Ricky Gervais Approves of The Office Reboot’s Female Lead

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As a die-hard fan of The Office, I must say that the Australian reboot, The Office AU, has certainly piqued my interest, especially with Ricky Gervais‘s seal of approval. Having grown up watching the original series, I can only imagine how challenging it would be to step into such iconic shoes, but Felicity Ward seems to be taking it all in her stride.

The fan base may have preemptively turned against the female-led, Australian reboot of The Office, but the new series has the approval of the World’s Best Boss himself… Ricky Gervais.The Office AU (it should have been called The Office Down Under) stars Felicity Ward as Hannah Howard, the branch manager of Flinley Craddick, a box company based in Sydney. The new series features Aussie versions of fan-favorite characters, both from the U.K. and the U.S. versions of the show. Despite being the 11th international remake of The Office, the Australian version has garnered particular hatred from fans, partly due to its female lead.

At the Prime Video Presents: Trailblazers event (as reported by Variety), Felicity Ward spoke about her leading role in the series and the criticism towards its reboot. The comedian and actress remained undeterred by the negative reactions from some biased fans, as she already had the endorsement of The Office’s co-creator and star, Ricky Gervais (though she doesn’t necessarily require it). Ward stated:

Ricky Gervais endorses a female protagonist, and he’s quite thrilled about it – for those who might be concerned.

Disregarding the critical reactions from some viewers, Felicity Ward is eager for open-minded audiences to watch the new series. When questioned about any apprehension or anxiety regarding the show’s imminent premiere, she playfully responded:

I’m quite relaxed, truth be told. Folks who are fond of English culture or fans of The Office often say something like, ‘Feel free to do as you wish with it.’

Fans Turn on The Office Australia

Despite Felicity Ward’s optimism regarding the show’s debut, it appears that the upcoming reboot is already encountering challenges, as indicated by the responses to the first trailer for The Office Australia. The trailer offers a glimpse into the antics that Flinley Craddick’s employees engage in following their mandatory return to the office.

The trailer’s comments and social media were flooded with negative reactions. Sadly, it is expected that any female-led reboot will get a degree of backlash from the self-righteous “Go woke, go broke” crowd (who really need to get out more). However, among the bigoted opinions, some fans expressed genuine concerns and criticism about the series. The consensus agreed that the actors were trying too hard to be funny in the trailer, and none of the already over-the-top antics felt believable in the slightest.

Viewers worldwide will need to be patient until October 18, 2024, when the Australian reboot of “The Office” premieres on Prime Video, except in the U.S. It’s crucial to keep in mind that trailers serve as valuable promotional tools, but they have a history of deceiving audiences into thinking they won’t enjoy a new movie or series, which might end up being an exceptional work of storytelling instead. The Australian adaptation of “The Office” faces a significant challenge given the extraordinary success of both the British and American versions of the show, each widely regarded as the greatest sitcom in their respective countries.

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2024-10-01 18:32