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“It’s So Bad”: Fans Want New “The Office” Version To Be Canceled As Iconic Male Roles Go To Women
A new remake of the cult mockumentary The Office where characters’ genders were seemingly “swapped” caused outrage on social media. The original The Office (UK) featured Ricky Gervais’ David Brent, the US version had Steve Carell’s Michael Scott. But now, The Office Australia has introduced Hannah Howard, portrayed by Felicity Ward.
Highlights
- The Office Australia introduces Hannah Howard, portrayed by Felicity Ward, as a gender-swapped lead character.
- The trailer of The Office Australia dropped on Prime Video AU & NZ's YouTube page, amassing over 653,000 views.
- The remake's storyline touches on gender bias in the workplace and features Hannah promoting women to positions of power.
- Outrage sparked on social media; fans criticized the new remake with comments like 'It's not too late to delete this.'
Taking to its official YouTube page on Tuesday (September 17), Prime Video AU & NZ dropped the trailer of the latest version of The Office, announcing: “New Office. New Aussie Boss.”
The trailer, which has amassed over 653,000 views, opens with new lead character Hannah Howard. She visibly manages the fictional Sydney packaging company, Flinley Craddick.
In the original British sitcom, David Brent manages Wernham Hogg, a fictional paper merchant located in the Slough Trading Estate in Berkshire.
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Another remake of the cult mockumentary The Office caused outrage on social media
Image credits: Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
In The Office US, Michael Scott is the boss for Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The new trailer sees quirky boss Hannah telling her employees that she has some good news to share, “As of today, we are back in the office full time,” referencing the post-Covid-19 end of lockdown restrictions.
Hannah is subsequently met with grumpy colleagues and awkward close ups. Later in the trailer, the Aussie can be seen celebrating the Melbourne Cup with the office in dazzling attire and oversized hats with feathered fascinators – a classic nod to Australian culture, according to Sky News Australia.
Image credits: Prime Video AU & NZ
The new trailer goes on to touch on gender bias in the workplace, as Hannah announces: “Promoting women into positions of power — that’s my mantra, really. My back hurts from carrying all my sisters all the time.”
While the original The Office had Mackenzie Crook’s Gareth Keenan, and The Office US featured Rainn Wilson’s Dwight Schrute, the Aussie version introduced Lizzie, played by Edith Poor.
Nevertheless, the popular TV show’s changes were met with significant backlash, as The Office fans were quick to flock to the comments to air their grievances.
In this new version, the characters’ genders were seemingly “swapped”
Image credits: Prime Video AU & NZ
A YouTube user wrote: “I have been confined to a wheelchair for the past 20 years, today I stood up and walked just to turn this off.”
A person penned: “Dear Prime. It’s not too late to delete this.”
“And we thought the Break Dancing was the worst Australia would put out this year,” a netizen shared in reference to Rachael “Raygun” Gunn’s controversial performance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Image credits: Prime Video AU & NZ
A seperate individual chimed in: “I can already tell this is going to get cancelled after the first season.”
As per IMDb, The Office Australia’s storyline reads: “Hannah Howard is the managing director of Flinley Craddick.
“When she gets news that her branch will be shut down to work remotely, she goes into survival mode, making promises she can’t keep in order to keep her ‘work family’ together.”
The Office Australia has introduced Hannah Howard, portrayed by Felicity Ward
Image credits: Prime Video AU & NZ
Image credits: Prime Video AU & NZ
Meanwhile, the storyline for the US version of The Office reads: “A mediocre paper company in the hands of Scranton, PA branch manager Michael Scott.
“This mockumentary follows the everyday lives of the manager and the employees he ‘manages.’
“The crew follows the employees around 24/7 and captures their quite humorous and bizarre encounters as they will do what it takes to keep the company thriving.”
The trailer opens with new lead character Hannah Howard
Image credits: imdb
The original The Office storyline states: “A team of colleagues who cannot stand each other face all types of challenges and difficulties and issues and situations of the workplace.
“Along the way, they all do their best not to combine their careers with their personal lives and see who is the better worker.”
The Aussie version of The Office premieres October 18 on Prime Video.
The new trailer continued to ignite negative feedback
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What do you think ?
Vix Spiderthrust 3 months ago
This is why remakes are stupid. Either you do everything exactly like the original, in which case it's pointless; or you do different things and everyone says you did it wrong.
PFD 3 months ago
Quiz question: What links all those people complaining? Answer : They're all Twitter blue ticks who pay a billionaire douchebag for the privilege of having their warm-spit opinions prioritised over everyone else. (True, the trailer doesn't seem make it seem very funny to me, but I never watched the American one because I thought the trailer looked so bad it totally put me off. Since it's regarded as a comedy great, that suggests my verdict on the trailer is as meaningless as a blue-ticker's. So that's ok.)
Wintermute 3 months ago
Yeah, cherry picked rage bait from people who need clicks to validate their lives.
Load More Replies...
Graham_Illegal 3 months ago
So, a studio swapped the genders of the cast in some old material again, instead of supporting creative women who come up with new and original ideas. What a great example of women's empowerment indeed 🙄
sofacushionfort 3 months ago
Fisk was a pretty good workplace comedy from Australia. On that basis I’d give this a chance
CJK 3 months ago
Seems ok to me. If I were in Australia, I would give it a try. Curious what the BPers here think compared to the twitterers listed in the article.
Fat Harry (Oi / You) 3 months ago
I've never seen the US one, and I wasn't a fan of the UK one (but then I can't stand Ricky Gervaise). I generally like Aussie stuff because I find they have a very similar sense of humour and outlook as us, so if I'm bored I might give it a go. I'm not great with things intended to make you cringe either, though...
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MagicJacket 3 months ago
Gervais and Merchant have licensed The Office to several different countries. There are versions in France. Germany, Quebec, Chile and Israel already in addition to the UK and US versions. This is "money for old rope" as Gervais and Merchant would say. Who cares if one of the versions has a female manager and a female Dwight character? Don't watch it if you are that delicate to be offended.
Amelia Jade 3 months ago
I don't get the hate? It doesn't look like it's amazing or anything, but it doesn't look terrible. The comedy itself looks on par with the other two versions--which I've watched. Id have to see more than a trailer to see if the cast is worthwhile and has the chemistry of the other two. People just like to be negative and hate on stuff just for the sake of it.
I just work here 3 months ago
For all those saying it seems cringy, go back and watch the (not) "original" American office. I tried and it is extremely cringy. This new show looks a little over the top, but I would probably give it a chance.
Mireille Oosterhof 3 months ago
I think the issue is more that when The Office aired, it was fun, quirky, cultish. People remember it fondly. And now its getting remade (and there is no reason that it is actually worse) but...it is not the same. It's not what you remember. And then it will always feel like a let down.
Vix Spiderthrust 3 months ago
This is why remakes are stupid. Either you do everything exactly like the original, in which case it's pointless; or you do different things and everyone says you did it wrong.
PFD 3 months ago
Quiz question: What links all those people complaining? Answer : They're all Twitter blue ticks who pay a billionaire douchebag for the privilege of having their warm-spit opinions prioritised over everyone else. (True, the trailer doesn't seem make it seem very funny to me, but I never watched the American one because I thought the trailer looked so bad it totally put me off. Since it's regarded as a comedy great, that suggests my verdict on the trailer is as meaningless as a blue-ticker's. So that's ok.)
Wintermute 3 months ago
Yeah, cherry picked rage bait from people who need clicks to validate their lives.
Load More Replies... Graham_Illegal 3 months ago
So, a studio swapped the genders of the cast in some old material again, instead of supporting creative women who come up with new and original ideas. What a great example of women's empowerment indeed 🙄
sofacushionfort 3 months ago
Fisk was a pretty good workplace comedy from Australia. On that basis I’d give this a chance
CJK 3 months ago
Seems ok to me. If I were in Australia, I would give it a try. Curious what the BPers here think compared to the twitterers listed in the article.
Fat Harry (Oi / You) 3 months ago
I've never seen the US one, and I wasn't a fan of the UK one (but then I can't stand Ricky Gervaise). I generally like Aussie stuff because I find they have a very similar sense of humour and outlook as us, so if I'm bored I might give it a go. I'm not great with things intended to make you cringe either, though...
Load More Replies... MagicJacket 3 months ago
Gervais and Merchant have licensed The Office to several different countries. There are versions in France. Germany, Quebec, Chile and Israel already in addition to the UK and US versions. This is "money for old rope" as Gervais and Merchant would say. Who cares if one of the versions has a female manager and a female Dwight character? Don't watch it if you are that delicate to be offended.
Amelia Jade 3 months ago
I don't get the hate? It doesn't look like it's amazing or anything, but it doesn't look terrible. The comedy itself looks on par with the other two versions--which I've watched. Id have to see more than a trailer to see if the cast is worthwhile and has the chemistry of the other two. People just like to be negative and hate on stuff just for the sake of it.
I just work here 3 months ago
For all those saying it seems cringy, go back and watch the (not) "original" American office. I tried and it is extremely cringy. This new show looks a little over the top, but I would probably give it a chance.
Mireille Oosterhof 3 months ago
I think the issue is more that when The Office aired, it was fun, quirky, cultish. People remember it fondly. And now its getting remade (and there is no reason that it is actually worse) but...it is not the same. It's not what you remember. And then it will always feel like a let down.
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