The Office-UK version

[BWebb]

Alright, just got done watching the complete series again for about the 4th or 5th time and saw the Christmas specials for the 1st. I know those in OOT who have seen the show love it. It's probably one of the funniest shows ever. But, if you count the Christmas special as two eposides the entire series was 14 eposides. That's not even one full season of Seinfeld. How does the lack of longevity affect its standing of all-time great sitcoms? Where do you rank it?

[WillMagic]

Take my opinion for what it's worth - I haven't seen any of the old 50's and 60's sitcoms or the Larry Sanders Show or Arrested Development.

But who cares. The show is flat-out brilliant, and is easily the best television show I have ever seen. The fact that it is only 14 episodes does not change this fact.

Will

[DeezNuts]

[ QUOTE ]
But who cares. The show is flat-out brilliant, and is easily the best television show I have ever seen. The fact that it is only 14 episodes does not change this fact.

[/ QUOTE ]

Have you ever cringed so much during a comedy and then laughed your ass off? Throw in Gareth Keenan Investigates, and you have one of the top three TV comedies that I have ever seen. I agree that it was too short, although that's mostly my own selfishness in wanting to see more.

Most sitcoms have about a 2 year period(the great ones may go longer, i.e. The Simpsons) where they really hit their stride, anyways and then the quality starts to really suffer with the occasional sparks of brilliance.

DN

[blaze666]

have you seen ricky gervais: live, animals? it's funny, but also, he hints at a third episode he was talking about the bible testaments, and he says something like 'that killer third series... bound to get flamed isn't it...' so, he's not making a third series. yes, the office is hilarious, and that dance is insanley funny. and ricky gervais and stepen mercahnt are geniuses (or is it genei?)

[plaster8]

I think part of its brilliance was in stopping after 14 episodes. It's better to leave everyone wanting more than have people wishing you'd go away already.

It was just enough time to learn about -- and care about -- the characters, but not enough time to get tired of them.

I wonder how that short run will affect The Office actors' career prospects. Seinfeld ran for a long time, but new shows with Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, etc. all have failed. Part of it, I think, is that they get pigeonholed because they've been on the same series for 10 years or whatever. People can't see them as any other character.

[HesseJam]

[ QUOTE ]
I think part of its brilliance was in stopping after 14 episodes. It's better to leave everyone wanting more than have people wishing you'd go away already.

It was just enough time to learn about -- and care about -- the characters, but not enough time to get tired of them.


[/ QUOTE ]

I think, he wanted to parallel it with the success of Fawlty Towers which is 2 x 6 = 12.

The Office and Fawlty Towers are the greatest Britcoms ever.

[daveymck]

All the teuly great sitcoms dont run for long and in the UK we dont tend to get long seasons like the US shows do, I beleive one other difference is most UK sitcoms have 1/2 writers where the US ones like friends have big writing teams.

Fawltey Towers and Blackadder are the best examples of where it works, Red Dwarf is a series that shows why you should stop.