Fresh Import: The BBC’s “The Office”

I have a confession to make: I’d never seen a single moment of the original version of The Office — until, that is, yesterday, when I caught up on the first “series,” as they say. As a fan of NBC’s The Office, I immediately recognized a few trademarks of the show: the documentary-style format, the paper supply company, the daft boss (here played Ricky Gervais, who co-created/wrote/directed the show with Stephen Merchant), the boor of a salesman, and the long-suffering sales rep whom we call Jim (John Krasinski) here in the States; in this bizarro universe, his name is Tim (played by Martin Freeman). And yes, he’s pining for the receptionist, too.

If, like me, you’ve been hiding under a rock and missed the original version — or maybe you just love to squirm in your seat as sales manager David Brent (Gervais) treats the Slough branch as his stage — BBC America is offering both seasons (plus the two-part Christmas special) of The Office on Hulu for a limited time. Along the way, you’ll be treated to workplace satire at its finest as Gervais deadpans outrageous management advice to the cameras. My favorite? His secret to finding the perfect job candidate. (Let’s just say it involves luck and a trash can.)

Rebecca Harper ()
Editor