What Critics Wrote About The Office When It Debuted 15 Years Ago
It’s maybe weird to celebrate the anniversary of a show still so present in popular culture, but nevertheless: 15 years ago, NBC debuted the American remake of The Office. It was an inauspicious start. The pilot episode—which introduced viewers to Michael Scott (Steve Carell), Pam Beasley (Jenna Fisher), Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), and Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson)—was a near shot-for-shot remake of the critically acclaimed BBC source material created by Ricky Gervais. The entire first season, which spanned just six episodes before signing off for the spring, often cowered in the shadow of Gervais’ original. Some critics weren’t totally convinced that the new version was a good idea—or that it deserved to stick around for a longer second season.
“The Office’s fans love their show with a fierce conviction, and I doubt most of them will take kindly to the idea of simply transplanting the alienated crew of Wernham Hogg paper company to new digs in Scranton, Pa.,” critic Dana Stevens wrote for Slate at the time. “For those still in mourning for the BBC series (which wrapped up earlier this year with a two-hour special), seeing the roles already recast with American actors is like waking up to find your beloved has been abducted, Invasion of the Body Snatchers-style, and replaced by a random stranger.”
But the rest is history: Season 2 launched just after Carell had become a box office star, thanks to The 40-Year-Old Virgin’s big debut that summer, and the show soon found steady ratings and broader critical support. The industry took note as well: Numerous later series sought to copy the mockumentary style of The Office, including the similarly beloved Parks and Recreation and hit ABC series Modern Family. In the years since its series finale in 2013, The Office found a second life via Netflix, where, for a while, it was among the service’s biggest licensed hits. Last year, NBCUniversal spent millions to acquire streaming rights for the show, which will live on the company’s fledgling streamer, Peacock, when it launches later this year. Even today, amid the coronavirus pandemic and a sharply divided political landscape, The Office is something everyone on social media, at least anecdotally can agree upon.
It’s instructive, then, to remember the success of the NBC show wasn’t always a forgone conclusion. Ahead, a look at what critics wrote about The Office before it really became The Office.
“The fact is, The Office: An American Workplace is not an unqualified success, but it is eminently watchable. What’s more, it does the near-impossible: It doesn’t make the viewer forget the original, but it actually inspires affection, instead of cries of ‘sacrilege!’ from this rabid Office fan.”—Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune
“Here’s the good news — or the evil news, depending on your perspective: After watching two more episodes, I was beginning to almost enjoy the NBC version on its own merits. The new Gareth has his own special charms, actually, and Carell is pretty fantastic. It’s still not clear that the awkwardness, a staple of the original, really works on American TV, but when compared to the shrill, chirpy pace of most sitcoms, well… why not at least hope that this show finds its own little place in the universe? It’s better than another My Wife and Kids or According to Jim, isn’t it?”—Heather Havrilesky, Salon
“NBC could have ruined the delicate dynamic of The Office by over-Americanizing it. Some exec, at some point, must have floated the idea of morphing Pam into an Andersonian chesty blond babe. Instead, played by the sweet-faced Fischer with an air of humor and neglect, Pam’s the kind of woman who doesn’t bother to finish brushing her hair because, really, who notices? Fischer and Krasinski have a gentle chemistry that should be fun to watch as Jim and Pam’s attraction develops. Meanwhile, Rainn Wilson, in the easy-to-overdo role of sycophant Dwight, reins in his nerd vibe just short of Urkel territory.”—Gillian Flynn, Entertainment Weekly
“The Office is a desperation move by NBC, which finds itself in fourth place after years at the top with hits like Friends and Frasier. Failure can be liberating, however. It drove NBC to develop and put on the air the kind of seditious, unconventional comedy that viewers say they want and that television executives insist could never draw a broad enough audience to be a network success. The Office has the potential to be a hit, though perhaps not overnight. It remains to be seen whether NBC finds the nerve to keep it on the air long enough to build an audience, the way Seinfeld did.”—Alessandra Stanley, New York Times
“Ah, but back to the original sentiment of the first paragraph. What happens when a network as easy to deride as NBC actually comes through with something not only inspired but aggressively risky? It may appease critics, but will anyone watch? Make no mistake about it, The Office is unlike most other American sitcoms. The pacing and punch lines and humor are bravely off-kilter. But different—even when it’s lovely and thrilling to behold—often fails to connect with the masses. Look no further than Fox’s Arrested Development or NBC’s own Scrubs for proof.”—Tim Goodman, San Francisco Chronicle
“Steve Carell plays Michael Scott, the obnoxious boss who rose to his level of incompetence. While no one who saw the original will forget the character created by Gervais, Carell is nothing short of superb in crafting his own version of a boss who is utterly unaware of how he is perceived by others. Given the limited reach of The Office on BBC America, Carell will set the American standard for administrative pomposity and pretension.”—Barry Garron, The Hollywood Reporter
“The well-traveled Carell is a very talented guy, from The Daily Show to Anchorman, but understatement and restraint are hardly his forte. As a consequence, he plays Michael bigger, and therefore harder to endure, than Gervais did—a fine line that’s significant in such a delicately balanced comedy.”—Brian Lowery, Variety
