I am baffled by your comments on The Office. "Magnificent"? I don't understand how you can say, "The changes for a US audience were minimal," either - the new Dwight/Gareth character has bee dumbed down to simply "dork," the new Tim and Dawn characters are (so far) prettier and - like "Dwight" - flatter than their counterparts. Many of the characters in the original seemed worth our concern and cringing -- even Gervais' Brent. I feel like I'm watching a remake done by an automated script-chopper and confused, grasping actors. The original The Office worked because it was made by two guys with a common vision for a show, not a corporation.

Finally, as to the "effort" extended by NBC on the DM fake website (I'm picturing two interns, a press kit, Dream Weaver, and maybe one week of time) - a shame that creativity couldn't've been channeled toward, oh, I don't know, an original series?

I hope NBC gets their money's worth, although I'm sure the number wizards at Rockefeller Center have already figured that part out.

Regardless, I am sure that somebody at NBC, no matter how small, actually cares about this program for the right reasons, and for them I am glad, because your post is evidence that people out there like what they have done.

Ouch!!

I'm back, tail somewhat between my legs.

Tonight I caught the pilot, and I can see where a lot of your thoughts came from. It was probably as true of a remake of the pilot of the original as one could imagine, U.S. style. I won't go with magnificent, but not too bad.

I also re-watched the "Diversity Day" episode, and I'm still left with the same empty feeling. I get the feeling that the writers are trying to string out a whole BBC season (6 episodes) into a US season (generally 10-20), and so we see little bits from the original creeping in here and there with a new plot as the background.

If I were an NBC exec and were sold the show based on the pilot, I probably would have bought it, too. But if the "Diversity Day" episode is any indication, I just don't think they'll be able to keep up the quality level to near the first (carbon copy) episode.

Agreed - Getting 26 episodes (or whatever) out of what has been a 6 episode arc risks diluting the product somewhat, but we'll see. I think it is a worthy effort, at least, and definitely an attempt to broaden the horizons of the viewing public about what is entertaining. For that alone I'm a fan and an advocate.