Author Topic: The Office at the Golden Globes  (Read 1107 times)

Offline -tronski-

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The Office at the Golden Globes
« on: January 26, 2004, 04:55:23 AM »
WTG Ricky Gervais!!!!

The office is so bloody funny!!!!

"I'm not from these parts, I'm from a little place called England. We used to run the world before you."

Britcom TV show "the Office" rocks Golden Globes



Brent: "If you have lost both legs and both arms just go 'at least I'm not dead'. Though I'd rather be dead in that situation to be honest- I'm not saying people like that should be put down. I'm saying that in my life I'd rather not live without arms and legs 'cos you know... I'm just getting into yoga."

 Tronsky
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Offline ravells

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The Office at the Golden Globes
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2004, 05:36:29 AM »
So well deserved!

I wasn't sure whether the humour would translate well across the pond, but it looks like it has.

After a really dull period in the UK when all the sharpest comedy in the English language was coming from the US, it's nice to see 'The Office' get plaudits.

Ravs

Offline Dowding

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The Office at the Golden Globes
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2004, 05:52:55 AM »
I wonder what the US version will be like. The US versions of Dad's Army, Fawlty Towers, One Foot in the Grave and Red Dwarf etc were crap. In fact, I can't think of a single British comedy that has translated well over there.
War! Never been so much fun. War! Never been so much fun! Go to your brother, Kill him with your gun, Leave him lying in his uniform, Dying in the sun.

Offline -tronski-

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The Office at the Golden Globes
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2004, 06:06:33 AM »
There was a yank Dads Army???

I love the office...and the Christmas specials were so frikken funny!!
I couldn't believe that the office won over those "established" sit-coms (despite how inferior they were)...but when Ricky Gervais won best actor over Matt Le Blanc etc...that was the easily the best part of the awards!!! (even better than when LOTR:return of the king won)

 Tronsky
God created Arrakis to train the faithful

Offline ravells

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The Office at the Golden Globes
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2004, 06:10:40 AM »
More translations than I first thought...this from the Grauniad on line:

US versions of hit British shows have struggled to gain a foothold on the brutally competitive American terrestrial networks in recent years.

American translations of Cracker, Cold Feet, Men Behaving Badly and Holding the Baby have all foundered after short-lived runs.

The US remake of The Kumars was recently dropped from Fox's autumn line-up before it was even broadcast.

But UK entertainment formats such as Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, The Weakest Link and Dog Eat Dog, as well as comedy show Whose Line is it Anyway?, have proved more successful.

US versions of British reality, lifestyle and makeover shows such as Faking It and Changing Rooms have also made the successful transition to US cable channels.

Offline rpm

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The Office at the Golden Globes
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2004, 07:01:16 AM »
There was a US version of "Open All Hours" called "Open All Night" that was just as funny, if not funnier. It ran on ABC in the early 80's but did not last long. It was a riot. Set in a convienience store, they made Grandville a 16 year old that was just plain weird (weirder than Grandville, if that's possible). One week he was a punk rocker, ect, ect. You can find it on imdb.com .
 Probably the best remake of a British programme (did you see what I did there?) was "Sanford and Son" from "Steptoe and Son".
 The problem with most remakes is trying to rewrite the scripts to American style of humor, which just doesn't work. That wasn't the problem with the much hyped US version of "Coupling", it was the casting. The scripts were almost word for word from the UK show. Only problem with that was most of the viewers had already seen the same show with the original funnier cast on BBC America.
 I'm waiting to see if there is any network with the guts to do "Father Ted".
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Offline Dowding

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The Office at the Golden Globes
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2004, 07:13:22 AM »
Coupling was essentially a copy of Friends anyway, without all the wisecracks common to friends.

Father Ted just could not be copied. Where would you set it? Even the writers of the program have failed to better it (they did a one series sitcom on BBC2 which was crap). I think without Dermot Morgan it wouldn't work; he was born for that part. Shame he died when he did.
War! Never been so much fun. War! Never been so much fun! Go to your brother, Kill him with your gun, Leave him lying in his uniform, Dying in the sun.

Offline rpm

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« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2004, 07:21:32 AM »
Spoke too soon: http://www.fathertedonline.ukf.net/americanversion.htm

I agree it will be hard to come close to the humor of the original, especially without Dermot Morgan.
My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.
Stay thirsty my friends.

Offline Dowding

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The Office at the Golden Globes
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2004, 07:30:20 AM »
It will be tough to beat the original cast. Father Ted was eventually written around the characteristics of the actors themselves. It will be interesting to see who they get to fill their shoes.
War! Never been so much fun. War! Never been so much fun! Go to your brother, Kill him with your gun, Leave him lying in his uniform, Dying in the sun.

Offline rpm

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« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2004, 07:33:33 AM »
Add to that the fact most Americans are very uptight when it comes to religion. The only network I can see that would air it is FOX.
My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.
Stay thirsty my friends.

Offline ravells

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The Office at the Golden Globes
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2004, 07:46:44 AM »
I saw a film 'The Road to Paradise' last week (western women in a japanese pow camp) in which the actress who played Mrs Doyle in Father Ted did a topless shot. Most weird.

For me, however the very best reasonably recent comedy series I have seen has been 'Spaced' which didn't get the glory it deserved.

http://www.totaltelly.co.uk/dvd_spaced.html.php

If you havn't seen it, RPM, order it. Utter genius and side splittingly funny.

Ravs

Offline gofaster

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« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2004, 08:12:21 AM »
I haven't even heard of this show until now.  I guess I'll have to scan the tv listing and try to catch an episode or two.  Lord knows that with football ending this weekend, there's going to be crap on tv except for NASCAR and ALMS racing on weekends.

Offline ravells

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The Office at the Golden Globes
« Reply #12 on: January 26, 2004, 08:28:55 AM »
Here are some lines from the series:

1. Eagles may soar high, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
2. Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.
3. There may be no 'I' in team, but there's a 'ME' if you look hard enough.
4. Process and Procedure are the last hiding place of people without the wit and wisdom to do their job properly.
5. Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.
6. Never do today that which will become someone elses responsibility tomorrow.
7. Every time you open your mouth you have this wonderful ability to continually confirm what I think.
8. Show me a good loser and I'll show you a LOSER!
9. Put the key of despair into the lock of apathy. Turn the knob of mediocrity slowly and open the gates of despondency - welcome to a day in the average office.
10. It's the team that matters. Where would The Beatles be without Ringo? If John got Yoko to play drums the history of music would be completely different.
11. What does a squirrel do in the summer? It buries nuts. Why? Cos then in winter time he's got something to eat and he won't die. So, collecting nuts in the summer is worthwhile work. Every task you do at work think, would a squirrel do that? Think squirrels. Think nuts.
12. When confronted by a difficult problem, you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
13. Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue.
14. If your boss is getting you down, look at him through the prongs of a fork and imagine him in jail.
15. If you can keep your head when all around you have lost theirs, then you probably haven't understood the seriousness of the situation.
16. You don't have to be mad to work here! In fact we ask you to complete a medical questionnaire to ensure that you are not.
17. If you treat the people around you with love and respect, they will never guess that you're trying to get them sacked.
18. If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried.
19. You have to be 100% behind someone, before you can stab them in the back.
20. If work was so good, the rich would have kept more of it for themselves.
21. Those of you who think you know everything are annoying to those of us who do.
22. There's no 'I' in 'team'. But then there's no 'I' in 'useless smug colleague', either. And there's four in 'platitude-quoting idiot'. Go figure.
23. Know your limitations and be content with them. Too much ambition results in promotion to a job you can't do.
24. Make good use of your cylindrical filing unit, the one you mainly keep under your desk.
25. Quitters never win, winners never quit. But those who never win and never quit are idiots.
26. If you're gonna be late, then be late and not just 2 minutes - make it an hour and enjoy your breakfast.
27. Remember the 3 golden rules:
1. It was like that when I got here.
2. I didn't do it.
3. (To your Boss) I like your style.
28. The office is like an army, and I'm the field general. You're my foot soldiers and customer quality is the WAR!!!
29. Set out to leave the first vapour trail in the blue-sky scenario.
30. Statistics are like a lamp-post to a drunken man - more for leaning on than illumination.
31. A problem shared is a problem halved, so is your problem really yours or just half of someone else's?
32. Is your work done? Are all pigs fed, watered and ready to fly?....
33. You don't have to be mad to work here, but you do have to be on time, well presented, a team player, customer service focused and sober!!
34. I thought I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it was just some b*stard with a torch, bringing me more work.
35. Avoid employing unlucky people - throw half of the pile of CVs in the bin without reading them.

Offline lazs2

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The Office at the Golden Globes
« Reply #13 on: January 26, 2004, 08:29:11 AM »
They must really change the shows mentioned when they bring them here because I have never seen a brit show over here that was remotely funny and....

while you can understand perfectly everything that we say...  we can maybe catch every other word that you slur/mumble out.

lazs

Offline Furball

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« Reply #14 on: January 26, 2004, 09:17:40 AM »
does fawlty towers and benny hill count?
I am not ashamed to confess that I am ignorant of what I do not know.
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