Barely a decade after the original series closed its doors and fans said goodbye to Michael, Dwight, Jim y Pam, The Office has returned to the screen. This time, under a Australian adaptation that tries to bring the humor of the iconic series to a different context. The Office: Australia.
Created by Jackie van Beek, Jesse Griffin and Christiaan Van Vuurenplaces us in a branch of Flinley Craddick, a company specialized in the manufacturing of packaging. However, what at first seems like a mere geographical transfer of the famous office of Dunder Mifflin soon reveals some surprises.
The premise is clear: branch manager Hannah Howard (played by Felicity Ward), tries to save the office from closure and, to do so, forces the employees to return to in-person work, after having enjoyed the flexibility of teleworking. In this process, they are triggered a series of situations that try to reproduce humor of the American version.
This is where the series encounters its biggest obstacle. Although It’s not a bad adaptation. sometimes the humor feels something forcedas if the writers were too worried about maintain the formula that made it successful to the original series. At times, the jokes that were clever in the American version, in The Office: Australia They seem somewhat bland and predictable.
New characters, but reminiscent
One of the successes of this new version is that it does not make the mistake of replicating all the characters. In fact, only four characters have a clear parallel with their counterparts from the American series, while the rest have been reformulated or are completely new. This decision allows the series to introduce new dynamics and approaches, although sometimes the comparison is inevitable. Lizze Moyle (Edith Poor) is, for example, a clear heir to Dwight Schrute, although his characterization does not reach the levels of extravagance of the character of Rainn Wilson.
On the other hand, the characters that do not have a direct reference in the American series They provide a breath of fresh air to the narrative. The scriptwriters have known how to play this card well, especially when addressing current topics that had no place in previous versions, such as work from home or diversity and gender identity. These elements, which at first seem secondary, manage to capture the viewer’s interest and make the series feel more contemporary.
Although it does not reach the level of the legendary Michael Scott of Steve Carell, Felicity Ward as Hannah Howard is, without a doubt, one of the strong points of the series. His interpretation of a boss desperate to be likedbut at the same time is despised by her employees, is one of the comic engines of history. Ward manages to convey that constant discomfort, that effort to fit in that turns out to be rather counterproductive, and it is in his scenes where most of the laughs are generated.
With only eight episodes, The Office: Australia It manages to entertain and, on more than one occasion, make you laugh. The Office: Australia is a worthy adaptation that, although it does not reach the genius of the American version. @mundiario
