05-05-2025
The Director Of 'The Office US' Opened Up About The One Huge Difference From The Original British Sitcom
We can all agree that The Office US is a heavyweight in the sitcom landscape.
Well, Paul Feig, who directed many of the US episodes, has opened up about one of the major differences from the original. Speaking to BuzzFeed UK, Paul shared that he and the team transformed the protagonist for American audiences, due to differences in humour across the pond.
BuzzFeed UK
In the British version, Ricky Gervais plays Wernham Hogg manager David Brent, while Steve Carell led the US adaptation as Michael Scott.
'British audiences really like taking the piss out of a out of a boar, but American audiences can't make that their lead person – they have to have some kind of emotional investment in that person. If they don't, they're just kind of like, 'why am I following this terrible person around?''
If you've seen the original, you'll be well aware that David Brent has very few redeeming qualities – while he's hilarious, Paul accurately described him as a 'pretty despicable character.'
So how did The Office US win our hearts? 'The key to the show was humanising Michael,' Paul shared.
He revealed that the turning point was in the iconic office Olympics episode in season two, which was where we saw a softer side to Michael for the first time, courtesy of an artistic decision from Steve Carell.
NBC
In the episode, Michael had just bought a condo, and while he was initially the butt of the joke, when it came to him receiving his award, Steve started getting emotional.
'It was just this moment of, 'like wow, that's brilliant,' Paul said, 'We were all like, 'Steve, keep doing that.'
So that was the show's turning point, giving audiences an insight into the character's more vulnerable side – something that became a key part of Michael's growth throughout the series.
NBC
While Michael's foot-in-mouth moments are hilarious, it's safe to say his emotional side played a huge part in why Michael remains one of the most lovable sitcom characters.
NBC
