Fea (1999-2001), the concept has been remade in other languages around 20 times to date.
- Other versions include Na Daj Se, Nina (Croatia, 2007-2008) and Lotte (The Netherlands, 2006-2007), both of which I worked on adapting from the Colombian original.
- Audiences are savvy and want nuance, history, politics, issues.
Mistakes and flops
- Perhaps their Australian contexts, social mores and comedy did not translate – or were not translated well.
- Reviewers said of the American Kath and Kim that the humour was unfunny, the characters unlikeable and unrelatable.
- Variety’s Brian Lowry said, “If this was a major hit in Australia,” he said, “then something has been seriously lost in translation.” Ironically, one of the greatest mistakes screenwriters make is sticking too closely to the original.
An Office in Australia?
- The Office Australia might seem a simple prospect, given there have been two preceding series in English.
- Also when The Office came out, mockumentary felt fresh to television, now we’ve had Parks and Recreation, Modern Family, and our own The Games and Utopia.
- Plus, of course, we’ve had reality TV shows where things quickly spiral beyond any inappropriate awkwardness The Office ever came up with – think about Vanderpump Rules or Selling Sunset.
- The Office Australia is making one major change from the UK and US versions: the office boss is a woman, Hannah Howard (played by Felicity Ward).