After all these years, the standard that The Office set for sitcoms remains unrivaled. While some deemed Ricky Gervais’ British series superior to its American counterpart, others hailed the Steve Carell remake for its commendable character development and unbridled hilarity.
Irrespective of the long-standing debate, however, the workplace comedy managed to win the hearts of its audience in an effortless stroke of perfectly timed punchlines and a comically charged atmosphere brimming with dark humor. So, when a female-led Australian remake of the show was announced, fans broke out in a frenzy of confusion and disappointment. Gervais, on the other hand, seems to be thrilled about it.
The Office Reboot Earns Ricky Gervais’ Seal of Approval
While the American counterpart of 2001’s The Office is arguably the most beloved adaptation of the sitcom, there have been numerous remakes of the series all over the world. From a French David Brent to an Israeli one, fans have witnessed a diverse variety of white-collar office middle manager over the years. And now, they’re about to have yet another David Brent, only this time, it’s going to be a woman running the office in an Australian reboot of the mockumentary.
Comedian Felicity Ward is set to depict Hannah Howard, the insufferable boss of a packaging company called Flinley Craddick, playing the Aussie version of the David Brent or Michael Scott from the US remake.
Meanwhile, Ricky Gervais, who played the lead role in the original BBC television series, is thoroughly “excited” about the forthcoming project, stating how he can’t wait to see Ward’s take on “a modern-day David Brent.” “I’m very excited about Australia remaking my little show from the turn of the century,” the 61-year-old actor and comedian said. “Office politics have changed a bit in 20 years, so I can’t wait to see how they navigate a modern-day David Brent.”
Fans, on the other hand, don’t seem to share Gervais’ sentiments in the least.
Fans Revolt Against Australian Remake of The Office
When the news about the Aussie adaptation of The Office broke out, fans were practically fuming with balled fists and smoke coming out of their ears. Safe to say people weren’t particularly thrilled with the announcement of a female lead running an Office reboot, as opposed to Gervais who seems to be taking this development much more graciously than the audience.
Up until now, the US remake of the sitcom has been the most celebrated one, even surpassing the original British series at times. So, it’s hard to imagine anybody else outshining Michael Scott’s unwitting charm and impeccable humor. But alas, only time will tell whether Ward is able to do justice to the show or not.
The Office reboot is slated to air on Prime Video in 2024.
Source: Far Out Magazine | Discussing Film
