As a seasoned movie buff with over three decades of watching sitcoms under my belt, I’ve seen it all – from M*A*S*H to Seinfeld, and yes, The Office too. The new Australian reboot of The Office has certainly stirred up quite the debate among fans. On one hand, I must admit that the quirky charm of this Down Under version has won me over. Felicity Ward’s portrayal of our beloved boss is a refreshing take on the iconic Michael Scott character.
The revamped version of “The Office,” now set in Australia on Prime Video, has been a blockbuster success, though it’s faced strong criticism from loyal fans of the original sitcom. Led by Felicity Ward, this new series unfolds at Finley Craddick, an Australian packaging company struggling to regain momentum following the COVID-19 pandemic’s work-from-home mandate. A significant point of contention among fans is the female lead character, and the presence of Australian counterparts for beloved characters from Dunder Mifflin.
As per Amazon’s data, The Office AU has broken viewing records on Prime Video worldwide. It quickly climbed to the top spot in its home country, Australia, and has maintained this position since its debut on October 18, 2024. Moreover, the show ranked among the Top 10 in more than 100 countries, including New Zealand and Singapore. However, while the reboot has been a ratings hit, it has sparked debates among both fans and critics.
Most audiences who are open to a new interpretation of The Office have praised the series as a funny, quirky version of the beloved UK and US shows. The series has earned a decent 64% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, like any beloved show or movie, The Office has its die-hard, purist fans who are adamant that the US version was terrible after Steve Carell left (Seasons 8 and 9 weren’t that bad). The very notion of a female-led reboot has struck a nerve with bigoted fans, who instantly wrote off the new reboot as unnecessary — even though it’s the 12th international reboot of the popular show (and the same was said for the US version by British audiences). Those fans have made their voices heard, and The Office Australia holds a far less enticing 39% audience score.
The Office Australia Follows a Frustrating New Streaming Trend
Fans of The Office have expressed more than mere annoyance at the prospect of another reboot. Unlike the original British series, which adhered to a traditional 6-episode season format, the American version boasted a lengthy 24-episode run per season. In those days, it was common for shows to span 24 episodes each year, even demanding productions like Lost often met that mark.
Remarkably, even amid the era of streaming services, it seems that the typical number of episodes per season has significantly reduced. Nowadays, viewers can anticipate anywhere from 8 to 10 episodes of their favorite series being released simultaneously. However, this change comes with a catch: we seem to be experiencing longer gaps between seasons for a smaller total count of episodes. This trend has been observed in shows like The Office AU, which dropped all 8 episodes on Prime Video on October 18. Audiences quickly consumed the short, approximately 20-minute episodes. For those who found the show enjoyable and are hoping for a second season, it’s likely that we’ll have to wait a couple of years before another small number of episodes become available in the next season.
Although Season 2 of “The Office AU” hasn’t been formally confirmed as of now, considering its impressive viewership numbers, it seems that the show is destined for a long run.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-29 18:31