Friday, March 25, 2005
THE OFFICE
"Office" is terrible. It's not funny. It's not pleasant. The writing is limp. The characters are not likable. The actors are not likable. The show is not likable.
Some will try to blame the failure of people to "get it" on the difficulty of transporting successful British humor to America. Nonsense. If an American show (transported or not) is very, very good, it works. If it aint it dont.
"All in the Family" -- with a bigot at the center -- worked. Great writing. Great acting.
"Dilbert" -- a comic strip about bad office behavior -- was usually very funny. Great jokes.
"Best In Show" was a very likable movie with characters that were off, but very funny, and the film had something of the spirit that Office seems to be trying for. Great characters. Great acting. Very likable.
In the show, the Office is threatened with downsizing. Unless they shape up, it may happen sooner than they think.